Form 497 GOLDMAN SACHS TRUST
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STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DATED JULY 29, 2021, AS SUPPLEMENTED SEPTEMBER 24, 2021
| FUND |
Class A Shares |
Class C Shares |
Class R Shares |
Investor Shares |
Service Shares |
Institutional Shares |
Administration Shares |
Separate Account Institutional Shares |
Class R6 Shares |
Class P Shares | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS ENHANCED INCOME FUND |
GEIAX | – | – | GHIRX | – | GEIIX | GEADX | – | GEIUX | GAEPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS HIGH QUALITY FLOATING RATE FUND |
GSAMX | – | – | GTATX | GSASX | GSARX | – | – | GTAUX | GGOPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS SHORT DURATION GOVERNMENT FUND |
GSSDX | GSDCX | – | GTDTX | GSDSX | GSTGX | – | – | GSTUX | GMDPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS SHORT DURATION TAX-FREE FUND |
GSDTX | GSTCX | – | GDIRX | GSFSX | GSDUX | – | – | GDUSX | GANPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS GOVERNMENT INCOME FUND |
GSGOX | GSOCX | GSORX | GSOTX | GSOSX | GSOIX | – | – | GSOUX | GGTPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS DYNAMIC MUNICIPAL INCOME FUND |
GSMIX | GSMUX | – | GUIRX | GSMEX | GSMTX | – | – | GYISX | GAJPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS U.S. MORTGAGES FUND |
GSUAX | – | – | GGIRX | – | GSUIX | – | GSUPX | GGIUX | GSBPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS CORE FIXED INCOME FUND |
GCFIX | GCFCX | GDFRX | GDFTX | GSCSX | GSFIX | – | – | GCFUX | GAKPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS BOND FUND |
GSFAX | GSFCX | GSNRX | GSNTX | GSNSX | GSNIX | – | – | GSFUX | GMVPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS SHORT DURATION BOND FUND |
GDIAX | GDICX | GIFRX | GSSRX | – | GDFIX | – | – | GDIUX | GMCPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS INVESTMENT GRADE CREDIT FUND |
GSGAX | – | – | GTIRX | – | GSGDX | – | GSCPX | GTIUX | GGBPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS GLOBAL CORE FIXED INCOME FUND |
GSGIX | GSLCX | – | GBIRX | GGISX | GSGLX | – | – | GBIUX | GGXPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS HIGH YIELD MUNICIPAL FUND |
GHYAX | GHYCX | – | GYIRX | – | GHYIX | – | – | GHYSX | GGLPX | ||||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS HIGH YIELD FUND |
GSHAX | GSHCX | GSHRX | GSHTX | GSHSX | GSHIX | – | – | GSHUX | GGMPX | ||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS HIGH YIELD FLOATING RATE FUND |
GFRAX | GFRCX | GFRRX | GFRIX | – | GSFRX | – | – | GFRSX | GGNPX | ||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS STRATEGIC INCOME FUND |
GSZAX | GSZCX | GSZRX | GZIRX | – | GSZIX | – | – | GSZUX | GSOPX | ||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS EMERGING MARKETS DEBT FUND |
GSDAX | GSCDX | – | GSIRX | – | GSDIX | – | – | GSIUX | GAIPX | ||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS LOCAL EMERGING MARKETS DEBT FUND |
GAMDX | GCMDX | – | GLIRX | – | GIMDX | – | – | GIMSX | GMWPX | ||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS INFLATION PROTECTED SECURITIES FUND |
GSAPX | GSCFX | GSRPX | GSTPX | – | GSIPX | – | – | GSRUX | GGJPX | ||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS LONG SHORT CREDIT STRATEGIES FUND |
GSAUX | GSAVX | GSAZX | GSAYX | – | GSAWX | – | – | GSSAX | GMUPX | ||||||||||
| GOLDMAN SACHS INCOME FUND |
GSCHX | GSCJX | GSCNX | GSCMX | – | GSNCX | – | – | GSCRX | GSCUX |
(Each a portfolio of Goldman Sachs Trust)
Goldman Sachs Trust
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI describes each of the above-referenced series of Goldman Sachs Trust. This SAI should be read in conjunction with the prospectuses for the Goldman Sachs Enhanced Income Fund, Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund, Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Goldman Sachs Government Income Fund, Goldman Sachs Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Goldman Sachs U.S. Mortgages Fund, Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund, Goldman Sachs Bond Fund, Goldman Sachs Short Duration Bond Fund (formerly, Goldman Sachs Short Duration Income Fund), Goldman Sachs Investment Grade Credit Fund, Goldman Sachs Global Core Fixed Income Fund (formerly, Goldman Sachs Global Income Fund), Goldman Sachs High Yield Municipal Fund, Goldman Sachs High Yield Fund, Goldman Sachs High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund, Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Goldman Sachs Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Goldman Sachs Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Goldman Sachs Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Goldman Sachs Income Fund, each dated July 29, 2021, as they may be further amended and/or supplemented from time to time (collectively, the “Funds” and each individually, a “Fund”), (the “Prospectuses”). The Prospectuses may be obtained without charge from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC by calling the telephone numbers or writing to one of the addresses listed below, or from institutions (“Intermediaries”) acting on behalf of their customers.
The audited financial statements and related report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for each Fund, contained in the Funds’ 2021 Annual Reports are incorporated herein by reference in the section “FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.” No other portions of the Funds’ Annual Reports are incorporated by reference herein. A Fund’s Annual Report or Semi-Annual Report may be obtained upon request and without charge by calling Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC toll free at 1-800-526-7384 (for Class A, Class C, Class R and Investor Shareholders) or 1-800-621-2550 (for Institutional, Service, Administration, Separate Account Institutional, Class R6 and Class P Shareholders).
GSAM® is a registered service mark of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC.
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| B-4 | ||||
| B-17 | ||||
| B-86 | ||||
| B-91 | ||||
| B-103 | ||||
| B-119 | ||||
| B-134 | ||||
| B-137 | ||||
| B-141 | ||||
| B-144 | ||||
| B-151 | ||||
| B-152 | ||||
| B-158 | ||||
| B-162 | ||||
| OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS, EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS |
B-162 | |||
| B-165 | ||||
| B-169 | ||||
| B-170 | ||||
| B-171 | ||||
| 1-A | ||||
| 1-B | ||||
| 1-C | ||||
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.
Investment Adviser to:
Goldman Sachs Enhanced Income Fund
Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund
Goldman Sachs Government Income Fund
Goldman Sachs Dynamic Municipal Income Fund
Goldman Sachs U.S. Mortgages Fund
Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund
Goldman Sachs Bond Fund
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Bond Fund
Goldman Sachs Investment Grade Credit Fund
Goldman Sachs High Yield Municipal Fund
Goldman Sachs High Yield Fund
Goldman Sachs High Yield Floating Rate Fund
Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund
Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Debt Fund
Goldman Sachs Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund
Goldman Sachs Inflation Protected Securities Fund
Goldman Sachs Long Short Credit Strategies Fund
Goldman Sachs Income Fund
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET
MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL
Investment Adviser to:
Goldman Sachs Global Core Fixed Income Fund
Christchurch Court
10-15 Newgate Street
London, England EC1A7HD
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
Distributor
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
Transfer Agent
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Toll free (in U.S.): 800-621-2550 (for Institutional, Service, Administration, Separate Account Institutional, Class R6 and Class P Shareholders) or 800-526-7384 (for Class A, Class C, Class R and Investor Shareholders).
B-2
Goldman Sachs Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end, management investment company. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and was established by a Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997. The Trust is a successor to a Massachusetts business trust that was combined with the Trust on April 30, 1997. The Trustees of the Trust have authority under the Declaration of Trust to create and classify shares into separate series and to classify and reclassify any series of shares into one or more classes without further action by shareholders. Pursuant thereto, the Trustees have created the following series, among others: Goldman Sachs Enhanced Income Fund (“Enhanced Income Fund”), Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund (“High Quality Floating Rate Fund”), Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund (“Short Duration Government Fund”), Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund (“Short Duration Tax-Free Fund”), Goldman Sachs Government Income Fund (“Government Income Fund”), Goldman Sachs Dynamic Municipal Income Fund (“Dynamic Municipal Income Fund”), Goldman Sachs U.S. Mortgages Fund (“U.S. Mortgages Fund”), Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund (“Core Fixed Income Fund”), Goldman Sachs Bond Fund (“Bond Fund”), Goldman Sachs Short Duration Bond Fund (prior to July 29, 2021, Goldman Sachs Short Duration Income Fund) (“Short Duration Bond Fund”), Goldman Sachs Investment Grade Credit Fund (“Investment Grade Credit Fund”), Goldman Sachs Global Core Fixed Income Fund (prior to April 30, 2020, Goldman Sachs Global Income Fund) (“Global Core Fixed Income Fund”), Goldman Sachs High Yield Municipal Fund (“High Yield Municipal Fund”), Goldman Sachs High Yield Fund (“High Yield Fund”), Goldman Sachs High Yield Floating Rate Fund (“High Yield Floating Rate Fund”), Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund (“Strategic Income Fund”), Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Debt Fund (“Emerging Markets Debt Fund”), Goldman Sachs Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund (“Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund”), Goldman Sachs Inflation Protected Securities Fund (“Inflation Protected Securities Fund”), Goldman Sachs Long Short Credit Strategies Fund (“Long Short Credit Strategies Fund”) and Goldman Sachs Income Fund (“Income Fund”) (each referred to herein as a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”).
Each Fund other than the Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”). The Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company. Government Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund and High Yield Fund are authorized to issue eight classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Service Shares, Institutional Shares, Class R Shares, Investor Shares Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and Global Core Fixed Income Fund are authorized to issue seven classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Service Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. Short Duration Bond Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund are authorized to issue seven classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, Class R Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. Enhanced Income Fund is authorized to issue six classes of shares: Class A Shares, Administration Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. High Quality Floating Rate Fund is authorized to issue six classes of shares: Class A Shares, Service Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. U.S. Mortgages Fund and Investment Grade Credit Fund are authorized to issue six classes of shares: Class A Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Separate Account Institutional Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. High Yield Municipal Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund are authorized to issue six classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. The Trustees of the Trust may designate additional series and classes in the future from time to time. See “SHARES OF THE TRUST.” Prior to August 15, 2017, Investor Shares were named Class IR Shares.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (“GSAM”), an affiliate of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“Goldman Sachs”), serves as the investment adviser to each Fund except the Global Core Fixed Income Fund. Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (“GSAMI”), an affiliate of Goldman Sachs, serves as investment adviser to the Global Core Fixed Income Fund. GSAM and GSAMI are each sometimes referred to herein as an “Investment Adviser” and collectively herein as the “Investment Advisers.” In addition, Goldman Sachs serves as each Fund’s distributor (the “Distributor”) and transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”). Except for the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund, each Fund’s custodian is State Street Bank and Trust Company. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. serves as custodian for the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund.
The following information relates to and supplements the description of each Fund’s investment objectives and policies contained in the Prospectuses. See the Prospectuses for a more complete description of the Funds’ investment objectives and policies. Investing in the Funds entails certain risks and there is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its objective. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the same meaning as in the Prospectuses.
As used in the SAI, the term “Tax Exempt Funds” refers to the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund; the term “Taxable Funds” refers to all of the other Funds.
B-3
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
All investment objectives and investment policies not specifically designated as fundamental may be changed without shareholder approval. However, with respect to the High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Government Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund, shareholders will be provided with sixty days’ notice in the manner prescribed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) before any change in a Fund’s policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) (“Net Assets”), in the particular type of investment suggested by its name. With respect to the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund, such Funds’ policies to invest at least 80% of their Net Assets in tax exempt and municipal investments, as applicable, are fundamental policies that may not be changed without shareholder approval. With respect to the Inflation Protected Securities Fund, as a matter of fundamental policy, under normal circumstances at least 80% of the Fund’s Net Assets will be invested in inflation protected securities (“IPS”) of varying maturities issued by the U.S. Treasury (“TIPS”) and other U.S. and non-U.S. Government agencies and corporations (“CIPS”). Additional information about the Funds, their policies, and the investment instruments they may hold is provided below.
Each Fund’s share price will fluctuate with market, economic and, to the extent applicable, foreign exchange conditions, so that an investment in any of the Funds may be worth more or less when redeemed than when purchased. None of the Funds should be relied upon as a complete investment program.
The Investment Adviser, on behalf of the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund, has filed a notice of eligibility claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA. The Investment Adviser is subject to registration and regulation as a CPO under the CEA with respect to its service as investment adviser to the Bond Fund, Strategic Income Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund. In addition, the Investment Adviser has claimed temporary relief from registration as a CPO under the CEA for the Enhanced Income Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Government Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund and Global Core Fixed Income Fund and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA.
Enhanced Income Fund
Enhanced Income Fund is designed for investors who seek returns in excess of traditional money market products while maintaining an emphasis on preservation of capital and liquidity. The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, primarily in a portfolio of U.S. dollar-denominated fixed income securities, including non-mortgage-backed U.S. Government Securities (as defined below), corporate notes, commercial paper, fixed and floating rate asset-backed securities and foreign securities rated, at the time of purchase, at least BBB by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality.
A number of investment strategies will be used to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, including market sector selection, determination of yield curve exposure and issuer selection. In addition, the Investment Adviser will attempt to take advantage of pricing inefficiencies in the fixed income markets. Market sector selection is the underweighting or overweighting of one or more of the four market sectors (i.e., U.S. Treasuries, U.S. Government agencies, corporate securities and asset-backed securities) in which the Fund primarily invests. The decision to overweight or underweight a given market sector is based on expectations of future yield spreads between different sectors. Yield curve exposure strategy consists of overweighting or underweighting different maturity sectors to take advantage of the shape of the yield curve. Issuer selection is the purchase and sale of fixed income corporate securities based on a corporation’s current and expected credit standing. To take advantage of price discrepancies between securities resulting from supply and demand imbalances or other technical factors, the Fund may simultaneously purchase and sell comparable, but not identical, securities. The Investment Adviser will usually have access to the research of, and proprietary technical models developed by, Goldman Sachs and will apply quantitative and qualitative analysis in determining the appropriate allocations among the categories of issuers and types of securities.
The Fund’s overall returns are generally likely to move in the opposite direction as interest rates. Therefore, when interest rates decline, the Fund’s return is likely to increase. Conversely, when interest rates increase, the Fund’s return is likely to decline. In exchange for accepting a higher degree of share price fluctuation, investors have the potential to achieve a higher return from the Fund than from shorter-term investments.
B-4
In determining the maturity of an instrument, the Fund will treat the remaining maturity of a newly-issued security as five years in situations where the original maturity of the security exceeds that period by not more than forty-five days. In addition, a fixed income instrument that has a mandatory put or call feature that provides that the Fund will receive payment of the principal amount of the instrument from the issuer and/or an investment bank at a specified future date will be deemed to have a remaining maturity ending on that date, even though the stated final maturity of the instrument is later than the put or call date.
Preservation of Capital. Enhanced Income Fund seeks to reduce principal fluctuation by maintaining a target duration equal to that of the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Six-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index to the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch One-Year U.S. Treasury Note Index and an approximate interest rate sensitivity of a nine-month U.S. Treasury Bill, as well as utilizing certain interest rate hedging techniques. There is no assurance that these strategies will be successful.
Liquidity. Because the Fund’s shares may be redeemed upon request of a shareholder on any business day at net asset value (“NAV”), the Fund offers greater liquidity than many competing investments such as certificates of deposit and direct investments in certain securities in which the Fund may invest. However, unlike certificates of deposit, shares of the Funds are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
A Sophisticated Investment Process. Enhanced Income Fund will attempt to control its exposure to interest rate risk, including overall market exposure and the spread risk of particular sectors and securities, through active portfolio management techniques. The Fund’s investment process starts with a review of trends for the overall economy as well as for different sectors of the fixed income securities markets. Goldman Sachs’ portfolio managers then analyze yield spreads, implied volatility and the shape of the yield curve. In planning the Fund’s portfolio investment strategies, the Investment Adviser is able to draw upon the economic and fixed income research resources of Goldman Sachs. The Investment Adviser will use a sophisticated analytical process including Goldman Sachs’ option-adjusted spread model to assist in structuring and maintaining the Fund’s investment portfolio. In determining the Fund’s investment strategy and making market timing decisions, the Investment Adviser will have access to input from Goldman Sachs’ economists and fixed income analysts.
High Quality Floating Rate Fund and Short Duration Government Fund
High Quality Floating Rate Fund is designed for investors who seek a high level of current income, consistent with low volatility of principal. Short Duration Government Fund is designed for investors who seek a high level of current income and secondarily, in seeking current income, may also wish to consider the potential for capital appreciation. Both Funds are appropriate for investors who seek the high credit quality of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises (“U.S. Government Securities”), including agency issued adjustable rate and fixed rate mortgage-backed securities or other mortgage-related securities (“Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities”) and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities and, for the High Quality Floating Rate Fund, obligations rated AAA or Aaa by an NRSRO at the time of purchase (or if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality), without incurring the administrative and accounting burdens involved in direct investment.
Market and economic conditions may affect the investments of the High Quality Floating Rate and Short Duration Government Funds differently than the investments normally purchased by other types of fixed income investors. Relative to U.S. Treasury and non-fluctuating money market instruments, the market value of adjustable rate mortgage securities in which High Quality Floating Rate and Short Duration Government Funds may invest may be adversely affected by increases in market interest rates. Conversely, decreases in market interest rates may result in less capital appreciation for adjustable rate mortgage securities in relation to U.S. Treasury and money market investments.
High Current Income. High Quality Floating Rate and Short Duration Government Funds seek a higher current yield than that offered by money market funds or by bank certificates of deposit and money market accounts. However, the High Quality Floating Rate and Short Duration Government Funds do not maintain a constant NAV per share and are subject to greater fluctuations in the value of their shares than a money market fund. Unlike bank certificates of deposit and money market accounts, investments in shares of the Funds are not insured or guaranteed by any government agency. The High Quality Floating Rate and Short Duration Government Funds each seek to provide such high current income without sacrificing credit quality.
Relative Low Volatility of Principal. High Quality Floating Rate Fund seeks to minimize NAV fluctuations by investing primarily in high quality floating rate or variable rate obligations. The High Quality Floating Rate Fund considers “high quality” obligations to be (i) those rated AAA or Aaa by an NRSRO at the time of purchase, or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality, including repurchase agreements with counterparties rated AAA or Aaa by an NRSRO at the time of purchase, or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality, and (ii) U.S. Government Securities, including securities representing an interest in or collateralized by Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities, and in repurchase agreements
B-5
collateralized by U.S. Government Securities, with counterparties approved by the Investment Adviser pursuant to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The target duration range of High Quality Floating Rate Fund under normal interest rate conditions is expected to approximate that of the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, plus or minus 3 months. This Fund utilizes certain active management techniques to seek to hedge interest rate risk.
Short Duration Government Fund seeks to minimize NAV fluctuations by investing primarily in U.S. Government Securities, including Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities. The Short Duration Government Fund also seeks to minimize NAV by utilizing certain interest rate hedging techniques and by maintaining a maximum duration of not more than three years. The target duration of Short Duration Government Fund is that of the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Two-Year U.S. Treasury Note Index, plus or minus 1 year. There is no assurance that these strategies for High Quality Floating Rate Fund and Short Duration Government Fund will be successful.
Professional Management and Administration. Investors who invest in securities of the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae” or “GNMA”) and other Mortgage-Backed Securities (as defined below) may prefer professional management and administration of their Mortgage-Backed Securities portfolios. A well-diversified portfolio of such securities emphasizing minimal fluctuation of NAV requires significant active management as well as significant accounting and administrative resources. Members of Goldman Sachs’ highly skilled portfolio management team bring together many years of experience in the analysis, valuation and trading of U.S. fixed income securities.
Government Income Fund
Government Income Fund is designed for investors who seek a high level of current income, consistent with safety of principal and the high credit quality of U.S. Government Securities, without incurring the administrative and account burdens involved in direct investment.
Government Income Fund’s overall returns are generally likely to move in the opposite direction from interest rates. Therefore, when interest rates decline, Government Income Fund’s return is likely to increase. In exchange for accepting a higher degree of share price fluctuation, investors have the potential to achieve a higher return from Government Income Fund than from shorter-term investments.
High Current Income. Government Income Fund is designed to have a higher current yield than a money market fund, since it can invest in longer-term, higher yielding securities, and may utilize certain investment techniques not available to a money market fund. Similarly, Government Income Fund’s yield is expected to exceed that offered by bank certificates of deposit and money market accounts. However, Government Income Fund does not maintain a constant NAV per share and is subject to greater fluctuation in the value of its shares than a money market fund. Unlike bank certificates of deposit and money market accounts, investments in shares of Government Income Fund are not insured or guaranteed by any government agency. Government Income Fund seeks to provide high current income without, however, sacrificing credit quality.
A Sophisticated Investment Process. Government Income Fund’s investment process starts with a review of trends for the overall economy as well as for different sectors of the U.S. Government and Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities markets. Goldman Sachs’ portfolio managers then analyze yield spreads, implied volatility and the shape of the yield curve. In planning Government Income Fund’s portfolio investment strategies, the Investment Adviser is able to draw upon the economic and fixed income research resources of Goldman Sachs. The Investment Adviser will use a sophisticated analytical process involving Goldman Sachs’ proprietary mortgage prepayment model and option-adjusted spread model to structure and maintain the Government Income Fund’s investment portfolio. In determining the Government Income Fund’s investment strategy and in making market timing decisions, the Investment Adviser will have access to information from Goldman Sachs’ economists, fixed income analysts and mortgage specialists.
Convenience of a Fund Structure. Government Income Fund eliminates many of the complications that direct ownership of U.S. Government Securities and Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities entails. Government Income Fund automatically reinvests all principal payments within the Fund and distributes only current income each month, thereby conserving principal and eliminating the investor’s need to segregate and reinvest the principal portion of each payment on his own.
Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund
The Tax Exempt Funds are not money market funds. Short Duration Tax-Free Fund is designed for investors who seek a high level of current income, consistent with relatively low volatility of principal, that is exempt from regular federal income tax. The Dynamic Municipal Income Fund is designed for investors who seek a high level of current income that is exempt from regular federal income tax. High Yield Municipal Fund is designed for investors who seek a high level of current income that is exempt from regular federal income tax and may also consider the potential for capital appreciation.
B-6
The Tax Exempt Funds are appropriate for investors who seek to invest in fixed income securities issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia) and the political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities (“Municipal Securities”) and who are able to accept greater risk with the possibility of higher returns than investors in municipal money market funds. An example of an “eligible” investment for the Tax Exempt Funds is an auction rate Municipal Security. These securities generally have higher yields than money market Municipal Securities, but are, in many cases, not eligible investments for municipal money market funds.
In addition, unlike a municipal money market fund, the Tax Exempt Funds’ increased investment flexibility permits their portfolios to be more easily adjusted to reflect the shape of the current yield curve as well as to respond to anticipated developments that might affect the shape of the yield curve.
The Municipal Securities in which the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund invests will be rated, at the time of purchase, at least BBB or Baa by an NRSRO or, if unrated, will be determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality. Municipal Securities rated BBB or Baa are considered medium-grade obligations with speculative characteristics, and adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances may weaken their issuers’ capability to pay interest and repay principal. The Dynamic Municipal Income Fund may invest up to 30% of its Net Assets (measured at the time of purchase) in Municipal Securities rated, at the time of purchase, BB+ or Ba1 or lower by an NRSRO or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality. The High Yield Municipal Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in Municipal Securities, the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax (i.e., excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes). The High Yield Municipal Fund invests, under normal circumstances, a majority of its total assets (measured at the time of purchase) in high-yield Municipal Securities. High-yield securities are securities that are rated, at the time of purchase, BBB or Baa or lower by an NRSRO or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality. See also “Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund – Return on and Risks of High Yield Securities” for a discussion of risks that are generally applicable to those Funds. The credit rating assigned to Municipal Securities may reflect the existence of guarantees, letters of credit or other credit enhancement features available to the issuers or holders of such Municipal Securities.
Investors who wish to invest in Municipal Securities may find that a mutual fund structure offers some important advantages when compared to investing in individual Municipal Securities, including:
| • | The ratings given to Municipal Securities by the rating organizations are difficult to evaluate. For example, some Municipal Securities with relatively low credit ratings have yields comparable to Municipal Securities with much higher ratings. The credit research professionals at Goldman Sachs closely follow market events and are well positioned to judge current and expected credit conditions of municipal issuers; |
| • | Because of the relative inefficiency of the secondary market in Municipal Securities, the value of an individual municipal security is often difficult to determine. As such, investors may obtain a wide range of different prices when asking for quotes from different dealers. In addition, a dealer may have a large inventory of a particular issue that it wants to reduce. Obtaining the best overall prices can require extensive negotiation, which is a function performed by the portfolio manager; and |
| • | Market expertise is also an important consideration for municipal investors, and because the Tax Exempt Funds may take relatively large positions in different securities, the Tax Exempt Funds may be able to obtain more favorable prices in the Municipal Securities market than investors with relatively small positions. |
U.S. Mortgages Fund
The U.S. Mortgages Fund seeks a high level of total return consisting of income and capital appreciation. The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in securities representing direct or indirect interests in or that are collateralized by Mortgage-Backed Securities (as defined below) of U.S. issuers, including Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities. Although the Investment Adviser considers macroeconomic trends — including the Investment Adviser’s expectations about interest rate trends and whether the curve will be flattening or steepening—the Investment Adviser’s investment approach to mortgages is mainly based on analyses of mortgage prepayments and measures of relative value.
Much of the research focus is on understanding model risk, which requires the Investment Adviser to understand how popular prepayment models are biased under different market scenarios. The Investment Adviser constructs a view which attempts to gauge how popular prepayment models will predict prepay activity across the broad spectrum of different mortgage instruments which spans all the major fixed-rate, single family mortgage sectors — level-pay and balloon, agency and non-agency. The Investment Adviser develops an independent view of how these popular models may not have kept up with recent changes in the individual homeowner’s decision process. For example, there have been material changes over the last decade in the way in which homeowners have access to mortgage refinancing: from the evolution of the mortgage broker market to access via internet applications to current trends in underwriters soliciting their own mortgage holder base for refinancing. The Investment Adviser’s intent is to understand these changes and exploit them in its trading activity. The focus throughout is to uncover model predictive bias with respect to borrower behavior and the decision-making of refinancing.
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Additionally, the Investment Adviser accesses and dissects individual mortgage pool information, which it believes can deliver an informational advantage under certain trading conditions.
The Investment Adviser’s data-set distinguishes on the basis of mortgage characteristics such as loan type, coupon, pool originator, underwriter standards, prepay penalties, vintage, and dollar balance, as well as by environmental variables including interest rates and origination points (for the entire term structure of mortgage alternatives including level pay, balloon and adjustable rate), housing values, recording-tax rates and relevant government regulations – which are significant elements affecting the prepayment decision. These decisions are incorporated into trading decisions about which mortgages to hold and which to avoid.
Specifically, the Investment Adviser expects to implement several investment strategies, as described below:
Sector/Subsector Strategies: The sector strategy would 1) attempt to take advantage of potential changes in general spread levels by overweighting and underweighting the spread duration of the portfolio relative to the index and 2) allocate risk among the different sectors in the mandate: pass-throughs, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), and Treasuries. The subsector strategy would allocate risk among the different subsectors in each sector: e.g. pass-throughs, whether to own GNMA vs. conventionals.
Security Selection: The Investment Adviser’s security selection strategy represents relative value investing. The Investment Adviser’s specialist team focuses on 1) finding the most attractive securities to place in the investment portfolios and 2) avoiding the least attractive securities in the index.
Among the Investment Adviser’s security selection strategies are:
1) Seasoning Strategies: The Investment Adviser believes that the market does not always correctly price the seasoning of a bond and its tendency to prepay in the future. By identifying these mispriced bonds, the Investment Adviser can construct a portfolio with more attractive interest rate sensitivity than that of the index.
2) Coupon Selection: By combining the Investment Adviser’s fundamental market views with the Investment Adviser’s quantitative models, the Investment Adviser believes that it can take advantage of potential mispricings across coupons. The Investment Adviser also believes that there are opportunities to generate absolute returns by monitoring the embedded delivery options in the To-Be-Allocated (“TBA”) market and by understanding the implied financing rate in TBA market for each coupon.
3) CMO vs. Pass-through Selection: There are often opportunities in the market to replicate pass-through securities by purchasing CMOs. This strategy may benefit an investment portfolio in two ways. First, it might be possible to purchase the replicating CMOs at a lower price than the pass-through. Second, the replicating CMOs may have the same price as the pass-through but have more attractive interest rate sensitivity characteristics.
Security Weighting: The Investment Adviser scales its positions as a function of the expected return and risk of the trade. Generally riskier trades will have smaller positions and less risky trades will have larger positions. For example, the Investment Adviser may cap the exposure from issuers in a particular rating category. This scaling occurs as a result of the Investment Adviser’s risk managed approach. When sizing the trade the Investment Adviser will consider its impact upon the tracking error of the investment portfolio and also the trades relative attractiveness to other perceived opportunities.
Yield Curve and Duration Management: These strategies attempt to take advantage of changes in the shape of the yield curve and the level of rates. While the Investment Adviser believes that it can add excess return through yield curve and duration management, the Investment Adviser also believes that within the context of the U.S. Mortgages Fund, these strategies contribute less to total return than other strategies. As a result the Investment Adviser expects to take less risk in this area.
Consistent with the Investment Adviser’s overall fixed income investment philosophy for Mortgage-Backed Security portfolios, the Investment Adviser actively manages mortgage portfolios within a risk-managed framework. The portfolio risk management process includes an effort to monitor and manage risk, but should not be confused with and does not imply low risk.
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Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund and Short Duration Bond Fund
Core Fixed Income Fund and Bond Fund are designed for investors seeking a total return consisting of capital appreciation and income. Such investors also prefer liquidity, experienced professional management and administration, a sophisticated investment process, and the convenience of a mutual fund structure. Short Duration Bond Fund is designed for investors seeking a total return consisting of income and capital appreciation. Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund and Short Duration Bond Fund may be appropriate as part of a balanced investment strategy consisting of stocks, bonds and cash or as a complement to positions in other types of fixed income investments.
The Core Fixed Income Fund’s and the Bond Funds’ benchmark index is the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (the “Bond Index”). The Bond Index currently includes U.S. Government Securities and fixed-rate, publicly issued, U.S. dollar-denominated fixed income securities rated at least Baa by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or if a Moody’s rating is unavailable, the comparable Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“Standard & Poor’s”) rating is used. The securities currently included in the Bond Index have at least one year remaining to maturity; and are issued by the following types of issuers, with each category receiving a different weighting in the Bond Index: U.S. Treasury; agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government; issuers of Mortgage-Backed Securities; utilities; industrial issuers; financial institutions; foreign issuers; and issuers of asset-backed securities. In pursuing their investment objectives, the Core Fixed Income and Bond Funds use the Bond Index as their performance benchmark, but the Core Fixed Income and Bond Funds will not attempt to replicate the Bond Index. The Core Fixed Income and Bond Funds may, therefore, invest in securities that are not included in the Bond Index. The Bond Index is a trademark of Bloomberg Barclays. Inclusion of a security in the Bond Index does not imply an opinion by Bloomberg Barclays as to its attractiveness or appropriateness for investment. Although Bloomberg Barclays obtains factual information used in connection with the Bond Index from sources which it considers reliable, Bloomberg Barclays claims no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of such information and has no liability to any person for any loss arising from results obtained from the use of the Bond Index data.
The Short Duration Bond Fund uses the Goldman Sachs Short Duration Bond Fund Composite Index, which is comprised of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Corporate Bond Index (50%) and the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Government Bond Index (50%) (the “Composite Index”) as its performance benchmark. The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Corporate Bond Index provides a broad based measure of the global investment grade corporate sector with final maturities ranging between one and three years. The corporate sectors include industrial, utility and finance, for U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Government Bond Index provides a broad based measure of securities issued by the U.S. Government with final maturities ranging from one to three years. This includes public obligations of the U.S. Treasury, U.S. Government agencies, quasi-federal corporations and corporate or foreign debt guaranteed by the U.S. Government. In pursuing its investment objective, the Short Duration Bond Fund uses the Composite Index as its performance benchmark, but the Short Duration Bond Fund will not attempt to replicate the Composite Index. The Short Duration Bond Fund may, therefore, invest in securities that are not included in the Composite Index. The components of the Composite Index and the secondary indices are trademarks of Bloomberg Barclays. Inclusion of a security in the components of the Composite Index and the secondary indices does not imply an opinion by Bloomberg Barclays as to its attractiveness or appropriateness for investment. Although Bloomberg Barclays obtains factual information used in connection with the components of the Composite Index and the secondary indices from sources which it considers reliable, Bloomberg Barclays claims no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of such information and has no liability to any person for any loss arising from results obtained from the use of the index data.
The Funds’ overall returns are generally likely to move in the opposite direction from interest rates. Therefore, when interest rates decline, the Funds’ returns are likely to increase. Conversely, when interest rates increase, the Funds’ returns are likely to decline. However, the Investment Adviser believes that, given the flexibility of managers to invest in a diversified portfolio of securities, the Funds’ returns are not likely to decline as quickly as that of other fixed income funds with comparable average portfolio durations. In exchange for accepting a higher degree of potential share price fluctuation, investors have the opportunity to achieve a higher return from the Funds than from shorter-term investments.
A number of investment strategies will be used to attempt to achieve the Funds’ investment objective, including market sector selection, determination of yield curve exposure, and issuer selection. In addition, the Investment Adviser will attempt to take advantage of pricing inefficiencies in the fixed income markets. Market sector selection is the underweighting or overweighting of one or more of the five market sectors (i.e., U.S. Treasuries, U.S. Government agencies, corporate securities, Mortgage-Backed Securities and asset-backed securities) in which the Funds primarily invest. The decision to overweight or underweight a given market sector is based on expectations of future yield spreads among different sectors. Yield curve exposure strategy consists of overweighting or underweighting different maturity sectors to take advantage of the shape of the yield curve. Issuer selection is the purchase and sale of corporate securities based on a corporation’s current and expected credit standing. To take advantage of price discrepancies between securities resulting from supply and demand imbalances or other technical factors, the Funds may simultaneously purchase and sell comparable, but not identical, securities. The Investment Adviser will usually have access to the research of, and proprietary technical models developed by, Goldman Sachs and will apply quantitative and qualitative analysis in determining the appropriate allocations among the categories of issuers and types of securities.
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A Sophisticated Investment Process. The Funds will attempt to control their exposure to interest rate risk, including overall market exposure and the spread risk of particular sectors and securities, through active portfolio management techniques. The Funds’ investment processes start with a review of trends for the overall economy as well as for different sectors of the fixed income securities markets. Goldman Sachs’ portfolio managers then analyze yield spreads, implied volatility and the shape of the yield curve. In planning the Funds’ portfolio investment strategies, the Investment Adviser is able to draw upon the economic and fixed income research resources of Goldman Sachs. The Investment Adviser will use a sophisticated analytical process including Goldman Sachs’ proprietary mortgage prepayment model and option-adjusted spread model to assist in structuring and maintaining Core Fixed Income Fund’s investment portfolio. In determining the Funds’ investment strategy and making market timing decisions, the Investment Adviser will have access to input from Goldman Sachs’ economists, fixed income analysts and mortgage specialists.
“Core” in the Core Fixed Income Fund’s name means that the Fund focuses its investments in intermediate- and long-term investment grade bonds.
Investment Grade Credit Fund
The Investment Grade Credit Fund seeks a high level of total return consisting of capital appreciation and income. The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in investment grade fixed income securities. Investment grade securities are securities that are rated at the time of purchase at least BBB– by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”), at least Baa3 by Moody’s, or have a comparable credit rating by another NRSRO or, if unrated, are determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality.
The Fund’s strategy employs a process that combines both a top-down and bottom-up analysis to evaluate companies. The Investment Adviser relies primarily on sub-sector/industry allocation and security selection strategies in seeking to generate incremental return relative to the selected benchmark. To a lesser degree, the Investment Adviser also implements duration and yield curve management strategies.
The Investment Adviser’s strategy for the Fund is based on maximizing its understanding of the factors that drive performance. The Investment Adviser’s security selection process begins with an analysis of the fundamentals of a given company and its industry, and goes on to include broader market factors as well as technical and execution issues. The Investment Adviser has organized its group to incorporate these elements into a process that pulls together the input of specialists within a collaborative framework. Portfolio managers and analysts sit on the trading desk together. This facilitates the frequent conversation between the various members of the corporate bond team.
Fundamental research is performed by a global high grade research group with parts of the teams in New York and London. The Investment Adviser established this group to ensure comprehensive research into high grade credits, which may be overlooked by firms with only one credit research team. The Investment Adviser’s analysts develop investment rationales incorporating their assessment of a company’s return potential and risks.
The discussion of investment ideas goes beyond fundamentals to incorporate the broader market views of the portfolio managers. Investment grade securities are strongly affected by such factors as comparative industry trends, the economy and general overall trends in coverage and leverage ratios. These factors can have a significant impact on performance. The portfolio managers bring their awareness of these factors as a crucial input in the formulation of investment ideas.
A final element of the process incorporates technical and execution issues. Adding value requires close attention to execution issues including market levels and the new issuance calendar. It is also crucial to stay apprised of dealer activity; being aware of which bonds are being traded by particular dealers promotes efficient trading, which plays directly through to better performance. The Investment Adviser’s traders help in this regard.
The Investment Adviser’s process is enhanced by the full integration of its New York and London corporate bond teams. While the teams are focused on issue selection in their respective markets, they are able to leverage their peers’ insights to develop broader, better-informed credit views than they could on their own. This integration extends to the portfolio managers, who also develop views on market and industry trends jointly. In addition to helping the Investment Adviser to develop fuller investment views, this integration can also allow it to exploit structural inefficiencies that arise when global corporate issues are priced differently in different currencies.
Global Core Fixed Income Fund
The Global Core Fixed Income Fund is designed for investors seeking a total return consisting of capital appreciation and income.
High Income. Global Core Fixed Income Fund’s portfolio managers will seek out the highest yielding bonds in the global fixed income market that meet the Global Core Fixed Income Fund’s credit quality standards and certain other criteria.
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Capital Appreciation. Investing in the foreign bond markets offers the potential for capital appreciation due to both interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations. The portfolio managers attempt to identify investments with appreciation potential by carefully evaluating trends affecting a country’s currency as well as a country’s fundamental economic strength. However, there is a risk of capital depreciation as a result of unanticipated interest rate and currency fluctuations.
Portfolio Management Flexibility. Global Core Fixed Income Fund is actively managed. The Fund’s portfolio managers invest in countries that, in their judgment, meet the Fund’s investment guidelines and often have strong currencies and stable economies and in securities that they believe offer favorable performance prospects.
Relative Stability of Principal. Global Core Fixed Income Fund may be able to reduce principal fluctuation by investing in foreign countries with economic policies or business cycles different from those of the United States and in foreign securities markets that do not necessarily move in the same direction or magnitude as the U.S. market. Investing in a broad range of U.S. and foreign fixed income securities and currencies reduces the dependence of the Fund’s performance on developments in any particular market to the extent that adverse events in one market are offset by favorable events in other markets. The Fund’s policy of investing primarily in high quality securities may also reduce principal fluctuation. However, there is no assurance that these strategies will always be successful.
Professional Management. Individual U.S. investors may prefer professional management of their global bond and currency portfolios because a well-diversified portfolio requires a large amount of capital and because the size of the global market requires access to extensive resources and a substantial commitment of time.
High Yield Fund
The High Yield Fund seeks a high level of current income and may also consider the potential for capital appreciation. The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in high-yield, fixed income securities that, at the time of purchase, are non-investment grade securities. Non-investment grade securities are securities rated BB+, Ba1 or below by an NRSRO, or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality, and are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The Fund may invest in all types of fixed income securities, including loan participations.
High Yield Fund’s Investment Process. High Yield Fund is appropriate for investors who seek a high level of current income and who also may wish to consider the potential for capital appreciation. A number of investment strategies are used to seek to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, including market sector selection, determination of yield curve exposure and issuer selection. In addition, the Investment Adviser will attempt to take advantage of pricing inefficiencies in the fixed income markets. The Investment Adviser starts the investment process with economic analysis to determine broad growth trends, industry-specific events and market forecasts. The market value of non-investment grade fixed income securities tends to reflect individual developments within a company to a greater extent than higher rated corporate debt or Treasury bonds that react primarily to fluctuations in interest rates. Therefore, determining the creditworthiness of issuers is critical. To that end, High Yield Fund’s portfolio managers have access to the Investment Adviser’s highly regarded Fundamental Equity Research Team, as well as internal analysis from the team’s dedicated High Yield Research analysts. The High Yield Fund’s portfolio managers will also leverage Goldman Sachs’ Global Investment Research Department, subject to Goldman Sachs Chinese wall restrictions. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio managers may review the opinions of the two largest independent credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. High Yield Fund’s portfolio managers and credit analysts also conduct their own in-depth analysis of the issues considered for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio. The portfolio managers and credit analysts evaluate such factors as a company’s competitive position, the strength of its balance sheet, its ability to withstand economic downturns and its potential to generate ample cash flow to service its debt. The ability to analyze accurately a company’s future cash flow by correctly anticipating the impact of economic, industry-wide and specific events are critical to successful high yield investing. The Investment Adviser’s goal is to identify companies with the potential to strengthen their balance sheets by increasing their earnings, reducing their debt or effecting a turnaround. GSAM analyzes trends in a company’s debt picture (i.e., the level of its interest coverage) as well as new developments in its capital structure on an ongoing basis. The Investment Adviser believes that this ongoing reassessment is more valuable than relying on a “snapshot” view of a company’s ability to service debt at one or two points in time.
High Yield Fund’s portfolio is diversified among different sectors and industries on a global basis in an effort to reduce overall risk. While the Investment Adviser will avoid excessive concentration in any one industry, the Fund’s specific industry weightings are the result of individual security selection. Emerging market debt considered for the High Yield Fund’s portfolio will be selected by specialists knowledgeable about the political and economic structure of those economies.
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Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund
Return on and Risks of High Yield Securities. High yield bonds can deliver higher yields and total return than either investment grade corporate bonds or U.S. Treasury bonds. However, because these non-investment grade securities involve higher risks in return for higher income, they are best suited to long-term investors who are financially secure enough to withstand volatility and the risks associated with such investments. See “Description of Investment Securities and Practices—High Yield Securities.” Different types of fixed income securities may react differently to changes in the economy. High yield bonds, like stocks, tend to perform best when the economy is strong, inflation is low and companies experience healthy profits, which can lead to higher stock prices and higher credit ratings. Government bonds are likely to appreciate more in a weaker economy when interest rates are declining. In certain types of markets, adding some diversification in the high yield asset class may help to increase returns and decrease overall portfolio risk.
For high yield, non-investment grade securities, as for most investments, there is a direct relationship between risk and return. Along with their potential to deliver higher yields and greater capital appreciation than most other types of fixed income securities, high yield securities are subject to higher risk of loss, greater volatility and are considered predominantly speculative by traditional investment standards. The most significant risk associated with high yield securities is credit risk: the risk that the company issuing a high yield security may have difficulty in meeting its principal and/or interest payments on a timely basis. As a result, extensive credit research and diversification are essential factors in managing risk in the high yield arena. To a lesser extent, high yield bonds are also subject to interest rate risk: when interest rates increase, the value of fixed income securities tends to decline.
High Yield Floating Rate Fund
The High Yield Floating Rate Fund is designed for investors seeking a high level of current income. The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in domestic or foreign floating rate loans and other floating or variable rate obligations rated below investment grade. Non-investment grade obligations are those rated BB+, Ba1 or below by an NRSRO, or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality, and are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.”
The Fund’s investments in floating and variable rate obligations may include, without limitation, senior secured loans (including assignments and participations), second lien loans, senior unsecured and subordinated loans, senior and subordinated corporate debt obligations (such as bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper), debt issued by governments, their agencies and instrumentalities, and debt issued by central banks. The Fund may invest indirectly in loans by purchasing participations or sub-participations from financial institutions. Participations and sub-participations represent the right to receive a portion of the principal of, and all of the interest relating to such portion of, the applicable loan. The Fund expects to invest principally in the U.S. loan market and, to a lesser extent, in the European loan market. The Fund may also invest in other loan markets, although it does not currently intend to do so.
Under normal conditions, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its Net Assets in fixed income instruments, of any credit rating, including fixed rate corporate bonds, government bonds, convertible debt obligations and mezzanine fixed income instruments. The Fund may also invest in floating or variable rate instruments that are rated investment grade and in preferred stock, repurchase agreements and cash securities.
The Fund may also invest in derivative instruments. Derivatives are instruments that have a value based on another instrument, exchange rate or index. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may include credit default swaps on credit and loan indices, forward contracts and total return swaps, among others. The Fund may use currency management techniques, such as forward foreign currency contracts, for hedging or non-hedging purposes. The Fund may invest in interest rate futures and swaps to manage the portfolio’s duration. Derivatives that provide exposure to floating or variable rate loans or obligations rated below investment grade are counted towards the Fund’s 80% policy.
The Fund’s target duration range under normal interest rate conditions is expected to approximate that of the Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index, plus or minus one year, and over the last five years ended June 30, 2021, the duration of the Index has ranged between 0.03 and 1.76 years. The Fund’s investments in floating rate obligations will generally have short to intermediate maturities (approximately 4-7 years).
The Fund’s investments are selected using a bottom-up analysis that incorporates fundamental research, a focus on market conditions and pricing trends, quantitative research, and news or market events. The selection of individual investments is based on the overall risk and return profile of the investment taking into account liquidity, structural complexity, cash flow uncertainty and downside potential. Research analysts and portfolio managers systematically assess portfolio positions, taking into consideration, among other factors, broader macroeconomic conditions and industry and company-specific financial performance and outlook. Based upon this analysis, the Investment Adviser will sell positions determined to be overvalued and reposition the portfolio in more attractive investment opportunities on a relative basis given the current climate.
The Fund’s investments may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
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Strategic Income Fund
The Strategic Income Fund is designed for investors seeking total return comprised of income and capital appreciation. The Fund invests in a broadly diversified portfolio of U.S. and foreign investment grade and non-investment grade fixed income investments including, but not limited to: U.S. Government Securities (such as U.S. Treasury securities or Treasury inflation protected securities and including Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities), non-U.S. sovereign debt, agency securities, corporate debt securities, privately issued adjustable rate and fixed rate mortgage-backed securities or other mortgage-related securities (“Private Mortgage-Backed Securities” and, together with Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities, “Mortgage-Backed Securities”), asset-backed securities, custodial receipts, municipal securities, loan participations and loan assignments and convertible securities. The Fund’s investments in loan participations and loan assignments may include, but are not limited to: (a) senior secured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt (“Senior Loans”), (b) second lien or other subordinated or unsecured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt (“Second Lien Loans”) and (c) other types of secured or unsecured loans with fixed, floating or variable interest rates. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity.
Non-investment grade fixed income securities are securities rated BB+, Ba1 or below by an NRSRO, or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality.
The Fund may invest in sovereign and corporate debt securities and other instruments of issuers in emerging market countries (“emerging countries debt”). Such investments may include sovereign debt issued by emerging countries that have sovereign ratings below investment grade or that are unrated. There is no limitation to the amount the Fund invests in non-investment grade or emerging market securities. From time to time, the Fund may also invest in preferred stock. The Fund’s investments may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
The Fund may engage in forward foreign currency transactions for both investment and hedging purposes. The Fund also intends to invest in other derivative instruments. Derivatives are instruments that have a value based on another instrument, exchange rate, interest rate or index. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may include, in addition to forward foreign currency exchange contracts, futures contracts (including interest rate futures and treasury and sovereign bond futures), options (including options on futures contracts, swaps, bonds, stocks and indexes), swaps (including credit default, index, basis, total return, volatility, interest rate and currency swaps), and other forward contracts. The Fund may use derivatives instead of buying and selling bonds to manage duration, to gain exposure or to short individual securities or to gain exposure to a credit or asset backed index. The Fund may gain exposure to Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities through several methods, including by utilizing to-be-announced (“TBA”) agreements in Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities or through the use of reverse repurchase agreements. TBA agreements for Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities are standardized contracts for future delivery of fixed-rate mortgage pass-through securities in which the exact mortgage pools to be delivered are not specified until shortly before settlement. A reverse repurchase agreement enables the Fund to gain exposure to specified pools of Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities by purchasing them on a forward settling basis and using the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement to settle the trade.
The Fund may implement short positions and may do so by using swaps, options or futures, TBA agreements in Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities, or through short sales of any instrument that the Fund may purchase for investment. For example, the Fund may enter into a futures contract pursuant to which it agrees to sell an asset (that it does not currently own) at a specified price at a specified point in the future. This gives the Fund a short position with respect to that asset. The Fund may utilize short positions to implement macro views on securities valuations, long term views on relative value or short term views on security mispricings, as well as any other views the Investment Adviser deems appropriate. For example, the Fund may enter into a TBA agreement to sell an Agency Mortgage-Backed Security that it believes will underperform. The Fund will benefit from a short position to the extent the asset decreases in value (and will be harmed to the extent the asset increases in value) between the time it enters into the futures contract and the agreed date of sale. Alternatively, the Fund may sell an instrument (e.g., a bond, or a futures contract) it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the instrument, and then borrow the instrument to make delivery to the buyer. In these transactions, the Fund is obligated to replace the instrument borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement.
“Strategic” in the Fund’s name means that the Fund seeks both current income and capital appreciation as elements of total return. The Fund attempts to exploit pricing anomalies throughout the global fixed income and currency markets. Additionally, the Fund uses short positions and derivatives for both investment and hedging purposes. The Fund may sell investments that the portfolio managers believe are no longer favorable with regard to these factors.
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The Investment Adviser employs a dynamic fundamental investment process that may integrate environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors with traditional fundamental factors. No one factor or consideration is determinative in the fundamental investment process.
Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund
The Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund seek a high level of total return consisting of income and capital appreciation. The Emerging Markets Debt Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in sovereign and corporate debt securities and other instruments of issuers in emerging market countries. Such instruments may include credit linked notes and other investments with similar economic exposures.
The Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in sovereign and corporate debt securities of issuers in emerging market countries, denominated in the local currency of such emerging market countries, and other instruments, including credit linked notes and other investments, with similar economic exposures.
The Investment Adviser generally expects a country to be an “emerging market country” if the country is identified as an “emerging market country” in any of the Funds’ benchmark indices. Such countries are likely to be located in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern and Central Europe and Central and South America. Sovereign debt consists of debt securities issued by governments or any of their agencies, political subdivisions or instrumentalities. An emerging market country issuer is an issuer economically tied to an emerging market country. In determining whether an issuer is economically tied to an emerging market country, the Investment Adviser will consider whether the issuer:
| • | Has a class of securities whose principal securities market is in an emerging market country; |
| • | Has its principal office in an emerging market country; |
| • | Derives 50% or more of its total revenue or profit from goods produced, sales made or services provided in one or more emerging market countries; |
| • | Maintains 50% or more of its assets in one or more emerging market countries; or |
| • | Is otherwise determined to be economically tied to an emerging market country by the Investment Adviser in its discretion. For example, the Investment Adviser may use the classifications assigned by third parties, including an issuer’s “country of risk” as determined by Bloomberg or the classifications assigned to an issuer by the Fund’s benchmark index provider. These classifications are generally based on a number of criteria, including an issuer’s country of domicile, the primary stock exchange on which an issuer’s securities trade, the location from which the majority of an issuer’s revenue is derived, and an issuer’s reporting currency. Although the Investment Adviser may rely on these classifications, it is not required to do so. |
Currency investments, particularly longer-dated forward contracts, provide the Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund with economic exposure similar to investments in sovereign and corporate debt with respect to currency and interest rate exposure.
The Investment Adviser’s emerging markets debt (“EMD”) investment philosophy strives to generate returns through an active, research-intensive, risk-managed approach. The Investment Adviser seeks to add value through country allocation, security selection, and market exposure strategies.
The Investment Adviser believes that active management focused on fundamental research is critical for achieving long-term value for its clients’ portfolios. EMD can offer an attractive risk/return profile for investors who have the proper resources and experience to exploit the myriad opportunities in the market. The Investment Adviser’s process is built on fundamental analysis of emerging market countries and securities. In addition, the Investment Adviser’s process focuses on risk-adjusted returns, as the Investment Adviser believes that risk can have a material impact on long-term investment results. As a result, the Investment Adviser diversifies across sovereign credits and employs proprietary tools to manage overall portfolio risks.
Types of Securities Used. EMD comprises fixed income securities issued mainly by governments, but also by quasi-sovereigns and corporations, of developing countries. The Investment Adviser typically expresses its view on a relative-to-benchmark basis, overweighting those securities the Investment Adviser believes will outperform and underweighting those countries the Investment Adviser believes will underperform.
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The types of financial instruments used in the Emerging Markets Debt and Local Emerging Markets Debt Funds include Eurobonds, Brady bonds, tradable bank loans, local bonds and other securities, which can include their associated derivatives. The EMD team may invest in liquid, long duration securities and employ active trading strategies that exploit market inefficiencies and arbitrage opportunities (e.g., between Brady Bonds and global bonds) that often exist in the EMD market. Given the limited diversification within the EMD sector, buying longer dated, more liquid, lower dollar price securities may be a preferred strategy.
The Investment Adviser may use derivative instruments such as forwards and futures in the Emerging Markets Debt and Local Emerging Markets Debt Funds in an attempt to hedge its currency exposures. However, due to the limited market for these instruments in emerging countries, a significant portion of the Funds’ currency exposure in emerging countries may not be covered by such instruments.
Research. Being part of GSAM’s wider Fixed Income and Currency Team, the EMD team interacts with the Investment Adviser’s fixed income and currency analysts and portfolio managers based in New York, London, and Tokyo. The Fixed Income and Currency Team employs a broad analysis of the macro-economic environment, credit risk factors, and quantitative relationships and plays a vital role in aspects of portfolio construction and strategy.
In addition to internal research, the Investment Adviser may utilize external sources in its analysis and seek information from external consultants and sell-side economists and strategists. The Investment Adviser’s EMD team may draw on the resources of Goldman Sachs (e.g., GSAM Emerging Market Foreign Exchange, Emerging Market Equity and Quantitative Strategy) in the country and security selection process. The Investment Adviser’s research analysts also travel to emerging countries to seek additional insight on the macroeconomic and political developments. The Investment Adviser’s research analysts also obtain research publications from broker-dealers, supranational organizations (e.g., the International Monetary Fund), and academic sources.
Portfolio managers and research analysts have access to external research (e.g., internet websites, publications). In addition, market information is disseminated through electronic communications as well as regularly scheduled meetings. The members of the EMD investment team sit on the trading desk to facilitate efficient and timely flow of market information.
Based on macroeconomic and political considerations, the Investment Adviser will have a negative, neutral, or positive recommendation on various emerging countries. In addition to these recommendations, the Investment Adviser considers which are the most attractive securities within those countries.
Inflation Protected Securities Fund
The Inflation Protected Securities Fund is designed for investors who seek real return consistent with preservation of capital. Real return is the return on an investment adjusted for inflation. The Inflation Protected Securities Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in IPS of varying maturities, including TIPS and CIPS. IPS are designed to provide inflation protection to investors. The U.S. Treasury uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (the “CPIU”) as the measurement of inflation, while other issuers of IPS may use different indices as the measure of inflation. IPS are income-generating instruments whose interest and principal payments are adjusted for inflation—a sustained increase in prices that erodes the purchasing power of money. The inflation adjustment, which is typically applied monthly to the principal of the bond, follows a designated inflation index, such as the consumer price index. A fixed coupon rate is applied to the inflation-adjusted principal so that as inflation rises, both the principal value and the interest payments increase. This can provide investors with a hedge against inflation, as it helps preserve the purchasing power of an investment. Because of this inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. The remainder of the Inflation Protected Securities Fund’s Net Assets (up to 20%) may be invested in other fixed income securities, including U.S. Government Securities, asset-backed securities, Mortgage-Backed Securities, corporate securities, and securities issued by foreign corporate and governmental issuers. The Inflation Protected Securities Fund also intends to invest in derivatives, including (but not limited to) futures and inflation-linked swaps, primarily to hedge the Fund’s portfolio risks, manage the Fund’s duration, and/or gain exposure to certain fixed income securities.
Long Short Credit Strategies Fund
The Long Short Credit Strategies Fund will seek to achieve its investment objective through long and short exposures to “credit related instruments.” Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its Net Assets in the following credit related instruments: (i) fixed rate and floating rate income securities; (ii) loans and loan participations including: (a) Senior Loans, (b) Second Lien Loans and (c) other types of secured or unsecured loans with fixed, floating, or variable interest rates; (iii) convertible securities; (iv) collateralized debt, bond and loan obligations; (v) bank and corporate debt obligations; (vi) U.S. Government Securities, and securities issued by or on behalf of states, territories, and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia); (vii) preferred securities and trust preferred securities; (viii) structured securities, including credit-linked notes; and/or (ix) listed and unlisted, public and private, rated and unrated debt instruments and other obligations, including those of financially troubled companies (sometimes known as “distressed securities” or “defaulted securities”).
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The Fund may invest in instruments and obligations directly, or indirectly by investing in derivative or synthetic instruments, including, without limitation, credit default swaps (including credit default swaps on credit related indices) and loan credit default swaps. The Fund will opportunistically seek short exposures to credit related instruments through the use of such derivatives or synthetic instruments, including, but not limited to, credit default swaps (including credit default swaps on credit related indices).
The Fund intends to implement short positions for hedging purposes or to seek to enhance absolute return, and may do so by using swaps or futures, or through short sales of any instrument that the Fund may purchase for investment. For example, the Fund may buy credit default swaps. Credit default swaps involve the receipt of floating or fixed rate payments in exchange for assuming potential credit losses on an underlying security (or group of securities). When the Fund is the buyer of a credit default swap (buying protection), it may make periodic payments to the seller of the credit default swap to obtain protection against a credit default on a specified underlying asset (or group of assets). If a default occurs, the seller of a credit default swap may be required to pay the Fund the notional amount of the credit default swap on a specified security (or group of securities). On the other hand, when the Fund is a seller of a credit default swap (commonly known as selling protection), in addition to the credit exposure the Fund has on the other assets held in its portfolio, the Fund is also subject to the credit exposure on the notional amount of the swap since, in the event of a credit default, the Fund may be required to pay the notional amount of the credit default swap on a specified security (or group of securities) to the buyer of the credit swap. The Fund will be the seller of a credit default swap only when the credit of the underlying asset is deemed by the Investment Adviser to meet the Fund’s minimum credit criteria at the time the swap is first entered into.
The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar denominated as well as non-U.S. dollar denominated (foreign) securities. The Fund may also hold cash, and/or invest in cash equivalents.
There is no minimum credit rating for instruments in which the Fund may invest, and the Fund may invest without limitation in securities below investment grade. Non-investment grade fixed income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are rated BB+, Ba1 or below by an NRSRO, or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality. The Fund may also invest in credit instruments of any maturity or duration.
The Fund’s benchmark index is the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. References to the Fund’s benchmark are for informational purposes only and are not an indication of how the Fund is managed.
Income Fund
The Income Fund invests in a multi-sector portfolio of U.S. and foreign investment grade and non-investment grade fixed income investments of varying maturities. The Fund’s investment sectors include, but are not limited to: (a) government securities, (b) corporate debt securities, (c) commercial and residential Mortgage-Backed Securities, (d) asset-backed securities (including collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”)) and (e) emerging countries debt denominated in both U.S. dollars and foreign currencies. The Fund may not have exposure to all of these investment sectors, and the Fund’s exposure to any one investment sector may vary over time.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities (such as U.S. Treasury securities or Treasury inflation protected securities), non-U.S. sovereign debt, agency securities, corporate debt securities, Mortgage-Backed Securities, asset-backed securities (including CLOs), custodial receipts, municipal securities, loan participations and loan assignments and convertible securities. The Fund’s investments in loan participations and loan assignments may include, but are not limited to: (a) senior secured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt (“Senior Loans”), (b) second lien or other subordinated or unsecured floating rate and fixed rate loans or debt (“Second Lien Loans”) and (c) other types of secured or unsecured loans with fixed, floating or variable interest rates. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity.
Non-investment grade fixed income securities are securities rated BB+, Ba1 or below by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”), or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets measured at the time of purchase (“Total Assets”) in sovereign and corporate debt securities and other instruments of issuers in emerging market countries (“emerging countries debt”). Such investments may include sovereign debt issued by emerging countries that have sovereign ratings below investment grade or that are unrated. The Fund’s investments may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its Total Assets in privately issued corporate debt securities and other obligations issued by private companies, including privately issued credit obligations and related instruments, and up to an additional 10% of its Total Assets in equity investments, including preferred securities and dividend paying common stocks.
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The Fund may engage in forward foreign currency transactions for both hedging and non-hedging purposes. The Fund also intends to invest in other derivative instruments. Derivatives are instruments that have a value based on another instrument, exchange rate, interest rate or index. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may include, in addition to forward foreign currency exchange contracts, futures contracts (including interest rate futures and treasury and sovereign bond futures), options (including options on futures contracts, swaps, bonds, stocks and indexes), swaps (including credit default, index, basis, total return, volatility, interest rate and currency swaps), and other forward contracts. The Fund may use derivatives instead of buying and selling bonds to manage duration, to gain exposure or to short individual securities or to gain exposure to a credit or asset backed index. The Fund may gain exposure to Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities through several methods, including by utilizing to-be-announced (“TBA”) agreements in Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities or through the use of reverse repurchase agreements. TBA agreements for Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities are standardized contracts for future delivery of fixed-rate mortgage pass-through securities in which the exact mortgage pools to be delivered are not specified until shortly before settlement. A reverse repurchase agreement enables the Fund to gain exposure to specified pools of Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities by purchasing them on a forward settling basis and using the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement to settle the trade.
The Fund may implement short positions and may do so by using swaps, options or futures, TBA agreements in Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities, or through short sales of any instrument that the Fund may purchase for investment. For example, the Fund may enter into a futures contract pursuant to which it agrees to sell an asset (that it does not currently own) at a specified price at a specified point in the future. This gives the Fund a short position with respect to that asset. The Fund will benefit to the extent the asset decreases in value (and will be harmed to the extent the asset increases in value) between the time it enters into the futures contract and the agreed date of sale. Alternatively, the Fund may sell an instrument (e.g., a bond, or a futures contract) it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the instrument, and then borrow the instrument to make delivery to the buyer. In these transactions, the Fund is obligated to replace the instrument borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The Fund uses short positions and derivatives for both investment and hedging purposes.
The Fund may also seek to obtain exposure to fixed income investments through investments in affiliated or unaffiliated investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”).
The Fund’s target average duration range under normal interest rate conditions is expected to be between 0 and 8 years, and over the last five years ended June 30, 2021, the duration of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index has ranged between 5.34 and 6.32 years. “Duration” is a measure of a debt security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The longer the duration of the Fund (or an individual debt security), the more sensitive its market price to changes in interest rates. For example, if market interest rates increase by 1%, the market price of a debt security with a positive duration of 3 years will generally decrease by approximately 3%. Conversely, a 1% decline in market interest rates will generally result in an increase of approximately 3% of that security’s market price.
The Investment Adviser employs a dynamic fundamental investment process that may integrate environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors with traditional fundamental factors. No one factor or consideration is determinative in the fundamental investment process.
DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES AND PRACTICES
The investment securities and practices and related risks applicable to each Fund are presented below in alphabetical order, and not in the order of importance or potential exposure.
Asset Segregation
As investment companies registered with the SEC, the Funds must identify on their books (often referred to as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other SEC- or SEC staff-approved or other appropriate measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of derivative instruments. In the case of swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and other derivative instruments that do not cash settle, for example, a Fund must identify on its books liquid assets equal to the full notional amount of the instrument while the positions are open, to the extent there is not a permissible offsetting position or a contractual “netting” agreement with respect to swaps (other than credit default swaps where the Fund is the protection seller). However, with respect to certain swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and other derivative instruments that are required to cash settle, a Fund may identify liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market net obligations (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability) under the instrument, if any, rather than its full notional amount. Forwards and futures contracts that do not cash settle may be treated as cash settled for asset segregation purposes when the Funds have entered into a contractual arrangement with a third party futures commission merchant (“FCM”) or other counterparty to off-set the Funds’ exposure under the contract and, failing that, to assign their delivery obligation
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under the contract to the counterparty. The Funds reserve the right to modify their asset segregation policies in the future in their discretion, consistent with the Investment Company Act and SEC or SEC staff guidance. By identifying assets equal to only its net obligations under certain instruments, a Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to identify assets equal to the full notional amount of the instrument.
In October 2020, the SEC adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies. In connection with the final rule, the SEC and its staff will rescind and withdraw applicable guidance and relief regarding asset segregation and coverage transactions reflected in the Fund’s asset segregation and cover practices discussed herein. Subject to certain exceptions, the final rule requires the Fund to trade derivatives and other transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations subject to a value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limit and certain derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these requirements apply unless the Fund satisfies a “limited derivatives users” exception that is included in the final rule. Under 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 (e.g., bank borrowings, if applicable) 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 the 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 in connection with the final rule regarding the use of securities lending collateral that may limit securities lending activities. Compliance with these new requirements will be required after an eighteen-month transition period. Following the compliance date, these requirements may limit the ability of the Fund to use derivatives, short sales, and reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing 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. The Investment Adviser cannot predict the effects of these regulations on the Fund. The Investment Adviser intends to monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund’s investment objective.
Asset-Backed Securities
Asset-backed securities represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables. Such assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present.
Each Fund (other than the High Yield Floating Rate Fund) may invest in asset-backed securities. The Short Duration Government Fund may only invest in asset-backed securities that are issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. Such securities are often subject to more rapid repayment than their stated maturity date would indicate as a result of the pass-through of prepayments of principal on the underlying loans. During periods of declining interest rates, prepayment of loans underlying asset-backed securities can be expected to accelerate. Accordingly, a Fund’s ability to maintain positions in such securities will be affected by reductions in the principal amount of such securities resulting from prepayments, and its ability to reinvest the returns of principal at comparable yields is subject to generally prevailing interest rates at that time. To the extent that a Fund invests in asset-backed securities, the values of the Fund’s portfolio securities will vary with changes in market interest rates generally and the differentials in yields among various kinds of asset-backed securities.
Asset-backed securities present certain additional risks because asset-backed securities generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that is comparable to mortgage assets. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors on such receivables are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set-off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. Automobile receivables generally are secured, but by automobiles rather than residential real property. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the loan servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. In addition, because of the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in the underlying automobiles. Therefore, if the issuer of an asset-backed security defaults on its payment obligations, there is the possibility that, in some cases, a Fund will be unable to possess and sell the underlying collateral and that the Fund’s recoveries on repossessed collateral may not be available to support payments on these securities.
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Bank Obligations
The Enhanced Income Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Government Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may each invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. and, except with respect to the Government Income Fund, foreign banks (Enhanced Income Fund and High Quality Floating Rate Fund may only invest in U.S. dollar denominated foreign securities). Bank obligations, including without limitation time deposits, bankers’ acceptances and certificates of deposit, may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be obligations only of the issuing branch pursuant to the terms of the specific obligations or government regulation.
Banks are subject to extensive but different governmental regulations which may limit both the amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates which may be charged. Foreign banks are subject to different regulations and are generally permitted to engage in a wider variety of activities than U.S. banks. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operations of this industry.
Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the obligation of a bank to repay funds deposited with it for a specified period of time at a specified rate. Certificates of deposit are negotiable instruments and are similar to saving deposits but have a definite maturity and are evidenced by a certificate instead of a passbook entry. Banks are required to keep reserves against all certificates of deposit. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on the demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. The Funds may invest in deposits in U.S. and European banks which satisfy the standards set forth above.
Collateralized Loan Obligations and Other Collateralized Debt Obligations
The Enhanced Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured investments. A CLO is an asset-backed security whose underlying collateral is a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign floating rate and fixed rate senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. In addition to the normal risks associated with loan- and credit-related securities discussed elsewhere in the Prospectus (e.g., loan-related investments risk, interest rate risk and default risk), investments in CLOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to, the risk that: (i) distributions from the collateral may not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Funds may invest in tranches of CLOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; and (v) the CLO’s manager may perform poorly. CLOs may charge management and other administrative fees, which are in addition to those of a Fund.
CLOs issue classes or “tranches” that offer various maturity, risk and yield characteristics. Losses caused by defaults on underlying assets are borne first by the holders of subordinate tranches. 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 of subordinated/equity tranches. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the collateral and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Because it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CLO trust typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying collateral and may be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity and mezzanine tranches, more senior tranches of CLOs can experience losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of more subordinate tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CLO securities as a class. The Funds’ investments in CLOs primarily consist of investment grade tranches.
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Typically, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CLOs may have limited independent pricing transparency. However, an active dealer market may exist for CLOs that qualify under the Rule 144A “safe harbor” from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. These and other factors discussed in the section below, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in CLOs.
The Funds may also invest in collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which are structured similarly to CLOs, but are backed by pools of assets that are debt securities (rather than being limited only to loans), typically including bonds, other structured finance securities (including other asset-backed securities and other CDOs) and/or synthetic instruments. Like CLOs, the risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type and quality of the collateral securities and the tranche of the CDO in which a Fund invests. CDOs collateralized by pools of asset-backed securities carry the same risks as investments in asset-backed securities directly, including losses with respect to the collateral underlying those asset-backed securities. In addition, certain CDOs may not hold their underlying collateral directly, but rather, use derivatives such as swaps to create “synthetic” exposure to the collateral pool. Such CDOs entail the risks associated with derivative instruments.
Combined Transactions
Each of the Funds may enter into multiple transactions, including multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency transactions (as applicable)(including forward currency contracts) and multiple interest rate and other swap transactions and any combination of futures, options, currency and swap transactions (“component” transactions) as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, it is in the best interests of the Fund to do so. A combined transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of its component transactions. Although combined transactions are normally entered into based on the Investment Adviser’s judgment that the combined strategies will reduce risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or hinder achievement of the portfolio management objective.
Commercial Paper and Other Short-Term Corporate Obligations
Each Fund (other than the Short Duration Government Fund) may invest in commercial paper and other short-term obligations payable in U.S. dollars and issued or guaranteed by U.S. corporations, non-U.S. corporations or other entities. Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies.
Commodity-Linked Investments
The Long Short Credit Strategies Fund may invest in commodities through investments in PTPs, ETFs, other investment companies, or other pooled investment vehicles. The Fund may also seek to provide exposure to the investment returns of real assets that trade in the commodity markets through investments in commodity-linked derivative securities, such as structured notes, discussed below, which are designed to provide this exposure without direct investment in physical commodities or commodities futures contracts. Real assets are assets such as oil, gas, industrial and precious metals, livestock, and agricultural or meat products, or other items that have tangible properties, as compared to stocks or bonds, which are financial instruments. In choosing investments, the Investment Adviser may seek to provide exposure to various commodities and commodity sectors. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments held by the Fund may be affected by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, overall market movements and other factors affecting the value of particular industries or commodities, such as weather, disease, embargoes, acts of war or terrorism, or political and regulatory developments.
The prices of commodity-linked derivative instruments may move in different directions than investments in traditional equity and debt securities when the value of those traditional securities is declining due to adverse economic conditions. As an example, during periods of rising inflation, debt securities have historically tended to decline in value due to the general increase in prevailing interest rates. Conversely, during those same periods of rising inflation, the prices of certain commodities, such as oil and metals, have historically tended to increase. Of course, there cannot be any guarantee that these investments will perform in that manner in the future, and at certain times the price movements of commodity-linked instruments have been parallel to those of debt and equity securities. Commodities have historically tended to increase and decrease in value during different parts of the business cycle than financial assets. Nevertheless, at various times, commodities prices may move in tandem with the prices of financial assets and thus may not provide overall portfolio diversification benefits. Under favorable economic conditions, an investment in commodities may be expected to underperform an investment in traditional securities. Over the long term, the returns on the Fund’s investments in commodities are expected to exhibit low or negative correlation with stocks and bonds.
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Because commodity-linked derivative instruments are available from a relatively small number of issuers, the Fund’s investments in commodity-linked derivative instruments are particularly subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the issuer of the commodity-linked derivative (which issuer may also serve as counterparty to a substantial number of the Fund’s commodity-linked and other derivative investments) will not fulfill its contractual obligations.
Convertible Securities
The Enhanced Income Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock (or other securities) of the same or different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest that is generally paid or accrued on debt or a dividend that is paid or accrued on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics, in that they generally (i) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities, (ii) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying common stock due to their fixed income characteristics and (iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value” (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its “conversion value” (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value normally declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also have an effect on the convertible security’s investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.
A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert the security into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party or permit the issuer to redeem the security. Any of these actions could have an adverse effect on a Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective, which, in turn, could result in losses to the Fund. To the extent that a Fund holds a convertible security, or a security that is otherwise converted or exchanged for common stock (e.g., as a result of a restructuring), the Fund may, consistent with its investment objective, hold such common stock in its portfolio.
Corporate Debt Obligations
Each Fund (other than the Short Duration Government Fund) may invest in corporate debt obligations, including obligations of industrial, utility and financial issuers. Corporate debt obligations include bonds, notes, debentures and other obligations of corporations to pay interest and repay principal. Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity.
Corporate debt obligations rated BBB or Baa are considered medium grade obligations with speculative characteristics, and adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances may weaken their issuers’ capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Medium to lower rated and comparable non-rated securities tend to offer higher yields than higher rated securities with the same maturities because the historical financial condition of the issuers of such securities may not have been as strong as that of other issuers. The price of corporate debt obligations will generally fluctuate in response to fluctuations in supply and demand for similarly rated securities. In addition, the price of corporate debt obligations will generally fluctuate in response to interest rate levels. Fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income from such securities but will be reflected in a Fund’s NAV. Because medium to lower rated securities generally involve greater risks of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities, investors should consider carefully the relative risks associated with investment in securities which carry medium to lower ratings and in comparable unrated securities. In addition to the risk of default, there are the related costs of recovery on defaulted issues. The Investment Adviser will attempt to reduce these risks through portfolio diversification and by analysis of each issuer and its ability to make timely payments of income and principal, as well as broad economic trends and corporate developments.
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The Investment Adviser employs its own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of an issuer’s existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debt and pay dividends, sensitivity to economic conditions, operating history and current earnings trend. The Investment Adviser continually monitors the investments in a Fund’s portfolio and evaluates whether to dispose of or to retain corporate debt obligations whose credit ratings or credit quality may have changed. If after its purchase, a portfolio security is assigned a lower rating or ceases to be rated, a Fund may continue to hold the security if the Investment Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.
Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates
Each Fund may invest in custodial receipts and trust certificates, which may be underwritten by securities dealers or banks, representing interests in securities held by a custodian or trustee. The securities so held may include U.S. Government Securities (as defined below), municipal securities or other types of securities in which a Fund may invest. The custodial receipts or trust certificates are underwritten by securities dealers or banks and may evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on the underlying securities, or, in some cases, the payment obligation of a third party that has entered into an interest rate swap or other arrangement with the custodian or trustee. For certain securities laws purposes, custodial receipts and trust certificates may not be considered obligations of the U.S. Government or other issuer of the securities held by the custodian or trustee. As a holder of custodial receipts and trust certificates, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account or trust. The Funds may also invest in separately issued interests in custodial receipts and trust certificates.
Although under the terms of a custodial receipt or trust certificate a Fund would typically be authorized to assert its rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation, the Fund could be required to assert through the custodian bank or trustee those rights as may exist against the underlying issuers. Thus, in the event an underlying issuer fails to pay principal and/or interest when due, a Fund may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the Fund had purchased a direct obligation of the issuer. In addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying securities have been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation, instead of a non-taxable entity, the yield on the underlying securities would be reduced in recognition of any taxes paid.
Certain custodial receipts and trust certificates may be synthetic or derivative instruments that have interest rates that reset inversely to changing short-term rates and/or have embedded interest rate floors and caps that require the issuer to pay an adjusted interest rate if market rates fall below or rise above a specified rate. Because some of these instruments represent relatively recent innovations, and the trading market for these instruments is less developed than the markets for traditional types of instruments, it is uncertain how these instruments will perform under different economic and interest-rate scenarios. Also, because these instruments may be leveraged, their market values may be more volatile than other types of fixed income instruments and may present greater potential for capital gain or loss. The possibility of default by an issuer or the issuer’s credit provider may be greater for these derivative instruments than for other types of instruments. In some cases, it may be difficult to determine the fair value of a derivative instrument because of a lack of reliable objective information and an established secondary market for some instruments may not exist. In many cases, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has not ruled on the tax treatment of the interest or payments received on the derivative instruments and, accordingly, purchases of such instruments are based on the opinion of counsel to the sponsors of the instruments.
Distressed Debt
The Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, High Yield Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Bond Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in the securities and other obligations of financially troubled companies, including stressed, distressed and bankrupt issuers and debt obligations that are in covenant or payment default. In addition, investments of a Fund may become distressed or bankrupt following the Fund’s initial acquisition of the security. Historically, economic downturns or increases in interest rates have, under certain circumstances, resulted in a higher occurrence of default by the issuers of these instruments. Such investments generally trade significantly below par and are considered speculative. The repayment of defaulted obligations is subject to significant uncertainties. Defaulted obligations might be repaid only after lengthy workout or bankruptcy proceedings, during which the issuer might not make any interest or other payments. Typically such workout or bankruptcy proceedings result in only partial recovery of cash payments or an exchange of the defaulted obligation for other debt or equity securities of the issuer or its affiliates, which may in turn be speculative.
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In any investment involving stressed and distressed debt obligations, there exists the risk that the transaction involving such debt obligations will be unsuccessful, take considerable time or will result in a distribution of cash or a new security or obligation in exchange for the stressed and distressed debt obligations, the value of which may be less than a Fund’s purchase price of such debt obligations. Furthermore, if an anticipated transaction does not occur, a Fund may be required to sell its investment at a loss. Distressed investments may require active participation by the Investment Adviser in the restructuring of a Fund’s investment or other actions intended to protect the Fund’s investment; however, there may be situations where the Investment Adviser may determine to not so participate due to regulatory, tax or other considerations. In addition, a Fund may participate on creditors’ committees to negotiate with the management of financially troubled issuers of securities held by the Fund. Such participation may subject a Fund to additional expenses (including legal fees) and may make a Fund an “insider” of the issuer for purposes of the federal securities laws. This may result in increased litigation risks to a Fund or may restrict the Investment Adviser’s ability to dispose of the security.
There are a number of significant risks inherent in the bankruptcy process. Many events in a bankruptcy are the product of contested matters and adversary proceedings and are beyond the control of the creditors. A bankruptcy filing by an issuer may adversely and permanently affect the issuer, and if the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the value of the issuer may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. The duration of a bankruptcy proceeding is difficult to predict, and a creditor’s return on investment can be adversely affected by delays until the plan of reorganization ultimately becomes effective. The administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and would be paid out of the debtor’s estate prior to any return to creditors. Because the standards for classification of claims under bankruptcy law are vague, there exists the risk that a Fund’s influence with respect to the class of securities or other obligations it owns can be lost by increases in the number and amount of claims in the same class or by different classification and treatment. In the early stages of the bankruptcy process it is often difficult to estimate the extent of, or even to identify, any contingent claims that might be made. In addition, certain claims that have priority by law (for example, claims for taxes) may be substantial.
These and other factors discussed in the section below, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in securities and other obligations of financially troubled companies.
Dividend-Paying Investments
A Fund’s investments in dividend-paying securities could cause the Fund to underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but employ a different investment style. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, causing such securities to underperform securities that do not pay dividends. Additionally, depending upon market conditions and political and legislative responses to market conditions, dividend-paying securities that meet a Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors. For example, in response to the outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus (known as COVID-19), the U.S. Government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act in March 2020, which established loan programs for certain issuers impacted by COVID-19. Among other conditions, borrowers under these loan programs are generally restricted from paying dividends. The adoption of any future legislation could further limit or restrict the ability of issuers to pay dividends. To the extent that dividend-paying securities are concentrated in only a few market sectors, a Fund may be subject to the risks of volatile economic cycles and/or conditions or developments that may be particular to a sector to a greater extent than if its investments were diversified across different sectors. In addition, issuers that have paid regular dividends or distributions to shareholders may not continue to do so at the same level or at all in the future. A sharp rise in interest rates or an economic downturn could cause an issuer to abruptly reduce or eliminate its dividend. This may limit the ability of the Fund to produce current income.
Equity Investments
The Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund (with respect to the Income Fund, up to 10% of its Total Assets) may purchase equity investments. In addition, after their purchase, a portfolio investment (such as a convertible debt obligation) may convert to an equity security. The Fund may also acquire equity securities in connection with a restructuring or other similar event related to one or more of its investments. If this occurs, the Fund may continue to hold the investment (or make additional purchases of that equity investment) if the Investment Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.
Floating Rate Loans and Other Variable and Floating Rate Securities
The interest rates payable on certain securities in which a Fund may invest are not fixed and may fluctuate based upon changes in market rates. Variable and floating rate obligations are debt instruments issued by companies or other entities with interest rates that reset periodically (typically, daily, monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually) in response to changes in the market rate of interest on which the interest rate is based. Moreover, such obligations may fluctuate in value in response to interest rate changes if there is a delay between
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changes in market interest rates and the interest reset date for the obligation. The value of these obligations is generally more stable than that of a fixed rate obligation in response to changes in interest rate levels, but they may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline.
Floating rate loans consist generally of obligations of companies or other entities (e.g., a U.S. or foreign bank, insurance company or finance company) (collectively, “borrowers”) incurred for a variety of purposes. Floating rate loans may be acquired by direct investment as a lender or as an assignment of the portion of a floating rate loan previously attributable to a different lender. The Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund may also invest in floating rate loans through a participation interest (which represents a fractional interest in a floating rate loan) issued by a lender or other financial institution.
Floating rate loans may be obligations of borrowers who are highly leveraged. Floating rate loans may be structured to include both term loans, which are generally fully funded at the time of the making of the loan, and revolving credit facilities, which would require additional investments upon the borrower’s demand. A revolving credit facility may require a purchaser to increase its investment in a floating rate loan at a time when it would not otherwise have done so, even if the borrower’s condition makes it unlikely that the amount will ever be repaid.
A floating rate loan offered as part of the original lending syndicate typically is purchased at par value. As part of the original lending syndicate, a purchaser generally earns a yield equal to the stated interest rate. In addition, members of the original syndicate typically are paid a commitment fee. In secondary market trading, floating rate loans may be purchased or sold above, at, or below par, which can result in a yield that is below, equal to, or above the stated interest rate, respectively. At certain times when reduced opportunities exist for investing in new syndicated floating rate loans, floating rate loans may be available only through the secondary market. There can be no assurance that an adequate supply of floating rate loans will be available for purchase.
Historically, floating rate loans have not been registered with the SEC or any state securities commission or listed on any securities exchange. As a result, the amount of public information available about a specific floating rate loan historically has been less extensive than if the floating rate loan were registered or exchange-traded. As a result, no active market may exist for some floating rate loans.
Purchasers of floating rate loans and other forms of debt obligations depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of interest and repayment of principal. If scheduled interest or principal payments are not made, the value of the obligation may be adversely affected. Floating rate loans and other debt obligations that are fully secured provide more protections than unsecured obligations in the event of failure to make scheduled interest or principal payments. Indebtedness of borrowers whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Borrowers that are in bankruptcy or restructuring may never pay off their indebtedness, or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Some floating rate loans and other debt obligations are not rated by any NRSRO. In connection with the restructuring of a floating rate loan or other debt obligation outside of bankruptcy court in a negotiated work-out or in the context of bankruptcy proceedings, equity securities or junior debt obligations may be received in exchange for all or a portion of an interest in the obligation.
From time to time, Goldman Sachs and its affiliates may borrow money from various banks in connection with their business activities. These banks also may sell floating rate loans to the Funds or acquire floating rate loans from the Funds, or may be intermediate participants with respect to floating rate loans owned by the Funds. These banks also may act as agents for floating rate loans that the Funds own.
Agents. Floating rate loans typically are originated, negotiated, and structured by a bank, insurance company, finance company, or other financial institution (the “agent”) for a lending syndicate of financial institutions. The borrower and the lender or lending syndicate enter into a loan agreement. In addition, an institution (typically, but not always, the agent) holds any collateral on behalf of the lenders.
In a typical floating rate loan, the agent administers the terms of the loan agreement and is responsible for the collection of principal and interest and fee payments from the borrower and the apportionment of these payments to all lenders that are parties to the loan agreement. Purchasers will rely on the agent to use appropriate creditor remedies against the borrower. Typically, under loan agreements, the agent is given broad discretion in monitoring the borrower’s performance and is obligated to use the same care it would use in the management of its own property. Upon an event of default, the agent typically will enforce the loan agreement after instruction from the lenders. The borrower compensates the agent for these services. This compensation may include special fees paid on structuring and funding the floating rate loan and other fees paid on a continuing basis. The typical practice of an agent or a lender in relying exclusively or primarily on reports from the borrower may involve a risk of fraud by the borrower.
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If an agent becomes insolvent, or has a receiver, conservator, or similar official appointed for it by the appropriate bank or other regulatory authority, or becomes a debtor in a bankruptcy proceeding, the agent’s appointment may be terminated, and a successor agent would be appointed. If an appropriate regulator or court determines that assets held by the agent for the benefit of the purchasers of floating rate loans are subject to the claims of the agent’s general or secured creditors, the purchasers might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a floating rate loan or suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. Furthermore, in the event of the borrower’s bankruptcy or insolvency, the borrower’s obligation to repay a floating rate loan may be subject to certain defenses that the borrower can assert as a result of improper conduct by the agent.
Assignments. The Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund may purchase an assignment of a portion of a floating rate loan from an agent or from another group of investors. The purchase of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the original loan agreement; however, assignments may also be arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, and the rights and obligations acquired by the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning agent or investor.
Loan Participation Interests. Purchasers of participation interests do not have any direct contractual relationship with the borrower. Purchasers rely on the lender who sold the participation interest not only for the enforcement of the purchaser’s rights against the borrower but also for the receipt and processing of payments due under the floating rate loan. For additional information, see the section “Loans and Loan Participations” below.
Liquidity. Floating rate loans may be transferable among financial institutions, but may not have the liquidity of conventional debt securities and are often subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale. Floating rate loans are not currently listed on any securities exchange or automatic quotation system. As a result, no active market may exist for some floating rate loans. To the extent a secondary market exists for other floating rate loans, such market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods. The lack of a highly liquid secondary market for floating rate loans may have an adverse effect on the value of such loans and may make it more difficult to value the loans for purposes of calculating their respective NAV. These and other factors discussed in the section below, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in floating rate loans and other variable and floating rate securities.
Extended Trade Settlement Periods. Because transactions in many floating rate loans are subject to extended trade settlement periods, a Fund may not receive the proceeds from the sale of a loan for a period after the sale. As a result, sale proceeds related to the sale of floating rate loans may not be available to make additional investments or to meet a Fund’s redemption obligations for a period after the sale of the loans, and, as a result, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions, such as borrowing from its credit facility, if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations.
Collateral. Most floating rate loans are secured by specific collateral of the borrower and are senior to most other securities or obligations of the borrower. The collateral typically has a market value, at the time the floating rate loan is made, that equals or exceeds the principal amount of the floating rate loan. The value of the collateral may decline, be insufficient to meet the obligations of the borrower, or be difficult to liquidate. As a result, a floating rate loan may not be fully collateralized and can decline significantly in value.
Floating rate loan collateral may consist of various types of assets or interests, including working capital assets, such as accounts receivable or inventory; tangible or intangible assets; or assets or other types of guarantees of affiliates of the borrower.
Generally, floating rate loans are secured unless (i) the purchaser’s security interest in the collateral is invalidated for any reason by a court, or (ii) the collateral is fully released with the consent of the agent bank and lenders or under the terms of a loan agreement as the creditworthiness of the borrower improves. Collateral impairment is the risk that the value of the collateral for a floating rate loan will be insufficient in the event that a borrower defaults. Although the terms of a floating rate loan generally require that the collateral at issuance have a value at least equal to 100% of the amount of such floating rate loan, the value of the collateral may decline subsequent to the purchase of a floating rate loan. In most loan agreements there is no formal requirement to pledge additional collateral. There is no guarantee that the sale of collateral would allow a borrower to meet its obligations should the borrower be unable to repay principal or pay interest or that the collateral could be sold quickly or easily.
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In addition, most borrowers pay their debts from the cash flow they generate. If the borrower’s cash flow is insufficient to pay its debts as they come due, the borrower may seek to restructure its debts rather than sell collateral.
Borrowers may try to restructure their debts by filing for protection under the federal bankruptcy laws or negotiating a work-out. If a borrower becomes involved in bankruptcy proceedings, access to the collateral may be limited by bankruptcy and other laws. In the event that a court decides that access to the collateral is limited or void, it is unlikely that purchasers could recover the full amount of the principal and interest due.
There may be temporary periods when the principal asset held by a borrower is the stock of a related company, which may not legally be pledged to secure a floating rate loan. On occasions when such stock cannot be pledged, the floating rate loan will be temporarily unsecured until the stock can be pledged or is exchanged for, or replaced by, other assets.
Some floating rate loans are unsecured. The claims of holders under unsecured loans are subordinated to claims of creditors holding secured indebtedness and possibly also to claims of other creditors holding unsecured debt. Unsecured loans have a greater risk of default than secured loans, particularly during periods of deteriorating economic conditions. If the borrower defaults on an unsecured floating rate loan, there is no specific collateral on which the purchaser can foreclose.
Floating Interest Rates. The rate of interest payable on floating rate loans and other floating or variable rate obligations is the sum of a base lending rate plus a specified spread. Base lending rates are generally the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), the Prime Rate of a designated U.S. bank, the Federal Funds Rate, or another base lending rate used by commercial lenders. A borrower usually has the right to select the base lending rate and to change the base lending rate at specified intervals. The applicable spread may be fixed at time of issuance or may adjust upward or downward to reflect changes in credit quality of the borrower.
The interest rate on LIBOR-based floating rate loans/obligations is reset periodically at intervals ranging from 30 to 180 days, while the interest rate on Prime Rate- or Federal Funds Rate-based floating rate loans/obligations floats daily as those rates change. Investment in floating rate loans/obligations with longer interest rate reset periods can increase fluctuations in the floating rate loans’ values when interest rates change.
The yield on a floating rate loan/obligation will primarily depend on the terms of the underlying floating rate loan/obligation and the base lending rate chosen by the borrower. The relationship between LIBOR, the Prime Rate, and the Federal Funds Rate will vary as market conditions change.
Maturity. Floating rate loans typically will have a stated term of five to nine years. However, because floating rate loans are frequently prepaid, their average maturity is expected to be two to three years. The degree to which borrowers prepay floating rate loans, whether as a contractual requirement or at their election, may be affected by general business conditions, the borrower’s financial condition, and competitive conditions among lenders. Prepayments cannot be predicted with accuracy. Prepayments of principal to the purchaser of a floating rate loan may result in the principal’s being reinvested in floating rate loans with lower yields.
Supply of Floating Rate Loans. The legislation of state or federal regulators that regulate certain financial institutions may impose additional requirements or restrictions on the ability of such institutions to make loans, particularly with respect to highly leveraged transactions. The supply of floating rate loans may be limited from time to time due to a lack of sellers in the market for existing floating rate loans or the number of new floating rate loans currently being issued. As a result, the floating rate loans available for purchase may be lower quality or higher priced.
Restrictive Covenants. A borrower must comply with various restrictive covenants contained in the loan agreement. In addition to requiring the scheduled payment of interest and principal, these covenants may include restrictions on dividend payments and other distributions to stockholders, provisions requiring the borrower to maintain specific financial ratios, and limits on total debt. The loan agreement may also contain a covenant requiring the borrower to prepay the floating rate loan with any free cash flow. A breach of a covenant that is not waived by the agent (or by the lenders directly) is normally an event of default, which provides the agent or the lenders the right to call the outstanding floating rate loan.
Fees. Purchasers of floating rate loans may receive and/or pay certain fees. These fees are in addition to interest payments received and may include facility fees, commitment fees, commissions, and prepayment penalty fees. When a purchaser buys a floating rate loan, it may receive a facility fee; and when it sells a floating rate loan, it may pay a facility fee. A purchaser may receive a commitment fee based on the undrawn portion of the underlying line of credit portion of a floating rate loan or a prepayment penalty fee on the prepayment of a floating rate loan. A purchaser may also receive other fees, including covenant waiver fees and covenant modification fees.
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Other Types of Floating Rate Debt Obligations. Floating rate debt obligations include other forms of indebtedness of borrowers such as notes and bonds, obligations with fixed rate interest payments in conjunction with a right to receive floating rate interest payments, and shares of other investment companies. These instruments are generally subject to the same risks as floating rate loans but are often more widely issued and traded.
Inverse Floating Rate Debt Obligations. Each Fund (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may invest in “leveraged” inverse floating rate debt instruments (“inverse floaters”), including “leveraged inverse floaters.” The interest rate on inverse floaters resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent that its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in the index rate of interest. The higher the degree of leverage inherent in inverse floaters is associated with greater volatility in their market values. Accordingly, the duration of an inverse floater may exceed its stated final maturity.
Foreign Investments
Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers, including securities quoted or denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars. Enhanced Income and High Quality Floating Rate Funds may only invest in securities of foreign issuers that are denominated in U.S. dollars. Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund invests primarily in securities denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars. Investments in foreign securities may offer potential benefits not available from investments solely in U.S. dollar-denominated or quoted securities of domestic issuers. Such benefits may include the opportunity to invest in foreign issuers that appear, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, to offer the potential for better long term growth of capital and income than investments in U.S. securities, the opportunity to invest in foreign countries with economic policies or business cycles different from those of the United States and the opportunity to reduce fluctuations in portfolio value by taking advantage of foreign securities markets that do not necessarily move in a manner parallel to U.S. markets. Investing in the securities of foreign issuers also involves, however, certain special risks, including those discussed in the Funds’ Prospectuses and those set forth below, which are not typically associated with investing in U.S. dollar-denominated securities or quoted securities of U.S. issuers. Many of these risks are more pronounced for investments in emerging economies.
With respect to investments in certain foreign countries, there exist certain economic, political and social risks, including the risk of adverse political developments, nationalization, military unrest, social instability, war and terrorism, confiscation without fair compensation, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitations on the movement of funds and other assets between different countries, or diplomatic developments, any of which could adversely affect a Fund’s investments in those countries. Governments in certain foreign countries continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and dividend payments.
Many countries throughout the world are dependent on a healthy U.S. economy and are adversely affected when the U.S. economy weakens or its markets decline. Additionally, many foreign country economies are heavily dependent on international trade and are adversely affected by protective trade barriers and economic conditions of their trading partners. Protectionist trade legislation enacted by those trading partners could have a significant adverse effect on the securities markets of those countries. Individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.
From time to time, certain of the companies in which a Fund may invest may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargos imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. For example, the United Nations Security Council has imposed certain sanctions relating to Iran and Sudan and both countries are embargoed countries by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
In addition, from time to time, certain of the companies in which a Fund may invest may engage in, or have dealings with countries or companies that engage in, activities that may not be considered socially and/or environmentally responsible. Such activities may relate to human rights issues (such as patterns of human rights abuses or violations, persecution or discrimination), impacts to local communities in which companies operate and environmental sustainability. For a description of the Investment Adviser’s approach to responsible and sustainable investing, please see GSAM’s Statement on Responsible and Sustainable Investing at https://www.gsam.com/content/dam/gsam/pdfs/common/en/public/miscellaneous/GSAM_statement_on_respon_sustainable_investing.pdf.
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As a result, a company may suffer damage to its reputation if it is identified as a company which engages in, or has dealings with countries or companies that engage in, the above referenced activities. As an investor in such companies, a Fund would be indirectly subject to those risks.
The Investment Adviser is committed to complying fully with sanctions in effect as of the date of this Statement of Additional Information and any other applicable sanctions that may be enacted in the future with respect to Sudan or any other country.
Investments in foreign securities often involve currencies of foreign countries. Accordingly, a Fund that invests in foreign securities may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and in exchange control regulations and may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. The Funds may be subject to currency exposure independent of their securities positions. To the extent that a Fund is fully invested in foreign securities while also maintaining net currency positions, it may be exposed to greater combined risk.
Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. They generally are determined by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of investments in different countries, actual or anticipated changes in interest rates and other complex factors, as seen from an international perspective. Currency exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks or by currency controls or political developments in the United States or abroad. To the extent that a portion of a Fund’s total assets, adjusted to reflect the Fund’s net position after giving effect to currency transactions, is denominated or quoted in the currencies of foreign countries, the Fund will be more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries. A Fund’s net currency positions may expose it to risks independent of its securities positions.
Because foreign issuers generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company. Volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets are less than in the United States and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. The securities of foreign issuers may be listed on foreign securities exchanges or traded in foreign over-the-counter markets. Fixed commissions on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges, although each Fund endeavors to achieve the most favorable net results on its portfolio transactions. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers, dealers and listed and unlisted companies than in the United States, and the legal remedies for investors may be more limited than the remedies available in the United States. For example, there may be no comparable provisions under certain foreign laws to insider trading and similar investor protections that apply with respect to securities transactions consummated in the United States. Mail service between the United States and foreign countries may be slower or less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlement of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities.
Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when some of the assets of a Fund are uninvested and no return is earned on such assets. The inability of a Fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio securities, or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, in possible liability to the purchaser.
These and other factors discussed in the section below, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in securities of foreign issuers.
Foreign Government Obligations. Foreign government obligations include securities, instruments and obligations issued or guaranteed by a foreign government, its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. Investment in foreign government obligations can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of foreign government obligations may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative
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size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity’s policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on a governmental entity’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor’s obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor’s ability or willingness to service its debts in a timely manner. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their debt. Holders of foreign government obligations (including a Fund) may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental agencies.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
Each Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and may also purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures contracts. A Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to any of such contracts and options. The futures contracts may be based on various securities (such as U.S. Government Securities), securities indices, foreign currencies in the case of the Global Core Fixed Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund and any other financial instruments and indices. Financial futures contracts used by each of the Funds include interest rate futures contracts including, among others, Eurodollar futures contracts. Eurodollar futures contracts are U.S. dollar-denominated futures contracts that are based on the implied forward LIBOR of a three-month deposit.
A Fund may engage in futures and related options transactions in order to seek to increase total return or to hedge against changes in interest rates, securities prices or, if a Fund invests in foreign securities (except the U.S. Mortgages Fund, Enhanced Income Fund, and High Quality Floating Rate Fund), currency exchange rates, or to otherwise manage its term structure, sector selection and duration in accordance with its investment objective and policies. Each Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to such contracts and options.
Futures contracts entered into by a Fund have historically been traded on U.S. exchanges or boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) or on foreign exchanges. More recently, certain futures may also be traded either over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as derivatives transaction execution facilities, exempt boards of trade or electronic trading facilities that are licensed and/or regulated to varying degrees by the CFTC. Also, certain single stock futures and narrow based security index futures may be traded either over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as contract markets, derivatives transaction execution facilities and electronic trading facilities that are licensed and/or regulated to varying degrees by both the CFTC and the SEC or on foreign exchanges.
Neither the CFTC, National Futures Association (“NFA”), SEC nor any domestic exchange regulates activities of any foreign exchange or boards of trade, including the execution, delivery and clearing of transactions, or has the power to compel enforcement of the rules of a foreign exchange or board of trade or any applicable foreign law. This is true even if the exchange is formally linked to a domestic market so that a position taken on the market may be liquidated by a transaction on another market. Moreover, such laws or regulations will vary depending on the foreign country in which the foreign futures or foreign options transaction occurs. For these reasons, a Fund’s investments in foreign futures or foreign options transactions may not be provided the same protections in respect of transactions on United States exchanges. In particular, persons who trade foreign futures or foreign options contracts may not be afforded certain of the protective measures provided by the CEA, the CFTC’s regulations and the rules of the NFA and any domestic exchange, including the right to use reparations proceedings before the CFTC and arbitration proceedings provided by the NFA or any domestic futures exchange. Similarly, these persons may not have the protection of the U.S. securities laws.
Futures Contracts. A futures contract may generally be described as an agreement between two parties to buy and sell particular financial instruments or currencies for an agreed price during a designated month (or to deliver the final cash settlement price, in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract).
When interest rates are rising or securities prices are falling, a Fund can seek to offset a decline in the value of its current portfolio securities through the sale of futures contracts. When interest rates are falling or securities prices are rising, a Fund, through the purchase of futures contracts, can attempt to secure better rates or prices than might later be available in the market when it effects anticipated purchases. Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income
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Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts on a specified currency in order to seek to increase total return or to protect against changes in currency exchange rates. For example, a Fund can purchase futures contracts on foreign currency to establish the price in U.S. dollars of a security quoted or denominated in such currency that such Fund has acquired or expects to acquire. In addition, certain Funds may enter into futures transactions to seek a closer correlation between a Fund’s overall currency exposures and the currency exposures of a Fund’s performance benchmark.
Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held to maturity but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions which may result in a profit or a loss. While futures contracts on securities or currency will usually be liquidated in this manner, a Fund may instead make or take delivery of the underlying securities or currency whenever it appears economically advantageous to do so. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange on which futures on securities or currency are traded guarantees that, if still open, the sale or purchase will be performed on the settlement date.
Hedging Strategies Using Futures Contracts. When a Fund uses futures for hedging purposes, the Fund often seeks to establish with more certainty than would otherwise be possible the effective price or rate of return on portfolio securities (or securities that the Fund proposes to acquire) or the exchange rate of currencies in which portfolio securities are quoted or denominated. A Fund may, for example, take a “short” position in the futures market by selling futures contracts to seek to hedge against an anticipated rise in interest rates or a decline in market prices or foreign currency rates that would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Such futures contracts may include contracts for the future delivery of securities held by a Fund or securities with characteristics similar to those of a Fund’s portfolio securities. Similarly, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may each sell futures contracts on any currencies in which its portfolio securities are quoted or denominated or sell futures contracts on one currency to seek to hedge against fluctuations in the value of securities quoted or denominated in a different currency if there is an established historical pattern of correlation between the two currencies. If, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, there is a sufficient degree of correlation between price trends for a Fund’s portfolio securities and futures contracts based on other financial instruments, securities indices or other indices, the Funds may also enter into such futures contracts as part of a hedging strategy. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in a Fund’s portfolio may be more or less volatile than prices of such futures contracts, the Investment Adviser will attempt to estimate the extent of this volatility difference based on historical patterns and compensate for any such differential by having a Fund enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts or by attempting to achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting a Fund’s portfolio securities. When hedging of this character is successful, any depreciation in the value of portfolio securities will be substantially offset by appreciation in the value of the futures position. On the other hand, any unanticipated appreciation in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.
On other occasions, a Fund may take a “long” position by purchasing futures contracts. This may be done, for example, when a Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities when it has the necessary cash, but expects the prices or currency exchange rates then available in the applicable market to be less favorable than prices or rates that are currently available.
Options on Futures Contracts. The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts will give a Fund the right (but not the obligation) for a specified price to sell or to purchase, respectively, the underlying futures contract at any time during the option period. As the purchaser of an option on a futures contract, a Fund obtains the benefit of the futures position if prices move in a favorable direction but limits its risk of loss in the event of an unfavorable price movement to the loss of the premium and transaction costs.
The writing of a call option on a futures contract generates a premium which may partially offset a decline in the value of a Fund’s assets. By writing a call option, a Fund becomes obligated, in exchange for the premium, to sell a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value higher than the exercise price. The writing of a put option on a futures contract generates a premium which may partially offset an increase in the price of securities that a Fund intends to purchase. However, a Fund becomes obligated (upon exercise of the option) to purchase a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value lower than the exercise price. Thus, the loss incurred by a Fund in writing options on futures is potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received. The Funds will incur transaction costs in connection with the writing of options on futures.
The holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may terminate its position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option on the same financial instrument. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. A Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market.
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Other Considerations. A Fund will engage in transactions in futures contracts and related options transactions only to the extent such transactions are consistent with the requirements of the Code for maintaining their qualifications as regulated investment companies for federal income tax purposes. Transactions in futures contracts and options on futures involve brokerage costs, require margin deposits and, in certain cases, require the Funds to identify on their books cash or liquid assets. The Funds may cover their transactions in futures contracts and related options by identifying on their books cash or liquid assets or by other means, in any manner permitted by applicable law. For more information about these practices, see “Description of Investment Securities and Practices – Asset Segregation.”
While transactions in futures contracts and options on futures may reduce certain risks, such transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, unanticipated changes in interest rates, securities prices or currency exchange rates may result in a poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. When futures contracts and options are used for hedging purposes, perfect correlation between a Fund’s futures positions and portfolio positions may be impossible to achieve, particularly where futures contracts based on individual equity or corporate fixed income securities are currently not available. In the event of imperfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio position which is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and a Fund may be exposed to risk of loss.
In addition, it is not possible for a Fund to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of securities quoted or denominated in foreign currencies because the value of such securities is likely to fluctuate as a result of independent factors unrelated to currency fluctuations. The profitability of a Fund’s trading in futures depends upon the ability of the Investment Adviser to analyze correctly the futures markets.
High Yield Securities
The Bond Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in bonds rated BB+ or below by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“Standard & Poor’s”) or Ba1 or below by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) (or comparable rated and unrated securities). The other funds in this SAI may not invest directly in high yield securities, but may hold securities that are subsequently downgraded to below investment grade. The Dynamic Municipal Income Fund may invest up to 30% of its Net Assets in non-investment grade Municipal Securities. These bonds are commonly referred to as “junk bonds,” are non-investment grade, and are considered speculative. The ability of issuers of high yield securities to make principal and interest payments may be questionable because such issuers are often less creditworthy or are highly leveraged. High yield securities are also issued by governmental issuers that may have difficulty in making all scheduled interest and principal payments. In some cases, high yield securities may be highly speculative, have poor prospects for reaching investment grade standing and be in default. As a result, investment in such bonds will entail greater risks than those associated with investment in investment grade bonds (i.e., bonds rated AAA, AA, A or BBB by Standard & Poor’s or Aaa, Aa, A or Baa by Moody’s). Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt securities, and the ability of a Fund to achieve its investment objective may, to the extent of its investments in high yield securities, be more dependent upon such creditworthiness analysis than would be the case if the Fund were investing in higher quality securities. See Appendix A for a description of the corporate bond and preferred stock ratings by Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”) and Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (“DBRS”).
The market values of high yield securities tend to reflect individual corporate or municipal developments to a greater extent than do those of higher rated securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Issuers of high yield securities that are highly leveraged may not be able to make use of more traditional methods of financing. Their ability to service debt obligations may be more adversely affected by economic downturns or their inability to meet specific projected business forecasts than would be the case for issuers of higher rated securities. Negative publicity about the junk bond market and investor perceptions regarding lower-rated securities, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may depress the prices for high yield securities. In the lower quality segments of the fixed income securities market, changes in perceptions of issuers’ creditworthiness tend to occur more frequently and in a more pronounced manner than do changes in higher quality segments of the fixed income securities market, resulting in greater yield and price volatility. Another factor which causes fluctuations in the prices of high yield securities is the supply and demand for similarly rated securities. In addition, the prices of investments fluctuate in response to the general level of interest rates. Fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income from such securities but will be reflected in a Fund’s NAV.
The risk of loss from default for the holders of high yield securities is significantly greater than is the case for holders of other debt securities because such high yield securities are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to the rights of other creditors of the issuers of such securities. Investment by the Funds in already defaulted securities poses an additional risk of loss should nonpayment of
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principal and interest continue in respect of such securities. Even if such securities are held to maturity, recovery by a Fund of its initial investment and any anticipated income or appreciation is uncertain. In addition, a Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery relating to the default in the payment of principal or interest on such securities or otherwise protect its interests. A Fund may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities to satisfy annual distribution obligations of the Fund in respect of accrued interest income on securities which are subsequently written off, even though the Fund has not received any cash payments of such interest.
The secondary market for high yield securities is concentrated in relatively few markets and is dominated by institutional investors, including mutual funds, insurance companies and other financial institutions. Accordingly, the secondary market for such securities may not be as liquid as and may be more volatile than the secondary market for higher-rated securities. In addition, the trading volume for high yield securities is generally lower than that of higher rated securities. The secondary market for high yield securities could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. These factors may have an adverse effect on the ability of the Funds to dispose of particular portfolio investments when needed to meet their redemption requests or other liquidity needs. The Investment Adviser could find it difficult to sell these investments or may be able to sell the investments only at prices lower than if such investments were widely traded. Prices realized upon the sale of such lower rated or unrated securities, under these circumstances, may be less than the prices used in calculating the NAV of the Funds. A less liquid secondary market also may make it more difficult for the Funds to obtain precise valuations of the high yield securities in their portfolios.
The adoption of new legislation could adversely affect the secondary market for high yield securities and the financial condition of issuers of these securities. The form of any future legislation, and the probability of such legislation being enacted, is uncertain.
Non-investment grade or high yield securities also present risks based on payment expectations. High yield securities frequently contain “call” or buy-back features which permit the issuer to call or repurchase the security from its holder. If an issuer exercises such a “call option” and redeems the security, the Funds may have to replace such security with a lower-yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors. In addition, if a Fund experiences net redemptions of its shares, it may be forced to sell its higher-rated securities, resulting in a decline in the overall credit quality of its portfolio and increasing its exposure to the risks of high yield securities.
Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies are designed to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of high yield securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the conditions of the issuer that affect the market value of the security. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality. Investments in non-investment grade and comparable unrated obligations will be more dependent on the Investment Adviser’s credit analysis than would be the case with investments in investment-grade debt obligations. The Investment Adviser employs its own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of an issuer’s existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debt and to pay dividends, sensitivity to economic conditions, operating history and current earnings trend. The Investment Adviser continually monitors the investments in the Funds’ portfolios and evaluates whether to dispose of or to retain non-investment grade and comparable unrated securities whose credit ratings or credit quality may have changed. If after its purchase, a portfolio security is assigned a lower rating or ceases to be rated, a Fund may continue to hold the security if the Investment Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.
An economic downturn could severely affect the ability of highly leveraged issuers of junk bond investments to service their debt obligations or to repay their obligations upon maturity. Factors having an adverse impact on the market value of junk bonds will have an adverse effect on a Fund’s NAV to the extent it invests in such investments. In addition, a Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.
These and other factors discussed in the section below, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in high yield securities.
Illiquid Investments
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act, a Fund may not acquire any “illiquid investment” if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An “illiquid investment” is any investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. The Trust has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to categorize each Fund’s portfolio investments and identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4, and the Trustees have approved the designation of the Investment Adviser to administer the Trust’s liquidity risk
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management program and related procedures. In determining whether an investment is an illiquid investment, the Investment Adviser will take into account actual or estimated daily transaction volume of an investment, group of related investments or asset class and other relevant market, trading, and investment-specific considerations. In addition, in determining the liquidity of an investment, the Investment Adviser must determine whether trading varying portions of a position in a particular portfolio investment or asset class, in sizes that a Fund would reasonably anticipate trading, is reasonably expected to significantly affect its liquidity, and if so, the Fund must take this determination into account when classifying the liquidity of that investment or asset class.
In addition to actual or estimated daily transaction volume of an investment, group of related investments or asset class and other relevant market, trading, and investment-specific considerations, the following factors, among others, will generally impact the classification of an investment as an “illiquid investment”: (i) any investment that is placed on the Investment Adviser’s restricted trading list; and (ii) any investment that is delisted or for which there is a trading halt at the close of the trading day on the primary listing exchange at the time of classification (and in respect of which no active secondary market exists). Investments purchased by a Fund that are liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid due to these and other events and circumstances. If one or more investments in a Fund’s portfolio become illiquid, the Fund may exceed the 15% limitation in illiquid investments. In the event that changes in the portfolio or other external events cause a Fund to exceed this limit, the Fund must take steps to bring its illiquid investments that are assets to or below 15% of its net assets within a reasonable period of time. This requirement would not force a Fund to liquidate any portfolio instrument where the Fund would suffer a loss on the sale of that instrument.
Interest Rate Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Credit Swaps, Currency Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Equity Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest Rate Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars
Each Fund may enter into interest rate, credit and total return swaps. Each Fund may also enter into interest rate caps, floors and collars. In addition, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Government Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may enter into mortgage swaps; and Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may enter into currency swaps. The Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may enter into equity swap contracts. Each Fund may also purchase and write (sell) options contracts on swaps, commonly referred to as swaptions.
Each Fund may enter into swap transactions for hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return. As examples, a Fund may enter into swap transactions for the purpose of attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities a Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in an economical way.
In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns, differentials in rates of return or some other amount earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency or security, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. Bilateral swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors. Cleared swaps are transacted through FCMs that are members of central clearinghouses with the clearinghouse serving as a central counterparty similar to transactions in futures contracts. Funds post initial and variation margin by making payments to their clearing member FCMs.
Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive payments for floating rate payments based on interest rates at specified intervals in the future. Two types of interest rate swaps include “fixed-for-floating rate swaps” and “basis swaps.” Fixed-for-floating rate swaps involve the exchange of payments based on a fixed interest rate for payments based on a floating interest rate index. By contrast, basis swaps involve the exchange of payments based on two different floating interest rate indices. Mortgage swaps are similar to interest rate swaps in that they represent commitments to pay and receive interest. The notional principal amount, however, is tied to a reference pool or pools of mortgages.
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Credit default swaps (also referred to as credit swaps) involve the exchange of a floating or fixed rate payment in return for assuming potential credit losses of an underlying security or pool of securities. Loan credit default swaps are similar to credit default swaps on bonds, except that the underlying protection is sold on secured loans of a reference entity rather than a broader category of bonds or loans. Loan credit default swaps may be on single names or on baskets of loans, both tranched and untranched. Certain Funds may obtain exposure to Senior Loans through the use of derivative instruments including loan credit default swaps. Investments in loan credit default swaps involve many of the risks associated with investments in derivatives more generally. Currency swaps involve the exchange of the parties’ respective rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies. Total return swaps are contracts that obligate a party to pay or receive interest in exchange for payment by the other party of the total return generated by a security, a basket of securities, an index, or an index component. Equity swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, an equity swap contract may be structured as a total return swap, where a counterparty may agree to pay a Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap contract would have increased in value had it been invested in particular stocks (or a group of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In other cases, the counterparty and a Fund may each agree to pay the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved if the notional amount of the equity swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or a group of stocks).
A swaption is an option to enter into a swap agreement. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into or modify an underlying swap or to modify the terms of an existing swap on agreed-upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the option is exercised) to enter into or modify an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms, which generally entails a greater risk of loss than incurred in buying a swaption. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payment of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling the interest rate floor. An interest rate collar is the combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest rates.
A great deal of flexibility may be possible in the way swap transactions are structured. However, generally a Fund will enter into interest rate, total return, credit, mortgage and equity swaps on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Interest rate, total return, credit, mortgage and equity swaps do not normally involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate, total return, credit, mortgage and equity swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an interest rate, total return, credit, mortgage or equity swap defaults, a Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of interest payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.
In contrast, currency swaps usually involve the delivery of a gross payment stream in one designated currency in exchange for a gross payment stream in another designated currency. Therefore, the entire payment stream under a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations. A credit swap may have as reference obligations one or more securities that may, or may not, be currently held by a Fund. The protection “buyer” in a credit swap is generally obligated to pay the protection “seller” an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the swap provided that no credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the swap is cash settled. A Fund may be either the protection buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer 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 buyer 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. As a seller, a Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, a Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, a Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. If a credit event occurs, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the Fund as seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund.
As a result of recent regulatory developments, certain standardized swaps are currently subject to mandatory central clearing and some of these cleared swaps must be traded on an exchange or swap execution facility (“SEF”). A SEF is a trading platform in which multiple market participants can execute swap transactions by accepting bids and offers made by multiple other participants on the platform. Transactions executed on a SEF may increase market transparency and liquidity but may cause a Fund to incur increased expenses to execute swaps. Central clearing should decrease counterparty risk and increase liquidity compared to bilateral swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap. However, central clearing does not eliminate counterparty risk or liquidity risk entirely. In addition, depending on the size of a Fund and other factors, the margin required under the rules of a clearinghouse and by a clearing member may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by the Fund to
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support its obligations under a similar bilateral swap. However, the CFTC and other applicable regulators have adopted rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on uncleared swaps which may result in a Fund and its counterparties posting higher margin amounts for uncleared swaps. Requiring margin on uncleared swaps may reduce, but not eliminate, counterparty credit risk.
To the extent that a Fund’s exposure in a transaction involving a swap, swaption or an interest rate floor, cap or collar is covered by identifying cash or liquid assets on the Fund’s books or is covered by other means in accordance with SEC- or SEC staff-approved guidance or other appropriate measures, the Funds and the Investment Adviser believe that the transactions do not constitute senior securities under the Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to a Fund’s borrowing restrictions. For more information about these practices, see “Description of Investment Securities and Practices – Asset Segregation.”
The use of swaps and swaptions, as well as interest rate caps, floors and collars, is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, credit quality, interest rates and currency exchange rates, the investment performance of a Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment instruments were not used.
In addition, these transactions can involve greater risks than if a Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly because, in addition to general market risks, swaps are subject to liquidity risk, counterparty risk, credit risk and pricing risk. Regulators also may impose limits on an entity’s or group of entities’ positions in certain swaps. However, certain risks are reduced (but not eliminated) if the Fund invests in cleared swaps. Bilateral swap agreements are two party contracts that may have terms of greater than seven days. Moreover, a 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 counterparty. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively. Swaps and other derivatives may also be subject to pricing or “basis” risk, which exists when the price of a particular derivative diverges from the price of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions it may not be economically feasible to imitate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Certain rules also require centralized reporting of detailed information about many types of cleared and uncleared swaps. This information is available to regulators and, to a more limited extent and on an anonymous basis, to the public. Reporting of swap data may result in greater market transparency, which may be beneficial to funds that use swaps to implement trading strategies. However, these rules place potential additional administrative obligations on these funds, and the safeguards established to protect anonymity may not function as expected.
The swap market has grown substantially 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, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments which are traded in the interbank market. These and other factors discussed in the section above, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in swaps.
Investing in Central and South American Countries
A significant portion of the portfolios of the Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Short Duration Bond Fund, and a portion of the portfolio of the Income Fund, may be invested in issuers located in Central and South American countries. Securities markets in Central and South American countries may experience greater volatility than in other emerging countries. In addition, many of the region’s economies have become highly dependent upon foreign credit and loans from external sources to fuel their state-sponsored economic plans. A number of Central and South American countries are among the largest emerging country debtors. There have been moratoria on, and reschedulings of, repayment with respect to these debts. Such events can restrict the flexibility of these debtor nations in the international markets and result in the imposition of onerous conditions on their economies.
Many of the currencies of Central and South American countries have experienced steady devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar, and major devaluations have historically occurred in certain countries. Any devaluations in the currencies in which a Fund’s portfolio securities are denominated may have a detrimental impact on the Fund. There is also a risk that certain Central and South American countries may restrict the free conversion of their currencies into other currencies. Some Central and South American countries may have managed currencies which are not free floating against the U.S. dollar. This type of system can lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency that, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. Certain Central and South American currencies may not be internationally traded and it would be difficult for a Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such currencies.
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The emergence of the Central and South American economies and securities markets will require continued economic and fiscal discipline that has been lacking at times in the past, as well as stable political and social conditions. Governments of many Central and South American countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. The political history of certain Central and South American countries has been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres and political corruption. Now democracy is beginning to become well established in some countries. Domestic economies have been deregulated, state-owned companies privatized, and foreign trade restrictions relaxed. Such developments, if they do not continue, could reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization and removal of trade barriers. Social inequality and poverty may contribute to political and economic instability in this region.
International economic conditions, particularly those in the United States, as well as world prices for oil and other commodities may also influence the recovery of the Central and South American economies. Because commodities such as oil, gas, minerals and metals represent a significant percentage of the region’s exports, the economies of Central and South American countries are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. As a result, the economies in many of these countries can experience significant volatility.
Certain Central and South American countries have entered into regional trade agreements that would, among other things, reduce barriers among countries, increase competition among companies and reduce government subsidies in certain industries. No assurance can be given that these changes will result in the economic stability intended. There is a possibility that these trade arrangements will not be implemented, will be implemented but not completed or will be completed but then partially or completely unwound. It is also possible that a significant participant could choose to abandon a trade agreement, which could diminish its credibility and influence. Any of these occurrences could have adverse effects on the markets of both participating and non-participating countries, including share appreciation or depreciation of participant’s national currencies and a significant increase in exchange rate volatility, a resurgence in economic protectionism, an undermining of confidence in the Central and South American markets, an undermining of Central and South American economic stability, the collapse or slowdown of the drive toward Central and South American economic unity, and/or reversion of the attempts to lower government debt and inflation rates that were introduced in anticipation of such trade agreements. Such developments could have an adverse impact on the Funds’ investments in Central and South America generally or in specific countries participating in such trade agreements.
Investing in Emerging Countries
Market Characteristics. Of the Core Fixed Income Fund’s, Bond Fund’s, Short Duration Bond Fund’s, Investment Grade Credit Fund’s, High Yield Fund’s and Income Fund’s investments in foreign securities, 10%, 15%, 20%, 10%, 25% and 35% of their respective total assets may be invested in emerging countries. The Global Core Fixed Income Fund may invest in sovereign and corporate debt securities and other instruments of issuers in emerging market countries (“emerging countries debt”) up to the weight of emerging countries debt in the Fund’s benchmark index plus 10% of its total assets. The Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund are not limited in the amount of their assets that may be invested in emerging countries.
Investment in debt securities of emerging country issuers involves special risks. The development of a market for such securities is a relatively recent phenomenon and debt securities of most emerging country issuers are less liquid and are generally subject to greater price volatility than securities of issuers in the United States and other developed countries. In certain countries, there may be fewer publicly traded securities, and the market may be dominated by a few issuers or sectors. The markets for securities of emerging countries may have substantially less volume than the market for similar securities in the United States and may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trade size. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of such markets. The less liquid the market, the more difficult it may be for a Fund to price accurately its portfolio securities or to dispose of such securities at the times determined to be appropriate. The risks associated with reduced liquidity may be particularly acute to the extent that a Fund needs cash to meet redemption requests, to pay dividends and other distributions or to pay its expenses.
Issuers and securities markets in such countries are not subject to as stringent, extensive and frequent accounting, auditing, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the U.S., and the degree of cooperation between issuers in emerging and frontier market countries with foreign and U.S. financial regulators may vary significantly. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging country issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for U.S. issuers. Substantially less information may
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be publicly available about emerging country issuers than is available about issuers in the United States. In addition, U.S. regulators may not have sufficient access to adequately audit and oversee issuers. For example, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) is responsible for inspecting and auditing the accounting practices and products of U.S.-listed companies, regardless of the issuer’s domicile. However, certain emerging market countries, including China, do not provide sufficient access to the PCAOB to conduct its inspections and audits. As a result, U.S. investors, including the Funds, may be subject to risks associated with less stringent accounting oversight.
A Fund’s purchase and sale of portfolio securities in certain emerging countries may be constrained by limitations as to daily changes in the prices of listed securities, periodic trading or settlement volume and/or limitations on aggregate holdings of foreign investors. Such limitations may be computed based on the aggregate trading volume by or holdings of a Fund, the Investment Adviser, its affiliates and their respective clients and other service providers. A Fund may not be able to sell securities in circumstances where price, trading or settlement volume limitations have been reached.
Securities markets of emerging countries may also have less efficient clearance and settlement procedures than U.S. markets, making it difficult to conduct and complete transactions. Delays in the settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of a Fund’s assets is uninvested and no return is earned thereon. Inability to make intended security purchases could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities could result either in losses to a Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if a Fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability of a Fund to the purchaser. In addition, emerging market countries are often characterized by limited reliable access to capital.
Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions and dealer mark-ups, in emerging countries may be higher than in the U.S. and other developed securities markets. As legal systems in emerging countries develop, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.
Custodial and/or settlement systems in emerging and frontier markets countries may not be fully developed. To the extent a Fund invests in emerging markets, Fund assets that are traded in such markets and will have been entrusted to such sub-custodians in those markets may be exposed to risks for which the sub-custodian will have no liability.
With respect to investments in certain emerging countries, antiquated legal systems may have an adverse impact on the Funds. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder of a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more limited than those of investors of U.S. corporations, and it may be more difficult for shareholders to bring derivative litigation. Moreover, the legal remedies for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the remedies available in the United States, and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited. In addition, emerging countries may have less established accounting and financial reporting systems than those in more developed markets.
Economic, Political and Social Factors. Emerging countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than the United States, Japan and most Western European countries, and unanticipated political and social developments may affect the value of a Fund’s investments in emerging countries and the availability to the Fund of additional investments in such countries. Moreover, political and economic structures in many emerging countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development. Instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including changes or attempted changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved economic, political and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection and conflict; and (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing foreign private property. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries, inflation has at times accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. The economies of many emerging countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. In addition, the economies of some emerging countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.
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The Funds may seek investment opportunities within former “Eastern bloc” countries. Most of these countries had a centrally planned, socialist economy for a substantial period of time. The governments of some of these countries have more recently been implementing reforms directed at political and economic liberalization, including efforts to decentralize the economic decision-making process and move towards a market economy. However, business entities in many of these countries do not have an extended history of operating in a market-oriented economy, and the ultimate impact of these countries’ attempts to move toward more market-oriented economies is currently unclear. Any change in the leadership or policies of these countries may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities. In addition, Eastern European markets are particularly sensitive to social, economic and currency events in Western Europe and Russia. Russia may attempt to assert its influence in the region through military measures.
Restrictions on Investment and Repatriation. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investments by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer’s outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. The repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of securities sales from certain emerging countries is subject to certain governmental consents, which may make it difficult for a Fund to invest in such emerging countries. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for such repatriation. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect the operation of a Fund.
Emerging Country Government Obligations. Emerging country governmental entities are among the largest debtors to commercial banks, foreign governments, international financial organizations and other financial institutions. Certain emerging country governmental entities have not been able to make payments of interest on or principal of debt obligations as those payments have come due. Obligations arising from past restructuring agreements may affect the economic performance and political and social stability of those entities.
The ability of emerging country governmental entities to make timely payments on their obligations is likely to be influenced strongly by the entity’s balance of payments, including export performance, and its access to international credits and investments. An emerging country whose exports are concentrated in a few commodities could be vulnerable to a decline in the international prices of one or more of those commodities. Increased protectionism on the part of an emerging country’s trading partners could also adversely affect the country’s exports and tarnish its trade account surplus, if any. To the extent that emerging countries receive payment for their exports in currencies other than dollars or non-emerging country currencies, the emerging country governmental entity’s ability to make debt payments denominated in dollars or non-emerging market currencies could be affected.
To the extent that an emerging country cannot generate a trade surplus, it must depend on continuing loans from foreign governments, multilateral organizations or private commercial banks, aid payments from foreign governments and on inflows of foreign investment. The access of emerging countries to these forms of external funding may not be certain, and a withdrawal of external funding could adversely affect the capacity of emerging country governmental entities to make payments on their obligations. In addition, the cost of servicing emerging country debt obligations can be affected by a change in international interest rates because the majority of these obligations carry interest rates that are adjusted periodically based upon international rates.
Another factor bearing on the ability of emerging countries to repay debt obligations is the level of international reserves of a country. Fluctuations in the level of these reserves affect the amount of foreign exchange readily available for external debt payments and thus could have a bearing on the capacity of emerging countries to make payments on these debt obligations.
As a result of the foregoing or other factors, a governmental obligor, especially in an emerging country, may default on its obligations. If such an event occurs, a Fund may have limited legal recourse against the issuer and/or guarantor. Remedies must, in some cases, be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party itself, and the ability of the holder of foreign government obligations to obtain recourse may be subject to the political climate in the relevant country. In addition, no assurance can be given that the holders of commercial bank debt will not contest payments to the holders of other foreign government obligations in the event of default under the commercial bank loan agreements.
Brady Bonds. Certain foreign debt obligations commonly referred to as “Brady Bonds” are created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to foreign borrowers for new obligations in connection with debt restructurings under a plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady (the “Brady Plan”).
Brady Bonds may be collateralized or uncollateralized and issued in various currencies (although most are dollar-denominated) and they are actively traded in the over-the-counter secondary market. Certain Brady Bonds are collateralized in full as to principal due at maturity by zero coupon obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities having the same maturity (“Collateralized Brady Bonds”). Brady Bonds are not, however, considered to be U.S. Government Securities.
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Dollar-denominated, Collateralized Brady Bonds may be fixed rate bonds or floating rate bonds. Interest payments on Brady Bonds are often collateralized by cash or securities in an amount that, in the case of fixed rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of rolling interest payments or, in the case of floating rate bonds, initially is equal to at least one year’s rolling interest payments based on the applicable interest rate at that time and is adjusted at regular intervals thereafter. Certain Brady Bonds are entitled to “value recovery payments” in certain circumstances, which in effect constitute supplemental interest payments but generally are not collateralized. Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four valuation components: (i) collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; (ii) collateralized interest payments; (iii) uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized amounts constitute the “residual risk”). In the event of a default with respect to Collateralized Brady Bonds as a result of which the payment obligations of the issuer are accelerated, the U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations held as collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to investors, nor will such obligations be sold and the proceeds distributed. The collateral will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled maturity of the defaulted Brady Bonds, which will continue to be outstanding, at which time the face amount of the collateral will equal the principal payments which would have been due on the Brady Bonds in the normal course. In addition, in light of the residual risk of Brady Bonds and, among other factors, the history of defaults with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds, investments in Brady Bonds should be viewed as speculative.
Restructured Investments. Included among the issuers of emerging country debt securities are entities organized and operated solely for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of various securities. These entities are often organized by investment banking firms which receive fees in connection with establishing each entity and arranging for the placement of its securities. This type of restructuring involves the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, or specified instruments, such as Brady Bonds, and the issuance by the entity of one or more classes of securities (“Restructured Investments”) backed by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued Restructured Investments to create securities with different investment characteristics such as varying maturities, payment priorities or investment rate provisions. Because Restructured Investments of the type in which the Fund may invest typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk will generally be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments.
The Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund are permitted to invest in a class of Restructured Investments that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated Restructured Investments typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated Restructured Investments. Although a Fund’s purchases of subordinated Restructured Investments would have a similar economic effect to that of borrowing against the underlying securities, such purchases will not be deemed to be borrowing for purposes of the limitations placed on the extent of the Funds’ assets that may be used for borrowing.
Certain issuers of Restructured Investments may be deemed to be “investment companies” as defined in the Act. As a result, the Funds’ investments in these Restructured Investments may be limited by the restrictions contained in the Act. Restructured Investments are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for most Restructured Investments.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts. Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts for hedging purposes and to seek to increase total return. U.S. Mortgages Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts for hedging purposes only. A forward foreign currency exchange contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded in the interbank market and are conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no commissions are generally charged at any stage for trades.
At the maturity of a forward contract, a Fund may either accept or make delivery of the currency specified in the contract or, at or prior to maturity, enter into a closing purchase transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing purchase transactions with respect to forward contracts are usually effected with the currency trader who is a party to the original forward contract.
The Funds may, from time to time, engage in non-deliverable forward transactions to manage currency risk or to gain exposure to a currency without purchasing securities denominated in that currency. A non-deliverable forward is a transaction that represents an agreement between a Fund and a counterparty (usually a commercial bank) to pay the other party the amount that it would have cost based on current market rates as of the termination date to buy or sell a specified (notional) amount of a particular currency at an agreed upon foreign exchange rate on an agreed upon future date. If the counterparty defaults, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreement related to the transaction, but the Fund may be delayed or prevented from obtaining payments owed to it pursuant to non-deliverable forward transactions. Such non-deliverable forward transactions will be settled in cash.
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The Funds may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts for hedging purposes in several circumstances. First, when a Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security quoted or denominated in a foreign currency, or when a Fund anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of a dividend or interest payment on such a security which it holds, a Fund may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of such dividend or interest payment, as the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions, a Fund may attempt to protect itself against an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are made or received.
Additionally, when the Investment Adviser believes that the currency of a particular foreign country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, it may enter into a forward contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of a Fund’s portfolio securities quoted or denominated in such foreign currency. The precise matching of the forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date on which the contract is entered into and the date it matures. Using forward contracts to protect the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities against a decline in the value of a currency does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. It simply establishes a rate of exchange which a Fund can achieve at some future point in time. The precise projection of short-term currency market movements is not possible, and short-term hedging provides a means of fixing the U.S. dollar value of only a portion of a Fund’s foreign assets.
Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may engage in cross-hedging by using forward contracts in one currency to hedge against fluctuations in the value of securities denominated or quoted in a different currency if the Investment Adviser determines that there is a pattern of correlation between the two currencies. In addition, certain Funds may enter into foreign currency transactions to seek a closer correlation between a Fund’s overall currency exposures and the currency exposures of a Fund’s performance benchmark.
A Fund is not required to post cash collateral with its non-U.S. counterparties in certain foreign currency transactions. Accordingly, a Fund may remain more fully invested (and more of the Fund’s assets may be subject to investment and market risk) than if it were required to post collateral with its counterparties (which is the case with U.S. counterparties). Because a Fund’s non-U.S. counterparties are not required to post cash collateral with the Fund, the Fund will be subject to additional counterparty risk.
While the Funds may enter into forward contracts to seek to reduce currency exchange rate risks, transactions in such contracts involve certain other risks. Thus, while the Funds may benefit from such transactions, unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in a poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not engaged in any such transactions. Moreover, there may be imperfect correlation between a Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and forward contracts entered into by a Fund. Such imperfect correlation may cause the Fund to sustain losses which will prevent the Fund from achieving a complete hedge or expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss.
Certain forward foreign currency exchange contracts and other currency transactions are not exchange traded or cleared. Markets for trading such forward foreign currency contracts offer less protection against defaults than is available when trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Such forward contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty to the contract will default on its obligations. Because these contracts are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a default on a contract would deprive a Fund of unrealized profits, transaction costs or the benefits of a currency hedge or force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price. In addition, the institutions that deal in forward currency contracts are not required to continue to make markets in the currencies they trade and these markets can experience periods of illiquidity. A Fund will not enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts, unless the credit quality of the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the counterparty is considered to be investment grade by the Investment Adviser. To the extent that a substantial portion of a Fund’s total assets, adjusted to reflect the Fund’s net position after giving effect to currency transactions, is denominated or quoted in the currencies of foreign countries, the Fund will be more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries.
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These and other factors discussed in the section above, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in issuers of emerging country securities.
Investing in Europe
Certain of the Funds may operate in euros and/or may hold euros and/or euro-denominated bonds and other obligations. The euro requires participation of multiple sovereign states forming the Euro zone and is therefore sensitive to the credit, general economic and political position of each such state, including each state’s actual and intended ongoing engagement with and/or support for the other sovereign states then forming the EU, in particular those within the Euro zone. Changes in these factors might materially adversely impact the value of securities that a Fund has invested in.
European countries can be significantly affected by the tight fiscal and monetary controls that the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) imposes for membership. Europe’s economies are diverse, its governments are decentralized, and its cultures vary widely. Several EU countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among EMU member countries. Member countries are required to maintain tight control over inflation, public debt, and budget deficit to qualify for membership in the EMU. These requirements can severely limit the ability of EMU member countries to implement monetary policy to address regional economic conditions.
Geopolitical developments in Europe have caused, or may in the future cause, significant volatility in financial markets. For example, in a June 2016 referendum, citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU. In March 2017, the United Kingdom formally notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the EU (commonly known as “Brexit”) by invoking Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which triggered a two-year period of negotiations on the terms of Brexit. Brexit has resulted in volatility in European and global markets and may also lead to weakening in political, regulatory, consumer, corporate and financial confidence in the markets of the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. The longer term economic, legal, political, regulatory and social framework between the United Kingdom and the EU remains unclear and may lead to ongoing political, regulatory and economic uncertainty and periods of exacerbated volatility in both the United Kingdom and in wider European markets for some time. Additionally, the decision made in the British referendum may lead to a call for similar referenda in other European jurisdictions, which may cause increased economic volatility in European and global markets. The mid-to long-term uncertainty may have an adverse effect on the economy generally and on the value of a Fund’s investments. This may be due to, among other things: fluctuations in asset values and exchange rates; increased illiquidity of investments located, traded or listed within the United Kingdom, the EU or elsewhere; changes in the willingness or ability of counterparties to enter into transactions at the price and terms on which a Fund is prepared to transact; and/or changes in legal and regulatory regimes to which certain of a Fund’s assets are or become subject. Fluctuations in the value of the British Pound and/or the Euro, along with the potential downgrading of the United Kingdom’s sovereign credit rating, may also have an impact on the performance of a Fund’s assets or investments economically tied to the United Kingdom or Europe.
The full effects of Brexit will depend, in part, on whether the United Kingdom is able to negotiate agreements to retain access to EU markets including, but not limited to, trade and finance agreements. Brexit could lead to legal and tax uncertainty and potentially divergent national laws and regulations as the United Kingdom determines which EU laws to replace or replicate. The extent of the impact of the withdrawal and the resulting economic arrangements in the United Kingdom and in global markets as well as any associated adverse consequences remain unclear, and the uncertainty may have a significant negative effect on the value of a Fund’s investments. While certain measures have been proposed and/or implemented within the UK and at the EU level or at the member state level, which are designed to minimize disruption in the financial markets, it is not currently possible to determine whether such measures would achieve their intended effects.
On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom withdrew from the EU and the United Kingdom entered a transition period that expired on December 31, 2020. On December 24, 2020, negotiators representing the United Kingdom and the EU came to a preliminary trade agreement, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”), which is an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU’s and United Kingdom’s relationship following the end of the transition period. On December 30, 2020, the United Kingdom and the EU signed the TCA, which was ratified by the British Parliament on the same day. The TCA was subsequently ratified by the EU Parliament and entered into force on May 1, 2021. However, many aspects of the UK-EU trade relationship remain subject to further negotiation. Due to political uncertainty, it is not possible to anticipate the form or nature of the future trading relationship between the United Kingdom and the EU.
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Other economic challenges facing the region include high levels of public debt, significant rates of unemployment, aging populations, and heavy regulation in certain economic sectors. European policy makers have taken unprecedented steps to respond to the economic crisis and to boost growth in the region, which has increased the risk that regulatory uncertainty could negatively affect the value of a Fund’s investments.
Certain countries have applied to become new member countries of the EU, and these candidate countries’ accessions may become more controversial to the existing EU members. Some member states may repudiate certain candidate countries joining the EU upon concerns about the possible economic, immigration and cultural implications. Also, Russia may be opposed to the expansion of the EU to members of the former Soviet bloc and may, at times, take actions that could negatively impact EU economic activity.
Investing through Bond Connect
Each of the Global Core Fixed Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund invest in bonds traded in the China Interbank Bond Market (“CIBM”) through the Bond Connect program (“Bond Connect Securities”). Bond Connect is an arrangement between Hong Kong and Mainland China that enables Hong Kong and overseas investors to trade various types of fixed income instruments in the CIBM through a connection between the relevant respective financial infrastructure institutions. Eligible foreign investors may submit trade requests for bonds circulated in the CIBM market through offshore electronic bond trading platforms (such as Tradeweb and Bloomberg), which will in turn transmit the requests for quotation to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System & National Interbank Funding Centre (“CFETS”). CFETS will send the requests for quotation to a number of approved onshore dealers (including market makers and others engaged in the market making business) in Mainland China. The approved onshore dealers will respond to the requests for quotation via CFETS and CFETS will send their responses to those eligible foreign investors through the same offshore electronic bond trading platforms. Once the eligible foreign investor accepts the quotation, the trade is concluded on CFETS. Under the settlement link between CMU, as an offshore custody agent, and the China Central Depository & Clearing Co. (“CCDC”) or the Shanghai Clearing House (“SCH”), as onshore custodians and clearing institutions in Mainland China, CCDC or SCH will effect gross settlement of confirmed trades onshore and CMU will process bond settlement instructions from CMU members on behalf of eligible foreign investors in accordance with its relevant rules. Since the introduction of delivery versus payment (DVP) settlement, the movement of cash and securities is carried out simultaneously on a real-time basis. However, it should be noted that there is no assurance that settlement risks can be eliminated and DVP settlement practices in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) may differ from practices in developed markets. In particular, such settlement may not be instantaneous and be subject to a delay of a period of hours. Where the counterparty does not perform its obligations under a transaction or there is otherwise a failure due to CCDC or SCH (as applicable), a Fund may sustain losses.
Trading through Bond Connect is performed through newly developed trading platforms and operational systems. There is no assurance that such systems will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in the market. In the event that the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading through Bond Connect may be disrupted. A Fund’s ability to trade through Bond Connect (and hence to pursue its investment strategy) may therefore be adversely affected.
A failure or delay by CMU, CCDC or SCH in the performance of their respective obligations may result in a failure of settlement, or the loss, of Bond Connect Securities and/or monies in connection with them and a Fund may suffer losses as a result. In the event that the nominee holder (i.e., CMU) becomes insolvent, such Bond Connect Securities may form part of the pool of assets of the nominee holder available for distribution to its creditors and a Fund, as a beneficial owner, may have no rights whatsoever in respect thereof.
Under the prevailing applicable Bond Connect regulations, the Fund participates in Bond Connect through an offshore custody agent, registration agent or other third parties (as the case may be), who would be responsible for making the relevant filings and account opening with the relevant authorities. The Fund is therefore subject to the risk of default or errors on the part of such agents.
Trading through Bond Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect a Fund’s investments and returns. Investments made through Bond Connect are subject to order, clearance and settlement procedures that are relatively untested, which could pose risks to a Fund. Furthermore, a Fund’s investments through Bond Connect will be held on behalf of the Fund via a book entry omnibus account in the name of the CMU maintained with a Mainland China-based custodian (either CCDC or SCH). A Fund’s ownership interest in investments through Bond Connect will not be reflected directly in book entry with CCDC or SCH and will instead only be reflected on the books of its Hong Kong sub-custodian. This custody arrangement subjects the Funds to various risks, including the risk that a Fund may have a limited ability to enforce rights as a beneficial owner as well as the risks of settlement delays and counterparty default or error of the Hong Kong sub-custodian. While the ultimate investors hold a beneficial interest in their investments through Bond Connect, the mechanisms that beneficial owners may use to enforce their rights are relatively new and courts in Mainland China have limited experience in applying the concept of beneficial ownership. As such, a Fund may not be able to participate in corporate
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actions affecting its rights as a bondholder, such as timely payment of distributions, due to time constraints or for other operational reasons. Bond Connect trades are settled in CNY and investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of CNY in Hong Kong, which may incur conversion costs and cannot be guaranteed. Moreover, Bond Connect Securities generally may not be sold, purchased or otherwise transferred other than through Bond Connect in accordance with applicable rules.
Investing through Bond Connect will subject the Funds to Chinese laws and rules applicable to investors in Chinese fixed income instruments. Therefore, the Funds’ investments through Bond Connect are generally subject to Mainland China’s securities laws and listing requirements, among other restrictions. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they could be sold but could no longer be purchased through Bond Connect. The Funds will not benefit from access to Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Fund, which is set up to protect against defaults of trades, when investing through Bond Connect. Finally, uncertainties in Mainland China’s tax rules governing taxation of income and gains from investments via Bond Connect could result in unexpected tax liabilities for a Fund. The withholding tax treatment of interests and capital gains payable to overseas investors currently is unsettled.
Bond Connect is a relatively new program and may be subject to further interpretation, guidance or modifications. Laws, rules, regulations, policies, notices, circulars or guidelines relating to the Bond Connect as published or applied by any of the authorities are untested and are subject to change from time to time. There can be no assurance that Bond Connect will not be restricted, suspended, discontinued or abolished in the future. In addition, the trading, settlement and information technology systems required for overseas investors to trade through Bond Connect are relatively new and continuing to evolve. In the event that the relevant systems do not function properly, trading through Bond Connect could be disrupted. In addition, the application and interpretation of the laws and regulations of Hong Kong and Mainland China, and the rules, policies or guidelines published or applied by relevant regulators and exchanges in respect of Bond Connect are uncertain and may affect the Funds’ investments.
Bond Connect is only available on days when markets in both mainland China and Hong Kong are open. As a result, prices of Bond Connect Securities may fluctuate at times when a Fund is unable to add to or exit its position and, therefore, may limit the Fund’s ability to trade when it would otherwise do so.
Potential lack of liquidity due to low trading volume of certain Bond Connect Securities may result in prices of certain fixed income securities traded on such market fluctuating significantly, which may expose a Fund to liquidity risks. The bid and offer spreads of the prices of Bond Connect Securities may be large, and the Funds may therefore incur significant trading and realization costs and may even suffer losses when disposing of such investments.
Hedging activities under Bond Connect are subject to Bond Connect regulations and any prevailing market practice. There is no guarantee that the Funds will be able to carry out hedging transactions at terms which are satisfactory and to the best interest of the Funds. A Fund may also be required to unwind its hedge in unfavorable market conditions.
The People’s Bank of China will exercise on-going supervision of the Funds as a participant in the CIBM and may take relevant administrative actions such as suspension of trading and mandatory exit against a Fund and/or the Investment Adviser in the event of non-compliance with the local market rules as well as Bond Connect regulations.
As a result of investing in the PRC, the Funds may be subject to withholding and various other taxes imposed by the PRC.
Except for interest income from certain bonds (i.e., government bonds, local government bonds and railway bonds which are entitled to a 100% PRC Corporate Income Tax (“CIT”) exemption and 50% CIT exemption respectively in accordance with the Implementation Rules to the Enterprise Income Tax Law and a circular dated March 19, 2016 on the Circular on Income Tax Policies on Interest Income from Railway Bonds under Caishui [2016] No. 30), interest income derived by non-resident institutional investors from other bonds traded through Bond Connect is PRC-sourced income and should be subject to PRC withholding income tax at a rate of 10% and value-added tax (“VAT”) at a rate of 6%. On November 22, 2018, the Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation jointly issued Circular 108, the circular dated 7 November 2018 on the Taxation Policy of Corporate Income Tax and Value-Added Tax in relation to Bond Investments made by Offshore Institutions in Domestic Bond Market, to clarify that foreign institutional investors (including foreign institutional investors under Bond Connect) are temporarily exempt from PRC withholding income tax and VAT with respect to bond interest income derived in the PRC bond market for the period from November 7, 2018 to November 6, 2021. Circular 108 is silent on the PRC withholding income tax and VAT treatment with respect to non-government bond interest derived prior to November 7, 2018, which is subject to clarification from the PRC tax authorities.
Capital gains derived by non-resident institutional investors (with no place or establishment or permanent establishment in the PRC) from the trading of bonds through the Bond Connect are technically non PRC-sourced income under the current CIT law and regulations, therefore, not subject to PRC CIT. While the PRC tax authorities are currently enforcing such non-taxable treatment in practice, there is a lack of clarity on such non-taxable treatment under the current CIT regulations.
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The tax law and regulations of the PRC are constantly changing, and they may be changed with retrospective effect to the advantage or disadvantage of shareholders. The interpretation and applicability of the tax law and regulations by tax authorities may not be as consistent and transparent as those of more developed nations, and may vary from region to region. It should also be noted that any provision for taxation made by the Investment Adviser may be excessive or inadequate to meet final tax liabilities. Consequently, shareholders may be advantaged or disadvantaged depending upon the final tax liabilities, the level of provision and when they subscribed and/or redeemed their shares of a Fund.
Lending of Portfolio Securities
Each of the High Yield Fund and the High Yield Floating Rate Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other institutions, including Goldman Sachs. By lending its securities, a Fund attempts to increase its net investment income.
Securities loans are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents, letters of credit or U.S. Government Securities equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. This collateral must be valued, or “marked to market,” daily. Borrowers are required to furnish additional collateral to a Fund as necessary to fully cover their obligations.
With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, a Fund may reinvest that cash in short-term investments and pay the borrower a pre-negotiated fee or “rebate” from any return earned on the investment. Investing the collateral subjects it to market depreciation or appreciation, and a Fund is responsible for any loss that may result from its investment of the borrowed collateral. Cash collateral may be invested in, among other things, other registered or unregistered funds, including private investing funds or money market funds that are managed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, and which pay the Investment Adviser or its affiliates for their services. If a Fund would receive non-cash collateral, the Fund receives a fee from the borrower equal to a negotiated percentage of the market value of the loaned securities.
For the duration of any securities loan, a Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest, dividends or other distributions paid by the issuer on the loaned securities. A Fund will not have the right to vote its loaned securities during the period of the loan, but the Fund may attempt to recall a loaned security in anticipation of a material vote if it desires to do so. A Fund will have the right to terminate a loan at any time and recall the loaned securities within the normal and customary settlement time for securities transactions.
Securities lending involves certain risks. A Fund may lose money on its investment of cash collateral, resulting in a loss of principal, or may fail to earn sufficient income on its investment to cover the fee or rebate it has agreed to pay the borrower. A Fund may incur losses in connection with its securities lending activities that exceed the value of the interest income and fees received in connection with such transactions. Securities lending subjects a Fund to the risk of loss resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process, and to additional credit, counterparty and market risk. These risks could be greater with respect to non-U.S. securities. Engaging in securities lending could have a leveraging effect, which may intensify the other risks associated with investments in a Fund. In addition, a Fund bears the risk that the price of the securities on loan will increase while they are on loan, or that the price of the collateral will decline in value during the period of the loan, and that the counterparty will not provide, or will delay in providing, additional collateral. A Fund also bears the risk that a borrower may fail to return securities in a timely manner or at all, either because the borrower fails financially or for other reasons. If a borrower of securities fails financially, a Fund may also lose its rights in the collateral. A Fund could experience delays and costs in recovering loaned securities or in gaining access to and liquidating the collateral, which could result in actual financial loss and which could interfere with portfolio management decisions or the exercise of ownership rights in the loaned securities. If a Fund is not able to recover the securities lent, the Fund may sell the collateral and purchase replacement securities in the market. However, a Fund will incur transaction costs on the purchase of replacement securities. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for a Fund. In determining whether to lend securities to a particular borrower, and throughout the period of the loan, the creditworthiness of the borrower will be considered and monitored. Loans will only be made to firms deemed to be of good standing, and where the consideration that can be earned currently from securities loans of this type is deemed to justify the attendant risk. It is intended that the value of securities loaned by a Fund will not exceed one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the loan collateral).
A Fund will consider the loaned securities as assets of a Fund, but will not consider any collateral as a Fund asset except when determining total assets for the purpose of the above one-third limitation. Loan collateral (including any investment of the collateral) is not subject to the percentage limitations stated elsewhere in this SAI or in the Prospectuses regarding investing in fixed income securities and cash equivalents.
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The Board of Trustees has approved each of the High Yield Fund’s and the High Yield Floating Rate Fund’s participation in a securities lending program and has adopted policies and procedures relating thereto. Under the current securities lending program, the Funds have retained an affiliate of the Investment Adviser to serve as their securities lending agent.
For its services, the securities lending agent may receive a fee from a Fund, including a fee based on the returns earned on the Fund’s investment of cash received as collateral for the loaned securities. In addition, a Fund may make brokerage and other payments to Goldman Sachs and its affiliates in connection with the Fund’s portfolio investment transactions. A Fund’s Board of Trustees periodically reviews reports on securities loan transactions for which a Goldman Sachs affiliate has acted as lending agent for compliance with the Fund’s securities lending procedures. Goldman Sachs may also be approved as a borrower under a Fund’s securities lending program, subject to certain conditions.
Loans and Loan Participations
The Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in loans and loan participations. A loan participation is an interest in a loan to a U.S. or foreign company or other borrower which is administered and sold by a financial intermediary. In a typical corporate loan syndication, a number of lenders, usually banks (co-lenders), lend a corporate borrower a specified sum pursuant to the terms and conditions of a loan agreement. One of the co-lenders usually agrees to act as the agent bank with respect to the loan.
Participation interests acquired by the Funds may take the form of a direct or co-lending relationship with the corporate borrower, an assignment of an interest in the loan by a co-lender or another participant, or a participation in the seller’s share of the loan. The participation by a Fund in a lender’s portion of a loan typically will result in the Fund having a contractual relationship only with such lender, not with the business entity borrowing the funds (the “Borrower”). As a result, the Fund may have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by such lender of payments from the Borrower. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Under the terms of the loan participation, a Fund may be regarded as a creditor of the agent bank (rather than of the underlying corporate borrower), so that the Fund may also be subject to the risk that the agent bank may become insolvent. Loan participations typically represent direct participations in a loan to a Borrower, and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. A Fund may participate in such syndicates, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. The participation interests in which the Funds may invest may not be rated by any NRSRO. The secondary market, if any, for loan participations may be limited.
When a Fund acts as co-lender in connection with a participation interest or when such Fund acquires certain participation interests, that Fund may have direct recourse against the borrower if the borrower fails to pay scheduled principal and interest. In cases where a Fund lacks direct recourse, it will look to the agent bank to enforce appropriate credit remedies against the borrower. In these cases, a Fund may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the Fund had purchased a direct obligation (such as commercial paper) of such borrower. For example, in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the corporate borrower, a loan participation may be subject to certain defenses by the borrower as a result of improper conduct by the agent bank.
For purposes of certain investment limitations pertaining to diversification of a Fund’s portfolio investments, the issuer of a loan participation will be the underlying borrower. However, in cases where a Fund does not have recourse directly against the borrower, both the borrower and each agent bank and co-lender interposed between the Fund and the borrower will be deemed issuers of a loan participation.
Senior Loans. The Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in Senior Loans. Senior Loans hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a business entity (the “Borrower”), are typically secured with specific collateral and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the Borrower that is senior to that held by subordinated debt holders and stockholders of the Borrower. The proceeds of Senior Loans primarily are used to finance leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, mergers, acquisitions, stock repurchases, refinancings and to finance internal growth and for other corporate purposes. Senior Loans typically have rates of interest which are redetermined daily, monthly, quarterly or semi-annually by reference to a base lending rate, plus a premium or credit spread. These base lending rates are primarily the LIBOR and secondarily the prime rate offered by one or more major U.S. banks and the certificate of deposit rate or other base lending rates used by commercial lenders.
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Senior Loans typically have a stated term of between five and nine years, and have rates of interest which typically are redetermined daily, monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Longer interest rate reset periods would generally increase fluctuations in a Fund’s NAV as a result of changes in market interest rates. The Funds are not subject to any restrictions with respect to the maturity of Senior Loans held in their portfolios. As a result, as short-term interest rates increase, interest payable to the Funds from their investments in Senior Loans should increase, and as short-term interest rates decrease, interest payable to the Funds from their investments in Senior Loans should decrease. Because of prepayments, the Investment Adviser expects the average lives of the Senior Loans in which each of the Funds invest to be shorter than the stated maturity.
Senior Loans are subject to the risk of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. Such non-payment would result in a reduction of income to a Fund, a reduction in the value of the investment and a potential decrease in the Fund’s NAV. There can be no assurance that the liquidation of any collateral securing a Senior Loan would satisfy the Borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal payments, or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of bankruptcy of a Borrower, the Funds could experience delays or limitations with respect to their ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a Senior Loan. The collateral securing a Senior Loan may lose all or substantially all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of a Borrower. Some Senior Loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate such Senior Loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the Borrower or take other action detrimental to the holders of Senior Loans including, in certain circumstances, invalidating such Senior Loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the Borrower. If interest were required to be refunded, it could negatively affect a Fund’s performance.
Many Senior Loans in which a Fund may invest may not be rated by a rating agency, will not be registered with the SEC or any state securities commission, and will not be listed on any national securities exchange. The amount of public information available with respect to Senior Loans will generally be less extensive than that available for registered or exchange-listed securities. In evaluating the creditworthiness of Borrowers, the Investment Adviser will consider, and may rely in part, on analyses performed by others. Borrowers may have outstanding debt obligations that are rated below investment grade by a rating agency. Many of the Senior Loans in which a Fund may invest will have been assigned below investment grade ratings by independent rating agencies. In the event Senior Loans are not rated, they are likely to be the equivalent of below investment grade quality. Because of the protective features of Senior Loans, the Investment Adviser believes that Senior Loans tend to have more favorable loss recovery rates as compared to more junior types of below investment grade debt obligations. The Investment Adviser does not view ratings as the determinative factor in its investment decisions and rely more upon their credit analysis abilities than upon ratings. Investors in loans, such as a Fund, may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws, although they may be entitled to certain contractual remedies.
No active trading market may exist for some Senior Loans, and some loans may be subject to restrictions on resale. A secondary market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which may impair the ability to realize full value and thus cause a material decline in the NAV of a Fund. Because transactions in many Senior Loans are subject to extended trade settlement periods, a Fund may not receive the proceeds from the sale of Senior Loans for a period after the sale of the Senior Loans. In addition, a Fund may not be able to readily dispose of its Senior Loans at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such loans if they were more widely-traded and, as a result of the relative illiquidity of the trading markets for Senior Loans, a Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions, such as borrowing from its credit facility, if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations, including redemption obligations. During periods of limited supply and liquidity of Senior Loans, a Fund’s yield may be lower.
When interest rates decline, the value of a Fund invested in fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a Fund invested in fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline. Although changes in prevailing interest rates can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the value of Senior Loans (due to the fact that floating rates on Senior Loans only reset periodically), the value of Senior Loans is substantially less sensitive to changes in market interest rates than fixed rate instruments. As a result, to the extent a Fund invests in floating-rate Senior Loans, the Fund’s portfolio may be less volatile and less sensitive to changes in market interest rates than if the Fund invested in fixed rate obligations. Similarly, a sudden and significant increase in market interest rates may cause a decline in the value of these investments and in a Fund’s NAV. Other factors (including, but not limited to, rating downgrades, credit deterioration, a large downward movement in stock prices, a disparity in supply and demand of certain securities or market conditions that reduce liquidity) can reduce the value of Senior Loans and other debt obligations, impairing the NAV of the Funds.
A Fund may purchase and retain in its portfolio a Senior Loan where the Borrower has experienced, or may be perceived to be likely to experience, credit problems, including involvement in or recent emergence from bankruptcy reorganization proceedings or other forms of debt restructuring. Such investments may provide opportunities for enhanced income as well as capital appreciation, although they also will be subject to greater risk of loss. At times, in connection with the restructuring of a Senior Loan either outside of bankruptcy court or in the context of bankruptcy court proceedings, a Fund may determine or be required to accept equity securities or junior credit securities in exchange for all or a portion of a Senior Loan.
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The Funds may also purchase Senior Loans on a direct assignment basis. If a Fund purchases a Senior Loan on direct assignment, it typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement of the assigning lender and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender. Investments in Senior Loans on a direct assignment basis may involve additional risks to the Funds. For example, if such loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral.
Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Investment Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of less readily marketable indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the NAV of the Funds than if that valuation were based on available market quotations, and could result in significant variations in a Fund’s daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are regularly traded among certain financial institutions. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of the market for these instruments is expected to improve. Investments in loans and loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of a Fund’s investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.
These and other factors discussed in the section above, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in loans and loan participations.
Second Lien Loans. Each of the Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in Second Lien Loans, which have the same characteristics as Senior Loans except that such loans are second in lien property rather than first. Second Lien Loans typically have adjustable floating rate interest payments. Accordingly, the risks associated with Second Lien Loans are higher than the risk of loans with first priority over the collateral. In the event of default on a Second Lien Loan, the first priority lien holder has first claim to the underlying collateral of the loan. It is possible that no collateral value would remain for the second priority lien holder and therefore result in a loss of investment to a Fund.
This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral. Second Lien Loans generally have greater price volatility than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in Second Lien Loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Second Lien Loans share the same risks as other below investment grade securities.
MMD Rate Locks
Certain Funds may purchase and sell Municipal Market Data AAA Cash Curve forward contracts, also known as “MMD rate locks.” A Fund may use these transactions for hedging purposes or, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, to enhance income or gain or to increase the Fund’s yield, for example, during periods of steep interest rate yield curves (i.e., wide differences between short term and long term interest rates).
An MMD rate lock permits a Fund to lock in a specified municipal interest rate for a portion of its portfolio to preserve a return on a particular investment, as a duration management technique, or to protect against any increase in the price of securities to be purchased at a later date. By using an MMD rate lock, a Fund can create a synthetic long or short position, allowing the Fund to select the most attractive part of the yield curve. An MMD rate lock is a forward contract between a Fund and an MMD rate lock provider pursuant to which the parties agree to make payments to each other on a notional amount, contingent upon whether the Municipal Market Data AAA General Obligations Scale is above or below a specified level on the expiration date of the contract. In connection with investments in MMD rate locks, there is a risk that municipal yields will move in the opposite direction than that anticipated by a Fund, which would cause the Fund to make payments to its counterparty in the transaction that could adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Mortgage Dollar Rolls
The Taxable Funds (other than Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may enter into mortgage dollar rolls in which a Fund sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase similar, but not identical securities on a specified
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future date. During the roll period, a Fund loses the right to receive principal and interest paid on the securities sold. However, a Fund would benefit to the extent of any difference between the price received for the securities sold and the lower forward price for the future purchase or fee income plus the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the securities sold until the settlement date of the forward purchase. All cash proceeds will be invested in instruments that are permissible investments for the applicable Fund. Each Fund will, until the settlement date, identify cash or liquid assets on its books, as permitted by applicable law, in an amount equal to its forward purchase price.
For financial reporting and tax purposes, the Funds treat mortgage dollar rolls as two separate transactions; one involving the purchase of a security and a separate transaction involving a sale. The Funds do not currently intend to enter into mortgage dollar rolls for financing and do not treat them as borrowings.
Mortgage dollar rolls involve certain risks including the following: if the broker-dealer to whom a Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, a Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase the mortgage-related securities subject to the mortgage dollar roll may be restricted. Also, the instrument which a Fund is required to repurchase may be worth less than an instrument which a Fund originally held. Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls will depend upon the Investment Adviser’s ability to manage a Fund’s interest rate and mortgage prepayments exposure. For these reasons, there is no assurance that mortgage dollar rolls can be successfully employed. The use of this technique may diminish the investment performance of a Fund compared with what such performance would have been without the use of mortgage dollar rolls.
Mortgage Loans and Mortgage-Backed Securities
The Taxable Funds (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may each invest in mortgage loans, mortgage pass-through securities and other securities representing an interest in or collateralized by adjustable and fixed-rate mortgage loans, including collateralized mortgage obligations, real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) and stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities, as described below. The Short Duration Government Fund may only invest in government-issued Mortgage-Backed Securities, and may not invest in privately-issued Mortgage-Backed Securities.
Mortgage-Backed Securities are subject to both call risk and extension risk. Because of these risks, these securities can have significantly greater price and yield volatility than traditional fixed income securities.
General Characteristics of Mortgage Backed Securities.
In general, each mortgage pool underlying Mortgage-Backed Securities consists of mortgage loans evidenced by promissory notes secured by first mortgages or first deeds of trust or other similar security instruments creating a first lien on owner occupied and non-owner occupied one-unit to four-unit residential properties, multi-family (i.e., five-units or more) properties, agricultural properties, commercial properties and mixed use properties (the “Mortgaged Properties”). The Mortgaged Properties may consist of detached individual dwelling units, multi-family dwelling units, individual condominiums, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, row houses, individual units in planned unit developments, other attached dwelling units (“Residential Mortgaged Properties”) or commercial properties, such as office properties, retail properties, hospitality properties, industrial properties, healthcare related properties or other types of income producing real property (“Commercial Mortgaged Properties”). Residential Mortgaged Properties may also include residential investment properties and second homes. In addition, the Mortgage-Backed Securities which are residential Mortgage-Backed Securities may also consist of mortgage loans evidenced by promissory notes secured entirely or in part by second priority mortgage liens on Residential Mortgaged Properties.
The investment characteristics of adjustable and fixed rate Mortgage-Backed Securities differ from those of traditional fixed income securities. The major differences include the payment of interest and principal on Mortgage-Backed Securities on a more frequent (usually monthly) schedule, and the possibility that principal may be prepaid at any time due to prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans or other assets. These differences can result in significantly greater price and yield volatility than is the case with traditional fixed income securities. As a result, if a Fund purchases Mortgage-Backed Securities at a premium, a faster than expected prepayment rate will reduce both the market value and the yield to maturity from their anticipated levels. A prepayment rate that is slower than expected will have the opposite effect, increasing yield to maturity and market value. Conversely, if a Fund purchases Mortgage-Backed Securities at a discount, faster than expected prepayments will increase, while slower than expected prepayments will reduce yield to maturity and market value. To the extent that a Fund invests in Mortgage-Backed Securities, the Investment Adviser may seek to manage these potential risks by investing in a variety of Mortgage-Backed Securities and by using certain hedging techniques.
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Prepayments on a pool of mortgage loans are influenced by changes in current interest rates and a variety of economic, geographic, social and other factors (such as changes in mortgagor housing needs, job transfers, unemployment, mortgagor equity in the mortgage properties and servicing decisions). The timing and level of prepayments cannot be predicted. A predominant factor affecting the prepayment rate on a pool of mortgage loans is the difference between the interest rates on outstanding mortgage loans and prevailing mortgage loan interest rates (giving consideration to the cost of any refinancing). Generally, prepayments on mortgage loans will increase during a period of falling mortgage interest rates and decrease during a period of rising mortgage interest rates. Accordingly, the amounts of prepayments available for reinvestment by a Fund are likely to be greater during a period of declining mortgage interest rates. If general interest rates decline, such prepayments are likely to be reinvested at lower interest rates than a Fund was earning on the Mortgage-Backed Securities that were prepaid. Due to these factors, Mortgage-Backed Securities may be less effective than U.S. Treasury and other types of debt securities of similar maturity at maintaining yields during periods of declining interest rates. Because a Fund’s investments in Mortgage-Backed Securities are interest-rate sensitive, a Fund’s performance will depend in part upon the ability of the Fund to anticipate and respond to fluctuations in market interest rates and to utilize appropriate strategies to maximize returns to the Fund, while attempting to minimize the associated risks to its investment capital. Prepayments may have a disproportionate effect on certain Mortgage-Backed Securities and other multiple class pass-through securities, which are discussed below.
The rate of interest paid on Mortgage-Backed Securities is normally lower than the rate of interest paid on the mortgages included in the underlying pool due to (among other things) the fees paid to any servicer, special servicer and trustee for the trust fund which holds the mortgage pool, other costs and expenses of such trust fund, fees paid to any guarantor such as Ginnie Mae (as defined below) or to any credit enhancers, mortgage pool insurers, bond insurers and/or hedge providers, and due to any yield retained by the issuer. Actual yield to the holder may vary from the coupon rate, even if adjustable, if the Mortgage-Backed Securities are purchased or traded in the secondary market at a premium or discount. In addition, there is normally some delay between the time the issuer receives mortgage payments from the servicer and the time the issuer (or the trustee of the trust fund which holds the mortgage pool) makes the payments on the Mortgage-Backed Securities, and this delay reduces the effective yield to the holder of such securities.
The issuers of certain mortgage-backed obligations may elect to have the pool of mortgage loans (or indirect interests in mortgage loans) underlying the securities treated as a REMIC, which is subject to special federal income tax rules. A description of the types of mortgage loans and Mortgage-Backed Securities in which a Fund may invest is provided below. The descriptions are general and summary in nature, and do not detail every possible variation of the types of securities that are permissible investments for a Fund.
Delinquencies, defaults and losses on residential mortgage loans may increase substantially over certain periods, which may affect the performance of the Mortgage-Backed Securities in which certain Funds may invest. Mortgage loans backing non-agency Mortgage-Backed Securities are more sensitive to economic factors that could affect the ability of borrowers to pay their obligations under the mortgage loans backing these securities. In addition, housing prices and appraisal values in many states and localities over certain periods have declined or stopped appreciating. A sustained decline or an extended flattening of those values may result in additional increases in delinquencies and losses on Mortgage-Backed Securities generally (including the Mortgaged-Backed Securities that the Funds may invest in as described above).
Adverse changes in market conditions and regulatory climate may reduce the cash flow which a Fund, to the extent it invests in Mortgage-Backed Securities or other asset-backed securities, receives from such securities and increase the incidence and severity of credit events and losses in respect of such securities. In the event that interest rate spreads for Mortgage-Backed Securities and other asset-backed securities widen following the purchase of such assets by a Fund, the market value of such securities is likely to decline and, in the case of a substantial spread widening, could decline by a substantial amount. Furthermore, adverse changes in market conditions may result in reduced liquidity in the market for Mortgage-Backed Securities and other asset-backed securities (including the Mortgage-Backed Securities and other asset-backed securities in which certain Funds may invest) and an unwillingness by banks, financial institutions and investors to extend credit to servicers, originators and other participants in the market for Mortgage-Backed and other asset-backed securities. As a result, the liquidity and/or the market value of any Mortgage-Backed or asset-backed securities that are owned by a Fund may experience declines after they are purchased by a Fund.
General Regulatory Considerations of Mortgage-Backed Securities.
The unprecedented disruption in the mortgage- and asset-backed securities markets in 2008-2009 resulted in significant downward price pressures as well as foreclosures and defaults in residential and commercial real estate. As a result of these events, the liquidity of the mortgage- and asset-backed securities markets was negatively impacted during that time. Following the market dislocation, the U.S. Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), which imposed a new regulatory framework over the U.S. financial services industry and the consumer credit markets in general. Among its other provisions, the Dodd-Frank Act creates a liquidation framework under which the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), may be
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appointed as receiver following a “systemic risk determination” by the Secretary of Treasury (in consultation with the President) for the resolution of certain nonbank financial companies and other entities, defined as “covered financial companies”, and commonly referred to as “systemically important entities”, in the event such a company is in default or in danger of default and the resolution of such a company under other applicable law would have serious adverse effects on financial stability in the United States, and also for the resolution of certain of their subsidiaries. No assurances can be given that this new liquidation framework would not apply to the originators of asset-backed securities, including Mortgage-Backed Securities, or their respective subsidiaries, including the issuers and depositors of such securities, although the expectation embedded in the Dodd-Frank Act is that the framework will be invoked only very rarely. Guidance from the FDIC indicates that such new framework will largely be exercised in a manner consistent with the existing bankruptcy laws, which is the insolvency regime that would otherwise apply to the sponsors, depositors and issuing entities with respect to asset-backed securities, including Mortgage-Backed Securities. The application of such liquidation framework to such entities could result in decreases or delays in amounts paid on, and hence the market value of, the Mortgage-Backed or asset-backed securities that may be owned by a Fund.
Certain General Characteristics of Mortgage Loans
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans (“ARMs”). The Taxable Funds (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may invest in ARMs. ARMs generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a specified period of time. Thereafter, the interest rates (the “Mortgage Interest Rates”) may be subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in the applicable index rate (the “Index Rate”). The adjusted rate would be equal to the Index Rate plus a fixed percentage spread over the Index Rate established for each ARM at the time of its origination. ARMs allow a Fund to participate in increases in interest rates through periodic increases in the securities coupon rates. During periods of declining interest rates, coupon rates may readjust downward resulting in lower yields to a Fund.
Adjustable interest rates can cause payment increases that some mortgagors may find difficult to make. However, certain ARMs may provide that the Mortgage Interest Rate may not be adjusted to a rate above an applicable lifetime maximum rate or below an applicable lifetime minimum rate for such ARM. Certain ARMs may also be subject to limitations on the maximum amount by which the Mortgage Interest Rate may adjust for any single adjustment period (the “Maximum Adjustment”). Other ARMs (“Negatively Amortizing ARMs”) may provide instead or as well for limitations on changes in the monthly payment on such ARMs. Limitations on monthly payments can result in monthly payments which are greater or less than the amount necessary to amortize a Negatively Amortizing ARM by its maturity at the Mortgage Interest Rate in effect in any particular month. In the event that a monthly payment is not sufficient to pay the interest accruing on a Negatively Amortizing ARM, any such excess interest is added to the principal balance of the loan, causing negative amortization, and will be repaid through future monthly payments. It may take borrowers under Negatively Amortizing ARMs longer periods of time to build up equity and may increase the likelihood of default by such borrowers. In the event that a monthly payment exceeds the sum of the interest accrued at the applicable Mortgage Interest Rate and the principal payment which would have been necessary to amortize the outstanding principal balance over the remaining term of the loan, the excess (or “accelerated amortization”) further reduces the principal balance of the ARM. Negatively Amortizing ARMs do not provide for the extension of their original maturity to accommodate changes in their Mortgage Interest Rate. As a result, unless there is a periodic recalculation of the payment amount (which there generally is), the final payment may be substantially larger than the other payments. After the expiration of the initial fixed rate period and upon the periodic recalculation of the payment to cause timely amortization of the related mortgage loan, the monthly payment on such mortgage loan may increase substantially which may, in turn, increase the risk of the borrower defaulting in respect of such mortgage loan. These limitations on periodic increases in interest rates and on changes in monthly payments protect borrowers from unlimited interest rate and payment increases, but may result in increased credit exposure and prepayment risks for lenders. When interest due on a mortgage loan is added to the principal balance of such mortgage loan, the related mortgaged property provides proportionately less security for the repayment of such mortgage loan. Therefore, if the related borrower defaults on such mortgage loan, there is a greater likelihood that a loss will be incurred upon any liquidation of the mortgaged property which secures such mortgage loan.
ARMs also have the risk of prepayment. The rate of principal prepayments with respect to ARMs has fluctuated in recent years. The value of Mortgage-Backed Securities collateralized by ARMs is less likely to rise during periods of declining interest rates than the value of fixed-rate securities during such periods. Accordingly, ARMs may be subject to a greater rate of principal repayments in a declining interest rate environment resulting in lower yields to a Fund. For example, if prevailing interest rates fall significantly, ARMs could be subject to higher prepayment rates (than if prevailing interest rates remain constant or increase) because the availability of low fixed-rate mortgages may encourage mortgagors to refinance their ARMs to “lock-in” a fixed-rate mortgage. On the other hand, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of ARMs will lag behind changes in the market rate. ARMs are also typically subject to maximum increases and decreases in the interest rate adjustment which can be made on any one adjustment date, in any one year, or during the life of the security. In the event of dramatic increases or decreases in prevailing market interest rates, the value of a Fund’s investment in ARMs may fluctuate more substantially because these limits may prevent the security from fully adjusting its interest rate to the prevailing market rates. As with fixed-rate mortgages, ARM prepayment rates vary in both stable and changing interest rate environments.
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There are two main categories of indices which provide the basis for rate adjustments on ARMs: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure, such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Indices commonly used for this purpose include the one-year, three-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury rates, the three-month Treasury bill rate, the 180-day Treasury bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the 11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds, the National Median Cost of Funds, the one-month, three-month, six-month or one-year LIBOR, the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others, such as the 11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds index, tend to lag behind changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile. The degree of volatility in the market value of ARMs in a Fund’s portfolio and, therefore, in the NAV of the Fund’s shares, will be a function of the length of the interest rate reset periods and the degree of volatility in the applicable indices.
Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans. Generally, fixed-rate mortgage loans included in mortgage pools (the “Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans”) will bear simple interest at fixed annual rates and have original terms to maturity ranging from 5 to 40 years. Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans generally provide for monthly payments of principal and interest in substantially equal installments for the term of the mortgage note in sufficient amounts to fully amortize principal by maturity, although certain Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans provide for a large final “balloon” payment upon maturity.
Certain Legal Considerations of Mortgage Loans. The following is a discussion of certain legal and regulatory aspects of the mortgage loans in which the Taxable Funds (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may invest. This discussion is not exhaustive, and does not address all of the legal or regulatory aspects affecting mortgage loans. These regulations may impair the ability of a mortgage lender to enforce its rights under the mortgage documents. These regulations may also adversely affect a Fund’s investments in Mortgage-Backed Securities (including those issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities) by delaying the Fund’s receipt of payments derived from principal or interest on mortgage loans affected by such regulations.
| 1. | Foreclosure. A foreclosure of a defaulted mortgage loan may be delayed due to compliance with statutory notice or service of process provisions, difficulties in locating necessary parties or legal challenges to the mortgagee’s right to foreclose. Depending upon market conditions, the ultimate proceeds of the sale of foreclosed property may not equal the amounts owed on the Mortgage-Backed Securities. Furthermore, courts in some cases have imposed general equitable principles upon foreclosure generally designed to relieve the borrower from the legal effect of default and have required lenders to undertake affirmative and expensive actions to determine the causes for the default and the likelihood of loan reinstatement. |
| 2. | Rights of Redemption. In some states, after foreclosure of a mortgage loan, the borrower and foreclosed junior lienors are given a statutory period in which to redeem the property, which right may diminish the mortgagee’s ability to sell the property. |
| 3. | Legislative Limitations. In addition to anti-deficiency and related legislation, numerous other federal and state statutory provisions, including the federal bankruptcy laws and state laws affording relief to debtors, may interfere with or affect the ability of a secured mortgage lender to enforce its security interest. For example, a bankruptcy court may grant the debtor a reasonable time to cure a default on a mortgage loan, including a payment default. The court in certain instances may also reduce the monthly payments due under such mortgage loan, change the rate of interest, reduce the principal balance of the loan to the then-current appraised value of the related mortgaged property, alter the mortgage loan repayment schedule and grant priority of certain liens over the lien of the mortgage loan. If a court relieves a borrower’s obligation to repay amounts otherwise due on a mortgage loan, the mortgage loan servicer will not be required to advance such amounts, and any loss may be borne by the holders of securities backed by such loans. In addition, numerous federal and state consumer protection laws impose penalties for failure to comply with specific requirements in connection with origination and servicing of mortgage loans. |
| 4. |
“Due-on-Sale” Provisions. Fixed-rate mortgage loans may contain a so-called “due-on-sale” clause permitting acceleration of the maturity of the mortgage loan if the borrower transfers the property. The Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 sets forth nine specific instances in which no mortgage lender covered by that Act may exercise a “due-on-sale” clause upon a transfer of property. The inability to enforce a “due-on-sale” clause or the lack of such a clause in mortgage loan documents may result in a mortgage loan being assumed by a purchaser of the property that bears an interest rate below the current market rate. |
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| 5. | Usury Laws. Some states prohibit charging interest on mortgage loans in excess of statutory limits. If such limits are exceeded, substantial penalties may be incurred and, in some cases, enforceability of the obligation to pay principal and interest may be affected. |
| 6. | Governmental Action, Legislation and Regulation. Legislative, regulatory and enforcement actions seeking to prevent or restrict foreclosures or providing forbearance relief to borrowers of residential mortgage loans may adversely affect the value of Mortgage-Backed Securities (e.g., the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act). Legislative or regulatory initiatives by federal, state or local legislative bodies or administrative agencies, if enacted or adopted, could delay foreclosure or the exercise of other remedies, provide new defenses to foreclosure, or otherwise impair the ability of the loan servicer to foreclose or realize on a defaulted residential mortgage loan included in a pool of residential mortgage loans backing such residential Mortgage-Backed Securities. While the nature or extent of limitations on foreclosure or exercise of other remedies that may be enacted cannot be predicted, any such governmental actions that interfere with the foreclosure process or are designed to protect customers could increase the costs of such foreclosures or exercise of other remedies in respect of residential mortgage loans which collateralize Mortgage-Backed Securities held by a Fund, delay the timing or reduce the amount of recoveries on defaulted residential mortgage loans which collateralize Mortgage-Backed Securities held by a Fund, and consequently, could adversely impact the yields and distributions a Fund may receive in respect of its ownership of Mortgage-Backed Securities collateralized by residential mortgage loans. |
Government Guaranteed Mortgage-Backed Securities. There are several types of government guaranteed Mortgage-Backed Securities currently available, including guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates and multiple class securities, which include guaranteed Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit Certificates (“REMIC Certificates”), other collateralized mortgage obligations and stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. Each of the Taxable Funds (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) is permitted to invest in other types of Mortgage-Backed Securities that may be available in the future to the extent consistent with its investment policies and objective.
A Fund’s investments in Mortgage-Backed Securities may include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Ginnie Mae securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, which means that the U.S. Government guarantees that the interest and principal will be paid when due. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, and as a result, they have historically been viewed by the market as high quality securities with low credit risks. From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating federal sponsorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Trust cannot predict what legislation, if any, may be proposed in the future in Congress as regards such sponsorship or which proposals, if any, might be enacted. Such proposals, if enacted, might materially and adversely affect the availability of government guaranteed Mortgage-Backed Securities and the liquidity and value of a Fund’s portfolio.
There is risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. A Fund may purchase U.S. Government Securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as those issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. Government Securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed such issuers’ current resources, including such issuers’ legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.
Below is a general discussion of certain types of guaranteed Mortgage-Backed Securities in which the Fund may invest.
| • | Ginnie Mae Certificates. Ginnie Mae is a wholly-owned corporate instrumentality of the United States. Ginnie Mae is authorized to guarantee the timely payment of the principal of and interest on certificates that are based on and backed by a pool of mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”), or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (“VA”), or by pools of other eligible mortgage loans. In order to meet its obligations under any guaranty, Ginnie Mae is authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury in an unlimited amount. The National Housing Act provides that the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government is pledged to the timely payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae of amounts due on Ginnie Mae certificates. |
| • | Fannie Mae Certificates. Fannie Mae is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered under an act of the U.S. Congress. Generally, Fannie Mae Certificates are issued and guaranteed by Fannie Mae and represent an undivided interest in a pool of mortgage loans (a “Pool”) formed by Fannie Mae. A Pool consists of residential mortgage loans either previously owned by Fannie Mae or purchased by it in connection with the formation of the Pool. The mortgage loans may be either conventional mortgage loans (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any U.S. Government agency) or mortgage loans that are |
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| either insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA. However, the mortgage loans in Fannie Mae Pools are primarily conventional mortgage loans. The lenders originating and servicing the mortgage loans are subject to certain eligibility requirements established by Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae has certain contractual responsibilities. With respect to each Pool, Fannie Mae is obligated to distribute scheduled installments of principal and interest after Fannie Mae’s servicing and guaranty fee, whether or not received, to Certificate holders. Fannie Mae also is obligated to distribute to holders of Certificates an amount equal to the full principal balance of any foreclosed mortgage loan, whether or not such principal balance is actually recovered. The obligations of Fannie Mae under its guaranty of the Fannie Mae Certificates are obligations solely of Fannie Mae. See “Certain Additional Information with Respect to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae” below. |
| • | Freddie Mac Certificates. Freddie Mac is a publicly held U.S. Government sponsored enterprise. A principal activity of Freddie Mac currently is the purchase of first lien, conventional, residential and multifamily mortgage loans and participation interests in such mortgage loans and their resale in the form of mortgage securities, primarily Freddie Mac Certificates. A Freddie Mac Certificate represents a pro rata interest in a group of mortgage loans or participations in mortgage loans (a “Freddie Mac Certificate group”) purchased by Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac guarantees to each registered holder of a Freddie Mac Certificate the timely payment of interest at the rate provided for by such Freddie Mac Certificate (whether or not received on the underlying loans). Freddie Mac also guarantees to each registered Certificate holder ultimate collection of all principal of the related mortgage loans, without any offset or deduction, but does not, generally, guarantee the timely payment of scheduled principal. The obligations of Freddie Mac under its guaranty of Freddie Mac Certificates are obligations solely of Freddie Mac. See “Certain Additional Information with Respect to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae” below. |
The mortgage loans underlying the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Certificates consist of adjustable rate or fixed-rate mortgage loans with original terms to maturity of up to forty years. These mortgage loans are usually secured by first liens on one-to-four-family residential properties or multi-family projects. Each mortgage loan must meet the applicable standards set forth in the law creating Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. A Freddie Mac Certificate group may include whole loans, participation interests in whole loans, undivided interests in whole loans and participations comprising another Freddie Mac Certificate group.
Under the direction of FHFA (as defined below), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have entered into a joint initiative to develop a common securitization platform (“CSP”) for the issuance of a uniform Mortgage-Backed Security (“UMBS”) (the “Single Security Initiative”), which would generally align the characteristics of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Certificates. The Single Security Initiative is intended to maximize liquidity for both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Mortgage-Backed Securities in the “to-be-announced” market. The CSP began issuing UMBS in June 2019. While the initial effects of the issuance of UMBS on the market for mortgage-related securities have been relatively minimal, the long-term effects are still uncertain.
Conventional Mortgage Loans. The conventional mortgage loans underlying the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Certificates consist of adjustable rate or fixed-rate mortgage loans normally with original terms to maturity of between five and thirty years. Substantially all of these mortgage loans are secured by first liens on one- to four-family residential properties or multi-family projects. Each mortgage loan must meet the applicable standards set forth in the law creating Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. A Freddie Mac Certificate group may include whole loans, participation interests in whole loans, undivided interests in whole loans and participations comprising another Freddie Mac Certificate group.
Certain Additional Information with Respect to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The volatility and disruption that impacted the capital and credit markets during late 2008 and into 2009 have led to increased market concerns about Freddie Mac’s and Fannie Mae’s ability to withstand future credit losses associated with securities held in their investment portfolios, and on which they provide guarantees, without the direct support of the federal government. On September 6, 2008, both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were placed under the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”). Under the plan of conservatorship, the FHFA has assumed control of, and generally has the power to direct, the operations of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and is empowered to exercise all powers collectively held by their respective shareholders, directors and officers, including the power to (1) take over the assets of and operate Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae with all the powers of the shareholders, the directors, and the officers of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and conduct all business of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; (2) collect all obligations and money due to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; (3) perform all functions of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae which are consistent with the conservator’s appointment; (4) preserve and conserve the assets and property of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; and (5) contract for assistance in fulfilling any function, activity, action or duty of the conservator. In addition, in connection with the actions taken by the FHFA, the U.S. Treasury Department (the “Treasury”) entered into certain preferred stock purchase agreements with each of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae which established the Treasury as the holder of a new class of senior preferred stock in each of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which stock was issued in connection with financial
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contributions from the Treasury to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The conditions attached to the financial contribution made by the Treasury to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and the issuance of this senior preferred stock placed significant restrictions on the activities of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae must obtain the consent of the Treasury to, among other things, (i) make any payment to purchase or redeem its capital stock or pay any dividend other than in respect of the senior preferred stock issued to the Treasury, (ii) issue capital stock of any kind, (iii) terminate the conservatorship of the FHFA except in connection with a receivership, or (iv) increase its debt beyond certain specified levels. In addition, significant restrictions were placed on the maximum size of each of Freddie Mac’s and Fannie Mae’s respective portfolios of mortgages and Mortgage-Backed Securities, and the purchase agreements entered into by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae provide that the maximum size of their portfolios of these assets must decrease by a specified percentage each year. On June 16, 2010, FHFA ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s stock de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) after the price of common stock in Fannie Mae fell below the NYSE minimum average closing price of $1 for more than 30 days.
The FHFA and the White House have made public statements regarding plans to consider ending the conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In the event that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are taken out of conservatorship, it is unclear how the capital structure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be constructed and what effects, if any, there may be on Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s creditworthiness and guarantees of certain Mortgage-Backed Securities. It is also unclear whether the Treasury would continue to enforce its rights or perform its obligations under the senior preferred stock programs. Should Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s conservatorship end, there could be an adverse impact on the value of their securities, which could cause losses to a Fund.
Privately Issued Mortgage-Backed Securities. The Taxable Funds (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may each invest in privately issued Mortgage-Backed Securities. Privately issued Mortgage-Backed Securities are generally backed by pools of conventional (i.e., non-government guaranteed or insured) mortgage loans. The seller or servicer of the underlying mortgage obligations will generally make representations and warranties to certificate-holders as to certain characteristics of the mortgage loans and as to the accuracy of certain information furnished to the trustee in respect of each such mortgage loan. Upon a breach of any representation or warranty that materially and adversely affects the interests of the related certificate-holders in a mortgage loan, the seller or servicer generally will be obligated either to cure the breach in all material respects, to repurchase the mortgage loan or, if the related agreement so provides, to substitute in its place a mortgage loan pursuant to the conditions set forth therein. Such a repurchase or substitution obligation may constitute the sole remedy available to the related certificate-holders or the trustee for the material breach of any such representation or warranty by the seller or servicer.
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities
To the extent consistent with their investment policies, the Taxable Funds (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may invest in both government guaranteed and privately issued mortgage pass-through securities (“Mortgage Pass-Throughs”) that are fixed or adjustable rate Mortgage-Backed Securities which provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments (including any prepayments) made by the individual borrowers on the pooled mortgage loans, net of any fees or other amounts paid to any guarantor, administrator and/or servicer of the underlying mortgage loans. The seller or servicer of the underlying mortgage obligations will generally make representations and warranties to certificate-holders as to certain characteristics of the mortgage loans and as to the accuracy of certain information furnished to the trustee in respect of each such mortgage loan. Upon a breach of any representation or warranty that materially and adversely affects the interests of the related certificate-holders in a mortgage loan, the seller or servicer generally may be obligated either to cure the breach in all material respects, to repurchase the mortgage loan or, if the related agreement so provides, to substitute in its place a mortgage loan pursuant to the conditions set forth therein. Such a repurchase or substitution obligation may constitute the sole remedy available to the related certificate-holders or the trustee for the material breach of any such representation or warranty by the seller or servicer.
The following discussion describes certain aspects of only a few of the wide variety of structures of Mortgage Pass-Throughs that are available or may be issued.
General Description of Certificates. Mortgage Pass-Throughs may be issued in one or more classes of senior certificates and one or more classes of subordinate certificates. Each such class may bear a different pass-through rate. Generally, each certificate will evidence the specified interest of the holder thereof in the payments of principal or interest or both in respect of the mortgage pool comprising part of the trust fund for such certificates.
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Any class of certificates may also be divided into subclasses entitled to varying amounts of principal and interest. If a REMIC election has been made, certificates of such subclasses may be entitled to payments on the basis of a stated principal balance and stated interest rate, and payments among different subclasses may be made on a sequential, concurrent, pro rata or disproportionate basis, or any combination thereof. The stated interest rate on any such subclass of certificates may be a fixed rate or one which varies in direct or inverse relationship to an objective interest index.
Generally, each registered holder of a certificate will be entitled to receive its pro rata share of monthly distributions of all or a portion of principal of the underlying mortgage loans or of interest on the principal balances thereof, which accrues at the applicable mortgage pass-through rate, or both. The difference between the mortgage interest rate and the related mortgage pass-through rate (less the amount, if any, of retained yield) with respect to each mortgage loan will generally be paid to the servicer as a servicing fee. Because certain adjustable rate mortgage loans included in a mortgage pool may provide for deferred interest (i.e., negative amortization), the amount of interest actually paid by a mortgagor in any month may be less than the amount of interest accrued on the outstanding principal balance of the related mortgage loan during the relevant period at the applicable mortgage interest rate. In such event, the amount of interest that is treated as deferred interest will generally be added to the principal balance of the related mortgage loan and will be distributed pro rata to certificate-holders as principal of such mortgage loan when paid by the mortgagor in subsequent monthly payments or at maturity.
Ratings. The ratings assigned by a rating organization to Mortgage Pass-Throughs generally address the likelihood of the receipt of distributions on the underlying mortgage loans by the related certificate-holders under the agreements pursuant to which such certificates are issued. A rating organization’s ratings normally take into consideration the credit quality of the related mortgage pool, including any credit support providers, structural and legal aspects associated with such certificates, and the extent to which the payment stream on such mortgage pool is adequate to make payments required by such certificates. A rating organization’s ratings on such certificates do not, however, constitute a statement regarding frequency of prepayments on the related mortgage loans. In addition, the rating assigned by a rating organization to a certificate may not address the possibility that, in the event of the insolvency of the issuer of certificates where a subordinated interest was retained, the issuance and sale of the senior certificates may be recharacterized as a financing and, as a result of such recharacterization, payments on such certificates may be affected. A rating organization may downgrade or withdraw a rating assigned by it to any Mortgage Pass-Through at any time, and no assurance can be made that any ratings on any Mortgage Pass-Throughs included in a Fund will be maintained, or that if such ratings are assigned, they will not be downgraded or withdrawn by the assigning rating organization.
In the recent past, rating agencies have placed on credit watch or downgraded the ratings previously assigned to a large number of mortgage-backed securities (which may include certain of the Mortgage-Backed Securities in which a Fund may have invested or may in the future be invested), and they may continue to do so in the future. In the event that any Mortgage-Backed Security held by a Fund is placed on credit watch or downgraded, the value of such Mortgage-Backed Security may decline and the Fund may consequently experience losses in respect of such Mortgage-Backed Security.
Credit Enhancement. Mortgage pools created by non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher yield than government and government-related pools because of the absence of direct or indirect government or agency payment guarantees. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, Mortgage Pass-Throughs may contain elements of credit support. Credit support falls generally into two categories: (i) liquidity protection and (ii) protection against losses resulting from default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pools of mortgages, the provision of a reserve fund, or a combination thereof, to ensure, subject to certain limitations, that scheduled payments on the underlying pool are made in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from default ensures ultimate payment of the obligations on at least a portion of the assets in the pool. Such credit support can be provided by, among other things, payment guarantees, letters of credit, pool insurance, subordination, or any combination thereof.
Subordination; Shifting of Interest; Reserve Fund. In order to achieve ratings on one or more classes of Mortgage Pass-Throughs, one or more classes of certificates may be subordinate certificates which provide that the rights of the subordinate certificate-holders to receive any or a specified portion of distributions with respect to the underlying mortgage loans may be subordinated to the rights of the senior certificate holders. If so structured, the subordination feature may be enhanced by distributing to the senior certificate-holders on certain distribution dates, as payment of principal, a specified percentage (which generally declines over time) of all principal payments received during the preceding prepayment period (“shifting interest credit enhancement”). This will have the effect of accelerating the amortization of the senior certificates while increasing the interest in the trust fund evidenced by the subordinate certificates. Increasing the interest of the subordinate certificates relative to that of the senior certificates is intended to preserve the availability of the subordination provided by the subordinate certificates. In addition, because the senior certificate-holders in a shifting interest credit enhancement structure are entitled to receive a percentage of principal prepayments which is greater than their proportionate interest in the trust fund, the rate of principal prepayments on the mortgage loans may have an even greater effect on the rate of principal payments and the amount of interest payments on, and the yield to maturity of, the senior certificates.
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In addition to providing for a preferential right of the senior certificate-holders to receive current distributions from the mortgage pool, a reserve fund may be established relating to such certificates (the “Reserve Fund”). The Reserve Fund may be created with an initial cash deposit by the originator or servicer and augmented by the retention of distributions otherwise available to the subordinate certificate-holders or by excess servicing fees until the Reserve Fund reaches a specified amount.
The subordination feature, and any Reserve Fund, are intended to enhance the likelihood of timely receipt by senior certificate-holders of the full amount of scheduled monthly payments of principal and interest due to them and will protect the senior certificate-holders against certain losses; however, in certain circumstances the Reserve Fund could be depleted and temporary shortfalls could result. In the event that the Reserve Fund is depleted before the subordinated amount is reduced to zero, senior certificate-holders will nevertheless have a preferential right to receive current distributions from the mortgage pool to the extent of the then outstanding subordinated amount. Unless otherwise specified, until the subordinated amount is reduced to zero, on any distribution date any amount otherwise distributable to the subordinate certificates or, to the extent specified, in the Reserve Fund will generally be used to offset the amount of any losses realized with respect to the mortgage loans (“Realized Losses”). Realized Losses remaining after application of such amounts will generally be applied to reduce the ownership interest of the subordinate certificates in the mortgage pool. If the subordinated amount has been reduced to zero, Realized Losses generally will be allocated pro rata among all certificate-holders in proportion to their respective outstanding interests in the mortgage pool.
Alternative Credit Enhancement. As an alternative, or in addition to the credit enhancement afforded by subordination, credit enhancement for Mortgage Pass-Throughs may be provided through bond insurers, or at the mortgage loan-level through mortgage insurance, hazard insurance, or through the deposit of cash, certificates of deposit, letters of credit, a limited guaranty or by such other methods as are acceptable to a rating agency. In certain circumstances, such as where credit enhancement is provided by bond insurers, guarantees or letters of credit, the security is subject to credit risk because of its exposure to the credit risk of an external credit enhancement provider.
Voluntary Advances. Generally, in the event of delinquencies in payments on the mortgage loans underlying the Mortgage Pass-Throughs, the servicer may agree to make advances of cash for the benefit of certificate-holders, but generally will do so only to the extent that it determines such voluntary advances will be recoverable from future payments and collections on the mortgage loans or otherwise.
Optional Termination. Generally, the servicer may, at its option with respect to any certificates, repurchase all of the underlying mortgage loans remaining outstanding at such time if the aggregate outstanding principal balance of such mortgage loans is less than a specified percentage (generally 5-10%) of the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the mortgage loans as of the cut-off date specified with respect to such series.
Multiple Class Mortgage-Backed Securities and Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. Each Taxable Fund (other than the Enhanced Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) may invest in multiple class securities including collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) and REMIC Certificates. These securities may be issued by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or by trusts formed by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, insurance companies, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. In general, CMOs are debt obligations of a legal entity that are collateralized by, and multiple class Mortgage-Backed Securities represent direct ownership interests in, a pool of mortgage loans or Mortgage-Backed Securities the payments on which are used to make payments on the CMOs or multiple class Mortgage-Backed Securities.
Fannie Mae REMIC Certificates are issued and guaranteed as to timely distribution of principal and interest by Fannie Mae. In addition, Fannie Mae will be obligated to distribute the principal balance of each class of REMIC Certificates in full, whether or not sufficient funds are otherwise available.
Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest on Freddie Mac REMIC Certificates and also guarantees the payment of principal as payments are required to be made on the underlying mortgage participation certificates (“PCs”). PCs represent undivided interests in specified level payment, residential mortgages or participations therein purchased by Freddie Mac and placed in a PC pool. With respect to principal payments on PCs, Freddie Mac generally guarantees ultimate collection of all principal of the related mortgage loans without offset or deduction but the receipt of the required payments may be delayed. Freddie Mac also guarantees timely payment of principal of certain PCs.
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CMOs and guaranteed REMIC Certificates issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are types of multiple class Mortgage-Backed Securities. The REMIC Certificates represent beneficial ownership interests in a REMIC trust, generally consisting of mortgage loans or Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae guaranteed Mortgage-Backed Securities (the “Mortgage Assets”). The obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac under their respective guaranty of the REMIC Certificates are obligations solely of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, respectively. See “Certain Additional Information with Respect to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.”
CMOs and REMIC Certificates are issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs or REMIC Certificates, often referred to as a “tranche,” is issued at a specific adjustable or fixed interest rate and must be fully retired no later than its final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the mortgage loans or the Mortgage Assets underlying the CMOs or REMIC Certificates may cause some or all of the classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates to be retired substantially earlier than their final distribution dates. Generally, interest is paid or accrues on all classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates on a monthly basis.
The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates in various ways. In certain structures (known as “sequential pay” CMOs or REMIC Certificates), payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on the Mortgage Assets generally are applied to the classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made on any class of sequential pay CMOs or REMIC Certificates until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.
Additional structures of CMOs and REMIC Certificates include, among others, “parallel pay” CMOs and REMIC Certificates. Parallel pay CMOs or REMIC Certificates are those which are structured to apply principal payments and prepayments of the Mortgage Assets to two or more classes concurrently on a proportionate or disproportionate basis. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the final distribution date of each class.
A wide variety of REMIC Certificates may be issued in parallel pay or sequential pay structures. These securities include accrual certificates (also known as “Z-Bonds”), which only accrue interest at a specified rate until all other certificates having an earlier final distribution date have been retired and are converted thereafter to an interest-paying security, and planned amortization class (“PAC”) certificates, which are parallel pay REMIC Certificates that generally require that specified amounts of principal be applied on each payment date to one or more classes or REMIC Certificates (the “PAC Certificates”), even though all other principal payments and prepayments of the Mortgage Assets are then required to be applied to one or more other classes of the PAC Certificates. The scheduled principal payments for the PAC Certificates generally have the highest priority on each payment date after interest due has been paid to all classes entitled to receive interest currently. Shortfalls, if any, are added to the amount payable on the next payment date. The PAC Certificate payment schedule is taken into account in calculating the final distribution date of each class of PAC. In order to create PAC tranches, one or more tranches generally must be created that absorb most of the volatility in the underlying mortgage assets. These tranches tend to have market prices and yields that are much more volatile than other PAC classes.
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities. Commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) are a type of Mortgage Pass-Through that are primarily backed by a pool of commercial mortgage loans. The commercial mortgage loans are, in turn, generally secured by commercial mortgaged properties (such as office properties, retail properties, hospitality properties, industrial properties, healthcare related properties or other types of income producing real property). CMBS generally entitle the holders thereof to receive payments that depend primarily on the cash flow from a specified pool of commercial or multifamily mortgage loans. CMBS will be affected by payments, defaults, delinquencies and losses on the underlying mortgage loans. The underlying mortgage loans generally are secured by income producing properties such as office properties, retail properties, multifamily properties, manufactured housing, hospitality properties, industrial properties and self-storage properties. Because issuers of CMBS have no significant assets other than the underlying commercial real estate loans and because of the significant credit risks inherent in the underlying collateral, credit risk is a correspondingly important consideration with respect to the related CMBS. Certain of the mortgage loans underlying CMBS constituting part of the collateral interests may be delinquent, in default or in foreclosure.
Commercial real estate lending may expose a lender (and the related Mortgage-Backed Security) to a greater risk of loss than certain other forms of lending because it typically involves making larger loans to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers. In addition, in the case of certain commercial mortgage loans, repayment of loans secured by commercial and multifamily properties depends upon the ability of the related real estate project to generate income sufficient to pay debt service, operating expenses and leasing commissions and to make necessary repairs, tenant improvements and capital improvements, and in the case of loans that do not fully amortize over their terms, to retain sufficient value to permit the borrower to pay off the loan at maturity through a sale or refinancing of the mortgaged
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property. The net operating income from and value of any commercial property is subject to various risks, including changes in general or local economic conditions and/or specific industry segments; declines in real estate values; declines in rental or occupancy rates; increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates and other operating expenses; changes in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies; acts of God; terrorist threats and attacks; and social unrest and civil disturbances. In addition, certain of the mortgaged properties securing the pools of commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS may have a higher degree of geographic concentration in a few states or regions. Any deterioration in the real estate market or economy, or adverse events in such states or regions, may increase the rate of delinquency and default experience (and as a consequence, losses) with respect to mortgage loans related to properties in such state or region. Pools of mortgaged properties securing the commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS may also have a higher degree of concentration in certain types of commercial properties. Accordingly, such pools of mortgage loans represent higher exposure to risks particular to those types of commercial properties. Certain pools of commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS consist of a fewer number of mortgage loans with outstanding balances that are larger than average. If a mortgage pool includes mortgage loans with larger than average balances, any realized losses on such mortgage loans could be more severe, relative to the size of the pool, than would be the case if the aggregate balance of the pool were distributed among a larger number of mortgage loans. Certain borrowers or affiliates thereof relating to certain of the commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS may have had a history of bankruptcy. Certain mortgaged properties securing the commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS may have been exposed to environmental conditions or circumstances. The ratings in respect of certain of the CMBS comprising the Mortgage-Backed Securities may have been withdrawn, reduced or placed on credit watch since issuance. In addition, losses and/or appraisal reductions may be allocated to certain of such CMBS and certain of the collateral or the assets underlying such collateral may be delinquent and/or may default from time to time.
CMBS held by a Fund may be subordinated to one or more other classes of securities of the same series for purposes of, among other things, establishing payment priorities and offsetting losses and other shortfalls with respect to the related underlying mortgage loans. Realized losses in respect of the mortgage loans included in the CMBS pool and trust expenses generally will be allocated to the most subordinated class of securities of the related series. Accordingly, to the extent any CMBS is or becomes the most subordinated class of securities of the related series, any delinquency or default on any underlying mortgage loan may result in shortfalls, realized loss allocations or extensions of its weighted average life and will have a more immediate and disproportionate effect on the related CMBS than on a related more senior class of CMBS of the same series. Further, even if a class is not the most subordinate class of securities, there can be no assurance that the subordination offered to such class will be sufficient on any date to offset all losses or expenses incurred by the underlying trust. CMBS are typically not guaranteed or insured, and distributions on such CMBS generally will depend solely upon the amount and timing of payments and other collections on the related underlying commercial mortgage loans.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. The Funds may invest in stripped mortgage-backed securities (“SMBS”), which are derivative multiclass mortgage securities, issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or non-governmental originators. SMBS are usually structured with two different classes: one that receives substantially all of the interest payments (the interest-only, or “IO” and/or the high coupon rate with relatively low principal amount, or “IOette”), and the other that receives substantially all of the principal payments (the principal-only, or “PO”), from a pool of mortgage loans.
Certain SMBS may not be readily marketable. The market value of POs generally is unusually volatile in response to changes in interest rates. The yields on IOs and IOettes are generally higher than prevailing market yields on other Mortgage-Backed Securities because their cash flow patterns are more volatile and there is a greater risk that the initial investment will not be fully recouped. A Fund’s investments in SMBS may require the Fund to sell certain of its portfolio securities to generate sufficient cash to satisfy certain income distribution requirements. These and other factors discussed in the section above, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in SMBS.
Municipal Securities
High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in Municipal Securities, the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax (i.e., excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes but not necessarily exempt from the federal alternative minimum tax or from the income taxes of any state or local government). In addition, Municipal Securities include participation interests in such securities the interest on which is, in the opinion of bond counsel or counsel selected by the Investment Adviser, excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes. The Funds may revise their definition of Municipal Securities in the future to include other types of securities that currently exist, the interest on which is or will be, in the opinion of such counsel, excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes, provided that investing in such securities is consistent with each Fund’s investment objective and policies. High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government
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Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may also invest in taxable Municipal Securities.
The yields and market values of municipal securities are determined primarily by the general level of interest rates, the creditworthiness of the issuers of municipal securities and economic and political conditions affecting such issuers. The yields and market prices of municipal securities may be adversely affected by changes in tax rates and policies, which may have less effect on the market for taxable fixed income securities. Moreover, certain types of municipal securities, such as housing revenue bonds, involve prepayment risks which could affect the yield on such securities. The credit rating assigned to municipal securities may reflect the existence of guarantees, letters of credit or other credit enhancement features available to the issuers or holders of such municipal securities.
Dividends paid by the Funds, other than the Tax Exempt Funds, that are derived from interest paid on both tax exempt and taxable Municipal Securities will be taxable to the Funds’ shareholders.
Municipal Securities are often issued to obtain funds for various public purposes including refunding outstanding obligations, obtaining funds for general operating expenses, and obtaining funds to lend to other public institutions and facilities. Municipal Securities also include certain “private activity bonds” or industrial development bonds, which are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to provide financing aid to acquire sites or construct or equip facilities within a municipality for privately or publicly owned corporations.
Investments in municipal securities are subject to the risk that the issuer could default on its obligations. Such a default could result from the inadequacy of the sources or revenues from which interest and principal payments are to be made, including property tax collections, sales tax revenue, income tax revenue and local, state and federal government funding, or the assets collateralizing such obligations. Municipal securities and issuers of municipal securities may be more susceptible to downgrade, default, and bankruptcy as a result of recent periods of economic stress. During and following the economic downturn beginning in 2008, several municipalities have filed for bankruptcy protection or have indicated that they may seek bankruptcy protection in the future. In addition, many states and municipalities have been adversely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as a result of declines in revenues and increased expenditures required to manage and mitigate the outbreak. Revenue bonds, including private activity bonds, are backed only by specific assets or revenue sources and not by the full faith and credit of the governmental issuer.
The two principal classifications of Municipal Securities are “general obligations” and “revenue obligations.” General obligations are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith and credit for the payment of principal and interest, although the characteristics and enforcement of general obligations may vary according to the law applicable to the particular issuer. Revenue obligations, which include, but are not limited to, private activity bonds, resource recovery bonds, certificates of participation and certain municipal notes, are not backed by the credit and taxing authority of the issuer, and are payable solely from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Nevertheless, the obligations of the issuer of a revenue obligation may be backed by a letter of credit, guarantee or insurance. General obligations and revenue obligations may be issued in a variety of forms, including commercial paper, fixed, variable and floating rate securities, tender option bonds, auction rate bonds, zero coupon bonds, deferred interest bonds and capital appreciation bonds.
In addition to general obligations and revenue obligations, there is a variety of hybrid and special types of Municipal Securities. There are also numerous differences in the security of Municipal Securities both within and between these two principal classifications.
The High Yield Municipal Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may own a large percentage of any one general assessment bond issuance. Therefore, the Funds may be adversely impacted if the issuing municipality fails to pay principal and/or interest on those bonds.
For the purpose of applying a Fund’s investment restrictions, the identification of the issuer of a Municipal Security which is not a general obligation is made by the Investment Adviser based on the characteristics of the Municipal Security, the most important of which is the source of funds for the payment of principal and interest on such securities.
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An entire issue of Municipal Securities may be purchased by one or a small number of institutional investors, including one or more Funds. Thus, the issue may not be said to be publicly offered. Unlike some securities that are not publicly offered, a secondary market exists for many Municipal Securities that were not publicly offered initially and such securities may be readily marketable.
The credit rating assigned to Municipal Securities may reflect the existence of guarantees, letters of credit or other credit enhancement features available to the issuers or holders of such Municipal Securities.
The obligations of the issuer to pay the principal of and interest on a Municipal Security are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Code, and laws, if any, that may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest or imposing other constraints upon the enforcement of such obligations. There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power or ability of the issuer to pay when due principal of or interest on a Municipal Security may be materially affected.
While the Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund and Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, under normal circumstances, invest substantially all of their assets in Municipal Securities, the recognition of certain accrued market discount income (if the Funds acquire Municipal Securities or other obligations at a market discount), income from investments other than Municipal Securities and any capital gains generated from the disposition of investments, will result in taxable income. In addition to federal income tax, shareholders may be subject to state, local or foreign taxes on distributions of such income received from the Funds.
From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the federal income tax exemption for interest on Municipal Securities. For example, under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, interest on certain private activity bonds must be included in an investor’s federal alternative minimum taxable income, and corporate investors must include all tax exempt interest in their federal alternative minimum taxable income. The Trust cannot predict what legislation, if any, may be proposed in the future in Congress as regards the federal income tax status of interest on Municipal Securities or which proposals, if any, might be enacted. Such proposals, if enacted, might materially and adversely affect the tax treatment of Municipal Securities and the availability of Municipal Securities for investment by the Tax Exempt Funds and the Funds’ liquidity and value. In such an event the Board of Trustees would reevaluate the Tax Exempt Funds’ investment objectives and policies.
Special Risk Considerations Relating to California Municipal Obligations. The High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in municipal obligations of the State of California (“California” or, as used in this section, the “State”), its public authorities and local governments (“California Municipal Obligations”), and consequently may be affected by political, social, economic, environmental, public health, or other developments within California and by the financial condition of California’s political subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities and public authorities. Provisions of the California Constitution and State statutes that limit the taxing and spending authority of California governmental entities may impair the ability of California governmental issuers to maintain debt service on their obligations. Future federal and California political and economic developments, constitutional amendments, legislative measures, executive orders, administrative regulations, litigation and voter initiatives as well as environmental or public health emergencies could have an adverse effect on the debt obligations of California issuers. Some of the significant financial considerations relating to investments in California Municipal Obligations are summarized below. The following section provides only a brief summary of the complex factors affecting the financial condition of California that could, in turn, adversely affect a Fund’s investments in California Municipal Obligations. This information is based on information publicly available from State authorities and other sources available prior to July 29, 2021, and has not been independently verified. As a result of the severe market volatility and economic downturn following the outbreak of COVID-19, the economic circumstances in California may change negatively and more rapidly than usual, and California may be less able to maintain up-to-date information for the public. It should be noted that the creditworthiness of obligations issued by local issuers may be unrelated to the creditworthiness of obligations issued by the State, and that there is no obligation on the part of California to make payment on such local obligations in the event of default in the absence of a specific guarantee or pledge provided by California. Furthermore, obligations of issuers of California Municipal Obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors. Accordingly, an insolvent municipality may file for bankruptcy, as allowed by Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code. This section provides a financially distressed municipality protection from its creditors while it develops and negotiates a plan for reorganizing its debts. The reorganization of a municipality’s debts may be accomplished by extending debt maturities, reducing the amount of principal or interest, refinancing the debt or other measures which may significantly affect the rights of creditors and the value of the securities issued by the municipality and the value of a Fund’s investments. As a result of continuing financial and economic difficulties, several California municipalities have filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 9 or have indicated that they may seek such bankruptcy protection in the future. Additional municipal bankruptcy filings may occur in the future. Any such action could negatively impact the value of a Fund’s investments in the securities of those issuers or other issuers in California.
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Certain California Municipal Obligations held by a Fund may be obligations of issuers that rely in whole or in substantial part on California state government revenues for the continuance of their operations and payment of their obligations. Whether and to what extent the California Legislature will continue to appropriate a portion of the State’s General Fund to counties, cities and their various entities, which depend upon State government appropriations, is not entirely certain. To the extent local entities do not receive money from the State government to pay for their operations and services, their ability to pay debt service on obligations held by a Fund may be impaired.
California Municipal Obligations, including certain tax-exempt securities, in which a Fund may invest may be obligations payable solely from the revenues of specific institutions, or may be secured by specific properties, which are subject to provisions of California law that could adversely affect the holders of such obligations.
California’s economy, the largest state economy in the United States and one of the largest and most diverse in the world, has major components in high technology, trade, entertainment, manufacturing, tourism, construction and services. The makeup of California’s economy generally mirrors that of the national economy; and as a result, economic developments that affect such industries may have a similar impact on the State and national economies.
Although California’s fiscal health has improved since the economic downturn beginning in 2008, California’s General Fund will be materially adversely impacted by the health-related and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to respond to and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have had a severe negative impact on the California and national economies and triggered a historic drop and ongoing volatility in the stock market. These efforts are expected to result in significant declines in state revenues from recent levels, as well as increased and ongoing direct expenditures required to address the impact of COVID-19. These expenditures include, but are not limited to, vaccinations, the purchase of personal protective equipment and medical and sanitation supplies, emergency facilities, testing and contact tracing, and housing and food assistance. To help address the public health and economic impact of COVID-19, the federal government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), which provided for approximately $2.2 trillion in disaster relief. Among other things, the CARES Act established the Coronavirus Relief Fund (“CRF”), of which California has received approximately $9.5 billion. In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan was signed into law, which provides an additional $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments. It is not presently possible to predict whether the CRF and American Rescue Plan funds allocated to California will be sufficient to address its economic challenges. In addition, it is not presently possible to predict the extent of the short- and long-term harm that COVID-19 could cause to California’s economy. A meaningful decline in revenues, which may result from high levels of unemployment and the closure of businesses, could negatively impact California’s ability to meet its debt obligations, including with respect to investments held by a Fund. Moreover, the rate and level at which the federal government has taken on new debt could have a negative impact on its fiscal health, which could lead to prolonged challenges for its economy.
In March 2004, voters approved Proposition 58, which amended the California State Constitution to require balanced budgets in the future, yet this has not prevented the State from enacting budgets that rely on borrowing. Proposition 58 also created the Budget Stabilization Account (“BSA”) as a secondary budgetary reserve and established the process for transferring General Fund revenues into the BSA.
Beginning with fiscal year 2015-16, the BSA provisions of Proposition 58 were superseded by Proposition 2. Proposition 2 provides for both paying down debt and other long-term liabilities, and saving for a rainy day by making specified deposits into the BSA. Proposition 2 takes into account California’s heavy dependence on the performance of the stock market and the resulting capital gains. Beginning in fiscal year 2015-16, California must calculate capital gains revenues in excess of 8% of General Fund tax revenues and add such amount to 1.5% of the General Fund tax revenues; half of this amount is used to service long-term debt, and the other half of this amount is deposited into the BSA. Proposition 2 also only allows withdrawals from the BSA for a disaster or if spending remains commensurate or below the highest level of spending in the preceding three years. Due to COVID-19, California’s Governor declared a budget emergency on June 25, 2020, which allowed the Legislature to suspend the required transfer for fiscal year 2020-21 and will withdraw $7.8 billion from the BSA. The Governor’s proposed fiscal year 2021-22 budget projects the BSA will reach a balance of $17.8 billion by fiscal year 2024-25.
Overall, California’s real gross domestic product declined by 2.8% in 2020 and totaled approximately $3.0 trillion at current prices, making it the fifth largest economy in the world. The unemployment rate in California grew to a peak of 16.0% in April 2020, but fell to 9.3% as of December 2020. Employment in some of California’s largest industries, including trade, transportation, and utilities, education and health services, and professional and business services, declined by 3.7%, 4.7%, and 5.4%, respectively, throughout 2020. Although personal income is projected to have grown by 4.9% in 2020 due largely to transfer payments, it is expected to contract in 2021 by 4.6% as various assistance programs are expected to end.
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Revenue bonds represent both obligations payable from State revenue-producing enterprises and projects and conduit obligations payable from revenues paid by private users or local governments of facilities financed by such revenue bonds. Such enterprises and projects include transportation projects, various public works projects, public and private educational facilities (including the California State University and University of California systems), housing, health facilities, and pollution control facilities. State agencies and authorities had approximately $38.6 billion aggregate principal amount of revenue bonds, which are non-recourse to the General Fund, outstanding as of December 31, 2020.
As of July 19, 2021, California’s general obligation bonds were assigned ratings of Aa2, AA- and AA by Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch, respectively. It should be recognized that these ratings are not an absolute standard of quality, but rather general indicators. Such ratings reflect only the view of the originating rating agencies, from which an explanation of the significance of such ratings may be obtained. There is no assurance that a particular rating will continue for any given period of time or that any such rating will not be revised downward or withdrawn entirely if, in the judgment of the agency establishing the rating, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of such ratings, or either of them, may affect the market price of the State municipal obligations in which a Fund invests. As of January 1, 2021, California had outstanding approximately $71.9 billion in long-term general obligation bonds.
The Governor released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2021-22 on January 8, 2021 (“2021-22 Governor’s Budget”). The 2021-22 Governor’s Budget focuses on supporting and expediting the State’s health and economic recovery from the crisis caused by COVID-19. The 2021-22 Governor’s Budget projects that General Fund revenues and transfers will be $158.4 billion (a decline of 2.7% relative to the prior year) and expenditures will be $164.5 billion (an increase of 5.5% relative to the prior year). The 2021-22 Governor’s Budget projects that the State will begin fiscal year 2022-23 with a surplus of $6.1 billion.
In May 2021, the Governor revised the projections contained in the 2021-22 Governor’s Budget (“May Revision”). The May Revision contemplates $22.4 billion in budget reserves, including $15.9 billion in the Proposition 2 Budget Stabilization Account. In addition, under the May Revision, California will continue to pay down long-term debt obligations. Projections in the May Revision provide for approximately $175 billion in General Fund revenue against $196 billion in expenditures, including from amounts allocated from federal relief aid. The May Revision projects that the General Fund will end fiscal year 2022 with a balance of approximately $6.6 billion.
On July 16, 2021, the Governor signed the budget for fiscal year 2021-2022 (“Enacted Budget”). The Enacted Budget continues to focus on addressing challenges stemming from COVID-19. The Enacted Budget projects that General Fund revenues will total $178.8 billion, a 2.7% decline from the previous fiscal year. Against these revenues, the Enacted Budget provides for expenditures of approximately $196.4 billion, including amounts from federal emergency aid. The Enacted Budget projects that California will end the fiscal year with a General Fund balance of $7.2 billion.
The State is a party to numerous legal proceedings, many of which normally occur in governmental operations and which, if decided against the State, might require the State to make significant future expenditures or impair future revenue sources. Because of the prospective nature of these proceedings, it is not presently possible to predict the ultimate outcome of such proceedings, estimate the potential impact on the ability of the State to make debt service payments, or determine what impact, if any, such proceedings may have on a Fund’s investments in California Municipal Obligations.
Additionally, California lies within an active geologic region that is subject to major seismic activity, which could result in increased frequency and severity of natural disasters, most notably, earthquakes, wildfires, mudslides, and droughts. Such events have, in the past, resulted in significant disruptions to the California economy and required substantial expenditures from the state government. Over the past several years, California has experienced unprecedented draught and wildfire activity with increases in the number and severity of wildfires. Ten of the most destructive fires have occurred since 2015, and 2020 was the worst wildfire season in the state’s history. Recent drought conditions have positioned the 2021 wildfire season to be as destructive as the prior year. These conditions have significantly impacted California’s economy, and there can be no guarantee that future wildfires would not have an equally detrimental effect on California’s economy or environment.
Constitutional and statutory amendments as well as budget developments may affect the ability of California issuers to pay interest and principal on their obligations. The overall effect may depend upon whether a particular California tax-exempt security is a general or limited obligation bond and on the type of security provided for the bond. It is possible that measures affecting the taxing or spending authority of California or its political subdivisions may be approved or enacted in the future.
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Special Risk Considerations Relating to Illinois Municipal Obligations. Illinois has experienced significant budgetary challenges in recent years. Illinois did not enact a full general fund budget for fiscal year 2016 or for fiscal year 2017, but rather certain expenditures continued to occur through statutory transfers, statutory continuing appropriations, or court orders and consent decrees. Notwithstanding the lack of an enacted general fund budget, Illinois was able to pay all debt service payments on general obligation bonds during fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2017 through statutory continuing appropriations or enacted state appropriations from the General Obligation Bond Retirement and Interest Fund. While Illinois was able to pass timely budgets in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 any future failures to pass a budget could have an adverse impact on the state’s ability to pay outstanding debt obligations, including with respect to debt owned by a Fund.
The economic and financial condition of Illinois also may be affected by various financial, social, economic, public health, environmental and political factors. While Illinois’ economy has become increasingly service-based in recent years, the agricultural and manufacturing industries still constitute a significant portion of the state’s economy. The imposition of tariffs on imports by the federal government could negatively impact the agricultural and manufacturing industries if trading partners impose retaliatory tariffs on goods exported from the United States, including from Illinois. A decrease in export revenues could reduce the resources available to Illinois to make payments on its outstanding debt obligations, which could reduce the value or marketability of its Municipal Securities.
In addition, Illinois’ General Fund has been materially adversely impacted by the health-related and economic impacts of COVID-19. The effects of COVID-19 and the actions taken to halt its spread have had, and are expected to continue to have a significant negative impact on Illinois’ economy. To mitigate the impact of COVID-19, Illinois imposed orders closing many businesses for an extended period, which substantially reduced economic activity, and in turn, reduced the amount of taxable transactions from which the state derives revenues. In addition, Illinois’ unemployment rate increased from 3.4% in February 2020 to 16.5% in April 2020, ending 2020 at 8.0%.
To help address the public health and economic impact of COVID-19, the federal government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), which provided for approximately $2.2 trillion in disaster relief. Among other things, the CARES Act established the Coronavirus Relief Fund (“CRF”), of which Illinois has received approximately $4.9 billion. In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan was signed into law, which provides an additional $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments. Illinois has received approximately $7.5 billion of the America Rescue Plan funds. It is not presently possible to predict whether the CRF and American Rescue Plan funds allocated to Illinois will be sufficient to address its economic challenges. There can be no guarantee that Illinois will receive all of its allocated federal aid or if such amounts will be sufficient to offset the severe negative impact that COVID-19 has had on Illinois’ fiscal health. It is not presently possible to predict the extent of the short- and long-term harm that COVID-19 could cause to Illinois’ economy. A meaningful decline in revenues, which may result from high levels of unemployment and the closure of businesses, could negatively impact Illinois’ ability to meet its debt obligations, including with respect to investments held by a Fund.
In addition, in response to COVID-19, the Illinois legislature passed the Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency Borrowing Act (“CURE Borrowing Act”) in June 2020. The CURE Borrowing Act authorizes Illinois to borrow money from the Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility or other Federal Reserve Bank programs and issue general obligation bonds, notes or other obligations of the state in a principal amount of $5 billion. The proceeds from the CURE Borrowing Act must be used to help address the economic or health challenges resulting from COVID-19. In December 2020, Illinois issued $2 billion in CURE Borrowing Act notes but does not anticipate issuing any additional notes. The rate and level at which the federal and Illinois governments have taken on new debt could have a negative impact on their fiscal health, which could lead to prolonged challenges for their economies.
Illinois has also faced increasing levels of debt in recent years. As of March 17, 2021, Illinois had approximately $28.1 billion in general obligation bonds outstanding. The ratings assigned to Illinois’ general obligation bonds by Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch as of July 19, 2021 were Baa2, BBB, and BBB-, respectively. There is no assurance that these ratings will continue for any given period of time or that they will not be revised or withdrawn entirely by the rating agency if, in the judgment of such rating agency, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of any such rating may have an adverse effect on the market prices of the securities issued by Illinois, which would in turn negatively impact the performance of a Fund.
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Special Risk Considerations Relating to Florida Municipal Obligations. The following section provides only a brief summary of the complex factors affecting the financial condition of Florida that could, in turn, adversely affect a Fund’s investments in Florida’s municipal obligations. This information is based on information publicly available from State authorities and other sources available prior to July 29, 2021 and has not been independently verified. It should be noted that the creditworthiness of obligations issued by local issuers may be unrelated to the creditworthiness of obligations issued by the State of Florida, and that there is no obligation on the part of Florida to make payment on such local obligations in the event of default in the absence of a specific guarantee or pledge provided by Florida. Furthermore, obligations of issuers of Florida municipal obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors. Accordingly, an insolvent municipality may file for bankruptcy, as allowed by Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code. This section provides a financially distressed municipality protection from its creditors while it develops and negotiates a plan for reorganizing its debts. The reorganization of a municipality’s debts may be accomplished by extending debt maturities, reducing the amount of principal or interest, refinancing the debt or other measures which may significantly affect the rights of creditors and the value of the securities issued by the municipality and the value of a Fund’s investments.
Florida law requires that financial operations of the State be maintained through the General Revenue Fund (“GRF”), trust funds, and the Budget Stabilization Fund (“BSF”) administered by the Chief Financial Officer. The majority of Florida’s tax revenues are deposited in the GRF. Trust funds consist of monies which under law or trust agreement are segregated for a specified purpose. State monies are disbursed by the Chief Financial Officer upon warrants or other orders pursuant to appropriations acts. The Governor and Chief Financial Officer are responsible for insuring that sufficient revenues are collected to meet appropriations and that there are no deficits in the State’s funds.
Florida’s Constitution mandates the creation and maintenance of the BSF, in an amount not less than 5% nor more than 10% of the last complete fiscal year’s net revenue collections for the General Fund. Funds in the BSF may be transferred to the GRF to offset a deficit therein or to provide emergency funding, including payment of up to $38 million with respect to certain uninsured losses to state property. BSF funds are constitutionally prohibited from being obligated or otherwise committed for any other purpose. Any withdrawals from the BSF must be restored from general revenues in five equal annual installments, commencing in the third fiscal year after the expenditure, unless the legislature establishes a different restoration schedule.
Florida’s Constitution also prohibits the Legislature from appropriating nonrecurring general revenue funds for recurring purposes in an amount that exceeds 3% of the total GRF balance estimated to be available at the time the appropriation is made. This prohibition may be overridden by a three-fifths vote of the membership of each house of the State’s legislature. Additionally, Florida’s budget must be kept in balance from current revenues each fiscal year (July 1-June 30), and the State may not borrow to fund governmental operations. As of June 30, 2020, Florida had a total of $19.2 billion outstanding debt obligations, $15.6 billion of which was net tax-supported debt, and $3.6 billion of which was self-supporting debt.
Florida’s GRF was adversely impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19. Gross tax receipts in fiscal year 2020-21 declined by 1.05% relative to prior projections, and tax revenue is expected to continue to decline from previous projected levels through fiscal year 2029-30. To help address the public health and economic impact of COVID-19, the federal government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), which provided for approximately $2.2 trillion in disaster relief. Among other things, the CARES Act established the Coronavirus Relief Fund (“CRF”), of which Florida has received approximately $8.3 billion. In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan was signed into law, which provides an additional $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments. It is not presently possible to predict whether the CRF and American Rescue Plan funds allocated to Florida will be sufficient to address its economic challenges. There can be no guarantee that Florida will receive all of its allocated federal aid or if such amounts will be sufficient to offset the severe negative impact that COVID-19 has had on Florida’s fiscal health. It is not presently possible to predict the extent of the short- and long-term harm that COVID-19 could cause to Florida’s economy. A meaningful decline in revenues, which may result from high levels of unemployment and the closure of businesses, could negatively impact Florida’s ability to meet its debt obligations, including with respect to investments held by a Fund.
As of May 2021, the unemployment rate in Florida was 4.9%, which was lower than the nation’s unemployment rate of 5.8%. The total number of non-agricultural jobs in Florida has declined from 9.1 million in January 2020 to 8.6 million in May 2021. In 2020, Florida had a total personal income of $1.2 billion, and per capita personal income was $55,337.
As of July 19, 2021, Florida’s general obligation bonds were assigned ratings of Aaa, AAA, and AAA by Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch, respectively. It should be recognized that these ratings are not an absolute standard of quality, but rather general indicators. Such ratings reflect only the view of the originating rating agencies, from which an explanation of the significance of such ratings may be obtained. There is no assurance that a particular rating will continue for any given period of time or that any such rating will not be revised downward or withdrawn entirely if, in the judgment of the agency establishing the rating, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of such ratings, or either of them, may affect the market price of the State municipal obligations in which a Fund invests.
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Florida is party to numerous proceedings, many of which normally occur in governmental operations and which, if decided against Florida, might require the State to make significant future expenditures or impair future revenue sources.
In addition, Florida faces many environmental risks. With more than 2,000 linear miles of coastline, Florida’s weather and natural resources affect its economy in a variety of ways. The State has experienced numerous hurricanes over the recent periods that have caused millions of dollars of damage. In addition, the State has been adversely impacted by oil spills occurring in the Gulf of Mexico. The magnitude of the impact on Florida’s, economy, or financial condition from environmental risks is indeterminate and is unpredictable for future natural disasters like hurricanes, tropical storms, and naturally-occurring phenomena like red tide. There can be no assurance that such risks will not adversely affect the operations, economy, or financial condition of Florida. Such occurrences could adversely impact the liquidity, marketability, or value of investments held by a Fund.
As of March 31, 2021, certain Funds had invested in Florida special assessment bonds, which are bonds backed by tax assessments on residential and commercial development projects. The payments on special assessment bonds generally depend on the ability of the developer, builder or homeowner of the home or property to pay tax assessments levied against the home or property.
If a Fund’s assets are focused in these securities, its NAV could be adversely affected by changes in general economic conditions in the State of Florida, fluctuations in the real estate market, or a particular developer, builder or homeowner’s inability to continue to pay the tax assessments underlying the special assessment bonds. Florida’s economy relies heavily on the trade and services industry (particularly in connection with the housing sector), the agriculture industry, and the tourism industry. A downturn in one or more of these sectors could adversely impact the state’s economy and could affect the performance of special assessment bonds, which could adversely affect a Fund’s performance.
In many cases, special assessment bonds are secured by land which is undeveloped at the time of issuance but anticipated to be developed within a few years after issuance. In the event of such reduction or slowdown, such development may not occur or may be delayed, thereby increasing the risk of a default on the bonds. Because the special assessments or taxes securing these bonds are not the personal liability of the owners of the property assessed, the lien on the property is the only security for the bonds. However, the lien created by a special assessment bond is pari passu to other tax liens on the home or property and senior to all other liens on the home or property. In addition, if there is a default on the special assessment bond, a Fund would have the right to foreclose on the home or property. In most cases, however, the issuer of these bonds is not required to make payments on the bonds in the event of delinquency in the payment of assessments or taxes, except from amounts, if any, in a reserve fund established for the bonds. In the event of bankruptcy or similar proceedings with respect to the developer, builder or homeowner of a home or property underlying special assessment bonds held by the Fund, the bonds held by the Fund could lose a significant portion of their value. Such proceedings could occur as the result of developments unrelated to the home or property underlying special assessment bonds held by a Fund.
Special Risk Considerations Relating to New York Municipal Obligations. The economic and financial condition of New York may be affected by various financial, social, economic, public health, environmental and political factors. For example, the securities industry is more central to New York’s economy than to the national economy, therefore any significant decline in stock market performance could adversely affect the New York’s income and employment levels. Furthermore, such financial, social, economic, public health, environmental and political factors can be very complex, may vary from year to year and can be the result of actions taken not only by New York and its agencies and instrumentalities, but also by entities, such as the federal government, that are not under the control of New York.
New York was one of the epicenters of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Since the outbreak of began in the United States in early 2020, New York has adopted many restrictive measures intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 and expand health care system capacity. In addition, New York implemented a $40 million special emergency appropriation for pandemic response services and expenses. Such expenses include, but are not limited to, vaccinations, the purchase of personal protective equipment and medical and sanitation supplies; emergency facilities; testing and contact tracing; housing and food assistance; reopening expenses; and certain personnel and telework expenses. The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused economic activity within New York to decline dramatically, which could lead to a decrease in state and municipal revenues. The abrupt halt in economic activity in most industries led to layoffs and furloughs throughout New York. New York has received approximately $5.1 billion so far from the CRF to help address increased costs due to COVID-19. In addition, New York is expected to receive additional federal funds from the $350 billion in state, local, territorial, and Tribal government disaster relief aid provided for in the American Rescue Plan. However, there can be no assurance that New York will receive additional federal relief or that the funds received will be sufficient to offset the economic impact of COVID-19. Moreover, it is not presently possible to predict the extent of the short- and long-term harm that COVID-19 could cause to New York’s economy. The rate and level at which the federal and New York governments have taken on new debt could have a negative impact on their fiscal health, which could lead to prolonged challenges for their economies. A meaningful decline in revenues, which may result from high levels of unemployment and the closure of businesses, could negatively impact New York’s ability to meet its debt obligations, including with respect to investments held by a Fund.
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New York City accounts for a significant portion of New York’s population and personal income, and New York City’s financial health could have a substantial impact on New York in many ways. Notably, New York City accounted for a significant number of New York’s COVID-19 cases following the initial outbreak and has been negatively impacted by the adverse health and economic consequences. New York City continues to require substantial assistance from New York and depends on state aid to be able to balance its budget, meet its obligations, and address the spread of COVID-19. New York could be negatively affected by adverse economic circumstances in New York City.
The ratings assigned to New York’s general obligation bonds by Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch as of July 19, 2021 were Aa2, AA+, and AA+, respectively. There is no assurance that these ratings will continue for any given period of time or that they will not be revised or withdrawn entirely by the rating agency if, in the judgment of such rating agency, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of any such rating may have an adverse effect on the market prices of the securities issued by New York, which would in turn negatively impact the performance of a Fund.
Special Risk Considerations Relating to Puerto Rico Municipal Obligations. The High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in municipal obligations of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (“Puerto Rico” or, as used in this section, the “Commonwealth”), its public authorities and local governments (“Puerto Rico Municipal Obligations”), and consequently may be affected by political and economic developments within Puerto Rico and by the financial condition of Puerto Rico’s political subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities and public authorities. Future federal and Puerto Rico political and economic developments, constitutional amendments, legislative measures, executive orders, administrative regulations, litigation and voter initiatives as well as environmental events could have an adverse effect on the debt obligations of Puerto Rican issuers. Some of the significant financial considerations relating to investments in Puerto Rico Municipal Obligations are summarized below. The following section provides only a brief summary of the complex factors affecting the financial condition of Puerto Rico that could, in turn, adversely affect a Fund’s investments in Puerto Rico Municipal Obligations. This information is based on information publicly available from Commonwealth authorities and other sources available prior to July 29, 2021 and has not been independently verified.
Puerto Rico and its public corporations are not eligible for protection under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code, which is the only chapter available to municipalities. Accordingly, in the event that Puerto Rico is unable to meet both the need to fund governmental services and its debt obligations, it may be required to take emergency measures, which may include measures to disburse public funds in accordance with legally established priority norms. The Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (“PROMESA”) was signed into law on June 30, 2016, which allows Puerto Rico to restructure its outstanding debt obligations. It also establishes an oversight and management board (the “Oversight Board”) that is empowered to approve Puerto Rico’s fiscal plans and budgets. The budget process requires the Oversight Board, the Governor, and the Commonwealth’s Legislative Assembly to develop a compliant budget. The proposed budget is required to be consistent with a fiscal plan developed by the Oversight Board and the Governor. If the Governor and the Legislative Assembly fail to develop a budget that complies with the fiscal plan approved by the Oversight Board by the day before the first day of the fiscal year for which the budget is being developed, the Oversight Board shall submit a compliant budget to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly, and the Oversight Board’s budget is deemed approved and becomes effective. The Oversight Board is comprised of seven members appointed by the president who are nominated by a bipartisan selection process.
The Commonwealth has faced a number of fiscal challenges, including a structural imbalance between its General Fund revenues and expenditures, numerous environmental disasters, and a public health emergency resulting from the spread of COVID-19. The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 had a direct negative impact on economic activity in the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth’s government implemented measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its effects, such as closing certain businesses, restricting travel, and implementing a curfew, which halted much of the economic activity in the Commonwealth. Many businesses in the Commonwealth have been adversely impacted by these measures, and many have had to lay off or furlough workers. In addition, the Commonwealth incurred unexpected expenditures to address the spread of COVID-19, which include, but are not limited to, vaccinations, the purchase of personal protective equipment and medical and sanitation supplies, emergency facilities, testing and contact tracing, housing and food assistance, reopening expenses, and certain personnel and telework expenses. The Fiscal Plan for FY 2021 forecasted that the Commonwealth’s unemployment rate would increase to approximately 40% in June 2020 but decrease to approximately 16% by June 2021. In addition, the Fiscal Plan estimated an economic impact of approximately $5.7 billion between FY
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2020 and FY 2022 due to COVID-19, but the impact could be much greater depending on the trajectory of the spread of the disease and the ability of the policies implemented to address it. Although the federal government has passed several economic relief packages as of the date of this SAI, which would allocate more than $14 billion to the Commonwealth, there can be no assurances that the relief will be sufficient to address the economic harm resulting from the spread of COVID-19 or that the relief will have its intended effect. In addition, the rate and level at which the federal government and the Commonwealth have taken on new debt could have a negative impact on their fiscal health, which could lead to prolonged challenges for their respective economies.
The 2021 fiscal plan was certified by the Oversight Board on April 23, 2021 (“2021 Fiscal Plan”). The 2021 Fiscal Plan forecasts that Puerto Rico’s economy would grow by 1.0% during 2021, due largely to budgetary reforms and economic relief provided in response to COVID-19. The 2021 Fiscal Plan contemplates approximately $43.5 billion in federal disaster relief to address damage caused by recent natural disasters and COVID-19. Apart from federal aid, the 2021 Fiscal Plan projects General Fund revenues of approximately $11.6 billion.
The budget for fiscal year 2021 had been certified on June 30, 2021, which provides for $10.2 billion in revenues. Against these revenues, the budget provides General Fund expenditures of approximately $10 billion. Allocations in the fiscal year 2021 budget to education, health care, and economic development were approximately $2.0 billion, $937 million, and $1.2 billion, respectively.
In 2017, pursuant to Title III of PROMESA, the Oversight Board filed petitions in federal court on behalf of Puerto Rico and certain of its instrumentalities, including the Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corporation (“COFINA”), the Employees Retirement System (“ERS”), the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority, and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Utility (“PREPA”), to begin proceedings to restructure their outstanding debt. As a result of these petitions, the ability of the creditors of Puerto Rico and its instrumentalities that have filed for Title III relief to take action with respect to outstanding obligations has been temporarily stayed. The judge assigned to oversee the Title III proceedings initiated a confidential mediation process administered by five federal judges. In addition, the judge has concurrently overseen legal proceedings related to the Title III petitions and mediation.
In March 2021, the Oversight Board reached a Plan of Agreement with certain Commonwealth creditors to resolve $35 billion of debt and non-debt claims. Under the Plan of Adjustment filed in March 2021, the Commonwealth’s outstanding debt would be reduced by approximately 80% to $7.4 billion and annual debt service payments would be limited to a percentage of revenues. The Plan of Adjustment also provides for reductions outstanding pension payments owed by Puerto Rico. The Plan of Adjustment is subject to review by the judge overseeing Puerto Rico’s Title III proceedings, and it is not presently possible to predict whether the agreement will be finalized at the current terms.
With respect to the ongoing litigation between the Commonwealth and COFINA, agents for the Commonwealth and COFINA reached an agreement in principle on June 7, 2018 to share sales and use tax revenue and the Pledged Sales Tax Base Amount. The Oversight Board and the COFINA bondholders reached an agreement in August 2018 to restructure the COFINA bonds into a new issuance of bonds, and the judge overseeing the Title III proceeding approved the Plan of Adjustment in February 2019. The Plan of Adjustment restructures approximately $17.0 billion of COFINA debt and provides the Commonwealth with an average annual savings of $456 million through 2057, an overall savings of approximately 32%.
With respect to PREPA’s Title III proceeding, a preliminary agreement has been reached between the PREPA bondholders, on one side and PREPA, the Oversight Board, and Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority, on the other side, to restructure the outstanding PREPA bonds. Under the preliminary agreement, PREPA’s obligations with respect to outstanding bonds would be reduced by up to 32.5%. The preliminary agreement is subject to review by the judge overseeing PREPA’s Title III proceedings. The proceedings related to the preliminary agreement were delayed as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19. It is not presently possible to predict whether the agreement will be finalized or if there will be any further delays in the proceedings. If PREPA, the Commonwealth, or any other instrumentalities are unable to restructure their debt, the value of their outstanding debt obligations could be adversely impacted, which could be negatively impact investments held by a Fund.
Puerto Rico’s economy is closely linked to that of the rest of the United States, as most of the external factors that affect Puerto Rico’s economy are determined by the policies and performance of the mainland economy. However, in recent years, Puerto Rico’s economy, which entered a recession in the fourth quarter of 2006, has lagged behind the U.S. economy. In fiscal year 2016, Puerto Rico’s gross national product grew by 0.9%, while the United States’ gross national product grew by 2.7%. In May 2018, the Oversight Board projected that Puerto Rico’s gross national product to decrease by 13.3% on a year-over-year basis, due, in part, to adverse effects from hurricanes that impacted Puerto Rico in 2017 (as discussed below).
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Puerto Rico’s per capita income in 2016 was $18,485, which was far below the national average ($49,198 during the same period). As of May 2018, the Commonwealth’s civilian labor force consisted of approximately 1.09 million individuals. The unemployment rate in Puerto Rico was 9.6% as of May 2018, down from 10.5% in May 2017, but considerably higher than the national average of 3.8%.
Puerto Rico’s budget is also impacted by extensive unfunded pension obligations related to the Commonwealth’s three public retirement systems, the ERS, the Teachers Retirement System (“TRS”) and the Judiciary Retirement System (“JRS”), all of which are funded primarily through appropriations from the general fund. As of July 1 2016, the total actuarial liabilities for the ERS, TRS, and JRS were approximately $38.0 billion, $18.0 billion, and $700 million, respectively. The total annual benefits due from the ERS, TRS, and JRS for fiscal year 2018 total approximately $1.7 billion, $800,000, and $28 million, respectively. In 2017, the Legislative Assembly enacted laws to reform the operation and funding of Puerto Rico’s pension systems. Those laws required the ERS to sell its assets and transfer the proceeds to the general fund. In addition, employer contributions to the pension systems, which had been operating on as “pay-as-you-go” basis, were eliminated, and the general fund assumed any payments that the pension systems could not make. Puerto Rico may have to make additional contributions to the pension systems, which could result in reduced funding for other priorities, including payments on its outstanding debt obligations. Alternatively, Puerto Rico may be forced to raise revenue or issue additional debt. Either outcome could increase the pressure on Puerto Rico’s budget, which could have an adverse impact on a Fund’s investment in Puerto Rico Municipal Obligations.
An additional contributor to the Commonwealth’s significant budget deficits is a high level of debt, which the Commonwealth has needed in order to bridge budget gaps, but the servicing of which also exacerbates its ongoing fiscal difficulties. As of May 30, 2018, it was reported that Puerto Rico’s consolidated outstanding debt and pension liabilities have grown to over $120 billion, with more than $70 billion in financial debt and more than $50 billion in pension liabilities.
In September 2017, two successive hurricanes – Irma and Maria – caused severe damage to Puerto Rico. Hurricane Irma passed to the north of the Commonwealth, but Hurricane Maria made direct landfall, and the damage caused by both storms was extensive. The Commonwealth’s infrastructure was severely damaged by high winds and substantial flooding, and much of the Commonwealth was left without power. Current estimates suggest that Hurricane Maria caused approximately $80 billion in damage and has caused a real decline in gross national product of in the year following the storms. In June 2019, President Trump signed a $19 billion disaster relief bill, of which approximately $1 billion would be allocated to the Commonwealth. In addition, while the Commonwealth’s population has declined every year since 2013, the trend was accelerated after the damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria displaced residents.
The damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria is expected to have substantially adverse effects on the Commonwealth’s economy. In addition to diverting funds to relief and recovery efforts, the Commonwealth is expected to lose revenue as a result of decreased tourism and general business operations. There can be no assurances that the Commonwealth will receive the necessary aid to rebuild from the damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and it is not currently possible to predict the long-term impact that Hurricanes Irma and Maria will have on the Commonwealth’s economy. All these developments have a material adverse effect on the Commonwealth’s finances and negatively impact the payment of principal and interest, the marketability, liquidity and value of securities issued by the Commonwealth that are held by a Fund.
In late December 2019 and January 2020, a series of earthquakes, including a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, the strongest to hit the island in more than a century, caused an estimated $200 million in damage. The aftershocks from the earthquakes may continue for years, and it is not currently possible to predict the extent of the damage that could arise from any aftershocks. The damage caused by the hurricanes, earthquakes, and the outbreak of COVID-19 is expected to have substantially adverse effects on the Commonwealth’s economy. In addition to diverting funds to relief and recovery efforts, the Commonwealth is expected to lose substantial revenue as a result of decreased tourism (including from travel restrictions), decreased general business operations, and other measures implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19. There can be no assurances that the Commonwealth will receive the necessary aid to rebuild from the damage or that future catastrophic weather events, natural disasters, or public health emergencies will not cause similar damage. Any such developments could have an adverse effect on the Commonwealth’s finances and negatively impact the payment of principal and interest, the marketability, liquidity, and value of securities issued by the Commonwealth.
As of July 19, 2021, the Commonwealth’s general obligation debt was assigned a credit rating of Ca and D by Moody’s and Fitch, respectively. In 2018, Standard & Poor’s discontinued its unenhanced rating on the Commonwealth’s general obligation debt. These ratings represent non-investment grade status. The downgraded credit rating has adversely impacted the liquidity of Puerto Rico’s debt securities. There is no assurance that these ratings will continue for any given period of time or that they will not be revised or withdrawn entirely by the rating agency if, in the judgment of such rating agency, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of any such rating may have an adverse effect on the market prices of the securities issued by the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions, instrumentalities, and authorities.
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In addition to the litigation described above, Puerto Rico is a party to numerous legal proceedings, many of which normally occur in governmental operations and which, if decided against the Commonwealth, might require the Commonwealth to make significant future expenditures or impair future revenue sources. Because of the prospective nature of these proceedings, it is not presently possible to predict the ultimate outcome of such proceedings, estimate the potential impact on Puerto Rico’s ability to make debt service payments, or determine what impact, if any, such proceedings may have on a Fund’s investments in Puerto Rico Municipal Obligations.
Municipal Leases, Certificates of Participation and Other Participation Interests. High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in municipal leases, certificates of participation and other participation interests. A municipal lease is an obligation in the form of a lease or installment purchase which is issued by a state or local government to acquire equipment and facilities. Income from such obligations is generally exempt from state and local taxes in the state of issuance. Municipal leases frequently involve special risks not normally associated with general obligations or revenue bonds. Leases and installment purchase or conditional sale contracts (which normally provide for title to the leased asset to pass eventually to the governmental issuer) have evolved as a means for governmental issuers to acquire property and equipment without meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements for the issuance of debt. The debt issuance limitations are deemed to be inapplicable because of the inclusion in many leases or contracts of “non-appropriation” clauses that relieve the governmental issuer of any obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purpose by the appropriate legislative body on a yearly or other periodic basis. In addition, such leases or contracts may be subject to the temporary abatement of payments in the event the issuer is prevented from maintaining occupancy of the leased premises or utilizing the leased equipment. Although the obligations may be secured by the leased equipment or facilities, the disposition of the property in the event of non-appropriation or foreclosure might prove difficult, time consuming and costly, and result in a delay in recovering or the failure to fully recover a Fund’s original investment. To the extent that a Fund invests in unrated municipal leases or participates in such leases, the credit quality rating and risk of cancellation of such unrated leases will be monitored on an ongoing basis.
Certificates of participation represent undivided interests in municipal leases, installment purchase agreements or other instruments. The certificates are typically issued by a trust or other entity which has received an assignment of the payments to be made by the state or political subdivision under such leases or installment purchase agreements.
High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may purchase participations in Municipal Securities held by a commercial bank or other financial institution. Such participations provide a Fund with the right to a pro rata undivided interest in the underlying Municipal Securities. In addition, such participations generally provide a Fund with the right to demand payment, on not more than seven days’ notice, of all or any part of such Fund’s participation interest in the underlying Municipal Securities, plus accrued interest.
Municipal Notes. Municipal Securities in the form of notes generally are used to provide for short-term capital needs, in anticipation of an issuer’s receipt of other revenues or financing, and typically have maturities of up to three years. Such instruments may include tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, tax and revenue anticipation notes and construction loan notes. Tax anticipation notes are issued to finance the working capital needs of governments. Generally, they are issued in anticipation of various tax revenues, such as income, sales, property, use and business taxes, and are payable from these specific future taxes. Revenue anticipation notes are issued in expectation of receipt of other kinds of revenue, such as federal revenues available under federal revenue sharing programs. Bond anticipation notes are issued to provide interim financing until long-term bond financing can be arranged. In most cases, the long-term bonds then provide the funds needed for repayment of the notes. Tax and revenue anticipation notes combine the funding sources of both tax anticipation notes and revenue anticipation notes. Construction loan notes are sold to provide construction financing. These notes are secured by mortgage notes insured by the FHA; however, the proceeds from the insurance may be less than the economic equivalent of the payment of principal and interest on the mortgage note if there has been a default. The obligations of an issuer of municipal notes are generally secured by the anticipated revenues from taxes, grants or bond financing. An investment in such instruments, however, presents a risk that the anticipated revenues will not be received or that such revenues will be insufficient to satisfy the issuer’s payment obligations under the notes or that refinancing will be otherwise unavailable.
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Tax Exempt Commercial Paper. Issues of commercial paper typically represent short-term, unsecured, negotiable promissory notes. These obligations are issued by state and local governments and their agencies to finance working capital needs of municipalities or to provide interim construction financing and are paid from general revenues of municipalities or are refinanced with long-term debt. In most cases, tax exempt commercial paper is backed by letters of credit, lending agreements, note repurchase agreements or other credit facility agreements offered by banks or other institutions.
Pre-Refunded Municipal Securities. The principal of and interest on pre-refunded Municipal Securities are no longer paid from the original revenue source for the securities. Instead, the source of such payments is typically an escrow fund consisting of U.S. Government Securities. The assets in the escrow fund are derived from the proceeds of refunding bonds issued by the same issuer as the pre-refunded Municipal Securities. Issuers of Municipal Securities use this advance refunding technique to obtain more favorable terms with respect to securities that are not yet subject to call or redemption by the issuer. For example, advance refunding enables an issuer to refinance debt at lower market interest rates, restructure debt to improve cash flow or eliminate restrictive covenants in the indenture or other governing instrument for the pre-refunded Municipal Securities. However, except for a change in the revenue source from which principal and interest payments are made, the pre-refunded Municipal Securities remain outstanding on their original terms until they mature or are redeemed by the issuer. Pre-refunded Municipal Securities are often purchased at a price which represents a premium over their face value.
Private Activity Bonds. High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may each invest in certain types of Municipal Securities, generally referred to as industrial development bonds (and referred to under current tax law as private activity bonds), which are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide privately operated housing facilities, airport, mass transit or port facilities, sewage disposal, solid waste disposal or hazardous waste treatment or disposal facilities and certain local facilities for water supply, gas or electricity. Other types of industrial development bonds, the proceeds of which are used for the construction, equipment, repair or improvement of privately operated industrial or commercial facilities, may constitute Municipal Securities, although the current federal tax laws place substantial limitations on the size of such issues. A Tax Exempt Fund’s distributions of its interest income from private activity bonds may subject certain investors to the federal alternative minimum tax whereas a Taxable Fund’s distributions of any tax exempt interest it receives from any source will be taxable for regular federal income tax purposes.
Tender Option Bonds. A tender option bond is a Municipal Security (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax exempt rates. The bond is typically issued with the agreement of a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, which grants the security holders the option, at periodic intervals, to tender their securities to the institution and receive the face value thereof. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent at or near the commencement of such period, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax exempt rate. However, an institution will not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or a significant downgrade in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The Tax Exempt Funds intend to invest in tender option bonds the interest on which will, in the opinion of bond counsel, counsel for the issuer of interests therein or counsel selected by the Investment Adviser, be exempt from regular federal income tax. However, because there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with such counsel’s opinion in any particular case, there is a risk that a Tax Exempt Fund will not be considered the owner of such tender option bonds and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from such tax. Additionally, the federal income tax treatment of certain other aspects of these investments, including the proper tax treatment of tender option bonds and the associated fees in relation to various regulated investment company tax provisions is unclear. The Tax Exempt Funds intend to manage their portfolios in a manner designed to eliminate or minimize any adverse impact from the tax rules applicable to these investments.
Auction Rate Securities. High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in auction rate securities. Auction rate securities include auction rate Municipal Securities and auction rate preferred securities issued by closed-end investment companies that invest primarily in Municipal Securities (collectively, “auction rate securities”). Provided that the auction mechanism is successful, auction rate securities usually permit the holder to sell the securities in an auction at par value at specified intervals. The dividend is reset by “Dutch” auction in which bids are made by broker-dealers and other institutions for a certain amount of securities at a specified minimum yield. The dividend rate set by the auction is the lowest interest or dividend rate that covers all securities offered for sale. While this process is designed to permit auction rate securities to be traded at par value, there is some risk
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that an auction will fail due to insufficient demand for the securities. In certain market environments, auction failures may be more prevalent, which may adversely affect the liquidity and price of auction rate securities. Moreover, between auctions, there may be no secondary market for these securities, and sales conducted on a secondary market may not be on terms favorable to the seller. Thus, with respect to liquidity and price stability, auction rate securities may differ substantially from cash equivalents, notwithstanding the frequency of auctions and the credit quality of the security. A Fund will take the time remaining until the next scheduled auction date into account for the purpose of determining the auction rate securities’ duration.
Dividends on auction rate preferred securities issued by a closed-end fund may be designated as exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are attributable to exempt income earned by the fund on the securities in its portfolio and distributed to holders of the preferred securities, provided that the preferred securities are treated as equity securities for federal income tax purposes and the closed-end fund complies with certain tests under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
A Fund’s investments in auction rate securities of closed-end funds are subject to the limitations prescribed by the Act and certain state securities regulations. The Funds will indirectly bear their proportionate share of any management and other fees paid by such closed-end funds in addition to the advisory fees payable directly by the Funds.
Insurance. High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in “insured” tax exempt Municipal Securities. Insured Municipal Securities are securities for which scheduled payments of interest and principal are guaranteed by a private (non-governmental) insurance company. The insurance only entitles a Fund to receive the face or par value of the securities held by the Fund. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the Municipal Securities or the value of the Shares of a Fund.
The Funds may utilize new issue or secondary market insurance. A new issue insurance policy is purchased by a bond issuer who wishes to increase the credit rating of a security. By paying a premium and meeting the insurer’s underwriting standards, the bond issuer is able to obtain a high credit rating (usually, Aaa from Moody’s or AAA from Standard & Poor’s) for the issued security. Such insurance is likely to increase the purchase price and resale value of the security. New issue insurance policies generally are non-cancelable and continue in force as long as the bonds are outstanding.
A secondary market insurance policy is purchased by an investor (such as a Fund) subsequent to a bond’s original issuance and generally insures a particular bond for the remainder of its term. The Funds may purchase bonds which have already been insured under a secondary market insurance policy by a prior investor, or the Funds may directly purchase such a policy from insurers for bonds which are currently uninsured.
An insured Municipal Security acquired by a Fund will typically be covered by only one of the above types of policies. All of the insurance policies used by a Fund will be obtained only from insurance companies rated, at the time of purchase, A by Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s, or if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable quality. The Municipal Securities invested in by Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, High Yield Fund, Strategic Income Fund and Income Fund will not be subject to this requirement.
Standby Commitments. In order to enhance the liquidity of Municipal Securities, the Tax Exempt Funds and Strategic Income Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may acquire the right to sell a security to another party at a guaranteed price and date. Such a right to resell may be referred to as a “standby commitment” or liquidity put, depending on its characteristics. The aggregate price which a Fund pays for securities with standby commitments may be higher than the price which otherwise would be paid for the securities. Standby commitments may not be available or may not be available on satisfactory terms.
Standby commitments may involve letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks supporting the other party’s ability to purchase the security from a Fund. The right to sell may be exercisable on demand or at specified intervals, and may form part of a security or be acquired separately by a Fund. In considering whether a security meets a Fund’s quality standards, the particular Fund will look to the creditworthiness of the party providing the Fund with the right to sell as well as the quality of the security itself.
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The Funds value Municipal Securities which are subject to standby commitments at amortized cost. The exercise price of the standby commitments is expected to approximate such amortized cost. No value is assigned to the standby commitments for purposes of determining a Fund’s NAV. The cost of a standby commitment is carried as unrealized depreciation from the time of purchase until it is exercised or expires. Because the value of a standby commitment is dependent on the ability of the standby commitment writer to meet its obligation to repurchase, a Fund’s policy is to enter into standby commitment transactions only with banks, brokers or dealers which present a minimal risk of default.
The Investment Adviser understands that the IRS has issued a favorable revenue ruling to the effect that, under specified circumstances, a registered investment company will be the owner of tax exempt municipal obligations acquired subject to a put option. The IRS has subsequently announced that it will not ordinarily issue advance ruling letters as to the identity of the true owner of property in cases involving the sale of securities or participation interests therein if the purchaser has the right to cause the security, or the participation interest therein, to be purchased by either the seller or a third party. The Funds intend to take the position that they are the owner of any Municipal Securities acquired subject to a standby commitment or acquired or held with certain other types of put rights and that tax exempt interest earned with respect to such Municipal Securities will be tax exempt in their hands. There is no assurance that standby commitments will be available to the Funds nor have the Funds assumed that such commitments would continue to be available under all market conditions.
Call Risk and Reinvestment Risk. Municipal Securities may include “call” provisions which permit the issuers of such securities, at any time or after a specified period, to redeem the securities prior to their stated maturity. In the event that Municipal Securities held in a Fund’s portfolio are called prior to the maturity, the Fund will be required to reinvest the proceeds on such securities at an earlier date and may be able to do so only at lower yields, thereby reducing the Fund’s return on its portfolio securities.
Tobacco Settlement Revenue Bonds. The Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may each invest a portion of its assets in tobacco settlement revenue bonds. Tobacco settlement revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are backed entirely by expected revenues to be derived from lawsuits involving tobacco related deaths and illnesses which were settled between certain states and American tobacco companies. Tobacco settlement revenue bonds are secured by an issuing state’s proportionate share in the Master Settlement Agreement (“MSA”). The MSA is an agreement, reached out of court in November 1998 between 46 states and nearly all of the U.S. tobacco manufacturers. The MSA provides for annual payments in perpetuity by the manufacturers to the states in exchange for releasing all claims against the manufacturers and a pledge of no further litigation. Tobacco manufacturers pay into a master escrow trust based on their market share, and each state receives a fixed percentage of the payment as set forth in the MSA. A number of states have securitized the future flow of those payments by selling bonds pursuant to indentures or through distinct governmental entities created for such purpose. The principal and interest payments on the bonds are backed by the future revenue flow related to the MSA. Annual payments on the bonds, and thus risk to a Fund, are highly dependent on the receipt of future settlement payments to the state or its governmental entity.
The actual amount of future settlement payments is further dependent on many factors, including, but not limited to, annual domestic cigarette shipments, reduced cigarette consumption, increased taxes on cigarettes, inflation, financial capability of tobacco companies, continuing litigation and the possibility of tobacco manufacturer bankruptcy. The initial and annual payments made by the tobacco companies will be adjusted based on a number of factors, the most important of which is domestic cigarette consumption. If the volume of cigarettes shipped in the U.S. by manufacturers participating in the settlement decreases significantly, payments due from them will also decrease. Demand for cigarettes in the U.S. could continue to decline due to price increases needed to recoup the cost of payments by tobacco companies. Demand could also be affected by: anti-smoking campaigns, tax increases, reduced advertising, enforcement of laws prohibiting sales to minors; elimination of certain sales venues such as vending machines; and the spread of local ordinances restricting smoking in public places. As a result, payments made by tobacco manufacturers could be negatively impacted if the decrease in tobacco consumption is significantly greater than the forecasted decline. A market share loss by the MSA companies to non-MSA participating tobacco manufacturers would cause a downward adjustment in the payment amounts. A participating manufacturer filing for bankruptcy also could cause delays or reductions in bond payments. The MSA itself has been subject to legal challenges and has, to date, withstood those challenges.
Non-Diversified Status
Because Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund is “non-diversified” under the Act, it is subject only to certain federal tax diversification requirements. Under federal tax laws, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund may, with respect to 50% of its total assets, invest up to 25% of its total assets in the securities of any issuer. With respect to the remaining 50% of the Fund’s total assets, (i) the Fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one issuer, and (ii) the Fund may not acquire more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer. These tests apply at the end of each quarter of the taxable year and are subject to certain conditions and limitations under the Code. These tests do not apply to investments in U.S. Government Securities and regulated investment companies.
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Options on Securities and Securities Indices and Foreign Currencies
Writing and Purchasing Call and Put Options on Securities and Securities Indices. Each Fund may write (sell) call and put options on any securities in which it may invest or any securities index consisting of securities in which it may invest. A Fund may write such options on securities that are listed on national domestic securities exchanges or foreign securities exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter market. A call option written by a Fund obligates that Fund to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised on or before the expiration date. Depending upon the type of call option, the purchaser of a call option either (i) has the right to any appreciation in the value of the security over a fixed price (the “exercise price”) on a certain date in the future (the “expiration date”) or (ii) has the right to any appreciation in the value of the security over the exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option. If the purchaser exercises the option, a Fund pays the purchaser the difference between the price of the security and the exercise price of the option. The premium, the exercise price and the market value of the security determine the gain or loss realized by a Fund as the seller of the call option. A Fund can also repurchase the call option prior to the expiration date, ending its obligation. In this case, the cost of entering into closing purchase transactions will determine the gain or loss realized by the Fund. All call options written by a Fund are covered, which means that such Fund will own the securities subject to the option so long as the option is outstanding or such Fund will use the other methods described below. A Fund’s purpose in writing call options is to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone. However, a Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security.
A put option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised on or before the expiration date. All put options written by a Fund would be covered, which means that such Fund will identify on its books cash or liquid assets with a value at least equal to the exercise price of the put option (less any margin on deposit) or will use the other methods described below. For more information about these practices, see “Description of Investment Securities and Practices – Asset Segregation.”
The purpose of writing such options is to generate additional income for the Fund. However, in return for the option premium, each Fund accepts the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the securities’ market value at the time of purchase.
In the case of a call option, the option may be “covered” if a Fund owns the instrument underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that instrument without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, liquid assets in such amount are identified on the Fund’s books) upon conversion or exchange of other instruments held by it. A call option may also be covered if a Fund holds a call on the same instrument as the option written where the exercise price of the option held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the option written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the option written provided the Fund identifies liquid assets in the amount of the difference. A put option may also be covered if a Fund holds a put on the same security as the option written where the exercise price of the option held is (i) equal to or higher than the exercise price of the option written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the option written provided the Fund identifies on its books liquid assets in the amount of the difference. A Fund may also cover options on securities by identifying cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, with a value, when added to any margin on deposit that is equal to the market value of the securities in the case of a call option. Identified cash or liquid assets may be quoted or denominated in any currency. In the case of the Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund, identified cash or liquid assets may be quoted or denominated in any currency.
A Fund may terminate its obligations under an exchange-traded call or put option by purchasing an option identical to the one it has written. Obligations under over-the-counter options may be terminated only by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparty to such option. Such purchases are referred to as “closing purchase transactions.”
Each Fund may also write (sell) call and put options on any securities index consisting of securities in which it may invest. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash settlement payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
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A Fund may cover call options on a securities index by owning securities whose price changes are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index or by having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or if additional cash consideration is required, liquid assets in such amount are identified on the Fund’s books) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by it. A Fund may also cover call and put options by identifying cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, with a value, when added to any margin on deposit, that is equal to the market value of the underlying securities in the case of a call option or the exercise price in the case of a put option or by owning offsetting options as described above.
The writing of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of options to seek to increase total return involves the risk of loss if the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of fluctuations in securities prices or interest rates. The successful use of options for hedging purposes also depends in part on the ability of the Investment Adviser to predict future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities markets. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of changes in securities prices or determination of the correlation between the securities indices on which options are written and purchased and the securities in a Fund’s investment portfolio, the investment performance of the Fund will be less favorable than it would have been in the absence of such options transactions. The writing of options could increase a Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and, therefore, associated brokerage commissions or spreads.
Each Fund may also purchase put and call options on any securities in which it may invest or any securities index consisting of securities in which it may invest. In addition, a Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or minimize losses on options it had purchased.
A Fund may purchase call options in anticipation of an increase, or put options in anticipation of a decrease (“protective puts”), in the market value of securities or other instruments of the type in which it may invest. The purchase of a call option would entitle a Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities or other instruments at a specified price during the option period. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain on the purchase of a call option if, during the option period, the value of such securities exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option. The purchase of a put option would entitle a Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell specified securities or other instruments at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts is designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of a Fund’s securities or other instruments. Put options may also be purchased by a Fund for the purpose of affirmatively benefiting from a decline in the price of securities or other instruments which it does not own. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying securities or other instruments decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on the purchase of put options may be offset by countervailing changes in the value of the underlying portfolio securities or other instruments.
A Fund may purchase put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as it may purchase options on securities. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
Writing and Purchasing Call and Put Options on Currency. Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may write put and call options and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies in an attempt to protect against declines in the U.S. dollar value of foreign portfolio securities and against increases in the U.S. dollar cost of foreign securities to be acquired. A Fund may also use options on currency to cross-hedge, which involves writing or purchasing options on one currency to seek to hedge against changes in exchange rates for a different currency with a pattern of correlation. As with other kinds of option transactions, however, the writing of an option on foreign currency will constitute only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received. If an option that a Fund has written is exercised, the Fund could be required to purchase or sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against exchange rate fluctuations; however, in the event of exchange rate movements adverse to a Fund’s position, the Fund may forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related transaction costs. Options on foreign currencies may be traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges or over-the-counter. In addition, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may purchase call options on currency to seek to increase total return.
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A currency call option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to sell specified currency to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date. A currency put option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to purchase specified currency from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date. The writing of currency options involves a risk that a Fund will, upon exercise of the option, be required to sell currency subject to a call at a price that is less than the currency’s market value or be required to purchase currency subject to a put at a price that exceeds the currency’s market value. Written put and call options on foreign currencies may be covered in a manner similar to written put and call options on securities and securities indices described under “Options on Securities and Securities Indices and Foreign Currencies—Writing and Purchasing Call and Put Options on Securities and Securities Indices” above.
A Fund may terminate its obligations under a written call or put option by purchasing an option identical to the one written. Such purchases are referred to as “closing purchase transactions.” A Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or minimize losses on purchased options.
A Fund may purchase call options on foreign currency in anticipation of an increase in the U.S. dollar value of currency in which securities to be acquired by the Fund are denominated or quoted. The purchase of a call option would entitle a Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified currency at a specified price during the option period. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of such currency exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise, the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option.
A Fund may purchase put options in anticipation of a decline in the U.S. dollar value of currency in which securities in its portfolio are denominated or quoted (“protective puts”). The purchase of a put option would entitle the Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell specified currency at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts is usually designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a Fund’s portfolio securities due to currency exchange rate fluctuations. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying currency decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to more than cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise, the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on the purchase of protective put options would tend to be offset by countervailing changes in the value of the underlying currency.
In addition to using options for the hedging purposes described above, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may use options on currency to seek to increase total return. These Funds may write (sell) put and call options on any currency in an attempt to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone. However, in writing call options for additional income, the Funds may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of the underlying currency. Also, when writing put options, the Funds accept, in return for the option premium, the risk that they may be required to purchase the underlying currency at a price in excess of the currency’s market value at the time of purchase.
The Funds may purchase call options to seek to increase total return in anticipation of an increase in the market value of a currency. The Funds would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of such currency exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs. Otherwise the Funds would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option. Put options may be purchased by the Funds for the purpose of benefiting from a decline in the value of currencies which they do not own. The Funds would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying currency decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to more than cover the premium and transaction costs. Otherwise, the Funds would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option.
Special Risks Associated with Options on Currency. An exchange-traded option position may be closed out only on an options exchange that provides a secondary market for an option of the same series. Although the Funds will generally purchase or write only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time. For some options no secondary market on an exchange may exist. In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options, with the result that a Fund would have to exercise its options in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction pursuant to the exercise of its options. If a Fund as an option writer is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying currency (or security quoted or denominated in that currency), or dispose of the identified assets, until the option expires or it delivers the underlying currency upon exercise.
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There is no assurance that higher-than-anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not, at times, render certain of the facilities of the relevant clearinghouse inadequate, and thereby result in the institution by an exchange of special procedures which may interfere with the timely execution of customers’ orders.
Each applicable Fund may purchase and write over-the-counter options. Trading in over-the-counter options is subject to the risk that the other party will be unable or unwilling to close out options purchased or written by a Fund.
The amount of the premiums that a Fund may pay or receive, may be adversely affected as new or existing institutions, including other investment companies, engage in or increase their option purchasing and writing activities.
Yield Curve Options. Each Fund may enter into options on the yield “spread” or differential between two securities. Such transactions are referred to as “yield curve” options. In contrast to other types of options, a yield curve option is based on the difference between the yields of designated securities, rather than the prices of the individual securities, and is settled through cash payments. Accordingly, a yield curve option is profitable to the holder if this differential widens (in the case of a call) or narrows (in the case of a put), regardless of whether the yields of the underlying securities increase or decrease.
A Fund may purchase or write yield curve options for the same purposes as other options on securities. For example, a Fund may purchase a call option on the yield spread between two securities if the Fund owns one of the securities and anticipates purchasing the other security and wants to hedge against an adverse change in the yield spread between the two securities. A Fund may also purchase or write yield curve options in an effort to increase current income if, in the judgment of the Investment Adviser, the Fund will be able to profit from movements in the spread between the yields of the underlying securities. The trading of yield curve options is subject to all of the risks associated with the trading of other types of options. In addition, however, such options present a risk of loss even if the yield of one of the underlying securities remains constant, or if the spread moves in a direction or to an extent which was not anticipated.
Yield curve options written by a Fund will be “covered.” A call (or put) option is covered if the Fund holds another call (or put) option on the spread between the same two securities and identifies on its books cash or liquid assets sufficient to cover the Fund’s net liability under the two options. Therefore, a Fund’s liability for such a covered option is generally limited to the difference between the amount of the Fund’s liability under the option written by the Fund less the value of the option held by the Fund. Yield curve options may also be covered in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of the counterparty with which the option is traded and applicable laws and regulations. Yield curve options are traded over-the-counter, and established trading markets for these options may not exist.
Risks Associated with Options Transactions. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on a domestic or foreign options exchange will exist for any particular exchange-traded option or at any particular time. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or dispose of the assets identified on its books to cover the position until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it will have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities.
Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist although outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
There can be no assurance that higher trading activity, order flow or other unforeseen events will not, at times, render certain of the facilities of the Options Clearing Corporation or various exchanges inadequate. Such events have, in the past, resulted in the institution by an exchange of special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of order or trading halts or suspensions with respect to one or more options. These special procedures may limit liquidity.
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A Fund may purchase and sell both options that are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges and options traded over-the-counter with broker-dealers and other types of institutions that make markets in these options. The ability to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that the broker-dealers or financial institutions participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations.
Transactions by a Fund in options will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded governing the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which a Fund may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of an Investment Adviser. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.
The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of options to seek to increase total return involves the risk of loss if the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of fluctuations in securities prices or interest rates. The successful use of options for hedging purposes also depends in part on the ability of the Investment Adviser to manage future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities (or currency) markets. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of changes in securities prices or determination of the correlation between the securities or securities indices on which options are written and purchased and the securities in a Fund’s investment portfolio, the Fund may incur losses that it would not otherwise incur. The writing of options could increase a Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and, therefore, associated brokerage commissions or spreads.
Pooled Investment Vehicles
Each Fund may invest in securities of pooled investment vehicles, including ETFs. A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by pooled investment vehicles in which it invests, in addition to the management fees (and other expenses) of the Fund. A Fund’s investments in pooled investment vehicles are subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the Act, including in certain circumstances a prohibition on the Fund acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on investing more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets in securities of any one investment company or more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of all investment companies.
Subject to applicable law and/or pursuant to an exemptive order obtained from the SEC or under an exemptive rule adopted by the SEC, the Funds may invest in other investment companies, including ETFs and money market funds, beyond the statutory limits described above or otherwise provided that certain conditions are met. Some of those other investment companies may be funds for which an Investment Adviser, or any of its affiliates, serves as investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor. Although the Funds do not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, each Fund is authorized to invest substantially all of its assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof that has substantially the same investment objective, policies and fundamental restrictions as the Fund. Additionally, to the extent that any Fund serves as an “underlying Fund” to another Goldman Sachs Fund or unaffiliated investment company, the Fund’s ability to invest in other investment companies and private funds may be limited and, under these circumstances, the Fund’s investments in other investment companies and private funds will be consistent with applicable law and/or exemptive orders obtained from the SEC.
Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may purchase shares of investment companies investing primarily in foreign securities, including “country funds.” Country funds have portfolios consisting primarily of securities of issuers located in specified foreign countries or regions.
ETFs are shares of pooled investment vehicles issuing shares which are traded like traditional equity securities on a stock exchange. An ETF generally represents a portfolio of securities or other assets, which is often designed to track a particular market segment or index. An investment in an ETF, like one in any pooled investment vehicle, carries the risks of its underlying securities or other assets. An ETF may fail to accurately track the returns of the market segment or index that it is designed to track, and the price of an ETF’s shares may fluctuate or lose money. In addition, because they, unlike other pooled investment vehicles, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or discount to the ETF’s NAV; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of a Fund’s shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.
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Portfolio Maturity
Dollar-weighted average maturity is derived by multiplying the value of each investment by the time remaining to its maturity, adding these calculations, and then dividing the total by the value of a Fund’s portfolio. An obligation’s maturity is typically determined on a stated final maturity basis, although there are some exceptions. For example, if an issuer of an instrument takes advantage of a maturity-shortening device, such as a call, refunding, or redemption provision, the date on which the instrument is expected to be called, refunded, or redeemed may be considered to be its maturity date. There is no guarantee that the expected call, refund or redemption will occur and a Fund’s average maturity may lengthen beyond the Investment Adviser’s expectations should the expected call refund or redemption not occur. Similarly, in calculating its dollar-weighted average maturity, a Fund may determine the maturity of a variable or floating rate obligation according to the interest rate reset date, or the date principal can be recovered on demand, rather than the date of ultimate maturity.
Portfolio Turnover
Each Fund may engage in active short-term trading to benefit from yield disparities among different issues of securities or among the markets for fixed income securities, or for other reasons. As a result of active management, it is anticipated that the portfolio turnover rate of each Fund will vary from year to year, and may be affected by changes in the holdings of specific issuers, changes in country and currency weightings, cash requirements for redemption of shares and by requirements which enable the Funds to receive favorable tax treatment. The Funds are not restricted by policy with regard to portfolio turnover and will make changes in their investment portfolio from time to time as business and economic conditions as well as market prices may dictate. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, Short Duration Bond Fund’s, Strategic Income Fund’s, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund’s, and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund’s portfolio turnover rates varied significantly from the prior fiscal year.
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights
The Enhanced Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund may invest in preferred stock and the Enhanced Income Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in warrants and stock purchase rights (in addition to those acquired in units or attached to other securities) (“rights”). Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership interest providing the holder with claims on the issuer’s earnings and assets before common stock owners but after bond owners. Unlike debt securities, the obligations of an issuer of preferred stock, including dividend and other payment obligations, may not typically be accelerated by the holders of such preferred stock on the occurrence of an event of default (such as a covenant default or filing of a bankruptcy petition) or other non-compliance by the issuer with the terms of the preferred stock. Often, however, on the occurrence of any such event of default or non-compliance by the issuer, preferred stockholders will be entitled to gain representation on the issuer’s board of directors or increase their existing board representation. In addition, preferred stockholders may be granted voting rights with respect to certain issues on the occurrence of any event of default.
Warrants and other rights are options to buy a stated number of shares of common stock at a specified price at any time during the life of the warrant. The holders of warrants and rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
The Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may invest in shares of REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in real estate or real estate related loans. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. Like regulated investment companies such as the Funds, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with certain requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Each Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs in which it invests in addition to the expenses paid by the Fund.
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Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by such REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified (except to the extent the Code requires), and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibilities of failing to qualify for the exemption from tax for distributed income under the Code and failing to maintain their exemptions from the Act. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks.
Repurchase Agreements
Each Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties approved by the Investment Adviser pursuant to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees that furnish collateral at least equal in value or market price to the amount of their repurchase obligation. The collateral may consist of any type of security in which a Fund is eligible to invest or, with respect to the Enhanced Income Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Government Income Fund and Short Duration Bond Fund, if a Fund is subject to minimum credit quality requirements, any type of security, including non-investment grade securities, provided the repurchase agreement counterparty satisfies these minimum credit quality requirements. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. Government Securities may be subject to additional risks. A repurchase agreement is an arrangement under which a Fund purchases securities and the seller agrees to repurchase the securities within a particular time and at a specified price. Custody of the securities is maintained by each Fund’s custodian (or sub-custodian). The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to a Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to a Fund together with the repurchase price on repurchase. In either case, the income to a Fund is unrelated to the interest rate on the security subject to the repurchase agreement.
For purposes of the Act, and generally for tax purposes, a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from a Fund to the seller of the security. For other purposes, it is not always clear whether a court would consider the security purchased by a Fund subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by a Fund or as being collateral for a loan by a Fund to the seller. In the event of commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller of the security before repurchase of the security under a repurchase agreement, a Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Such a delay may involve loss of interest or a decline in value of the security. If the court characterizes the transaction as a loan and a Fund has not perfected a security interest in the security, the Fund may be required to return the security to the seller’s estate and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor, a Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and interest involved in the transaction.
Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the security. However, if the market value of the security subject to the repurchase agreement becomes less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest), each Fund will direct the seller of the security to deliver additional securities so that the market value of all securities subject to the repurchase agreement equals or exceeds the repurchase price. Certain repurchase agreements which provide for settlement in more than seven days can be liquidated before the nominal fixed term on seven days or less notice.
The Funds, together with other registered investment companies having management agreements with the Investment Advisers or their affiliates, may transfer uninvested cash balances into a single joint account, the daily aggregate balance of which will be invested in one or more repurchase agreements.
Restricted Securities
Each Fund may purchase securities and other financial instruments that are not registered or that are offered in an exempt non-public offering (“Restricted Securities”) under the 1933 Act, including securities eligible for resale to “qualified institutional buyers” pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. The purchase price and subsequent valuation of Restricted Securities may reflect a discount from the price at which such securities trade when they are not restricted, because the restriction makes them less liquid. The amount of the discount from the prevailing market price is expected to vary depending upon the type of security, the character of the issuer, the party who will bear the expenses of registering the Restricted Securities and prevailing supply and demand conditions. These and other factors discussed in the section above, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in Restricted Securities.
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Reverse Repurchase Agreements
Each Fund (other than the Enhanced Income Fund) may borrow money by entering into transactions called reverse repurchase agreements. Under these arrangements, a Fund will sell portfolio securities to dealers in U.S. Government Securities or members of the Federal Reserve System, with an agreement to repurchase the security on an agreed date, price and interest payment. In the case of the Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund, these reverse repurchase agreements may involve foreign government securities. Borrowings may magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested resulting in an increase in the speculative character of a Fund’s outstanding shares.
Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of secured borrowing and subject the Fund to the risks associated with leverage, including exposure to potential gains and losses in excess of the amount invested. If the securities held by a Fund decline in value while these transactions are outstanding, the NAV of the Fund’s outstanding shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value of the securities. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the investment return earned by a Fund (from the investment of the proceeds) will be less than the interest expense of the transaction, that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund will decline below the price the Fund is obligated to pay to repurchase the securities, and that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.
When a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer under the agreement may file for bankruptcy, become insolvent or otherwise default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of a default by the counterparty, there may be delays, costs and risks of loss involved in a Fund’s exercising its rights under the agreement, or those rights may be limited by other contractual agreements or obligations or by applicable law. Such an insolvency may result in a loss equal to the amount by which the value of the securities or other assets sold by a 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. In addition, a Fund may be unable to sell the instruments it acquires with the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement at a time when it would be advantageous to do so, or may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with respect to its obligations under a reverse repurchase agreement. This could adversely affect a Fund’s strategy and result in lower fund returns. A Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities or if the value of investments made by the Fund using the proceeds of the transaction is less than the value of securities.
When a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it must identify on its books cash or liquid assets that have a value equal to or greater than the repurchase price. The amount of cash or liquid assets so identified is then monitored continuously by the Investment Adviser to make sure that an appropriate value is maintained.
As discussed in more detail above, the SEC adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies. In connection with the final rule, the SEC and its staff will rescind and withdraw applicable guidance and relief regarding asset segregation and coverage transactions reflected in the Fund’s asset segregation and cover practices discussed herein. For more information about these practices, see the section entitled “Asset Segregation” above.
Risks of Qualified Financial Contracts
Regulations adopted by federal banking regulators under the Dodd-Frank Act, which took effect throughout 2019, require that certain qualified financial contracts (“QFCs”) with counterparties that are part of U.S. or foreign global systemically important banking organizations be amended to include contractual restrictions on close-out and cross-default rights. QFCs include, but are not limited to, securities contracts, commodities contracts, forward contracts, repurchase agreements, securities lending agreements and swaps agreements, as well as related master agreements, security agreements, credit enhancements, and reimbursement obligations. If a covered counterparty of a Fund or certain of the covered counterparty’s affiliates were to become subject to certain insolvency proceedings, the Fund may be temporarily unable to exercise certain default rights, and the QFC may be transferred to another entity. These requirements may impact a Fund’s credit and counterparty risks.
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Short Sales
The Bond Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund may engage in short sales. Short sales are transactions in which a Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete such a transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. A Fund then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by a Fund. Until the security is replaced, a Fund is required to pay to the lender amounts equal to any dividend which accrues during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, a Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. There will also be other costs associated with short sales.
A Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. A Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. This result is the opposite of what one would expect from a cash purchase of a long position in a security. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium or amounts in lieu of interest a Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale, and will be also decreased by any transaction or other costs.
Until a Fund replaces a borrowed security in connection with a short sale, the Fund will (a) identify on its books cash or liquid assets at such a level that the identified assets plus any amount deposited as collateral will equal the current value of the security sold short or (b) otherwise cover its short position in accordance with applicable law.
As discussed in more detail above, the SEC adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies. In connection with the final rule, the SEC and its staff will rescind and withdraw applicable guidance and relief regarding asset segregation and coverage transactions reflected in the Fund’s asset segregation and cover practices discussed herein. For more information about these practices, see the section entitled “Asset Segregation” above.
There is no guarantee that a Fund will be able to close out a short position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. During the time that the Fund is short a security, it is subject to the risk that the lender of the security will terminate the loan at a time when the Fund is unable to borrow the same security from another lender. If that occurs, a Fund may be “bought in” at the price required to purchase the security needed to close out the short position, which may be a disadvantageous price.
Short Sales Against the Box. Each of the Funds may engage in short sales against the box. As noted above, a short sale is made by selling a security the seller does not own. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent that the seller contemporaneously owns or has the right to obtain, at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. A Fund may enter into a short sale against the box, for example, to lock in a sales price for a security the Fund does not wish to sell immediately. If a Fund sells securities short against the box, it may protect itself from loss if the price of the securities declines in the future, but will lose the opportunity to profit on such securities if the price rises. If the Fund effects a short sale of securities at a time when it has an unrealized gain on the securities, it may be required to recognize that gain as if it had actually sold the securities (as a “constructive sale”) on the date it effects the short sale. However, such constructive sale treatment may not apply if the Fund closes out the short sale with securities other than the appreciated securities held at the time of the short sale and if certain other conditions are satisfied. Uncertainty regarding the tax consequences of effecting short sales may limit the extent to which a Fund may effect short sales.
Structured Notes
The Funds may invest in structured notes. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate and/or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. The value of the principal of and/or interest on structured notes is determined by reference to changes in the return, interest rate or value at maturity of a specific asset, reference rate or index (the “reference instrument”) or the relative change in two or more reference instruments. The terms of structured notes may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity, which may result in a loss of invested capital. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may also be increased or decreased, depending upon changes in the applicable reference instruments. Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so that an increase in value of the reference instrument may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or value of the structured note at maturity. In addition, changes in the interest rate or the value of the structured note at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference instrument; therefore, the value of such note may be very volatile. Structured notes may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference instrument. Structured notes may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities.
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Taxable Investments and the Tax-Exempt Funds
The Tax Exempt Funds may invest in the taxable money market instruments and other taxable securities described in the foregoing sections. When a Fund’s assets are invested in such instruments, a Fund may not be achieving its investment objective of providing income exempt from federal and/or applicable state or local taxes.
Temporary Investments
Each Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes (and to the extent that it is permitted to invest in the following), invest up to 100% of its total assets in: U.S. Government Securities; commercial paper rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poor’s, P-2 by Moody’s or having a comparable credit rating by another NRSRO (or if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality); certificates of deposit; bankers’ acceptances; repurchase agreements; non-convertible preferred stocks and non-convertible corporate bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year; ETFs and other investment companies; and cash items. When a Fund’s assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.
Trust Preferred Securities
Each Fund (other than the Short Duration Government Fund) may invest in trust preferred securities. A trust preferred or capital security is a long dated bond (for example 30 years) with preferred features. The preferred features are that payment of interest can be deferred for a specified period without initiating a default event. From a bondholder’s viewpoint, the securities are senior in claim to standard preferred but are junior to other bondholders. From the issuer’s viewpoint, the securities are attractive because their interest is deductible for tax purposes like other types of debt instruments.
U.S. Government Securities
Each Fund may invest in U.S. Government Securities. Some U.S. Government Securities (such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds, which differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance) are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Others, such as obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises, are supported either by (i) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, (ii) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the issuer or (iii) the credit of the issuer. The U.S. Government is under no legal obligation, in general, to purchase the obligations of its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises in the future, and the U.S. Government may be unable to pay debts when due.
U.S. Government Securities include (to the extent consistent with the Act) securities for which the payment of principal and interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by the U.S. Government, or its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. U.S. Government Securities may also include (to the extent consistent with the Act) participations in loans made to foreign governments or their agencies that are guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. The secondary market for certain of these participations is extremely limited. These and other factors discussed in the section above, entitled “Illiquid Investments,” may impact the liquidity of investments in these participations.
Each Fund may also purchase U.S. Government Securities in private placements and may also invest in separately traded principal and interest components of securities guaranteed or issued by the U.S. Treasury that are traded independently under the separate trading of registered interest and principal of securities program (“STRIPS”). Each Fund may also invest in zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities and in zero coupon securities issued by financial institutions which represent a proportionate interest in underlying U.S. Treasury securities.
Inflation-Protected Securities. Certain Funds may invest in IPS, including TIPS and CIPS, which are securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The interest rate on IPS is fixed at issuance, but over the life of the bond this interest may be paid on an increasing or decreasing principal value that has been adjusted for inflation. Although repayment of the greater of the adjusted or original bond principal upon maturity is guaranteed, the market value of IPS is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate.
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The values of IPS generally fluctuate in response to changes in real interest rates, which are in turn tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates will decline, leading to an increase in the value of IPS. In contrast, if nominal interest rates were to increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates will rise, leading to a decrease in the value of IPS. If inflation is lower than expected during the period a Fund holds IPS, the Fund may earn less on the IPS than on a conventional bond. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in the currency exchange rates), investors in IPS may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bonds’ inflation measure. There can be no assurance that the inflation index for IPS will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services.
Any increase in principal value of IPS caused by an increase in the consumer price index is taxable in the year the increase occurs, even though the Fund holding IPS will not receive cash representing the increase at that time. As a result, a Fund could be required at times to liquidate other investments, including when it is not advantageous to do so, in order to satisfy its distribution requirements as a regulated investment company.
If a Fund invests in IPS, it will be required to treat as original issue discount any increase in the principal amount of the securities that occurs during the course of its taxable year. If a Fund purchases such IPS that are issued in stripped form either as stripped bonds or coupons, it will be treated as if it had purchased a newly issued debt instrument having original issue discount.
Because a Fund is required to distribute substantially all of its net investment income (including accrued original issue discount), a Fund’s investment in either zero coupon bonds or IPS may require the Fund to distribute to shareholders an amount greater than the total cash income it actually receives. Accordingly, in order to make the required distributions, a Fund may be required to borrow or liquidate securities.
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
Each Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis beyond the customary settlement time. These transactions involve a commitment by a Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date. The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. In addition, recently finalized rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) include mandatory margin requirements that require the Funds to post collateral in connection with its TBA transactions. There is no similar requirement applicable to the Funds’ TBA counterparties. The required collateralization of TBA trades could increase the cost of TBA transactions to the Funds and impose added operational complexity. When-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges. The Funds will generally purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, the Funds may dispose of or negotiate a commitment after entering into it. A Fund may also sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. The Funds may realize capital gains or losses in connection with these transactions. For purposes of determining each Fund’s duration, the maturity of when-issued or forward commitment securities for fixed-rate obligations will be calculated from the commitment date. Each Fund is generally required to identify on its books cash and liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price unless the Fund’s obligations are otherwise covered. Alternatively, each Fund may enter into offsetting contracts for the forward sale of other securities that it owns. Securities purchased or sold on a when-issued or forward commitment basis involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date or if the value of the security to be sold increases prior to the settlement date.
Zero Coupon, Deferred Interest, Pay-in-Kind and Capital Appreciation Bonds
Each Fund may invest in zero coupon, deferred interest, pay-in-kind (“PIK”) and capital appreciation bonds. Zero coupon, deferred interest and capital appreciation bonds are debt securities issued or sold at a discount from their face value and which do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity or a specified date. The original issue discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or cash payment date, prevailing interest rates, the liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. These securities also may take the form of debt securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, the coupons themselves or receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations or coupons.
PIK securities may be debt obligations or preferred shares that provide the issuer with the option of paying interest or dividends on such obligations in cash or in the form of additional securities rather than cash. Similar to zero coupon bonds and deferred interest bonds, PIK securities are designed to give an issuer flexibility in managing cash flow. PIK securities that are debt securities can be either senior or subordinated debt and generally trade flat (i.e., without accrued interest). The trading price of PIK debt securities generally reflects the market value of the underlying debt plus an amount representing accrued interest since the last interest payment.
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The market prices of zero coupon, deferred interest, capital appreciation bonds and PIK securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of interest bearing securities and are likely to respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than interest bearing securities having similar maturities and credit quality. Moreover, zero coupon, deferred interest, capital appreciation and PIK securities involve the additional risk that, unlike securities that periodically pay interest to maturity, a Fund will realize no cash until a specified future payment date unless a portion of such securities is sold and, if the issuer of such securities defaults, a Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. The valuation of such investments requires judgment regarding the collection of future payments. In addition, even though such securities do not provide for the payment of current interest in cash, the Funds are nonetheless required to accrue income on such investments for each taxable year and generally are required to distribute such accrued amounts (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax. Because no cash is generally received at the time of the accrual, a Fund may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund. A portion of the discount with respect to stripped tax exempt securities or their coupons may be taxable. See “TAXATION.”
Special Note Regarding Regulatory Changes and Other Market Events
Federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the Funds or the instruments in which the Funds invest, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Future legislation or regulation or other governmental actions could limit or preclude the Funds’ abilities to achieve their investment objectives or otherwise adversely impact an investment in the Funds. Furthermore, worsened market conditions, including as a result of U.S. government shutdowns or the perceived creditworthiness of the United States, could have a negative impact on securities markets.
The Funds’ investments, payment obligations and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as London Interbank Offer Rate (“LIBOR”), EURIBOR and other similar types of reference rates (each, a “Reference Rate”). On March 5, 2021, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) and ICE Benchmark Authority formally announced the dates after which the LIBORs will no longer be representative and subsequently cease publication. Certain LIBORs (e.g., all EUR and CHF LIBOR settings, the Spot Next/Overnight, 1 week, 2 month and 12 month JPY and GBP LIBOR settings, and the 1 week and 2 months US dollar LIBOR settings) will cease publication after December 31, 2021. However, the publication of certain other LIBORs (e.g., the overnight, 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, and 12 months USD LIBOR settings) will continue through at least June 30, 2023. This announcement and any additional regulatory or market changes may have an adverse impact on a Fund’s investments, performance or financial condition. Until then, the Funds may continue to invest in instruments that reference such rates or otherwise use such Reference Rates due to favorable liquidity or pricing.
In advance of the expected transition dates, regulators and market participants have worked and will seek to work together to identify or develop successor Reference Rates (e.g., the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, which is likely to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR and measures the cost of overnight borrowings through repurchase agreement transactions collateralized with U.S. Treasury securities) and how the calculation of associated spreads (if any) should be adjusted. Additionally, prior to the expected transition dates, it is expected that industry trade associations and participants will focus on the transition mechanisms by which the Reference Rates and spreads (if any) in existing contracts or instruments may be amended, whether through market-wide protocols, fallback contractual provisions, bespoke negotiations or amendments or otherwise. Nonetheless, the termination of certain Reference Rates presents risks to the Funds. At this time, it is not possible to exhaustively identify or predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of alternative Reference Rates or any other reforms to Reference Rates that may be enacted in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. The elimination of a Reference Rate or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of Reference Rates may affect the value, liquidity or return on certain Fund investments and may result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades, adversely impacting a Fund’s overall financial condition or results of operations. The impact of any successor or substitute Reference Rate, if any, will vary on an investment-by-investment basis, and any differences may be material and/or create material economic mismatches, especially if investments are used for hedging or similar purposes. In addition, although certain Fund investments may provide for a successor or substitute Reference Rate (or terms governing how to determine a successor or substitute Reference Rate) if the Reference Rate becomes unavailable, certain Fund investments may not provide such a successor or substitute Reference Rate (or terms governing how to determine a successor or substitute Reference Rate). Accordingly, there may be disputes as to: (i) any successor or substitute Reference Rate; or (ii) the enforceability of any Fund investment that does not provide such a successor or substitute Reference Rate (or terms governing how to determine a successor or substitute Reference Rate). The Investment Adviser, Goldman Sachs and/or their affiliates may have discretion to determine a successor or substitute Reference Rate, including any price or other adjustments to account for differences between the successor or substitute Reference Rate and the previous rate. The successor or substitute Reference Rate and any adjustments selected may negatively impact a Fund’s investments, performance or financial condition, including in ways unforeseen by the Investment Adviser, Goldman Sachs and/or their affiliates. In addition, any successor or substitute Reference Rate and any pricing adjustments imposed by a regulator or by counterparties or otherwise may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and/or NAV, and may expose a Fund to additional tax, accounting and regulatory risks.
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In the aftermath of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the financial sector experienced reduced liquidity in credit and other fixed income markets, and an unusually high degree of volatility, both domestically and internationally. While entire markets were impacted, issuers that had exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets were particularly affected. The instability in the financial markets led the U.S. Government to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and certain segments of the financial markets. For example, the Dodd-Frank Act, which was enacted in 2010, provides for broad regulation of financial institutions, consumer financial products and services, broker-dealers, over-the-counter derivatives, investment advisers, credit rating agencies and mortgage lending.
Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such ownership or disposition may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the Funds’ portfolio holdings.
In addition, global economies and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, and political, economic and other conditions and events (including, but not limited to, natural disasters, pandemics, epidemics, and social unrest) in one country, region, or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Furthermore, the occurrence of, among other events, natural or man-made disasters, severe weather or geological events, fires, floods, earthquakes, outbreaks of disease (such as COVID-19, avian influenza or H1N1/09), epidemics, pandemics, malicious acts, cyber-attacks, terrorist acts or the occurrence of climate change, may also adversely impact the performance of a Fund. Such events may result in, among other things, closing borders, exchange closures, health screenings, healthcare service delays, quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, lower consumer demand, market volatility and general uncertainty. Such events could adversely impact issuers, markets and economies over the short- and long-term, including in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. A Fund could be negatively impacted if the value of a portfolio holding were harmed by such political or economic conditions or events. Moreover, such negative political and economic conditions and events could disrupt the processes necessary for a Fund’s operations. See “Special Note Regarding Operational, Cyber Security and Litigation Risks” for additional information on operational risks.
Moreover, in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including, among other things, lowering interest rates. Interest rates in the United States are currently at historically low levels. During periods when interest rates are low (or negative), a Fund’s yield (or total return) may also be low and fall below zero. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from Fund performance to the extent a Fund is exposed to such interest rates and/or volatility. Certain European countries and Japan have pursued negative interest rate policies. A negative interest rate policy is an unconventional central bank monetary policy tool where nominal target interest rates are set with negative value intended to help create self-sustaining growth in the local economy. To the extent a Fund holds a debt instrument with a negative interest rate, the Fund would generate a negative return on that investment. If negative interest rates become more prevalent in the market, investors may seek to reallocate their investment to other income-producing assets, which could further reduce the value of instruments with a negative yield.
Special Note Regarding Operational, Cyber Security and Litigation Risks
An investment in a Fund may be negatively impacted because of the operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third-party service providers or trading counterparties. The use of certain investment strategies that involve manual or additional processing, such as over-the-counter derivatives, increases these risks. Although the Funds attempt to minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect a Fund or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures. A Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Each Fund is also susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. In general, cyber-attacks result from deliberate attacks, but other events may have effects similar to those caused by cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting confidential information and other data that is maintained online or digitally for financial gain, denial-of-service attacks on websites causing operational disruption, and the unauthorized release of confidential information and other data. Cyber-attacks affecting a Fund or its investment adviser, sub-adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediary or other third-party service provider may adversely impact the Fund and its shareholders. These cyber-attacks have the ability to cause significant disruptions and impact business operations; to result in financial losses; to prevent shareholders from transacting business; to interfere with the Funds’ calculation of NAV and to lead to violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage,
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reimbursement or other compensation costs and/or additional compliance costs. Similar to operational risk in general, the Funds and their service providers, including GSAM, have instituted risk management systems designed to minimize the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is a risk that these systems will not succeed (or that any remediation efforts will not be successful), especially because the Funds do not directly control the risk management systems of the service providers to the Funds, their trading counterparties or the issuers in which a Fund may invest. Moreover, there is a risk that cyber-attacks will not be detected.
The Funds may be subject to third-party litigation, which could give rise to legal liability. These matters involving the Funds may arise from their activities and investments and could have a materially adverse effect on the Funds, including the expense of defending against claims and paying any amounts pursuant to settlements or judgments. There can be no guarantee that these matters will not arise in the normal course of business. If the Funds were to be found liable in any suit or proceeding, any associated damages and/or penalties could have a materially adverse effect on the Funds’ finances, in addition to being materially damaging to their reputation.
The investment restrictions set forth below have been adopted by the Trust as fundamental policies that cannot be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the affected Fund. In addition, the policies of Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund to invest under normal market conditions at least 80% of their respective Net Assets in Municipal Securities the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax (i.e., excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes) and, in the case of the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund only, is not a tax preference item under the federal alternative minimum tax, are fundamental policies. The policy of Inflation Protected Securities Fund to invest under normal circumstances at least 80% of its Net Assets in IPS of varying maturities, including TIPS and CIPS, is a fundamental policy. The investment objective of each Fund and all other investment policies or practices of the Funds are considered by the Trust not to be fundamental and accordingly may be changed without shareholder approval. As defined in the Act, “a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of a Fund means the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of a Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund.
For the purposes of the following limitations (except for the asset coverage requirement with respect to borrowings, which is subject to different requirements under the Act), any limitation which involves a maximum percentage shall not be considered violated unless an excess over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition or encumbrance of securities or assets of, or borrowings by, a Fund. With respect to each Fund’s fundamental investment restrictions on borrowings, below, in the event that asset coverage (as defined in the Act) at any time falls below 300%, the Fund, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays) or such longer period as the SEC may prescribe by rules and regulations, will reduce the amount of its borrowings to the extent required so that the asset coverage of such borrowings will be at least 300%. With respect to the Tax Exempt Funds and the Strategic Income Fund, the identification of the issuer of a Municipal Security that is not a general obligation is made by the Investment Adviser based on the characteristics of the Municipal Security, the most important of which is the source of funds for the payment of principal and interest on such security.
Fundamental Investment Restrictions
As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
All Funds Except Inflation Protected Securities, High Yield Floating Rate, Bond, Local Emerging Markets Debt, Long Short Credit Strategies, U.S. Mortgages, High Yield Municipal, Short Duration Tax-Free, Dynamic Municipal Income and Income Funds
| (1) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities). (For the purposes of this restriction, state and municipal governments and their agencies, authorities and instrumentalities are not deemed to be industries; telephone companies are considered to be a separate industry from water, gas or electric utilities; personal credit finance companies and business credit finance companies are deemed to be separate industries; and wholly-owned finance companies are considered to be in the industry of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of their parents.) This restriction does not apply to investments in Municipal Securities which have been pre-refunded by the use of obligations of the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities; |
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Inflation Protected Securities and High Yield Floating Rate Funds
| (1) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities). (For the purposes of this restriction, state and municipal governments and their agencies, authorities and instrumentalities are not deemed to be industries; telephone companies are considered to be a separate industry from water, gas or electric utilities; personal credit finance companies and business credit finance companies are deemed to be separate industries; and wholly-owned finance companies are considered to be in the industry of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of their parents.); |
Bond Fund
| (1) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities). (For the purposes of this restriction, state and municipal governments and their agencies, authorities and instrumentalities are not deemed to be industries; telephone companies are considered to be a separate industry from water, gas or electric utilities; personal credit finance companies and business credit finance companies are deemed to be separate industries; and wholly-owned finance companies are considered to be in the industry of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of their parents.) This restriction does not apply to investments in Municipal Securities which have been pre-refunded by the use of obligations of the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities. These Municipal Securities include (a) Municipal Securities, the interest on which is paid solely from revenues of similar projects such as hospitals, electric utility systems, multi-family housing, nursing homes, commercial facilities (including hotels), steel companies or life care facilities; (b) Municipal Securities whose issuers are in the same state; and (c) industrial development obligations; |
Local Emerging Markets Debt and Long Short Credit Strategies Funds
| (1) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities); |
U.S. Mortgages Fund
| (1) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities); provided that during normal market conditions, the Fund intends to invest at least 25% of the value of its total assets in mortgage-related securities. (For the purposes of this restriction, state and municipal governments and their agencies, authorities and instrumentalities are not deemed to be industries; telephone companies are considered to be a separate industry from water, gas or electric utilities; personal credit finance companies and business credit finance companies are deemed to be separate industries; and wholly-owned finance companies are considered to be in the industry of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of their parents.) This restriction does not apply to investments in Municipal Securities which have been pre-refunded by the use of obligations of the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities; |
High Yield Municipal, Short Duration Tax-Free and Dynamic Municipal Income Funds
| (1) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities). (For the purposes of this restriction, state and municipal governments and their agencies, authorities and instrumentalities are not deemed to be industries; telephone companies are considered to be a separate industry from water, gas or electric utilities; personal credit finance companies and business credit finance companies are deemed to be separate industries; and wholly-owned finance companies are considered to be in the industry of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of their parents.) This restriction does not apply to investments in Municipal Securities which have been pre-refunded by the use of obligations of the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities. The Fund may invest |
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| 25% or more of the value of its total assets in Municipal Securities which are related in such a way that an economic, business or political development or change affecting one Municipal Security would also affect the other Municipal Securities. These Municipal Securities include (a) Municipal Securities, the interest on which is paid solely from revenues of similar projects such as hospitals, electric utility systems, multi-family housing, nursing homes, commercial facilities (including hotels), steel companies or life care facilities; (b) Municipal Securities whose issuers are in the same state; and (c) industrial development obligations; |
Income Fund
| (1) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (for the purposes of this restriction, the U.S. Government, state and municipal governments and their agencies, authorities and instrumentalities are not deemed to be industries); |
All Funds Except Emerging Markets Debt, U.S. Mortgages, Investment Grade Credit, High Yield Floating Rate, Strategic Income, Local Emerging Markets Debt, Short Duration Bond, Long Short Credit Strategies and Income Funds
| (2) | Borrow money, except (a) the Fund may borrow from banks (as defined in the Act) or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 33-1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed); (b) the Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes; (c) the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities; (d) the Fund may purchase securities on margin to the extent permitted by applicable law; and (e) the Fund may engage in transactions in mortgage dollar rolls which are accounted for as financings; |
The following interpretation applies to, but is not part of, this fundamental policy: In determining whether a particular investment in portfolio instruments or participation in portfolio transactions is subject to this borrowing policy, the accounting treatment of such instrument or participation shall be considered, but shall not by itself be determinative. Whether a particular instrument or transaction constitutes a borrowing shall be determined by the Board, after consideration of all of the relevant circumstances.
Emerging Markets Debt, U.S. Mortgages, Investment Grade Credit, High Yield Floating Rate, Strategic Income and Short Duration Bond Funds
| (2) | Borrow money, except (a) the Fund, to the extent permitted by applicable law, may borrow from banks (as defined in the Act), other affiliated investment companies and other persons or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 33-1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed); (b) the Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes; (c) the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities; (d) the Fund may purchase securities on margin to the extent permitted by applicable law; and (e) the Fund may engage in transactions in mortgage dollar rolls which are accounted for as financings; |
The following interpretation applies to, but is not part of, this fundamental policy: In determining whether a particular investment in portfolio instruments or participation in portfolio transactions is subject to this borrowing policy, the accounting treatment of such instrument or participation shall be considered, but shall not by itself be determinative. Whether a particular instrument or transaction constitutes a borrowing shall be determined by the Board, after consideration of all of the relevant circumstances.
Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund
| (2) | Borrow money, except (a) the Fund, to the extent permitted by applicable law, may borrow from banks (as defined in the Act), other affiliated investment companies and other persons or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 33-1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed); (b) the Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes; (c) the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities; and (d) the Fund may purchase securities on margin to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
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The following interpretation applies to, but is not part of, this fundamental policy: In determining whether a particular investment in portfolio instruments or participation in portfolio transactions is subject to this borrowing policy, the accounting treatment of such instrument or participation shall be considered, but shall not by itself be determinative. Whether a particular instrument or transaction constitutes a borrowing shall be determined by the Board, after consideration of all of the relevant circumstances.
Long Short Credit Strategies Fund
| (2) | Borrow money, except (a) the Fund, to the extent permitted by applicable law, may borrow from banks (as defined in the Act), other affiliated investment companies and other persons or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 33-1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) (investments in reverse repurchase agreements would not be subject to this percentage limitation if they are “covered” in accordance with the Act); (b) the Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes; (c) the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities; (d) the Fund may purchase securities on margin to the extent permitted by applicable law; and (e) the Fund may engage in transactions in mortgage dollar rolls which are accounted for as financings; |
The following interpretation applies to, but is not part of, this fundamental policy: In determining whether a particular investment in portfolio instruments or participation in portfolio transactions is subject to this borrowing policy, the accounting treatment of such instrument or participation shall be considered, but shall not by itself be determinative. Whether a particular instrument or transaction constitutes a borrowing shall be determined by the Board, after consideration of all of the relevant circumstances.
Income Fund
| (2) | Borrow money, except as permitted by the Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction. |
The following interpretation applies to, but is not part of, this fundamental policy: In determining whether a particular investment in portfolio instruments or participation in portfolio transactions is subject to this borrowing policy, the accounting treatment of such instrument or participation shall be considered, but shall not by itself be determinative. Whether a particular instrument or transaction constitutes a borrowing shall be determined by the Board, after consideration of all of the relevant circumstances;
All Funds Except Emerging Markets Debt, Local Emerging Markets Debt, U.S. Mortgages, Investment Grade Credit, High Yield Floating Rate, Strategic Income, Short Duration Bond and Income Funds
| (3) | Make loans, except through (a) the purchase of debt obligations in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies; (b) repurchase agreements with banks, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions; and (c) loans of securities as permitted by applicable law; |
Emerging Markets Debt, Local Emerging Markets Debt, U.S. Mortgages, Investment Grade Credit, High Yield Floating Rate, Strategic Income and Short Duration Bond Funds
| (3) | Make loans, except through (a) the purchase of debt obligations in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies; (b) repurchase agreements with banks, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions; (c) loans of securities as permitted by applicable law; and (d) loans to affiliates of the Fund to the extent permitted by law; |
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Long Short Credit Strategies Fund
| (3) | Make loans, except through (a) the purchase of debt obligations, loan interests and other interests or obligations in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies; (b) repurchase agreements with banks, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions; or (c) loans as permitted by applicable law or pursuant to an exemptive order granted under the Act; |
Income Fund
| (3) | Make loans, except through (a) the purchase of debt obligations, loan interests and other interests or obligations in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies; (b) repurchase agreements with banks, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions; (c) loans of securities as permitted by applicable law or pursuant to an exemptive order granted under the Act; and (d) loans to affiliates of the Fund to the extent permitted by law; |
All Funds
| (4) | Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of portfolio securities by the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriting; |
All Funds Except Core Fixed Income, Bond, Inflation Protected Securities, Long Short Credit Strategies and Income Funds
| (5) | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, although the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, securities of real estate investment trusts and mortgage-related securities and may hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities; |
Core Fixed Income, Bond and Inflation Protected Securities Funds
| (5) | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate (including real estate limited partnerships) or oil, gas or mineral leases, although the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, may purchase mortgage-related securities and may hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities; |
Long Short Credit Strategies Fund
| (5) | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, although the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, securities of issuers which invest or deal in real estate, securities of real estate investment trusts and mortgage-related securities and may hold and sell real estate it has acquired as a result of the ownership of securities; |
Income Fund
| (5) | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, although the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein or that reflect the return of an index of real estate values, securities of issuers which invest or deal in real estate, securities of real estate investment trusts and mortgage-related securities and may hold and sell real estate it has acquired as a result of the ownership of securities; |
All Funds Except Long Short Credit Strategies and Income Funds
| (6) | Invest in commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may invest in currency and financial instruments and contracts that are commodities or commodity contracts; |
Long Short Credit Strategies and Income Funds
| (6) | Invest in physical commodities, except that the Fund may invest in currency and financial instruments and contracts in accordance with its investment objective and policies, including, without limitation, structured notes, futures contracts, swaps, options on commodities, currencies, swaps and futures, ETFs, investment pools and other instruments, regardless of whether such instrument is considered to be a commodity; |
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All Funds
| (7) | Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would violate applicable law; |
All Funds Except Global Income, Local Emerging Markets Debt, High Yield Municipal, Long Short Credit Strategies and Income Funds
| (8) | Make any investment inconsistent with the Fund’s classification as a diversified company under the Act. |
The Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund were previously registered as a non-diversified investment company. Pursuant to current positions of the SEC staff, the Emerging Markets Debt Fund’s, High Yield Municipal Fund’s and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund’s classifications have changed from non-diversified to diversified, and the Funds will not be able to become non-diversified unless they seek and obtain the approval of their respective shareholders. Accordingly, the Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund may not make any investment inconsistent with their classification as a diversified company under the Act.
Each Fund may, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment restriction or policy, invest some or all of its assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof with substantially the same fundamental investment restrictions and policies as the Fund.
For purposes of the Long Short Credit Strategies Fund’s industry concentration policy, the Investment Adviser may analyze the characteristics of a particular issuer and instrument and may assign an industry classification consistent with those characteristics. The Investment Adviser may, but need not, consider industry classifications provided by third parties, and the classifications applied to Fund investments will be informed by applicable law.
With respect to the Income Fund, in applying fundamental investment restriction number (1) above to derivative transactions or instruments, including, but not limited to, futures, swaps, forwards, options and structured notes, the Fund will look to the industry of the reference asset(s) and not to the counterparty or issuer.
The Trust’s Leadership Structure
The business and affairs of the Funds are managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees (the “Board”), subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Trust’s Declaration of Trust. The Trustees are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and reviewing the actions of the Trust’s service providers. The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise each Fund’s daily business operations. Trustees who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Act are referred to as “Independent Trustees.” Trustees who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” The Board is currently composed of seven Independent Trustees and one Interested Trustee. The Board has selected an Independent Trustee to act as Chair, whose duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and its Committees, except as otherwise specified in the applicable Committee charter documents, and acting as a focal point to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of the Chair’s duties, the Chair will consult with the other Independent Trustees and the Funds’ officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.
The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least six times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. In addition, the Independent Trustees meet at least annually to review, among other things, investment management agreements, distribution (Rule 12b-1) and/or service plans and related agreements, transfer agency agreements and certain other agreements providing for the compensation of Goldman Sachs and/or its affiliates by the Funds, and to consider such other matters as they deem appropriate.
The Board has established five standing committees – Audit, Governance and Nominating, Compliance, Valuation and Contract Review Committees. The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Trustees to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section “STANDING BOARD COMMITTEES,” below.
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The Trustees have determined that the Trust’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Trustees to effectively perform their oversight responsibilities.
Trustees of the Trust
Information pertaining to the Trustees of the Trust as of July 29, 2021 is set forth below.
Independent Trustees
| Name, Address and Age1 |
Position(s) |
Term of Office |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of |
Other | |||||
| Jessica Palmer Age: 72 |
Chair of the Board of Trustees | Since 2018 (Trustee since 2007) | Ms. Palmer is retired. She was formerly Consultant, Citigroup Human Resources Department (2007–2008); Managing Director, Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking (previously, Salomon Smith Barney/Salomon Brothers) (1984–2006). Ms. Palmer was a Member of the Board of Trustees of Indian Mountain School (private elementary and secondary school) (2004–2009).
Chair of the Board of Trustees—Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. |
105 | None | |||||
| Dwight L. Bush Age: 64 |
Trustee | Since 2020 | Ambassador Bush is President and CEO of D.L. Bush & Associates (a financial advisory and private investment firm) (2002–2014 and 2017–present); Director of MoneyLion, Inc. (an operator of a datadriven, digital financial platform) (2021–present); and was formerly U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco (2014–2017) and a Member of the Board of Directors of Santander Bank, N.A. (2018–2019). Previously, Ambassador Bush served as an Advisory Board Member of Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust (October 2019–January 2020).
Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. |
105 | None | |||||
| Kathryn A. Cassidy Age: 67 |
Trustee | Since 2015 | Ms. Cassidy is retired. Formerly, she was Advisor to the Chairman (May 2014–December 2014); and Senior Vice President and Treasurer (2008–2014), General Electric Company & General Electric Capital Corporation (technology and financial services companies).
Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. |
105 | None | |||||
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| Name, Address and Age1 |
Position(s) |
Term of Office |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of |
Other | |||||
| Diana M. Daniels Age: 72 |
Trustee | Since 2007 | Ms. Daniels is retired. Formerly, she was Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, The Washington Post Company (1991–2006). Ms. Daniels is a Trustee Emeritus and serves as a Presidential Councillor of Cornell University (2013–Present); former Member of the Legal Advisory Board, New York Stock Exchange (2003–2006) and of the Corporate Advisory Board, Standish Mellon Management Advisors (2006–2007).
Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. |
105 | None | |||||
| Joaquin Delgado Age: 61 |
Trustee | Since 2020 | Dr. Delgado is retired. He is Director, Hexion Inc. (a specialty chemical manufacturer) (2019–present); and Director, Stepan Company (a specialty chemical manufacturer) (2011–present); and was formerly Executive Vice President, Consumer Business Group of 3M Company (July 2016–July 2019); and Executive Vice President, Health Care Business Group of 3M Company (October 2012–July 2016). Previously, Dr. Delgado served as an Advisory Board Member of Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust (October 2019– January 2020).
Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. |
105 | Stepan Company (a specialty chemical manufacturer) | |||||
| Roy W. Templin Age: 60 |
Trustee | Since 2013 | Mr. Templin is retired. He is Director, Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (a designer and manufacturer of ceiling and wall systems) (2016–Present); and was formerly Chairman of the Board of Directors, Con-Way Incorporated (a transportation, logistics and supply chain management service company) (2014–2015); Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Whirlpool Corporation (an appliance manufacturer and marketer) (2004–2012).
Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. |
105 | Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (a ceiling and wall systems manufacturer) | |||||
| Gregory G. Weaver Age: 69 |
Trustee | Since 2015 | Mr. Weaver is retired. He is Director, Verizon Communications Inc. (2015–Present); and was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte & Touche LLP (a professional services firm) (2001–2005 and 2012–2014); and Member of the Board of Directors, Deloitte & Touche LLP (2006–2012).
Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. |
105 | Verizon Communications, Inc. | |||||
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| Interested Trustee | ||||||||||
| Name, Address and Age1 |
Position(s) |
Term of Office |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of |
Other | |||||
| James A. McNamara* Age: 58 |
President and Trustee | Since 2007 | Advisory Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2018–Present); Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2000–December 2017); Director of Institutional Fund Sales, GSAM (April 1998–December 2000); and Senior Vice President and Manager, Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation (January 1993–April 1998).
President and Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. |
161 | None | |||||
| * | Mr. McNamara is considered to be an “Interested Trustee” because he holds positions with Goldman Sachs and owns securities issued by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Mr. McNamara holds comparable positions with certain other companies of which Goldman Sachs, GSAM or an affiliate thereof is the investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor. |
| 1 | Each Trustee may be contacted by writing to the Trustee, c/o Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, New York, 10282, Attn: Caroline Kraus. |
| 2 | Subject to such policies as may be adopted by the Board from time-to-time, each Trustee holds office for an indefinite term, until the earliest of: (a) the election of his or her successor; (b) the date the Trustee resigns or is removed by the Board or shareholders, in accordance with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust; or (c) the termination of the Trust. The Board has adopted policies which provide that each Independent Trustee shall retire as of December 31st of the calendar year in which he or she reaches (a) his or her 75th birthday or (b) the 15th anniversary of the date he or she became a Trustee, whichever is earlier, unless a waiver of such requirements shall have been adopted by a majority of the other Trustees. These policies may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder vote. |
| 3 | The Goldman Sachs Fund Complex includes certain other companies listed above for each respective Trustee. As of July 29, 2021, Goldman Sachs Trust consisted of 92 portfolios (90 of which offered shares to the public); Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust consisted of 13 portfolios; Goldman Sachs Trust II consisted of 18 portfolios (16 of which offered shares to the public); Goldman Sachs ETF Trust consisted of 35 portfolios (20 of which offered shares to the public); and Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund, Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund each consisted of one portfolio. Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund did not offer shares to the public. |
| 4 | This column includes only directorships of companies required to report to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the Act. |
The significance or relevance of a Trustee’s particular experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills is considered by the Board on an individual basis. Experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills common to all Trustees include the ability to critically review, evaluate and discuss information provided to them and to interact effectively with the other Trustees and with representatives of the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, other service providers, legal counsel and the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, the capacity to address financial and legal issues and exercise reasonable business judgment, and a commitment to the representation of the interests of the Funds and their shareholders. The Governance and Nominating Committee’s charter contains certain other factors that are considered by the Governance and Nominating Committee in identifying and evaluating potential nominees to serve as Independent Trustees. Based on each Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills, considered individually and with respect to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of other Trustees, the Board has concluded that each Trustee should serve as a Trustee. Below is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of each individual Trustee as of July 29, 2021 that led the Board to conclude that such individual should serve as a Trustee.
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Jessica Palmer. Ms. Palmer has served as a Trustee since 2007 and Chair of the Board since 2018. Ms. Palmer worked at Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking (previously, Salomon Smith Barney/Salomon Brothers) for over 20 years, where she was a Managing Director. While at Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking, Ms. Palmer was Head of Global Risk Management, Chair of the Global Commitment Committee, Co-Chair of International Investment Banking (New York) and Head of Fixed Income Capital Markets. Ms. Palmer was also a member of the Management Committee and Risk Management Operating Committee of Citigroup, Inc. Ms. Palmer was also Assistant Vice President of the International Division at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Ms. Palmer was also a member of the Board of Trustees of a private elementary and secondary school. Based on the foregoing, Ms. Palmer is experienced with financial and investment matters.
Dwight L. Bush. Ambassador Bush has served as a Trustee since 2020. Ambassador Bush also serves as President and CEO of D.L. Bush & Associates, a financial advisory and private investment firm, and Director of MoneyLion, Inc., an operator of a data-driven, digital financial platform. From 2014 to 2017, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco. Prior to his service as U.S. Ambassador, he established and served as CEO of Urban Trust Bank and UTB Education Finance, LLC, an integrated provider of education credit services. Ambassador Bush was previously Vice President of Corporate Development for SLM Corporation (commonly known as Sallie Mae). Formerly, he served as a member of the Board of Directors of Santander Bank, N.A., JER Investors Trust, a specialty real estate finance company, and as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of CASI Pharmaceuticals (formerly Entremed, Inc.) where he was Chairman of the Audit Committee. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for several philanthropic organizations, including the Middle East Investment Initiative and the American Council of Young Political Leaders, and has served on the executive committee of Cornell University. Ambassador Bush previously served on the Trust’s Advisory Board. Based on the foregoing, Ambassador Bush is experienced with financial and investment matters.
Kathryn A. Cassidy. Ms. Cassidy has served as a Trustee since 2015. Previously, Ms. Cassidy held several senior management positions at General Electric Company (“GE”) and General Electric Capital Corporation (“GECapital”) and its subsidiaries, where she worked for 35 years, most recently as Advisor to the Chairman of GECapital and Senior Vice President and Treasurer of GE and GECapital. As Senior Vice President and Treasurer, Ms. Cassidy led capital markets and treasury matters of multiple initial public offerings. Ms. Cassidy was responsible for managing global treasury operations, including global funding, hedging, derivative accounting and execution, cash and liquidity management, cash operations and treasury services, and global regulatory compliance and reporting for liquidity, derivatives, market risk and counterparty credit risk. Ms. Cassidy also serves as a Director of buildOn, a not-for-profit organization, where she serves as Chair of the Finance Committee. Based on the foregoing, Ms. Cassidy is experienced with financial and investment matters.
Diana M. Daniels. Ms. Daniels has served as a Trustee since 2007. Ms. Daniels also serves as a Trustee Emeritus and Presidential Councillor of Cornell University. Ms. Daniels held several senior management positions at The Washington Post Company and its subsidiaries, where she worked for 29 years. While at The Washington Post Company, Ms. Daniels served as Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary to the Board of Directors and Secretary to the Audit Committee. Previously, Ms. Daniels served as Vice President and General Counsel of Newsweek, Inc. Ms. Daniels has also served as Vice Chair and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Cornell University and as a member of the Corporate Advisory Board of Standish Mellon Management Advisors and of the Legal Advisory Board of New York Stock Exchange. Ms. Daniels is also a member of the American Law Institute and of the Advisory Council of the Inter-American Press Association. Based on the foregoing, Ms. Daniels is experienced with legal, financial and investment matters.
Joaquin Delgado. Dr. Delgado has served as a Trustee since 2020. Dr. Delgado is a member of the Board of Directors for Stepan Company, a publicly-traded specialty chemical manufacturer, and Hexion Inc., a privately held specialty chemical manufacturer. Previously, Dr. Delgado held several senior management positions at 3M Company, where he worked for over 30 years, most recently as Executive Vice President of 3M Company’s Consumer Business Group. As Executive Vice President, Vice President, and General Manager at 3M Company, Dr. Delgado directed mergers and acquisitions worldwide, and was responsible for managing global operations in specialized markets such as semiconductors, consumer electronics, communications, medical and office supplies and software. Dr. Delgado also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Ballet Austin, a not-for-profit organization. Additionally, he formerly served as a member of the Board of Directors of MacPhail Center for Music, a not-for-profit organization. Dr. Delgado previously served on the Trust’s Advisory Board. Based on the foregoing, Dr. Delgado is experienced with financial and investment matters.
Roy W. Templin. Mr. Templin has served as a Trustee since 2013. Mr. Templin is a member of the Board of Directors of Armstrong World Industries, Inc., a ceiling and wall systems manufacturer, where he serves as Chair of the Finance Committee and the Audit Committee, and as a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Previously, Mr. Templin served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Con-Way Incorporated, a transportation, logistics and supply-chain management services company, prior to its sale to XPO Logistics, Inc. in 2015. Mr. Templin held a number of senior management positions at Whirlpool Corporation, an appliance manufacturer and marketer, including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and Corporate Controller there. At Whirlpool, Mr. Templin served on the Executive Committee and was responsible for all aspects of finance globally, including treasury, accounting, risk management, investor relations, internal auditing, tax and facilities. Prior to joining Whirlpool, Mr. Templin served in several roles at Kimball International, a furniture and electronic assemblies manufacturer, including Vice President
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of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer. Mr. Templin is a certified public accountant and a certified management accountant. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Templin is experienced with accounting, financial and investment matters.
Gregory G. Weaver. Mr. Weaver has served as a Trustee since 2015. Mr. Weaver has been designated as the Board’s “audit committee financial expert” given his extensive accounting and finance experience. Mr. Weaver also serves as a Director of Verizon Communications Inc., where he serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. Previously, Mr. Weaver was a partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP for 30 years. He was the firm’s first chairman and chief executive officer from 2001–2005, and was elected to serve a second term (2012–2014). While serving as chairman at Deloitte & Touche LLP, Mr. Weaver led the audit and enterprise risk services practice, overseeing all operations, strategic positioning, audit quality, and talent matters. Mr. Weaver also served as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors for six years where he served on the Governance Committee and Partner Earnings and Benefits Committee and was chairman of the Elected Leaders Committee and Strategic Investment Committee. Mr. Weaver is also a Board member and Audit Committee chair of the YMCA of Westfield, New Jersey. Mr. Weaver has also served as President of the Council of Boy Scouts of America in Long Rivers, Connecticut, President of A Better Chance in Glastonbury, Connecticut, as a member of the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council and as a board member of the Stan Ross Department of Accountancy, Baruch College. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Weaver is experienced with accounting, financial and investment matters.
James A. McNamara. Mr. McNamara has served as a Trustee and President of the Trust since 2007 and has served as an officer of the Trust since 2001. Mr. McNamara is an Advisory Director to Goldman Sachs. Prior to retiring as Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in 2017, Mr. McNamara was head of Global Third Party Distribution at GSAM and was previously head of U.S. Third Party Distribution. Prior to that role, Mr. McNamara served as Director of Institutional Fund Sales. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Mr. McNamara was Vice President and Manager at Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation. Based on the foregoing, Mr. McNamara is experienced with financial and investment matters.
Officers of the Trust
Information pertaining to the officers of the Trust as of September 24, 2021 is set forth below.
| Name, Age and Address |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years | |||
| James A. McNamara 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 58 |
Trustee and President |
Since 2007 | Advisory Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2018 – Present); Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2000 – December 2017); Director of Institutional Fund Sales, GSAM (April 1998 – December 2000); and Senior Vice President and Manager, Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation (January 1993 – April 1998).
President and Trustee—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Joseph F. DiMaria 30 Hudson Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 Age: 53 |
Treasurer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer | Since 2017 (Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer since 2019) | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (November 2015 – Present) and Vice President – Mutual Fund Administration, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (May 2010 – October 2015).
Treasurer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer—Goldman Sachs Trust (previously Assistant Treasurer (2016)); Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust (previously Assistant Treasurer (2016)); Goldman Sachs Trust II (previously Assistant Treasurer (2017)); Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund (previously Assistant Treasurer (2017)); Goldman Sachs ETF Trust (previously Assistant Treasurer (2017)); Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
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| Name, Age and Address |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years | |||
| Julien Yoo 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 50 |
Chief Compliance Officer | Since 2019 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2020–Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (December 2014–December 2019); and Vice President, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2005–2010).
Chief Compliance Officer—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit LLC; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit II LLC; Goldman Sachs Middle Market Lending Corp.; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Peter W. Fortner 30 Hudson Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 Age: 63 |
Assistant Treasurer | Since 2000 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (July 2000–Present); Principal Accounting Officer and Treasurer, Commerce Bank Mutual Fund Complex (2008–Present); Treasurer of Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund (2019–Present); and Treasurer of Ayco Charitable Foundation (2020-Present).
Assistant Treasurer—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Allison Fracchiolla 30 Hudson Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 Age: 38 |
Assistant Treasurer | Since 2014 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (January 2013–Present).
Assistant Treasurer—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Tyler Hanks 222 S. Main St Salt Lake City, UT 84101 Age: 39 |
Assistant Treasurer |
Since 2019 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (January 2016—Present); and Associate, Goldman Sachs (January 2014—January 2016).
Assistant Treasurer—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Kirsten Frivold Imohiosen 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 51 |
Assistant Treasurer |
Since 2019 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2018–Present); and Vice President, Goldman Sachs (May 1999–December 2017).
Assistant Treasurer—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit LLC; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit II LLC; Goldman Sachs Middle Market Lending Corp.; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Steven Z. Indich 30 Hudson Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 Age: 52 |
Assistant Treasurer |
Since 2019 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (February 2010 – Present).
Assistant Treasurer—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit LLC; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit II LLC; Goldman Sachs Middle Market Lending Corp.; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
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| Name, Age and Address |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years | |||
| Carol Liu 30 Hudson Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 Age: 46 |
Assistant Treasurer |
Since 2019 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (October 2017 – Present); Tax Director, The Raine Group LLC (August 2015 – October 2017); and Tax Director, Icon Investments LLC (January 2012 – August 2015).
Assistant Treasurer—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit LLC; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit II LLC; Goldman Sachs Middle Market Lending Corp.; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Christopher Bradford 30 Hudson Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 Age: 39 |
Vice President | Since 2020 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (January 2014–Present).
Vice President—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund. | |||
| Kenneth Cawley 71 South Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606 Age: 51 |
Vice President | Since 2021 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2017 – Present), Vice President (December 1999–2017); Associate (December 1996–December 1999); Associate, Discover Financial (August 1994–December 1996).
Vice President—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; and Goldman Sachs Trust II. | |||
| TP Enders 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 52 |
Vice President | Since 2021 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2012 – Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (April 2004 – December 2011).
Vice President—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Frank Murphy 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 47 |
Vice President | Since 2019 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2015 – Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2003 – 2014); Associate, Goldman Sachs (2001 – 2002); and Analyst, Goldman Sachs (1999 – 2001).
Vice President—Goldman Sachs Trust; and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. | |||
| Kelli Stauffer 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 46 |
Vice President | Since 2021 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2005 – Present).
Vice President—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; and Goldman Sachs Trust II. | |||
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| Name, Age and Address |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years | |||
| Caroline L. Kraus 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 44 |
Secretary | Since 2012 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2016–Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (August 2006–December 2015); Senior Counsel, Goldman Sachs (January 2020–Present); Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (2012–December 2019); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (August 2006–December 2011); and Associate, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP (2002–2006).
Secretary—Goldman Sachs Trust (previously Assistant Secretary (2012)); Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust (previously Assistant Secretary (2012)); Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit LLC; Goldman Sachs Private Middle Market Credit II LLC; Goldman Sachs Middle Market Lending Corp.; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| David A. Fishman 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 56 |
Assistant Secretary | Since 2001 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December 2001 – Present); and Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1997 – December 2001).
Assistant Secretary—Goldman Sachs Trust; and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. | |||
| Robert Griffith 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 46 |
Assistant Secretary | Since 2011 | Vice President, Goldman Sachs (August 2011 – Present); Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (December 2014 – Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (August 2011 – December 2014); Vice President and Counsel, Nomura Holding America, Inc. (2010 – 2011); and Associate, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (2005 – 2010).
Assistant Secretary—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; Goldman Sachs Trust II; Goldman Sachs MLP and Energy Renaissance Fund; Goldman Sachs ETF Trust; Goldman Sachs Credit Income Fund; and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. | |||
| Shaun Cullinan 200 West Street New York, NY 10282 Age: 41 |
Assistant Secretary | Since 2018 | Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2018 – Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2009 – 2017); Associate, Goldman Sachs (2006 – 2008); Analyst, Goldman Sachs (2004 – 2005).
Assistant Secretary—Goldman Sachs Trust; Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust; and Goldman Sachs Trust II. | |||
| 1 | Officers hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Each officer holds comparable positions with certain other companies of which Goldman Sachs, GSAM or an affiliate thereof is the investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor. |
Standing Board Committees
The Audit Committee oversees the audit process and provides assistance to the Board with respect to fund accounting, tax compliance and financial statement matters. In performing its responsibilities, the Audit Committee selects and recommends annually to the Board an independent registered public accounting firm to audit the books and records of the Trust for the ensuing year, and reviews with the firm the scope and results of each audit. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Audit Committee and Mr. Weaver serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee held six meetings during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021.
The Governance and Nominating Committee has been established to: (i) assist the Board in matters involving mutual fund governance, which includes making recommendations to the Board with respect to the effectiveness of the Board in carrying out its responsibilities in governing the Funds and overseeing their management; (ii) select and nominate candidates for appointment or election to serve as Independent Trustees and work to retain high-performing Independent Trustees; and (iii) advise the Board on ways to improve
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its effectiveness. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Governance and Nominating Committee. The Governance and Nominating Committee held four meetings during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. As stated above, each Trustee holds office for an indefinite term until the occurrence of certain events. In filling Board vacancies, the Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Nominee recommendations should be submitted to the Trust at its mailing address stated in the Funds’ Prospectuses and should be directed to the attention of the Goldman Sachs Trust Governance and Nominating Committee.
The Compliance Committee has been established for the purpose of overseeing the compliance processes: (i) of the Funds; and (ii) insofar as they relate to services provided to the Funds, of the Funds’ Investment Adviser, Distributor, administrator (if any), and Transfer Agent, except that compliance processes relating to the accounting and financial reporting processes, and certain related matters, are overseen by the Audit Committee. In addition, the Compliance Committee provides assistance to the full Board with respect to compliance matters. The Compliance Committee met six times during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Compliance Committee.
The Valuation Committee is authorized to act for the Board in connection with the valuation of portfolio securities held by the Funds in accordance with the Trust’s Valuation Procedures. Messrs. McNamara and DiMaria serve on the Valuation Committee. The Valuation Committee met 12 times during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021.
The Contract Review Committee has been established for the purpose of overseeing the processes of the Board for reviewing and monitoring performance under the Funds’ investment management, distribution, transfer agency, and certain other agreements with the Funds’ Investment Advisers and their affiliates. The Contract Review Committee is also responsible for overseeing the Board’s processes for considering and reviewing performance under the operation of the Funds’ distribution, service, shareholder administration and other plans, and any agreements related to the plans, whether or not such plans and agreements are adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act. The Contract Review Committee also provides appropriate assistance to the Board in connection with the Board’s approval, oversight and review of the Funds’ other service providers including, without limitation, the Funds’ custodian/fund accounting agent, sub-transfer agents, professional (legal and accounting) firms and printing firms. The Contract Review Committee met two times during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Contract Review Committee.
Risk Oversight
The Board is responsible for the oversight of the activities of the Funds, including oversight of risk management. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Funds is the responsibility of GSAM or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to supervision by GSAM. The risks of the Funds include, but are not limited to, liquidity risk, investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Each of GSAM and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management may differ from the Funds and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result, the Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Funds or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate all of their occurrences or effects because some risks are simply beyond the control of the Funds or GSAM, its affiliates or other service providers.
The Board effectuates its oversight role primarily through regular and special meetings of the Board and Board committees. In certain cases, risk management issues are specifically addressed in reports, presentations and discussions. For example, on an annual basis, GSAM will provide the Board with a written report that addresses the operation, adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s liquidity risk management program, which is designed to assess and manage the Funds’ liquidity risk. GSAM also has a risk management team that assists GSAM in managing investment risk. Representatives from the risk management team meet regularly with the Board to discuss their analysis and methodologies. In addition, investment risk is discussed in the context of regular presentations to the Board on Fund strategy and performance. Other types of risk are addressed as part of presentations on related topics (e.g. compliance policies) or in the context of presentations focused specifically on one or more risks. The Board also receives reports from GSAM management on operational risks, reputational risks and counterparty risks relating to the Funds.
Board oversight of risk management is also performed by various Board committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with both the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm and GSAM’s internal audit group to review risk controls in place that support the Funds as well as test results, and the Compliance Committee meets with the CCO and representatives of GSAM’s compliance group to review testing results of the Funds’ compliance policies and procedures and other compliance issues. Board oversight of risk is also performed as needed between meetings through communications between GSAM and the Board. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Fund’s investments or activities.
B-100
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares
The following table shows the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee (then serving) in the Funds and other portfolios of the Goldman Sachs Fund Complex as of December 31, 2020, unless otherwise noted.
| Name of Trustee |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds1 |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen By Trustee | ||
| Jessica Palmer | Dynamic Municipal Income Fund: Over $100,000 Long Short Credit Strategies Fund: Over $100,000 |
Over $100,000 | ||
| Dwight L. Bush | None | None | ||
| Kathryn A. Cassidy | Dynamic Municipal Income Fund: $50,001-$100,000 Inflation Protected Securities Fund: $50,001-$100,000 High Yield Fund: Over $100,000 |
Over $100,000 | ||
| Diana M. Daniels | Dynamic Municipal Income Fund: Over $100,000 Inflation Protected Securities Fund: $50,001-$100,000 Long Short Credit Strategies Fund: $1-$10,000 Short Duration Tax-Free Fund: Over $100,000 |
Over $100,000 | ||
| Joaquin Delgado | Dynamic Municipal Income Fund: $50,001-$100,000 Bond Fund: $10,001-$50,000 |
Over $100,000 | ||
| James A. McNamara | High Yield Municipal Fund: Over $100,000 High Yield Floating Rate Fund: Over $100,000 Strategic Income Fund: Over $100,000 |
Over $100,000 | ||
| Roy W. Templin | Short Duration Tax-Free Fund: Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | ||
| Gregory G. Weaver | None | Over $100,000 |
| 1 | Includes the value of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in each Fund described in this SAI. |
As of June 30, 2021, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of each class of each Fund, except for the Long Short Credit Strategies Fund. As of June 30, 2021, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group owned approximately 1.21% of the Long Short Credit Strategies Fund’s Institutional Shares.
Board Compensation
Each Independent Trustee is compensated with a unitary annual fee for his or her services as a Trustee of the Trust and as a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee, Compliance Committee, Contract Review Committee, and Audit Committee. The Chair and “audit committee financial expert” receive additional compensation for their services. The Independent Trustees are also reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred in connection with attending meetings. The Trust may also pay the reasonable incidental costs of a Trustee to attend training or other types of conferences relating to the investment company industry.
B-101
The following tables set forth certain information with respect to the compensation of each Trustee of the Trust for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021:
Trustee Compensation
| Name of Trustee |
Enhanced Income |
High Quality Floating Rate |
Short Duration Government |
Short Duration Tax-Free |
Government Income |
Dynamic Municipal Income |
U.S. Mortgages |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Jessica Palmer1 |
$ | 3,917 | $ | 3,809 | $ | 4,037 | $ | 6,710 | $ | 3,842 | $ | 6,175 | $ | 3,852 | ||||||||||||||
| Dwight L. Bush |
2,614 | 2,542 | 2,694 | 4,478 | 2,564 | 4,121 | 2,571 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn A. Cassidy |
2,614 | 2,542 | 2,694 | 4,478 | 2,564 | 4,121 | 2,571 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Diana M. Daniels |
2,614 | 2,542 | 2,694 | 4,478 | 2,564 | 4,121 | 2,571 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Joaquin Delgado |
2,614 | 2,542 | 2,694 | 4,478 | 2,564 | 4,121 | 2,571 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| James A. McNamara2 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Roy W. Templin |
2,614 | 2,542 | 2,694 | 4,478 | 2,564 | 4,121 | 2,571 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gregory G. Weaver3 |
3,066 | 2,981 | 3,160 | 5,252 | 3,007 | 4,834 | 3,016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Trustee |
Core Fixed Income |
Bond | Short Duration Bond |
Investment Grade Credit |
Global Core Fixed Income |
High Yield Municipal |
High Yield |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Jessica Palmer1 |
$ | 4,291 | $ | 3,889 | $ | 4,292 | $ | 3,915 | $ | 3,941 | $ | 6,397 | $ | 4,346 | ||||||||||||||
| Dwight L. Bush |
2,863 | 2,595 | 2,864 | 2,613 | 2,630 | 4,269 | 2,900 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn A. Cassidy |
2,863 | 2,595 | 2,864 | 2,613 | 2,630 | 4,269 | 2,900 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Diana M. Daniels |
2,863 | 2,595 | 2,864 | 2,613 | 2,630 | 4,269 | 2,900 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Joaquin Delgado |
2,863 | 2,595 | 2,864 | 2,613 | 2,630 | 4,269 | 2,900 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| James A. McNamara2 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Roy W. Templin |
2,863 | 2,595 | 2,864 | 2,613 | 2,630 | 4,269 | 2,900 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gregory G. Weaver3 |
3,359 | 3,044 | 3,360 | 3,065 | 3,085 | 5,007 | 3,402 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Trustee |
High Yield Floating Rate |
Strategic Income |
Emerging Markets Debt |
Inflation Protected Securities |
Local Emerging Markets Debt |
Long Short Credit Strategies |
Income | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Jessica Palmer1 |
$ | 4,150 | $ | 4,036 | $ | 4,124 | $ | 3,878 | $ | 3,769 | $ | 3,778 | $ | 3,769 | ||||||||||||||
| Dwight L. Bush |
2,769 | 2,693 | 2,752 | 2,588 | 2,515 | 2,521 | 2,515 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn A. Cassidy |
2,769 | 2,693 | 2,752 | 2,588 | 2,515 | 2,521 | 2,515 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Diana M. Daniels |
2,769 | 2,693 | 2,752 | 2,588 | 2,515 | 2,521 | 2,515 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Joaquin Delgado |
2,769 | 2,693 | 2,752 | 2,588 | 2,515 | 2,521 | 2,515 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| James A. McNamara2 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Roy W. Templin |
2,769 | 2,693 | 2,752 | 2,588 | 2,515 | 2,521 | 2,515 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gregory G. Weaver3 |
3,248 | 3,159 | 3,228 | 3,036 | 2,950 | 2,957 | 2,950 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Trustee |
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of the Trust’s Expenses |
Total Compensation From Fund Complex (including the Funds)4 |
||||||
| Jessica Palmer1 |
$ | 0 | $ | 511,000 | ||||
| Dwight L. Bush |
0 | 341,000 | ||||||
| Kathryn A. Cassidy |
0 | 341,000 | ||||||
| Diana M. Daniels |
0 | 341,000 | ||||||
| Joaquin Delgado |
0 | 341,000 | ||||||
| James A. McNamara2 |
— | — | ||||||
| Roy W. Templin |
0 | 341,000 | ||||||
| Gregory G. Weaver3 |
0 | 397,750 | ||||||
| 1 | Includes compensation as Board Chair. |
| 2 | Mr. McNamara is an Interested Trustee, and as such, receives no compensation from the Funds or the Goldman Sachs Fund Complex. |
| 3 | Includes compensation as “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in Item 3 of Form N-CSR. |
| 4 | Represents fees paid to each Trustee during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 from the Goldman Sachs Fund Complex. |
B-102
Miscellaneous
The Trust, its Investment Advisers and principal underwriter have adopted codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the Act that permit personnel subject to their particular codes of ethics to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds.
As stated in the Funds’ Prospectuses, GSAM, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, serves as the Investment Adviser to each Fund, except the Global Core Fixed Income Fund, pursuant to Management Agreements. GSAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and an affiliate of Goldman Sachs. Prior to the end of April, 2003, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, a business unit of the Investment Management Division of Goldman Sachs served as the investment adviser to the Enhanced Income Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund and High Yield Fund. On or about April 26, 2003, GSAM assumed investment advisory responsibilities for those Funds. GSAMI, Procession House, Christchurch Court, 10-15 Newgate Street, London, England EC1A7HD, an affiliate of Goldman Sachs, serves as Investment Adviser to Global Core Fixed Income Fund pursuant to Management Agreements. As a company with unlimited liability under the laws of England, GSAMI is regulated by the Investment Management Regulatory Organization Limited, a United Kingdom self-regulatory organization, in the conduct of its investment advisory business. GSAMI is also an affiliate of Goldman Sachs. See “Service Providers” in the Funds’ Prospectuses for a description of the applicable Investment Adviser’s duties to the Funds.
Founded in 1869, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a publicly-held financial holding company and a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Goldman Sachs is a leader in developing portfolio strategies and in many fields of investing and financing, participating in financial markets worldwide and serving individuals, institutions, corporations and governments. Goldman Sachs is also among the principal market sources for current and thorough information on companies, industrial sectors, markets, economies and currencies, and trades and makes markets in a wide range of equity and debt securities 24 hours a day. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in countries throughout the world. It has trading professionals throughout the United States, as well as in London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Seoul, Sao Paulo and other major financial centers around the world. The active participation of Goldman Sachs in the world’s financial markets enhances its ability to identify attractive investments. Goldman Sachs has agreed to permit the Funds to use the name “Goldman Sachs” or a derivative thereof as part of each Fund’s name for as long as each Fund’s Management Agreement (as described below) is in effect.
The Management Agreements provide that GSAM and GSAMI, in their capacity as Investment Advisers, may each render similar services to others so long as the services under the Management Agreements are not impaired thereby. The Funds’ Management Agreements were most recently approved by the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to such agreement or “interested persons” (as such term is defined in the Act) of any party thereto (the “non-interested Trustees”), on June 15-16, 2021 with respect to the Funds. These management arrangements were last approved by the shareholders of the Funds then in existence on April 21, 1997. The management arrangements for those Funds which commenced investment operations after April 21, 1997 were last approved by the initial sole shareholder of each such Fund prior to the Fund’s commencement of operations. A discussion regarding the Trustees’ basis for approving the Management Agreements for each Fund in 2021 will be available in the Funds’ semi-annual reports for the period ended September 30, 2021.
Each Management Agreement will remain in effect until June 30, 2022, and will continue in effect with respect to each Fund from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually as set forth in the Management Agreement.
Each Management Agreement will terminate automatically if assigned (as defined in the Act). Each Management Agreement is also terminable at any time without penalty by the Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the applicable Investment Adviser and by the Investment Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Trust.
Pursuant to the Management Agreements, the Investment Advisers are entitled to receive the fees set forth below, payable monthly based on each respective Fund’s average daily net assets. Also included below are the actual management fee rates paid by each Fund (after reflection of any management fee waivers, as described in the Funds’ prospectuses and below) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. The Actual Rate may not correlate to the Contractual Rate as a result of any management fee waivers that may be in effect from time to time.
B-103
| Fund |
Contractual Rate |
Actual Rate for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021 | ||
| GSAM-Advised Funds |
||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
0.25% on the first $1 billion | 0.24% | ||
| 0.23% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.22% over $2 billion | ||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
0.31% on the first $1 billion | 0.31% | ||
| 0.28% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.27% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.26% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.25% over $8 billion | ||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
0.44% on the first $1 billion | 0.42% | ||
| 0.40% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.38% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.37% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.36% over $8 billion | ||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
0.39% on the first $1 billion | 0.34% | ||
| 0.35% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.33% on the next $6 billion | ||||
| 0.32% over $8 billion | ||||
| Government Income Fund |
0.53% on the first $1 billion | 0.47% | ||
| 0.48% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.45% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.44% over $5 billion | ||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
0.40% on the first $1 billion | 0.35% | ||
| 0.36% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.34% on the next $6 billion | ||||
| 0.33% over $8 billion | ||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
0.34% on the first $1 billion | 0.34% | ||
| 0.31% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.29% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.28% over $5 billion | ||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
0.40% on the first $1 billion | 0.31% | ||
| 0.36% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.34% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.33% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.32% over $8 billion | ||||
| Bond Fund |
0.41% on the first $1 billion | 0.40% | ||
| 0.37% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.35% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.34% over $5 billion | ||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
0.40% on the first $1 billion 0.36% on the next $1 billion |
0.36% | ||
| 0.34% on the next $3 billion 0.33% on the next $3 billion 0.32% over $8 billion |
||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
0.34% on the first $1 billion | 0.34% | ||
| 0.31% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.29% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.28% over $5 billion | ||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
0.55% on the first $2 billion | 0.50% | ||
| 0.50% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.48% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.47% over $8 billion | ||||
| High Yield Fund |
0.70% on the first $2 billion | 0.70% | ||
| 0.63% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.60% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.59% over $8 billion | ||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
0.60% on the first $1 billion | 0.58% | ||
| 0.54% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.51% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.50% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.49% over $8 billion |
B-104
| Fund |
Contractual Rate |
Actual Rate for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021 | ||
| Strategic Income Fund |
0.60% on the first $1 billion | 0.59% | ||
| 0.54% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.51% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.50% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.49% over $8 billion | ||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
0.80% on the first $2 billion | 0.80% | ||
| 0.72% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.68% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.67% over $8 billion | ||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
0.80% on the first $2 billion | 0.79% | ||
| 0.72% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.68% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.67% over $8 billion | ||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
0.26% on the first $1 billion | 0.26% | ||
| 0.23% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.22% on the next $6 billion | ||||
| 0.21% over $8 billion | ||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
1.00% on the first $1 billion | 0.99% | ||
| 0.90% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.86% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.84% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.82% over $8 billion | ||||
| Income Fund |
0.55% on the first $1 billion | 0.54% | ||
| 0.50% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.47% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.46% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.45% over $8 billion | ||||
| GSAMI-Advised Fund |
||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
0.65% on the first $1 billion | 0.64% | ||
| 0.59% on the next $1 billion | ||||
| 0.56% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.55% on the next $3 billion | ||||
| 0.54% over $8 billion |
The Investment Adviser has agreed to waive a portion of its management fees payable by the Enhanced Income Fund, Government Income Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund and U.S. Mortgages Fund in an amount equal to any management fees it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated funds in which the Funds invest, except those management fees it earns from the High Yield Floating Rate Fund’s investments of cash collateral received in connection with securities lending transactions in affiliated funds. The Investment Adviser has also agreed to (i) waive a portion of its management fee in order to achieve an effective net management fee rate of 0.33% and 0.55% as an annual percentage rate of the average daily net assets of the Core Fixed Income Fund and Global Core Fixed Income Fund, respectively; and (ii) waive a portion of its management fee equal to 0.03% of the average daily net assets of the Government Income Fund. These fee waiver arrangements will remain in effect through at least July 29, 2022 and prior to such date the Investment Adviser may not terminate the arrangements without the approval of the Board of Trustees. These management fee waivers may be modified or terminated by the Investment Adviser at its discretion and without shareholder approval after such date, although the Investment Adviser does not presently intend to do so. Where the application of the above contractual management fee breakpoint schedule would result in a lower management fee rate, the breakpoint schedule would be applied to the Fund’s assets.
In the absence of fee waivers, the effective management fee rates for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 for the Bond Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Enhanced Income Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, Government Income Fund, Income Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, and Strategic Income Fund would have been equal to 0.41%, 0.38%, 0.25%, 0.65%, 0.53%, 0.55%, 0.80%, 1.00%, 0.44%, 0.38% and 0.60%, respectively.
B-105
In addition to the management fee waivers described above, the Investment Adviser may waive an additional portion of its management fees from time to time, including any management fees it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated funds in which the Funds invest, and may discontinue or modify any such waivers in the future, consistent with the terms of any fee waiver arrangements in place.
For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, March 31, 2020, and March 31, 2019, the amounts of the fees (net of fee waivers, as applicable) incurred by each Fund then in existence under its Management Agreement were as follows:
| Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2021 |
Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2020 |
Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2019 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fund |
Without Fee Waivers |
With Fee Waivers |
Without Fee Waivers |
With Fee Waivers |
Without Fee Waivers |
With Fee Waivers |
||||||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 1,381,734 | $ | 1,316,573 | $ | 1,237,244 | $ | 1,210,360 | $ | 1,416,747 | $ | 1,380,105 | ||||||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
682,101 | 682,101 | 1,127,801 | 1,127,801 | 2,262,919 | 2,262,919 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
4,375,230 | 4,137,122 | 3,979,149 | 3,965,360 | 4,187,088 | 4,170,348 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
32,942,637 | 32,942,637 | 25,163,172 | 25,163,172 | 19,404,750 | 19,404,750 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
1,847,858 | 1,655,473 | 1,604,956 | 1,566,279 | 1,764,560 | 1,738,537 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
28,531,010 | 28,531,010 | 23,734,341 | 23,734,341 | 10,350,411 | 10,104,097 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
6,950,087 | 5,721,715 | 4,633,774 | 4,168,864 | 4,307,159 | 4,257,729 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
6,434,182 | 6,116,867 | 3,142,984 | 3,126,144 | 2,396,166 | 2,386,968 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
4,429,440 | 4,358,641 | 4,400,197 | 4,334,329 | 4,065,367 | 4,041,341 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
44,468,309 | 44,468,309 | 42,067,959 | 42,067,959 | 31,151,206 | 31,151,206 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
14,378,040 | 14,338,238 | 15,581,887 | 15,486,553 | 16,733,732 | 16,678,775 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
7,902,545 | 7,799,450 | 11,758,850 | 11,694,673 | 20,011,411 | 19,737,446 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
6,130,005 | 6,037,276 | 8,404,191 | 8,264,926 | 17,478,726 | 17,416,088 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
10,409,723 | 10,348,506 | 12,037,629 | 11,998,412 | 16,896,762 | 16,827,272 | ||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
1,292,895 | 1,273,800 | 1,581,887 | 1,548,328 | 1,606,320 | 1,560,623 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
2,067,720 | 2,059,943 | 1,723,338 | 1,714,655 | 1,327,327 | 1,322,813 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
1,157,295 | 1,140,263 | 1,004,801 | 995,782 | 1,018,605 | 990,159 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
667,334 | 660,355 | 1,099,280 | 1,093,888 | 2,197,350 | 2,168,852 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
1,111,633 | 1,102,712 | 1,105,263 | 1,094,034 | 1,823,153 | 1,809,572 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
2,021,435 | 1,975,324 | 1,850,710 | 1,816,398 | 2,083,133 | 2,074,204 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income Fund* |
409,201 | 404,301 | 44,983 | 44,800 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| * | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
Unless required to be performed by others pursuant to agreements with the Funds, each Investment Adviser also performs certain administrative services for the applicable Funds under the Management Agreement. Such administrative services include, subject to the general supervision of the Trustees of the Trust, (i) providing supervision of all aspects of the Funds’ non-investment operations; (ii) providing the Funds with personnel to perform such executive, administrative and clerical services as are reasonably necessary to provide effective administration of the Funds; (iii) arranging for, at the Funds’ expense, the preparation of all of the Funds’ required tax returns, the preparation and submission of reports to existing shareholders, the periodic updating of the Funds’ prospectuses and statement of additional information, and the preparation of reports filed with the SEC and other regulatory authorities; (iv) maintaining all of the Funds’ records; and (v) providing the Funds with adequate office space and all necessary office equipment and services.
Legal Proceedings. On October 22, 2020, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. announced a settlement of matters involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd. (1MDB), a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, with the United States Department of Justice as well as criminal and civil authorities in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong. Further information regarding the 1MDB settlement can be found at https://www.goldmansachs.com/media-relations/press-releases/current/goldman-sachs-2020-10-22.html. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. previously entered into a settlement agreement with the Government of Malaysia and 1MDB to resolve all criminal and regulatory proceedings in Malaysia relating to 1MDB.
The Investment Advisers, Goldman Sachs and certain of their affiliates have received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit them to continue serving as investment advisers and principal underwriter for U.S.-registered investment companies.
Portfolio Managers – Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers
The following table discloses other accounts within each type of category listed below for which the portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for day to day portfolio management (unless otherwise noted, the information below is provided as of March 31, 2021).
B-106
For each portfolio manager listed below, the total number of accounts managed is a reflection of accounts within the strategy they oversee or manage, as well as accounts which participate in the sector in which they manage. There are multiple portfolio managers involved with each account.
| Number of Accounts Managed and Total Assets by Account Type | Number of Accounts and Total Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance Based |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts | Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Portfolio Manager |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Olivo |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dave Fishman |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Olivo |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dave Fishman |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Olivo |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dave Fishman |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Municipal Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sylvia Yeh |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scott Diamond |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph Wenzel |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michael Swell |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matthew Kaiser |
35 | 19,017 | 26 | 19,804 | 3,502 | 276,472 | — | — | 20 | 3,444 | 6 | 6,178 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter Stone |
48 | 23,847 | 102 | 36,897 | 6,144 | 322,091 | — | — | 34 | 9,836 | 26 | 15,210 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Municipal Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sylvia Yeh |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scott Diamond |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph Wenzel |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Christopher Hogan |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matthew Kaiser |
35 | 19,017 | 26 | 19,804 | 3,502 | 276,472 | — | — | 20 | 3,444 | 6 | 6,178 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income– Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ashish Shah |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michael Swell |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
B-107
| Number of Accounts Managed and Total Assets by Account Type | Number of Accounts and Total Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance Based | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts | Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Portfolio Manager |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) | ||||||||||||
| Core Fund Fixed Income |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income– Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ashish Shah |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Michael Swell |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income– Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ashish Shah |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Michael Swell |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income– Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dave Fishman |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||
| John Olivo |
21 | 344,250 | 178 | 220,367 | 299 | 82,041 | — | — | 3 | 110 | 2 | 3,061 | ||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income– Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ben Johnson |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income– Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simon Dangoor |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Hugh Briscoe |
9 | 2,550 | 38 | 6,579 | 2,535 | 13,660 | — | — | 4 | 94 | 12 | 5,950 | ||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Municipal Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sylvia Yeh |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||
| Scott Diamond |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||
| Joseph Wenzel |
58 | 385,112 | 197 | 229,171 | 24,408 | 336,083 | — | — | 21 | 4,065 | 7 | 4,543 | ||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–High Yield Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Robert Magnuson |
34 | 11,228 | 98 | 25,940 | 5,340 | 233,229 | — | — | 27 | 7,548 | 23 | 9,261 | ||||||||||||
| Lori Pomerantz |
59 | 30,064 | 108 | 39,489 | 8,562 | 434,861 | — | — | 33 | 7,785 | 26 | 12,616 | ||||||||||||
| Ashish Shah |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–High Yield Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter Campo |
59 | 28,642 | 112 | 38,872 | 8,486 | 423,629 | — | — | 33 | 7,665 | 26 | 12,526 | ||||||||||||
| Lori Pomerantz |
59 | 30,064 | 108 | 39,489 | 8,562 | 434,861 | — | — | 33 | 7,785 | 26 | 12,616 | ||||||||||||
| Ashish Shah |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income– Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samuel Finkelstein |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Ricardo Penfold |
47 | 23,494 | 102 | 36,897 | 6,097 | 288,073 | — | — | 31 | 9,621 | 25 | 12,943 | ||||||||||||
| Kay Haigh |
47 | 23,494 | 102 | 36,897 | 6,097 | 288,073 | — | — | 31 | 9,621 | 25 | 12,943 | ||||||||||||
B-108
| Number of Accounts Managed and Total Assets by Account Type | Number of Accounts and Total Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance Based | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts | Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Portfolio Manager |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) |
Number of Accounts |
Assets Managed (mm) | ||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matthew Kaiser |
35 | 19,017 | 26 | 19,804 | 3,502 | 276,472 | — | — | 20 | 3,444 | 6 | 6,178 | ||||||||||||
| Peter Stone |
48 | 23,847 | 102 | 36,897 | 6,144 | 322,091 | — | — | 34 | 9,836 | 26 | 15,210 | ||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samuel Finkelstein |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Ricardo Penfold |
47 | 23,494 | 102 | 36,897 | 6,097 | 288,073 | — | — | 31 | 9,621 | 25 | 12,943 | ||||||||||||
| Kay Haigh |
47 | 23,494 | 102 | 36,897 | 6,097 | 288,073 | — | — | 31 | 9,621 | 25 | 12,943 | ||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opportunistic Corporate Credit Portfolio Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aakash Thombre |
18 | 7,197 | 47 | 13,809 | 2,462 | 159,474 | — | — | 6 | 3,460 | 8 | 2,375 | ||||||||||||
| Ashish Shah |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Michael McGuiness |
10 | 5678 | 25 | 5369 | 154 | 10036 | — | — | 3 | 2497 | 2 | 647 | ||||||||||||
| Income Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income–Investment Management Team |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ashish Shah |
86 | 395,898 | 311 | 256,273 | 29,544 | 570,632 | — | — | 41 | 13,297 | 32 | 16,938 | ||||||||||||
| Ron Arons |
26 | 6,907 | 28 | 9,944 | 5,261 | 280,082 | — | — | 7 | 1,012 | 7 | 1,931 | ||||||||||||
| Aakash Thombre |
18 | 7,197 | 47 | 13,809 | 2,462 | 159,474 | — | — | 6 | 3,460 | 8 | 2,375 | ||||||||||||
Assets are preliminary, in millions.
Conflicts of Interest. The Investment Adviser’s portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more of the Funds as well as other accounts, including proprietary accounts, separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage a separate account or other pooled investment vehicle which may have materially higher fee arrangements than the Funds and may also have a performance-based fee. The side-by-side management of these funds may raise potential conflicts of interest relating to cross trading, the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.
The Investment Adviser has a fiduciary responsibility to manage all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. The Investment Adviser seeks to provide best execution of all securities transactions and aggregate and then allocate securities to client accounts in a fair and timely manner. To this end, the Investment Adviser has developed policies and procedures designed to mitigate and manage the potential conflicts of interest that may arise from side-by-side management. In addition, the Investment Adviser and the Funds have adopted policies limiting the circumstances under which cross-trades may be effected between a Fund and another client account. The Investment Adviser conducts periodic reviews of trades for consistency with these policies. For more information about conflicts of interests that may arise in connection with the portfolio managers’ management of the Funds’ investments and the investments of other accounts, see “POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.”
Portfolio Managers — Compensation
Compensation for portfolio managers of the Investment Adviser is comprised of a base salary and year-end discretionary variable compensation. The base salary is fixed from year to year. Year-end discretionary variable compensation is primarily a function of each portfolio manager’s individual performance and his or her contribution to overall team performance; the performance of GSAM and Goldman Sachs; the team’s net revenues for the past year which in part is derived from advisory fees, and for certain accounts, performance-based fees; and anticipated compensation levels among competitor firms. Portfolio managers are rewarded, in part, for their delivery of investment performance, which is reasonably expected to meet or exceed the expectations of clients and fund shareholders in terms of: excess return over an applicable benchmark, peer group ranking, risk management and factors specific to certain funds such as yield or regional focus. Performance is judged over 1-, 3- and 5-year time horizons.
B-109
For compensation purposes, the benchmarks for these Funds are:
Enhanced Income Fund: Goldman Sachs Enhanced Income Fund Composite Index (comprised of the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Six-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index (50%) and ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch One-Year U.S. Treasury Note Index (50%))
High Quality Floating Rate Fund: ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index
Short Duration Government Fund: ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Two-Year U.S. Treasury Note Index
Short Duration Tax-Free Fund: Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond 1-3 Year Blend Index
Government Income Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Mortgage Index
Dynamic Municipal Income Fund: Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond 1-10 Year Blend Index
U.S. Mortgages Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Securitized Bond Index
Core Fixed Income Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
Bond Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
Short Duration Bond Fund: Goldman Sachs Short Duration Bond Fund Composite Index (comprised of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Corporate Bond Index (50%) and the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Government Bond Index (50%))
Investment Grade Credit Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Credit Index
Global Core Fixed Income Fund: Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond (Gross, USD, Hedged) Index
High Yield Municipal Fund: Goldman Sachs High Yield Municipal Fund Composite Index (comprised of the Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond Index (40%) and the Bloomberg Barclays Municipal High Yield Bond Index (60%))
High Yield Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. High-Yield 2% Issuer Capped Bond Index
High Yield Floating Rate Fund: Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index
Strategic Income Fund: ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index
Emerging Markets Debt Fund: J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index (EMBISM) Global Diversified (Gross, USD, Unhedged) Index
Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund: J.P. Morgan Government Bond Index—Emerging Markets (GBI-EMSM) Global Diversified (Gross, USD, Unhedged) Index
Inflation Protected Securities Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) Index
Long Short Credit Strategies Fund: ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index
Income Fund: Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
The discretionary variable compensation for portfolio managers is also significantly influenced by various factors, including: (1) effective participation in team research discussions and process; and (2) management of risk in alignment with the targeted risk parameters and investment objectives of a Fund. Other factors may also be considered including: (1) general client/shareholder orientation and (2) teamwork and leadership.
As part of their year-end discretionary variable compensation and subject to certain eligibility requirements, portfolio managers may receive deferred equity-based and similar awards, in the form of: (1) shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (restricted stock units); and, (2) for certain portfolio managers, performance-tracking (or “phantom”) shares of a Fund or multiple funds. Performance-tracking shares are designed to provide a rate of return (net of fees) equal to that of the Fund(s) that a portfolio manager manages, or one or more other eligible funds, as determined by senior management, thereby aligning portfolio manager compensation with fund shareholder interests. The awards are subject to vesting requirements, deferred payment and clawback and forfeiture provisions. GSAM, Goldman Sachs or their affiliates expect, but are not required to, hedge the exposure of the performance-tracking shares of a Fund by, among other things, purchasing shares of the relevant Fund(s).
B-110
Other Compensation—In addition to base salary and year-end discretionary variable compensation, the Investment Adviser has a number of additional benefits in place including (1) a 401(k) program that enables employees to direct a percentage of their base salary and bonus income into a tax-qualified retirement plan; and (2) investment opportunity programs in which certain professionals may participate subject to certain eligibility requirements.
Portfolio Managers – Portfolio Managers’ Ownership of Securities in the Funds They Manage
The following table shows the portfolio managers’ ownership of shares, including those beneficially owned as well as those owned pursuant to the deferred compensation plan discussed above, of the Funds they manage as of March 31, 2021.
| Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned by Portfolio Manager | |||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
||||
| John Olivo |
$1 - $10,000 | |||
| Dave Fishman |
$50,001 - $100,000 | |||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
||||
| John Olivo |
$1 - $10,000 | |||
| Dave Fishman |
$50,001 - $100,000 | |||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
||||
| John Olivo |
$1 - $10,000 | |||
| Dave Fishman |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
||||
| Scott Diamond |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Joseph Wenzel |
None | |||
| Sylvia Yeh |
None | |||
| Government Income Fund |
||||
| Michael Swell |
$10,001 - $50,000 | |||
| Matthew Kaiser |
None | |||
| Peter Stone |
None | |||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
||||
| Scott Diamond |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Joseph Wenzel |
None | |||
| Sylvia Yeh |
None | |||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
||||
| Christopher Hogan |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Matthew Kaiser |
$50,001 - $100,000 | |||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
||||
| Ashish Shah |
None | |||
| Michael Swell |
$50,001 - $100,000 | |||
| Bond Fund |
||||
| Ashish Shah |
Over $1,000,000 | |||
| Michael Swell |
$50,001 - $100,000 | |||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
||||
| Dave Fishman |
$500,001 -$1,000,000 | |||
| John Olivo |
$1 - $10,000 | |||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
||||
| Ben Johnson |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
||||
| Simon Dangoor |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Hugh Briscoe |
None | |||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
||||
| Scott Diamond |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Joseph Wenzel |
$1 - $10,000 | |||
| Sylvia Yeh |
$1 - $10,000 | |||
| High Yield Fund |
||||
| Robert Magnuson |
None | |||
| Lori Pomerantz |
None | |||
| Ashish Shah |
Over $1,000,000 | |||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
||||
| Peter Campo |
None | |||
| Lori Pomerantz |
None | |||
| Ashish Shah |
Over $1,000,000 | |||
| Strategic Income Fund |
||||
| Ashish Shah |
None | |||
| Michael Swell |
Over $1,000,000 | |||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
||||
| Samuel Finkelstein |
Over $1,000,000 | |||
| Ricardo Penfold |
$10,001 - $50,000 | |||
| Kay Haigh |
None | |||
B-111
| Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned by Portfolio Manager | |||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
||||
| Samuel Finkelstein |
Over $1,000,000 | |||
| Ricardo Penfold |
$10,001 -$50,000 | |||
| Kay Haigh |
None | |||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
||||
| Matthew Kaiser |
$100,001 - $500,000 | |||
| Peter Stone |
None | |||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
||||
| Ashish Shah |
None | |||
| Michael McGuiness |
None | |||
| Aakash Thombre |
None | |||
| Income Fund |
||||
| Ashish Shah |
None | |||
| Ron Arons |
$50,001 - $100,000 | |||
| Aakash Thombre |
None | |||
Distributor and Transfer Agent
Distributor. Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, serves as the exclusive distributor of shares of the Funds pursuant to a “best efforts” arrangement as provided by a distribution agreement with the Trust on behalf of each Fund. Shares of the Funds are offered and sold on a continuous basis by Goldman Sachs, acting as agent. Pursuant to the distribution agreement, after the Funds’ Prospectuses and periodic reports have been prepared, set in type and mailed to shareholders, Goldman Sachs will pay for the printing and distribution of copies thereof used in connection with the offering to prospective investors. Goldman Sachs will also pay for other supplementary sales literature and advertising costs. Goldman Sachs may enter into sales agreements with certain Intermediaries to solicit subscriptions for Class A, Class C, Class R, Investor, Class R6 and Class P Shares of each of the Funds that offer such classes of shares. Goldman Sachs receives a portion of the sales charge imposed on the sale, in the case of Class A Shares, or redemption in the case of Class A and Class C Shares, of such Fund shares. Goldman Sachs retained approximately the following combined commissions on sales of Class A and Class C Shares during the following periods:
| Fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 |
||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund1 |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 159 | ||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund1 |
0 | 0 | 5 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
5,439 | 2,312 | 2,110 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
10,896 | 6,554 | 3,913 | |||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
3,544 | 2,908 | 3,435 | |||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
38,413 | 113,941 | 53,504 | |||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
11,825 | 8,037 | 3,350 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
3,123 | 440 | 1,408 | |||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
694 | 1,284 | 1,864 | |||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
41,724 | 94,009 | 60,228 | |||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
9,472 | 14,346 | 10,272 | |||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
46 | 137 | 522 | |||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
1,395 | 4,180 | 4,143 | |||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
604 | 5,202 | 4,369 | |||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund1 |
838 | 1,027 | 753 | |||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund1 |
1,692 | 143 | 1,547 | |||||||||
| Bond Fund |
10,616 | 4,564 | 2,413 | |||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
6,721 | 473 | 465 | |||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
125 | 366 | 753 | |||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
549 | 95 | 2 | |||||||||
| Income Fund2 |
2,244 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 1 | Enhanced Income Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund and Investment Grade Credit Fund do not currently offer Class C Shares. |
| 2 | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
Dealer Reallowances. Class A Shares of certain Funds are sold subject to a front-end sales charge, as described in the Prospectuses and in this SAI in the section “SHARES OF THE TRUST.” Goldman Sachs pays commissions to Intermediaries that sell Class A Shares of the Funds in the form of a “reallowance” of all or a portion of the sales charge paid on the purchase of those shares. Goldman Sachs reallows the following amounts, expressed as a percentage of each Fund’s offering price with respect to purchases of Class A Shares under $100,000 for Government Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Bond Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund; and Class A Shares under $500,000 for Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund and Short Duration Bond Fund:
B-112
| Fund |
% of sales charge re-allowed to broker/dealers |
|||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
1.44 | % | ||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
1.48 | % | ||
| Government Income Fund |
0 | % | ||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
3.70 | % | ||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
3.41 | % | ||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
1.41 | % | ||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
3.71 | % | ||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
4.32 | % | ||
| High Yield Fund |
3.86 | % | ||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
1.82 | % | ||
| Strategic Income Fund |
3.45 | % | ||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
4.17 | % | ||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
3.33 | % | ||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
3.30 | % | ||
| Bond Fund |
3.29 | % | ||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
4.05 | % | ||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
3.42 | % | ||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
3.12 | % | ||
| Income Fund |
3.18 | % | ||
Dealer allowances may be changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire sales charge may be reallowed to Intermediaries. Intermediaries to whom substantially the entire sales charge is reallowed may be deemed to be “underwriters” under the 1933 Act.
Transfer Agent. Goldman Sachs, 71 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606, serves as the Trust’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. Under its transfer agency agreement with the Trust, Goldman Sachs has undertaken with the Trust with respect to each Fund to: (i) record the issuance, transfer and redemption of shares; (ii) provide purchase and redemption confirmations and quarterly statements, as well as certain other statements; (iii) provide certain information to the Trust’s custodian and the relevant subcustodian in connection with redemptions; (iv) provide dividend crediting and certain disbursing agent services; (v) maintain shareholder accounts; (vi) provide certain state Blue Sky and other information; (vii) provide shareholders and certain regulatory authorities with tax-related information; (viii) respond to shareholder inquiries; and (ix) render certain other miscellaneous services. For its transfer agency and dividend disbursing agent services, Goldman Sachs is entitled to receive a transfer agency fee equal, on an annualized basis, to 0.03% of average daily net assets with respect to Separate Account Institutional, Class R6 and Class P Shares of each Fund with such share classes, to 0.04% of average daily net assets with respect to Institutional, Administration and Service Shares of each Fund with such share classes, and to 0.12% of average daily net assets with respect to Class A, Class C, Class R and Investor Shares (less transfer agency expenses borne by a share class) of each Fund with such share classes. Goldman Sachs may pay to certain intermediaries who perform transfer agent services to shareholders a networking or sub-transfer agent fee. These payments will be made from the transfer agency fees noted above and in the Funds’ Prospectuses.
As compensation for services rendered to the Trust by Goldman Sachs as transfer and dividend disbursing agent and the assumption by Goldman Sachs of the expenses related thereto, Goldman Sachs received fees for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019, from each Fund and for each share class then in existence as follows under the fee schedules then in effect:
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021
| Fund |
Class A and C Shares |
Class R Shares |
Investor Shares |
Institutional Shares |
Service Shares |
Administration Shares |
Separate Account Institutional Shares |
Class R6 Shares |
Class P Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
14,042 | $ | — | $ | 9,801 | $ | 80,117 | $ | — | $ | 2,108 | $ | — | $ | 13,858 | $ | 84,429 | |||||||||||||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
8,578 | — | 3,360 | 34,381 | 20 | — | — | 428 | 36,862 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
142,564 | — | 47,617 | 175,659 | 7,703 | — | — | 4,280 | 110,740 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
269,772 | — | 179,380 | 801,080 | 66 | — | — | 2,131 | 2,226,053 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
99,664 | 19,612 | 12,319 | 71,332 | 14,470 | — | — | 3,448 | 4,565 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
B-113
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
1,913,424 | — | 1,273,912 | 1,464,759 | 72 | — | — | 25,069 | 544,419 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
194,518 | 5,969 | 346,949 | 183,080 | 482 | — | — | 35,463 | 238,201 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
60,465 | 1,510 | 16,333 | 42,737 | — | — | — | 1,653 | 451,896 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
66,176 | — | 75,443 | 107,481 | 241 | — | — | 86,147 | 2,692 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
689,523 | — | 476,924 | 454,073 | — | — | — | 1,787 | 2,031,666 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
166,339 | 9,509 | 17,669 | 126,300 | 2,886 | — | — | 15,715 | 459,029 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
4,628 | 16 | 1,223 | 45,418 | — | — | — | 17,090 | 353,104 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
251,285 | 3,589 | 28,267 | 215,468 | — | — | — | 1,888 | 75,066 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
66,221 | — | 89,022 | 379,505 | — | — | — | 59,563 | 8,181 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
44,276 | — | 72,196 | 17,576 | — | — | 64,773 | 4,849 | 2,924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
13,988 | — | 7,983 | 35,686 | — | — | 74,246 | 332 | 75,713 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
127,483 | 6,627 | 63,859 | 59,480 | 31 | — | — | 26,875 | 27,776 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
80,417 | 20,660 | 64,562 | 76,096 | — | — | — | 22,678 | 13,052 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
9,735 | — | 5,865 | 5,115 | — | — | — | 8,041 | 9,328 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
2,353 | 33 | 2,862 | 6,245 | — | — | — | 760 | 26,618 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income Fund |
523 | 64 | 64 | 9,869 | — | — | — | 15 | 14,742 |
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2020
| Fund |
Class A and C Shares |
Class R Shares |
Investor Shares |
Institutional Shares |
Service Shares |
Administration Shares |
Separate Account Institutional Shares |
Class R6 Shares |
Class P Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 16,344 | $ | — | $ | 10,962 | $ | 96,170 | $ | — | $ | 1,392 | $ | — | $ | 15,272 | $ | 53,724 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
12,545 | — | 12,951 | 29,757 | 41 | — | — | 964 | 79,946 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
118,684 | — | 38,470 | 141,431 | 7,264 | — | — | 1,933 | 121,617 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
182,697 | — | 106,263 | 643,811 | 86 | — | — | 1,662 | 1,663,829 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
113,535 | 25,838 | 2,633 | 54,811 | 14,548 | — | — | 2,597 | 3,460 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
1,703,992 | — | 981,308 | 1,239,013 | 90 | — | — | 18,832 | 456,375 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
131,623 | 6,218 | 62,813 | 95,145 | 394 | — | — | 51,349 | 183,506 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
14,538 | 170 | 23,347 | 26,464 | — | — | — | 379 | 206,715 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
83,821 | — | 70,335 | 102,073 | 438 | — | — | 88,186 | 2,443 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
672,322 | — | 391,624 | 386,021 | — | — | — | 4 | 1,972,035 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
216,807 | 16,012 | 22,450 | 132,800 | 3,197 | — | — | 20,715 | 494,037 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
5,805 | 25 | 1,813 | 44,024 | — | — | — | 10,183 | 577,053 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
370,979 | 5,806 | 78,859 | 314,220 | — | — | — | 2,256 | 90,496 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
99,603 | — | 124,137 | 426,048 | — | — | — | 75,596 | 4,647 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
38,295 | — | 199,930 | 13,554 | — | — | 66,943 | 4,916 | 2,579 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
12,867 | — | 5,115 | 19,324 | — | — | 72,257 | 277 | 60,883 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
125,334 | 12,452 | 42,937 | 57,100 | 15 | — | — | 23,877 | 27,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
73,515 | 20,604 | 26,441 | 65,124 | — | — | — | 13,236 | 26,038 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
11,734 | — | 9,434 | 10,383 | — | — | — | 15,662 | 12,889 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
3,493 | 34 | 4,079 | 8,264 | — | — | — | 630 | 24,575 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income Fund1 |
73 | 21 | 21 | 3,196 | — | — | — | 5 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2019
| Fund |
Class A and C Shares |
Class R Shares |
Investor Shares |
Institutional Shares |
Service Shares |
Administration Shares |
Separate Account Institutional Shares* |
Class R6 Shares |
Class P Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 19,939 | $ | — | $ | 4,793 | $ | 143,513 | $ | — | $ | 911 | $ | — | $ | 4,570 | $ | 51,414 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
11,239 | — | 5,532 | 106,071 | 41 | — | — | 426 | 135,111 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
132,907 | — | 35,400 | 203,827 | 7,582 | — | — | 983 | 87,108 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
161,273 | — | 46,605 | 939,406 | 116 | — | — | 296 | 938,419 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
135,938 | 26,742 | 2,465 | 55,382 | 14,697 | — | — | 6,940 | 2,271 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
B-114
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
702,413 | — | 370,943 | 517,057 | 15 | — | — | 2,593 | 204,857 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
86,113 | 5,832 | 47,624 | 147,366 | 368 | — | — | 58,915 | 123,748 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
16,960 | 142 | 2,420 | 78,628 | — | — | — | 44 | 116,193 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
104,346 | — | 70,395 | 109,831 | 733 | — | — | 62,550 | 1,834 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
465,483 | — | 172,404 | 778,291 | — | — | — | 4 | 1,091,005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
251,278 | 16,968 | 28,380 | 391,600 | 4,331 | — | — | 30,094 | 334,683 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
7,685 | 89 | 4,810 | 453,392 | — | — | — | 37,497 | 726,109 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
572,178 | 8,813 | 178,265 | 876,530 | — | — | — | 17,015 | 108,372 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
134,466 | — | 166,290 | 603,890 | — | — | — | 113,620 | 4,330 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
48,237 | — | 201,631 | 16,383 | — | — | 68,870 | 2,131 | 1,945 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
10,836 | — | 5,387 | 26,947 | — | — | 70,460 | 43 | 23,886 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
139,355 | 26,667 | 42,097 | 84,392 | 97 | — | — | 20,244 | 20,786 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
86,173 | 20,836 | 18,612 | 80,766 | — | — | — | 5,578 | 22,389 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
14,457 | — | 10,517 | 43,165 | — | — | — | 30,781 | 13,483 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
9,363 | 40 | 8,573 | 37,341 | — | — | — | 560 | 21,980 |
| * | Prior to April 16, 2018, the fee for transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent services with respect to Separate Account Institutional Shares was 0.04%. |
The foregoing distribution and transfer agency agreements each provide that Goldman Sachs may render similar services to others so long as the services each provides thereunder to the Funds are not impaired thereby. Each such agreement also provides that the Trust will indemnify Goldman Sachs against certain liabilities.
Expenses
The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, is responsible for the payment of each Fund’s respective expenses. The expenses include, without limitation, the fees payable to the Investment Advisers, service fees, account service fees, shareholder administration fees and administration fees paid to Intermediaries, the fees and expenses of the Trust’s custodian and subcustodians, transfer agent fees and expenses, pricing service fees and expenses, brokerage fees and commissions, filing fees for the registration or qualification of the Trust’s shares under federal or state securities laws, expenses of the organization of the Trust, fees and expenses incurred by the Trust in connection with membership in investment company organizations, including, but not limited to, the Investment Company Institute, taxes, interest, costs of liability insurance, fidelity bonds or indemnification, any costs, expenses or losses arising out of any liability of, or claim for damages or other relief asserted against, the Trust for violation of any law, legal, tax and auditing fees and expenses (including the cost of legal and certain accounting services rendered by employees of Goldman Sachs or its affiliates, with respect to the Trust), expenses of preparing and setting in type Prospectuses, SAIs, proxy material, reports and notices and the printing and distributing of the same to the Trust’s shareholders and regulatory authorities, shareholder expenses, any expenses assumed by a Fund pursuant to its distribution and service plans, compensation and expenses of its Independent Trustees, the fees and expenses of pricing services and extraordinary expenses, if any, incurred by the Trust. Except for fees and expenses under any service plan, account service plan, administration plan, shareholder administration plan or distribution and service plan applicable to a particular class and transfer agency fees and expenses, all Fund expenses are borne on a non-class specific basis.
Fees and expenses borne by the Funds relating to legal counsel, registering shares of each Fund, holding meetings and communicating with shareholders may include an allocable portion of the cost of maintaining an internal legal and compliance department. Each Fund may also bear an allocable portion of the Investment Advisers’ costs of performing certain accounting services not being provided by the Trust’s custodian.
The imposition of the Investment Advisers’ fees, as well as other operating expenses, will have the effect of reducing the total return to investors. From time to time, the Investment Advisers may waive receipt of their fees and/or assume certain expenses of a Fund, which would have the effect of lowering that Fund’s overall expense ratio and increasing total return to investors at the time such amounts are waived or assumed, as the case may be.
As of July 29, 2021, the Investment Advisers have agreed to reduce or limit “Other Expenses” of the Funds (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, transfer agency fees and expenses, service fees and shareholder administration fees (as applicable), administration share fees (as applicable), taxes, interest, brokerage fees, expenses of shareholder meetings, litigation and indemnification, and extraordinary expenses) to the following annual percentage rate of each Fund’s average daily net assets through at least July 29, 2022:
B-115
| Fund |
Other Expenses Limitation | |||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
0.064 | % | ||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
0.014 | % | ||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| Government Income Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
0.014 | % | ||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
0.014 | % | ||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| Strategic Income Fund |
0.054 | % | ||
| Bond Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
0.044 | % | ||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| High Yield Fund |
0.014 | % | ||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
0.104 | % | ||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
0.024 | % | ||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
0.074 | % | ||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
0.004 | % | ||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
0.074 | % | ||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
0.094 | % | ||
| Income Fund |
0.054 | % | ||
Such reductions or limits are calculated monthly on a cumulative basis during the Funds’ fiscal year. The Funds’ “Other Expenses” may be further reduced by any custody and transfer agency fee credits received by the Funds. The Investment Advisers may not terminate the arrangements prior to July 29, 2022 without the approval of the Board of Trustees.
Reimbursements
For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019, “Other Expenses” of each Fund were reduced by the Investment Advisers in the following amounts under expense limitations that were then in effect:
| Fund |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 |
|||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 138,409 | $ | 178,015 | $ | 157,108 | ||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
402,087 | 436,882 | 457,187 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
539,680 | 678,591 | 749,275 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
1,677,545 | 1,318,129 | 1,195,607 | |||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
552,688 | 527,563 | 615,746 | |||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
2,212,210 | 1,223,893 | 804,349 | |||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
714,441 | 660,481 | 742,941 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
573,858 | 514,575 | 803,356 | |||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
926,001 | 601,327 | 993,096 | |||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
1,708,050 | 1,519,688 | 1,135,699 | |||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
450,971 | 269,181 | 373,821 | |||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
470,263 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
233,027 | 213,639 | 536,564 | |||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
673,568 | 625,292 | 962,627 | |||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
103,825 | 217,887 | 308,159 | |||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
443,407 | 417,009 | 445,560 | |||||||||
| Bond Fund |
695,186 | 696,742 | 1,011,533 | |||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
309,019 | 256,569 | 303,676 | |||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
487,254 | 491,631 | 662,325 | |||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
291,576 | 400,643 | 482,866 | |||||||||
| Income Fund* |
504,994 | 181,666 | N/A | |||||||||
| * | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
B-116
Such reductions or limits, if any, are calculated monthly on a cumulative basis during the Fund’s fiscal year. The Investment Advisers may modify or discontinue such limitation in the future at its discretion. A Fund’s “Other Expenses” may be further reduced by any custody and transfer agency fee credits received by the Funds.
The foregoing distribution and transfer agency agreements each provide that Goldman Sachs may render similar services to others so long as the services each provides thereunder to the Fund are not impaired thereby. Each such agreement also provides that the Trust will indemnify Goldman Sachs against certain liabilities.
Custodian and Sub-Custodians
State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, is the custodian of all the Funds except the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund, for which JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPMorgan Chase”), 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 serves as the custodian of such Funds’ portfolio securities and cash. State Street and JPMorgan Chase also maintain the Funds’ accounting records. State Street and JPMorgan Chase may appoint domestic and foreign sub-custodians and use depositories from time to time to hold certain securities and other instruments purchased by the Funds in foreign countries and to hold cash and currencies for the Funds.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 101 Seaport Boulevard, Suite 500, Boston, Massachusetts is the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. In addition to audit services, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP provides assistance on certain non-audit matters.
Securities Lending
Pursuant to exemptive relief granted by the SEC, the High Yield Fund and the High Yield Floating Rate Fund have entered into an agreement to lend their securities through a securities lending agent, Goldman Sachs Bank USA doing business as Goldman Sachs Agency Lending (“GSAL”), to certain qualified borrowers, including Goldman Sachs and its affiliates (the “Securities Lending Agency Agreement”). As securities lending agent of the Funds, GSAL administers the Funds’ securities lending programs. These services include arranging the securities loans with approved borrowers and collecting fees and rebates due to the Funds from each borrower. GSAL also collects and maintains collateral intended to secure the obligations of each borrower and marks to market daily the value of loaned securities. If a borrower defaults on a loan, GSAL is authorized to exercise contractual remedies on behalf of the lending Fund and, pursuant to the terms of the Securities Lending Agency Agreement, has agreed to indemnify the Funds for certain losses, which exclude losses associated with collateral reinvestment. GSAL may also, in its capacity as securities lending agent, invest cash received as collateral in pre-approved investments in accordance with the Securities Lending Agency Agreement. GSAL maintains records of loans made and income derived therefrom and makes available such records that the Funds deem necessary to monitor the securities lending program. GSAL will also monitor the Funds’ securities lending activities on a daily basis to ensure compliance with the terms of the exemptive relief.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, the Funds earned income and incurred the following costs and expenses as a result of their securities lending activities:
| . | High Yield | High Yield Floating Rate |
||||||
| Gross Income from Securities Lending Activities1 |
$ | 75,710 | $ | 59,680 | ||||
| Fees and/or Compensation for Securities Lending Activities and Related Services |
||||||||
| Revenue Split2 |
$ | 6,419 | $ | 5,509 | ||||
| Cash Collateral Management Fees3 |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||
| Rebates to Borrowers |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||
| Aggregate Fees/Compensation for Securities Lending Activities |
$ | 17,927 | $ | 10,096 | ||||
| Net Income from the Securities Lending Activities |
$ | 57,783 | $ | 49,584 | ||||
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Amounts shown above may differ from amounts disclosed in a Fund’s Annual Report as a result of timing differences, reconciliations, and certain other adjustments.
| 1 | Gross income includes income from the reinvestment of cash collateral, premium income (i.e., rebates paid by the borrower to the lending Fund), loan fees paid by borrowers when collateral is noncash, management fees from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle that are deducted from the vehicle’s assets before income is distributed, and any other income. |
| 2 | Revenue split represents the share of revenue generated by the securities lending program and paid to GSAL. |
| 3 | Cash collateral management fees include the contractual management fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle that are not included in the revenue split. The contractual management fees are derived from the pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle’s most recently available prospectus or offering memorandum. Actual fees incurred from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle may differ due to other expenses, fee waivers and expense reimbursements. |
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POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
General Categories of Conflicts Associated with the Funds
Goldman Sachs (which, for purposes of this “POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST” section, shall mean, collectively, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., the Investment Adviser and their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees) is a worldwide, full-service investment banking, broker-dealer, asset management and financial services organization and a major participant in global financial markets. As such, it provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. Goldman Sachs acts as broker-dealer, investment adviser, investment banker, underwriter, research provider, administrator, financier, adviser, market maker, trader, prime broker, derivatives dealer, clearing agent, lender, counterparty, agent, principal, distributor, investor or in other commercial capacities for accounts or companies or affiliated or unaffiliated investment funds (including pooled investment vehicles and private funds). In those and other capacities, Goldman Sachs advises and deals with clients and third parties in all markets and transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad array of investments, including securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets and other financial instruments and products, for its own account and for the accounts of clients and of its personnel. In addition, Goldman Sachs has direct and indirect interests in the global fixed income, currency, commodity, equities, bank loan and other markets. In certain cases, the Investment Adviser causes the Funds to invest in products and strategies sponsored, managed or advised by Goldman Sachs or in which Goldman Sachs has an interest, either directly or indirectly, or otherwise restricts the Funds from making such investments, as further described herein. In this regard, there are instances when Goldman Sachs’ activities and dealings with other clients and third parties affect the Funds in ways that disadvantage the Funds and/or benefit Goldman Sachs or other Accounts.
In addition, the Investment Adviser’s activities on behalf of certain other entities that are not investment advisory clients of the Investment Adviser create conflicts of interest between such entities, on the one hand, and Accounts (including the Funds), on the other hand, that are the same as or similar to the conflicts that arise between the Funds and other Accounts, as described herein. In managing conflicts of interest that arise as a result of the foregoing, the Investment Adviser generally will be subject to fiduciary requirements. For purposes of this “POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST” section, “Funds” shall mean, collectively, the Funds and any of the other Goldman Sachs Funds, and “Accounts” shall mean Goldman Sachs’ own accounts, accounts in which personnel of Goldman Sachs have an interest, accounts of Goldman Sachs’ clients, including separately managed accounts (or separate accounts), and investment vehicles that Goldman Sachs sponsors, manages or advises, including the Funds.
The conflicts herein do not purport to be a complete list or explanation of the conflicts associated with the financial or other interests the Investment Adviser or Goldman Sachs may have now or in the future. Additional information about potential conflicts of interest regarding the Investment Adviser and Goldman Sachs is set forth in the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV. A copy of Part 1 and Part 2A of the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV is available on the SEC’s website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov).
The Sale of Fund Shares and the Allocation of Investment Opportunities
Sales Incentives and Related Conflicts Arising from Goldman Sachs’ Financial and Other Relationships with Intermediaries
Goldman Sachs and its personnel, including employees of the Investment Adviser, receive benefits and earn fees and compensation for services provided to Accounts (including the Funds) and in connection with the distribution of the Funds. Any such fees and compensation are generally paid directly or indirectly out of the fees payable to the Investment Adviser in connection with the management of such Accounts (including the Funds). Moreover, Goldman Sachs and its personnel, including employees of the Investment Adviser, have relationships (both involving and not involving the Funds, and including without limitation placement, brokerage, advisory and board relationships) with distributors, consultants and others who recommend, or engage in transactions with or for, the Funds. Such distributors, consultants and other parties may receive compensation from Goldman Sachs or the Funds in connection with such relationships. As a result of these relationships, distributors, consultants and other parties have conflicts that create incentives for them to promote the Funds.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs and the Funds have in the past made, and may in the future make, payments to authorized dealers and other financial intermediaries and to salespersons to promote the Funds. These payments may be made out of Goldman Sachs’ assets or amounts payable to Goldman Sachs. These payments create an incentive for such persons to highlight, feature or recommend the Funds.
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Allocation of Investment Opportunities Among the Funds and Other Accounts
The Investment Adviser manages or advises multiple Accounts (including Accounts in which Goldman Sachs and its personnel have an interest) that have investment objectives that are the same or similar to the Funds and that seek to make or sell investments in the same securities or other instruments, sectors or strategies as the Funds. This creates potential conflicts, particularly in circumstances where the availability or liquidity of such investment opportunities is limited (e.g., in local and emerging markets, high yield securities, fixed income securities, regulated industries, small capitalization, direct or indirect investments in private investment funds, investments in master limited partnerships in the oil and gas industry and initial public offerings/new issues).
Accounts (including the Funds) may invest in other Accounts (including the Funds) at or near the establishment of such Accounts, which may facilitate the Accounts achieving a specified size or scale.
The Investment Adviser does not receive performance-based compensation in respect of its investment management activities on behalf of the Funds, but may simultaneously manage Accounts for which the Investment Adviser receives greater fees or other compensation (including performance-based fees or allocations) than it receives in respect of the Funds. The simultaneous management of Accounts that pay greater fees or other compensation and the Funds creates a conflict of interest as the Investment Adviser has an incentive to favor Accounts with the potential to receive greater fees when allocating resources, services, functions or investment opportunities among Accounts. For instance, the Investment Adviser will be faced with a conflict of interest when allocating scarce investment opportunities given the possibly greater fees from Accounts that pay performance-based fees. To address these types of conflicts, the Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures under which it will allocate investment opportunities in a manner that it believes is consistent with its obligations and fiduciary duties as an investment adviser. However, the availability, amount, timing, structuring or terms of an investment available to the Funds differ from, and performance may be lower than, the investments and performance of other Accounts in certain cases.
To address these potential conflicts, the Investment Adviser has developed allocation policies and procedures that provide that the Investment Adviser’s personnel making portfolio decisions for Accounts will make investment decisions for, and allocate investment opportunities among, such Accounts consistent with the Investment Adviser’s fiduciary obligations. These policies and procedures may result in the pro rata allocation (on a basis determined by the Investment Adviser) of limited opportunities across eligible Accounts managed by a particular portfolio management team, but in other cases such allocation may not be pro rata. Furthermore, certain investment opportunities sourced by the Investment Adviser, or Goldman Sachs businesses or divisions outside of the Investment Adviser, may be allocated to Goldman Sachs for its own account or investment vehicles organized to facilitate investment by its current or former directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers, consultants, employees, and their families and related entities, including employee benefit plans in which they participate, and not to Accounts. See Item 11 (“Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions—Certain Effects of the Activities of Goldman Sachs and Advisory Accounts”) of the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV.
Allocation-related decisions for the Funds and other Accounts are made by reference to one or more factors. Factors may include: the Account’s portfolio and its investment horizons and objectives (including with respect to portfolio construction), guidelines and restrictions (including legal and regulatory restrictions affecting certain Accounts or affecting holdings across Accounts); client instructions; strategic fit and other portfolio management considerations, including different desired levels of exposure to certain strategies; the expected future capacity of the Funds and the applicable Accounts; limits on the Investment Adviser’s brokerage discretion; cash and liquidity needs and other considerations; the availability (or lack thereof) of other appropriate or substantially similar investment opportunities; and differences in benchmark factors and hedging strategies among Accounts. Suitability considerations, reputational matters and other considerations may also be considered.
In a case in which one or more Accounts are intended to be the Investment Adviser’s primary investment vehicles focused on, or to receive priority with respect to, a particular trading strategy, other Accounts (including the Funds) may not have access to such strategy or may have more limited access than would otherwise be the case. To the extent that such Accounts are managed by areas of Goldman Sachs other than the Investment Adviser, such Accounts will not be subject to the Investment Adviser’s allocation policies. Investments by such Accounts may reduce or eliminate the availability of investment opportunities to, or otherwise adversely affect, the Fund. Furthermore, in cases in which one or more Accounts are intended to be the Investment Adviser’s primary investment vehicles focused on, or receive priority with respect to, a particular trading strategy or type of investment, such Accounts have specific policies or guidelines with respect to Accounts or other persons receiving the opportunity to invest alongside such Accounts with respect to one or more investments (“Co-Investment Opportunities”). As a result, certain Accounts or other persons will receive allocations to, or rights to invest in, Co-Investment Opportunities that are not available generally to the Funds.
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In addition, in some cases the Investment Adviser makes investment recommendations to Accounts that make investment decisions independently of the Investment Adviser. In circumstances in which there is limited availability of an investment opportunity, if such Accounts invest in the investment opportunity at the same time as, or prior to, a Fund, the availability of the investment opportunity for the Fund will be reduced irrespective of the Investment Adviser’s policies regarding allocations of investments.
The Investment Adviser, from time to time, develops and implements new trading strategies or seeks to participate in new trading strategies and investment opportunities. These strategies and opportunities are not employed in all Accounts or employed pro rata among Accounts where they are used, even if the strategy or opportunity is consistent with the objectives of such Accounts. Further, a trading strategy employed for a Fund that is similar to, or the same as, that of another Account may be implemented differently, sometimes to a material extent. For example, a Fund may invest in different securities or other assets, or invest in the same securities and other assets but in different proportions, than another Account with the same or similar trading strategy. The implementation of the Fund’s trading strategy depends on a variety of factors, including the portfolio managers involved in managing the trading strategy for the Account, the time difference associated with the location of different portfolio management teams, and the factors described above and in Item 6 (“PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT—Side-by-Side Management of Advisory Accounts; Allocation of Opportunities”) of the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV.
During periods of unusual market conditions, the Investment Adviser may deviate from its normal trade allocation practices. For example, this may occur with respect to the management of unlevered and/or long-only Accounts that are typically managed on a side-by-side basis with levered and/or long-short Accounts.
The Investment Adviser and the Funds may receive notice of, or offers to participate in, investment opportunities from third parties for various reasons. The Investment Adviser in its sole discretion will determine whether a Fund will participate in any such investment opportunities and investors should not expect that the Fund will participate in any such investment opportunities unless the opportunities are received pursuant to contractual requirements, such as preemptive rights or rights offerings, under the terms of the Fund’s investments. Some or all Funds may, from time to time, be offered investment opportunities that are made available through Goldman Sachs businesses outside of the Investment Adviser, including, for example, interests in real estate and other private investments. In this regard, a conflict of interest exists to the extent that Goldman Sachs controls or otherwise influences the terms and pricing of such investments and/or retains other benefits in connection therewith. However, Goldman Sachs businesses outside of the Investment Adviser are under no obligation or other duty to provide investment opportunities to the Funds, and generally are not expected to do so. Further, opportunities sourced within particular portfolio management teams within the Investment Adviser may not be allocated to Accounts (including the Funds) managed by such teams or by other teams. Opportunities not allocated (or not fully allocated) to the Funds or other Accounts managed by the Investment Adviser may be undertaken by Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser), including for Goldman Sachs Accounts, or made available to other Accounts or third parties, and the Funds will not receive any compensation related to such opportunities. Even in the case of an opportunity received by a Fund pursuant to contractual requirements, the Investment Adviser may decide in its discretion that the Fund will not participate in such opportunity for portfolio construction reasons, due to the investment objective and strategies of such Fund, or because the Investment Adviser determines that participation would not be appropriate for such Fund for other reasons, in which case the Investment Adviser may allocate such opportunity to another Account. Additional information about the Investment Adviser’s allocation policies is set forth in Item 6 (“PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT—Side-by-Side Management of Advisory Accounts; Allocation of Opportunities”) of the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV.
As a result of the various considerations above, there will be cases in which certain Accounts (including Accounts in which Goldman Sachs and personnel of Goldman Sachs have an interest) receive an allocation of an investment opportunity at times that the Funds do not, or when the Funds receive an allocation of such opportunities but on different terms than other Accounts (which may be less favorable). The application of these considerations may cause differences in the performance of different Accounts that employ strategies the same or similar to those of the Funds.
Multiple Accounts (including the Funds) may participate in a particular investment or incur expenses applicable in connection with the operation or management of the Accounts, or otherwise may be subject to costs or expenses that are allocable to more than one Account (which may include, without limitation, research expenses, technology expenses, expenses relating to participation in bondholder groups, restructurings, class actions and other litigation, and insurance premiums). The Investment Adviser may allocate investment-related and other expenses on a pro rata or different basis. Certain Accounts are, by their terms or by determination of the Investment Adviser, on a case-by-case basis, not responsible for their share of such expenses, and, in addition, the Investment Adviser has agreed with certain Accounts to cap the amount of expenses (or the amount of certain types of expenses) borne by such Accounts, which results in such Accounts not bearing the full share of expenses they would otherwise have borne as
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described above. As a result, certain Accounts are responsible for bearing a different or greater amount of expenses, while other Accounts do not bear any, or do not bear their full share, of such expenses. The Investment Adviser may bear any such expenses on behalf of certain Accounts and not for others, as it determines in its sole discretion. If the Investment Adviser bears expenses on behalf of an Account and the Account subsequently receives reimbursement for such expenses, the Investment Adviser will generally be entitled to receive all or a portion of the amount of such reimbursement, up to the amount that was borne by the Investment Adviser on behalf of such Account.
Accounts will generally incur expenses with respect to the consideration and pursuit of transactions that are not ultimately consummated (“broken-deal expenses”). Examples of broken-deal expenses include (i) research costs, (ii) fees and expenses of legal, financial, accounting, consulting or other advisers (including the Investment Adviser or its affiliates) in connection with conducting due diligence or otherwise pursuing a particular non-consummated transaction, (iii) fees and expenses in connection with arranging financing for a particular non-consummated transaction, (iv) travel, entertainment and overtime meal and transportation costs, (v) deposits or down payments that are forfeited in connection with, or amounts paid as a penalty for, a particular non-consummated transaction and (vi) other expenses incurred in connection with activities related to a particular non-consummated transaction.
The Investment Adviser has adopted a policy relating to the allocation of broken-deal expenses among Accounts (including the Funds) and other potential investors. Pursuant to the policy, broken-deal expenses generally will be allocated among Accounts in the manner that the Investment Adviser determines to be fair and equitable, which will be pro rata or on a different basis.
Goldman Sachs’ Financial and Other Interests May Incentivize Goldman Sachs to Promote the Sale of Fund Shares
Goldman Sachs and its personnel have interests in promoting sales of Fund shares, and the compensation from such sales may be greater than the compensation relating to sales of interests in other Accounts. Therefore, Goldman Sachs and its personnel may have a financial interest in promoting Fund shares over interests in other Accounts.
Management of the Funds by the Investment Adviser
Considerations Relating to Information Held by Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs has established certain information barriers and other policies designed to address the sharing of information between different businesses within Goldman Sachs. As a result of information barriers, the Investment Adviser generally will not have access, or will have limited access, to certain information and personnel, including senior personnel, in other areas of Goldman Sachs relating to business transactions for clients (including transactions in investing, banking, prime brokerage and certain other areas), and generally will not manage the Funds with the benefit of information held by such other areas. Goldman Sachs, due to its access to and knowledge of funds, markets and securities based on its prime brokerage and other businesses, will from time to time make decisions based on information or take (or refrain from taking) actions with respect to interests in investments of the kind held (directly or indirectly) by the Funds in a manner that is adverse to the Funds, and will not have any obligation or other duty to share information with the Investment Adviser.
In limited circumstances, however, including for purposes of managing business and reputational risk, and subject to policies and procedures, personnel on one side of an information barrier may have access to information and personnel on the other side of the information barrier through “wall crossings.” The Investment Adviser faces conflicts of interest in determining whether to engage in such wall crossings. In addition, Goldman Sachs or the Investment Adviser may determine to move certain personnel, businesses, or business units from one side of an information barrier to the other side of the information barrier. In connection therewith, Goldman Sachs personnel, businesses, and business units that were moved will no longer have access to the personnel, businesses and business units on the side of the information barrier from which they were moved.
Information obtained in connection with such wall crossings and changes to information barriers may limit or restrict the ability of the Investment Adviser to engage in or otherwise effect transactions on behalf of the Funds (including purchasing or selling securities that the Investment Adviser may otherwise have purchased or sold for an Account in the absence of a wall crossing or change to an information barrier). In managing conflicts of interest that arise as a result of the foregoing, the Investment Adviser generally will be subject to fiduciary requirements. Information barriers also exist between certain businesses within the Investment Adviser. The conflicts described herein with respect to information barriers and otherwise with respect to Goldman Sachs and the Investment Adviser also apply to the Asset Management Division of Goldman Sachs (of which the Investment Adviser is a part), as well as to the businesses
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within the Asset Management Division of Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser). In addition, there may also be circumstances in which, as a result of information held by certain portfolio management teams in the Investment Adviser, the Investment Adviser limits an activity or transaction for a Fund, including if the Fund is managed by a portfolio management team other than the team holding such information.
In addition, regardless of the existence of information barriers, Goldman Sachs will not have any obligation or other duty to make available for the benefit of the Funds any information regarding Goldman Sachs’ trading activities, strategies or views, or the activities, strategies or views used for other Accounts. Furthermore, to the extent that the Investment Adviser has developed fundamental analysis and proprietary technical models or other information, Goldman Sachs and its personnel, or other parts of the Investment Adviser, will not be under any obligation or other duty to share certain information with the Investment Adviser or personnel involved in decision-making for Accounts (including the Funds), and the Funds may make investment decisions that differ from those they would have made if Goldman Sachs had provided such information, and be disadvantaged as a result thereof.
Different areas of the Investment Adviser and Goldman Sachs take views, and make decisions or recommendations, that are different than those of other areas of the Investment Adviser and Goldman Sachs. Different portfolio management teams within the Investment Adviser make decisions based on information or take (or refrain from taking) actions with respect to Accounts they advise in a manner different than or adverse to the Funds. Such teams do not share information with the Funds’ portfolio management teams, including as a result of certain information barriers and other policies, and will not have any obligation or other duty to do so.
Goldman Sachs operates a business known as Prime Services, which provides prime brokerage, administrative and other services to clients that from time to time involve investment funds (including pooled investment vehicles and private funds) in which one or more Accounts invest (“Underlying Funds”) or markets and securities in which Accounts invest. Prime Services and other parts of Goldman Sachs have broad access to information regarding the current status of certain markets, investments and funds and detailed information about fund operators that is not available to the Investment Adviser. In addition, Goldman Sachs from time to time acts as a prime broker to one or more Underlying Funds, in which case Goldman Sachs will have information concerning the investments and transactions of such Underlying Funds that is not available to the Investment Adviser. As a result of these and other activities, parts of Goldman Sachs will possess information in respect of markets, investments, investment advisers that are affiliated or unaffiliated with Goldman Sachs and Underlying Funds, which, if known to the Investment Adviser, might cause the Investment Adviser to seek to dispose of, retain or increase interests in investments held by Accounts or acquire certain positions on behalf of Accounts, or take other actions. Goldman Sachs will be under no obligation or other duty to make any such information available to the Investment Adviser or personnel involved in decision-making for Accounts (including the Funds).
Valuation of the Funds’ Investments
The Investment Adviser, while not the primary valuation agent of the Funds, performs certain valuation services related to securities and assets held in the Funds. The Investment Adviser performs such valuation services in accordance with its valuation policies. The Investment Adviser may value an identical asset differently than another division or unit within Goldman Sachs values the asset, including because such other division or unit has information or uses valuation techniques and models that it does not share with, or that are different than those of, the Investment Adviser. This is particularly the case in respect of difficult-to-value assets. The Investment Adviser may also value an identical asset differently in different Accounts, including because different Accounts are subject to different valuation guidelines pursuant to their respective governing agreements (e.g., in connection with certain regulatory restrictions applicable to different Accounts). Differences in valuation should be expected where different third-party vendors are hired to perform valuation functions for the Accounts, the Accounts are managed or advised by different portfolio management teams within the Investment Adviser that employ different valuation policies or procedures, or otherwise. The Investment Adviser will face a conflict with respect to valuations generally because of their effect on the Investment Adviser’s fees and other compensation. Furthermore, the application of particular valuation policies with respect to the Funds will, under certain circumstances, result in improved performance of the Funds.
Data and Information Sharing
Accounts, the Investment Adviser, and/or their respective affiliates, portfolio companies and other investments (collectively, the “Data Parties”) often possess data and information that they may utilize for various purposes and which they would not otherwise possess in the ordinary course of their businesses. For example, information relating to business operations, trends, budgets, customers or users, assets, funding and other metrics that the Data Parties possess or acquire through their management of Accounts and/or their own businesses and investment activities may be used by Goldman Sachs to identify and/or evaluate potential investments for Accounts and to facilitate the management of Accounts, including through operational improvements. Conversely, Goldman Sachs may use data and information that it has or acquires in connection with an Account’s activities for the benefit of Goldman Sachs’ own businesses and investment activities and their portfolio companies and other investments.
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From time to time, Goldman Sachs may commission third-party research, at an Account’s expense, in connection with the diligence of an investment opportunity or in connection with its management of a portfolio investment, and such research is expected to subsequently be available to other investment vehicles (and such persons will generally not be required to compensate an Account for the benefit they receive from such research). Such benefits could be material and Goldman Sachs will have no duty, contractual, fiduciary or otherwise, not to use such information in connection with the business and investment activities of itself, Accounts and/or their portfolio companies and other investments.
Furthermore, except for contractual obligations to third parties to maintain confidentiality of certain information, regulatory limitations on the use of material nonpublic information, and the Data Parties’ information walls, Goldman Sachs is generally free to use data and information from an Account’s activities to assist in the pursuit of its various other interests and activities, including to trade for the benefit of Goldman Sachs or another Account. Accounts and other sources of such data and information may not receive any financial or other benefit from having provided such data and information to Goldman Sachs. The potential ability to monetize such data and information may create incentives for Goldman Sachs to cause an Account to invest in entities and companies with a significant amount of data that it might not otherwise have invested in or on terms less favorable than it otherwise would have sought to obtain.
Goldman Sachs’ and the Investment Adviser’s Activities on Behalf of Other Accounts
The Investment Adviser provides advisory services to the Funds. Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser), the clients it advises, and its personnel have interests in and advise Accounts that have investment objectives or portfolios similar to, related to or opposed to those of the Funds. Goldman Sachs may receive greater fees or other compensation (including performance-based fees) from such Accounts than it does from the Funds, in which case Goldman Sachs is incentivized to favor such Accounts. In addition, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser), the clients it advises, and its personnel may engage (or consider engaging) in commercial arrangements or transactions with Accounts, and/or compete for commercial arrangements or transactions in the same types of companies, assets securities and other instruments, as the Funds. Such arrangements, transactions or investments adversely affect such Funds by, for example, limiting their ability to engage in such activity or affecting the pricing or terms of such arrangements, transactions or investments. Moreover, a particular Fund on the one hand, and Goldman Sachs or other Accounts, on the other hand, may vote differently on or take or refrain from taking different actions with respect to the same security, which are disadvantageous to the Fund. Additionally, as described below, the Investment Adviser faces conflicts of interest arising out of Goldman Sachs’ relationships and business dealings in connection with decisions to take or refrain from taking certain actions on behalf of Accounts when doing so would be adverse to Goldman Sachs’ relationships or other business dealings with such parties.
Transactions by, advice to and activities of Accounts (including with respect to investment decisions, voting and the enforcement of rights) may involve the same or related companies, securities or other assets or instruments as those in which the Funds invest, and it should be expected that such Accounts engage in a strategy while a Fund is undertaking the same or a differing strategy, any of which could directly or indirectly disadvantage the Fund (including its ability to engage in a transaction or other activities).
In various circumstances, different Accounts make investments as part of a single transaction, including in situations in which multiple Accounts comprise a single “fund family.” In these circumstances, the participating Accounts may have different interests, including investment horizons. Similarly, capital contribution and other obligations associated with an investment may extend beyond a particular Account’s investment period or expected term. In such circumstances, the Investment Adviser may negotiate the terms of an investment on a collective basis and such terms may not be as favorable, from the perspective of a particular Account, than if the Account had been the sole participating Account. Terms required by one Account (for example, due to regulatory requirements) when it invests may negatively impact the ability of another Account to consummate the investment or may adversely alter its terms. Similarly, one Account may seek to dispose of an investment at a time when it would be desirable for another Account to continue to hold such investment (or vice versa). Depending on the structure of the applicable investment, disposing of a portion of the investment may not be practicable or may have adverse effects on the rights of Accounts continuing to hold the investment. When making an investment decision with respect to an investment in which multiple Accounts are invested, Goldman Sachs may primarily take into account the specific effect such investment decision will have on the Accounts as a whole, and not based on the best interests of any particular Account.
In addition, Goldman Sachs may be engaged to provide advice to an Account that is considering entering into a transaction with a Fund, and Goldman Sachs may advise the Account not to pursue the transaction with the Fund, or otherwise in connection with a potential transaction provide advice to the Account that would be adverse to the Fund. Additionally, if a Fund buys a security and an
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Account establishes a short position in that same security or in similar securities, such short position may result in the impairment of the price of the security that the Fund holds or could be designed to profit from a decline in the price of the security. A Fund could similarly be adversely impacted if it establishes a short position, following which an Account takes a long position in the same security or in similar securities. Furthermore, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) may make filings in connection with a shareholder class action lawsuit or similar matter involving a particular security on behalf of an Account (including a Fund), but not on behalf of a different Account (including a Fund) that holds or held the same security, or that is invested in or has extended credit to different parts of the capital structure of the same issuer. Accounts may also have different rights in respect of an investment with the same issuer, or invest in different classes of the same issuer that have different rights, including, without limitation, with respect to liquidity. The determination to exercise such rights by the Investment Adviser on behalf of such other Accounts may have an adverse effect on the Funds.
The Funds are expected to transact with a variety of counterparties. Some of these counterparties will also engage in transactions with other Accounts managed by the Investment Adviser or another Goldman Sachs entity. For example, a Fund may directly or indirectly purchase assets from a counterparty at the same time the counterparty (or an affiliate thereof) is also negotiating to purchase different assets from another Account. This creates potential conflicts of interest, particularly with respect to the terms and purchase prices of the sales. For example, Goldman Sachs may receive fees or other compensation in connection with the sale of assets by an Account to a counterparty, which creates an incentive to negotiate a higher purchase price for those assets in a separate transaction where the Fund is a purchaser.
Similarly, a particular Fund may dispose of one or more assets through a block sale that includes assets held by other Accounts or as part of a series of transactions in which assets from multiple Accounts are sold to the same purchaser. This creates potential conflicts of interest, particularly with regard to the determination of the purchase prices of the applicable assets. For example, Goldman Sachs may receive greater fees or other compensation (including performance-based fees) in connection with the sale of assets in other Accounts that participate in a block sale as compared to the compensation that Goldman Sachs receives in connection with the sale of assets by the particular Fund. There can be no assurance that the compensation received by the particular Fund as a result of participating in a block sale would be greater than the compensation that the particular Fund would receive if its assets were sold as part of a standalone transaction. Any such transaction will be effected in accordance with the Investment Adviser’s fiduciary obligations.
Shareholders may be offered access to advisory services through several different Goldman Sachs businesses (including through Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and the Investment Adviser). Different advisory businesses within Goldman Sachs manage Accounts according to different strategies and apply different criteria to the same or similar strategies and have differing investment views in respect of an issuer or a security or other investment. Similarly, within the Investment Adviser, certain investment teams or portfolio managers can have differing or opposite investment views in respect of an issuer or a security, and as a result some or all of the positions a Fund’s investment team or portfolio managers take in respect of the Fund will be inconsistent with, or adversely affected by, the interests and activities of the Accounts advised by other investment teams or portfolio managers of the Investment Adviser. Research, analyses or viewpoints will be available to clients or potential clients at different times. Goldman Sachs will not have any obligation or other duty to make available to the Funds any research or analysis at any particular time or prior to its public dissemination. The Investment Adviser is responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of the Funds, and such investment decisions can differ from investment decisions or recommendations by Goldman Sachs on behalf of other Accounts. The timing of transactions entered into or recommended by Goldman Sachs, on behalf of itself or its clients, including the Funds, may negatively impact the Funds or benefit certain other Accounts. For example, if Goldman Sachs, on behalf of one or more Accounts, implements an investment decision or strategy ahead of, or contemporaneously with, or behind similar investment decisions or strategies made for the Funds (whether or not the investment decisions emanate from the same research analysis or other information), it could result, due to market impact or other factors, in liquidity constraints or in certain Funds receiving less favorable investment or trading results or incurring increased costs. Similarly, if Goldman Sachs implements an investment decision or strategy that results in a purchase (or sale) of a security for one Fund, such implementation may increase the value of such security already held by another Account (or decrease the value of such security that such other Account intends to purchase), thereby benefitting such other Account.
Subject to applicable law, the Investment Adviser is incentivized to cause the Funds to invest in securities, bank loans or other obligations of companies affiliated with or advised by Goldman Sachs or in which Goldman Sachs or Accounts have an equity, debt or other interest, or to engage in investment transactions that may result in other Accounts being relieved of obligations or otherwise divested of investments, which may enhance the profitability of Goldman Sachs’ or other Accounts’ investment in and activities with respect to such companies. The Investment Adviser, in its discretion and in certain circumstances, recommends that certain Funds have ongoing business dealings, arrangements or agreements with persons who are (i) former employees of Goldman Sachs, (ii) affiliates or other portfolio companies of Goldman Sachs or other Accounts, (iii) Goldman Sachs’ employees’ family members and/or relatives and/or certain of their portfolio companies or (iv) persons otherwise associated with an investor in an Account or a portfolio company
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or service provider of Goldman Sachs or an Account. The Funds may bear, directly or indirectly, the costs of such dealings, arrangements or agreements. These recommendations, and recommendations relating to continuing any such dealings, arrangements or agreements, pose conflicts of interest and may be based on differing incentives due to Goldman Sachs’ relationships with such persons. In particular, when acting on behalf of, and making decisions for, Accounts, the Investment Adviser may take into account Goldman Sachs’ interests in maintaining its relationships and business dealings with such persons. As a result, the Investment Adviser faces conflicts of interest arising out of Goldman Sachs’ relationships and business dealings in connection with decisions to take or refrain from taking certain actions on behalf of Accounts when doing so would be adverse to Goldman Sachs’ relationships or other business dealings with such parties.
When the Investment Adviser wishes to place an order for different types of Accounts (including the Funds) for which aggregation is not practicable, the Investment Adviser may use a trade sequencing and rotation policy to determine which type of Account is to be traded first. Under this policy, each portfolio management team may determine the length of its trade rotation period and the sequencing schedule for different categories of clients within this period provided that the trading periods and these sequencing schedules are designed to be reasonable. Within a given trading period, the sequencing schedule establishes when and how frequently a given client category will trade first in the order of rotation. The Investment Adviser may deviate from the predetermined sequencing schedule under certain circumstances, and the Investment Adviser’s trade sequencing and rotation policy may be amended, modified or supplemented at any time without prior notice to clients.
Potential Conflicts Relating to Follow-On Investments
From time to time, the Investment Adviser provides opportunities to Accounts (including potentially the Funds) to make investments in companies in which certain Accounts have already invested. Such follow-on investments can create conflicts of interest, such as the determination of the terms of the new investment and the allocation of such opportunities among Accounts (including the Funds). Follow-on investment opportunities may be available to the Funds notwithstanding that the Funds have no existing investment in the issuer, resulting in the assets of the Funds potentially providing value to, or otherwise supporting the investments of, other Accounts. Accounts (including the Funds) may also participate in releveraging, recapitalization, and similar transactions involving companies in which other Accounts have invested or will invest. Conflicts of interest in these and other transactions arise between Accounts (including the Funds) with existing investments in a company and Accounts making subsequent investments in the company, which have opposing interests regarding pricing and other terms. The subsequent investments may dilute or otherwise adversely affect the interests of the previously-invested Accounts (including the Funds).
Diverse Interests of Shareholders
It should be expected that the various types of investors in and beneficiaries of the Funds, including to the extent applicable the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, have conflicting investment, tax and other interests with respect to their interests in the Funds. When considering a potential investment for a Fund, the Investment Adviser will generally consider the investment objectives of the Fund, not the investment objectives of any particular investor or beneficiary. The Investment Adviser makes decisions, including with respect to tax matters, from time to time that will be more beneficial to one type of investor or beneficiary than another, or to the Investment Adviser and its affiliates than to investors or beneficiaries unaffiliated with the Investment Adviser. In addition, Goldman Sachs faces certain tax risks based on positions taken by the Funds, including as a withholding agent. Goldman Sachs reserves the right on behalf of itself and its affiliates to take actions adverse to the Funds or other Accounts in these circumstances, including withholding amounts to cover actual or potential tax liabilities.
Selection of Service Providers
The Funds expect to engage service providers (including attorneys and consultants) that in certain cases also provide services to Goldman Sachs and other Accounts. In addition, certain service providers to the Investment Adviser or Funds are also portfolio companies or other affiliates of the Investment Adviser or other Accounts (for example, a portfolio company of an Account may retain a portfolio company of another Account). To the extent it is involved in such selection, the Investment Adviser intends to select these service providers based on a number of factors, including expertise and experience, knowledge of related or similar products, quality of service, reputation in the marketplace, relationships with the Investment Adviser, Goldman Sachs or others, and price. These service providers may have business, financial, or other relationships with Goldman Sachs (including its personnel), which may influence the Investment Adviser’s selection of these service providers for the Funds. In such circumstances, there is a conflict of interest between Goldman Sachs (acting on behalf of the Funds) and the Funds or between Funds if the Funds determine not to engage or continue to engage these service providers.
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The Investment Adviser may, in its sole discretion, determine to provide, or engage or recommend an affiliate of the Investment Adviser to provide, certain services to the Funds, instead of engaging or recommending one or more third parties to provide such services. Subject to the governance requirements of a particular Fund and applicable law, the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, as applicable, will receive compensation in connection with the provision of such services. As a result, the Investment Adviser faces a conflict of interest when selecting or recommending service providers for the Funds. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the selection or recommendation of service providers for the Funds will be conducted in accordance with the Investment Adviser’s fiduciary obligations to the Funds. The service providers selected or recommended by the Investment Adviser may charge different rates to different recipients based on the specific services provided, the personnel providing the services, the complexity of the services provided or other factors. As a result, the rates paid with respect to these service providers by a Fund, on the one hand, may be more or less favorable than the rates paid by Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, on the other hand. In addition, the rates paid by the Investment Adviser or the Funds, on the one hand, may be more or less favorable than the rates paid by other parts of Goldman Sachs or Accounts managed by other parts of Goldman Sachs, on the other hand. Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser), its personnel, and/or Accounts may hold investments in companies that provide services to entities in which the Funds invest generally, and, subject to applicable law, the Investment Adviser may refer or introduce such companies’ services to entities that have issued securities held by the Funds.
Investments in Goldman Sachs Funds
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Funds will, from time to time invest in money market and/or other funds sponsored, managed or advised by Goldman Sachs. In connection with any such investments, a Fund, to the extent permitted by the Act, will pay all advisory, administrative or Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to the investment. To the extent consistent with applicable law, certain Funds that invest in other funds sponsored, managed or advised by Goldman Sachs pay advisory fees to the Investment Adviser that are not reduced by any fees payable by such other funds to Goldman Sachs as manager of such other funds (i.e., there will be “double fees” involved in making any such investment, which would not arise in connection with the direct allocation of assets by investors in the Funds to such other funds). In such circumstances, as well as in all other circumstances in which Goldman Sachs receives any fees or other compensation in any form relating to the provision of services, no accounting or repayment to the Funds will be required.
The Investment Adviser, from time to time, manages Accounts (including the Funds), which may, individually or in the aggregate, own a substantial amount of the Funds. Further, the Investment Adviser, its affiliates, or another entity (i.e., a seed investor) may invest in the Funds at or near the establishment of such Funds, which may facilitate the Funds achieving a specified size or scale. Seed investors may contribute all or a majority of the assets in the Fund. There is a risk that such seed investors may redeem their investments in the Fund. Such redemptions could have a significant negative impact on the Fund, including on its liquidity.
Goldman Sachs May In-Source or Outsource
Subject to applicable law, Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, may from time to time and without notice to investors in-source or outsource certain processes or functions in connection with a variety of services that it provides to the Funds in its administrative or other capacities. Such in-sourcing or outsourcing may give rise to additional conflicts of interest.
Distributions of Assets Other Than Cash
With respect to redemptions from the Funds, the Funds will, in certain circumstances, have discretion to decide whether to permit or limit redemptions and whether to make distributions in connection with redemptions in the form of securities or other assets, and in such case, the composition of such distributions. In making such decisions, the Investment Adviser will sometimes have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to redeeming investors and remaining investors.
Goldman Sachs Will Act in a Capacity Other Than Investment Adviser to the Funds
Investments in and Advice Regarding Different Parts of an Issuer’s Capital Structure
In some cases, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or Accounts, on the one hand, and the Funds, on the other hand, invest in or extend credit to different parts of the capital structure of a single issuer. As a result, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or Accounts may take actions that adversely affect the Funds. In addition, in some cases, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) advises Accounts with respect to different parts of the capital structure of the same issuer, or classes of securities that are subordinate or senior to securities, in which the Funds invest. Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) is able to pursue rights, provide advice or engage in other activities, or refrain from pursuing rights, providing advice or engaging in other activities, on behalf of itself or other Accounts with respect to an issuer in which the Funds have invested, and such actions (or inaction) may have a material adverse effect on the Funds.
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For example, in the event that Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or an Account holds loans, securities or other positions in the capital structure of an issuer that ranks senior in preference to the holdings of a Fund in the same issuer, and the issuer experiences financial or operational challenges, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser), acting on behalf of itself or the Account, may seek a liquidation, reorganization or restructuring of the issuer that has, or terms in connection with the foregoing, that have, an adverse effect on or otherwise conflict with the interests of the Fund’s holdings in the issuer. In connection with any such liquidation, reorganization or restructuring, the Fund’s holdings in the issuer may be extinguished or substantially diluted, while Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or another Account recovers some or all of the amounts due to them. In addition, in connection with any lending arrangements involving the issuer in which Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or an Account participates, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or the Account may seek to exercise its rights under the applicable loan agreement or other document, in a manner detrimental to the Fund. In situations in which Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) holds positions in multiple parts of the capital structure of an issuer across Accounts (including the Funds), the Investment Adviser may not pursue actions or remedies available to the Fund, as a result of legal and regulatory requirements or otherwise.
These potential issues are examples of conflicts that Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) will face in situations in which the Funds, and Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or other Accounts, invest in or extend credit to different parts of the capital structure of a single issuer. Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) addresses these issues based on the circumstances of particular situations. For example, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) relies on information barriers between different Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) business units or portfolio management teams. Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) in some circumstances relies on the actions of similarly situated holders of loans or securities rather than, or in connection with, taking such actions itself on behalf of the Funds.
As a result of the various conflicts and related issues described above and the fact that conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the interests of the Funds, the Funds could sustain losses during periods in which Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) and other Accounts (including Accounts sponsored, managed or advised by the Investment Adviser) achieve profits generally or with respect to particular holdings in the same issuer, or could achieve lower profits or higher losses than would have been the case had the conflicts described above not existed. It should be expected that the negative effects described above will be more pronounced in connection with transactions in, or the Funds’ use of, small capitalization, emerging market, distressed or less liquid strategies.
Principal and Cross Transactions
When permitted by applicable law and the Investment Adviser’s policies, the Investment Adviser, acting on behalf of certain Funds (for example, those employing taxable fixed income, municipal bond fixed income and structured investment strategies), may (but is under no obligation or other duty to) enter into transactions in securities and other instruments with or through Goldman Sachs or in Accounts managed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates and cause the Funds to engage in transactions in which the Investment Adviser acts as principal on its own behalf (principal transactions), advises both sides of a transaction (cross transactions) and acts as broker for, and receives a commission from, the Funds on one side of a transaction and a brokerage account on the other side of the transaction (agency cross transactions). There are potential conflicts of interest, regulatory issues or restrictions contained in the Investment Adviser’s internal policies relating to these transactions which could limit the Investment Adviser’s determination and/or ability to engage in these transactions for Accounts (including the Funds). In certain circumstances such as when Goldman Sachs is the only or one of a few participants in a particular market or is one of the largest such participants, such limitations will eliminate or reduce the availability of certain investment opportunities to Accounts (including the Funds) or impact the price or terms on which transactions relating to such investment opportunities may be effected.
Goldman Sachs will have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to the parties in such transactions. The Investment Adviser has developed policies and procedures in relation to such transactions and conflicts. Cross transactions may disproportionately benefit some Accounts relative to other Accounts, including the Funds, due to the relative amount of market savings obtained by the Accounts, and cross transactions may be effected at different prices for different Accounts due to differing legal and/or regulatory requirements applicable to such Accounts. Certain Accounts are also prohibited from participating in cross transactions, even if consent is obtained. Where principal, cross or agency cross transactions are not prohibited, such transactions will be effected in accordance with fiduciary requirements and applicable law (which include disclosure and consent).
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Goldman Sachs Acting in Multiple Commercial Capacities
To the extent permitted by applicable law, an issuer in which a Fund has an interest may hire Goldman Sachs to provide underwriting, merger advisory, other financial advisory, placement agency, foreign currency hedging, research, asset management services, brokerage services or other services to the issuer. Furthermore, Goldman Sachs sponsors, manages, advises or provides services to affiliated Underlying Funds (or their personnel) in which the Funds invest. Goldman Sachs may be entitled to compensation in connection with the provision of such services, and the Funds will not be entitled to any such compensation. Goldman Sachs will have an interest in obtaining fees and other compensation in connection with such services that are favorable to Goldman Sachs, and in connection with providing such services takes commercial steps in its own interest, or advises the parties to which it is providing services, or takes other actions. Such actions may benefit Goldman Sachs. For example, Goldman Sachs may require repayment of all or part of a loan from a company in which an Account (including a Fund) holds an interest, which could cause the company to default or be required to liquidate its assets more rapidly, which could adversely affect the value of the company and the value of the Funds invested therein. If Goldman Sachs advises a company to make changes to its capital structure, the result would be a reduction in the value or priority of a security held (directly or indirectly) by one or more Funds. In addition, underwriters, placement agents or managers of initial public offerings, including Goldman Sachs, often require the Funds who hold privately placed securities of a company to execute a lock-up agreement prior to such company’s initial public offering restricting the resale of the securities for a period of time before and following the IPO. As a result, the Investment Adviser will be restricted from selling the securities in such Funds at a more favorable price. Actions taken or advised to be taken by Goldman Sachs in connection with other types of transactions may also result in adverse consequences for the Funds. Goldman Sachs faces conflicts of interest in providing and selecting services for the Funds because Goldman Sachs provides many services and has many commercial relationships with companies and affiliated and unaffiliated Underlying Funds (or their applicable personnel). Providing services to the Funds and companies (or their personnel) in which the Funds invest enhances Goldman Sachs’ relationships with various parties, facilitates additional business development and enables Goldman Sachs to obtain additional business and/or generate additional revenue. The Funds will not be entitled to compensation related to any such benefit to businesses of Goldman Sachs. In addition, such relationships may adversely impact the Funds, including, for example, by restricting potential investment opportunities, as described below, incentivizing the Investment Adviser to take or refrain from taking certain actions on behalf of the Funds when doing so would be adverse to such business relationships, and/or influencing the Investment Adviser’s selection or recommendation of certain investment products and/or strategies over others.
Certain of Goldman Sachs’ activities on behalf of its clients also restrict investment opportunities that are otherwise available to the Funds. For example, Goldman Sachs is often engaged by companies as a financial advisor, or to provide financing or other services, in connection with commercial transactions that are potential investment opportunities for the Funds. There are circumstances in which the Funds are precluded from participating in such transactions as a result of Goldman Sachs’ engagement by such companies. In addition, in connection with an equity offering of securities of a portfolio company for which Goldman Sachs is acting as an underwriter, Accounts may, in certain instances, be subject to regulatory restrictions (in addition to contractual restrictions) on their ability to sell equity securities of the portfolio company for a period after completion of the offering. Goldman Sachs reserves the right to act for these companies in such circumstances, notwithstanding the potential adverse effect on the Funds. Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) also represents creditor or debtor companies in proceedings under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (and equivalent non-U.S. bankruptcy laws) or prior to these filings. From time to time, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) serves on creditor or equity committees. It should be expected that these actions, for which Goldman Sachs may be compensated, will limit or preclude the flexibility that the Funds otherwise have to buy or sell securities issued by those companies, as well as certain other assets. Please also see “—Management of the Funds by the Investment Adviser—Considerations Relating to Information Held by Goldman Sachs” above and “—Potential Limitations and Restrictions on Investment Opportunities and Activities of Goldman Sachs and the Funds” below.
Subject to applicable law, the Investment Adviser is incentivized to cause the Funds to invest in securities, bank loans or other obligations of companies affiliated with or advised by Goldman Sachs or in which Goldman Sachs or Accounts have an equity, debt or other interest, or to engage in investment transactions that may result in Goldman Sachs or other Accounts being relieved of obligations or otherwise divested of investments. For example, subject to applicable law certain Funds may acquire securities or indebtedness of a company affiliated with Goldman Sachs directly or indirectly through syndicate or secondary market purchases, or make a loan to, or purchase securities from, a company that uses the proceeds to repay loans made by Goldman Sachs. These activities by a Fund may enhance the profitability of Goldman Sachs or other Accounts with respect to their investment in and activities relating to such companies. The Fund will not be entitled to compensation as a result of this enhanced profitability.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) creates, writes, sells, issues, invests in or acts as placement agent or distributor of derivative instruments related to the Funds, or with respect to underlying securities or assets of the Funds or which are be otherwise based on or seek to replicate or hedge the performance of the Funds. Such derivative transactions, and any associated hedging activity, may differ from and be adverse to the interests of the Funds.
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Goldman Sachs makes loans to, and enters into margin, asset-based or other credit facilities or similar transactions with, clients, companies or individuals that are secured by publicly or privately held securities or other assets, including a client’s Fund shares as described above. Some of these borrowers are public or private companies, or founders, officers or shareholders in companies in which the Funds (directly or indirectly) invest, and such loans may be secured by securities of such companies, which may be the same as, pari passu with, or more senior or junior to, interests held (directly or indirectly) by the Funds. In connection with its rights as lender, Goldman Sachs acts to protect its own commercial interest and may take actions that adversely affect the borrower, including by liquidating or causing the liquidation of securities on behalf of a borrower or foreclosing and liquidating such securities in Goldman Sachs’ own name. Such actions will adversely affect the Funds (if, for example, a large position in a security is liquidated, among the other potential adverse consequences will be that the value of such security will decline rapidly and the Funds will in turn decline in value or will be unable to liquidate their positions in such security at an advantageous price or at all). In addition, Goldman Sachs may make loans to shareholders or enter into similar transactions that are secured by a pledge of, or mortgage over, a shareholder’s Fund shares, which would provide Goldman Sachs with the right to redeem such Fund shares in the event that such shareholder defaults on its obligations. These transactions and related redemptions may be significant and may be made without notice to the shareholders.
Code of Ethics and Personal Trading
Each of the Funds and Goldman Sachs, as each Fund’s Investment Adviser and Distributor, has adopted a Code of Ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Act designed to provide that personnel of the Investment Adviser, and certain additional Goldman Sachs personnel who support the Investment Adviser, comply with applicable federal securities laws and place the interests of clients first in conducting personal securities transactions. The Code of Ethics imposes certain restrictions on securities transactions in the personal accounts of covered persons to help avoid conflicts of interest. Subject to the limitations of the Code of Ethics, covered persons buy and sell securities or other investments for their personal accounts, including investments in the Funds, and also take positions that are the same as, different from, or made at different times than, positions taken (directly or indirectly) by the Funds. The Codes of Ethics are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies may also be obtained after paying a duplicating fee by electronic request to [email protected]. Additionally, all Goldman Sachs personnel, including personnel of the Investment Adviser, are subject to firm-wide policies and procedures regarding confidential and proprietary information, information barriers, private investments, outside business activities and personal trading.
Proxy Voting by the Investment Adviser
The Investment Adviser has implemented processes designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients, including the Funds, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with its fiduciary obligations to its clients. Notwithstanding such proxy voting processes, proxy voting decisions made by the Investment Adviser in respect of securities held by the Funds may benefit the interests of Goldman Sachs and/or Accounts other than the Funds. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see the section of this SAI entitled “PROXY VOTING.”
Potential Limitations and Restrictions on Investment Opportunities and Activities of Goldman Sachs and the Funds
The Investment Adviser restricts its investment decisions and activities on behalf of the Funds in various circumstances, including as a result of applicable regulatory requirements, information held by the Investment Adviser or Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs’ roles in connection with other clients and in the capital markets (including in connection with advice it gives to such clients or commercial arrangements or transactions that are undertaken by such clients or by Goldman Sachs), Goldman Sachs’ internal policies and/or potential reputational risk in connection with Accounts (including the Funds). In certain cases, the Investment Adviser will not engage in transactions or other activities for, or enforce certain rights in favor of, one or more Funds due to Goldman Sachs’ activities outside the Funds (e.g., the Investment Adviser may refrain from making investments for the Funds that would cause Goldman Sachs to exceed position limits or cause Goldman Sachs to have additional disclosure obligations and may limit purchases or sales of securities in respect of which Goldman Sachs is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution) and regulatory requirements, policies and reputational risk assessments.
In addition, in certain circumstances, the Investment Adviser restricts, limits or reduces the amount of a Fund’s investment, or restricts the type of governance or voting rights it acquires or exercises, where the Fund (potentially together with Goldman Sachs and other Accounts) exceeds a certain ownership interest, or possesses certain degrees of voting or control or has other interests. For example, such limitations may exist if a position or transaction could require a filing or license or other regulatory or corporate consent,
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which could, among other things, result in additional costs and disclosure obligations for, or impose regulatory restrictions on, Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, or on other Accounts, or where exceeding a threshold is prohibited or results in regulatory or other restrictions. In certain cases, restrictions and limitations will be applied to avoid approaching such threshold. Circumstances in which such restrictions or limitations arise include, without limitation: (i) a prohibition against owning more than a certain percentage of an issuer’s securities; (ii) a “poison pill” that has a dilutive impact on the holdings of the Fund should a threshold be exceeded; (iii) provisions that cause Goldman Sachs to be considered an “interested stockholder” of an issuer; (iv) provisions that cause Goldman Sachs to be considered an “affiliate” or “control person” of the issuer; and (v) the imposition by an issuer (through charter amendment, contract or otherwise) or governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization (through law, rule, regulation, interpretation or other guidance) of other restrictions or limitations. In addition, due to regulatory restrictions, certain Accounts are prohibited from, or are subject to certain restrictions when, trading with or through Goldman Sachs, engaging Goldman Sachs as a service provider or purchasing investments issued or managed by Goldman Sachs.
When faced with the foregoing limitations, Goldman Sachs will generally avoid exceeding the threshold because exceeding the threshold could have an adverse impact on the ability of the Investment Adviser or Goldman Sachs to conduct its business activities. The Investment Adviser may also reduce a Fund’s interest in, or restrict a Fund from participating in, an investment opportunity that has limited availability or where Goldman Sachs has determined to cap its aggregate investment in consideration of certain regulatory or other requirements so that other Accounts that pursue similar investment strategies are able to acquire an interest in the investment opportunity. In some cases, the Investment Adviser determines not to engage in certain transactions or activities beneficial to the Funds because engaging in such transactions or activities in compliance with applicable law would result in significant cost to, or administrative burden on, the Investment Adviser or create the potential risk of trade or other errors.
The Investment Adviser generally is not permitted to use material non-public information in effecting purchases and sales in transactions for the Funds that involve public securities. The Investment Adviser may limit an activity or transaction (such as a purchase or sale transaction) which might otherwise be engaged in by the Funds, including as a result of information held by Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser or its personnel). For example, directors, officers and employees of Goldman Sachs may take seats on the boards of directors of, or have board of directors observer rights with respect to, companies in which Goldman Sachs invests on behalf of the Funds. To the extent a director, officer or employee of Goldman Sachs were to take a seat on the board of directors of, or have board of directors observer rights with respect to, a public company, the Investment Adviser (or certain of its investment teams) may be limited and/or restricted in its or their ability to trade in the securities of the company. In addition, any such director, officer or employee of Goldman Sachs that is a member of the board of directors of a portfolio company may have duties in his or her capacity as a director that conflict with the Investment Adviser’s duties to Accounts, and may act in a manner that disadvantages or otherwise harms a Fund and/or Goldman Sachs. In the event the Investment Adviser declines access to, or otherwise does not receive, material non-public information regarding an issuer, the Investment Adviser may base investment decisions with respect to securities of such issuer solely on public information, thereby limiting the amount of information available to the Investment Adviser in connection with such investment decisions.
Different areas of Goldman Sachs come into possession of material non-public information regarding an issuer of securities held by an Underlying Fund in which an Account invests. In the absence of information barriers between such different areas of Goldman Sachs or under certain other circumstances, the Account will be prohibited, including by internal policies, from trading, redeeming from or otherwise disposing of such security or such Underlying Fund during the period such material non-public information is held by such other part of Goldman Sachs, which period may be substantial. As a result, the Account would not be permitted to redeem from an Underlying Fund in whole or in part during periods when it otherwise would have been able to do so, which could adversely affect the Account. Other investors in the Underlying Fund that are not subject to such restrictions may be able to redeem from the Underlying Fund during such periods.
In addition, the Investment Adviser’s clients may partially or fully fund a new Account with in-kind securities in which the Investment Adviser is restricted. In such circumstances, the Investment Adviser will generally sell any such securities at the next available trading window, subject to operational and technological limitations (unless such securities are subject to another express arrangement), requiring such Accounts to dispose of investments at an earlier or later date and/or at a less favorable price than would otherwise have been the case had the Investment Adviser not been so restricted. Accounts will be responsible for all tax liabilities that result from any such sale transactions.
The Investment Adviser operates a program reasonably designed to ensure compliance generally with economic and trade sanctions-related obligations applicable directly to its activities (although such obligations are not necessarily the same obligations to which any particular Fund is subject). Such economic and trade sanctions may prohibit, among other things, transactions with and the provision of services to, directly or indirectly, certain countries, territories, entities and individuals. It should be expected that these
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economic and trade sanctions, if applicable, and the application by the Investment Adviser of its compliance program in respect thereof, will restrict or limit the Funds’ investment activities, and may require the Investment Adviser to cause a Fund to sell its position in a particular investment at an inopportune time and/or when the Investment Adviser would otherwise not have done so.
The Investment Adviser may determine to limit or not engage at all in transactions and activities on behalf of the Funds for reputational, legal or other reasons. Examples of when such determinations may be made include, but are not limited to, where Goldman Sachs is providing (or may provide) advice or services to an entity involved in such activity or transaction, where Goldman Sachs or an Account is or may be engaged in the same or a related activity or transaction to that being considered on behalf of the Funds, where Goldman Sachs or an Account has an interest in an entity involved in such activity or transaction, where there are political, public relations, or other reputational considerations relating to counterparties or other participants in such activity or transaction or where such activity or transaction on behalf of or in respect of the Funds could affect in tangible or intangible ways Goldman Sachs, the Investment Adviser, an Account or their activities.
Goldman Sachs has and seeks to have long-term relationships with many significant participants in the financial markets. Goldman Sachs also has and seeks to have longstanding relationships with, and regularly provides financing, investment banking services and other services to, a significant number of corporations and private equity sponsors, leveraged buyout and hedge fund purchasers, and their respective senior managers, shareholders and partners. Some of these purchasers may directly or indirectly compete with Accounts for investment opportunities. Goldman Sachs considers these relationships in its management of Accounts. In this regard, there may be certain investment opportunities or certain investment strategies that Goldman Sachs (i) does not undertake on behalf of Accounts in view of these relationships, or (ii) refers to clients (in whole or in part) instead of retaining for Accounts. Similarly, Goldman Sachs may take the existence and development of such relationships into consideration in the management of Fund portfolios. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, there may, for example, be certain strategies involving the acquisition, management or realization of particular investments that an Account will not employ in light of these relationships, as well as investment opportunities or strategies that an Account will not pursue in light of their potential impact on other areas of Goldman Sachs or on Account investments or be unable to pursue as a result of non-competition agreements or other similar undertakings made by Goldman Sachs.
Goldman Sachs will consider its client relationships and the need to preserve its reputation in its management of Accounts and, as a result, (i) there may be certain investment opportunities or strategies that Goldman Sachs will not undertake on behalf of Funds or will refer to one or more Funds but not others, (ii) there may be certain rights or activities that Goldman Sachs will not undertake on behalf of Funds (including in respect of director representation and recusal), or (iii) there may be certain investments that, in certain limited circumstances, are sold, disposed of or restructured earlier or later than otherwise expected.
In order to engage in certain transactions on behalf of a Fund, the Investment Adviser will also be subject to (or cause the Fund to become subject to) the rules, terms and/or conditions of any venues through which it trades securities, derivatives or other instruments. This includes, but is not limited to, where the Investment Adviser and/or the Fund are required to comply with the rules of certain exchanges, execution platforms, trading facilities, clearing houses and other venues, or are required to consent to the jurisdiction of any such venues. The rules, terms and/or conditions of any such venue often result in the Investment Adviser and/or the Fund being subject to, among other things, margin requirements, additional fees and other charges, disciplinary procedures, reporting and recordkeeping, position limits and other restrictions on trading, settlement risks and other related conditions on trading set out by such venues.
From time to time, a Fund, the Investment Adviser or its affiliates and/or their service providers or agents are required, or determine that it is advisable, to disclose certain information about the Fund, including, but not limited to, investments held by the Fund, and the names and percentage interest of beneficial owners thereof (and the underlying beneficial owners of such beneficial owners), to third parties, including local governmental authorities, regulatory organizations, taxing authorities, markets, exchanges, clearing facilities, custodians, brokers and trading counterparties of, or service providers to, the Investment Adviser or the Fund. The Investment Adviser generally expects to comply with requests to disclose such information as it so determines including through electronic delivery platforms; however, in some cases, the Investment Adviser will cause the sale of certain assets for the Fund rather than make certain required disclosures, at a time that is inopportune from a pricing or other standpoint. In addition, the Investment Adviser may provide third parties with aggregated data regarding the activities of, or certain performance or other metrics associated with the Accounts, and the Investment Adviser may receive compensation from such third parties for providing them such information.
Goldman Sachs may become subject to additional restrictions on its business activities that could have an impact on the Funds’ activities. In addition, the Investment Adviser may restrict its investment decisions and activities on behalf of the Funds and not other Accounts, including Accounts sponsored, managed or advised by the Investment Adviser.
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Brokerage Transactions
The Investment Adviser often selects U.S. and non-U.S. broker-dealers (including affiliates of the Investment Adviser) that furnish the Investment Adviser, the Funds, Investment Adviser affiliates and other Goldman Sachs personnel with proprietary or third-party brokerage and research services (collectively, “brokerage and research services”) that provide, in the Investment Adviser’s view, appropriate assistance to the Investment Adviser in the investment decision-making process. These brokerage and research services may be bundled with the trade execution, clearing or settlement services provided by a particular broker-dealer and, subject to applicable law, the Investment Adviser may pay for such brokerage and research services with client commissions (or “soft dollars”). There are instances or situations in which such practices are subject to restrictions under applicable law. For example, the EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (“MiFID II”) restricts EU domiciled investment advisers from receiving research and other materials that do not qualify as “acceptable minor non-monetary benefits” from broker-dealers unless the research or materials are paid for by the investment advisers from their own resources or from research payment accounts funded by and with the agreement of their clients.
Accounts differ with regard to whether and to what extent they pay for brokerage and research services through commissions and, subject to applicable law, brokerage and research services may be used to service the Funds and any or all other Accounts throughout the Investment Adviser, including Accounts that do not pay commissions to the broker-dealer relating to the brokerage and research service arrangements. As a result, brokerage and research services (including soft dollar benefits) may disproportionately benefit other Accounts relative to the Funds based on the relative amount of commissions paid by the Funds and in particular those Accounts that do not pay for brokerage and research services or do so to a lesser extent, including in connection with the establishment of maximum budgets for research costs (and switching to execution-only pricing when maximums are met). The Investment Adviser does not attempt to allocate soft dollar benefits proportionately among clients or to track the benefits of brokerage and research services to the commissions associated with a particular Account or group of Accounts.
Aggregation of Orders by the Investment Adviser
The Investment Adviser follows policies and procedures pursuant to which it may (but is not required to) combine or aggregate purchase or sale orders for the same security or other instrument for multiple Accounts (including Accounts in which Goldman Sachs or personnel of Goldman Sachs have an interest) (sometimes referred to as “bunching”), so that the orders can be executed at the same time and block trade treatment of any such orders can be elected when available. The Investment Adviser aggregates orders when the Investment Adviser considers doing so to be operationally feasible and appropriate and in the interests of its clients and may elect block trade treatment when available. In addition, under certain circumstances orders for the Funds may be aggregated with orders for Accounts that contain Goldman Sachs assets.
When a bunched order or block trade is completely filled, or if the order is only partially filled, at the end of the day, the Investment Adviser generally will allocate the securities or other instruments purchased or the proceeds of any sale pro rata among the participating Accounts, based on the Funds’ relative sizes. If an order is filled at several different prices, through multiple trades (whether at a particular broker-dealer or among multiple broker-dealers), generally all participating Accounts will receive the average price and pay the average commission, however, this may not always be the case (due to, e.g., odd lots, rounding, market practice or constraints applicable to particular Accounts).
Although it may do so in certain circumstances, the Investment Adviser does not always bunch or aggregate orders for different Funds, elect block trade treatment or net buy and sell orders for the same Fund, if portfolio management decisions relating to the orders are made by different portfolio management teams or if different portfolio management processes are used for different account types, if bunching, aggregating, electing block trade treatment or netting is not appropriate or practicable from the Investment Adviser’s operational or other perspective, or if doing so would not be appropriate in light of applicable regulatory considerations, which may differ among Accounts. For example, time zone differences, trading instructions, cash flows, separate trading desks or portfolio management processes may, among other factors, result in separate, non-aggregated, non-netted executions, with orders in the same instrument being entered for different Accounts at different times or, in the case of netting, buy and sell trades for the same instrument being entered for the same Account. The Investment Adviser may be able to negotiate a better price and lower commission rate on aggregated orders than on orders for Funds that are not aggregated, and incur lower transaction costs on netted orders than orders that are not netted. The Investment Adviser is under no obligation or other duty to aggregate or net for particular orders. Where orders for a Fund are not aggregated with other orders, or not netted against orders for the Fund or other Accounts, the Fund will not benefit from a better price and lower commission rate or lower transaction cost that might have been available had the orders been aggregated or netted. Aggregation and netting of orders may disproportionately benefit some Accounts relative to other Accounts, including a Fund, due to the relative amount of market savings obtained by the Accounts. The Investment Adviser may aggregate orders of Accounts that are subject to MiFID II (“MiFID II Advisory Accounts”) with orders of Accounts not subject to MiFID II, including those that generate
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soft dollar commissions (including the Funds) and those that restrict the use of soft dollars. All Accounts included in an aggregated order with MiFID II Advisory Accounts pay (or receive) the same average price for the security and the same execution costs (measured by rate). However, MiFID II Advisory Accounts included in an aggregated order may pay commissions at “execution-only” rates below the total commission rates paid by Accounts included in the aggregated order that are not subject to MiFID II.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
The portfolio transactions for the Funds are generally effected at a net price without a broker’s commission (i.e., a dealer is dealing with a Fund as principal and receives compensation equal to the spread between the dealer’s cost for a given security and the resale price of such security). In certain foreign countries, debt securities are traded on exchanges at fixed commission rates. In connection with portfolio transactions, the Management Agreements provide that the Investment Advisers shall attempt to obtain the most favorable execution and net price available. The Management Agreements provide that, on occasions when an Investment Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests of a Fund as well as its other customers (including any other fund or other investment company or advisory account for which an Investment Adviser or an affiliate acts as Investment Adviser), a Fund, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for such other customers in order to obtain the best net price and most favorable execution. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the applicable Investment Adviser in the manner it considers to be most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the applicable Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure may adversely affect the size and price of the position obtainable for a Fund. The Management Agreements permit each Investment Adviser, in its discretion, to purchase and sell portfolio securities to and from dealers who provide the Trust with brokerage or research services in which dealers may execute brokerage transactions at a higher cost to the Fund. Brokerage and research services furnished by firms through which the Funds effect their securities transactions may be used by the Investment Adviser in servicing other accounts and not all of these services may be used by the Investment Advisers in connection with the specific Fund generating the brokerage credits. Such research or other services may include research reports on companies, industries and securities; economic and financial data; financial publications; computer data bases; quotation equipment and services; and research-oriented computer hardware, software and other services. The fees received under the Management Agreements are not reduced by reason of an Investment Adviser receiving such brokerage and research services.
Such services are used by an Investment Adviser in connection with all of its investment activities, and some of such services obtained in connection with the execution of transactions for a Fund may be used in managing other investment accounts. Conversely, brokers furnishing such services may be selected for the execution of transactions of such other accounts, whose aggregate assets may be larger than those of a Fund, and the services furnished by such brokers may be used by an Investment Adviser in providing management services for the Trust. An Investment Adviser may also participate in so-called “commission sharing arrangements” and “client commission arrangements” under which an Investment Adviser may execute transactions through a broker-dealer and request that the broker-dealer allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to another firm that provides research to an Investment Adviser. An Investment Adviser excludes from use under these arrangements those products and services that are not fully eligible under applicable law and regulatory interpretations– even as to the portion that would be eligible if accounted for separately.
The research services received as part of commission sharing and client commission arrangements will comply with Section 28(e) and may be subject to different legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which an Investment Adviser does business. Participating in commission sharing and client commission arrangements may enable an Investment Adviser to consolidate payments for research through one or more channels using accumulated client commissions or credits from transactions executed through a particular broker-dealer to obtain research provided by other firms. Such arrangements also help to ensure the continued receipt of research services while facilitating best execution in the trading process. Each Investment Adviser believes such research services are useful in its investment decision-making process by, among other things, ensuring access to a variety of high quality research, access to individual analysts and availability of resources that the Investment Adviser might not be provided access to absent such arrangements.
The Funds are prohibited, in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Act, from compensating a broker or dealer for any promotion or sale of Fund shares by directing to such broker or dealer the Trust’s portfolio transactions or by making any payment to such broker or dealer received or to be received (which payment may include commissions, mark-ups or mark-downs or other fees) from the Trust’s portfolio transactions effected through another broker or dealer. However, the Funds may direct portfolio transactions to a broker or dealer that promotes or sells shares of the Trust if the Trust’s Board of Trustees approves policies and procedures designed to ensure that the selection of such brokers is not influenced by considerations about the sale of Trust shares. Accordingly, the Trustees (including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested Trustees) have approved policies permitting the Trust to direct portfolio securities transactions to a broker or dealer that promotes or sells shares of the Trust subject to the prohibitions that: i) all persons responsible for selecting such brokers or dealers (including but not limited to trading desk personnel and portfolio managers) may not take into account in connection with their selections the promotion or sale of shares issued by the Trust or any other registered investment company, and ii) the Trust, the Investment Advisers and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC as the Trust’s distributor may not enter into any agreement or understanding where the Trust or the Investment Advisers direct, or are expected to direct, portfolio transactions or any payment to a broker or dealer in consideration for the promotion or sale of shares of the Trust or any other registered investment company.
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On January 1, 2005, certain Funds began to participate in a Fund commission recapture program. Under the program, participating broker-dealers rebate a percentage of commissions earned on the Fund portfolio transactions to the particular Fund from which they were generated. The rebated commissions are expected to be treated as realized capital gains of the Funds.
Subject to the above considerations, the Investment Advisers may use Goldman Sachs or an affiliate as a broker for a Fund. In order for Goldman Sachs or an affiliate, acting as agent, to effect securities or futures transactions for a Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by Goldman Sachs or an affiliate must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities or futures contracts. Furthermore, the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, have adopted procedures which are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to Goldman Sachs are consistent with the foregoing standard. Brokerage transactions with Goldman Sachs are also subject to such fiduciary standards as may be imposed upon Goldman Sachs by applicable law. The amount of brokerage commissions paid by a Fund may vary substantially from year to year because of differences in shareholder purchase and redemption activity, portfolio turnover rates and other factors.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, the Funds paid approximate brokerage commissions as follows:
| Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021 |
Total Brokerage Commissions Paid1 |
Total Brokerage Commissions Paid to Goldman Sachs2 |
Total Amount of Transactions on which Commissions Paid2, 3 |
Amount of Transactions Effected Through Brokers Providing Research4 |
Brokerage Commissions Paid to Brokers Providing Research4 |
|||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 24,825 | $ | 24,825 (100 | %) | $ | 2,381,118,758 (0 | %) | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
2,505 | 2,505 (100 | %) | 242,425,141 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
86,764 | 86,764 (100 | %) | 8,711,794,073 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 0 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
18,466 | 18,466 (100 | %) | 1,621,959,695 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 189,679,761 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
85,971 | 85,971 (100 | %) | 7,875,899,424 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
108,407 | 108,407 (100 | %) | $ | 9,981,446,817 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 5,199,797,395 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 211,857,513 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 7,178,046,264 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
2,505 | 0 (0 | %) | 545,630,375 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
235,468 | 235,468 (100 | %) | 19,879,274,274 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
104,499 | 104,499 (100 | %) | 8,463,744,770 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
15,056 | 15,056 (100 | %) | 1,418,670,259 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
38,272 | 38,272 (100 | %) | 3,366,226,290 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
40,936 | 40,936 (100 | %) | 3,501,263,206 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
15,034 | 15,034 (100 | %) | 1,307,546,893 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
4,719 | 4,719 (100 | %) | 406,166,460 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 0 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Income Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 479,294,003 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | The figures in the table report brokerage commissions from futures transactions. |
| 2 | Percentages include commissions paid in connection with futures transactions for which Goldman Sachs serves as clearing broker and/or executing broker. |
| 3 | Refers to notional value of futures contracts. |
| 4 | The information above reflects the full commission amounts paid to brokers that provide research to the Investment Adviser. Only a portion of such commissions pays for research and the remainder of such commissions is to compensate the broker for execution services, commitment of capital and other services related to the execution of brokerage transactions. |
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, the Funds paid approximate brokerage commissions as follows:
| Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2020 |
Total Brokerage Commissions Paid1 |
Total Brokerage Commissions Paid to Goldman Sachs2 |
Total Amount of Transactions on which Commissions Paid2, 3 |
Amount of Transactions Effected Through Brokers Providing Research4 |
Brokerage Commissions Paid to Brokers Providing Research4 |
|||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 17,747 | $ | 17,747 (100 | %) | $ | 1,685,720,427 (100 | %) | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
6,516 | 0 (0 | %) | 549,992,934 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
112,001 | 112,001 (100 | %) | 11,782,632,397 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 0 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
23,213 | 23,213 (100 | %) | 2,116,823,927 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
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| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
5,392 | 0 (0 | %) | 561,001,457 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
74,330 | 74,330 (100 | %) | 6,707,188,022 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
86,472 | 86,472 (100 | %) | 8,778,833,573 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
57,579 | 0 (0 | %) | 5,101,891,290 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
5,253 | 0 (0 | %) | 550,836,313 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
101,460 | 0 (0 | %) | 8,737,683,442 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
4,260 | 0 (0 | %) | 342,719,764 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
463,781 | 463,781 (100 | %) | 41,684,988,174 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
105,990 | 105,990 (100 | %) | 9,394,543,870 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
24,339 | 24,339 (100 | %) | 2,152,984,592 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
31,949 | 31,949 (100 | %) | 2,968,117,418 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
58,447 | 58,447 (100 | %) | 5,264,839,243 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
31,924 | 31,924 (100 | %) | 2,880,489,260 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
7,840 | 7,840 (100 | %) | 701,446,339 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 0 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Income Fund5 |
715 | 0 (0 | %) | 64,030,948 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | The figures in the table report brokerage commissions from futures transactions. |
| 2 | Percentages include commissions paid in connection with futures transactions for which Goldman Sachs serves as clearing broker and/or executing broker. |
| 3 | Refers to notional value of futures contracts. |
| 4 | The information above reflects the full commission amounts paid to brokers that provide research to the Investment Adviser. Only a portion of such commissions pays for research and the remainder of such commissions is to compensate the broker for execution services, commitment of capital and other services related to the execution of brokerage transactions. |
| 5 | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, the Funds paid approximate brokerage commissions as follows:
| Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2019 |
Total Brokerage Commissions Paid1 |
Total Brokerage Commissions Paid to Goldman Sachs2 |
Total Amount of Transactions on which Commissions Paid3 |
Amount of Transactions Effected Through Brokers Providing Research4 |
Brokerage Commissions Paid to Brokers Providing Research4 |
|||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 8,964 | $ | 8,964 (100 | %) | $ | 857,702,798 (100 | %) | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
12,916 | 12,916 (100 | %) | 1,195,163,398 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
115,349 | 115,349 (100 | %) | 11,917,944,180 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 0 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
27,354 | 27,354 (100 | %) | 2,303,274,958 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
745 | 0 (0 | %) | 60,071,432 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
68,536 | 68,536 (100 | %) | 5,828,559,825 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
68,133 | 68,133 (100 | %) | 5,963,036,364 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
59,790 | 0 (0 | %) | 5,072,558,919 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 0 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
93,019 | 0 (0 | %) | 7,236,459,225 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
15,625 | 0 (0 | %) | 1,013,313,954 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
946,639 | 946,639 (0 | %) | 81,068,719,547 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
152,491 | 152,491 (100 | %) | 12,371,151,141 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
23,299 | 23,299 (100 | %) | 1,800,383,205 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
20,107 | 20,107 (100 | %) | 1,638,023,641 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
66,141 | 66,141 (100 | %) | 5,583,912,890 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
41,218 | 41,218 (100 | %) | 3,251,952,103 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
13,302 | 13,302 (100 | %) | 1,092,673,278 (100 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
0 | 0 (0 | %) | 0 (0 | %) | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | The figures in the table report brokerage commissions from futures transactions. |
| 2 | Percentage of total commissions paid to Goldman Sachs from futures transactions. |
| 3 | Refers to market value of futures contracts. |
| 4 | The information above reflects the full commission amounts paid to brokers that provide research to the Investment Adviser. Only a portion of such commissions pays for research and the remainder of such commissions is to compensate the broker for execution services, commitment of capital and other services related to the execution of brokerage transactions. |
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, the Trust’s regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the Act) were: Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities PLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Merrill Lynch International, Barclays Bank PLC, UBS AG, RBC Europe Limited, Citadel Securities LLC, and Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch.
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As of March 31, 2021, those Funds not listed below held no securities of their regular broker-dealers. As of the same date, the following Funds held the following amounts of securities of their regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the Act) or the parent entities of such broker-dealers ($ in thousands):
| Fund |
Broker/Dealer |
Amount (000s) | ||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
BofA Securities, Inc. | $ | 11,081 | |||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 8,575 | |||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | 5,639 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 2,222 | |||||
| J.P. Morgan Securities PLC | 9,025 | |||||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | 4,934 | |||||
| UBS AG | 6,425 | |||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | 11,584 | ||||
| J.P. Morgan Securities PLC | 47,068 | |||||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | 57,389 | |||||
| BofA Securities, Inc. | 63,106 | |||||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 15,054 | |||||
| UBS AG | 11,721 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 9,614 | |||||
| Bond Fund |
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | 4,720 | ||||
| J.P. Morgan Securities PLC | 504 | |||||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | 7,234 | |||||
| BofA Securities, Inc. | 6,761 | |||||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 2,180 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 829 | |||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | 17,205 | ||||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | 31,353 | |||||
| BofA Securities, Inc. | 28,695 | |||||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 5,535 | |||||
| UBS AG | 2,834 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 2,830 | |||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | 5,567 | ||||
| J.P. Morgan Securities PLC | 5,551 | |||||
| BofA Securities, Inc. | 4,512 | |||||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 1,747 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 2,833 | |||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
Citadel Securities LLC | 2,752 | ||||
| J.P. Morgan Securities PLC | 39 | |||||
| Income Fund |
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | 558 | ||||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | 1,577 | |||||
| BofA Securities, Inc. | 1,385 | |||||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 235 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 154 | |||||
| High Yield Fund |
BofA Securities, Inc. | 1,600 | ||||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 6,814 | |||||
| UBS AG | 4,385 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 6,009 | |||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
Citadel Securities LLC | 3,854 | ||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | 15,831 | |||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
J.P. Morgan Securities PLC | 2,176 | ||||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | 4,636 | |||||
| BofA Securities, Inc. | 9,566 | |||||
| Barclays Bank PLC | 1,989 | |||||
| Deutsche Bank AG-London Branch | 1,303 | |||||
Each Fund is a series of Goldman Sachs Trust, a Delaware statutory trust established by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997. The Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund, Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Goldman Sachs Government Income Fund, Goldman Sachs Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund and Goldman Sachs Global Core Fixed Income Fund were previously series of Goldman Sachs Trust, a Massachusetts business trust, and were reorganized into the Trust as of April 30, 1997. Each Fund’s fiscal year end is March 31.
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The Trustees have authority under the Trust’s Declaration of Trust to create and classify shares of beneficial interest in separate series, without further action by shareholders. The Trustees also have authority to classify and reclassify any series of shares into one or more classes of shares. As of July 29, 2021, the Trustees have authorized: (i) the issuance of eight classes of shares of Government Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund and High Yield Fund: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Service Shares, Institutional Shares, Class R Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares; (ii) the issuance of seven classes of shares of Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and Global Core Fixed Income Fund: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Service Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares; (iii) the issuance of seven classes of shares of Short Duration Bond Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, Class R Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares; (iv) the issuance of six classes of shares of Enhanced Income Fund: Class A Shares, Administration Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares; (v) the issuance of six classes of shares of High Quality Floating Rate Fund: Class A Shares, Service Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares; (vi) the issuance of six classes of shares of U.S. Mortgages Fund and Investment Grade Credit Fund: Class A Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Separate Account Institutional Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares; (vii) the issuance of six classes of shares of High Yield Municipal Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares; and (viii) the issuance of seven classes of shares of Income Fund: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, Class R Shares, Investor Shares, Class R6 Shares and Class P Shares. Additional series and classes may be added in the future.
Each Institutional Share, Service Share, Administration Share, Separate Account Institutional Share, Class A Share, Class C Share, Class R Share, Investor Share, Class R6 Share and Class P Share of a Fund represents a proportionate interest in the assets belonging to the applicable class of the Fund. All expenses of a Fund are borne at the same rate by each class of shares, except that fees under the Service and Shareholder Administration Plans are borne exclusively by Service Shares, fees under the Administration Plan are borne exclusively by Administration Shares, fees under Distribution and Service Plans are borne exclusively by Class A, Class C and Class R Shares, and transfer agency fees and expenses are borne at different rates by different share classes. The Trustees may determine in the future that it is appropriate to allocate other expenses differently among classes of shares and may do so to the extent consistent with the rules of the SEC and positions of the IRS. Each class of shares may have different minimum investment requirements and be entitled to different shareholder services. With limited exceptions, shares of a class may only be exchanged for shares of the same or an equivalent class of another series. See “Shareholder Guide” in the Prospectus and “OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS, EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS” below. In addition, the fees and expenses set forth below for each class may be subject to fee waivers or reimbursements, as discussed in the Funds’ Prospectuses.
Institutional Shares may be purchased at NAV without a sales charge for accounts in the name of an investor or institution that is not compensated by a Fund for services provided to the institution’s customers.
Administration Shares may be purchased at NAV without a sales charge for accounts held in the name of an institution that provides certain account administration to its customers, including maintenance of account records and processing orders to purchase, redeem and exchange Administration Shares. Administration Shares bear the cost of account administration fees at the annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of such Administration Shares.
Service Shares may be purchased at NAV without a sales charge for accounts held in the name of an institution that, directly or indirectly, provides certain shareholder administration services and shareholder liaison services to its customers, including maintenance of account records and processing orders to purchase, redeem and exchange Service Shares. Service Shares bear the cost of service fees and shareholder administration fees at the annual rate of up to 0.25% and 0.25%, respectively, of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributed to Service Shares.
Investor and Class R Shares are sold at NAV without a sales charge. Investor and Class R Shares are not sold directly to the public. Instead, Investor and Class R Shares generally are available only to Section 401(k), 403(b), 457, profit sharing, money purchase pension, tax-sheltered annuity, defined benefit pension, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and non-qualified pension plans or other employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) or SIMPLE plans that are sponsored by one or more employers (including governmental or church employers) or employee organizations (“Employee Benefit Plans”). Investor Shares may also be sold to accounts established under a fee-based program that is sponsored and maintained by an Intermediary that has entered into a contractual relationship with Goldman Sachs to offer such shares through such programs (“Eligible Fee-Based Program”). Investor and Class R Shares are not available to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), SEPs and SARSEPs; except that Investor Shares are available to such accounts or plans to the extent they are purchased through an Eligible Fee-Based Program. Employee Benefit Plans and Eligible Fee-Based Programs must purchase Investor or Class R Shares through an Intermediary using a plan level or omnibus account.
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Class R6 Shares are sold at NAV without a sales charge. Class R6 Shares are generally available to the following investors who purchase shares of the Funds through certain Intermediaries that have a contractual relationship with Goldman Sachs, including banks, trust companies, brokers, registered investment advisers and other financial institutions, using a plan level or omnibus account, unless otherwise noted below.
| • | Investors who purchase Class R6 Shares through an Eligible Fee-Based Program; |
| • | Employee Benefit Plans; |
| • | Registered investment companies or bank collective trusts investing directly with the Transfer Agent; |
| • | Institutional investors, including companies, foundations, endowments, municipalities, trusts and other entities, investing at least $5,000,000 directly with the Transfer Agent; and |
| • | Other investors at the discretion of the Trust’s officers. |
Class R6 Shares may not be available through certain Intermediaries. For the purposes of Class R6 Shares eligibility, the term “Intermediary” does not include Goldman Sachs or its affiliates and Class R6 Shares will not be available to clients of Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management, The Goldman Sachs Trust Company, N.A., The Goldman Sachs Trust Company of Delaware or The Ayco Company, L.P.
Class P Shares are sold at NAV without a sales charge. Class P Shares of the Funds are offered exclusively to clients of the Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management business unit that custody their positions at Goldman Sachs; clients of The Goldman Sachs Trust Company, N.A. or The Goldman Sachs Trust Company of Delaware that custody their positions at Goldman Sachs; or clients of The Ayco Company, L.P. that either custody their positions at Goldman Sachs or with certain intermediaries that are authorized to offer Class P Shares; or other investors at the discretion of the Trust’s officers.
Participants in an Employee Benefit Plan should contact their Employee Benefit Plan service provider for information regarding purchases, sales and exchanges of Class R, Investor and Class R6 Shares. Class R Shares bear the cost of distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees at the aggregate rate of up to 0.50% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class R Shares. With respect to Class R Shares the Distributor at its discretion may use compensation for distribution services paid under the Distribution and Service Plan for personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such total compensation under the Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on “service fees” imposed by FINRA.
Separate Account Institutional Shares may be purchased at NAV without a sales charge for accounts in the name of an investor or institution that is not compensated by a Fund for services provided to the institution’s customers.
Class A Shares are generally sold with an initial sales charge of up to 4.50% through brokers and dealers who are members of FINRA and certain other financial service firms that have sales agreements with Goldman Sachs. Class A Shares of the Funds bear the cost of distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees at the aggregate rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of such Class A Shares. With respect to Class A Shares, the Distributor at its discretion may use compensation for distribution services paid under the Distribution and Services Plan for personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such total compensation under the Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on “service fees” imposed by the FINRA.
Class C Shares of the Funds are sold subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) through brokers and dealers who are members of FINRA and certain other financial services firms that have sales arrangements with Goldman Sachs. Class C Shares bear the cost of distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees at the aggregate rate of up to 0.75% of the average daily net assets attributed to Class C Shares. Class C Shares also bear the cost of service fees at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributed to such Shares.
It is possible that an institution or its affiliate may offer different classes of shares (i.e., Class A, Class C, Class R, Investor, Service, Institutional, Administration, Separate Account Institutional, Class R6 or Class P Shares) to its customers and thus receive different compensation with respect to different classes of shares of each Fund. Dividends paid by each Fund, if any, with respect to each class of shares will be calculated in the same manner, at the same time on the same day and will be in the same amount, except for differences caused by the fact that the respective transfer agency and Plan fees relating to a particular class will be borne exclusively by that class. Similarly, the NAV per share may differ depending upon the class of shares purchased.
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Certain aspects of the shares may be altered, after advance notice to shareholders, if it is deemed necessary in order to satisfy certain tax regulatory requirements.
When issued for the consideration described in the Funds’ Prospectuses, shares are fully paid and non-assessable. The Trustees may, however, cause shareholders, or shareholders of a particular series or class, to pay certain custodian, transfer agency, servicing or similar charges by setting off the same against declared but unpaid dividends or by reducing share ownership (or by both means). In the event of liquidation of a Fund, shareholders of that Fund are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the applicable class of the relevant Fund available for distribution to such shareholders. All shares are freely transferable and have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights. The Trustees may require Shareholders to redeem Shares for any reason under terms set by the Trustees.
In the interest of economy and convenience, the Trust does not issue certificates representing the Funds’ shares. Instead, the Transfer Agent maintains a record of each shareholder’s ownership. Each shareholder receives confirmation of purchase and redemption orders from the Transfer Agent. Fund shares and any dividends and distributions paid by the Funds are reflected in account statements from the Transfer Agent.
The Act requires that where more than one series of shares exists, each series must be preferred over all other series in respect of assets specifically allocated to such series. In addition, Rule 18f-2 under the Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of the Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each series affected by such matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a series shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless the interests of each series in the matter are substantially identical or the matter does not affect any interest of such series. However, Rule 18f-2 exempts the selection of independent public accountants, the approval of principal distribution contracts and the election of trustees from the separate voting requirements of Rule 18f-2.
The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders and does not intend to hold such meetings. In the event that a meeting of shareholders is held, each share of the Trust will be entitled, as determined by the Trustees without the vote or consent of the shareholders, either to one vote for each share or to one vote for each dollar of NAV represented by such share on all matters presented to shareholders including the election of Trustees (this method of voting being referred to as “dollar based voting”). However, to the extent required by the Act or otherwise determined by the Trustees, series and classes of the Trust will vote separately from each other. Shareholders of the Trust do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of Trustees. Meetings of shareholders of the Trust, or any series or class thereof, may be called by the Trustees, certain officers or upon the written request of holders of 10% or more of the shares entitled to vote at such meetings. The Trustees will call a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees, if, at any time, less than a majority of Trustees holding office at the time were elected by shareholders. The shareholders of the Trust will have voting rights only with respect to the limited number of matters specified in the Declaration of Trust and such other matters as the Trustees may determine or may be required by law.
The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust unless the recipient is adjudicated (i) to be liable by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office; or (ii) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such person’s actions were in the best interest of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides that, if any shareholder or former shareholder of any series is held personally liable solely by reason of being or having been a shareholder and not because of the shareholder’s acts or omissions or for some other reason, the shareholder or former shareholder (or the shareholder’s heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives or general successors) shall be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, acting on behalf of any affected series, must, upon request by such shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against such shareholder for any act or obligation of the series and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the series.
The Declaration of Trust permits the termination of the Trust or of any series or class of the Trust (i) by a majority of the affected shareholders at a meeting of shareholders of the Trust, series or class; or (ii) by a majority of the Trustees without shareholder approval if the Trustees determine, in their sole discretion, that such action is in the best interest of the Trust, such series, such class or their shareholders. The Trustees may consider such factors as they, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate in making such determination, including (i) the inability of the Trust or any series or class to maintain its assets at an appropriate size; (ii) changes in laws or regulations governing the Trust or series affecting assets of the type in which it invests; or (iii) economic developments or trends having a significant adverse impact on their business or operations of the Trust or series.
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The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Trustees, without shareholder approval, to cause the Trust, or any series thereof, to merge or consolidate with any corporation, association, trust or other organization or sell or exchange all or substantially all of the property belonging to the Trust or any series thereof. In addition, the Trustees, without shareholder approval, may adopt a master-feeder structure by investing all or a portion of the assets of a series of the Trust in the securities of another open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, restrictions and policies.
The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to amend the Declaration of Trust without a shareholder vote. However, shareholders of the Trust have the right to vote on any amendment (i) that would adversely affect the voting rights of shareholders; (ii) that is required by law to be approved by shareholders; (iii) that would amend the provisions of the Declaration of Trust regarding amendments and supplements thereto; or (iv) that the Trustees determine to submit to shareholders.
The Trustees may appoint separate Trustees with respect to one or more series or classes of the Trust’s shares (the “Series Trustees”). Series Trustees may, but are not required to, serve as Trustees of the Trust or any other series or class of the Trust. To the extent provided by the Trustees in the appointment of Series Trustees, the Series Trustees may have, to the exclusion of any other Trustees of the Trust, all the powers and authorities of Trustees under the Declaration of Trust with respect to such series or class, but may have no power or authority with respect to any other series or class.
Shareholder and Trustee Liability
Under Delaware law, the shareholders of the Funds are not generally subject to liability for the debts or obligations of the Trust. Similarly, Delaware law provides that a series of the Trust will not be liable for the debts or obligations of any other series of the Trust. However, no similar statutory or other authority limiting statutory trust shareholder liability exists in other states. As a result, to the extent that a Delaware statutory trust or a shareholder is subject to the jurisdiction of courts of such other states, the courts may not apply Delaware law and may thereby subject the Delaware statutory trust shareholders to liability. To guard against this risk, the Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of a series. Notice of such disclaimer will normally be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by a series of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification by the relevant series for all loss suffered by a shareholder as a result of an obligation of the series. The Declaration of Trust also provides that a series shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the series and satisfy any judgment thereon. In view of the above, the risk of personal liability of shareholders of a Delaware statutory trust is remote.
In addition to the requirements under Delaware law, the Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders of a series may bring a derivative action on behalf of the series only if the following conditions are met: (a) shareholders eligible to bring such derivative action under Delaware law who hold at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the series, or 10% of the outstanding shares of the class to which such action relates, shall join in the request for the Trustees to commence such action; and (b) the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Trustees will be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in considering the merits of the request and may require an undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the Fund for the expense of any such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.
The Declaration of Trust further provides that the Trustees will not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law, but nothing in the Declaration of Trust protects a Trustee against liability to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
In accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees, the NAV per share of each class of each Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to each class of that Fund and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of that class. All securities are generally valued on each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) or such other time as the New York Stock Exchange or National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) market may officially close. The term “Business Day” means any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading, which is Monday through Friday except for holidays. The New York Stock Exchange is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day.
The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange is stopped at a time other than its regularly scheduled closing time. The Trust reserves the right to reprocess purchase (including dividend reinvestments), redemption and exchange transactions that were
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processed at a NAV that is subsequently adjusted, and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders accordingly based on the official closing NAV, as adjusted. The Trust reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC. In addition, each Fund may compute its NAV as of any time permitted pursuant to any exemption, order or statement of the SEC or its staff.
For the purpose of calculating the NAV per share of the Funds, investments are valued under valuation procedures established by the Trustees. Portfolio securities of a Fund for which accurate market quotations are readily available are generally valued as follows: (i) equity securities listed on any U.S. or foreign stock exchange or on the NASDAQ will be valued at the last sale price or the official closing price on the exchange or system in which they are principally traded on the valuation date. If there is no sale or official closing price on the valuation date, equity securities may be valued at the closing bid price for long positions or the closing ask price for short positions at the time closest to, but no later than, the NAV calculation time. If the relevant exchange or system has not closed by the above-mentioned time for determining a Fund’s NAV, the securities will be valued at the last sale price or official closing price, or if not available at the bid price at the time the NAV is determined; (ii) over-the-counter equity securities not quoted on NASDAQ will be valued at the last sale price on the valuation day or, if no sale occurs, at the last bid price for long positions or the last ask price for short positions, at the time closest to, but no later than, the NAV calculation time; (iii) equity securities for which no prices are obtained under sections (i) or (ii), including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is believed by the Investment Adviser to not represent fair value, will be valued through the use of broker quotes, if possible; (iv) fixed income securities will be valued via electronic feeds from independent pricing services to the administrator using evaluated prices provided by a recognized pricing service and dealer-supplied quotations. Fixed income securities for which a pricing service either does not supply a quotation or supplies a quotation that is believed by the Investment Adviser to not represent fair value, will be valued through the use of broker quotes, if possible; (v) fixed income securities for which accurate market quotations are not readily available will be valued by the Investment Adviser based on Board-approved fair valuation policies that incorporate matrix pricing or valuation models, which utilize certain inputs and assumptions, including, but not limited to, yield or price with respect to comparable fixed income securities and various other factors; (vi) investments in open-end registered investment companies (excluding investments in ETFs) and investments in private funds are valued based on the NAV of those registered investment companies or private funds (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectus or offering memorandum); (vii) spot foreign exchange rates will be valued using a pricing service at the time closest to, but no later than, the NAV calculation time, and forward foreign currency contracts will be valued by adding forward points provided by an independent pricing service to the spot foreign exchange rates and interpolating based upon maturity dates of each contract or by using outright forward rates, where available (if quotations are unavailable from a pricing service or, if the quotations by the Investment Adviser are believed to be inaccurate, the contracts will be valued by calculating the mean between the last bid and ask quotations supplied by at least one dealer in such contracts); (viii) exchange-traded futures contracts will be valued at the last published settlement price on the exchange where they are principally traded (or, if a sale occurs after the last published settlement price but before the NAV calculation time, at the last sale price at the time closest to, but no later than, the NAV calculation time); (ix) exchange-traded options contracts with settlement prices will be valued at the last published settlement price on the exchange where they are principally traded (or, if a sale occurs after the last published settlement price but before the NAV calculation time, at the last sale price at the time closest to, but no later than, the NAV calculation time); (x) exchange-traded options contracts without settlement prices will be valued at the midpoint of the bid and ask prices on the exchange where they are principally traded (or, in the absence of two-way trading, at the last bid price for long positions and the last ask price for short positions at the time closest to, but no later than, the NAV calculation time); (xi) over-the-counter derivatives, including, but not limited to, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, total return index swaps, put/call option combos, total return basket swaps, index volatility and FX variance swaps, will be valued at their fair market value as determined using counterparty supplied valuations, an independent pricing service or valuation models which use market data inputs supplied by an independent pricing service; and (xii) all other instruments, including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation/price or a quotation that is believed by the portfolio Investment Adviser to be inaccurate, will be valued in accordance with the valuation procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Securities may also be valued at fair value in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees where the Funds’ fund accounting agent is unable for other reasons to facilitate pricing of individual securities or calculate the Funds’ NAV, or if the Investment Adviser believes that such quotations do not accurately reflect fair value. Fair values determined in accordance with the valuation procedures approved by the Board of Trustees may be based on subjective judgments and it is possible that the prices resulting from such valuation procedures may differ materially from the value realized on a sale.
The value of all assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollar values at current exchange rates of such currencies against U.S. dollars as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). If such quotations are not available, the rate of exchange will be determined in good faith under procedures established by the Board of Trustees.
Generally, trading in securities on European, Asian and Far Eastern securities exchanges and on over-the-counter markets in these regions is substantially completed at various times prior to the close of business on each Business Day in New York (i.e., a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading). In addition, European, Asian or Far Eastern securities trading generally or in a particular country or countries may not take place on all Business Days in New York. Furthermore, trading takes place in various foreign
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markets on days which are not Business Days in New York and days on which the Funds’ NAVs are not calculated. Such calculation does not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the majority of the portfolio securities used in such calculation. For investments in foreign equity securities, “fair value” prices will be provided by an independent third-party pricing (fair value) service (if available), in accordance with fair value procedures approved by the Trustees. Fair value prices are used because many foreign markets operate at times that do not coincide with those of the major U.S. markets. Events that could affect the values of foreign portfolio holdings may occur between the close of the foreign market and the time of determining the NAV, and would not otherwise be reflected in the NAV. If the independent third-party pricing (fair value) service does not provide a fair value for a particular security or if the value does not meet the established criteria for the Funds, the most recent closing price for such a security on its principal exchange will generally be its fair value on such date.
The Investment Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities at the time of determining a Fund’s NAV. Significant events that could affect a large number of securities in a particular market may include, but are not limited to: situations relating to one or more single issuers in a market sector; significant fluctuations in U.S. or foreign markets; market dislocations; market disruptions or unscheduled market closings; equipment failures; natural or manmade disasters or acts of God; armed conflicts; governmental actions or other developments; as well as the same or similar events which may affect specific issuers or the securities markets even though not tied directly to the securities markets. Other significant events that could relate to a single issuer may include, but are not limited to: corporate actions such as reorganizations, mergers and buy-outs; corporate announcements, including those relating to earnings, products and regulatory news; significant litigation; ratings downgrades; bankruptcies; and trading limits or suspensions.
In general, fair value represents a good faith approximation of the current value of an asset and may be used when there is no public market or possibly no market at all for an asset. A security that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than actual market quotations or the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures or by other investors. The fair value of an asset may not be the price at which that asset is ultimately sold.
The proceeds received by each Fund and each other series of the Trust from the issue or sale of its shares, and all net investment income, realized and unrealized gain and proceeds thereof, subject only to the rights of creditors, will be specifically allocated to such Fund or particular series and constitute the underlying assets of that Fund or series. The underlying assets of each Fund will be segregated on the books of account, and will be charged with the liabilities in respect of such Fund and with a share of the general liabilities of the Trust. Expenses of the Trust with respect to the Funds and the other series of the Trust are generally allocated in proportion to the NAVs of the respective Funds or series except where allocations of expenses can otherwise be fairly made.
Each Fund relies on various sources to calculate its NAV. The ability of the Funds’ fund accounting agent to calculate the NAV per share of each share class of the Funds is subject to operational risks associated with processing or human errors, systems or technology failures, cyber attacks and errors caused by third party service providers, data sources, or trading counterparties. Such failures may result in delays in the calculation of a Fund’s NAV and/or the inability to calculate NAV over extended time periods. The Funds may be unable to recover any losses associated with such failures. In addition, if the third party service providers and/or data sources upon which a Fund directly or indirectly relies to calculate its NAV or price individual securities are unavailable or otherwise unable to calculate the NAV correctly, it may be necessary for alternative procedures to be utilized to price the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.
Errors and Corrective Actions
The Investment Adviser will report to the Board of Trustees any material breaches of investment objective, policies or restrictions and any material errors in the calculation of the NAV of a Fund or the processing of purchases and redemptions. Depending on the nature and size of an error, corrective action may or may not be required. Corrective action may involve a prospective correction of the NAV only, correction of any erroneous NAV and compensation to a Fund, or correction of any erroneous NAV, compensation to a Fund and reprocessing of individual shareholder transactions. The Trust’s policies on errors and corrective action limit or restrict when corrective action will be taken or when compensation to a Fund or its shareholders will be paid, and not all mistakes will result in compensable errors. As a result, neither a Fund nor its shareholders who purchase or redeem shares during periods in which errors accrue or occur may be compensated in connection with the resolution of an error. Shareholders will generally not be notified of the occurrence of a compensable error or the resolution thereof absent unusual circumstances. As discussed in more detail under “Net Asset Value,” a Fund’s portfolio securities may be priced based on quotations for those securities provided by pricing services. There can be no guarantee that a quotation provided by a pricing service will be accurate.
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The following is a summary of the principal U.S. federal income, and certain state and local, tax considerations affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the Prospectuses. This summary does not address special tax rules applicable to certain classes of investors, such as tax exempt entities, insurance companies and financial institutions. Each prospective shareholder is urged to consult his or her own tax adviser with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in each Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on July 29, 2021, which are subject to change. Future changes in tax laws may adversely impact a Fund and its shareholders.
General
Each Fund is a separate taxable entity. Each Fund has elected to be treated and intends to qualify for each taxable year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. To qualify as such, a Fund must satisfy certain requirements relating to the sources of its income, diversification of its assets and distribution of its income to shareholders. As a regulated investment company, a Fund will not be subject to federal income or excise tax on any net investment income and net realized capital gains that are distributed to its shareholders in accordance with certain timing requirements of the Code.
There are certain tax requirements that each Fund must follow in order to avoid federal taxation. In their efforts to adhere to these requirements, the Funds may have to limit their investment activities in some types of instruments. Qualification as a regulated investment company under the Code requires, among other things, that (i) a Fund derive at least 90% of its gross income (including tax exempt interest) for its taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stocks or securities, or foreign currencies, income from certain publicly traded partnerships or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies (the “90% gross income test”); and (ii) a Fund diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the market value of its total (gross) assets is comprised of cash, cash items, U.S. Government Securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total (gross) assets is invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government Securities and securities of other regulated investment companies) or two or more issuers controlled by the Fund and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or in the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.
For purposes of the 90% gross income test, income that a Fund earns from equity interests in certain entities that are not treated as corporations or as qualified publicly traded partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes (e.g., partnerships or trusts) will generally have the same character for the Fund as in the hands of such an entity; consequently, a Fund may be required to limit its equity investments in any such entities that earn fee income, rental income, or other nonqualifying income.
If the Fund complies with the provisions described above, then in any taxable year in which the Fund distributes, in compliance with the Code’s timing and other requirements, an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable accrued original issue discount and market discount income, any net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign exchange gains and any other taxable income other than “net capital gain,” as defined below, and is reduced by deductible expenses), plus 90% of the excess of its gross tax-exempt interest income (if any) over certain disallowed deductions, the Fund (but not its shareholders) will be relieved of federal income tax on any income of the Fund, including long-term capital gains, distributed to shareholders. If, instead, the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), it will be subject to a tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. Because there are some uncertainties regarding the computation of the amounts deemed distributed to Fund shareholders for these purposes — including, in particular, uncertainties regarding the portion, if any, of amounts paid in redemption of Fund shares that should be treated as such distributions — there can be no assurance that the Fund will avoid corporate-level tax in each year.
Future Treasury regulations could provide that qualifying income under the 90% gross income test will not include gains from foreign currency transactions that are not directly related to the principal business of the Funds in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. Using foreign currency positions or entering into foreign currency options, futures and forward contracts for purposes other than hedging currency risk with respect to securities held by a Fund or anticipated to be acquired may not qualify as “directly related” under these tests.
As a regulated investment company, a Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the Code’s timing and other requirements, an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term
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capital loss, certain net realized foreign exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than “net capital gain” as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses) plus 90% of the excess of its gross tax exempt interest income, if any, over certain disallowed deductions (“net tax exempt interest”). A Fund may retain for investment its “net capital gain” (which consists of the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). However, if a Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained.
Each Fund generally intends to distribute for each taxable year to its shareholders all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (if any), net capital gain and any net tax exempt interest. Exchange control or other foreign laws, regulations or practices may restrict repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of securities sales by foreign investors such as the Funds, and may therefore make it more difficult for these Funds to satisfy the distribution requirements described above, as well as the excise tax distribution requirements described below. However, these Funds generally expect to be able to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy such requirements from new investors, the sale of securities or other sources. If for any taxable year a Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, it will be taxed on all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain at corporate rates, without any deduction for dividends paid, its net tax exempt interest (if any) may be subject to the alternative minimum tax, and its distributions to shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of its current and accumulated earnings and profits.
If a Fund retains any net capital gain, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (1) if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of that undistributed amount, and (2) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds those liabilities. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of any such undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder’s gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of net capital gain.
Capital loss carryforwards will generally be able to be carried forward indefinitely. These amounts are available to be carried forward to offset future capital gains to the extent permitted by the Code and applicable tax regulations. On March 31, 2021, the following Funds had the following amounts of capital loss carryforwards:
| Fund |
Amount ($) | Year of Expiration | ||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 1,826,017 | Perpetual Short-term | |||
| 2,090,311 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
4,561,220 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 3,972,410 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
12,462,678 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 18,686,979 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
1,213,500,217 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 769,113,390 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
27,919,470 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 8,238,249 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
31,906,171 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 87,294,973 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| High Yield Fund |
156,998,353 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 334,983,217 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
134,878,329 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 263,852,331 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
105,769,823 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 42,686,961 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
2,854,636 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 4,688,005 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
262,588,938 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 9,272,475 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
299,878,904 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 120,999,957 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
19,619,230 | Perpetual Short-term | ||||
| 24,907,342 | Perpetual Long-term | |||||
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In order to avoid a 4% federal excise tax, each Fund must distribute or be deemed to have distributed by December 31 of each calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its taxable ordinary income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for such year, 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (generally computed on the basis of the one-year period ending on October 31 of such year) and 100% of any taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which the Fund did not pay federal income tax. The Funds anticipate that they will generally make timely distributions of income and capital gains in compliance with these requirements so that they will generally not be required to pay the excise tax.
The Tax Exempt Funds may purchase Municipal Securities together with the right to resell the securities to the seller at an agreed-upon price or yield within a specified period prior to the maturity date of the securities. Such a right to resell is commonly known as a “put” and is also referred to as a “standby commitment.” The Tax Exempt Funds may pay for a standby commitment either separately, in cash, or in the form of a higher price for the securities that are acquired subject to the standby commitment, thus increasing the cost of securities and reducing the yield otherwise available. Additionally, the Tax Exempt Funds may purchase beneficial interests in Municipal Securities held by trusts, custodial arrangements or partnerships and/or combined with third-party puts and other types of features such as interest rate swaps; those investments may require the Fund to pay “tender fees” or other fees for the various features provided.
The IRS has issued a revenue ruling to the effect that, under specified circumstances, a regulated investment company will be the owner of tax exempt municipal obligations acquired subject to a put option. The IRS has also issued private letter rulings to certain taxpayers (which do not serve as precedent for other taxpayers) to the effect that tax exempt interest received by a regulated investment company with respect to such obligations will be tax exempt in the hands of the company and may be distributed to its shareholders as exempt-interest dividends. The IRS has subsequently announced that it will not ordinarily issue advance ruling letters as to the identity of the true owner of property in cases involving the sale of securities or participation interests therein if the purchaser has the right to cause the security, or the participation interest therein, to be purchased by either the seller or a third party. Each of the Tax Exempt Funds intends to take the position that it is the owner of any municipal obligations acquired subject to a standby commitment or other third party put and that tax exempt interest earned with respect to such municipal obligations will be tax exempt in its hands. There is no assurance that the IRS will agree with such position in any particular case. Additionally, the federal income tax treatment of certain other aspects of these investments, including the treatment of tender fees paid by these Funds, in relation to various regulated investment company tax provisions is unclear.
Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Certain of the futures contracts, forward contracts and options held by a Fund will be required to be “marked-to-market” for federal income tax purposes that is treated as having been sold at their fair market value on the last day of the Fund’s taxable year. These provisions may require a Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of these futures contracts, forward contracts or options will (except for certain foreign currency options, forward contracts, and futures contracts) be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. As a result of certain hedging transactions entered into by a Fund, that Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on futures or forward contracts and options or underlying securities or foreign currencies to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by the Fund and the characterization of gains or losses as long-term or short-term may be changed. The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of a Fund’s distributions to shareholders. Certain tax elections may be available to the Funds to mitigate some of the unfavorable consequences described in this paragraph.
Section 988 of the Code contains special tax rules applicable to certain foreign currency transactions and instruments that may affect the amount, timing and character of income, gain or loss recognized by a Fund. Under these rules, foreign exchange gain or loss realized by the Funds with respect to foreign currencies and certain futures and options thereon, foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, foreign currency forward contracts, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss, although in some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment. If a net foreign exchange loss treated as ordinary loss under Section 988 of the Code were to exceed a Fund’s investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year, the resulting loss would not be deductible by the Fund or its shareholders in future years. Net loss, if any, from certain foreign currency transactions or instruments could exceed net investment income otherwise calculated for accounting purposes with the result being either no dividends being paid or a portion of a Fund’s dividends being treated as a return of capital for tax purposes, nontaxable to the extent of a shareholder’s tax basis in his or her shares and, once such basis is exhausted, generally giving rise to capital gains.
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Certain Funds may be subject to foreign taxes on income (possibly including, in some cases, capital gains) from foreign securities. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. If more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, such Fund will generally qualify to file an election with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in ordinary gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund that are treated as income taxes under U.S. tax regulations (which excludes, for example, stamp taxes, securities transaction taxes, and similar taxes) even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. Eligible Funds may or may not make this election for any particular taxable year. Ineligible Funds, and Funds that do not make the election, will, however, be entitled to deduct such taxes in computing the amounts they are required to distribute.
If a Fund makes this election, its shareholders may then deduct such pro rata portions of qualified foreign taxes in computing their taxable incomes, or, alternatively, use them as foreign tax credits, subject to applicable limitations, against their U.S. federal income taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions for federal income tax purposes will not, however, be able to deduct their pro rata portion of qualified foreign taxes paid by the Fund, although such shareholders will be required to include their shares of such taxes in gross income if a Fund makes the election referred to above.
If a shareholder chooses to take a credit for the foreign taxes deemed paid by such shareholder as a result of any such election by a Fund, the amount of the credit that may be claimed in any year may not exceed the same proportion of the U.S. tax against which such credit is taken which the shareholder’s taxable income from foreign sources (but not in excess of the shareholder’s entire taxable income) bears to his or her entire taxable income. For this purpose, distributions from long-term and short-term capital gains or foreign currency gains by a Fund will generally not be treated as income from foreign sources. This foreign tax credit limitation may also be applied separately to certain specific categories of foreign-source income and the related foreign taxes. As a result of these rules, and certain other limitations, which have different effects depending upon each shareholder’s particular tax situation, certain shareholders may not be able to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate shares of the foreign taxes paid by a Fund.
Shareholders who are not liable for U.S. federal income taxes, including tax exempt shareholders, will ordinarily not benefit from this election. Each year, if any, that a Fund files the election described above, its shareholders will be notified of the amount of (i) each shareholder’s pro rata share of qualified foreign income taxes paid by the Fund; and (ii) the portion of Fund dividends which represents income from each foreign country.
If a Fund acquires stock (including, under proposed regulations, an option to acquire stock such as is inherent in a convertible bond) in certain foreign corporations (“passive foreign investment companies”) that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, rents, royalties or capital gain) or hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and additional interest charges on “excess distributions” received from such companies or gain from the sale of such stock in such companies, even if all income or gain actually received by the Fund is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund would not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such a tax. Certain elections may, if available, ameliorate these adverse tax consequences, but any such election would require the Fund to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash. The Funds may limit and/or manage their holdings in passive foreign investment companies to minimize their tax liability or maximize their return from these investments.
If a Fund invests in certain REITs or in REMIC residual interests, a portion of the Fund’s income may be classified as “excess inclusion income.” A shareholder that is otherwise not subject to tax may be taxable on their share of any such excess inclusion income as “unrelated business taxable income”. In addition, tax may be imposed on a Fund on the portion of any excess inclusion income allocable to any shareholders that are classified as disqualified organizations.
A Fund’s investment in zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities, capital appreciation bonds or other securities bearing original issue discount or, if a Fund elects to include market discount in income currently, market discount, as well as any “mark-to-market” gain from certain options, futures or forward contracts, as described above, will generally cause it to realize income or gain prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to these securities or contracts. In order to obtain cash to enable it to distribute this income or gain, maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid federal income or excise taxes, a Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities earlier than it might otherwise have done.
Investment in lower-rated securities may present special tax issues for a Fund to the extent actual or anticipated defaults may be more likely with respect to such securities. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when a Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount, or market discount; when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities; how payment received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income; and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by a Fund, if it invests in such securities, in order to seek to eliminate or minimize any adverse tax consequences.
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The application of certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company and the application of certain other tax rules may be unclear in some respects in connection with certain investment practices such as dollar rolls, or investments in certain derivatives, including interest rate swaps, floors, cap and collars, currency swaps, total return swaps, mortgage swaps, index swaps, forward contracts and structured notes. As a result, a Fund may therefore be required to limit its investments in such transactions and it is also possible that the IRS may not agree with a Fund’s tax treatment of such transactions. In addition, the tax treatment of derivatives, and certain other investments, may be affected by future legislation, Treasury Regulations and guidance issued by the IRS that could affect the timing, character and amount of a Fund’s income and gains and distributions to shareholders.
Taxable U.S. Shareholders – Distributions
Tax Exempt Funds. Each Tax Exempt Fund expects to qualify to pay “exempt-interest dividends,” as defined in the Code. To qualify to pay exempt-interest dividends, the applicable Fund must, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, have at least 50% of the value of its total assets invested in Municipal Securities whose interest is excluded from gross income under Section 103(a) of the Code. In purchasing Municipal Securities, each Tax Exempt Fund intends to rely on opinions of bond counsel or counsel to the issuers for each issue as to the excludability of interest on such obligations from gross income for federal income tax purposes. A Tax Exempt Fund will not undertake independent investigations concerning the tax exempt status of such obligations, nor does it guarantee or represent that bond counsels’ opinions are correct. Bond counsels’ opinions will generally be based in part upon covenants by the issuers and related parties regarding continuing compliance with federal tax requirements. Tax laws not only limit the purposes for which tax exempt bonds may be issued and the supply of such bonds, but also contain numerous and complex requirements that must be satisfied on a continuing basis in order for bonds to be and remain tax exempt. If the issuer of a bond or a user of a bond-financed facility fails to comply with such requirements at any time, interest on the bond could become taxable, retroactive to the date the obligation was issued. In that event, a portion of a Tax Exempt Fund’s distributions attributable to interest the Fund received on such bond for the current year and for prior years could be characterized or recharacterized as taxable income. The availability of tax exempt obligations and the value of a Tax Exempt Fund’s portfolio may be affected by restrictive federal income tax legislation enacted in recent years or by similar, future legislation. If a Tax Exempt Fund satisfies the applicable requirements, dividends paid by the Fund which are attributable to tax exempt interest on Municipal Securities and designated by the Fund as exempt-interest dividends in a written notice to its shareholders after the close of its taxable year may be treated by shareholders as items of interest excludable from their gross income under Section 103(a) of the Code. Exempt-interest dividends a Tax Exempt Fund receives from other regulated investment companies, including exempt-interest dividends on auction rate preferred securities of such companies held by a Fund, are treated as interest on Municipal Securities and may be distributed by a Tax Exempt Fund as exempt-interest dividends. The recipient of tax exempt income is required to report such income on his or her federal income tax return. The Code provides that interest on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry shares of a Tax Exempt Fund is not deductible to the extent attributable to exempt-interest dividends.
Although all or a substantial portion of the dividends paid by a Tax Exempt Fund may be excluded by shareholders of such Fund from their gross income for federal income tax purposes, each Tax Exempt Fund may purchase private activity bonds, the interest from which (including a Fund’s distributions attributable to such interest) may be a preference item for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax (individual). All exempt-interest dividends from a Tax Exempt Fund, whether or not attributable to private activity bond interest, will be taken into account in determining the extent to which a shareholder’s Social Security or certain railroad retirement benefits are taxable.
The Tax Exempt Funds are not intended to constitute a balanced investment program and are not designed for investors seeking capital appreciation or maximum tax exempt income irrespective of fluctuations in principal. Shares of the Tax Exempt Funds would not be suitable for tax exempt institutions, retirement plans qualified under Section 401 of the Code, H.R. 10 plans and individual retirement accounts since such institutions, plans and accounts are generally tax exempt and, therefore, would not gain any additional benefit from the Funds’ dividends being tax exempt. The same is generally true for non-U.S. persons, because they are generally exempt from U.S. tax on interest income. In addition, the Tax Exempt Funds may not be an appropriate investment for persons or entities that are “substantial users” of facilities financed by private activity bonds or “related persons” thereof. “Substantial user” is defined under U.S. Treasury Regulations to include a non-exempt person which regularly uses a part of such facilities in its trade or business and whose gross revenues derived with respect to the facilities financed by the issuance of bonds are more than 5% of the total revenues derived by all users of such facilities, which occupies more than 5% of the usable area of such facilities or for which such facilities or a part thereof were specifically constructed, reconstructed or acquired. “Related persons” include certain related natural persons, affiliated corporations, partnerships and its partners and an S corporation and its shareholders. A shareholder is advised to consult his or her tax adviser with respect to whether exempt-interest dividends retain the exclusion under Section 103(a) if such shareholder would be treated as a “substantial user” under Section 147(a)(1) with respect to some or all of the tax exempt obligations held by a Tax Exempt Fund.
All Funds. Distributions from investment company taxable income, whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, as defined above, are generally taxable to shareholders who are subject to tax as ordinary income whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. However, under current law, distributions to noncorporate shareholders attributable to dividends received by the Funds from U.S. and certain foreign corporations will generally be taxed at the long-term capital gain rate (described below), as long as certain other
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requirements are met. For these lower rates to apply, the noncorporate shareholders must have owned their Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date. Distributions from the Funds generally will not qualify for taxation at the lower rate because the Funds generally will be earning interest rather than dividend income. Taxable distributions include distributions from any Fund, including the Tax Exempt Funds, that are attributable to (i) taxable income, including but not limited to dividends, taxable bond interest, recognized market discount income, original issue discount income accrued with respect to taxable bonds, income from repurchase agreements, income from dollar rolls, income from interest rate, currency, total return swaps, options on swaps, caps, floors and collars, and a portion of the discount from certain stripped tax exempt obligations or their coupons; or (ii) capital gains from the sale of securities or other investments (including from the disposition of rights to when-issued securities prior to issuance) or from options, futures or certain forward contracts. Any portion of such taxable distributions that is attributable to a Fund’s net capital gain, as defined above, may be designated by the Fund as a “capital gain dividend,” taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain whether received in cash or additional shares and regardless of the length of time their shares of a Fund have been held. The maximum individual rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally either 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts.
It is expected that distributions made by the Funds will ordinarily not qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations because qualifying distributions may be made only from a Fund’s dividend income that it receives from stock in U.S. domestic corporations. The Funds do not intend to purchase stock of domestic corporations other than in limited instances, distributions from which may in rare cases qualify as dividends for this purpose. The dividends-received deduction, if available, is reduced to the extent the shares with respect to which the dividends are received are treated as debt-financed under the federal income tax law and is eliminated if the shares are deemed to have been held for less than a minimum period, generally 46 days. Receipt of certain distributions qualifying for the deduction may result in reduction of the tax basis of the corporate shareholder’s shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first reduce a shareholder’s basis in his or her shares and, after the shareholder’s basis is reduced to zero, will generally constitute capital gains to a shareholder who holds his or her shares as capital assets.
Shareholders receiving a distribution in the form of newly issued shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of cash that they would have received had they elected to receive cash and will have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount.
After the close of each calendar year, each Fund will inform shareholders of the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions for such year, including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as tax exempt or as capital gain, the portion, if any, that should be treated as a tax preference item for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax and the foreign tax credits, if any, associated with such dividends. Shareholders who have not held shares of a Tax Exempt Fund for such Fund’s full taxable year may have designated as tax exempt or as a tax preference item a percentage of distributions which is not equal to the actual amount of tax exempt income or tax preference item income earned by the Fund during the period of their investment in the Fund.
All distributions, whether received in shares or in cash, as well as redemptions and exchanges, must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a U.S. federal income tax return.
Individuals and certain other noncorporate entities are generally eligible for a 20% deduction with respect to ordinary dividends received from REITs (“qualified REIT dividends”) and certain taxable income from MLPs. The IRS has issued final regulations permitting a regulated investment company to pass through to its shareholders qualified REIT dividends eligible for the 20% deduction. However, the regulations do not provide a mechanism for a regulated investment company to pass through to its shareholders income from MLPs that would be eligible for such deduction if received directly by the shareholders.
Certain distributions reported by a Fund as section 163(j) interest dividends may be treated as interest income by shareholders for purposes of the tax rules applicable to interest expense limitations under Code section 163(j). Such treatment by the shareholder is generally subject to holding period requirements and other potential limitations, although the holding period requirements are generally not applicable to dividends declared by money market funds and certain other funds that declare dividends daily and pay such dividends on a monthly or more frequent basis. The amount that a Fund is eligible to report as a Section 163(j) dividend for a tax year is generally limited to the excess of the Fund’s business interest income over the sum of the Fund’s (i) business interest expense and (ii) other deductions properly allocable to the Fund’s business interest income.
Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions, and certain prohibited transactions is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers for more information.
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Taxable U.S. Shareholders – Sale of Shares
When a shareholder’s shares are sold, redeemed or otherwise disposed of in a transaction that is treated as a sale for tax purposes, the shareholder will generally recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares and the cash, or fair market value of any property, received. (To aid in computing that tax basis, a shareholder should generally retain its account statements for the period that it holds shares.) If the shareholder holds the shares as a capital asset at the time of sale, the character of the gain or loss should be capital, and treated as long-term if the shareholder’s holding period is more than one year and short-term otherwise, subject to the rules below. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers with reference to their particular circumstances to determine whether a redemption (including an exchange) or other disposition of Fund shares is properly treated as a sale for tax purposes, as is assumed in this discussion.
Certain special tax rules may apply to a shareholder’s capital gains or losses on Fund shares. If a shareholder receives a capital gain dividend with respect to shares and such shares have a tax holding period of six months or less at the time of a sale or redemption of such shares, then any loss the shareholder realizes on the sale or redemption will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of such capital gain dividend. Additionally, any loss realized upon the sale or exchange of Fund shares with a tax holding period of six months or less may be disallowed to the extent of any distributions treated as exempt-interest dividends with respect to such shares. All or a portion of any sales load paid upon the purchase of shares of the Fund will generally not be taken into account in determining gain or loss on the redemption or exchange of such shares within 90 days after their purchase to the extent the redemption proceeds are reinvested, or the exchange is effected, on or before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the original stock is disposed of without payment of an additional sales load pursuant to the reinvestment or exchange privilege. The load not taken into account will be added to the tax basis of the newly acquired shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale or redemption of shares of the Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.
Medicare Tax
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Each Fund will be required to report to the IRS all taxable distributions, as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt recipients, i.e., certain corporations and certain other investors distributions to which are exempt from the information reporting provisions of the Code. Under the backup withholding provisions of Code Section 3406 and applicable Treasury regulations, all such reportable distributions and proceeds may be subject to backup withholding of federal income tax at the current specified rate of 24% in the case of exempt recipients that fail to certify to the Funds that they are not subject to withholding, non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the Funds with their correct taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) and with certain required certifications or if the IRS or a broker notifies the Funds that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. However, any taxable distributions from a Tax Exempt Fund will not be subject to backup withholding if the applicable Fund reasonably estimates that at least 95% of its distributions will be exempt-interest dividends. A Fund may refuse to accept an application that does not contain any required taxpayer identification number or certification that the number provided is correct. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. If a shareholder does not have a TIN, it should apply for one immediately by contacting the local office of the Social Security Administration or the IRS. Backup withholding could apply to payments relating to a shareholder’s account while it is awaiting receipt of a TIN. Special rules apply for certain entities. For example, for an account established under a Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minors Act, the TIN of the minor should be furnished. Investors should consult their tax advisers about the applicability of the backup withholding provisions.
Non-U.S. Shareholders
The discussion above relates solely to U.S. federal income tax law as it applies to “U.S. persons” subject to tax under such law.
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Except as discussed below, distributions to shareholders who, as to the United States, are not “U.S. persons,” (i.e., are nonresident aliens, foreign corporations, fiduciaries of foreign trusts or estates, foreign partnerships or other non-U.S. investors) generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the rate of 30% on distributions treated as ordinary income unless the tax is reduced or eliminated pursuant to a tax treaty or the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder; but distributions of net capital gain (the excess of any net long-term capital gains over any net short-term capital losses) including amounts retained by a Fund which are designated as undistributed capital gains, to such a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax unless the distributions are effectively connected with the shareholder’s trade or business in the United States or, in the case of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met. Non-U.S. shareholders may also be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax on deemed income resulting from any election by the Global Core Fixed Income Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund or Income Fund to treat qualified foreign taxes it pays as passed through to shareholders (as described above), but they may not be able to claim a U.S. tax credit or deduction with respect to such taxes.
Non-U.S. shareholders generally are not subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding on certain distributions of interest income and/or short-term capital gains that are designated by a Fund. It is expected that the Funds will generally make designations of short-term gains, to the extent permitted, but the Funds do not intend to make designations of any distributions attributable to interest income. Therefore, all distributions of interest income will be subject to withholding when paid to non-U.S. investors.
Any capital gain realized by a non-U.S. shareholder upon a sale or redemption of shares of a Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax unless the gain is effectively connected with the shareholder’s trade or business in the U.S., or in the case of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met.
Non-U.S. persons who fail to furnish a Fund with the proper IRS Form W-8 (i.e., W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, W-8ECI, W-8IMY or W-8EXP), or an acceptable substitute, may be subject to backup withholding at a 24% rate on dividends (including capital gain dividends) and on the proceeds of redemptions and exchanges. Also, non-U.S. shareholders of a Fund may be subject to U.S. estate tax with respect to their Fund shares.
The Funds are required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive new reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to enable the Funds to determine whether withholding is required.
Each shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consult his or her tax adviser regarding the U.S. and non-U.S. tax consequences of ownership of shares of, and receipt of distributions from, the Funds.
State and Local Taxes
A Fund may be subject to state or local taxes in certain jurisdictions in which the Fund may be deemed to be doing business. A state income (and possibly local income and/or intangible property) tax exemption is generally available to the extent (if any) a Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on (or, in the case of intangible property taxes, the value of its assets is attributable to) certain U.S. Government obligations and/or tax exempt municipal obligations issued by or on behalf of the particular state or a political subdivision thereof, provided in some states that certain thresholds for holdings of such obligations and/or reporting requirements are satisfied. In addition, in those states or localities which have income tax laws, the treatment of a Fund and its shareholders under such laws may differ from their treatment under federal income tax laws, and investment in a Fund may have tax consequences for shareholders different from those of a direct investment in such Fund’s portfolio securities. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers concerning these matters.
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has delegated the voting of portfolio securities to the Investment Advisers. For client accounts for which an Investment Adviser has voting discretion, the Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policy”) for the voting of proxies. Under the Proxy Voting Policy, the applicable Investment Adviser’s guiding principles in performing proxy voting are to make decisions that favor proposals that in the Investment Adviser’s view tend to maximize a company’s shareholder value and are not influenced by conflicts of interest. To implement these guiding principles for investments in publicly-traded equities, the Investment Advisers have developed customized proxy voting guidelines (the “Guidelines”) that they generally apply when voting on behalf of client accounts. Attached as Appendix B is a summary of the Guidelines. These Guidelines address a wide variety of individual topics, including, among other matters, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board structures, the election of directors, executive and director compensation, reorganizations, mergers, issues of corporate social responsibility and various shareholder proposals. The Guidelines embody the positions and factors the Investment Advisers generally consider important in casting proxy votes.
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The Proxy Voting Policy, including the Guidelines, is reviewed periodically to ensure that it continues to be consistent with each Investment Adviser’s guiding principles.
The Investment Advisers have retained a third-party proxy voting service (“Proxy Service”), currently Institutional Shareholder Services, to assist in the implementation and administration of certain proxy voting-related functions including, without limitation, operational, recordkeeping and reporting services. The Proxy Service also prepares a written analysis and recommendation (a “Recommendation”) of each proxy vote that reflects the Proxy Service’s application of the Guidelines to particular proxy issues. While it is the Investment Advisers’ policy generally to follow the Guidelines and Recommendations from the Proxy Service, the Investment Advisers’ portfolio management teams (“Portfolio Management Teams”) may on certain proxy votes seek approval to diverge from the Guidelines or a Recommendation by following an “override” process. Such decisions are subject to a review and approval process, including a determination that the decision is not influenced by any conflict of interest. A Portfolio Management Team that receives approval through the override process to cast a proxy vote that diverges from the Guidelines and/or a Recommendation may vote differently than other Portfolio Management Teams that did not seek to override that vote. In forming their views on particular matters, the Portfolio Management Teams are also permitted to consider applicable regional rules and practices, including codes of conduct and other guides, regarding proxy voting, in addition to the Guidelines and Recommendations. The Investment Advisers may hire other service providers to replace or supplement the Proxy Service with respect to any of the services the Investment Advisers currently receive from the Proxy Service.
GSAM and GSAMI conduct periodic due diligence meetings with the Proxy Service which include, but are not limited to, a review of the Proxy Service’s general organizational structure, new developments with respect to research and technology, work flow improvements and internal due diligence with respect to conflicts of interest.
From time to time, the Investment Advisers may face regulatory, compliance, legal or logistical limits with respect to voting securities that they may purchase or hold for client accounts, which can affect the applicable Investment Adviser’s ability to vote such proxies, as well as the desirability of voting such proxies. Among other limits, federal, state and foreign regulatory restrictions or company specific ownership limits, as well as legal matters related to consolidated groups, may restrict the total percentage of an issuer’s voting securities that the Investment Adviser can hold for clients and the nature of the Investment Adviser’s voting in such securities. Each Investment Adviser’s ability to vote proxies may also be affected by, among other things: (i) late receipt of meeting notices; (ii) requirements to vote proxies in person: (iii) restrictions on a foreigner’s ability to exercise votes; (iv) potential difficulties in translating the proxy; (v) requirements to provide local agents with unrestricted powers of attorney to facilitate voting instructions; and (vi) requirements that investors who exercise their voting rights surrender the right to dispose of their holdings for some specified period in proximity to the shareholder meeting.
The Investment Advisers have adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing its proxy voting decisions that the Investment Advisers make on behalf of a client account. These policies and procedures include the Investment Advisers’ use of the Guidelines and Recommendations from the Proxy Service, the override approval process previously discussed, and the establishment of information barriers between each Investment Adviser and other businesses within The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of the Investment Advisers may have the effect of benefitting the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions or units of Goldman Sachs and/or its affiliates.
Voting decisions with respect to fixed income securities and the securities of privately held issuers generally will be made by a Fund’s managers based on their assessment of the particular transactions or other matters at issue.
Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available on or through the Funds’ website at www.gsam.com/content/gsam/us/en/advisors/resources/client-service/proxy-voting.html without charge and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
PAYMENTS TO OTHERS (INCLUDING INTERMEDIARIES)
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may make payments to Intermediaries and other persons from time to time to promote the sale, distribution and/or servicing of shares of a Fund, except that the Investment Adviser, Distributor and its affiliates do not make such payments on behalf of Class R6 Shares. These payments (“Additional Payments”) are made out of the Investment Adviser’s, Distributor’s and/or their affiliates’ own assets (which may come directly or indirectly from fees paid by a Fund), are not an additional charge to a Fund or its shareholders, and do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a Fund’s shares or the amount a Fund receives as proceeds from such purchases. Although paid by the Investment Adviser, Distributor, and/or their affiliates, the Additional Payments are in addition to the distribution and service fees paid by a Fund to the Intermediaries as described in a Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI, and are also in addition to the sales commissions payable to Intermediaries as set forth in the Prospectus. For purposes of this “Payments to Others (Including Intermediaries)” section, “Funds” shall mean, collectively, a Fund and any of the other Goldman Sachs Funds.
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The Additional Payments are intended to compensate Intermediaries and other persons for, among other things: marketing shares of a Fund, which may consist of payments relating to funds included on preferred or recommended fund lists or in certain sales programs from time to time sponsored by the recipients; “due diligence” examination and/or review of the Funds from time to time; access to the Intermediaries’ registered representatives or salespersons, including at conferences and other meetings; assistance in training and education of personnel; “finders” or “referral fees” for directing investors to a Fund; marketing support fees for providing assistance in promoting the sale of Fund shares (which may include promotions in communications with the Intermediaries’ customers, registered representatives and salespersons); the support or purchase of technology platforms/software offered by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates or third parties (which may be used by Intermediaries to provide advisory and/or brokerage services to their customers); and/or other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of a Fund. In addition, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may make Additional Payments (including through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements) for subaccounting, administrative, shareholder processing and/or recordkeeping services that are in addition to the transfer agent, shareholder administration, servicing and processing fees paid by the Funds, including Additional Payments to third-party recordkeepers and/or administrators of retirement plan sponsors (which may reduce the cost to retirement plan sponsors for retaining third-party recordkeepers and/or administrators). These Additional Payments may exceed amounts earned on these assets by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates for the performance of these or similar services. The Additional Payments may be a fixed dollar amount; may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by an Intermediary or other person that provides services to you; may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Intermediary or other person involved; or may be calculated on another basis. The Additional Payments are negotiated with each recipient based on a range of factors, including but not limited to the recipient’s ability to attract and retain assets (including particular classes of Fund shares), target markets, customer relationships, quality of service and industry reputation. Although the individual components may be higher or lower and the total amount of Additional Payments made to any recipient in any given year will vary, the amount of these Additional Payments (excluding payments made through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements), on average, is normally not expected to exceed 0.50% (annualized) of the amount sold or invested through a recipient.
The Additional Payments made by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates or the Additional Services received by an Intermediary or other person may vary with respect to the type of fund (e.g., equity, fund, fixed income fund, specialty fund, asset allocation portfolio or money market fund) sold by or through the Intermediary or other person. In addition, the Additional Payment arrangements may include breakpoints in compensation which provide that the percentage rate of compensation varies as the dollar value of the amount sold or invested through an Intermediary or other person increases.
The presence of these Additional Payments or Additional Services, the varying fee structure and the basis on which an Intermediary compensates its registered representatives or salespersons may create an incentive for a particular Intermediary, registered representative, salesperson or other person to highlight, feature or recommend funds, including a Fund, or other investments based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. Additionally, if one mutual fund sponsor makes greater distribution payments than another, a recipient of these payments may have an incentive to recommend one fund complex over another. Similarly, if an Intermediary or other person receives more distribution assistance for one share class versus another, that Intermediary or other person may have an incentive to recommend that share class. Because Intermediaries and other persons may be paid varying amounts per class for sub-transfer agency and related recordkeeping services, the service requirements of which also may vary by class, this may create an additional incentive for financial firms and their financial advisors to favor one fund complex over another, or one fund class over another. You should consider whether such incentives exist when evaluating any recommendations from an Intermediary or other person to purchase or sell Shares of a Fund and when considering which share class is most appropriate for you.
For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Investment Advisers, Distributor and their affiliates made Additional Payments out of their own assets to approximately 195 recipients, totaling approximately $248.6 million (excluding payments made through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements and certain other types of payments described below), with respect to the Fund, Goldman Sachs Trust, all of the funds in an affiliated investment company, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust, Goldman Sachs Trust II, and Goldman Sachs Real Estate Diversified Income Fund. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Investment Advisers, Distributor and/or their affiliates had contractual arrangements to make Additional Payments to the persons listed below (or their affiliates or successors), among others. This list will change over time, and any additions, modifications or deletions thereto that have occurred since December 31, 2020 are not reflected. Additional persons may receive payments in 2021 and in future years. Certain arrangements are still being negotiated, and there is a possibility that payments will be made retroactively to persons not listed below.
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| ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. |
| ADP LLC |
| ADP, Inc. |
| Allstate Life Insurance Company |
| Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York |
| Amalgamated Bank of Chicago |
| American Enterprise Investment Services, Inc. (AEIS) |
| American General Life Insurance Company |
| American National Trust and Investment Management Company dba Old National Trust Company (Oltrust & Co.) |
| American United Life Insurance Company |
| Ameriprise Financial Services LLC/Ameriprise financial Services Inc. |
| Ascensus, LLC. |
| Associated Trust Company, N.A. |
| Banc of America Securities LLC |
| BancorpSouth |
| Bank of New York |
| Bankers Trust Company |
| BB&T Capital Markets |
| BMO Harris Bank N.A. |
| BMO Nesbitt Burns |
| BNY Mellon National Association |
| BOSC, Inc. |
| Branch Banking and Trust Company |
| Brighthouse Life Insurance Company |
| Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. |
| C.M. Life Insurance Company |
| California Department of Human Resources |
| Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union |
| Cetera Advisor Networks LLC |
| Cetera advisors LLC |
| Cetera Financial Group |
| Cetera Financial Specialists LLC |
| Cetera Investment Services LLC |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. |
| Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc. |
| Citi Custody |
| Citibank N.A. |
| Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. |
| Citizens Bank National Association |
| CME Shareholder Servicing LLC |
| Comerica Bank |
| Comerica Securities, Inc. |
| Commerce Bank |
| Commerce Bank, N.A. |
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| Commerce Trust Co. |
| Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company |
| Commonwealth Equity Services, Inc. dba Commonwealth Financial Network |
| Companion Life Insurance Company |
| Compass Bank |
| Computershare Trust Company, N.A. |
| Connecticut General Life Insurance Company |
| Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company |
| Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
| Dain Rauscher Inc. |
| Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas |
| Diversified Investment Advisors |
| Drexel Hamilton, LLC |
| Dubuque Bank & Trust |
| Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. |
| Farmers New World Life Insurance Company |
| Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation |
| Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company, Inc. |
| Fifth Third Bank |
| Fifth Third Securities Inc. |
| First Allied Securities Inc |
| First Hawaiian Bank |
| First National Bank of Omaha |
| FIS Business Systems LLC |
| Forethought Life Insurance Company |
| Fulton Bank, N.A. |
| Fulton Financial Advisors, National Association |
| Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company |
| Genworth Life Insurance Company |
| Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York |
| GreatBanc Trust Co. |
| Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company |
| GWFS Equities, Inc.; GWFS Equities, Incorporated; GW Capital Management, LLC; Great-West Financial Retirement Plan Services, LLC; Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; SunTrust Bank; Fifth Third Bank |
| HANCO |
| Hartford Life Insurance Company |
| Hazeltree Fund Services, Inc. |
| Hewitt Associates LLC; Alight Solutions LLC |
| Horace Mann Life Insurance Company |
| HSBC Bank U.S.A., N.A. |
| HSBC Bank USA |
| Hunt, Dupree & Rhine |
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| Huntington Securities |
| ICMA RC-Services, LLC; ICMA Retirement Corporation; Matrix Financial Solutions; MSCS Financial Services Division of Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC; Matrix Trust Company; McCready and Keene, Inc; Wilmington Trust Retirement and Institutional Services Company; MSCS Financial Services, LLC |
| Institutional Cash Distributors (division of Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.) |
| Investmart, Inc. |
| Jefferies LLC |
| Jefferson National Life Insurance Company |
| Jefferson National Life Insurance Company of New York |
| Jefferson Pilot Financial Insurance Company |
| John Hancock Trust Company |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. |
| JPMorgan Securities, Inc |
| Key Bank N.A. |
| LaSalle Bank, N.A. |
| Law Debenture Trust Company of New York |
| Lincoln Benefit Life Company |
| Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York |
| Lincoln Retirement Services Company, LLC |
| LPL Financial Corporation |
| LPL Financial LLC |
| M&I Brokerage Services, Inc. |
| M&I Data Services (division of The Marshall & Ilsley Corportation) |
| M&T Bank |
| M&T Securities, Inc. |
| Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company; MassMutual Retirement Services, LLC; MML Distributors, LLC |
| Members Life Insurance Company |
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
| Midland National Life Insurance Company |
| Minnesota Life Insurance Company |
| Moreton Capital Markets, LLC |
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC |
| MSCS Financial Services Division of Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC |
| MSEC, LLC |
| National Financial Services LLC |
| National Financial Services LLC |
| National Security Life and Annuity Company |
| Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. |
| Newport Group, Inc. |
| Newport Retirement Services, Inc. |
| Ohio National Equities, Inc. |
| Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. |
| Pershing LLC |
| PNC Bank, N.A. |
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| PNC Bank, National Organization |
| PNC Capital Markets LLC |
| Principal Life Insurance Company |
| Protective Life Insurance Company |
| PruCo Life Insurance Company |
| PruCo Life Insurance Company of New Jersey |
| Raymond James & Associates, Inc. |
| Raymond James Financial Services |
| RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
| Regions Bank |
| Reliance Trust Company |
| Reliance Trust Company; Daily Access Concepts |
| RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York |
| RiverSource Life Insurance Company |
| Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated |
| Scott & Stringfellow |
| Security Benefit Life Insurance Company |
| Security Distributors, Inc. |
| Signature Bank |
| Standard Insurance Company |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company |
| State Street Global Markets, LLC |
| Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (U.S.) |
| Sun Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York |
| Sungard Institutional Brokerage, Inc. |
| SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. |
| T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc. |
| TD Bank National Association |
| Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America |
| The Glenmede Trust Company N.A. |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company |
| The Northern Trust Company |
| The Ohio National Life Insurance Company |
| The Prudential Insurance Company of America |
| The Travelers Insurance Company |
| The Travelers Life and Annuity Company |
| The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York |
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. |
| The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company |
| Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company |
| Transamerica Life Insurance Company |
| Treasury Curve, LLC |
| Trustmark National Bank |
| U.S. Bank, N.A. |
| UBS Financial Services Inc. |
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| Union Bank, N.A. |
| United of Omaha Life Insurance Company |
| VALIC Retirement Services Company |
| Voya Financial Partners, LLC |
| Voya Institutional Plan Services, LLC |
| Voya Retirement Advisors, LLC |
| Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company |
| Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC |
| Wells Fargo Bank |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. |
| Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. |
| Wells Fargo Corporate Trust Services |
| Wells Fargo Securities LLC |
| Zions Bank |
| Zurich American Life Insurance Company |
Your Authorized Dealer or other Intermediary, or any other person that provides services to you, may charge you additional fees or commissions other than those disclosed in the Prospectus. Shareholders should contact their Authorized Dealer or other Intermediary, or any other person that provides services to you, for more information about the Additional Payments or Additional Services they receive and any potential conflicts of interest, as well as for information regarding any fees and/or commissions it charges. For additional questions, please contact Goldman Sachs Funds at 1-800-621-2550.
Not included on the list above are other subsidiaries of Goldman Sachs who may receive revenue from the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates through intra-company compensation arrangements and for financial, distribution, administrative and operational services.
Furthermore, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may, to the extent permitted by applicable regulations, sponsor various trainings and educational programs and reimburse investors for certain expenses incurred in connection with accessing the Funds through portal arrangements. The Investment Adviser, Distributor and their affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of Intermediaries and their salespersons and guests in connection with educational, sales and promotional programs subject to applicable FINRA regulations. Other compensation may also be offered from time to time to the extent not prohibited by applicable federal or state laws or FINRA regulations. This compensation is not included in, and is made in addition to, the Additional Payments described above.
Selective Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Information and Portfolio Characteristics Information
The Board of Trustees of the Trust and the Investment Advisers have adopted a policy on the selective disclosure of portfolio holdings information and portfolio characteristics information. The policy seeks to (1) ensure that the disclosure of portfolio holdings information and portfolio characteristics information is in the best interest of Fund shareholders; and (2) address the conflicts of interest associated with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information and portfolio characteristics information. The policy provides that neither a Fund nor the Trust’s officers or Trustees, nor the Investment Advisers, Distributor or any agent, or any employee thereof (“Fund Representative”), will disclose a Fund’s portfolio holdings information or portfolio characteristics information to any person other than in accordance with the policy. For purposes of the policy, “portfolio holdings information” means a Fund’s actual portfolio holdings, as well as non-public information about its trading strategies or pending transactions. Portfolio holdings information does not include summary or statistical information which is derived from (but does not include) individual portfolio holdings (“portfolio characteristics information”).
Under the policy, neither a Fund nor any Fund Representative may solicit or accept any compensation or other consideration in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information or portfolio characteristics information. A Fund Representative may generally provide portfolio holdings information and material portfolio characteristics information to third parties if such information has been included in a Fund’s public filings with the SEC or is disclosed on the Funds’ publicly accessible website or is otherwise publicly available.
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Portfolio Holdings Information. Portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or disclosed on the Funds’ publicly available website may be provided to third parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund, consultants and third-party data providers) only for legitimate business purposes and only if the third-party recipients are required to keep all such portfolio holdings information confidential and are prohibited from trading on the information they receive in violation of the federal securities laws. Disclosure to such third parties must be approved in advance by the Investment Advisers’ legal or compliance department. Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting and other similar services; rating and ranking organizations; lenders and other third-party service providers that may obtain access to such information in the performance of their contractual duties to the Funds will generally be permitted. In general, each recipient of non-public portfolio holdings information must sign a confidentiality agreement and agree not to trade on the basis of such information in violation of the federal securities laws, although this requirement will not apply when the recipient is otherwise subject to a duty of confidentiality.
In accordance with the policy, the identity of those recipients who receive non-public portfolio holdings information on an ongoing basis is as follows: the Investment Advisers and their affiliates, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, the Funds’ custodian, the Funds’ legal counsel—Dechert LLP, the Funds’ tax service provider—Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Funds’ financial printer—Donnelley Financial Solutions Inc., the Funds’ proxy voting service—ISS, and the Funds’ class action processing service provider—Financial Recovery Technologies, LLC. KPMG LLP, an investor in the High Yield Fund, also receives certain non-public portfolio holdings information on an ongoing basis in order to facilitate compliance with the auditor independence requirements to which it is subject. In addition, certain Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Funds provide non-public portfolio holdings information to Standard & Poor’s to allow such Funds to be rated by it, and certain Goldman Sachs Equity Funds provide non-public portfolio holdings information to FactSet, a provider of global financial and economic information. These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third-party providers of custodial services to the Funds may release non-public portfolio holdings information of the Funds only with the permission of certain Fund Representatives. From time to time portfolio holdings information may be provided to broker-dealers, prime brokers, FCMs or derivatives clearing merchants in connection with a Fund’s portfolio trading activities. In addition, the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund and High Yield Municipal Fund provide certain broker-dealers with non-public portfolio holdings information so that these broker-dealers may provide these Tax Exempt Funds with more tailored trading suggestions, thereby facilitating more effective portfolio management. Complete portfolio holdings information is provided to these select broker-dealers at least quarterly with no lag required between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. As of July 29, 2021, the broker-dealers receiving this information were as follows: 280 Securities, Barclays Capital Inc., BB&T Capital Markets, Belle Haven Instruments, BofA Securities Inc. Futures, Brean Capital, LLC, Brownstone, Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC, Caprok Capital, Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Crews & Associates, Inc., DA Davidson & Co., Dougherty & Company, LLC, George K. Baum & Company, Headlands Tech Global Markets, LLC, Herbert J. Sims & Co., Inc., Hutchinson Shockey Erley & Co., Janney Montgomery Scott, Inc., Jeffries & Company, JP Morgan Securities, Keybanc, Loop Capital Corp., Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, Inc., Mesirow, Morgan Stanley, M.R. Beal & Company, Oppenheimer Funds, Inc., Piper Jaffray, PNC Capital Markets LLC, Ramirez & Co., Inc., Raymond James Financial Services Inc., RBC Capital Markets, R. Seelaus & Co., Inc., Hilltop Securities (a.k.a. Southwest Securities, Inc.), Stephens Inc., Stifel Nicolaus & Company, TD Securities, LLC, Tradeweb Markets, LLC, US Bancorp, Virtus Capital Markets LLC and Ziegler Capital. In providing this information, reasonable precautions, including, but not limited to, the execution of a non-disclosure agreement and limitations on the scope of the portfolio holdings information disclosed, are taken to avoid any potential misuse of the disclosed information. All marketing materials prepared by the Trust’s principal underwriter are reviewed by Goldman Sachs’ Compliance department for consistency with the policy.
The Funds described in this SAI currently intend to publish complete portfolio holdings on the Trust’s website (http://www.gsamfunds.com) as of the end of each fiscal quarter, subject to a 30 calendar day lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. In addition, each Fund currently intends to post selected portfolio holdings information as of the end of each month on the Trust’s website subject to a 15 calendar day lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. A Fund may publish on the website complete portfolio holdings information more frequently if it has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. Operational disruptions and other systems disruptions may delay the posting of this information on the Trust’s website.
Each Fund files portfolio holdings information within 60 days after the end of each fiscal quarter on Form N-PORT. Portfolio holdings information for the third month of each fiscal quarter will be publicly available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Each Fund’s complete schedule of portfolio holdings for the second and fourth quarters of each fiscal year is included in the semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, respectively, and is filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR. A semi-annual or annual report for each Fund will become available to investors within 60 days after the period to which it relates. Each Fund’s Forms N-PORT and Forms N-CSR are available on the SEC’s website listed above.
Portfolio Characteristics Information. Material portfolio characteristics information that is not publicly available (e.g., information that is not filed with the SEC or disclosed on the Funds’ publicly available website) or calculated from publicly available information may be provided to third parties only if the third-party recipients are required to keep all such portfolio characteristics information confidential and are prohibited from trading on the information they receive in violation of the federal securities laws. Disclosure to such third parties must be approved in advance by the Investment Advisers’ legal or compliance department, who must first determine that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. In general, each recipient of material, non-public portfolio characteristics information must sign a confidentiality agreement and agree not to trade on the basis of such information in violation of the federal securities laws, although this requirement will not apply when the recipient is otherwise subject to a duty of confidentiality.
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However, upon request, a Fund will provide certain non-public portfolio characteristics information to any (i) shareholder or (ii) non-shareholder (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund, consultants and third-party data providers) whose request for such information satisfies and/or serves a legitimate business purpose for the Fund. Examples of portfolio characteristics information include, but are not limited to, statistical information about a Fund’s portfolio. Portfolio characteristics information that is made available upon request would normally include:
| • | Asset Allocation Information – The allocation of a Fund’s portfolio among asset classes, regions, countries, industries, sub-industries, sectors, sub-sectors, strategies or subadvisers; credit quality ratings; and weighted average market capitalization ranges. |
| • | Financial Characteristics Information – The financial characteristics of a Fund’s portfolio, such as alpha; beta; R-squared; Sharpe ratio; information ratio; standard deviation; tracking error; various earnings and price based ratios (e.g., price-to-earnings and price-to-book); value at risk (VaR); duration information; weighted-average maturity/life; portfolio turnover; attribution; and other aggregated risk statistics (e.g., aggregate liquidity classification information). |
In accordance with the policy, this type of portfolio characteristics information that is made available upon request will be disclosed in accordance with, and subject to the time lag indicated in, the schedule below. This portfolio characteristics information may be requested by calling Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC toll-free at 1-800-526-7384 (for Class A, Class C, Class R and Investor Shareholders) or 1-800-621-2550 (for Institutional, Service, Administration, Separate Account Institutional, Class R6 and Class P Shareholders). Portfolio characteristics information that is otherwise publicly available may be disclosed without these time lags.
The type and volume of portfolio characteristics information that is made available upon request will vary from Fund to Fund (depending on the investment strategies and the portfolio management team of the applicable Fund). If portfolio characteristics information is disclosed to one recipient, it must also be disclosed to all other eligible recipients requesting the same information. However, under certain circumstances, the volume of portfolio characteristics information provided to one recipient may differ from the volume of portfolio characteristics information provided to other recipients.
| Type of Information |
When Available Upon Request | |
| Portfolio Characteristics Information
(Except for Aggregate Liquidity Classification Information) |
Prior to 15 Business Days After Month-End: Cannot disclose without (i) a confidentiality agreement; (ii) an agreement not to trade on the basis of non-public information in violation of the federal securities laws; and (iii) legal or compliance approval.
15 Business Days After Month-End: May disclose to (i) shareholders and (ii) any non-shareholder whose request satisfies and/or serves a legitimate business purpose for the applicable Fund. | |
| Aggregate Liquidity Classification Information | Prior to 90 Calendar Days After Month-End: Cannot disclose without (i) a confidentiality agreement; (ii) an agreement not to trade on the basis of non-public information in violation of the federal securities laws; and (iii) legal or compliance approval.
90 Calendar Days After Month-End: May disclose to (i) shareholders and (ii) any non-shareholder whose request satisfies and/or serves a legitimate business purpose for the applicable Fund. | |
In addition, the Funds described in this SAI currently intend to publish certain portfolio characteristics information on the Trust’s website (http://www.gsamfunds.com) as of the end of each month or fiscal quarter, and such information will generally be subject to a 15 day lag. Operational disruptions and other systems disruptions may delay the posting of this information on the Trust’s website or the availability of this information by calling Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC at the toll-free numbers listed above.
Oversight of the Policy. Under the policy, Fund Representatives will periodically supply the Board of the Trustees with a list of third parties who receive non-public portfolio holdings information and material, non-public portfolio characteristics information pursuant to an ongoing arrangement subject to a confidentiality agreement and agreement not to trade on the basis of such information in violation of the federal securities laws. In addition, the Board receives information, on a quarterly basis, on such arrangements that were permitted during the preceding quarter. Under the policy, the Investment Advisers’ legal and compliance personnel authorize the disclosure of portfolio holdings information and portfolio characteristics information.
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Disclosure of Current NAV Per Share
Each Fund’s current NAV per share is available through the Funds’ website at www.gsamfunds.com (except Class P Shares) or by contacting the Funds at 1-800-526-7384.
Miscellaneous
A Fund will redeem shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the NAV of the Fund during any 90-day period for any one shareholder. Each Fund, however, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to pay redemptions by a distribution in-kind of securities (instead of cash) if (i) the redemption exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the NAV of the Fund at the time of redemption; or (ii) with respect to lesser redemption amounts, the redeeming shareholder requests in writing a distribution in-kind of securities instead of cash. The securities distributed in-kind would be readily marketable and would be valued for this purpose using the same method employed in calculating each Fund’s NAV per share. See “NET ASSET VALUE.” If a shareholder receives redemption proceeds in-kind, the shareholder should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of the securities received in the redemption. In addition, if you receive redemption proceeds in-kind, you will be subject to market gains or losses upon the disposition of those securities.
The right of a shareholder to redeem shares and the date of payment by each Fund may be suspended for more than seven days for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed, other than the customary weekends or holidays, or when trading on such Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC; or during any emergency, as determined by the SEC, as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for such Fund to dispose of securities owned by it or fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or for such other period as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of shareholders of such Fund. (The Trust may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)
As stated in the Prospectuses, the Trust may authorize Intermediaries and other institutions that provide recordkeeping, reporting and processing services to their customers to accept on the Trust’s behalf purchase, redemption and exchange orders placed by or on behalf of their customers and, if approved by the Trust, to designate other intermediaries to accept such orders. These institutions may receive payments from the Trust or Goldman Sachs for their services. Certain Intermediaries or other institutions may enter into sub-transfer agency agreements with the Trust or Goldman Sachs with respect to their services.
In the interest of economy and convenience, the Trust does not issue certificates representing the Funds’ shares. Instead, the Transfer Agent maintains a record of each shareholder’s ownership. Each shareholder receives confirmation of purchase and redemption orders from the Transfer Agent. Fund shares and any distributions paid by the Funds are reflected in account statements from the Transfer Agent.
The Prospectuses and this SAI do not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC under the 1933 Act with respect to the securities offered by the Prospectuses. Certain portions of the Registration Statement have been omitted from the Prospectuses and this SAI pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. The Registration Statement including the exhibits filed therewith may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C.
Statements contained in the Prospectuses or in this SAI as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which the Prospectuses and this SAI form a part, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference.
Large Trade Notifications
The Transfer Agent may from time to time receive notice that an Intermediary has received a purchase, redemption or exchange order for a large trade in a Fund’s shares. A Fund may determine to enter into portfolio transactions in anticipation of that order, even though the order may not have been processed at the time the Fund entered into such portfolio transactions. This practice provides for a closer correlation between the time shareholders place large trade orders and the time a Fund enters into portfolio transactions based on those orders, and may permit the Fund to be more fully invested in investment securities, in the case of purchase orders, and to more orderly liquidate its investment positions, in the case of redemption orders. The Intermediary may not, however, ultimately process the order. In this case, (i) if a Fund enters into portfolio transactions in anticipation of an order for a large redemption of Fund shares; or (ii) if a Fund enters into portfolio transactions in anticipation of an order for a large purchase of Fund shares and such portfolio transactions occur on the date on which the Intermediary indicated that such order would occur, the Fund will bear any borrowing, trading overdraft or other transaction costs or investment losses resulting from such portfolio transactions. Conversely, a Fund would benefit from any earnings and investment gains resulting from such portfolio transactions.
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Line of Credit
As of March 31, 2021, the Funds participated in a $700,000,000 committed, unsecured revolving line of credit facility together with other funds of the Trust and registered investment companies having management agreements with GSAM or its affiliates. This facility is to be used for temporary emergency purposes or to allow for an orderly liquidation of securities to meet redemption requests. The interest rate on borrowings is based on the federal funds rate. The facility also requires a fee to be paid by the Funds based on the amount of the commitment that has not been utilized. Moreover, under the credit facility, certain Funds are subject to additional restrictions on borrowing. For example, each of the High Yield Floating Rate Fund and Long Short Credit Strategies Fund may not borrow in amounts exceeding 20% of the Fund’s total assets (including amount of borrowings). This limitation is more restrictive than that permitted under the Act. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, the Funds did not have any borrowings under the facility. The facility was increased to $1,000,000,000 effective April 26, 2021.
In addition, the High Yield Floating Rate Fund also participated in a $150,000,000 committed, unsecured credit facility for the purpose of providing short-term, temporary working capital to the Fund. The facility is intended to enable the Fund to more efficiently manage various factors associated with the length of settlement of bank loan transactions and may also be used to satisfy redemption requests. The interest rate on borrowings is LIBOR plus 1.50%, and the High Yield Floating Rate Fund is required to pay a fee based on the amount of the commitment that has not been utilized. In addition, to the extent that the Fund has outstanding borrowings under both credit facilities, it is required to repay such borrowings on a pro rata basis. Under the credit facility, the Fund had an average outstanding balance and weighted average annual interest rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 of $67,142,857 and 1.382%, respectively. As of March 31, 2021, there were no outstanding borrowings under the credit facility.
Corporate Actions
From time to time, the issuer of a security held in a Fund’s portfolio may initiate a corporate action relating to that security. Corporate actions relating to equity securities may include, among others, an offer to purchase new shares, or to tender existing shares, of that security at a certain price. Corporate actions relating to debt securities may include, among others, an offer for early redemption of the debt security, or an offer to convert the debt security into stock. Certain corporate actions are voluntary, meaning that a Fund may only participate in the corporate action if it elects to do so in a timely fashion. Participation in certain corporate actions may enhance the value of a Fund’s investment portfolio.
In cases where a Fund or its Investment Adviser receives sufficient advance notice of a voluntary corporate action, the Investment Adviser will exercise its discretion, in good faith, to determine whether the Fund will participate in that corporate action. If a Fund or its Investment Adviser does not receive sufficient advance notice of a voluntary corporate action, the Fund may not be able to timely elect to participate in that corporate action. Participation or lack of participation in a voluntary corporate action may result in a negative impact on the value of the Fund’s investment portfolio.
The audited financial statements and related report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, contained in each Fund’s Annual Report are hereby incorporated by reference. The audited financial statements in each Fund’s Annual Report have been incorporated by reference in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. A copy of the 2020 Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report may be obtained upon request and without charge by writing Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, P.O. Box 06050, Chicago, Illinois 60606 or by calling Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, at the telephone number on the back cover of each Fund’s Prospectus. No other portions of the Funds’ Annual Report are incorporated herein by reference.
OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE,
PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS, EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS
(Class A Shares and Class C Shares Only)
The following information supplements the information in each Fund’s Prospectus under the captions “Shareholder Guide” and “Distributions.” Please see the Prospectuses for more complete information.
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Other Purchase Information/Sales Charge Waivers
The sales charge waivers on the Funds’ shares described in “Shareholder Guide—Common Questions Applicable to the Purchase of Class A Shares” in the Prospectuses are due to the nature of the investors involved and/or the reduced sales effort that is needed to obtain such investments.
If shares of a Fund are held in an account with an Intermediary, all recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to the beneficial owner’s account will be performed by the Intermediary, and not by the Fund and its Transfer Agent. Since the Funds will have no record of the beneficial owner’s transactions, a beneficial owner should contact the Intermediary to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes in or give instructions concerning the account or to obtain information about the account. The transfer of shares in an account with one Intermediary to an account with another Intermediary or to an account directly with a Fund involves special procedures and will require the beneficial owner to obtain historical purchase information about the shares in the account from the Intermediary.
Right of Accumulation - (Class A)
A Class A shareholder qualifies for cumulative quantity discounts if the current purchase price of the new investment plus the shareholder’s current holdings of existing Class A and/or Class C Shares (acquired by purchase or exchange) of the Funds and Class A and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund total the requisite amount for receiving a discount. For example, for certain Funds, if a shareholder owns shares with a current market value of $65,000 and purchases additional Class A Shares of the same Fund with a purchase price of $45,000, the sales charge for the $45,000 purchase would be 3.0% (the rate applicable to purchases of $100,000 or more for certain of the Funds). Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Funds and Class A and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased (i) by an individual, his spouse, his parents and his children; and (ii) by a trustee, guardian or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or a single fiduciary account, will be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for such right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. For purposes of applying the right of accumulation, shares of the Funds and any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased by an existing client of Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management or GS Ayco Holding LLC will be combined with Class A and/or Class C Shares and other assets held by all other Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management accounts or accounts of GS Ayco Holding LLC, respectively. In addition, Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Funds and Class A and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased by partners, directors, officers or employees of the same business organization or by groups of individuals represented by and investing on the recommendation of the same accounting firm, certain affinity groups or other similar organizations (collectively, “eligible persons”) may be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for the right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. This right of accumulation is subject to the following conditions: (i) the business organization’s or group’s or firm’s agreement to cooperate in the offering of the Funds’ shares to eligible persons; and (ii) notification to the Funds at the time of purchase that the investor is eligible for this right of accumulation. In addition, in connection with SIMPLE IRA accounts, cumulative quantity discounts are available on a per plan basis if (i) your employee has been assigned a cumulative discount number by Goldman Sachs; and (ii) your account, alone or in combination with the accounts of other plan participants also invested in Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Goldman Sachs Funds totals the requisite aggregate amount as described in the Prospectuses.
Statement of Intention - (Class A)
If a shareholder anticipates purchasing at least $100,000 ($500,000 in the case of Short Duration Bond Fund, Short Duration Government Fund and Short Duration Tax-Free Fund), not counting reinvestments of dividends and distributions, of Class A Shares of a Fund alone or in combination with Class A Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund within a 13-month period, the shareholder may purchase shares of the Fund at a reduced sales charge by submitting a Statement of Intention (the “Statement”). Shares purchased pursuant to a Statement will be eligible for the same sales charge discount that would have been available if all of the purchases had been made at the same time. The shareholder or his Intermediary must inform Goldman Sachs that the Statement is in effect each time shares are purchased. There is no obligation to purchase the full amount of shares indicated in the Statement. A shareholder may include the value of all Class A Shares on which a sales charge has previously been paid as an “accumulation credit” toward the completion of the Statement, but a price readjustment will be made only on Class A Shares purchased within ninety days before submitting the Statement. The Statement authorizes the Transfer Agent to hold in escrow a sufficient number of shares which can be redeemed to make up any difference in the sales charge on the amount actually invested. For purposes of satisfying the amount specified on the Statement, the gross amount of each investment, exclusive of any appreciation on shares previously purchased, will be taken into account.
The provisions applicable to the Statement, and the terms of the related escrow agreement, are set forth in Appendix C to this SAI.
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Cross-Reinvestment of Distributions
Shareholders may receive distributions in additional shares of the same class of the Fund or they may elect to receive them in cash or shares of the same class of other Goldman Sachs Funds, or Service Shares of the Goldman Sachs Financial Square Prime Obligations Fund, if they hold Class A Shares of a Fund.
A Fund shareholder should obtain and read the prospectus relating to the other Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies and applicable fees before electing cross-reinvestment into that Fund. The election to cross-reinvest distributions will not affect the tax treatment of such distributions, which will be treated as received by the shareholder and then used to purchase shares of the acquired fund. Such reinvestment of distributions in shares of other Goldman Sachs Funds is available only in states where such reinvestment may legally be made.
Automatic Exchange Program
A Fund shareholder may elect to exchange automatically a specified dollar amount of shares of the Fund for shares of the same class or an equivalent class of another Goldman Sachs Fund provided the minimum initial investment requirement has been satisfied. A Fund shareholder should obtain and read the prospectus relating to the other Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies and applicable fees and expenses before electing an automatic exchange into that Goldman Sachs Fund.
Exchanges from Collective Investment Trusts to Goldman Sachs Funds
The Investment Adviser manages a number of collective investment trusts that hold assets of 401(k) plans and other retirement plans (each, a “Collective Investment Trust”). An investor in a Collective Investment Trust (or an Intermediary acting on behalf of the investor) may elect to exchange some or all of the interests it holds in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of one or more of the Goldman Sachs Funds. Generally speaking, Rule 22c-1 under the Act requires a purchase order for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund to be priced based on the current NAV of the Goldman Sachs Fund that is next calculated after receipt of the purchase order. A Goldman Sachs Fund will treat a purchase order component of an exchange from an investor in a Collective Investment Trust as being received in good order at the time it is communicated to an Intermediary or the Transfer Agent, if the amount of shares to be purchased is expressed as a percentage of the value of the investor’s interest in a designated Collective Investment Trust that it is contemporaneously redeeming (e.g., if the investor communicates a desire to exchange 100% of its interest in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund). The investor’s purchase price and the number of Goldman Sachs Fund shares it will acquire will therefore be calculated as of the pricing of the Collective Investment Trust on the day of the purchase order. Such an order will be deemed to be irrevocable as of the time the Goldman Sachs Fund’s NAV is next calculated after receipt of the purchase order. An investor should obtain and read the prospectus relating to any Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies and applicable fees and expenses before electing an exchange into that Goldman Sachs Fund. For federal income tax purposes, an exchange of interests in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund may be subject to tax, and you should consult your tax adviser concerning the tax consequences of an exchange.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
A systematic withdrawal plan (the “Systematic Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders of a Fund whose shares are worth at least $5,000. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan provides for monthly payments to the participating shareholder of any amount not less than $50.
Distributions on shares held under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan are reinvested in additional full and fractional shares of the applicable Fund at NAV. The Transfer Agent acts as agent for the shareholder in redeeming sufficient full and fractional shares to provide the amount of the systematic withdrawal payment. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time. Goldman Sachs reserves the right to initiate a fee of up to $5 per withdrawal, upon thirty days written notice to the shareholder. Withdrawal payments should not be considered to be dividends, yield or income. If periodic withdrawals continuously exceed new purchases and reinvested distributions, the shareholder’s original investment will be correspondingly reduced and ultimately exhausted. The maintenance of a withdrawal plan concurrently with purchases of additional Class A or Class C Shares would be disadvantageous because of the sales charge typically imposed on purchases of Class A Shares or the imposition of a CDSC on redemptions of Class A and Class C Shares. The CDSC applicable to Class C Shares redeemed under a Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be waived. See “Shareholder Guide” in the Prospectuses. In addition, each withdrawal constitutes a redemption of shares, and any gain or loss realized must be reported for federal and state income tax purposes. A shareholder should consult his or her own tax adviser with regard to the tax consequences of participating in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. For further information or to request a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, please write or call the Transfer Agent.
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Offering Price of Class A Shares
Class A Shares of High Yield Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund and Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund are sold at a maximum sales charge of 4.50%; Government Income Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Core Fixed Income Fund, Bond Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund at 3.75%; High Yield Floating Rate Fund at 2.25%; and Enhanced Income Fund, High Quality Floating Rate, Short Duration Bond Fund, Short Duration Government Fund and Short Duration Tax-Free Fund at 1.50%. Using the NAV as of March 31, 2021 and the maximum sales charge in effect as of July 29, 2021, the maximum offering price of the Class A shares of each applicable Fund’s shares would be as follows:
| Fund |
Net Asset Value |
Maximum Sales Charge |
Offering Price to Public |
|||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
$ | 10.15 | 1.50 | % | $ | 10.30 | ||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
$ | 10.00 | 1.50 | % | $ | 10.15 | ||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
$ | 10.83 | 1.50 | % | $ | 10.99 | ||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
$ | 9.41 | 3.75 | % | $ | 9.78 | ||||||
| Government Income Fund |
$ | 15.14 | 3.75 | % | $ | 15.73 | ||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
$ | 16.63 | 3.75 | % | $ | 17.28 | ||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
$ | 10.76 | 3.75 | % | $ | 11.18 | ||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
$ | 12.73 | 3.75 | % | $ | 13.23 | ||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
$ | 10.56 | 3.75 | % | $ | 10.97 | ||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
$ | 9.59 | 3.75 | % | $ | 9.96 | ||||||
| Bond Fund |
$ | 10.54 | 3.75 | % | $ | 10.95 | ||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
$ | 11.35 | 3.75 | % | $ | 11.79 | ||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
$ | 10.49 | 4.50 | % | $ | 10.98 | ||||||
| High Yield Fund |
$ | 6.39 | 4.50 | % | $ | 6.69 | ||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
$ | 9.36 | 2.25 | % | $ | 9.58 | ||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
$ | 11.98 | 4.50 | % | $ | 12.54 | ||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
$ | 5.56 | 4.50 | % | $ | 5.82 | ||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
$ | 8.92 | 3.75 | % | $ | 9.27 | ||||||
| Income Fund |
$ | 10.25 | 3.75 | % | $ | 10.65 | ||||||
The actual sales charge that is paid by an investor on the purchase of Class A Shares may differ slightly from the sales charge listed above or in a Fund’s Prospectus due to rounding in the calculations. The actual sales charge that is paid by an investor will be rounded to two decimal places. As a result of such rounding in the calculations, the actual sales charge paid by an investor may be somewhat greater (e.g., 4.53% for Class A Shares) or somewhat lesser (e.g., 4.48% for Class A Shares) than that listed above or in the Prospectuses. Contact your financial advisor for further information.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS
(Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class R Shares Only)
Distribution and Service Plans. As described in the Prospectus, the Trust has adopted, on behalf of Class A, Class C and Class Shares of each Fund, distribution and service plans (collectively, the “Plans” and each individually, a “Plan”). See “Shareholder Guide – Distribution and Service Fees” in the Prospectuses. The distribution fees payable under the Plans are subject to Rule 12b-1 under the Act and finance distribution and other services that are provided to investors in the Funds and enable the Funds to offer investors the choice of investing in either Class A, Class C or Class R Shares when investing in the Funds. In addition, the distribution fees payable under the Plans may be used to assist the Funds in reaching and maintaining asset levels that are efficient for the Funds’ operations and investments.
The Plans for each applicable Fund’s Class A, Class C and Class R Shares were most recently approved by a majority vote of the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plans, cast at a meeting called for the purpose of approving the Plans on June 15-16, 2021.
The compensation for distribution services payable under a Plan to Goldman Sachs may not exceed 0.25% (0.15% for the Enhanced Income Fund and High Quality Floating Rate Fund), 0.75% and 0.50% per annum of a Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A, Class C and Class R Shares, respectively, of such Fund.
Under the Plan for Class C Shares, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to receive a separate fee for personal and account maintenance services equal to an annual basis of 0.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. With respect to Class A and Class R Shares, the Distributor at its discretion may use compensation for distribution services paid under the Plan for personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such total compensation under the Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on “service fees” imposed by FINRA.
B-165
As of July 29, 2021, Goldman Sachs has agreed not to impose a portion of the distribution and service fees, pursuant to the Plans, equal to 0.35% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares of the Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund and Short Duration Tax-Free Fund. These arrangements will remain in effect through at least July 29, 2022, and prior to such date Goldman Sachs may not terminate the arrangements without the approval of the Board of Trustees. These waivers may be modified or terminated by Goldman Sachs at its discretion and without shareholder approval after such date, although Goldman Sachs does not presently intend to do so.
Each Plan is a compensation plan which provides for the payment of a specified fee without regard to the expenses actually incurred by Goldman Sachs. If such fee exceeds Goldman Sachs’ expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from these arrangements. The distribution fees received by Goldman Sachs under the Plans and CDSCs (as applicable) on Class A, Class C and Class R Shares may be sold by Goldman Sachs as Distributor to entities which provide financing for payments to Intermediaries in respect of sales of Class A, Class C and Class R Shares. To the extent such fees are not paid to such dealers, Goldman Sachs may retain such fees as compensation for its services and expenses of distributing the Funds’ Class A, Class C and Class R Shares.
Under each Plan, Goldman Sachs, as Distributor of each Fund’s Class A, Class C and Class R Shares, will provide to the Trustees of the Trust for their review, and the Trustees of the Trust will review at least quarterly, a written report of the services provided and amounts expended by Goldman Sachs under the Plans and the purposes for which such services were performed and expenditures were made.
The Plans will remain in effect until June 30, 2022, and from year to year thereafter, provided that such continuance is approved annually by a majority vote of the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plans. The Plans may not be amended to increase materially the amount of distribution compensation described therein without approval of a majority of the outstanding Class A, Class C or Class R Shares of the affected Fund and affected share class but may be amended without shareholder approval to increase materially the amount of non-distribution compensation. All material amendments of a Plan must also be approved by the Trustees of the Trust in the manner described above. A Plan may be terminated at any time as to any Fund without payment of any penalty by a vote of a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the Class A, Class C or Class R Shares, respectively, of the affected Fund and affected share class. If a Plan was terminated by the Trustees of the Trust and no successor plan was adopted, the Fund would cease to make payments to Goldman Sachs under the Plan and Goldman Sachs would be unable to recover the amount of any of its unreimbursed expenditures. So long as a Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust. The Trustees of the Trust have determined that in their judgment there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plans will benefit the Funds and their Class A, Class C or Class R shareholders.
For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019, each Fund then in existence paid Goldman Sachs the following distribution and service fees under the Class A Plan:
| Fund |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 |
|||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund1 |
$ | 17,234 | $ | 18,858 | $ | 26,572 | ||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund2 |
10,492 | 14,475 | 15,948 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
252,798 | 195,427 | 212,483 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
515,692 | 311,571 | 266,102 | |||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
192,916 | 208,933 | 249,759 | |||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
3,541,255 | 2,971,694 | 1,203,379 | |||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
369,642 | 235,531 | 146,294 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
120,610 | 23,992 | 29,448 | |||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
120,619 | 142,356 | 173,809 | |||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
1,208,461 | 1,104,409 | 755,428 | |||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
316,494 | 382,853 | 424,511 | |||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
7,840 | 8,680 | 10,833 | |||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
320,626 | 410,726 | 605,399 | |||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
102,435 | 144,767 | 192,081 | |||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
90,484 | 73,645 | 92,764 | |||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
28,554 | 24,745 | 20,839 | |||||||||
| Bond Fund |
227,960 | 218,013 | 242,193 | |||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
158,551 | 133,485 | 151,839 | |||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
12,471 | 14,163 | 14,541 | |||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
3,573 | 4,838 | 14,542 | |||||||||
| Income Fund3 |
854 | 96 | N/A | |||||||||
| 1 | Effective July 30, 2018, Goldman Sachs became entitled to a monthly fee of 0.15% (instead of 0.25%) for distribution and service fees. |
| 2 | Effective July 30, 2018, Goldman Sachs became entitled to a monthly fee of 0.15% (instead of 0.25%) for distribution and service fees. |
| 3 | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
B-166
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, Goldman Sachs incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the Class A Plan on behalf of the Funds:
| Fund |
Compensation to Dealers1 |
Compensation and Expenses of the Distributor and Its Sales Personnel |
Allocable Overhead, Telephone and Travel Expenses |
Printing and Mailing of Prospectuses to Other than Current Shareholders |
Preparation and Distribution of Sales Literature and Advertising |
Totals* | ||||||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 16,837 | $ | 8,795 | $ | 2,911 | $ | 137 | $ | 314 | $ | 28,994 | ||||||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
9,547 | 765 | 148 | 7 | 16 | 10,482 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
249,146 | 107,168 | 38,423 | 1,810 | 4,148 | 400,694 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
513,517 | 20,697 | 7,318 | 345 | 790 | 542,666 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
186,432 | 32,005 | 10,914 | 514 | 1,178 | 231,044 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
3,493,959 | 37,229 | 15,207 | 716 | 1,642 | 3,548,753 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
365,327 | 200,504 | 60,509 | 2,850 | 6,532 | 635,722 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
121,234 | 118,822 | 34,399 | 1,620 | 3,714 | 279,789 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
110,001 | 49,299 | 16,466 | 776 | 1,778 | 178,319 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
1,178,829 | 49,772 | 17,346 | 817 | 1,873 | 1,248,636 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
307,076 | 157,593 | 53,724 | 2,531 | 5,800 | 526,724 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
7,671 | 2,998 | 988 | 47 | 107 | 11,811 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
308,251 | 174,850 | 61,041 | 2,875 | 6,590 | 553,608 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
99,948 | 61,474 | 20,395 | 961 | 2,202 | 184,980 | ||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Mortgages Fund |
90,146 | 20,186 | 6,598 | 311 | 712 | 117,953 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Investment Grade Credit Fund |
28,588 | 6,274 | 2,118 | 100 | 229 | 37,308 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
225,077 | 55,912 | 20,468 | 964 | 2,210 | 304,631 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
149,147 | 24,929 | 8,802 | 415 | 950 | 184,244 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
12,226 | 1,920 | 460 | 22 | 50 | 14,678 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
3,451 | 1,765 | 571 | 27 | 62 | 5,876 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income Fund |
727 | 1,400 | 390 | 18 | 42 | 2,577 | ||||||||||||||||||
| * | Reflects rounding |
| 1 | Advance commissions paid to dealers of 1% on Class A Shares are considered deferred assets which are amortized over a period of eighteen months; amounts presented above reflect amortization expense recorded during the period presented. |
For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019, each Fund then in existence paid Goldman Sachs the following distribution and service fees under the Class C Plan:
|
Fund1 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 |
|||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund2 |
$ | 61,813 | $ | 85,311 | $ | 112,083 | ||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund2 |
60,642 | 103,409 | 114,508 | |||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
31,774 | 37,617 | 46,640 | |||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
1,108,305 | 1,220,972 | 589,717 | |||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
84,960 | 70,365 | 77,229 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund 2 |
7,161 | 10,310 | 8,235 | |||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
44,124 | 75,284 | 107,423 | |||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
607,483 | 754,121 | 558,959 | |||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
69,133 | 136,335 | 234,860 | |||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
4,833 | 9,938 | 15,780 | |||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
576,159 | 1,210,773 | 1,979,774 | |||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
97,241 | 187,111 | 266,032 | |||||||||
| Bond Fund |
97,364 | 92,065 | 103,185 | |||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
17,980 | 31,548 | 55,513 | |||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
22,234 | 33,609 | 53,048 | |||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
3,728 | 7,518 | 13,853 | |||||||||
| Income Fund3 |
669 | 179 | N/A | |||||||||
| 1 | Enhanced Income Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund and Investment Grade Credit Fund currently do not offer Class C Shares. |
| 2 | Absent a fee waiver arrangement then in effect, the distribution and service fees payable by the Short Duration Government Fund would have been $115,900 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 and $131,248 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020; the distribution and service fees payable by the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund would have been $113,703 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 and $159,091 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020; and the distribution and service fees payable by the Short Duration Bond Fund would have been $13,426 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 and $15,862 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. |
| 3 | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
B-167
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, Goldman Sachs incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the Class C Plan on behalf of each of the following Funds:
| Fund |
Compensation to Dealer1 |
Compensation and Expenses of the Distributor and Its Sales Personnel |
Allocable Overhead, Telephone and Travel Expenses |
Printing and Mailing of Prospectuses to Other than Current Shareholders |
Preparation and Distribution of Sales Literature and Advertising |
Totals* | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
$ | 69,350 | $ | 24,667 | $ | 8,313 | $ | 392 | $ | 897 | $ | 103,619 | ||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
65,595 | 10,393 | 3,577 | 168 | 386 | 80,119 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
28,911 | 3,591 | 1,134 | 53 | 122 | 33,812 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
992,620 | 171,520 | 56,629 | 2,667 | 6,113 | 1,229,550 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
65,898 | 23,660 | 7,903 | 372 | 853 | 98,686 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
7,316 | 4,665 | 1,423 | 67 | 154 | 13,625 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
56,848 | 5,468 | 1,777 | 84 | 192 | 64,368 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Municipal Fund |
544,066 | 120,456 | 39,771 | 1,873 | 4,293 | 710,460 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
79,119 | 12,067 | 3,843 | 181 | 415 | 95,625 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
6,283 | 177 | 50 | 2 | 5 | 6,518 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
770,489 | 95,068 | 32,190 | 1,516 | 3,475 | 902,738 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
119,144 | 19,101 | 6,205 | 292 | 670 | 145,411 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
109,913 | 20,633 | 6,939 | 327 | 749 | 138,562 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
18,954 | 1,767 | 508 | 24 | 55 | 21,307 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund |
23,204 | 2,730 | 788 | 37 | 85 | 26,843 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
4,662 | 74 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 4,749 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income Fund |
257 | 215 | 67 | 3 | 7 | 549 | ||||||||||||||||||
| * | Reflects rounding |
| 1 | Advance commissions paid to dealers of 1% on Class C Shares are considered deferred assets which are amortized over a period of one year; amounts presented above reflect amortization expense recorded during the period presented. |
For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019, each Fund then in existence paid Goldman Sachs the following distribution and service fees under the Class R Plan:
|
Fund1 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 |
|||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
$ | 79,930 | $ | 99,376 | $ | 102,855 | ||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
24,367 | 23,913 | 22,431 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
6,274 | 654 | 547 | |||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
84,344 | 79,248 | 80,138 | |||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
38,562 | 61,583 | 65,260 | |||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
66 | 99 | 342 | |||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
14,636 | 22,330 | 33,895 | |||||||||
| Bond Fund |
27,041 | 47,893 | 102,565 | |||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
134 | 131 | 154 | |||||||||
| Income Fund2 |
260 | 81 | 0 | |||||||||
| 1 | Enhanced Income Fund, High Quality Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, Dynamic Municipal Income Fund, Global Core Fixed Income Fund, High Yield Municipal Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund and Investment Grade Credit Fund currently do not offer Class R Shares. |
| 3 | The Income Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019. |
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, Goldman Sachs incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the Class R Plan on behalf of each of the following Funds:
| Fund |
Compensation to Dealer |
Compensation and Expenses of the Distributor and Its Sales Personnel |
Allocable Overhead, Telephone and Travel Expenses |
Printing and Mailing of Prospectuses to Other than Current Shareholders |
Preparation and Distribution of Sales Literature and Advertising |
Totals* | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
78,629 | 1,690 | 551 | 26 | 59 | 80,955 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
$ | 24,367 | $ | 2,394 | $ | 927 | $ | 44 | $ | 100 | $ | 27,832 | ||||||||||||
| Short Duration Bond Fund |
7,672 | 2,742 | 1,094 | 52 | 118 | 11,677 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inflation Protected Securities Fund |
81,639 | 737 | 143 | 7 | 15 | 82,541 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
38,659 | 1,037 | 407 | 19 | 44 | 40,166 | ||||||||||||||||||
B-168
| Fund |
Compensation to Dealer |
Compensation and Expenses of the Distributor and Its Sales Personnel |
Allocable Overhead, Telephone and Travel Expenses |
Printing and Mailing of Prospectuses to Other than Current Shareholders |
Preparation and Distribution of Sales Literature and Advertising |
Totals* | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Floating Rate Fund |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Strategic Income Fund |
13,043 | 1,584 | 614 | 29 | 66 | 15,336 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
24,198 | 2,110 | 832 | 39 | 90 | 27,269 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Long Short Credit Strategies Fund |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income Fund |
0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| * | Reflects rounding |
SERVICE PLAN AND SHAREHOLDER ADMINISTRATION PLAN
(Service Shares Only)
Each Fund that offers Service Shares has adopted a service plan (the “Service Plan”) and a separate shareholder administration plan (the “Shareholder Administration Plan”) with respect to its Service Shares (collectively, the “Service Shares Plans”), which authorize it to compensate Intermediaries for providing personal and account maintenance services and shareholder administration services to their customers who are or may become beneficial owners of such Shares. Pursuant to the Service Shares Plans, a Fund will enter into agreements with Intermediaries which purchase Service Shares of the Fund on behalf of their customers (“Service Agreements”). Under such Service Agreements, the Intermediaries may perform some or all of the following services:
(a) Personal and account maintenance services, including: (i) providing facilities to answer inquiries and respond to correspondence with customers and other investors about the status of their accounts or about other aspects of the Trust or the applicable Fund; (ii) acting as liaison between the Intermediary’s customers and the Trust, including obtaining information from the Trust and assisting the Trust in correcting errors and resolving problems; (iii) providing such statistical and other information as may be reasonably requested by the Trust or necessary for the Trust to comply with applicable federal or state law; (iv) responding to investor requests for prospectuses; (v) displaying and making prospectuses available on the Intermediary’s premises; and (vi) assisting customers in completing application forms, selecting dividend and other account options and opening custody accounts with the Intermediary.
(b) Shareholder administration services, including: (i) acting or arranging for another party to act, as recordholder and nominee of the Service Shares beneficially owned by the Intermediary’s customers; (ii) establishing and maintaining or assisting in establishing and maintaining individual accounts and records with respect to the Service Shares owned by each customer; (iii) processing or assisting in processing confirmations concerning customer orders to purchase, redeem and exchange Service Shares; (iv) receiving and transmitting or assisting in receiving and transmitting funds representing the purchase price or redemption proceeds of such Service Shares; (v) facilitating the inclusion of Service Shares in accounts, products or services offered to the Intermediary’s customers by or through the Intermediary; (vi) processing dividend payments on behalf of customers; and (vii) performing other related services which do not constitute “any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares” within the meaning of Rule 12b-1 under the Act or “personal and account maintenance services” within the meaning of the FINRA’s Conduct Rules.
As compensation for such services, a Fund will pay each Intermediary a personal and account maintenance service fee and a shareholder administration service fee in an amount up to 0.25% and 0.25%, respectively (on an annualized basis), of the average daily net assets of the Service Shares of such Fund attributable to or held in the name of such Intermediary.
The amount of the service and shareholder administration fees paid by each Fund then in existence to Intermediaries pursuant to the Service Shares Plans was as follows for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019:
|
Fund1 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 |
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 |
|||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
$ | 126 | $ | 508 | $ | 522 | ||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
48,146 | 90,804 | 94,780 | |||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
410 | 1,076 | 1,448 | |||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
90,437 | 181,848 | 183,714 | |||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
447 | 1,118 | 184 | |||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
3,012 | 4,926 | 4,604 | |||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
1,504 | 5,468 | 9,164 | |||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
18,037 | 39,962 | 54,148 | |||||||||
| Bond Fund |
194 | 192 | 1,212 | |||||||||
| 1 | Enhanced Income Fund, U.S. Mortgages Fund, Investment Grade Credit Fund, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund, High Yield Floating Rate Fund, Short Duration Bond Fund, Strategic Income Fund, Inflation Protected Securities Fund, Long Short Credit Strategies Fund and Income Fund currently do not offer Service Shares. |
B-169
The Funds offering Service Shares have adopted the Service Plan but not the Shareholder Administration Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act in order to avoid any possibility that service fees paid to the Intermediaries pursuant to the Service Agreements might violate the Act. Rule 12b-1, which was adopted by the SEC under the Act, regulates the circumstances under which an investment company or series thereof may bear expenses associated with the distribution of its shares. In particular, such an investment company or series thereof cannot engage directly or indirectly in financing any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares issued by the company unless it has adopted a plan pursuant to, and complies with the other requirements of, such Rule. The Trust believes that fees paid for the services provided in the service plan and described above are not expenses incurred primarily for effecting the distribution of Service Shares. However, should such payments be deemed by a court or the SEC to be distribution expenses, such payments would be duly authorized by the Service Plan. The Shareholder Administration Plan has not been adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act.
Conflict of interest restrictions (including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) may apply to an Intermediary’s receipt of compensation paid by a Fund in connection with the investment of fiduciary assets in Service Shares of such Fund. Intermediaries, including banks regulated by the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and investment advisers and other money managers subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC, the Department of Labor or state securities regulators, are urged to consult their legal advisers before investing fiduciary assets in Service Shares of the Funds. In addition, under some state securities laws, banks and other financial institutions purchasing Service Shares on behalf of their customers may be required to register as dealers.
The Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Service Shares Plans or the related Service Agreements, most recently voted to approve each Fund’s Service Shares Plans and related Service Agreements at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Service Shares Plans and Service Agreements on June 15-16, 2021. The Service Shares Plans and Service Agreements will remain in effect until June 30, 2022, and will continue in effect thereafter only if such continuance is specifically approved annually by a vote of the Board of Trustees in the manner described above. The Service Plan may not be amended (but the Shareholder Administration Plan may be amended) to increase materially the amount to be spent for the services described therein without approval of the shareholders of the affected Fund, and all material amendments of each Service Shares Plan must also be approved by the Board of Trustees in the manner described above. The Service Shares Plans may be terminated at any time by a majority of the Board of Trustees as described above or by vote of a majority of the outstanding Service Shares of the affected Fund. The Service Agreements may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of such Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding Service Shares of the affected Fund on not more than sixty days’ written notice to any other party to the Service Agreements. The Service Agreements will terminate automatically if assigned. So long as the Service Shares Plans are in effect, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons will be committed to the discretion of the Trust’s Governance and Nominating Committee, which consists of all of the non-interested members of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has determined that, in its judgment, there is a reasonable likelihood that the Service Shares Plans will benefit the Funds and the holders of Service Shares.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, Goldman Sachs incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the Service Plan of each of the following Funds with Service Shares:
| Fund |
Compensation to Dealer |
Compensation and Expenses of the Distributor and Its Sales Personnel |
Allocable Overhead, Telephone and Travel Expenses |
Printing and Mailing of Prospectuses to Other than Current Shareholders |
Preparation and Distribution of Sales Literature and Advertising |
Totals* | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Quality Floating Rate Fund |
$ | 0 | $ | 1 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Short Duration Government Fund |
0 | 13,502 | 4,442 | 209 | 480 | 18,633 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Short Duration Tax-Free Fund |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government Income Fund |
0 | 11,060 | 4,264 | 201 | 460 | 15,985 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dynamic Municipal Income Fund |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Core Fixed Income Fund |
0 | 44 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Global Core Fixed Income Fund |
0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| High Yield Fund |
0 | 4,442 | 1,872 | 88 | 202 | 6,604 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bond Fund |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| * | Reflects rounding |
(Administration Shares Only)
B-170
The Enhanced Income Fund has adopted an administration plan (the “Plan”) with respect to its Administration Shares which authorizes it to compensate Intermediaries for providing certain account administration services to their customers who are beneficial owners of such Shares. Pursuant to the Plan, the Fund enters into agreements with Intermediaries which purchase Administration Shares on behalf of their customers (“Service Agreements”). Under such Service Agreements the Intermediaries may agree to perform some or all of the following services: (a) act, directly or through an agent, as the shareholder of record and nominee for customers; (b) maintain account records for customers who beneficially own Administration Shares of the Fund; (c) receive and transmit, or assist in receiving and transmitting, funds for purchases and redemptions; (d) provide facilities to answer questions and handle correspondence from customers regarding their accounts; and (e) issue, or assist in issuing, confirmations for transactions in shares by customers. As compensation for such services, the Fund will pay each Intermediary an account administration fee in an amount up to 0.25% (on an annualized basis) of the average daily net assets of the Administration Shares of the Fund attributable to or held in the name of such Intermediary.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, the Enhanced Income Fund’s Administration Shares paid $0.00 under the Plan; for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, the Enhanced Income Fund’s Administration Shares paid $0.00 under the Plan; and for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, the Enhanced Income Fund’s Administration Shares paid $0.00 under the Plan.
Conflict of interest restrictions (including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) may apply to an Intermediary’s receipt of compensation paid by a Fund in connection with the investment of fiduciary assets in Administration Shares of the Fund. Intermediaries, including banks regulated by the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and investment advisers and other money managers subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC, the Department of Labor or state securities commissions, are urged to consult their legal advisers before investing fiduciary assets in Administration Shares of the Fund. In addition, under some state securities laws, banks and other financial institutions purchasing Administration Shares on behalf of their customers may be required to register as dealers.
The Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or the related Service Agreements, most recently voted to approve the Plan and Service Agreements with respect to the Fund at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Plan and Service Agreements on June 15-16, 2021. The Plan and Service Agreements will remain in effect until June 30, 2022, and will continue in effect thereafter only if such continuance is specifically approved annually by a vote of the Board of Trustees in the manner described above.
Unless approved by the Board of Trustees in the manner described above, the Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be spent for the services described therein and other material amendments of the Plan may not be made. The Plan may be terminated at any time by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or the related Service Agreements or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding Administration Shares. The Service Agreements may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by a vote of a majority of such Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding Administration Shares of the Fund on not more than 60 days’ written notice to any other party to the Service Agreements. The Service Agreements will terminate automatically if assigned. So long as the Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons will be committed to the discretion of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust. The Board of Trustees has determined that, in its judgment, there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Fund and the holders of its Administration Shares.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, Goldman Sachs incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the Administration Plan of the Enhanced Income Fund as follows:
| Fund |
Compensation to Dealer |
Compensation and Expenses of the Distributor and Its Sales Personnel |
Allocable Overhead, Telephone and Travel Expenses |
Printing and Mailing of Prospectuses to Other than Current Shareholders |
Preparation and Distribution of Sales Literature and Advertising |
Totals* | ||||||||||||||||||
| Enhanced Income Fund |
$ | 0 | $ | 2,404 | $ | 739 | $ | 35 | $ | 80 | $ | 3,257 | ||||||||||||
| * | Reflects rounding |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
As of July 14, 2021, the following shareholders were shown in the Trust’s records as owning more than 5% of any class of a Fund’s shares. Except as listed below, the Trust does not know of any other person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of any class of a Fund’s shares:
B-171
Goldman Sachs Enhanced Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 42.82 | % | ||||
| Class A |
RBC Capital Markets Corporation, RBC Capital Markets LLC, Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing, Attn Mutual Fund Ops. Manager, 60 S 6th St. Ste. 700 #P08, Minneapolis, MN 55402-4413 | 11.36 | |||||
| Class A |
UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 5.23 | |||||
| Class A |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 15.28 | |||||
| Class A |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, For the Sole Benefit of its Customers, Attn: Service Team SEQ #97RJ3, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Drive East 3rd Floor, Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 6.22 | |||||
| Investor |
LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 90.76 | |||||
| Investor |
Raymond James & Associates, 92500015, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 9.24 | |||||
| Institutional |
The Huntington National Bank, Andelyn Biosciences Inc., 575 Childrens XRD, Columbus OH 43215-5594 | 11.85 | |||||
| Institutional |
The Huntington National Bank, OhioHealth Corporation, 3430 Ohio Health Pkwy, Columbus OH 43202-1575 | 22.39 | |||||
| Institutional |
The Huntington National Bank, The Reynolds And Reynolds Company, 1 Reynolds Way, Kettering OH 45430-1586 | 10.91 | |||||
| Institutional |
The Huntington National Bank, The Dispatch Printing Company, 34 S 3rd St Ste 600, Columbus OH 43215-3082 | 11.08 | |||||
| Institutional |
National Grid Insurance USA Ltd., 1 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201-3948 | 13.06 | |||||
| Institutional |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 16.02 | |||||
| Administration |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 29.40 | |||||
| Administration |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 70.42 | |||||
| Class R6 |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept., 499 Washington Blvd. 4th Flr., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 88.80 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 11.17 | |||||
| Class P |
Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.99 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 34.33 | % | ||||
| Class A |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 13.97 | |||||
| Class A |
LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 6.29 | |||||
| Class A |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 20.88 | |||||
| Investor |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 7.41 | |||||
| Investor |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 24.65 | |||||
B-172
Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Investor |
LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 29.32 | |||||
| Investor |
MSCS Financial Services LLC, Matrix Trust Company As Agent For Advisor Trust Inc, Merle Stone Chevrolet Retirement Plan, 717 17th St Ste 1300, Denver CO 80202-3304 | 5.25 | |||||
| Investor |
MSCS Financial Services LLC, Matrix Trust Company As Agent For Advisor Trust Inc, Hawaii Biotech Inc 401(K) Plan, 717 17th St Ste 1300, Denver CO 80202-3304 | 7.11 | |||||
| Investor |
MSCS Financial Services LLC, Matrix Trust Company As Agent For Advisor Trust Inc, American Licorice Company Lifestyle Savings Plan, 717 17th St Ste 1300, Denver CO 80202-3304 | 7.15 | |||||
| Investor |
MSCS Financial Services LLC, Matrix Trust Company As Agent For Advisor Trust Inc, St. Mary’s Of Medford School 403(B) Plan, 717 17th St Ste 1300, Denver CO 80202-3304 | 6.49 | |||||
| Institutional |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 17.82 | |||||
| Institutional |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 6.66 | |||||
| Institutional |
Reliance Trust Company/FIS, Maril & Co. FBOSG, C/O Reliance Trust Company (WI), 4900 W Brown Deer Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53223-2422 | 60.66 | |||||
| Institutional |
Justi Group Inc., Attn Stephen H Morrison, 804 Old Lancaster Rd, Berwyn PA 19312-1220 | 5.29 | |||||
| Service |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 54.99 | |||||
| Service |
GWFS Equities Inc., Capital Bank & Trust Co. TTEE FBO, G Pucci & Sons Inc. 401k, 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111-5002 | 43.52 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 99.88 | |||||
| Class P |
Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.88 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.69 | % | ||||
| Class A |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 6.86 | |||||
| Class A |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 17.92 | |||||
| Class A |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 5.71 | |||||
| Class A |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 7.27 | |||||
| Class A |
Nationwide Investment Services, Nationwide Trust CO FSB, C/O IPO Portfolio Accounting, PO Box 182029, Columbus, OH 43218-2029 | 6.89 | |||||
| Class A |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 8.36 | |||||
| Class C |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 8.90 | |||||
| Class C |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 8.98 | |||||
| Class C |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 46.12 | |||||
B-173
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class C |
LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 7.58 | |||||
| Class C |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 7.47 | |||||
| Investor |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 40.28 | |||||
| Investor |
Nationwide Investment Services, Nationwide Trust CO FSB, C/O IPO Portfolio Accounting, PO Box 182029, Columbus, OH 43218-2029 | 9.29 | |||||
| Investor |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 13.75 | |||||
| Investor |
Principal Securities Inc., DCGT as TTEE and/or Cust., FBO PLIC Various Retirement Plans, Omnibus, Attn NPIO Trade Desk, 711 High St., Des Moines, IA 50392-0001 | 28.21 | |||||
| Institutional |
The Huntington National Bank, Provia LLC, 2150 State Route 39, Sugarcreek OH 44681-9201 | 7.81 | |||||
| Institutional |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 7.10 | |||||
| Institutional |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 18.25 | |||||
| Institutional |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 21.28 | |||||
| Institutional |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 7.94 | |||||
| Institutional |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.79 | |||||
| Service |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 37.79 | |||||
| Service |
Devon Bank, DB CO/Devon Bank, 6445 N Western Ave. Ste. 300, Chicago, IL 60645-5452 | 57.51 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 39.24 | |||||
| Class R6 |
MSCS Financial Services LLC, SEI Private Trust Company, C/O Johnson Bank, ATTN Mutual Funds Administrator, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks PA 19456-9989 | 8.95 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 5.60 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Principal Securities Inc., DCGT as TTEE and/or Cust., FBO PLIC Various Retirement Plans, Omnibus, Attn NPIO Trade Desk, 711 High St., Des Moines, IA 50392-0001 | 21.64 | |||||
| Class R6 |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 10.55 | |||||
| Class P |
Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 93.48 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 24.98 | % | ||||
| Class A |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | |
5.37 |
||||
| Class A |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 7.83 | |||||
| Class A |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.38 | |||||
B-174
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 24.12 | |||||
| Class A |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 8.00 | |||||
| Class A |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 11.53 | |||||
| Class C |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 23.83 | |||||
| Class C |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO 41999970, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 6.06 | |||||
| Class C |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 23.22 | |||||
| Class C |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 27.07 | |||||
| Class C |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 5.02 | |||||
| Investor |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 37.79 | |||||
| Investor |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 9.32 | |||||
| Investor |
LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 30.90 | |||||
| Investor |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 19.91 | |||||
| Institutional |
MSCS Financial Services LLC, SEI Private Trust Company, C/O TRUIST ID 866, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks PA 19456-9989 | 8.64 | |||||
| Institutional |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 17.07 | |||||
| Institutional |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 42.60 | |||||
| Institutional |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 16.36 | |||||
| Service |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 94.33 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 98.36 | |||||
| Class P |
Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.27 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Government Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A |
Hartford Life Insurance Company, Separate Account 401, 1 Griffin Rd. N, Windsor, CT 06095-1512 | 17.26 | % | ||||
| Class A |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 17.04 | |||||
| Class A |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 7.85 | |||||
B-175
Goldman Sachs Government Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class C |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 40.32 | |||||
| Class C |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 18.74 | |||||
| Class R |
Hartford Life Insurance Company, Separate Account, 1 Griffin Rd. N, Windsor, CT 06095-1512 | 73.97 | |||||
| Class R |
MML Distributors, LLC-Aviator, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co., 1295 State St. MIP M200-INVST, Springfield, MA 01111-0001 | 5.81 | |||||
| Class R |
MML Distributors, LLC- PE, Reliance Trust Co., Custodian, FBO MassMutual Omnibus PE, PO Box 28004, Atlanta, GA 30358-0004 | 14.37 | |||||
| Investor |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 39.49 | |||||
| Investor |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 11.05 | |||||
| Investor |
LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 23.75 | |||||
| Investor |
Principal Securities Inc., DCGT as TTEE and/or Cust., FBO PLIC Various Retirement Plans, Omnibus, Attn NPIO Trade Desk, 711 High St., Des Moines, IA 50392-0001 | 5.33 | |||||
| Investor |
MSCS Financial Services LLC, Matrix Trust Company Trustee FBO Penick Village Inc 403b Rtrmnt Plan, PO Box 52129, Phoenix AZ 85072-2129 | 5.77 | |||||
| Institutional |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.67 | |||||
| Institutional |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 11.51 | |||||
| Institutional |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 43.89 | |||||
| Institutional |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 8.16 | |||||
| Service |
Hartford Life Insurance Co., Separate Account, 200 Hopmeadow St., Weatogue, CT 06089-9793 | 11.01 | |||||
| Service |
Security Benefit Life Insurance Co., UMB Bank NA, FBO Fiduciary for Tax Deferred Acct., 1 SW Security Benefit Pl., Topeka, KS 66636-1000 | 76.39 | |||||
| Service |
Security Benefit Life Insurance Co., SBL Variable Annuity Account, 1 SW Security Benefit Pl., Topeka, KS 66636-1000 | 6.96 | |||||
| Class R6 |
MSCS Financial Services LLC SEI Private trust Company, C/O Johnson Bank ETS ID 243, Attn: Mutual Fund Administrator, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456-9989 | 8.11 | |||||
| Class R6 |
GWFS Equities Inc., Great-West Trust Company LLC TTEE F, Employee Benefits Clients 401k, 8515 E Orchard Rd #2T2, Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5002 | 8.49 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 15.43 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 10.25 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Reliance Trust Company FBO Medallion Instru , PO Box 78446, Atlanta GA 30357-2446 | 5.73 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Hartford Life Insurance Company, The Hartford, 1 Hartford Plz., Hartford, CT 06155-0001 | 12.20 | |||||
| Class R6 |
MML Distributors LLC, Massachusetts Mutual Insurance Co., 1295 State Street, MIP M200-INVST, Springfield, MA 01111-0001 | 20.63 | |||||
| Class P |
Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.19 | |||||
B-176
Goldman Sachs Dynamic Municipal Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 13.95 | % | ||||
| Class A |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 5.66 | |||||
| Class A |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 20.62 | |||||
| Class A |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 10.60 | |||||
| Class A |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 12.21 | |||||
| Class A |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.01 | |||||
| Class A |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 10.66 | |||||
| Class A |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.35 | |||||
| Class C |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 17.59 | |||||
| Class C |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 27.56 | |||||
| Class C |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 14.78 | |||||
| Class C |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 9.09 | |||||
| Class C |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 12.30 | |||||
| Investor |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.83 | |||||
| Investor |
LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 26.47 | |||||
| Investor |
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 37.57 | |||||
| Investor |
Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 28.38 | |||||
| Institutional |
UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 7.91 | |||||
| Institutional |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 14.32 | |||||
| Institutional |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 8.16 | |||||
| Institutional |
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 20.38 | |||||
| Institutional |
TD Ameritrade Clearing Inc., TD Ameritrade Inc. for the exclusive benefit of our clients, PO Box 2226, Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | 5.13 | |||||
| Institutional |
National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 18.42 | |||||
| Institutional |
Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 6.13 | |||||
| Institutional |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 13.11 | |||||
| Service |
TCA TrustCorp. America, 5301 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Fourth Floor, Washington, DC 20015-2047 | 84.09 | |||||
B-177
Goldman Sachs Dynamic Municipal Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Service |
GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Accounts, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Crystal Downs Fl. 3, Embassy Golf Links Business Park, Bengaluru India 560071 | 15.91 | |||||
| Class R6 |
Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 95.27 | |||||
| Class P |
Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.02 | |||||
Goldman Sachs U.S. Mortgages Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Mid Atlantic Capital Corp., Wright – Falcon International Bank, Falcon International Bank, 19230 Stone Oak Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78258-3282 | 7.03 | % | ||||
| Class A | Mid Atlantic Capital Corp., Wright – First National Huntsville Company, 1300 11th St., Huntsville, TX 77340-3802 | 6.15 | |||||
| Class A | GWFS Equities Inc., Great-West Trust Company LLC TTEE F Employee Benefits Clients 401K, 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111-5002 | 7.05 | |||||
| Class A | ADP/Broker Dealer Inc., State Street Bank Trustee and or Custodian FBO ADP Access Product, 1 Lincoln St., Boston, MA 02111-2901 | 5.90 | |||||
| Class A | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 14.09 | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 13.52 | |||||
| Investor | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 18.92 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 9.41 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 51.73 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 11.91 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 67.58 | |||||
| Institutional | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 8.72 | |||||
| Institutional | GWFS Equities Inc., Great-West Trust Company LLC TTEE F Energy Northwest 401k Deferred Comp, 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111-5002 | 9.29 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 6.75 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 5.79 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 14.06 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 14.98 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 7.16 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 7.37 | |||||
| Class R6 | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 40.25 | |||||
| Class R6 | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 7.35 | |||||
B-178
Goldman Sachs U.S. Mortgages Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class R6 | ADP/Broker Dealer Inc., State Street Bank Trustee and or Custodian FBO ADP Access Product, 1 Lincoln St., Boston, MA 02111-2901 | 12.90 | |||||
| Class R6 | GWFS Equities Inc., Great-West Trust Company LLC TTEE F Employee Benefits Clients 401K, 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111-5002 | 22.60 | |||||
| Class R6 | National Financial Services LLC, FIIOC FBO Sierra Nevada Brewing 401K Plan, 100 Magellan Way #KW1C Covington KY 41015-1987 | 6.03 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.85 | |||||
Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 18.70 | % | ||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 54.20 | |||||
| Class C | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 9.50 | |||||
| Class C | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 16.91 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 25.99 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 10.29 | |||||
| Class R | ADP/Broker Dealer Inc., State Street Bank Trustee and or Custodian FBO ADP Access Product, 1 Lincoln St., Boston, MA 02111-2901 | 80.99 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 51.29 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 28.53 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 16.27 | |||||
| Institutional | TD Ameritrade Clearing Inc., TD Ameritrade Inc. for the exclusive benefit of our clients, PO Box 2226, Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | 7.71 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 10.81 | |||||
| Institutional | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 6.76 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 33.09 | |||||
| Institutional | Reliance Trust Company/FIS, Mitra & Co. FBO Customer C/O Reliance Trust Co (WI), Mailcode: BD1N – Attn: MF, 4900 W Brown Deer Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53223-2422 | 5.17 | |||||
| Institutional | Goldman Sachs Asset Management LP, US Bank TT&SS Alternative, Investments Custody, IT&C Miscellaneous Assets Team, 1 US Bank Plaza, Saint Louis MO 63101-1612 | 23.06 | |||||
| Service | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 13.70 | |||||
| Service | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 6.48 | |||||
B-179
Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Service | TCA TrustCorp. America, 5301 Wisconsin Ave. NW Ste. 450, Washington, DC 20015-2047 | 76.64 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & TR CO Cust, GS Trust Balanced Strategy Core Fixed Income, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue De Lafayette Fl 6, Boston MA 02111-1888 | 40.20 | |||||
| Class R6 | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 20.93 | |||||
| Class R6 | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 5.55 | |||||
| Class R6 | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 6.18 | |||||
| Class R6 | American United Life Insurance CO FBO Unit Investment Trust ATTN Separate Accounts, PO Box 368, Indianapolis IN 46206-0368 | 18.19 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.01 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Bond Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 6.27 | % | ||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 31.21 | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 17.50 | |||||
| Class C | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 8.63 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 18.87 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 5.77 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 17.98 | |||||
| Class C | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 8.11 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 6.96 | |||||
| Class C | Cambridge Investment Research, Ascensus Trust Company FBO Associates in Hearing Inc., PS Plan 211635, PO Box 10758, Fargo, ND 58106-0758 | 13.66 | |||||
| Class C | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C EBOC UBSFSI, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 5.34 | |||||
| Class R | GWFS Equities Inc., J M Fahey Construction Company 401K C/O Fascore LLC, 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111-5002 | 19.41 | |||||
| Class R | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 9.64 | |||||
| Class R | MML Distributors, LLC-Aviator, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co., 1295 State St. MIP M200-INVST, Springfield, MA 01111-0001 | 49.38 | |||||
B-180
Goldman Sachs Bond Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 19.88 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO 41999970, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 41.66 | |||||
| Investor | GWFS Equities Inc., Great West Trust CO LLC FBO Recordkeeping For Various Benefit Pl Omniputnam, 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111-5002 | 11.00 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 22.61 | |||||
| Institutional | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 7.26 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 23.36 | |||||
| Institutional | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 14.21 | |||||
| Institutional | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C EBOC UBSFSI, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 13.49 | |||||
| Institutional | Voya Institutional Plan Services LLC, Voya Institutional TR Co as TTEE, Custodian for Core Market Solutions, 30 Braintree Hill Office Park, Braintree, MA 02184-8747 | 12.11 | |||||
| Service | MSCS Financial Services LLC, PAI Trust Company, INC. Sanjay Kandoth MD PC 401(K) P/S PLA 1300 Enterprise Dr., De Pere WI 54115-4934 | 79.99 | |||||
| Service | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru, 560103 India | 20.01 | |||||
| Class R6 | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 5.65 | |||||
| Class R6 | Valic Financial Advisors Inc., VRSCO, FBO AIGFSB Cust. TTEE FBO Coop School District of Greater St. Louis 403B, 2727-A Allen Parkway, 4-D1, Houston, TX 77019-2107 | 8.78 | |||||
| Class R6 | Pims/Prudential Retirement As Nominee For The Ttee/Cust Pl 106 Profit Sharing And Salary PO BOX 5788, Portland OR 97228-5788 | 5.48 | |||||
| Class R6 | Valic Financial Advisors Inc., VRSCO, FBO AIGFSB Cust. TTEE FBO Minneapolis Public Schools 403B, 2727-A Allen Parkway, 4-D1, Houston, TX 77019-2107 | 7.83 | |||||
| Class R6 | GWFS Equities Inc., Great-West Trust Company LLC FBO Employee Benefits Clients 401k, 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5002 | 10.64 | |||||
| Class R6 | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 34.73 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.90 | |||||
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Bond Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | TD Ameritrade Clearing Inc., TD Ameritrade Inc. for the exclusive benefit of our clients, PO Box 2226, Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | 10.00 | % | ||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 46.11 | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 17.08 | |||||
| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 10.10 | |||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 6.80 | |||||
B-181
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Bond Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class C | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 21.71 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 38.74 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.17 | |||||
| Class C | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 5.56 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 18.87 | |||||
| Class R | ADP/Broker Dealer Inc., State Street Bank Trustee and or Custodian FBO ADP Access Product, 1 Lincoln St., Boston, MA 02111-2901 | 17.29 | |||||
| Class R | Ascensus Broker Dealer Services LLC, Ascensus Trust Company FBO, MTW Aerospace 401k Plan, P.O. Box 10758, Fargo ND 58106-0758 | 7.89 | |||||
| Class R | Ascensus Broker Dealer Services LLC, Ascensus Trust Company FBO, Kriegman & Smith, Inc 401(K) Saving, P.O. Box 10758, Fargo ND 58106-0758 | 68.04 | |||||
| Class R | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru, 560103 India | 6.39 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 35.35 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 34.30 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 29.08 | |||||
| Institutional | Seventh Amendment Holdings LLC, Andrus Wagstaff Roundup Settlememt Account, 737 Main St Ste 100, Buffalo NY 14203-1336 | 29.59 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 22.18 | |||||
| Institutional | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C EBOC UBSFSI, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 6.84 | |||||
| Institutional | Ziff Brothers Investments LLC DR Hedge LP C/O DR Capital Management LLC, 420 Fifth Ave Fl 5, New York NY 10018-0941 | 12.85 | |||||
| Class R6 | Reliance Trust Co., Reliance Trust Company FBO Citic Non-EB R/R, P.O. Box 78446, Atlanta, GA 30357-2446 | 31.36 | |||||
| Class R6 | MSCS Financial Services LLC, Matrix Trust Company Cust FBO Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. Savin, PO Box 52129, Phoenix AZ 85072-2129 | 16.71 | |||||
| Class R6 | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 50.52 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.74 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Investment Grade Credit Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 15.61 | % | ||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.86 | |||||
| Class A | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 16.02 | |||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 27.01 | |||||
B-182
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 11.37 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 8.70 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 45.03 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 33.19 | |||||
| Investor | Mid Atlantic Capital Corp., Mid Atlantic Trust Company FBO Liberty National Bank Safe Harbor 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan, 1251 Waterfront Pl. Ste. 525, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4228 | 12.17 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 29.31 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 9.35 | |||||
| Institutional | Goldman Sachs Asset Management LP, US Bank TT&SS Alternative, Investments Custody, IT&C Miscellaneous Assets Team, 1 US Bank Plaza, Saint Louis MO 63101-1612 | 56.75 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 6.19 | |||||
| Separate Account | Goldman Sachs Asset Management LP, Laborers District Council Of Chicago & Vicinity Ttee Of Health &Welfare Dept Of The Constructions & General, 411 W Lafayette Blvd Msc 3464, Detroit MI 48226-3120 | 5.82 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 12.97 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 6.24 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 13.13 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 5.77 | |||||
| Separate Account | GS PWM Institutional Class, Goldman, Sachs & Co., FBO Account, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198 | 6.32 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Asset Management LP, DLRT-GSAM IG Credit MF, 200 West St Fl 29, New York NY 10282-2198 | 98.87 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 98.77 | * |
Goldman Sachs Global Core Fixed Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 11.08 | % | ||||
| Class A | USI Securities Inc., Charles Schwab Trust Bank Cust, Knox County Asset Accumulation 401(A) Plan, 2423 E Lincoln Dr., Phoenix AZ 85016-1215 | 9.43 | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 14.50 | |||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 14.59 | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 13.75 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 6.64 | |||||
| Class C | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 5.09 | |||||
B-183
Goldman Sachs Global Core Fixed Income Fund
| Class C | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 7.04 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 5.68 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 12.44 | |||||
| Class C | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 26.19 | |||||
| Class C | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 15.69 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 6.93 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 23.69 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 50.72 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 12.48 | |||||
| Investor | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 6.06 | |||||
| Institutional | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 12.77 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 56.36 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 6.35 | |||||
| Institutional | Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company, Attn Outside Funds K22, PO Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600 | 7.89 | |||||
| Service | Principal Securities, Inc., DCGT as TTEE and/or Cust. FBO PLIC various retirement plans, Omnibus, Attn NPIO Trade Desk, 711 High St., Des Moines, IA 50392-0001 | 95.34 | |||||
| Class R6 | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 6.09 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust. FBO Goldman Sachs Balanced Strategy Fund, Omnibus A/C – Global Income Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 53.93 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust. FBO Goldman Sachs Growth and Income Strategy Portfolio, Omnibus A/C Global Income Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 32.75 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.87 |
Goldman Sachs High Yield Municipal Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 10.62 | % | ||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 10.02 | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 16.16 | |||||
| Class A | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 10.70 | |||||
| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 12.76 | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.70 | |||||
B-184
Goldman Sachs High Yield Municipal Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 12.90 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 6.10 | |||||
| Class C | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 7.15 | |||||
| Class C | Stifel Nicolaus & Co, Exclusive Benefit Of Customers, 501 N Broadway, Saint Louis MO 63102-2188 | 6.06 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 30.80 | |||||
| Class C | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 6.58 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 8.58 | |||||
| Class C | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 10.58 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 10.20 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 28.54 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 33.06 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 23.97 | |||||
| Institutional | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 6.10 | |||||
| Institutional | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 7.91 | |||||
| Institutional | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 7.22 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 21.83 | |||||
| Institutional | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 7.86 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 19.88 | |||||
| Institutional | MSCS Financial Services LLC, Zions First National Bank, PO Box 30880, Salt Lake Cty UT 84130-0880 | 7.64 | |||||
| Class R6 | JP Morgan Securities LLC FEBO Customers, Mutual Fund Dept., 3 Chase Metrotech Center, Fl. 3, Brooklyn, NY 11245-0001 | 81.85 | |||||
| Class R6 | MSCS Financial Services LLC SEI Private trust Company, C/O Johnson Bank ETS ID 243, Attn: Mutual Fund Administrator, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456-9989 | 18.04 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 98.06 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs High Yield Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 5.39 | % | ||||
| Class A | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 9.51 | |||||
B-185
Goldman Sachs High Yield Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 23.31 | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 7.54 | |||||
| Class A | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 6.04 | |||||
| Class A | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 5.61 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 7.15 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 28.42 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 6.46 | |||||
| Class C | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 13.75 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 16.91 | |||||
| Class C | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 8.33 | |||||
| Class R | Hartford Life Insurance Company, Separate Account 401, 1 Griffin Rd. N, Windsor, CT 06095-1512 | 75.28 | |||||
| Class R | MML Distributors, LLC- SMF-PL, Reliance Trust Co., Custodian, FBO MassMutual Omnibus PLL/SMF , PO Box 28004, Atlanta, GA 30358-0004 | 6.96 | |||||
| Class R | MML Distributors, LLC-Aviator, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co., 1295 State St. MIP M200-INVST, Springfield, MA 01111-0001 | 12.08 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 55.73 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 8.16 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 30.28 | |||||
| Institutional | Factory Mutual Insurance Company, Pension Plan, 404 Wyman St. Ste. 390, Waltham, MA 02451-1275 | 15.36 | |||||
| Institutional | GS PWM Instl Class, State Street Bank And Trust Co, FBO American Bureau Of Shipping, Attn Tom Francis, 801 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City MO 64105-1307 | 5.06 | |||||
| Institutional | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 5.68 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 23.11 | |||||
| Institutional | MSCS Financial Services LLC SEI Private trust Company, C/O Union Bank ID 797, Attn: Mutual Fund Administrator, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456-9989 | 16.94 | |||||
| Service | Hartford Life Insurance Co., Separate Account, 200 Hopmeadow St., Weatogue, CT 06089-9793 | 39.11 | |||||
| Service | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 50.93 | |||||
| Service | MML Distributors LLC – PE, Reliance Trust Company FBO MassMutual PREM, PO Box 28004, Atlanta, GA 30358-0004 | 5.07 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust. GS Trust Growth & Income – High Yield Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 22.95 | |||||
B-186
Goldman Sachs High Yield Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust. GS Trust Satellite Strategies Portfolio – High Yield Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 16.32 | |||||
| Class R6 | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 15.54 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust. GS Trust Balanced Strategy – High Yield Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 13.17 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust. GS Trust Growth Strategy – High Yield Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 18.46 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.45 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 12.89 | % | ||||
| Class A | TD Ameritrade Clearing Inc., TD Ameritrade Inc. for the exclusive benefit of our clients, PO Box 2226, Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | 7.64 | |||||
| Class A | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 13.11 | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 6.42 | |||||
| Class A | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 6.35 | |||||
| Class A | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 14.47 | |||||
| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 17.17 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 35.33 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.27 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 13.85 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 12.27 | |||||
| Class C | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 13.55 | |||||
| Class R | Hartford Life Insurance Company, The Hartford, 1 Hartford Plz., Hartford, CT 06155-0001 | 7.29 | |||||
| Class R | Principal Securities Inc., DCGT as TTEE and/or Cust., FBO PLIC Various Retirement Plans, Omnibus, Attn NPIO Trade Desk, 711 High St., Des Moines, IA 50392-0001 | 10.24 | |||||
| Class R | Avantax Investment Services, Ascensus Trust Company Brian W Dossett M.D. LTD Profit Sha, P.O. Box 10758, Fargo, ND 58106-0758 | 12.66 | |||||
| Class R | MML Distributors, LLC-Aviator, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co., 1295 State St. MIP M200-INVST, Springfield, MA 01111-0001 | 16.65 | |||||
| Class R | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 31.53 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 8.27 | |||||
B-187
Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 38.53 | |||||
| Investor | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.14 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 34.52 | |||||
| Institutional | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 11.79 | |||||
| Institutional | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 13.81 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 18.64 | |||||
| Institutional | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.21 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 20.57 | |||||
| Institutional | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 13.35 | |||||
| Class R6 | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 36.51 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, GS Variable Insurance Trust – GS Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio, 70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210-2126 | 19.73 | |||||
| Class R6 | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 10.92 | |||||
| Class R6 | JP Morgan Securities LLC FEBO Customers, Mutual Fund Dept., 3 Chase Metrotech Center, Fl. 3, Brooklyn, NY 11245-0001 | 11.79 | |||||
| Class R6 | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.60 | |||||
| Class R6 | MML Distributors LLC, Massachusetts Mutual Insurance Co., 1295 State Street, MIP M200-INVST, Springfield, MA 01111-0001 | 9.54 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.76 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs High Yield Floating Rate Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 28.43 | % | ||||
| Class A | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 19.19 | |||||
| Class A | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 9.36 | |||||
| Class A | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 8.02 | |||||
| Class A | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 23.48 | |||||
| Class C | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 8.74 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 31.94 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 20.16 | |||||
B-188
Goldman Sachs High Yield Floating Rate Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class C | RBC Capital Markets Corporation, RBC Capital Markets LLC, Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing, Attn Mutual Fund Ops. Manager, 60 S 6th St. Ste. 700 #P08, Minneapolis, MN 55402-4413 | 12.31 | |||||
| Class C | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 21.99 | |||||
| Class R | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru, 560103 India | 100.00 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 89.25 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 9.56 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 16.55 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 17.98 | |||||
| Institutional | TD Ameritrade Clearing Inc., TD Ameritrade Inc. for the exclusive benefit of our clients, PO Box 2226, Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | 42.12 | |||||
| Institutional | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.41 | |||||
| Institutional | JP Morgan Securities LLC FEBO Customers, Mutual Fund Dept., 3 Chase Metrotech Center, Fl. 3, Brooklyn, NY 11245-0001 | 11.35 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, Goldman Sachs Collective Trust, Tactical Exposure Fund, Attn Gordon Lui, 200 W St Fl 36, New York NY 10282-2102 | 7.54 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Trust Growth & Income Strategy, GS Financial Sq. Government Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 6.37 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, Goldman Sachs Collective Trust, Goldman Sachs Tactical Tilt Implementation Fund, Attn Gordon Lui, 200 W St Fl 36, New York NY 10282-2102 | 72.30 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.77 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Debt Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 22.66 | % | ||||
| Class A | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 21.75 | |||||
| Class A | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 9.15 | |||||
| Class A | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 8.08 | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 6.57 | |||||
| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 12.52 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 6.73 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 37.57 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 14.71 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 6.28 | |||||
B-189
Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Debt Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class C | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.56 | |||||
| Class C | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 18.03 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 25.76 | |||||
| Investor | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 6.49 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 25.64 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, FBO Customer, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 36.55 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 32.56 | |||||
| Institutional | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 10.27 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 7.66 | |||||
| Institutional | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 17.02 | |||||
| Institutional | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 6.59 | |||||
| Class R6 | GWFS Equities Inc., Employee & Agent Pension Benefit Plan, GWLA Fin., 8515 E Orchard Rd. 2T2, Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5002 | 11.01 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Satellite Strategies Portfolio, Emerging Markets Debt Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 8.84 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Trust Growth Strategy, Emerging Markets Debt, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 16.03 | |||||
| Class R6 | JP Morgan Securities LLC FEBO Customers, Mutual Fund Dept., 3 Chase Metrotech Center, Fl. 3, Brooklyn, NY 11245-0001 | 25.93 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Trust Balanced Strategy, Emerging Markets Debt, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 8.53 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Trust Growth & Income Strategy, Emerging Markets Debt, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 15.56 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.14 | |||||
Goldman Sachs Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 18.49 | % | ||||
| Class A | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 7.67 | |||||
| Class A | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 11.97 | |||||
| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 26.82 | |||||
B-190
Goldman Sachs Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 11.85 | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 5.74 | |||||
| Class C | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 80.40 | |||||
| Class C | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 6.37 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 80.61 | |||||
| Investor | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 15.70 | |||||
| Institutional | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 8.75 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 31.91 | |||||
| Institutional | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 10.01 | |||||
| Institutional | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 20.42 | |||||
| Institutional | MSCS Financial Services LLC, NAIDOT & CO, FBO Pineone Trust Custody Account, C/O Bessemer Trust Co, 100 Woodbridge Center Dr, Woodbridge NJ 07095-1162 | 10.30 | |||||
| Institutional | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 5.62 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Trust Growth Strategy, Local Emerging Markets Debt, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6 South, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 27.76 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Trust Balanced Strategy, Local Emerging Markets Debt, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 15.92 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Trust Growth & Income, Local Emerging Markets Debt, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 46.84 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Satellite Strategies Portfolio, Local Emerging Markets Debt, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 9.44 | |||||
| Class P | GS PWM Instl Class, Goldman Sachs & Co, C/O Mutual Fund Ops, 200 West St, New York NY 10282-2198 | 5.72 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 91.84 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Inflation Protected Securities Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 5.98 | % | ||||
| Class A | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 13.34 | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 5.04 | |||||
B-191
Goldman Sachs Inflation Protected Securities Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 26.20 | |||||
| Class A | ADP/Broker Dealer Inc., State Street Bank and Trust AS, Trustee and/or Custodian, FBO ADOP Access Product, 1 Lincoln St., Boston, MA 02111-2901 | 9.98 | |||||
| Class C | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 15.31 | |||||
| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, A/C 1699-0135, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 | 23.09 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 5.18 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 38.87 | |||||
| Investor | Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., American Enterprise Investment SVC, 707 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 | 44.82 | |||||
| Investor | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 16.03 | |||||
| Investor | MSCS Financial Services LLC, Matrix Trust Company, Newport Trust Company, Texas Roadhouse Management Corp Def, 35 Iron Point Cir Ste 300, Folsom CA 95630-8589 | 5.86 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 24.24 | |||||
| Institutional | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 5.28 | |||||
| Institutional | Reliance Trust Company/Fis, Buwi & Co, Attn: Trust Ops 2nd Floor, 42 Mcclurg Road, Youngstown OH 44512-6700 | 12.04 | |||||
| Institutional | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 8.00 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 26.92 | |||||
| Institutional | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 16.03 | |||||
| Class R6 | ADP/Broker Dealer Inc., State Street Bank and Trust AS, Trustee and/or Custodian, FBO ADOP Access Product, 1 Lincoln St., Boston, MA 02111-2901 | 24.54 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs Trust, State Street Bank & Trust Co. Cust., GS Satellite Strategies Portfolio, GS Inflation Protected Sec Fund, C/O State Street Corporation, 2 Avenue de Lafayette Fl. 6, Boston, MA 02111-1888 | 6.76 | |||||
| Class R6 | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 19.49 | |||||
| Class R6 | Edward D Jones & Co., For the benefit of Customers, 12555 Manchester Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63131-3710 | 22.08 | |||||
| Class R6 | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, for the sole benefit of its customers, Attn: Service Team SEC #97PR8, Goldman Sachs Funds, 4800 Deer Lake Dr. East 3rd Fl., Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 | 7.05 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.97 | |||||
Goldman Sachs Long Short Credit Strategies Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Benefit of Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 | 26.53 | % | ||||
| Class A | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 11.57 | |||||
B-192
Goldman Sachs Long Short Credit Strategies Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 25.63 | |||||
| Class A | TD Ameritrade Clearing Inc., TD Ameritrade Inc. for the exclusive benefit of our clients, PO Box 2226, Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | 18.93 | |||||
| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 8.50 | |||||
| Class A | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 6.13 | |||||
| Class C | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 23.18 | |||||
| Class C | Raymond James & Associates, Omnibus for Mutual Funds, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716-1102 | 19.24 | |||||
| Class C | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 30.36 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 8.03 | |||||
| Class C | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 6.77 | |||||
| Class C | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 9.15 | |||||
| Class R | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 96.51 | |||||
| Investor | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 92.05 | |||||
| Institutional | TD Ameritrade Clearing Inc., TD Ameritrade Inc. for the exclusive benefit of our clients, PO Box 2226, Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | 32.83 | |||||
| Institutional | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, For the Exclusive Benefit of its Customers, 1 New York Plz. Fl. 12, New York, NY 10004-1932 | 5.11 | |||||
| Institutional | GSAM Holdings LLC Comp Hedge, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Crystal Downs Fl. 3, Embassy Golf Links Business Park, Bangalore 560071 India | 6.08 | |||||
| Institutional | National Financial Services LLC, FEBO Customers, Mutual Funds, Attn Mutual Funds Dept. 4th Flr., 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 | 22.20 | |||||
| Institutional | UBS Financial Services Inc., UBS WM USA, Omni Account M/F Special Custody A/C, 1000 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 | 23.17 | |||||
| Class R6 | Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, GS Variable Insurance Trust – GS Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio, 70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210-2126 | 99.42 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.99 | * | ||||
Goldman Sachs Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class A | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 9.30 | % | ||||
| Class A | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 11.55 | |||||
| Class A | RBC Capital Markets Corporation, RBC Capital Markets LLC, Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing, Attn Mutual Fund Ops. Manager, 60 S 6th St. Ste. 700 #P08, Minneapolis, MN 55402-4413 | 65.49 | |||||
| Class A | LPL Financial Corporation, Omnibus Customer Account, Attn Mutual Fund Trading, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091 | 12.34 | |||||
| Class C | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 69.00 | |||||
| Class C | Pershing LLC, PO Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052 | 31.00 | |||||
B-193
Goldman Sachs Income Fund
| Class |
Name/Address |
Percentage of Class | |||||
| Class R | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 100.00 | |||||
| Investor | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 100.00 | |||||
| Institutional | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 92.58 | |||||
| Class R6 | GSAM Holdings LLC Seed Account, Attn IMD-India-SAOS, Helios Business Park, 150 Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, Bengaluru 560103 India | 100.00 | |||||
| Class P | Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus 6600, C/O Mutual Fund Ops., 222 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2199 | 99.93 | * | ||||
| * | Entity owned more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A shareholder owning of record or beneficially more than 25% of a Fund’s outstanding shares may be considered a control person and could have a more significant effect on matters presented at a shareholders’ meeting than votes of other shareholders. |
B-194
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
Short-Term Credit Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. The following summarizes the rating categories used by S&P Global Ratings for short-term issues:
“A-1” – A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.
“A-2” – A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
“A-3” – A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B” – A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
“C” – A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“D” – A short-term obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation’s rating is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings – S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. An issuer’s foreign currency rating will differ from its local currency rating when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, vs. obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.
Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
“NP” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation ratings are based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short term” based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.
The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:
“F1” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
1-A
“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
“C” – Securities possess high short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
“RD” – Restricted Default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
“D” – Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
“NR” – This designation indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issuer or issue.
“WD” – This designation indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer maintained by Fitch.
DBRS® Ratings Limited (“DBRS”) short-term debt rating scale provides an opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer and the relative ranking of claims. The “R-1” and “R-2” rating categories are further denoted by the sub-categories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.
The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:
“R-1 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
“R-1 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from “R-1 (high)” by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
“R-1 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favorable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
“R-2 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
“R-2 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.
“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer’s ability to meet such obligations.
“R-3” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.
“R-4” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.
“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
“D” – Short-term debt rated “D” is assigned when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to “D” may occur. DBRS may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.
2-A
Long-Term Credit Ratings
The following summarizes the ratings used by S&P Global Ratings for long-term issues:
“AAA” – An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.
“AA” – An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.
“A” – An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.
“BBB” – An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
“BB” – An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B” – An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB”, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CCC” – An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CC” – An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “CC” rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
“C” – An obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.
“D” – An obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation’s rating is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.
“NR” – This indicates that no rating has been requested, or that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P Global Ratings does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
Plus (+) or minus (-) – The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings – S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. An issuer’s foreign currency rating will differ from its local currency rating when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, vs. obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
Moody’s long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:
“Aaa” – Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
“Aa” – Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
“A” – Obligations rated “A” are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
“Baa” – Obligations rated “Baa” are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
3-A
“Ba” – Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
“B” – Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
“Caa” – Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
“Ca” – Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
“C” – Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:
“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
“AA” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
“BBB” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
“BB” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.
“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.
“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.
“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.
“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.
Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “B” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Fitch believes that this approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.
Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” category or to categories below “CCC”.
“NR” – Denotes that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issue or issuer.
“WD” – Indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer maintained by Fitch.
The DBRS long-term rating scale provides an opinion on the risk of default. That is, the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy its financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which an obligation has been issued. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer, and the relative ranking of the claims. All rating categories other than “AAA” and “D” also contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for long-term debt:
“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from “AAA” only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
4-A
“A” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than “AA.” May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
“BBB” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative , non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.
“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.
“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although “CC” and “C” ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default, or subordinated to obligations rated in the “CCC” to “B” range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the “C” category.
“D” – A security rated “D” is assigned when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to “D” may occur. DBRS may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.
Municipal Note Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings’ analysis will review the following considerations:
Amortization schedule-the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and
Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.
Note rating symbols are as follows:
“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
“SP-2” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
Moody’s uses the Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) scale to rate U.S. municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation, and the issuer’s long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided into three levels – “MIG-1” through “MIG-3”—while speculative grade short-term obligations are designated “SG.” The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for these short-term obligations:
“MIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
“MIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
“MIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned; a long- or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG scale called the Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scale. The rating transitions on the VMIG scale differ from those on the Prime scale to reflect the risk that external liquidity support generally will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade.
5-A
“VMIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
“VMIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
“VMIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation.
Fitch uses the same ratings for municipal securities as described above for other short-term credit ratings.
About Credit Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Moody’s credit ratings must be construed solely as statements of opinion and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities.
Fitch’s credit ratings relating to issuers are an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Fitch credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in accordance with the terms on which they invested. Fitch’s credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign financial, bank, insurance and public finance entities (including supranational and sub-national entities) and the securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.
Credit ratings provided by DBRS are forward-looking opinions about credit risk which reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, and/or security. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. While historical statistics and performance can be important considerations, credit ratings are not based solely on such; they include subjective considerations and involve expectations for future performance that cannot be guaranteed. To the extent that future events and economic conditions do not match expectations, credit ratings assigned to issuers and/or securities can change. Credit ratings are also based on approved and applicable methodologies, models and criteria (“Methodologies”), which are periodically updated and when material changes are deemed necessary, this may also lead to rating changes.
Credit ratings typically provide an opinion on the risk that investors may not be repaid in accordance with the terms under which the obligation was issued. In some cases, credit ratings may also include consideration for the relative ranking of claims and recovery, should default occur. Credit ratings are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of any specific default probability, nor are they meant to predict such.
The data and information on which DBRS bases its opinions is not audited or verified by DBRS, although DBRS conducts a reasonableness review of information received and relied upon in accordance with its Methodologies and policies.
DBRS uses rating symbols as a concise method of expressing its opinion to the market but there are a limited number of rating categories for the possible slight risk differentials that exist across the rating spectrum and DBRS does not assert that credit ratings in the same category are of “exactly” the same quality.
6-A
Effective March 2021
GSAM PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES SUMMARY
The following is a summary of the material GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), which form the substantive basis of GSAM’s Policy and Procedures on Proxy Voting for Investment Advisory Clients (the “Policy”). As described in the main body of the Policy, one or more GSAM Portfolio Management Teams may diverge from the Guidelines and a related Recommendation on any particular proxy vote or in connection with any individual investment decision in accordance with the Policy.
| A. |
US proxy items: | |||||
| 1. |
Operational Items | page 5 | ||||
| 2. |
Board of Directors | page 5 | ||||
| 3. |
Executive Compensation | page 7 | ||||
| 4. |
Director Nominees and Proxy Access | page 9 | ||||
| 5. |
Shareholder Rights and Defenses | page 10 | ||||
| 6. |
Mergers and Corporate Restructurings | page 11 | ||||
| 7. |
State of Incorporation | page 11 | ||||
| 8. |
Capital Structure | page 11 | ||||
| 9. |
Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues | page 12 | ||||
| B. |
Non-U.S. proxy items: | |||||
| 1. |
Operational Items | page 15 | ||||
| 2. |
Board of Directors | page 16 | ||||
| 3. |
Compensation | page 18 | ||||
| 4. |
Board Structure | page 18 | ||||
| 5. |
Capital Structure | page 18 | ||||
| 6. |
Mergers and Corporate Restructurings & Other | page 20 | ||||
| 7. |
Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues | page 20 | ||||
| C. |
Japan proxy items: | |||||
| 1. |
Operational Items | page 21 | ||||
| 2. |
Board of Directors | page 21 | ||||
| 3. |
Statutory Auditors | page 23 | ||||
| 4. |
Compensation | page 24 | ||||
| 5. |
Board Structure | page 24 | ||||
| 6. |
Capital Structure | page 24 | ||||
| 7. |
Mergers and Corporate Restructurings & Other | page 25 | ||||
| 8. |
Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues | page 26 | ||||
1-B
| A. | U.S. Proxy Items |
The following section is a summary of the Guidelines, which form the substantive basis of the Policy with respect to U.S. public equity investments of operating and/or holding companies.
| 1. | Operational Items |
Auditor Ratification
Vote FOR proposals to ratify auditors, unless any of the following apply within the last year:
| • | An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; |
| • | There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| • | Poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a serious level of concern, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; or material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures; or |
| • | Fees for non-audit services are excessive (generally over 50% or more of the audit fees). |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking companies to prohibit or limit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services or asking for audit firm rotation.
| 2. | Board of Directors |
The board of directors should promote the interests of shareholders by acting in an oversight and/or advisory role; the board should consist of a majority of independent directors and should be held accountable for actions and results related to their responsibilities.
When evaluating board composition, GSAM believes a diversity of ethnicity, gender and experience is an important consideration.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the full board if the board does not have at least one woman director.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the Nominating Committee if the board does not have at least one woman director and at least one other diverse board director.
Classification of Directors
Where applicable, the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Listing Standards definition is to be used to classify directors as inside directors, affiliated outside directors, or independent outside directors.
Additionally, GSAM will consider compensation committee interlocking directors to be affiliated (defined as CEOs who sit on each other’s compensation committees).
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Vote on director nominees should be determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from individual directors who:
| • | Attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a disclosed valid excuse; |
| • | Sit on more than five public company boards; |
| • | Are CEOs of public companies who sit on the boards of more than two public companies besides their own--withhold only at their outside boards. |
Other items considered for an AGAINST vote include specific concerns about the individual or the company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities, sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, the presence of inappropriate related party transactions, or other issues related to improper business practices.
2-B
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from inside directors and affiliated outside directors (per the Classification of Directors above) when:
| • | The inside director or affiliated outside director serves on the Audit, Compensation or Nominating Committees; and |
| • | The company lacks an Audit, Compensation or Nominating Committee so that the full board functions as such committees and inside directors or affiliated outside directors are participating in voting on matters that independent committees should be voting on. |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from members of the appropriate committee (or only the independent chairman or lead director as may be appropriate in situations such as where there is a classified board and members of the appropriate committee are not up for re-election or the appropriate committee is comprised of the entire board) for the below reasons. Extreme cases may warrant a vote against the entire board.
| • | Material failures of governance, stewardship, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company; |
| • | Egregious actions related to the director(s)’ service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company; |
| • | At the previous board election, any director received more than 50% withhold/against votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the underlying issue(s) that caused the high withhold/against vote (members of the Nominating or Governance Committees); |
| • | The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received approval of the majority of shares cast for the previous two consecutive years (a management proposal with other than a FOR recommendation by management will not be considered as sufficient action taken); an adopted proposal that is substantially similar to the original shareholder proposal will be deemed sufficient; (vote against members of the committee of the board that is responsible for the issue under consideration). If GSAM did not support the shareholder proposal in both years, GSAM will still vote against the committee member(s). |
| • | The average board tenure exceeds 15 years, and there has not been a new nominee in the past 5 years. |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Audit Committee if:
| • | The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive (generally over 50% or more of the audit fees); |
| • | The company receives an adverse opinion on the company’s financial statements from its auditor and there is not clear evidence that the situation has been remedied; |
| • | There is persuasive evidence that the Audit Committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm; or |
| • | No members of the Audit Committee hold sufficient financial expertise. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the Audit Committee and/or the full board if poor accounting practices, which rise to a level of serious concern are identified, such as fraud, misapplication of GAAP and material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures.
Examine the severity, breadth, chronological sequence and duration, as well as the company’s efforts at remediation or corrective actions, in determining whether negative vote recommendations are warranted against the members of the Audit Committee who are responsible for the poor accounting practices, or the entire board.
See section 3 on executive and director compensation for reasons to withhold from members of the Compensation Committee.
In limited circumstances, GSAM may vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from all nominees of the board of directors (except from new nominees who should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis and except as discussed below) if:
| • | The company’s poison pill has a dead-hand or modified dead-hand feature for two or more years. Vote against/withhold every year until this feature is removed; however, vote against the poison pill if there is one on the ballot with this feature rather than the director; |
| • | The board adopts or renews a poison pill without shareholder approval, does not commit to putting it to shareholder vote within 12 months of adoption (or in the case of a newly public company, does not commit to put the pill to a shareholder vote within 12 months following the IPO), or reneges on a commitment to put the pill to a vote, and has not yet received a withhold/against recommendation for this issue; |
| • | The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders tendered their shares; |
| • | If in an extreme situation the board lacks accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers. |
3-B
Shareholder proposal regarding Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
GSAM will generally recommend a vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
| • | Designated lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties; |
| • | Two-thirds independent board; |
| • | All independent “key” committees (audit, compensation and nominating committees); or |
| • | Established, disclosed governance guidelines. |
Shareholder proposal regarding board declassification
GSAM will generally vote FOR proposals requesting that the board adopt a declassified board structure.
Majority Vote Shareholder Proposals
GSAM will vote FOR proposals requesting that the board adopt majority voting in the election of directors provided it does not conflict with the state law where the company is incorporated. GSAM also looks for companies to adopt a post-election policy outlining how the company will address the situation of a holdover director.
Cumulative Vote Shareholder Proposals
GSAM will generally support shareholder proposals to restore or provide cumulative unless:
| • | The company has adopted (i) majority vote standard with a carve-out for plurality voting in situations where there are more nominees than seats and (ii) a director resignation policy to address failed elections. |
| 3. | Executive Compensation |
Pay Practices
Good pay practices should align management’s interests with long-term shareholder value creation. Detailed disclosure of compensation criteria is preferred; proof that companies follow the criteria should be evident and retroactive performance target changes without proper disclosure is not viewed favorably. Compensation practices should allow a company to attract and retain proven talent. Some examples of poor pay practices include: abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure, egregious employment contracts, excessive severance and/or change in control provisions, repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/stock appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, and excessive perquisites. A company should also have an appropriate balance of short-term vs. long-term metrics and the metrics should be aligned with business goals and objectives.
If the company maintains problematic or poor pay practices, generally vote:
| • | AGAINST Management Say on Pay (MSOP) Proposals; or |
| • | AGAINST an equity-based incentive plan proposal if excessive non-performance-based equity awards are the major contributor to a pay-for-performance misalignment. |
| • | If no MSOP or equity-based incentive plan proposal item is on the ballot, vote AGAINST/WITHHOLD from compensation committee members. |
Equity Compensation Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on equity-based compensation plans. Evaluation takes into account potential plan cost, plan features and grant practices. While a negative combination of these factors could cause a vote AGAINST, other reasons to vote AGAINST the equity plan could include the following factors:
| • | The plan permits the repricing of stock options/stock appreciation rights (SARs) without prior shareholder approval; or |
| • | There is more than one problematic material feature of the plan, which could include one of the following: unfavorable change-in-control features, presence of gross ups and options reload. |
4-B
Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay, MSOP) Management Proposals
Vote FOR annual frequency and AGAINST all proposals asking for any frequency less than annual.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals for an advisory vote on executive compensation. For U.S. companies, consider the following factors in the context of each company’s specific circumstances and the board’s disclosed rationale for its practices.
Factors Considered Include:
| • | Pay for Performance Disconnect; |
| • | GSAM will consider there to be a disconnect based on a quantitative assessment of the following: CEO pay vs. TSR (“Total Shareholder Return”) and peers, CEO pay as a percentage of the median peer group or CEO pay vs. shareholder return over time. |
| • | Long-term equity-based compensation is 100% time-based; |
| • | Board’s responsiveness if company received 70% or less shareholder support in the previous year’s MSOP vote; |
| • | Abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure; |
| • | Egregious employment contracts; |
| • | Excessive perquisites or excessive severance and/or change in control provisions; |
| • | Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options without prior shareholder approval; |
| • | Excessive pledging or hedging of stock by executives; |
| • | Egregious pension/SERP (supplemental executive retirement plan) payouts; |
| • | Extraordinary relocation benefits; |
| • | Internal pay disparity; and |
| • | Lack of transparent disclosure of compensation philosophy and goals and targets, including details on short-term and long-term performance incentives. |
Other Compensation Proposals and Policies
Employee Stock Purchase Plans — Non-Qualified Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on nonqualified employee stock purchase plans taking into account the following factors:
| • | Broad-based participation; |
| • | Limits on employee contributions; |
| • | Company matching contributions; and |
| • | Presence of a discount on the stock price on the date of purchase. |
Option Exchange Programs/Repricing Options
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals seeking approval to exchange/reprice options, taking into consideration:
| • | Historic trading patterns--the stock price should not be so volatile that the options are likely to be back “in-the-money” over the near term; |
| • | Rationale for the re-pricing; |
| • | If it is a value-for-value exchange; |
| • | If surrendered stock options are added back to the plan reserve; |
| • | Option vesting; |
| • | Term of the option--the term should remain the same as that of the replaced option; |
| • | Exercise price—should be set at fair market or a premium to market; |
| • | Participants—executive officers and directors should be excluded. |
Vote FOR shareholder proposals to put option repricings to a shareholder vote.
Other Shareholder Proposals on Compensation
Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Frequency on Pay)
Vote FOR annual frequency.
Stock retention holding period
Vote FOR shareholder proposals asking for a policy requiring that senior executives retain a significant percentage of shares acquired through equity compensation programs if the policy requests retention for two years or less following the termination of their employment (through retirement or otherwise) and a holding threshold percentage of 50% or less.
5-B
Also consider:
| • | Whether the company has any holding period, retention ratio, or officer ownership requirements in place and the terms/provisions of awards already granted. |
Elimination of accelerated vesting in the event of a change in control
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals seeking a policy eliminating the accelerated vesting of time-based equity awards in the event of a change-in-control.
Performance-based equity awards and pay-for-superior-performance proposals
Generally support unless there is sufficient evidence that the current compensation structure is already substantially performance-based. GSAM considers performance-based awards to include awards that are tied to shareholder return or other metrics that are relevant to the business.
Say on Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERP)
Generally vote AGAINST proposals asking for shareholder votes on SERP.
| 4. | Director Nominees and Proxy Access |
Voting for Director Nominees (Management or Shareholder)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election of directors in contested elections, considering the following factors:
| • | Long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry; |
| • | Management’s track record; |
| • | Background of the nomination, in cases where there is a shareholder nomination; |
| • | Qualifications of director nominee(s); |
| • | Strategic plan related to the nomination and quality of critique against management; |
| • | Number of boards on which the director nominee already serves; and |
| • | Likelihood that the board will be productive as a result. |
Proxy Access
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder or management proposals asking for proxy access.
GSAM may support proxy access as an important right for shareholders and as an alternative to costly proxy contests and as a method for GSAM to vote for directors on an individual basis, as appropriate, rather than voting on one slate or the other. While this could be an important shareholder right, the following factors will be taken into account when evaluating the shareholder proposals:
| • | The ownership thresholds, percentage and duration proposed (GSAM generally will not support if the ownership threshold is less than 3%); |
| • | The maximum proportion of directors that shareholders may nominate each year (GSAM generally will not support if the proportion of directors is greater than 25%); and |
| • | Other restricting factors that when taken in combination could serve to materially limit the proxy access provision. |
GSAM will take the above factors into account when evaluating proposals proactively adopted by the company or in response to a shareholder proposal to adopt or amend the right. A vote against governance committee members could result if provisions exist that materially limit the right to proxy access.
Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation Expenses
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to reimburse proxy solicitation expenses. When voting in conjunction with support of a dissident slate, vote FOR the reimbursement of all appropriate proxy solicitation expenses associated with the election.
| 5. | Shareholders Rights and Defenses |
Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent
Generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to act by written consent, unless:
| • | The company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower; and |
| • | The company has a history of strong governance practices. |
6-B
Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings
Generally vote FOR management proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings.
Generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower if the company currently does not give shareholders the right to call special meetings. However, if a company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of at least 25%, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals to further reduce the threshold.
Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals/Nominations
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on advance notice proposals, giving support to proposals that allow shareholders to submit proposals/nominations reasonably close to the meeting date and within the broadest window possible, recognizing the need to allow sufficient notice for company, regulatory and shareholder review.
Shareholder Voting Requirements
Vote AGAINST proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote. Generally vote FOR management and shareholder proposals to reduce supermajority vote requirements.
Poison Pills
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the company submit its poison pill to a shareholder vote or redeem it, unless the company has:
| • | a shareholder-approved poison pill in place; or |
| • | adopted a policy concerning the adoption of a pill in the future specifying certain shareholder friendly provisions. |
Vote FOR shareholder proposals calling for poison pills to be put to a vote within a time period of less than one year after adoption.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals on poison pill ratification, focusing on the features of the shareholder rights plan.
In addition, the rationale for adopting the pill should be thoroughly explained by the company. In examining the request for the pill, take into consideration the company’s existing governance structure, including: board independence, existing takeover defenses, and any problematic governance concerns.
| 6. | Mergers and Corporate Restructurings |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:
| • | Valuation; |
| • | Market reaction; |
| • | Strategic rationale; |
| • | Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions; |
| • | Presence of conflicts of interest; and |
| • | Governance profile of the combined company. |
| 7. | State of Incorporation |
Reincorporation Proposals
GSAM may support management proposals to reincorporate as long as the reincorporation would not substantially diminish shareholder rights. GSAM may not support shareholder proposals for reincorporation unless the current state of incorporation is substantially less shareholder friendly than the proposed reincorporation, there is a strong economic case to reincorporate or the company has a history of making decisions that are not shareholder friendly.
Exclusive venue for shareholder lawsuits
Generally vote FOR on exclusive venue proposals, taking into account:
| • | Whether the company has been materially harmed by shareholder litigation outside its jurisdiction of incorporation, based on disclosure in the company’s proxy statement; |
7-B
| • | Whether the company has the following good governance features: |
| • | Majority independent board; |
| • | Independent key committees; |
| • | An annually elected board; |
| • | A majority vote standard in uncontested director elections; |
| • | The absence of a poison pill, unless the pill was approved by shareholders; and/or |
| • | Separate Chairman CEO role or, if combined, an independent chairman with clearly delineated duties. |
| 8. | Capital Structure |
Common and Preferred Stock Authorization
Generally vote FOR proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance.
Generally vote FOR proposals to increase the number of shares of preferred stock, as long as there is a commitment to not use the shares for anti-takeover purposes.
| 9. | Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues |
Overall Approach
GSAM recognizes that Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors can affect investment performance, expose potential investment risks and provide an indication of management excellence and leadership. When evaluating ESG proxy issues, GSAM balances the purpose of a proposal with the overall benefit to shareholders.
Shareholder proposals considered under this category could include, among others, reports on:
1) employee labor and safety policies;
2) impact on the environment of the company’s production or manufacturing operations;
3) societal impact of products manufactured;
4) risks throughout the supply chain or operations including labor practices, animal treatment practices within food production and conflict minerals; and
5) overall board structure, including diversity.
When evaluating environmental and social shareholder proposals, the following factors are generally considered:
| • | The company’s current level of publicly available disclosure, including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies; |
| • | If the company has implemented or formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board’s (SASB) materiality standards, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure’s (TCFD) recommendations, or a similar standard; |
| • | Whether adoption of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value; |
| • | Whether the information requested concerns business issues that relate to a meaningful percentage of the company’s business; |
| • | The degree to which the company’s stated position on the issues raised in the proposal could affect its reputation or sales, or leave it vulnerable to a boycott or selective purchasing; |
| • | Whether the company has already responded in some appropriate manner to the request embodied in the proposal; |
| • | What other companies in the relevant industry have done in response to the issue addressed in the proposal; |
| • | Whether the proposal itself is well framed and the cost of preparing the report is reasonable; |
| • | Whether the subject of the proposal is best left to the discretion of the board; |
| • | Whether the company has material fines or violations in the area and if so, if appropriate actions have already been taken to remedy going forward; |
| • | Whether providing this information would reveal proprietary or confidential information that would place the company at a competitive disadvantage. |
Environmental Sustainability, climate change reporting
Generally vote FOR proposals requesting the company to report on its policies, initiatives and oversight mechanisms related to environmental sustainability, or how the company may be impacted by climate change. The following factors will be considered:
| • | The company’s current level of publicly available disclosure including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies; |
| • | If the company has formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on the SASB materiality standards, the TCFD’ recommendations, or a similar standard within a specified time frame; |
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| • | If the company’s current level of disclosure is comparable to that of its industry peers; and |
| • | If there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company’s environmental performance. |
Establishing goals or targets for emissions reduction
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the following shareholder proposals if relevant to the company:
| • | Seeking information on the financial, physical, or regulatory risks a company faces related to climate change on its operations and investment, or on how the company identifies, measures and manages such risks; |
| • | Calling for the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions; |
| • | Seeking reports on responses to regulatory and public pressures surrounding climate change, and for disclosure of research that aided in setting company policies around climate change; |
| • | Requesting an action plan including science based targets and a commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier; |
| • | Requesting a report/disclosure of goals on GHG emissions from company operations and/or products; |
| • | Requesting a company report on its energy efficiency policies; and |
| • | Requesting reports on the feasibility of developing renewable energy resources. |
Political Contributions and Trade Association Spending/Lobbying Expenditures and Initiatives
GSAM generally believes that it is the role of boards and management to determine the appropriate level of disclosure of all types of corporate political activity. When evaluating these proposals, GSAM considers the prescriptive nature of the proposal and the overall benefit to shareholders along with a company’s current disclosure of policies, practices and oversight.
Generally vote AGAINST proposals asking the company to affirm political nonpartisanship in the workplace so long as:
| • | There are no recent, significant controversies, fines or litigation regarding the company’s political contributions or trade association spending; and |
| • | The company has procedures in place to ensure that employee contributions to company-sponsored political action committees (PACs) are strictly voluntary and prohibits coercion. |
Generally vote AGAINST proposals requesting increased disclosure of a company’s policies with respect to political contributions, lobbying and trade association spending as long as:
| • | There is no significant potential threat or actual harm to shareholders’ interests; |
| • | There are no recent significant controversies or litigation related to the company’s political contributions or governmental affairs; and |
| • | There is publicly available information to assess the company’s oversight related to such expenditures of corporate assets. |
GSAM generally will vote AGAINST proposals asking for detailed disclosure of political contributions or trade association or lobbying expenditures.
GSAM generally will vote AGAINST proposals barring the company from making political contributions. Businesses are affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level and barring political contributions can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
A company should have a clear, public Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement and/or diversity policy. Generally vote FOR proposals seeking to amend a company’s EEO statement or diversity policies to additionally prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Generally vote FOR proposals requesting reports on a company’s efforts to diversify the board, unless:
| • | The gender and racial minority representation of the company’s board is reasonably inclusive in relation to companies of similar size and business; and |
| • | The board already reports on its nominating procedures and gender and racial minority initiatives on the board. |
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Gender Pay Gap
Generally vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting reports on a company’s pay data by gender, or a report on a company’s policies and goals to reduce any gender pay gap, taking into account:
| • | The company’s current policies and disclosure related to both its diversity and inclusion policies and practices and its compensation philosophy and fair and equitable compensation practices; |
| • | Whether the company has been the subject of recent controversy, litigation or regulatory actions related to gender pay gap issues; and |
| • | Whether the company’s reporting regarding gender pay gap policies or initiatives is lagging its peers. |
Labor and Human Rights Standards
Generally vote FOR proposals requesting a report on company or company supplier labor and/or human rights standards and policies, or on the impact of its operations on society, unless such information is already publicly disclosed considering:
| • | The degree to which existing relevant policies and practices are disclosed; |
| • | Whether or not existing relevant policies are consistent with internationally recognized standards; |
| • | Whether company facilities and those of its suppliers are monitored and how; |
| • | Company participation in fair labor organizations or other internationally recognized human rights initiatives; |
| • | Scope and nature of business conducted in markets known to have higher risk of workplace labor/human rights abuse; |
| • | Recent, significant company controversies, fines, or litigation regarding human rights at the company or its suppliers; |
| • | The scope of the request; and |
| • | Deviation from industry sector peer company standards and practices. |
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B. Non-U.S. Proxy Items1
The following section is a broad summary of the Guidelines, which form the basis of the Policy with respect to non-U.S. public equity investments in operating and/or holding companies. Applying these guidelines is subject to certain regional and country-specific exceptions and modifications and is not inclusive of all considerations in each market.
| 1. | Operational Items |
Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports
Vote FOR approval of financial statements and director and auditor reports, unless:
| • | There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or |
| • | The company is not responsive to shareholder questions about specific items that should be publicly disclosed. |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
Vote FOR the re-election of auditors and proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:
| • | There are serious concerns about the accounts presented, audit procedures used or audit opinion rendered; |
| • | There is reason to believe that the auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| • | Name of the proposed auditor has not been published; |
| • | The auditors are being changed without explanation; |
| • | Non-audit-related fees are substantial or are in excess of standard annual audit-related fees; or |
| • | The appointment of external auditors if they have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
Appointment of Statutory Auditors
Vote FOR the appointment or re-election of statutory auditors, unless:
| • | There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or the audit procedures used; |
| • | Questions exist concerning any of the statutory auditors being appointed; or |
| • | The auditors have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
Allocation of Income
Vote FOR approval of the allocation of income, unless:
| • | The dividend payout ratio has been consistently low without adequate explanation; or |
| • | The payout is excessive given the company’s financial position. |
Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternative
Vote FOR most stock (scrip) dividend proposals.
Vote AGAINST proposals that do not allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.
Amendments to Articles of Association
Vote amendments to the articles of association on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Change in Company Fiscal Term
Vote FOR resolutions to change a company’s fiscal term unless a company’s motivation for the change is to postpone its annual general meeting.
Lower Disclosure Threshold for Stock Ownership
Vote AGAINST resolutions to lower the stock ownership disclosure threshold below 5% unless specific reasons exist to implement a lower threshold.
| 1 | Excludes Japan public equity investments, please see Section C. |
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Amend Quorum Requirements
Vote proposals to amend quorum requirements for shareholder meetings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Transact Other Business
Vote AGAINST other business when it appears as a voting item.
| 2. | Board of Directors |
Director Elections
Vote FOR management nominees taking into consideration the following:
| • | Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner; or |
| • | There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; or |
| • | There have been questionable transactions or conflicts of interest; or |
| • | There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; or |
| • | The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards; or |
| • | There are reservations about: |
| • | Director terms |
| • | Bundling of proposals to elect directors |
| • | Board independence |
| • | Disclosure of named nominees |
| • | Combined Chairman/CEO |
| • | Election of former CEO as Chairman of the board |
| • | Overboarded directors |
| • | Composition of committees |
| • | Director independence |
| • | Number of directors on the board |
| • | Lack of gender diversity on the board |
| • | Specific concerns about the individual or company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities; or |
| • | Repeated absences at board meetings have not been explained (in countries where this information is disclosed); or |
There are other considerations which may include sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper business practice, failure to replace management, or egregious actions related to service on other boards.
Vote AGAINST the Nominating Committee if the board does not have at least one woman director.
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in contested elections of directors, e.g., the election of shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, determining which directors are best suited to add value for shareholders.
The analysis will generally be based on, but not limited to, the following major decision factors:
| • | Company performance relative to its peers; |
| • | Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents; |
| • | Independence of board candidates; |
| • | Experience and skills of board candidates; |
| • | Governance profile of the company; |
| • | Evidence of management entrenchment; |
| • | Responsiveness to shareholders; |
| • | Whether a takeover offer has been rebuffed; and |
| • | Whether minority or majority representation is being sought. |
Vote FOR employee and/or labor representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee and are required by law to be on those committees.
Vote AGAINST employee and/or labor representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee, if they are not required to be on those committees.
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Classification of directors
Executive Director
| • | Employee or executive of the company; |
| • | Any director who is classified as a non-executive, but receives salary, fees, bonus, and/or other benefits that are in line with the highest-paid executives of the company. |
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director (NED)
| • | Any director who is attested by the board to be a non-independent NED; |
| • | Any director specifically designated as a representative of a significant shareholder of the company; |
| • | Any director who is also an employee or executive of a significant shareholder of the company; |
| • | Beneficial owner (direct or indirect) of at least 10% of the company’s stock, either in economic terms or in voting rights (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among more than one member of a defined group, e.g., family members who beneficially own less than 10% individually, but collectively own more than 10%), unless market best practice dictates a lower ownership and/or disclosure threshold (and in other special market-specific circumstances); |
| • | Government representative; |
| • | Currently provides (or a relative provides) professional services to the company, to an affiliate of the company, or to an individual officer of the company or of one of its affiliates in excess of $10,000 per year; |
| • | Represents customer, supplier, creditor, banker, or other entity with which company maintains transactional/commercial relationship (unless company discloses information to apply a materiality test); |
| • | Any director who has conflicting or cross-directorships with executive directors or the chairman of the company; |
| • | Relative of a current employee of the company or its affiliates; |
| • | Relative of a former executive of the company or its affiliates; |
| • | A new appointee elected other than by a formal process through the General Meeting (such as a contractual appointment by a substantial shareholder); |
| • | Founder/co-founder/member of founding family but not currently an employee; |
| • | Former executive (5 year cooling off period); |
| • | Years of service is generally not a determining factor unless it is recommended best practice in a market and/or in extreme circumstances, in which case it may be considered; and |
| • | Any additional relationship or principle considered to compromise independence under local corporate governance best practice guidance. |
Independent NED
| • | No material connection, either directly or indirectly, to the company other than a board seat. |
Employee Representative
| • | Represents employees or employee shareholders of the company (classified as “employee representative” but considered a non-independent NED). |
Discharge of Directors
Generally vote FOR the discharge of directors, including members of the management board and/or supervisory board, unless there is reliable information about significant and compelling controversies that the board is not fulfilling its fiduciary duties warranted by:
| • | A lack of oversight or actions by board members which invoke shareholder distrust related to malfeasance or poor supervision, such as operating in private or company interest rather than in shareholder interest; or |
| • | Any legal issues (e.g., civil/criminal) aiming to hold the board responsible for breach of trust in the past or related to currently alleged actions yet to be confirmed (and not only the fiscal year in question), such as price fixing, insider trading, bribery, fraud, and other illegal actions; or |
| • | Other egregious governance issues where shareholders may bring legal action against the company or its directors; or |
| • | Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis where a vote against other agenda items are deemed inappropriate. |
| 3. | Compensation |
Director Compensation
Vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors unless the amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry.
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Vote non-executive director compensation proposals that include both cash and share-based components on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote proposals that bundle compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a single resolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors.
Compensation Plans
Vote compensation plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Director, Officer, and Auditor Indemnification and Liability Provisions
Vote proposals seeking indemnification and liability protection for directors and officers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to indemnify auditors.
| 4. | Board Structure |
Vote AGAINST the introduction of classified boards and mandatory retirement ages for directors.
Vote AGAINST proposals to alter board structure or size in the context of a fight for control of the company or the board.
Chairman CEO combined role (for applicable markets)
GSAM will generally recommend a vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
| • | Two-thirds independent board, or majority in countries where employee representation is common practice; |
| • | A designated, or a rotating, lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties; |
| • | Fully independent key committees; and/or |
| • | Established, publicly disclosed, governance guidelines and director biographies/profiles. |
| 5. | Capital Structure |
Share Issuance Requests
General Issuances:
Vote FOR issuance requests with preemptive rights to a maximum of 100% over currently issued capital.
Vote FOR issuance requests without preemptive rights to a maximum of 20% of currently issued capital.
Specific Issuances:
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis on all requests, with or without preemptive rights.
Increases in Authorized Capital
Vote FOR non-specific proposals to increase authorized capital up to 100% over the current authorization unless the increase would leave the company with less than 30% of its new authorization outstanding.
Vote FOR specific proposals to increase authorized capital to any amount, unless:
| • | The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not meet guidelines for the purpose being proposed; or |
| • | The increase would leave the company with less than 30% of its new authorization outstanding after adjusting for all proposed issuances. |
Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt unlimited capital authorizations.
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Reduction of Capital
Vote FOR proposals to reduce capital for routine accounting purposes unless the terms are unfavorable to shareholders.
Vote proposals to reduce capital in connection with corporate restructuring on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Capital Structures
Vote FOR resolutions that seek to maintain or convert to a one-share, one-vote capital structure.
Vote AGAINST requests for the creation or continuation of dual-class capital structures or the creation of new or additional super voting shares.
Preferred Stock
Vote FOR the creation of a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote AGAINST the creation of a new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to the common shares.
Vote AGAINST the creation of blank check preferred stock unless the board clearly states that the authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.
Vote proposals to increase blank check preferred authorizations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Debt Issuance Requests
Vote non-convertible debt issuance requests on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with or without preemptive rights.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible debt instruments as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote FOR proposals to restructure existing debt arrangements unless the terms of the restructuring would adversely affect the rights of shareholders.
Increase in Borrowing Powers
Vote proposals to approve increases in a company’s borrowing powers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Share Repurchase Plans
GSAM will generally recommend FOR share repurchase programs taking into account whether:
| • | The share repurchase program can be used as a takeover defense; |
| • | There is clear evidence of historical abuse; |
| • | There is no safeguard in the share repurchase program against selective buybacks; |
| • | Pricing provisions and safeguards in the share repurchase program are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice. |
Reissuance of Repurchased Shares
Vote FOR requests to reissue any repurchased shares unless there is clear evidence of abuse of this authority in the past.
Capitalization of Reserves for Bonus Issues/Increase in Par Value
Vote FOR requests to capitalize reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase par value.
| 6. | Mergers and Corporate Restructurings and Other |
Reorganizations/Restructurings
Vote reorganizations and restructurings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:
| • | Valuation; |
| • | Market reaction; |
| • | Strategic rationale; |
| • | Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions; |
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| • | Presence of conflicts of interest; and |
| • | Governance profile of the combined company. |
Antitakeover Mechanisms
Generally vote AGAINST all antitakeover proposals, unless they are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer.
Reincorporation Proposals
Vote reincorporation proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Related-Party Transactions
Vote related-party transactions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:
| • | The parties on either side of the transaction; |
| • | The nature of the asset to be transferred/service to be provided; |
| • | The pricing of the transaction (and any associated professional valuation); |
| • | The views of independent directors (where provided); |
| • | The views of an independent financial adviser (where appointed); |
| • | Whether any entities party to the transaction (including advisers) is conflicted; and |
| • | The stated rationale for the transaction, including discussions of timing. |
Shareholder Proposals
Vote all shareholder proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote FOR proposals that would improve the company’s corporate governance or business profile at a reasonable cost.
Vote AGAINST proposals that limit the company’s business activities or capabilities or result in significant costs being incurred with little or no benefit.
| 7. | Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues |
Please refer to page 12 for our current approach to these important topics.
C. Japan Proxy Items
The following section is a broad summary of the Guidelines, which form the basis of the Policy with respect to Japanese public equity investments in operating and/or holding companies. Applying these guidelines is not inclusive of all considerations in the Japanese market.
| 1. | Operational Items |
Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports
Vote FOR approval of financial statements and director and auditor reports, unless:
| • | There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or |
| • | The company is not responsive to shareholder questions about specific items that should be publicly disclosed. |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
Vote FOR the re-election of auditors and proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:
| • | There are serious concerns about the accounts presented, audit procedures used or audit opinion rendered; |
| • | There is reason to believe that the auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
| • | Name of the proposed auditor has not been published; |
| • | The auditors are being changed without explanation; |
| • | Non-audit-related fees are substantial or are in excess of standard annual audit-related fees; or |
| • | The appointment of external auditors if they have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
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Allocation of Income
Vote FOR approval of the allocation of income, unless:
| • | The dividend payout ratio is less than 20%, and is not appropriate or sufficient when considering the company’s financial position; or |
| • | The company proposes the payments even though the company posted a net loss for the year under review, and the payout is excessive given the company’s financial position; |
Amendments to Articles of Association
Vote amendments to the articles of association on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Change in Company Fiscal Term
Vote FOR resolutions to change a company’s fiscal term unless a company’s motivation for the change is to postpone its annual general meeting.
Amend Quorum Requirements
Vote proposals to amend quorum requirements for shareholder meetings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
| 2. | Board of Directors |
Vote AGAINST the Nominating Committee if the board does not have at least one woman director. For Japanese boards with statutory auditors or audit committee structure, vote AGAINST top executives.
Vote AGAINST top executives when the company has an excessive amount of strategic shareholdings.
Vote AGAINST top executives when the company has posted average return on equity (ROE) of less than five percent over the last five fiscal years.
Classification of Directors
Inside Director
| • | Employee or executive of the company; |
| • | Any director who is not classified as an outside director of the company. |
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director (affiliated outsider)
| • | Any director specifically designated as a representative of a significant shareholder of the company; |
| • | Any director who is/was also an employee or executive of a significant shareholder of the company; |
| • | Beneficial owner (direct or indirect) of at least 10% of the company’s stock, or one of the top 10 shareholders, either in economic terms or in voting rights (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among more than one member of a defined group, e.g., family members who beneficially own less than 10% individually, but collectively own more than 10%) |
| • | Government representative; |
| • | Currently provides or previously provided professional services to the company or to an affiliate of the company; |
| • | Represents customer, supplier, creditor, banker, or other entity with which company maintains |
| • | transactional/commercial relationship (unless company discloses information to apply a materiality test); |
| • | Any director who worked at the company’s external audit firm (auditor). |
| • | Any director who has conflicting or cross-directorships with executive directors or the chairman of the company; |
| • | Relative of a current employee of the company or its affiliates; |
| • | Any director who works or has worked at a company whose shares are held by the company in question as strategic shareholdings (i.e. “cross-shareholdings”) |
| • | Former executive; |
| • | Any additional relationship or principle considered to compromise independence under local corporate governance best practice guidance. |
| • | “Cooling off period” for former employees or executives’ representation of significant shareholders and other stakeholders, as well as professional services is considered based on the market best practices and liquidity of executive labor market. |
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Independent Non-Executive Directors (independent outsider)
| • | No material connection, either directly or indirectly, to the company other than a board seat. |
Board Independence
Vote AGAINST top executives when the board consists of fewer than two outside directors or less than 1/3 of the board consists of outside directors.
At companies adopting an audit committee structure, vote AGAINST affiliated outside directors who are audit committee members.
At companies adopting a U.S.-type three committee structure, vote AGAINST affiliated outside directors when less than a majority of the board consists of independent outside directors.
At controlled companies, vote AGAINST top executives when the board consists of fewer than two independent outside directors or less than 1/3 of the board consists of independent outside directors.
Non-Contested Director Elections
Vote FOR management nominees taking into consideration the following:
| • | The company’s committee structure: statutory auditor board structure, U.S.-type three committee structure, or audit committee structure; or |
| • | Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner; or |
| • | There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; or |
| • | There have been questionable transactions or conflicts of interest; or |
| • | There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; or |
| • | The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards; or |
| • | There are reservations about: |
| • | Director terms |
| • | Bundling of proposals to elect directors |
| • | Board independence |
| • | Disclosure of named nominees |
| • | Combined Chairman/CEO |
| • | Election of former CEO as Chairman of the board |
| • | Overboarded directors |
| • | Composition of committees |
| • | Director independence |
| • | Number of directors on the board |
| • | Lack of gender diversity on the board |
| • | Specific concerns about the individual or company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities; or |
| • | Attendance at less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a disclosed valid excuse; or |
| • | Unless there are other considerations which may include sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper business practice, failure to replace management, or egregious actions related to service on other boards. |
Contested Director Elections
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in contested elections of directors, e.g., the election of shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, determining which directors are best suited to add value for shareholders.
The analysis will generally be based on, but not limited to, the following major decision factors:
| • | Company performance relative to its peers; |
| • | Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents; |
| • | Independence of board candidates; |
| • | Experience and skills of board candidates; |
| • | Governance profile of the company; |
18-B
| • | Evidence of management entrenchment; |
| • | Responsiveness to shareholders; |
| • | Whether a takeover offer has been rebuffed; |
| • | Whether minority or majority representation is being sought. |
| 3. | Statutory Auditors |
Auditor Independence
Vote AGAINST affiliated outside statutory auditors.
For definition of affiliated outsiders, see “Classification of Directors”
Statutory Auditor Appointment
Vote FOR management nominees taking into consideration the following:
Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner; or
| • | There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; or |
| • | There have been questionable transactions or conflicts of interest; or |
| • | There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; or |
| • | The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards; or |
| • | Specific concerns about the individual or company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities; or |
| • | Attendance at less than 75% of the board and statutory auditor meetings without a disclosed valid excuse; or |
| • | Unless there are other considerations which may include sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper business practice, failure to replace management, or egregious actions related to service on other boards. |
| 4. | Compensation |
Director Compensation
Vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors unless the amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry.
Vote non-executive director compensation proposals that include both cash and share-based components on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote proposals that bundle compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a single resolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce retirement bonuses for outside directors and/or outside statutory auditors, unless the amounts are disclosed and are not excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry.
Compensation Plans
Vote compensation plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Director, Officer, and Auditor Indemnification and Liability Provisions
Vote proposals seeking indemnification and liability protection for directors and statutory auditors on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to indemnify auditors.
| 5. | Board Structure |
Vote AGAINST the introduction of classified boards and mandatory retirement ages for directors.
Vote AGAINST proposals to alter board structure or size in the context of a fight for control of the company or the board.
19-B
Chairman CEO combined role
GSAM will generally recommend a vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
| • | Two-thirds independent board, or majority in countries where employee representation is common practice; |
| • | A designated, or a rotating, lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties; |
| • | Fully independent key committees; and/or |
| • | Established, publicly disclosed, governance guidelines and director biographies/profiles. |
| 6. | Capital Structure |
Share Issuance Requests
General Issuances:
Vote FOR issuance requests with preemptive rights to a maximum of 100% over currently issued capital.
Vote FOR issuance requests without preemptive rights to a maximum of 20% of currently issued capital.
Specific Issuances:
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis on all requests, with or without preemptive rights.
Increases in Authorized Capital
Vote FOR non-specific proposals to increase authorized capital up to 100% over the current authorization unless the increase would leave the company with less than 30% of its new authorization outstanding.
Vote FOR specific proposals to increase authorized capital to any amount, unless:
| • | The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not meet guidelines for the purpose being proposed. |
Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt unlimited capital authorizations.
Reduction of Capital
Vote FOR proposals to reduce capital for routine accounting purposes unless the terms are unfavorable to shareholders.
Vote proposals to reduce capital in connection with corporate restructuring on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Capital Structures
Vote FOR resolutions that seek to maintain or convert to a one-share, one-vote capital structure.
Vote AGAINST requests for the creation or continuation of dual-class capital structures or the creation of new or additional super voting shares.
Preferred Stock
Vote FOR the creation of a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote AGAINST the creation of a new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to the common shares.
Vote AGAINST the creation of blank check preferred stock unless the board clearly states that the authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.
Vote proposals to increase blank check preferred authorizations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Share Repurchase Plans
GSAM will generally recommend FOR share repurchase programs taking into account whether:
| • | The share repurchase program can be used as a takeover defense; |
| • | There is clear evidence of historical abuse; |
| • | There is no safeguard in the share repurchase program against selective buybacks; |
| • | Pricing provisions and safeguards in the share repurchase program are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice. |
20-B
| 7. | Mergers and Corporate Restructurings and Other |
Reorganizations/Restructurings
Vote reorganizations and restructurings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:
| • | Valuation; |
| • | Market reaction; |
| • | Strategic rationale; |
| • | Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions; |
| • | Presence of conflicts of interest; and |
| • | Governance profile of the combined company. |
Antitakeover Mechanisms
Generally vote AGAINST all antitakeover proposals, unless certain conditions are met to ensure the proposal is intended to enhance shareholder value, including consideration of the company’s governance structure, the anti-takeover defense duration, the trigger mechanism and governance, and the intended purpose of the antitakeover defense.
Reincorporation Proposals
Vote reincorporation proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Related-Party Transactions
Vote related-party transactions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:
| • | The parties on either side of the transaction; |
| • | The nature of the asset to be transferred/service to be provided; |
| • | The pricing of the transaction (and any associated professional valuation); |
| • | The views of independent directors (where provided); |
| • | The views of an independent financial adviser (where appointed); |
| • | Whether any entities party to the transaction (including advisers) is conflicted; and |
| • | The stated rationale for the transaction, including discussions of timing. |
Shareholder Proposals
Vote all shareholder proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote FOR proposals that would improve the company’s corporate governance or business profile at a reasonable cost.
Vote AGAINST proposals that limit the company’s business activities or capabilities or result in significant costs being incurred with little or no benefit.
| 8. | Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues |
Please refer to page 12 for our current approach to these important topics.
21-B
STATEMENT OF INTENTION
(applicable only to Class A Shares)
If a shareholder anticipates purchasing within a 13-month period Class A Shares of the Fund alone or in combination with Class A Shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund in the amount of $100,000 or more ($500,000 in the case of Short Duration Government Fund, Short Duration Tax-Free Fund and Short Duration Bond Fund), the shareholder may obtain shares of the Fund at the same reduced sales charge as though the total quantity were invested in one lump sum by checking and filing the Statement of Intention in the account application. Income dividends and capital gain distributions taken in additional shares, as well as any appreciation on shares previously purchased, will not apply toward the completion of the Statement of Intention.
To ensure that the reduced price will be received on future purchases, the investor must inform Goldman Sachs that the Statement of Intention is in effect each time shares are purchased. Subject to the conditions mentioned below, each purchase will be made at the public offering price applicable to a single transaction of the dollar amount specified on the account application. The investor makes no commitment to purchase additional shares, but if the investor’s purchases within 13 months plus the value of shares credited toward completion do not total the sum specified, the investor will pay the increased amount of the sales charge prescribed in the Escrow Agreement.
Escrow Agreement
Out of the initial purchase (or subsequent purchases if necessary), 5% of the dollar amount specified on the account application will be held in escrow by the transfer agent in the form of shares registered in the investor’s name. All income dividends and capital gains distributions on escrowed shares will be paid to the investor or to his or her order. When the minimum investment so specified is completed (either prior to or by the end of the 13th month), the investor will be notified and the escrowed shares will be released.
If the intended investment is not completed, the investor will be asked to remit to Goldman Sachs any difference between the sales charge on the amount specified and on the amount actually attained. If the investor does not within 20 days after written request by Goldman Sachs pay such difference in the sales charge, the transfer agent will redeem, pursuant to the authority given by the investor in the account application, an appropriate number of the escrowed shares in order to realize such difference. Shares remaining after any such redemption will be released by the transfer agent.
1-C
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