December 29, 2023 | |
Nuveen Equity Long/Short Fund |
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Ticker Symbols: Class A—NELAX, Class C—NELCX, Class I—NELIX |
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI relates to, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus dated December 29, 2023 for Nuveen Equity Long/Short Fund (the “Fund”), a series of Nuveen Investment Trust II. A Prospectus may be obtained without charge from certain securities representatives, banks and other financial institutions that have entered into sales agreements with Nuveen Securities, LLC (the “Distributor”), or from the Fund, by written request to Nuveen Equity Long/Short Fund, c/o Nuveen Funds, P.O. Box 219140, Kansas City, Missouri 64121-9140, or by calling (800) 257-8787.
The audited financial statements for the Fund’s most recent fiscal year appear in the Fund’s Annual Report dated August 31, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference and is available without charge by calling (800) 257-8787.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Reduction or Elimination of Up- Front Sales Charge on Class A Shares |
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Reduction or Elimination of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge |
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Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries and Other Payments |
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GENERAL INFORMATION
The Fund is a diversified series of Nuveen Investment Trust II (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust on June 27, 1997. Each series of the Trust represents shares of beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, with its own objective and policies. Currently, seven series of the Trust are authorized and outstanding. The Fund was formerly named Nuveen Santa Barbara Growth Plus Fund and Nuveen Santa Barbara Long/Short Equity Fund. The Fund’s investment adviser is Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC (“Nuveen Fund Advisors” or the “Adviser”). The Fund’s sub-adviser is Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (“Nuveen Asset Management” or the “Sub-Adviser”).
Nuveen Fund Advisors and its affiliate, Teachers Advisors, LLC (“TAL”), are both wholly owned subsidiaries of Nuveen, LLC, the investment management arm of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (“TIAA”). As a result of their common ownership by Nuveen, LLC and, ultimately, TIAA, Nuveen Fund Advisors and TAL are considered affiliated persons under common control, and the registered investment companies managed by each are considered to be part of the same group of investment companies.
Certain matters under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), which must be submitted to a vote of the holders of the outstanding voting securities of a series, shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of each series affected by such matter.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment objective and certain investment policies of the Fund are described in the Prospectus for the Fund. The Fund, as a fundamental policy, may not, without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting shares:
(1) With respect to 75% of the total assets of the Fund, purchase the securities of any issuer (except securities issued or guaranteed by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (ii) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.
(2) Borrow money, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and exemptive orders granted under the 1940 Act.
(3) Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
(4) Make loans, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and exemptive orders granted under the 1940 Act.
(5) Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; but this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from investing in options on commodity indices, commodity futures contracts and options thereon, commodity-related swap agreements, other commodity-related derivative instruments, and investment companies that provide exposure to commodities.
(6) Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prohibit the Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).
(7) Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
(8) Purchase the securities of any issuer if, as a result, 25% or more of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry; except that this restriction shall not be applicable to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof.
Except with respect to the limitation set forth in number (2) above, the foregoing restrictions and limitations will apply only at the time of purchase of securities, and the percentage limitations will not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of an acquisition of securities, unless otherwise indicated.
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For purposes of applying the limitations set forth in numbers (2) and (7) above, under the 1940 Act as currently in effect, the Fund is not permitted to issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from any bank if immediately after such borrowing the value of the Fund’s total assets is at least 300% of the principal amount of all of the Fund’s borrowings (i.e., the principal amount of the borrowings may not exceed 33⅓% of the Fund’s total assets). In the event that such asset coverage shall at any time fall below 300%, the Fund shall, within three calendar days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowing shall be at least 300%. No exemptive orders have been issued with respect to the limitation set forth in number (2).
For purposes of applying the limitation set forth in number (4) above, there are no limitations with respect to unsecured loans made by the Fund to an unaffiliated party. However, if the Fund loans its portfolio securities, the obligation on the part of the Fund to return collateral upon termination of the loan could be deemed to involve the issuance of a senior security within the meaning of Section 18(f) of the 1940 Act. In order to avoid violation of Section 18(f), the Fund may not make a loan of portfolio securities if, as a result, more than one-third of its total asset value (at market value computed at the time of making a loan) would be on loan. No exemptive orders have been issued with respect to the limitation set forth in number (4).
For purposes of applying the limitation set forth in number (8) above, issuers of the following securities will not be considered to be members of any industry: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; except as set forth in the following sentence, tax-exempt securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. To the extent that the income from a municipal bond is derived principally from the assets and revenues of non-governmental users, the securities will be deemed to be from the industry of that non-governmental user. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, it will consider the investments of the underlying investment companies when determining compliance with the limitation set forth in number (8) above, to the extent the Fund has sufficient information about such investments. For purposes of this limitation, all sovereign debt of a single country will be considered investments in a single industry.
Where a security is guaranteed by a governmental entity or some other facility, such as a bank guarantee or letter of credit, such a guarantee or letter of credit would be considered a separate security and would be treated as an issue of such government, other entity or bank.
The foregoing fundamental investment policies, together with the investment objective of the Fund, cannot be changed without approval by holders of a “majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting shares.” As defined in the 1940 Act, this means the vote of (i) 67% or more of the Fund’s shares present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s shares are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund’s shares, whichever is less.
In addition to the foregoing fundamental investment policies, the Fund is also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed by the Board of Trustees. The Fund may not:
(1) Acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments.
(2) Acquire any securities of registered open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on subparagraph (F) or subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act.
(3) Invest directly in futures and options on futures to the extent that the Adviser would be required to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a commodity pool operator. See “Investment Policies and Techniques—Derivatives—Limitations on the Use of CFTC-Regulated Futures and Options on Futures.”
For purposes of number (1) above, the Fund will monitor portfolio liquidity on an ongoing basis and, in the event that more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets are invested in illiquid investments, the Fund will reduce such holdings to at or below the 15% limit within a reasonable period of time. The term “illiquid investments” has the same meaning as given in Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and associated guidance.
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES
The following information supplements the discussion of the Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies, policies and techniques that appears in the Prospectus for the Fund. Additional
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information concerning principal investment strategies of the Fund, and other investment strategies that may be used by the Fund, is set forth below in alphabetical order.
If a percentage limitation on investments by the Fund stated in this SAI or its Prospectus is adhered to at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from changes in asset value will not be deemed to violate the limitation except in the case of the limitations on borrowing.
References in this section to the Adviser also apply, to the extent applicable, to the Sub-Adviser of the Fund.
Borrowing
Joint Credit Agreement
The Fund, along with certain other funds managed by the Adviser (“Participating Funds”), is a party to a 364-day, approximately $2.7 billion credit agreement with a group of lenders (the “Credit Agreement”), which expires in June 2024, unless extended or renewed. The Fund may borrow under the Credit Agreement to meet shareholder redemptions and for other lawful temporary purposes. Borrowing results in interest expense and being a Participating Fund results in other fees and expenses, which may increase the Fund’s net expenses and reduce the Fund’s return. In addition, borrowing by the Fund may create leverage by increasing the Fund’s investment exposure. This will result in any changes in the Fund’s net asset value, either positive or negative, being greater than they would have been if the Fund had not borrowed. Participating Funds have been allocated different first priority portions of the committed amount of the credit facility based primarily on the expected likelihood and extent of the need to borrow under the Credit Agreement. Administration, legal, arrangement, upfront and undrawn fees under the Credit Agreement are allocated among Participating Funds based upon these first priority portions of the aggregate commitment available to them and other factors deemed relevant by the Adviser and the Board of each Participating Fund, while fees on any amounts drawn by a Participating Fund under the Credit Agreement are borne by that Participating Fund.
Inter-Fund Borrowing and Lending
The SEC has granted an exemptive order permitting registered open-end and closed-end Nuveen Funds to participate in an inter-fund lending facility whereby the Nuveen Funds may directly lend to and borrow money from each other for temporary purposes (e.g., to satisfy redemption requests or when a sale of securities “fails,” resulting in an unanticipated cash shortfall) (the “Inter-Fund Program”). The closed-end Nuveen Funds will participate only as lenders, and not as borrowers, in the Inter-Fund Program because such closed-end funds rarely, if ever, need to borrow cash to meet redemptions. The Inter-Fund Program is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other things, the requirements that (1) no Nuveen Fund may borrow or lend money through the Inter-Fund Program unless it receives a more favorable interest rate than is typically available from a bank or other financial institution for a comparable transaction; (2) no Nuveen Fund may borrow on an unsecured basis through the Inter-Fund Program unless the Nuveen Fund’s outstanding borrowings from all sources immediately after the inter-fund borrowing total 10% or less of its total assets; provided that if the borrowing Nuveen Fund has a secured borrowing outstanding from any other lender, including but not limited to another Nuveen Fund, the inter-fund loan must be secured on at least an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to loan value; (3) if a Nuveen Fund’s total outstanding borrowings immediately after an inter-fund borrowing would be greater than 10% of its total assets, the Nuveen Fund may borrow through the inter-fund loan on a secured basis only; (4) no Nuveen Fund may lend money if the loan would cause its aggregate outstanding loans through the Inter-Fund Program to exceed 15% of its net assets at the time of the loan; (5) a Nuveen Fund’s inter-fund loans to any one Nuveen Fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending Nuveen Fund’s net assets; (6) the duration of inter-fund loans will be limited to the time required to receive payment for securities sold, but in no event more than seven days; and (7) each inter-fund loan may be called on one business day’s notice by a lending Nuveen Fund and may be repaid on any day by a borrowing Nuveen Fund. In addition, a Nuveen Fund may participate in the Inter-Fund Program only if and to the extent that such participation is consistent with the Nuveen Fund’s investment objective(s) and investment policies. The Board of Trustees of the Nuveen Funds is responsible for overseeing the Inter-Fund Program.
The limitations detailed above and the other conditions of the SEC exemptive order permitting the Inter-Fund Program are designed to minimize the risks associated with Inter-Fund Program for both the lending fund and the borrowing fund. However, no borrowing or lending activity is without risk. When the Fund borrows money from another Nuveen Fund, there is a risk that the loan could be called on one day’s notice or not renewed, in which case the Fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher rate or
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take other actions to payoff such loan if an inter-fund loan is not available from another Nuveen Fund. Any delay in repayment to a lending fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs.
Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
The Fund may hold assets in cash or cash equivalents, money market funds and short-term taxable fixed income securities in such proportions as warranted by prevailing market conditions and the Fund’s principal investment strategies. For temporary defensive purposes or during periods of high cash inflows or outflows, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in such holdings. During such periods, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective. The Fund may only invest in short-term taxable fixed income securities with a maturity of one year or less and whose issuers have a long-term rating of at least A- or higher by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“Standard & Poor’s”), A3 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or A- or higher by Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”). Short-term taxable fixed income securities are defined to include, without limitation, the following:
(1) U.S. Government Securities. The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government agency securities include securities issued by (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, and the Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities, and consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate. In addition, the Fund may invest in sovereign debt obligations of non-U.S. countries. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest in a timely manner may be affected by a number of factors, including its cash flow situation, the extent of its non-U.S. reserves, the availability of sufficient non-U.S. exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which it may be subject.
(2) Certificates of Deposit. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. If such certificates of deposit are non-negotiable, they will be considered illiquid investments and be subject to the Fund’s 15% restriction on investments in illiquid investments. Pursuant to the certificate of deposit, the issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Under current FDIC regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one certificate of deposit is $250,000; therefore, certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured. The Fund may only invest in certificates of deposit issued by U.S. banks with at least $1 billion in assets.
(3) Bankers’ Acceptances. The Fund may invest in bankers’ acceptances, which are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity.
(4) Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements which involve purchases of debt securities. In such an action, at the time the Fund purchases the security, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver the security to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the security at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest
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temporarily available cash. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposit; or bankers’ acceptances in which the Fund may invest. Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund is entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, however, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The portfolio managers monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The portfolio managers do so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.
(5) Bank Time Deposits. The Fund may invest in bank time deposits, which are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced.
(6) Commercial Paper. The Fund may invest in commercial paper, which are short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for the notes. However, they are redeemable by the Fund at any time. The portfolio managers will consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. The Fund may only invest in commercial paper rated A-2 or higher by Standard & Poor’s, Prime-2 or higher by Moody’s or F2 or higher by Fitch, or unrated commercial paper which is, in the opinion of the portfolio managers, of comparable quality.
Derivatives
Subject to the limitations set forth below under “Limitations on the Use of CFTC-Regulated Futures and Options on Futures,” the Fund may use derivative instruments as described below. Generally, a derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. Derivatives generally take the form of contracts under which the parties agree to payments between them based upon the performance of a wide variety of underlying references, such as stocks, bonds, loans, commodities, interest rates, currency exchange rates, and various domestic and foreign indices.
The Fund may use derivatives for a variety of reasons, including in an attempt to enhance return, to hedge some of the risks of its investments in securities, as a substitute for a position in the underlying asset, to reduce transaction costs, to maintain full market exposure (which means to adjust the characteristics of its investments to more closely approximate those of the markets in which it invests), to manage cash flows, or to preserve capital. Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, of its portfolio by making investments in specific securities. However, derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest. As a result, a small investment in derivatives could have a large impact on the Fund’s performance.
While transactions in some derivatives may be effected on established exchanges, many other derivatives are privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market with a single counterparty. When exchange-traded derivatives are purchased and sold, a clearing agency associated with the exchange stands between each buyer and seller and effectively guarantees performance of each contract, either on a limited basis through a guaranty fund or to the full extent of the clearing agency’s balance sheet. Transactions in OTC derivatives not subject to a clearing requirement have no such protection. Each party to an uncleared OTC derivative bears the risk that its direct counterparty will default. In addition, OTC derivatives are generally less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives because they often can only be closed out with the other party to the transaction.
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The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the SEC, the CFTC, various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. Under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company’s derivatives exposure, which includes short positions and certain when-issued and delayed-delivery transactions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. In connection with adopting Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives and certain financial instruments. In addition, under Rule 18f-4, the Fund is permitted to invest in when-issued securities, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security, provided that (i) the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision”). The Fund may otherwise engage in such transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision so long as the Fund treats any such transaction as a “derivatives transaction” for purposes of compliance with the rule. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund’s ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.
The particular derivative instruments the Fund can use are described below. The Fund’s portfolio managers may decide not to employ some or all of these instruments, and there is no assurance that any derivatives strategy used by the Fund will succeed. The Fund may employ new derivative instruments and strategies when they are developed, if those investment methods are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and are permissible under applicable regulations governing the Fund.
Options Transactions
The Fund may purchase put and call options on specific securities (including groups or "baskets" of specific securities) and/or stock indices.
Options on Securities. The Fund may purchase put and call options on securities. A put option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right (but not the obligation) to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security at a stated price (the “exercise price”) at any time before the option expires. A call option on a security gives the purchaser the right (but not the obligation) to buy, and the writer the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the exercise price at any time before the option expires. The purchase price for a put or call option is the “premium” paid by the purchaser for the right to sell or buy.
The Fund may purchase put options to hedge against a decline in the value of its portfolio. By using put options in this way, the Fund would reduce any profit it might otherwise have realized in the underlying security by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and by transaction costs. In similar fashion, the Fund may purchase call options to protect against an increase in the price of securities that the Fund anticipates purchasing in the future, a practice sometimes referred to as “anticipatory hedging.” The premium paid for the call option plus any transaction costs will reduce the benefit, if any, realized by the Fund upon exercise of the option, and, unless the price of the underlying security rises sufficiently, the option may expire unexercised.
Options on Stock Indices. The Fund may purchase put and call options on stock indices. An option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing value of the underlying stock index is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple (the “multiplier”). The writer of the option is obligated, for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. Settlements for stock index options are always in cash.
Writing Options. The Fund may write (sell) put and call options. These transactions would be undertaken principally to produce additional income. The Fund receives a premium from writing options which it retains whether or not the option is exercised. The Fund may write straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying instrument.
Expiration or Exercise of Options. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. Prior to the
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earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price, and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.
The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.
Futures
The Fund may engage in futures transactions. The Fund may buy and sell futures contracts that relate to stock indices and individual stocks. The Fund may only enter into futures contracts which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.
A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or index (each a “financial instrument”) for a set price on a future date. Certain futures contracts, such as futures contracts relating to individual securities, call for making or taking delivery of the underlying financial instrument. However, these contracts generally are closed out before delivery by entering into an offsetting purchase or sale of a matching futures contract. Other futures contracts, such as futures contracts on indices, do not call for making or taking delivery of the underlying financial instrument, but rather are agreements pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the financial instrument at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the contract was originally written. These contracts also may be settled by entering into an offsetting futures contract.
Unlike when the Fund purchases or sells a security, no price is paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, the Fund will be required to deposit with its futures broker (also known as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”)) an amount of cash or securities equal to a specified percentage of the contract amount. This amount is known as initial margin. The margin deposit is intended to ensure completion of the contract. Minimum initial margin requirements are established by the futures exchanges and may be revised. In addition, FCMs may establish margin deposit requirements that are higher than the exchange minimums. Cash held as margin is generally invested by the FCM in high-quality instruments permitted under CFTC regulations, with returns retained by the FCM and interest paid to the Fund on the cash at an agreed-upon rate. The Fund will also receive any interest paid from coupon-bearing securities, such as Treasury securities, held in margin accounts. Subsequent payments to and from the FCM, called variation margin, will be made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying financial instrument fluctuates, making the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as marking the contract to market. Changes in variation margin are recorded by the Fund as unrealized gains or losses. At any time prior to expiration of the futures contract, the Fund may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position that will operate to terminate its position in the futures contract. A final determination of variation margin is then made, additional cash is required to be paid by or released to the Fund, and the Fund realizes a gain or loss. In the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of an FCM that holds margin on behalf of the Fund, the Fund may be entitled to the return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the FCM’s other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund. Futures transactions also involve brokerage costs.
Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several
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consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.
Options on Futures
The Fund may purchase or write put and call options on futures contracts and write straddles, which consist of a call and put option on the same futures contract. A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price prior to the expiration of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. Prior to exercise or expiration, a futures option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of a futures option of the same series.
The Fund may use options on futures contracts in connection with hedging strategies. The writing of a call option or the purchasing of a put option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of the securities which are deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the futures price at expiration of a written call option is below the exercise price, the Fund will retain the full amount of the option premium which provides a partial hedge against any decline that may have occurred in the Fund’s holdings of securities. If the futures price when the option is exercised is above the exercise price, however, the Fund will incur a loss, which may be offset, in whole or in part, by the increase in the value of the securities held by the Fund that were being hedged. Writing a put option or purchasing a call option on a futures contract serves as a partial hedge against an increase in the value of the securities the Fund intends to acquire.
As with investments in futures contracts, the Fund is required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it.
Limitations on the Use of CFTC-Regulated Futures and Options on Futures
The Fund will limit its direct investments in CFTC-regulated futures and options on futures (“CFTC Derivatives”) to the extent necessary for the Adviser to claim the exclusion from regulation as a commodity pool operator with respect to the Fund under CFTC Rule 4.5, as such rule may be amended from time to time. Under Rule 4.5 as currently in effect, the Fund will limit its trading activity in CFTC Derivatives (excluding activity for “bona fide hedging purposes,” as defined by the CFTC) such that it meets one of the following tests:
· Aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish its positions in CFTC Derivatives do not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions; or
· Aggregate net notional value of its positions in CFTC Derivatives does not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions.
With respect to the Fund, the Adviser has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator thereunder.
The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company may also limit the extent to which the Fund may invest in CFTC Derivatives. See “Tax Matters—Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company.”
Federal Income Tax Treatment of Futures Contracts and Options
The Fund’s transactions in futures contracts and options will be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital, or short-term or long-term), may accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and may defer Fund losses. These rules could, therefore, affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the Fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) and (b) may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement for qualifying to be taxed as a regulated investment company and the distribution requirement for avoiding excise taxes.
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Risks and Special Considerations Concerning Derivatives
The use of derivative instruments involves certain general risks and considerations as described below.
1) Market Risk. Market risk is the risk that the value of the underlying assets may go up or down. Adverse movements in the value of an underlying asset can expose the Fund to losses. The successful use of derivative instruments depends upon a variety of factors, particularly the portfolio managers' ability to predict movements in the relevant markets, which may require different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. There can be no assurance that any particular strategy adopted will succeed.
2) Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the failure of a counterparty to comply with the terms of a derivative instrument. The counterparty risk for exchange-traded derivatives is generally less than for OTC derivatives, since generally a clearing agency, which is the issuer or counterparty to each exchange-traded instrument, provides a guarantee of performance. For many OTC instruments, there is no similar clearing agency guarantee and there is less regulation or supervision of transactions. In all transactions, the Fund will bear the risk that the counterparty will default, and this could result in a loss of the expected benefit of the derivative transactions and possibly other losses to the Fund. The Fund will enter into derivatives transactions only with counterparties that its portfolio managers reasonably believe are capable of performing under the contract.
3) Correlation Risk. Correlation risk is the risk that there might be an imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of a derivative instrument and price movements of investments being hedged. When a derivative transaction is used to completely hedge another position, changes in the market value of the combined position (the derivative instrument plus the position being hedged) result from an imperfect correlation between the price movements of the two instruments. With a perfect hedge, the value of the combined position remains unchanged with any change in the price of the underlying asset. With an imperfect hedge, the value of the derivative instrument and its hedge are not perfectly correlated. For example, if the value of a derivative instrument used in a short hedge (such as writing a call option, buying a put option or selling a futures contract) increased by less than the decline in value of the hedged investments, the hedge would not be perfectly correlated. This might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of the investments being hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the markets in which these instruments are traded. The effectiveness of hedges using instruments on indices will depend, in part, on the degree of correlation between price movements in the index and the price movements in the investments being hedged.
4) Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that a derivative instrument cannot be sold, closed out or replaced quickly at or very close to its fundamental value. Generally, exchange contracts are very liquid because the exchange clearinghouse is the counterparty of every contract. OTC transactions are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since they often can only be closed out with the other party to the transaction. The Fund might maintain segregated accounts and/or make margin payments when it takes positions in derivative instruments involving obligations to third parties (i.e., instruments other than purchase options). If the Fund is unable to close out its positions in such instruments, it might be required to continue to maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position expires, matures or is closed out. These requirements might impair the Fund’s ability to sell a security or make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be favorable to do so, or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time. The Fund’s ability to sell or close out a position in an instrument prior to expiration or maturity depends upon the existence of a liquid secondary market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and willingness of the counterparty to enter into a transaction closing out the position. There is no assurance that any derivatives position can be sold or closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund. The Fund must comply with the SEC rule related to the use of derivatives and certain other transactions when engaging in the transactions discussed above. See “Derivatives” above.
5) Legal Risk. Legal risk is the risk of loss caused by the unenforceability of a party’s obligations under the derivative. While a party seeking price certainty agrees to surrender the potential upside in exchange for downside protection, the party taking the risk is looking for a positive payoff. Despite this voluntary assumption of risk, a counterparty that has lost money in a derivative transaction may try to avoid payment by exploiting various legal uncertainties about certain derivative products.
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6) Systemic or “Interconnection” Risk. Systemic or interconnection risk is the risk that a disruption in the financial markets will cause difficulties for all market participants. In other words, a disruption in one market will spill over into other markets, perhaps creating a chain reaction. Much of the OTC derivatives market takes place among the OTC dealers themselves, thus creating a large interconnected web of financial obligations. This interconnectedness raises the possibility that a default by one large dealer could create losses for other dealers and destabilize the entire market for OTC derivative instruments.
7) Leverage Risk. Leverage risk is the risk that the Fund may be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged due to leverage’s tendency to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation requirements.
8) Regulatory Risk. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) required the SEC, the CFTC, and other federal financial regulators to develop an expanded regulatory framework for derivatives. Certain of the implementing regulations have not yet been finalized. Thus, the ultimate impact of the rulemakings is still unknown, but has the potential to increase the costs of using derivatives, may limit the availability of some forms of derivatives or Nuveen Asset Management’s or the Fund’s ability to use derivatives in pursuit of its investment objectives, and may adversely affect the performance of some derivative instruments used. Moreover, governmental authorities outside of the U.S. have passed, proposed or may propose in the future legislation similar to the Dodd-Frank Act, which could increase the costs of participating in, or otherwise adversely impact the liquidity of, the swaps markets. Accordingly, the ultimate impact of the Dodd-Frank Act, including on the derivative instruments in which the Fund may invest, is not yet certain.
Equity Securities
Under normal market conditions, the Fund primarily invests in equity securities, which include common stocks, preferred securities, warrants to purchase common stocks or preferred securities, convertible securities, participatory notes, interests in real estate investment trusts, common and preferred units of master limited partnerships, and other securities with equity characteristics.
Common Stocks
Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred securities, dividends on common stocks are not prescribed in advance but are declared at the discretion of a company’s board.
While investing in stocks allows shareholders to participate in the benefits of owning a company, such shareholders must accept the risks of ownership. Unlike bondholders, who have preference to a company’s earnings and cash flow, common stockholders are entitled only to the residual amount after a company meets its other obligations. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects than its debt obligations. Stockholders of a company that fares poorly can lose money.
Stock markets tend to move in cycles with short or extended periods of rising and falling stock prices. The value of a company’s stock may fall because of:
· Factors that directly relate to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services;
· Factors affecting an entire industry, such as increases in production costs; and
· Changes in financial market conditions that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or inflation rates.
An investment in common stocks of issuers with small or medium market capitalizations generally involves greater risk and price volatility than an investment in common stocks of larger, more established companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of their small or medium size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of management depth. The securities of small and medium capitalization companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market, and might not be traded in volumes typical of securities traded on a national securities exchange. Thus, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are likely to be less liquid and subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies.
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Preferred Securities
Like common stocks, preferred securities are also units of ownership in a company, but preferred securities normally have preference over common stocks in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. In all other respects, however, preferred securities are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred securities are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred securities include adjustable-rate preferred securities, fixed dividend preferred securities, perpetual preferred securities and sinking fund preferred securities. Generally, the market value of preferred securities with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Because preferred securities are generally junior to most other forms of debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred security than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics.
Warrants
The Fund may invest in warrants if, after giving effect thereto, not more than 5% of its net assets will be invested in warrants other than warrants acquired in units or attached to other securities. Investing in warrants is purely speculative in that they have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. Warrants are issued by the issuer of a security and provide their holder the option to purchase that security upon the warrants’ exercise at a specific price for a specific period of time. They do not represent ownership of the securities but only the right to buy them. The prices of warrants do not necessarily parallel the prices of the underlying securities.
Convertible Securities
Convertible securities are hybrid securities that combine the investment characteristics of bonds and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt securities or preferred securities that may be converted within a specified period of time (typically for the entire life of the security) into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. They also include debt securities with warrants or common stock attached and derivatives combining the features of debt securities and equity securities. Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt, or dividends paid or accrued on preferred securities, until the security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.
The market value of a convertible security generally is a function of its “investment value” and its “conversion value.” A security’s “investment value” represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (i.e., a comparable non-convertible fixed income security). The investment value is determined by, among other things, reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar non-convertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer and the seniority of the security in the issuer’s capital structure. A security’s “conversion value” is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security. If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like non-convertible debt or a preferred security in the sense that its market value will not be influenced greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security into which it can be converted. Instead, the convertible security’s price will tend to move in the opposite direction from interest rates. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying stock. In that case, the convertible security’s price may be as volatile as that of the common stock. Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is not generally as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed income security, nor is it generally as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock.
The Fund’s investments in convertible securities, particularly securities that are convertible into securities of an issuer other than the issuer of the convertible security, may be illiquid. The Fund’s investments in convertible securities may at times include securities that have a mandatory conversion feature, pursuant to which the securities convert automatically into common stock or other equity securities (of the same or a different issuer) at a specified date and a specified conversion ratio, or that are convertible at the option of the issuer. For issues where the conversion of the security is not at the option of the holder, the Fund may be required to convert the security into the underlying common stock
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even at times when the value of the underlying common stock or other equity security has declined substantially.
In addition, some convertible securities are often rated below investment-grade or are not rated, and therefore may be considered speculative investments. The credit rating of a company’s convertible securities is generally lower than that of its conventional debt securities. Convertible securities are normally considered “junior” securities—that is, the company usually must pay interest on its conventional corporate debt before it can make payments on its convertible securities. Some convertible securities are particularly sensitive to interest rate changes when their predetermined conversion price is much higher than the issuing company’s common stock.
Participatory Notes
The Fund may invest in participatory notes issued by banks or broker-dealers that are designed to replicate the performance of certain non-U.S. companies traded on a non-U.S. exchange. Participatory notes are a type of equity-linked derivative which generally are traded over-the-counter. Even though a participatory note is intended to reflect the performance of the underlying equity securities on a one-to-one basis so that investors will not normally gain or lose more in absolute terms than they would have made or lost had they invested in the underlying securities directly, the performance results of participatory notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the notes seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. Investments in participatory notes involve risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying securities. In addition, participatory notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues the notes will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. Participatory notes constitute general unsecured, unsubordinated contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such banks or broker-dealers and has no rights under a participatory note against the issuers of the securities underlying such participatory notes. There can be no assurance that the trading price or value of participatory notes will equal the value of the underlying value of the equity securities they seek to replicate.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
Real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) are publicly traded corporations or trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding, and managing residential, commercial or industrial real estate. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 90% of its taxable income for each taxable year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.
REITs generally can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT invests the majority of its assets directly in real property and derives its income primarily from rents and from capital gains on real estate appreciation which are realized through property sales. A mortgage REIT invests the majority of its assets in real estate mortgage loans and services its income primarily from interest payments. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of an equity REIT and a mortgage REIT.
Investing in REITs would subject the Fund to risks associated with the real estate industry. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect companies which own and operate real estate directly, companies which lend to such companies, and companies which service the real estate industry.
The Fund is also subject to risks associated with direct investments in REITs. Equity REITs will be affected by changes in the values of and income from the properties they own, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the credit quality of the mortgage loans they hold. In addition, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills and on their ability to generate cash flow for operating purposes and to make distributions to shareholders or unitholders. REITs may have limited diversification and are subject to risks associated with obtaining financing for real property, as well as to the risk of self-liquidation. REITs also can be adversely affected by their failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through treatment of their income under the Code or their failure to maintain an exemption from registration under the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder bears not only a proportionate share of the
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expenses of the Fund, but also may indirectly bear similar expenses of some of the REITs in which it invests.
Master Limited Partnerships
Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). An MLP is an entity, most commonly a limited partnership, that is taxed as a partnership, publicly traded and listed on a national securities exchange. Holders of common units of MLPs typically have limited control and limited voting rights as compared to holders of a corporation’s common shares. Preferred units issued by MLPs are not typically listed or traded on an exchange. Holders of preferred units can be entitled to a wide range of voting and other rights. MLPs are limited by the Code to only apply to enterprises that engage in certain businesses, mostly pertaining to the use of natural resources, such as petroleum and natural gas extraction and transportation, although some other enterprises may also qualify as MLPs.
Lending of Portfolio Securities
In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities representing up to one-third of the value of its total assets to broker-dealers, banks or other institutional borrowers of securities that the Adviser has determined are creditworthy. The securities lending agent will generally bear the risk that a borrower may default on its obligation to return loaned securities, however the Fund bears the risk that the securities lending agent may default on its contractual obligations to the Fund. The Fund also bears the market risk with respect to the investment of the cash collateral used to secure the loan. The Fund may lose money on its investment of cash collateral or may fail to earn sufficient income on its investments to meet its obligations to the borrower. The Fund will pay a portion of the income earned on other lending transactions to the placing broker and may pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with these loans.
In these loan arrangements, the Fund will receive cash collateral equal to not less than 100% of the value of the securities loaned as determined at the time of loan origination. If the market value of the loaned securities increases, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to the Fund. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Fund any dividends or interest paid on the securities. Loans are subject to termination at any time by the Fund or the borrower. While the Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, it would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment.
When the Fund lends portfolio securities to a borrower, payments in lieu of dividends made by the borrower to the Fund will not constitute “qualified dividends” taxable at the same rate as long-term capital gains, even if the actual dividends would have constituted qualified dividends had the Fund held the securities. See “Taxation.”
Non-U.S. Securities
The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by non-U.S. companies. Investments in securities of non-U.S. companies involve risks in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments, including currency risk.
Non-U.S. securities are affected by the fact that in many countries there is less publicly available information about issuers than is available in the reports and ratings published about companies in the United States and such issuers may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards. Other risks inherent in non-U.S. investments include expropriation; confiscatory taxation; withholding taxes on dividends and interest; less extensive regulation of non-U.S. brokers, securities markets and issuers; diplomatic developments; and political or social instability. Non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in various respects, and many non-U.S. securities are less liquid and their prices tend to be more volatile than comparable U.S. securities. From time to time, non-U.S. securities may be difficult to liquidate rapidly without adverse price effects.
The Fund may also invest in non-U.S. securities by purchasing depositary receipts, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) or other securities representing indirect ownership interests in the securities of non-U.S. companies, including New York Shares. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are denominated in U.S. dollars and are designated for use in the U.S. securities markets, while EDRs and GDRs are typically in bearer form and may be denominated in non-U.S. currencies and are designed for use in European and other markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying non-U.S. security. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs are deemed to have the same classification as the underlying securities they represent, except that ADRs, EDRs and GDRs
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shall be treated as indirect non-U.S. investments. Thus, an ADR, EDR or GDR representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs do not eliminate all of the risks associated with directly investing in the securities of non-U.S. companies, such as changes in non-U.S. currency exchange rates. However, by investing in ADRs rather than directly in non-U.S. companies’ stock, the Fund avoids currency risks during the settlement period.
Other types of depositary receipts include American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), Global Depositary Certificates (“GDCs”) and International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”). ADSs are shares issued under a deposit agreement representing the underlying ordinary shares that trade in the issuer’s home market. An ADR, described above, is a certificate that represents a number of ADSs. GDCs and IDRs are typically issued by a non-U.S. bank or trust company, although they may sometimes also be issued by a U.S. bank or trust company. GDCs and IDRs are depositary receipts that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a non-U.S. or a U.S. corporation.
Depositary receipts may be available through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by a depositary and the issuer of the security underlying the receipt. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt. There are greater risks associated with holding unsponsored depositary receipts. For example, if the Fund holds an unsponsored depositary receipt, it will generally bear all of the costs of establishing the unsponsored facility. In addition, the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security. Whether a sponsored or unsponsored facility, there is no assurance that either would pass through to the holders of the receipts voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.
In considering whether to invest in the securities of a non-U.S. company, the portfolio managers consider such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends, and the performance of securities markets in the United States and other countries. The portfolio managers also consider factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located.
Securities transactions conducted outside the United States may not be regulated as rigorously as in the United States, may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees, and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, non-U.S. securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex non-U.S. political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in non-U.S. markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and the margin requirements than in the United States, (v) currency exchange rate changes, and (vi) lower trading volume and liquidity.
Emerging Markets Risk
The Fund may invest in securities issued by companies located in emerging markets. Emerging market countries are generally in the initial stages of their industrialization cycles with low per capita income. The markets of emerging markets countries are generally more volatile than the markets of developed countries with more mature economies. They generally do not have the level of market efficiency and strict standards in accounting and securities regulation to be on par with advanced economies, but emerging markets will typically have a physical financial infrastructure, including banks, a stock exchange and a unified currency. Investments in emerging markets come with much greater risk due to political instability, armed conflicts, domestic infrastructure problems, currency volatility and limited investment opportunities (many large companies may still be “state-run” or private). Also, local securities exchanges may not offer liquid markets for outside investors. Additionally, the degree of cooperation between issuers in emerging market countries with foreign and U.S. financial regulators may vary significantly. The type and severity of sanctions and other similar measures, including counter sanctions and other retaliatory actions, that may be imposed could vary broadly in scope, and their impact is highly uncertain. The imposition of sanctions could, among other things, cause a decline in the value and/or liquidity of securities issued by the sanctioned country or companies located in or economically tied to the sanctioned country and increase market volatility and disruption in the sanctioned country and throughout the world. Sanctions and other similar measures could limit or prevent the Fund from buying and selling securities (in the sanctioned country and other markets), significantly delay or prevent the settlement of securities transactions, and significantly impact the Fund’s liquidity and performance. All of the risks of investing in non-U.S. securities described above are heightened by investing in emerging markets countries.
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Currency Risk
Even though the non-U.S. securities held by the Fund are traded in U.S. dollars, their prices are typically indirectly influenced by currency fluctuations. The exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and non-U.S. currencies depend upon such factors as supply and demand in the currency exchange markets, international balance of payments, governmental intervention, speculation and other economic and political conditions. The Fund may also be subject to currency risk through investments in ADRs and other non-U.S. securities denominated in U.S. dollars.
Additional Market Disruption Risk
In late February 2022, Russia launched a large scale military attack on Ukraine. The invasion significantly amplified already existing geopolitical tensions among Russia, Ukraine, Europe, NATO and other western nations, including the U.S. In response to the military action by Russia, various countries, including the U.S., the United Kingdom, and European Union issued broad-ranging economic sanctions against Russia. Such sanctions included, among other things, a prohibition on doing business with certain Russian companies, large financial institutions, officials and oligarchs; a commitment by certain countries and the European Union to remove selected Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (“SWIFT”), the electronic banking network that connects banks globally; and restrictive measures to prevent the Russian Central Bank from undermining the impact of the sanctions. In particular, U.S. sanctions prohibit any “new investment” in Russia which is defined to include any new purchases of Russian securities. U.S. persons also are required to freeze securities issued by certain Russian entities identified on the List of Specially Designated Nationals, which includes several large publicly traded Russian banks and other companies. Russia has issued various countermeasures that affect the ability of non-Russian persons to trade in Russian securities. Additional sanctions may be imposed in the future. Such sanctions may adversely impact, among other things, the Russian economy and various sectors of the global economy, including but not limited to, the financials, energy, metals and mining, engineering and defense sectors. The sanctions and any related boycotts, tariffs, and financial restrictions imposed on Russia’s government, companies and certain individuals may cause a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities; weaken the value of the ruble; downgrade the country’s credit rating; freeze Russian securities and/or funds invested in prohibited assets and impair the ability to trade in Russian securities and/or other assets; and have other adverse consequences on the Russian government, economy, companies and region. Further, several large corporations and U.S. states have announced plans to divest interests or otherwise curtail business dealings with certain Russian businesses.
The ramifications of the hostilities and sanctions, however, may not be limited to Russia and Russian companies but may spill over to and negatively impact other regional and global economic markets (including Europe and the United States), companies in other countries (particularly those that have done business with Russia) and on various sectors, industries and markets for securities and commodities globally, such as oil and natural gas. Accordingly, the actions discussed above and the potential for a wider conflict could increase financial market volatility, cause severe negative effects on regional and global economic markets, industries, and companies and have a negative effect on the Fund’s investments and performance beyond any direct exposure to Russian issuers or those of adjoining geographic regions. In addition, Russia may take retaliatory actions and other countermeasures, including cyberattacks and espionage against other countries and companies around the world, which may negatively impact such countries and the companies in which the Fund invests.
The extent and duration of the military action or future escalation of such hostilities, the extent and impact of existing and future sanctions, market disruptions and volatility, and the result of any diplomatic negotiations cannot be predicted. These and any related events could have a significant impact on Fund performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, particularly with respect to Russian exposure.
Other Investment Policies and Techniques
Illiquid Investments
The Fund may invest in illiquid investments (i.e., investments that the 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). For purposes of this restriction, illiquid investments include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws) and repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days. However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid investments if, as a result, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. The Board of Trustees or its delegate has
S-17
the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 15% limitation. The Board of Trustees has delegated to the Adviser the day-to-day determination of the illiquidity of any portfolio security, although it has retained oversight over and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. The Adviser works with and to a large extent relies on the expertise and advice of the Sub-Adviser in making these liquidity determinations. Although no definitive liquidity criteria are used, the Board of Trustees has directed the Adviser to look to such factors as (i) the nature of the market for a security (including the institutional private resale market; the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; and the amount of time normally needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer), (ii) the terms of certain securities or other instruments allowing for the disposition to a third party or the issuer thereof (e.g., certain repurchase obligations and demand instruments), and (iii) other permissible relevant facts.
Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell. Illiquid investments will be priced at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees or its delegate.
Initial Public Offerings (“IPO”)
The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities of companies offering shares in IPOs. IPOs may have a magnified performance impact on the Fund with a small asset base. The impact of IPOs on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s total returns. IPOs may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Because IPO shares frequently are volatile in price, the Fund may hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. By selling shares, the Fund may realize taxable gains it will subsequently distribute to shareholders. In addition, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or inactive for extended periods of time. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Holders of IPO shares (including the Fund) can be affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders.
The Fund’s investment in IPO shares may include the securities of unseasoned companies (companies with less than three years of continuous operations), which present risks considerably greater than common stocks of more established companies. These companies may have limited operating histories and their prospects for profitability may be uncertain. These companies may be involved in new and evolving businesses and may be vulnerable to competition and changes in technology, markets and economic conditions. These companies may also be more dependent on key managers and third parties and may have limited product lines.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) registered under the 1940 Act that invest primarily in Fund-eligible investments. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s investment in such securities is generally limited to 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company; 5% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company; and 10% of the Fund’s total assets in the aggregate. The Fund’s investments in other investment companies may include money market mutual funds. Investments in money market funds are not subject to the percentage limitations set forth above. Registered investment companies may invest in an underlying fund in excess of these percentage limits imposed by the 1940 Act in reliance on certain exemptions, such as Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. When the Fund serves as an underlying fund in reliance on Rule 12d1-4, or in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act while relying on Rule 12d1-4 to invest in other investment companies, the Fund’s ability to invest in other investment companies and private funds will generally be limited to 10% of the Fund’s assets.
S-18
ETFs in which the Fund may invest are a type of index fund bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. ETFs can give exposure to all or a portion of the U.S. market, a foreign market, a region, a commodity, a currency, or to any other index that an ETF tracks. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs. 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. In addition, because they, unlike traditional mutual funds, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the performance of the ETF may not replicate the performance of the underlying index that it is designed to track; (ii) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or discount to the ETF’s net asset value; (iii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained; and (iv) 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. Trading in an ETF may be halted if the trading in one or more of the ETF’s underlying securities is halted, which could result in the ETF being more volatile. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Fund’s shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.
If the Fund invests in other investment companies, Fund shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses, but also, indirectly, the similar expenses of the underlying investment companies. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only with the Fund, but also with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies. Shares of certain closed-end funds may at times be acquired at market prices representing premiums to their net asset values. Shares acquired at a premium to their net asset value may be more likely to subsequently decline in price, resulting in a loss to the Fund and its shareholders.
Over-the-Counter Market
The Fund may invest in over-the-counter securities. In contrast to the securities exchanges, the over-the-counter market is not a centralized facility that limits trading activity to securities of companies which initially satisfy certain defined standards. Generally, the volume of trading in an unlisted or over-the-counter security is less than the volume of trading in a listed security. This means that the depth of market liquidity of some securities in which the Fund invests may not be as great as that of other securities and, if the Fund were to dispose of such a security, it might have to offer the securities at a discount from recent prices, or sell the securities in small lots over an extended period of time.
Private Investments in Public Equity
The Fund may purchase equity securities in a private placement that are issued by issuers who have outstanding, publicly-traded equity securities of the same class (“private investments in public equity” or “PIPES”). Shares in PIPES generally are not registered with the SEC until after a certain time period from the date the private sale is completed. This restricted period can last many months. Until the public registration process is completed, PIPES are restricted as to resale and the Fund cannot freely trade the securities. Generally, such restrictions cause the PIPES to be illiquid during this time. See “Investment Policies and Techniques – Other Investment Policies and Techniques – Illiquid Investments” for a description of the risks of investing in illiquid investments. PIPES may contain provisions that the issuer will pay specified financial penalties to the holder if the issuer does not publicly register the restricted equity securities within a specified period of time, but there is no assurance that the restricted equity securities will be publicly registered, or that the registration will remain in effect.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
The Fund may invest in equity securities of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”). Also known as a “blank check company,” a SPAC is a company with no commercial operations that is formed solely to raise capital from investors for the purpose of acquiring one or more existing private companies. SPACs often have pre-determined time frames to make an acquisition (typically two years) or the SPAC will liquidate. The Fund may purchase units or shares of SPACs that have completed an IPO on a secondary market, during a SPAC’s IPO or through a PIPES offering. See “Investment Policies and Techniques – Other Investment Policies and Techniques – Initial Public Offerings” and “Investment Policies and Techniques – Other Investment Policies and Techniques – Private Investments in Public Equity” for information about these types of offerings.
Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash. Because SPACs have no operating history or ongoing
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business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. There is no guarantee that the SPACs in which the Fund invests will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable. Public stockholders of SPACs such as the Fund may not be afforded a meaningful opportunity to vote on a proposed initial business combination because certain stockholders, including stockholders affiliated with the management of the SPAC, may have sufficient voting power, and a financial incentive, to approve such a transaction without support from public stockholders. As a result, a SPAC may complete a business combination even though a majority of its public stockholders do not support such a combination. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices.
The private companies that SPACs acquire are often unseasoned and lack a trading history, a track record of reporting to investors and widely available research coverage. Securities of SPAC-derived companies are thus subject to extreme price volatility and speculative trading. In addition, the ownership of many SPAC-derived companies often includes large holdings by venture capital and private equity investors who seek to sell their shares in the public market in the months following a business combination transaction when shares restricted by lock-up are released, causing even greater price volatility and possible downward pressure during the time that locked-up shares are released.
When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Transactions
The Fund may from time to time purchase securities on a “when-issued” or other delayed-delivery basis. The price of securities purchased on a when-issued basis is fixed at the time the commitment to purchase is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. Normally, the settlement date occurs within 45 days of the purchase. During the period between the purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the Fund to the issuer and no interest is accrued on debt securities and no dividend income is earned on equity securities. Forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date. This risk is in addition to the risk of decline in value of the Fund’s other assets. Although when-issued securities may be sold prior to the settlement date, the Fund intends to purchase such securities with the purpose of actually acquiring them. At the time the Fund makes the commitment to purchase a security on a when-issued basis, it will record the transaction and reflect the value of the security in determining its net asset value. The Fund does not believe that net asset value will be adversely affected by purchases of securities on a when-issued basis.
The Fund may be required to designate on its books or maintain in a segregated account cash and liquid securities equal in value to commitments for when-issued securities. When the time comes to pay for when-issued securities, the Fund will meet its obligations from then-available cash flow, sale of the segregated securities, sale of other securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from the sale of the when-issued securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than the Fund’s payment obligation).
S-20
MANAGEMENT
The management of the Trust, including general supervision of the duties performed for the Fund by the Adviser under the Management Agreement, is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. The number of trustees of the Trust is ten, all of whom are not interested persons (referred to herein as “independent trustees”). None of the independent trustees has ever been a trustee, director or employee of, or consultant to, the Adviser or its affiliates. The names, business addresses and years of birth of the trustees and officers of the Fund, their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years, the number of portfolios each trustee oversees and other directorships they hold are set forth below. Except as noted in the table below, the trustees of the Trust are directors or trustees, as the case may be, of 132 Nuveen-sponsored registered investment companies (the “Nuveen Funds”), which include 67 open-end mutual funds (the “Nuveen Mutual Funds”), 46 closed-end funds and 19 exchange-traded funds.
Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Number
of |
Other | |
Independent Trustees*: |
||||||
|
||||||
Jack
B. Evans |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite** |
Chairman (since 2019), formerly, President (1996-2019), The Hall-Perrine Foundation (private philanthropic corporation); Life Trustee of Coe College; formerly, Director, Public Member, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (2015-2020); Director (1997-2003), Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; President and Chief Operating Officer (1972-1995), SCI Financial Group, Inc. (regional financial services firm); Member and President Pro Tem of the Board of Regents for the State of Iowa University System (2007-2013); Director (1996-2015), The Gazette Company (media and publishing). |
132 |
Formerly, Director and Chairman (2009-2021), United Fire Group, a publicly held company; Director (2000-2004), Alliant Energy. | |
|
||||||
William
C. Hunter |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite***
|
Dean Emeritus, formerly, Dean (2006-2012), Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa; past Director (2005-2015) and past President (2010-2014) of Beta Gamma Sigma, Inc., The International Business Honor Society; formerly, Director (1997-2007), Credit Research Center at Georgetown University; formerly, Dean and Distinguished Professor of Finance (2003-2006), School of Business at the University of Connecticut; previously, Senior Vice President and Director of Research (1995-2003) at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. |
132 |
Director (since 2009) of Wellmark, Inc.; formerly, Director (2004-2018) of Xerox Corporation. |
S-21
Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Number
of |
Other |
|
|||||
Amy
B. R. Lancellotta |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite
|
Formerly, Managing Director, Independent Directors Council (IDC) (supports the fund independent director community and is part of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), which represents regulated investment companies) (2006-2019); formerly, various positions with ICI (1989-2006); President (since 2023) and Member (since 2020) of the Board of Directors, Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA). |
132 |
None |
|
|||||
Joanne
T. Medero |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite
|
Formerly, Managing Director, Government Relations and Public Policy (2009-2020) and Senior Advisor to the Vice Chairman (2018-2020), BlackRock, Inc. (global investment management firm); formerly, Managing Director, Global Head of Government Relations and Public Policy, Barclays Group (IBIM) (investment banking, investment management and wealth management businesses) (2006-2009); formerly, Managing Director, Global General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Barclays Global Investors (global investment management firm) (1996-2006); formerly, Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (law firm) (1993-1995); formerly, General Counsel, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (government agency overseeing U.S. derivatives markets) (1989-1993); formerly, Deputy Associate Director/Associate Director for Legal and Financial Affairs, Office of Presidential Personnel, The White House (1986-1989); Member of the Board of Directors, Baltic-American Freedom Foundation (seeks to provide opportunities for citizens of the Baltic states to gain education and professional development through exchanges in the U.S.) (since 2019). |
132 |
None |
S-22
Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Number
of |
Other |
|
|||||
Albin
F. Moschner |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite
|
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Northcroft Partners, LLC (management consulting) (since 2012); previously, held positions at Leap Wireless International, Inc. (consumer wireless services), including Consultant (2011-2012), Chief Operating Officer (2008-2011) and Chief Marketing Officer (2004-2008); formerly, President, Verizon Card Services division of Verizon Communications, Inc. (telecommunication services) (2000-2003); formerly, President, One Point Services at One Point Communications (telecommunication services) (1999-2000); formerly, Vice Chairman of the Board, Diba, Incorporated (internet technology provider) (1996-1997); formerly, various executive positions (1991-1996) and Chief Executive Officer (1995-1996) of Zenith Electronics Corporation (consumer electronics). |
132 |
Formerly, Chairman (2019) and Director (2012-2019), USA Technologies, Inc., a provider of solutions and services to facilitate electronic payment transactions; formerly, Director, Wintrust Financial Corporation (1996-2016). |
|
|||||
John
K. Nelson |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite
|
Member of Board of Directors of Core12 LLC (private firm which develops branding, marketing and communications strategies for clients) (since 2008); served on The President's Council of Fordham University (2010-2019) and previously a Director of the Curran Center for Catholic American Studies (2009-2018); formerly, senior external advisor to the Financial Services practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP (2012-2014); former Chair of the Board of Trustees of Marian University (2010-2014 as trustee, 2011-2014 as Chair); formerly Chief Executive Officer of ABN AMRO Bank N.V., North America, and Global Head of the Financial Markets Division (2007-2008), with various executive leadership roles in ABN AMRO Bank N.V. between 1996 and 2007. |
132 |
None |
|
|||||
|
S-23
Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Number
of |
Other | |
Matthew
Thornton III |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite
|
Formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (2018-2019), FedEx Freight Corporation, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”) (provider of transportation, e-commerce and business services through its portfolio of companies); formerly, Senior Vice President, U.S. Operations (2006-2018), Federal Express Corporation, a subsidiary of FedEx; formerly, Member of the Board of Directors (2012-2018), Safe Kids Worldwide® (a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing childhood injuries). |
132 |
Member of the Board of Directors (since 2014), The Sherwin-Williams Company (develops, manufactures, distributes and sells paints, coatings and related products); Member of the Board of Directors (since 2020), Crown Castle International (provider of communications infrastructure). | |
|
||||||
Terence
J. Toth |
Chair
of |
Term—Indefinite
|
Formerly, Co-Founding Partner, Promus Capital (investment advisory firm) (2008-2017); formerly, Director, Quality Control Corporation (manufacturing) (2012-2021); formerly, Director, Fulcrum IT Service LLC (information technology services firm to government entities) (2010-2019); formerly, Director, LogicMark LLC (health services) (2012-2016); formerly, Director, Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. (asset management) (2008-2013); formerly, CEO and President, Northern Trust Global Investments (financial services) (2004-2007); Executive Vice President, Quantitative Management & Securities Lending (2000-2004); prior thereto, various positions with Northern Trust Company (financial services) (since 1994); Chair of the Board of the Kehrein Center for the Arts (philanthropy) (since 2021); Member, Catalyst Schools of Chicago Board (since 2008) and Mather Foundation Board (philanthropy) (since 2012), formerly, Chair of its Investment Committee (2017-2022); formerly, Member, Chicago Fellowship Board (philanthropy) (2005-2016); formerly, Member, Northern Trust Mutual Funds Board (2005-2007), Northern Trust Global Investments Board (2004-2007), Northern Trust Japan Board (2004-2007), Northern Trust Securities Inc. Board (2003-2007) and Northern Trust Hong Kong Board (1997-2004). |
132 |
None |
S-24
Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Number
of |
Other |
|
|||||
Margaret
L. Wolff |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite
|
Formerly, Of Counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (Mergers & Acquisitions Group) (legal services) (2005-2014); Member of the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian Hospital (since 2005); Member (since 2004), formerly, Chair (2015-2022) of the Board of Trustees of The John A. Hartford Foundation (philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults); formerly, Member (2005-2015) and Vice Chair (2011-2015) of the Board of Trustees of Mt. Holyoke College. |
132 |
Formerly, Member of the Board of Directors (2013-2017) of Travelers Insurance Company of Canada and The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (each, a part of Travelers Canada, the Canadian operation of The Travelers Companies, Inc.). |
|
|||||
Robert
L. Young |
Trustee |
Term—Indefinite
|
Formerly, Chief Operating Officer and Director, J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (financial services) (2010-2016); formerly, President and Principal Executive Officer (2013-2016), and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (2005-2010), of J.P. Morgan Funds; formerly, Director and various officer positions for J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (formerly, JPMorgan Funds Management, Inc. and formerly, One Group Administrative Services) and JPMorgan Distribution Services, Inc. (financial services) (formerly, One Group Dealer Services, Inc.) (1999-2017). |
132 |
None |
|
* As described in proxy materials delivered to fund shareholders in October 2023, in addition to the retirements of Mr. Evans and Dr. Hunter on December 31, 2023, the composition of the Board is anticipated to change effective January 1, 2024. Additional information concerning the changes will be forthcoming.
** Mr. Evans will retire from the Board as of December 31, 2023.
*** Dr. Hunter will retire from the Board as of December 31, 2023.
S-25
Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office and |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
Officers of the Trust: |
|||
Brett
E. Black |
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |
Term—Indefinite |
Managing Director, Chief Compliance Officer of Nuveen (since 2022); formerly, Vice President (2014-2022), Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (2017-2022), Deputy Chief Compliance Officer (2014-2017) of BMO Funds, Inc. |
Mark
J. Czarniecki |
Vice President and Secretary |
Term—Indefinite |
Managing Director (since 2022), formerly, Vice President (2016-2022), and Assistant Secretary (since 2016) of Nuveen Securities, LLC; Managing Director (since 2022), formerly, Vice President (2017-2022) and Assistant Secretary (since 2017) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director and Associate General Counsel (since January 2022), formerly, Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen (2013-2021); Managing Director (since 2022), formerly, Vice President (2018-2022), Assistant Secretary and Associate General Counsel (since 2018) of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; Managing Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (since 2023). |
Diana
R. Gonzalez |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Term—Indefinite |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC (since 2017); Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (since 2022); Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (since 2023); Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen (since 2017); formerly, Associate General Counsel of Jackson National Asset Management (2012-2017). |
Nathaniel
T. Jones |
Vice President and Treasurer |
Term—Indefinite
|
Senior Managing Director (since 2021), formerly, Managing Director (2017-2021), Senior Vice President (2016-2017) of Nuveen; Managing Director (since 2015) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Chartered Financial Analyst. |
Brian
H. Lawrence |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Term—Indefinite
|
Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen (since 2023); Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary (since 2023) of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; formerly, Corporate Counsel of Franklin Templeton (2018-2022). |
Tina
M. Lazar |
Vice President |
Term—Indefinite
|
Managing Director (since 2017), formerly, Senior Vice President (2014-2017) of Nuveen Securities, LLC. |
Brian
J. Lockhart |
Vice President |
Term—Indefinite
|
Senior Managing Director (since 2021), formerly, Managing Director (2017-2021), Vice President (2010-2017) of Nuveen, Head of Investment Oversight (since 2017), formerly, Team Leader of Manager Oversight (2015-2017); Managing Director (since 2019), of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Risk Manager. |
S-26
Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office and |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
John
M. McCann |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Term—Indefinite
|
Managing Director (since 2021), General Counsel and Secretary (since 2023), formerly, Assistant Secretary (2021-2023) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (since 2021); Managing Director (since 2021) and Assistant Secretary (since 2016) of TIAA SMA Strategies LLC; Managing Director (since 2019, formerly, Vice President and Director), Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of College Retirement Equities Fund, TIAA Separate Account VA-1, TIAA-CREF Funds and TIAA-CREF Life Funds; Managing Director (since 2018), formerly, Vice President and Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, Teacher Advisors LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; Managing Director (since 2022), formerly, Vice President (2017-2022), Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary (since 2011) of Nuveen Alternative Advisors LLC; General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Covariance Capital Management, Inc. (2014-2017). |
Kevin
J. McCarthy |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Term—Indefinite
|
Executive Vice President (since 2022) and Secretary and General Counsel (since 2016) of Nuveen Investments, Inc., formerly, Senior Managing Director (2017-2022); Executive Vice President (since 2023) and Assistant Secretary (since 2008) of Nuveen Securities, LLC, formerly, Senior Managing Director (2017-2023); Executive Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since 2023) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, formerly, Senior Managing Director (2017-2023), Secretary (2016-2023) and Co-General Counsel (2011-2020); Executive Vice President (since 2023) and Secretary (since 2016) of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, formerly, Senior Managing Director (2017-2023) and Associate General Counsel (2011-2020); Executive Vice President (since 2021) and Secretary (since 2023) of Teachers Advisors, LLC, formerly, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary; Executive Vice President (since 2017) and Secretary (since 2023) of TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC, formerly, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary (2017-2023; formerly, Vice President (2007-2021) and Secretary (2016-2021) of NWQ Investment Management Company, LLC and Santa Barbara Asset Management, LLC; Vice President and Secretary of Winslow Capital Management, LLC (since 2010); Executive Vice President (since 2023) and Secretary (since 2016) of Nuveen Alternative Investments, LLC, formerly, Senior Managing Director (2017-2023). |
Jon
Scott Meissner |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Term—Indefinite |
Managing Director, Mutual Fund Tax and Expense Administration (since 2022), formerly, Managing Director of Mutual Fund Tax and Financial Reporting groups (2017-2022) at Nuveen; Managing Director (since 2019) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director (since 2021), formerly, Senior Director (2016-2021) of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; Managing Director, Mutual Fund and Tax Expense Administration (since 2022), formerly, Senior Director Mutual Fund Taxation (2015-2022) to the TIAA-CREF Funds, the TIAA-CREF Life Funds, the TIAA Separate Account VA-1 and the CREF Accounts; has held various positions with TIAA since 2004. |
Justin
M. Pfaff |
Chief Administrative Officer |
Term—Indefinite |
Managing Director, Advisory Product, Nuveen (since 2016); Chartered Financial Analyst. |
William
A. Siffermann |
Vice President |
Term—Indefinite |
Managing Director (since 2017), formerly Senior Vice President (2016-2017) of Nuveen. |
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Name,
Business Address |
Position(s)
Held |
Term
of Office and |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
E.
Scott Wickerham |
Vice President and Controller |
Term—Indefinite
|
Senior Managing Director, Head of Public Investment Finance of Nuveen (since 2019), formerly, Managing Director; Senior Managing Director (since 2019) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Senior Managing Director (since 2022) of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; Senior Managing Director of Teachers Advisors, LLC (since 2021) and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (since 2016); Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Treasurer (since 2017) of the TIAA-CREF Funds, the TIAA-CREF Life Funds, the TIAA Separate Account VA-1 and the Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer (since 2020) and Treasurer (since 2017) to the CREF Accounts; has held various positions with TIAA since 2006. |
Mark
L. Winget |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Term—Indefinite
|
Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Securities, LLC (since 2008); Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC (since 2019); Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (since 2023) and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (since 2020); Vice President (since 2010) and Associate General Counsel (since 2019) of Nuveen. |
Rachael
M. Zufall |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Term—Indefinite |
Managing Director and Assistant Secretary (since 2023) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director (since 2017), Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary (since 2014) of the CREF Accounts, TIAA Separate Account VA-1, TIAA-CREF Funds and TIAA-CREF Life Funds; Managing Director (since 2017), Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary (since 2011) of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; Managing Director of Nuveen, LLC and of TIAA (since 2017). |
Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight
The Board of Directors or the Board of Trustees (as the case may be, each is referred to hereafter as the “Board” or “Board of Trustees” and the directors or trustees of the Nuveen Funds, as applicable, are each referred to herein as “trustees”) oversees the operations and management of the Nuveen Funds, including the duties performed for the Nuveen Funds by the Adviser. The Board has adopted a unitary board structure. A unitary board consists of one group of trustees who serve on the board of every fund in the Nuveen Fund complex. In adopting a unitary board structure, the trustees seek to provide effective governance through establishing a board, the overall composition of which will, as a body, possess the appropriate skills, diversity (including, among other things, gender, race and ethnicity), independence and experience to oversee the Nuveen Funds’ business. With this overall framework in mind, when the Board, through its Nominating and Governance Committee discussed below, seeks nominees for the Board, the trustees consider, not only the candidate’s particular background, skills and experience, among other things, but also whether such background, skills and experience enhance the Board’s diversity and at the same time complement the Board given its current composition and the mix of skills and experiences of the incumbent trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee believes that the Board generally benefits from diversity of background (including, among other things, gender, race and ethnicity), skills, experience and views among its members, and considers this a factor in evaluating the composition of the Board, but has not adopted any specific policy on diversity or any particular definition of diversity.
The Board believes the unitary board structure enhances good and effective governance, particularly given the nature of the structure of the investment company complex. Funds in the same complex generally are served by the same service providers and personnel and are governed by the same regulatory scheme which raises common issues that must be addressed by the trustees across the fund complex (such as compliance, valuation, liquidity, brokerage, trade allocation or risk management). The Board believes it is more efficient to have a single board review and oversee common policies and procedures which increases the Board’s knowledge and expertise with respect to the many aspects of fund operations that are complex-wide in nature. The unitary structure also enhances the Board’s influence and oversight over the investment adviser and other service providers.
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In an effort to enhance the independence of the Board, the Board also has a Chair that is an independent trustee. The Board recognizes that a chair can perform an important role in setting the agenda for the Board, establishing the boardroom culture, establishing a point person on behalf of the Board for fund management, and reinforcing the Board’s focus on the long-term interests of shareholders. The Board recognizes that a chair may be able to better perform these functions without any conflicts of interests arising from a position with fund management. Accordingly, the trustees have elected Mr. Toth to serve as the independent Chair of the Board. Specific responsibilities of the Chair include: (i) presiding at all meetings of the Board and of the shareholders; (ii) seeing that all orders and resolutions of the trustees are carried into effect; and (iii) maintaining records of and, whenever necessary, certifying all proceedings of the trustees and the shareholders.
Although the Board has direct responsibility over various matters (such as advisory contracts and underwriting contracts), the Board also exercises certain of its oversight responsibilities through several committees that it has established and which report back to the full Board. The Board believes that a committee structure is an effective means to permit trustees to focus on particular operations or issues affecting the Nuveen Funds, including risk oversight. More specifically, with respect to risk oversight, the Board has delegated matters relating to valuation, compliance and investment risk to certain committees (as summarized below). In addition, the Board believes that the periodic rotation of trustees among the different committees allows the trustees to gain additional and different perspectives of a Nuveen Fund’s operations. The Board has established seven standing committees: the Executive Committee, the Dividend Committee, the Audit Committee, the Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee, the Investment Committee and the Open-End Funds Committee. The Board may also from time to time create ad hoc committees to focus on particular issues as the need arises. The membership and functions of the standing committees are summarized below. For more information on the Board, please visit www.nuveen.com/fundgovernance.
The Executive Committee, which meets between regular meetings of the Board, is authorized to exercise all of the powers of the Board. The members of the Executive Committee are Mr. Toth, Chair, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Young. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Executive Committee did not meet.
The Audit Committee assists the Board in the oversight and monitoring of the accounting and reporting policies, processes and practices of the Nuveen Funds, and the audits of the financial statements of the Nuveen Funds; the quality and integrity of the financial statements of the Nuveen Funds; the Nuveen Funds’ compliance with legal and regulatory requirements relating to the Nuveen Funds’ financial statements; the independent auditors’ qualifications, performance and independence; and the pricing procedures of the Nuveen Funds and the Adviser’s internal valuation group. It is the responsibility of the Audit Committee to select, evaluate and replace any independent auditors (subject only to Board and, if applicable, shareholder ratification) and to determine their compensation. The Audit Committee is also responsible for, among other things, overseeing the valuation of securities comprising the Nuveen Funds’ portfolios. Subject to the Adviser’s general supervision of such actions through its role as valuation designee, the Audit Committee addresses any valuation issues, oversees the Nuveen Funds’ pricing procedures and actions taken by the Adviser’s internal valuation group which provides regular reports to the committee, reviews any issues relating to the valuation of the Nuveen Funds’ securities brought to its attention and considers the risks to the Nuveen Funds in assessing the possible resolutions to these matters. The Audit Committee may also consider any financial risk exposures for the Nuveen Funds in conjunction with performing its functions.
To fulfill its oversight duties, the Audit Committee receives annual and semi-annual reports and has regular meetings with the external auditors for the Nuveen Funds and the Adviser’s internal audit group. The Audit Committee also may review in a general manner the processes the Board or other Board committees have in place with respect to risk assessment and risk management as well as compliance with legal and regulatory matters relating to the Nuveen Funds’ financial statements. The committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. Members of the Audit Committee shall be independent (as set forth in the charter) and free of any relationship that, in the opinion of the trustees, would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment as an Audit Committee member. The members of the Audit Committee are Mr. Nelson, Chair, Mr. Evans, Mr. Moschner, Ms. Wolff and Mr. Young, each of whom is an independent trustee of the Nuveen Funds. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Audit Committee met 13 times.
The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for seeking, identifying and recommending to the Board qualified candidates for election or appointment to the Board. In addition, the
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Nominating and Governance Committee oversees matters of corporate governance, including the evaluation of Board performance and processes, the assignment and rotation of committee members, and the establishment of corporate governance guidelines and procedures, to the extent necessary or desirable, and matters related thereto. Although the unitary and committee structure has been developed over the years and the Nominating and Governance Committee believes the structure has provided efficient and effective governance, the committee recognizes that as demands on the Board evolve over time (such as through an increase in the number of funds overseen or an increase in the complexity of the issues raised), the committee must continue to evaluate the Board and committee structures and their processes and modify the foregoing as may be necessary or appropriate to continue to provide effective governance. Accordingly, the Nominating and Governance Committee has a separate meeting each year to, among other things, review the Board and committee structures, their performance and functions, and recommend any modifications thereto or alternative structures or processes that would enhance the Board’s governance of the Nuveen Funds.
In addition, the Nominating and Governance Committee, among other things, makes recommendations concerning the continuing education of trustees; monitors performance of legal counsel and other service providers; establishes and monitors a process by which security holders are able to communicate in writing with members of the Board; and periodically reviews and makes recommendations about any appropriate changes to trustee compensation. In the event of a vacancy on the Board, the Nominating and Governance Committee receives suggestions from various sources, including shareholders, as to suitable candidates. Suggestions should be sent in writing to William Siffermann, Manager of Fund Board Relations, Nuveen, LLC, 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606. The Nominating and Governance Committee sets appropriate standards and requirements for nominations for new trustees and reserves the right to interview any and all candidates and to make the final selection of any new trustees. In considering a candidate’s qualifications, each candidate must meet certain basic requirements, including relevant skills and experience, time availability (including the time requirements for due diligence meetings to sub-advisers and service providers) and, if qualifying as an independent trustee candidate, independence from the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and other service providers, including any affiliates of these entities. These skill and experience requirements may vary depending on the current composition of the Board, since the goal is to ensure an appropriate range of skills, diversity and experience, in the aggregate. Accordingly, the particular factors considered and weight given to these factors will depend on the composition of the Board and the skills and backgrounds of the incumbent trustees at the time of consideration of the nominees. All candidates, however, must meet high expectations of personal integrity, independence, governance experience and professional competence. All candidates must be willing to be critical within the Board and with management and yet maintain a collegial and collaborative manner toward other Board members. The committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. This committee is composed of the independent trustees of the Nuveen Funds. Accordingly, the members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Mr. Toth, Chair, Mr. Evans, Dr. Hunter, Ms. Lancellotta, Ms. Medero, Mr. Moschner, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Thornton, Ms. Wolff and Mr. Young. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Nominating and Governance Committee met six times.
The Dividend Committee is authorized to declare distributions on the Nuveen Funds’ shares, including, but not limited to, regular and special dividends, capital gains and ordinary income distributions. The members of the Dividend Committee are Mr. Young, Chair, Ms. Lancellotta, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Thornton. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Dividend Committee met four times.
The Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee (the “Compliance Committee”) is responsible for the oversight of compliance issues, risk management and other regulatory matters affecting the Nuveen Funds that are not otherwise the jurisdiction of the other committees. The Board has adopted and periodically reviews policies and procedures designed to address the Nuveen Funds’ compliance and risk matters. As part of its duties, the Compliance Committee reviews the policies and procedures relating to compliance matters and recommends modifications thereto as necessary or appropriate to the full Board; develops new policies and procedures as new regulatory matters affecting the Nuveen Funds arise from time to time; evaluates or considers any comments or reports from examinations from regulatory authorities and responses thereto; and performs any special reviews, investigations or other oversight responsibilities relating to risk management, compliance and/or regulatory matters as requested by the Board.
In addition, the Compliance Committee is responsible for risk oversight, including, but not limited to, the oversight of general risks related to investments which are not reviewed by other committees, such as
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liquidity and derivatives usage; risks related to product structure elements, such as leverage; techniques that may be used to address the foregoing risks, such as hedging and swaps and Fund operational risk and risks related to the overall operation of the Nuveen enterprise and, in each case, the controls designed to address or mitigate such risks. In assessing issues brought to the committee’s attention or in reviewing a particular policy, procedure, investment technique or strategy, the Compliance Committee evaluates the risks to the Nuveen Funds in adopting a particular approach compared to the anticipated benefits to the Nuveen Funds and their shareholders. In fulfilling its obligations, the Compliance Committee meets on a quarterly basis, and at least once a year in person. The Compliance Committee receives written and oral reports from the Nuveen Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) and meets privately with the CCO at each of its quarterly meetings. The CCO also provides an annual report to the full Board regarding the operations of the Nuveen Funds’ and other service providers’ compliance programs as well as any recommendations for modifications thereto. Matters not addressed at the committee level are addressed directly by the full Board. The committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. The members of the Compliance Committee are Ms. Wolff, Chair, Dr. Hunter, Ms. Lancellotta, Ms. Medero, Mr. Thornton and Mr. Toth. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Compliance Committee met four times.
The Investment Committee is responsible for the oversight of Nuveen Fund performance, investment risk management and other portfolio-related matters affecting the Nuveen Funds which are not otherwise the jurisdiction of the other Board committees. As part of such oversight, the Investment Committee reviews each Nuveen Fund’s investment performance and investment risks, which may include, but is not limited to, an evaluation of Nuveen Fund performance relative to investment objectives, benchmarks and peer group; a review of risks related to portfolio investments, such as exposures to particular issuers, market sectors, or types of securities, as well as consideration of other factors that could impact or are related to Nuveen Fund performance; and an assessment of Nuveen Fund objectives, policies and practices as such may relate to Nuveen Fund performance. In assessing issues brought to the committee’s attention or in reviewing an investment policy, technique or strategy, the Investment Committee evaluates the risks to the Nuveen Funds in adopting or recommending a particular approach or resolution compared to the anticipated benefits to the Nuveen Funds and their shareholders.
In fulfilling its obligations, the Investment Committee receives quarterly reports from the investment oversight and the investment risk groups at Nuveen. Such groups also report to the full Board on a quarterly basis and the full Board participates in further discussions with fund management at its quarterly meetings regarding matters relating to Nuveen Fund performance and investment risks, including with respect to the various drivers of performance and Nuveen Fund use of leverage and hedging. Accordingly, the Board directly and/or in conjunction with the Investment Committee oversees the investment performance and investment risk management of the Nuveen Funds. The Investment Committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. This committee is composed of the independent trustees of the Nuveen Funds. Accordingly, the members of the Investment Committee are Dr. Hunter, Chair, Mr. Evans, Ms. Lancellotta, Ms. Medero, Mr. Moschner, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Thornton, Mr. Toth, Ms. Wolff and Mr. Young. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Investment Committee met three times.
The Open-End Funds Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in the oversight and monitoring of the Nuveen Funds that are registered as open-end management investment companies (“Open-End Funds”). The committee may review and evaluate matters related to the formation and the initial presentation to the Board of any new Open-End Fund and may review and evaluate any matters relating to any existing Open-End Fund. The committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. The members of the Open-End Funds Committee are Mr. Moschner, Chair, Ms. Medero, Mr. Thornton, Mr. Toth and Mr. Young. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Open-End Funds Committee met four times.
Board Diversification and Trustee Qualifications
In determining that a particular trustee was qualified to serve on the Board, the Board has considered each trustee’s background, skills, experience and other attributes in light of the composition of the Board with no particular factor controlling. The Board believes that trustees need to have the ability to critically review, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, and to interact effectively with Fund management, service providers and counsel, in order to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, and the Board believes each trustee satisfies this standard. An effective trustee may achieve this ability through his or her educational background; business, professional training or practice; public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member or
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executive of investment funds, public companies or significant private or not-for-profit entities or other organizations; and/or other life experiences. Accordingly, set forth below is a summary of the experiences, qualifications, attributes, and skills that led to the conclusion, as of the date of this document, that each trustee should continue to serve in that capacity. References to the experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills of trustees are pursuant to requirements of the SEC, do not constitute holding out of the Board or any trustee as having any special expertise or experience and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
Jack B. Evans
Mr. Evans has served as Chairman (since 2019) and President (1996-2019) of the Hall-Perrine Foundation, a private philanthropic corporation. Mr. Evans was formerly President and Chief Operating Officer (1972-1995) of the SCI Financial Group, Inc., a regional financial services firm headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was a member of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago from 1997 to 2003 as well as a Director of Alliant Energy from 2000 to 2004 and Member and President Pro Tem of the Board of Regents for the State of Iowa University System from 2007 to 2013. Mr. Evans is a Life Trustee of Coe College and formerly served as Chairman of the Board of United Fire Group from 2009 to 2021, served as a Director and Public Member of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery from 2015 to 2020 and served on the Board of The Gazette Company from 1996 to 2015. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Coe College and an M.B.A. from the University of Iowa.
William C. Hunter
Dr. Hunter became Dean Emeritus of the Henry B. Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa in 2012, after having served as Dean of the College since July 2006. He had been Dean and Distinguished Professor of Finance at the University of Connecticut School of Business from 2003 to 2006. From 1995 to 2003, he was the Senior Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. He has held faculty positions at Emory University, Atlanta University, the University of Georgia and Northwestern University. He has consulted with numerous foreign central banks and official agencies in Europe, Asia, Central America and South America. He has been a Director of Wellmark, Inc. since 2009. He is a past Director (2005-2015) and a past President (2010-2014) of Beta Gamma Sigma, Inc., The International Business Honor Society and a past Director (2004-2018) of the Xerox Corporation. Dr. Hunter received his PhD (1978) and MBA (1970) from Northwestern University and his BS from Hampton University (1970).
Amy B.R. Lancellotta
After 30 years of service, Ms. Lancellotta retired at the end of 2019 from the Investment Company Institute (ICI), which represents regulated investment companies on regulatory, legislative and securities industry initiatives that affect funds and their shareholders. From November 2006 until her retirement, Ms. Lancellotta served as Managing Director of ICI’s Independent Directors Council (IDC), which supports fund independent directors in fulfilling their responsibilities to promote and protect the interests of fund shareholders. At IDC, Ms. Lancellotta was responsible for all ICI and IDC activities relating to the fund independent director community. In conjunction with her responsibilities, Ms. Lancellotta advised and represented IDC, ICI, independent directors and the investment company industry on issues relating to fund governance and the role of fund directors. She also directed and coordinated IDC’s education, communication, governance and policy initiatives. Prior to serving as Managing Director of IDC, Ms. Lancellotta held various other positions with ICI beginning in 1989. Before joining ICI, Ms. Lancellotta was an associate at two Washington, D.C. law firms. In addition, she has been President, since 2023, and a member, since 2020, of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA), an organization that seeks to end power-based violence, empower survivors and ensure safe communities. Ms. Lancellotta received a B.A. degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1981 and a J.D. degree from the National Law Center, George Washington University (currently known as George Washington University Law School) in 1984.
Joanne T. Medero
Ms. Medero has over 30 years of financial services experience and, most recently, from December 2009 until her retirement in July 2020, she was a Managing Director in the Government Relations and Public Policy Group at BlackRock, Inc. (BlackRock). From July 2018 to July 2020, she was also Senior Advisor to BlackRock’s Vice Chairman, focusing on public policy and corporate governance issues. In 1996, Ms. Medero joined Barclays Global Investors (BGI), which merged with BlackRock in 2009. At BGI, she was a Managing Director and served as Global General Counsel and Corporate Secretary until 2006. Then, from 2006 to 2009, Ms. Medero was a Managing Director and Global Head of Government
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Relations and Public Policy at Barclays Group (IBIM), where she provided policy guidance and directed legislative and regulatory advocacy programs for the investment banking, investment management and wealth management businesses. Before joining BGI, Ms. Medero was a Partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP from 1993 to 1995, where she specialized in derivatives and financial markets regulation issues. Additionally, she served as General Counsel of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from 1989 to 1993 and, from 1986 to 1989, she was Deputy Associate Director/Associate Director for Legal and Financial Affairs at The White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Further, from 2006 to 2010, Ms. Medero was a member of the CFTC Global Markets Advisory Committee and she has been actively involved in financial industry associations, serving as Chair of the Steering Committee of the SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) Asset Management Group (2016-2018) and Chair of the CTA (Commodity Trading Advisor), CPO (Commodity Pool Operator) and Futures Committee of the Managed Funds Association (2010-2012). Ms. Medero also chaired the Corporations, Antitrust and Securities Practice Group of The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy (from 2010 to 2022 and 2000 to 2002). In addition, since 2019, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation, which seeks to provide opportunities for citizens of the Baltic States to gain education and professional development through exchanges in the United States. Ms. Medero received a B.A. degree from St. Lawrence University in 1975 and a J.D. degree from the National Law Center, George Washington University (currently known as George Washington University Law School) in 1978.
Albin F. Moschner
Mr. Moschner is a consultant in the wireless industry and, in July 2012, founded Northcroft Partners, LLC, a management consulting firm that provides operational, management and governance solutions. Prior to founding Northcroft Partners, LLC, Mr. Moschner held various positions at Leap Wireless International, Inc., a provider of wireless services, where he was a consultant from February 2011 to July 2012, Chief Operating Officer from July 2008 to February 2011, and Chief Marketing Officer from August 2004 to June 2008. Before he joined Leap Wireless International, Inc., Mr. Moschner was President of the Verizon Card Services division of Verizon Communications, Inc. from 2000 to 2003, and President of One Point Services at One Point Communications from 1999 to 2000. Mr. Moschner also served at Zenith Electronics Corporation as Director, President and Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 1996, and as Director, President and Chief Operating Officer from 1994 to 1995. Mr. Moschner was Chairman of the Board (2019) and a member of the Board of Directors (2012-2019) of USA Technologies, Inc. and, from 1996 until 2016, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Wintrust Financial Corporation. In addition, he is emeritus (since 2018) of the Advisory Boards of the Kellogg School of Management (1995-2018) and the Archdiocese of Chicago Financial Council (2012-2018). Mr. Moschner received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from The City College of New York in 1974 and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University in 1979.
John K. Nelson
Mr. Nelson is on the Board of Directors of Core12, LLC (since 2008), a private firm that develops branding, marketing, and communications strategies for clients. Mr. Nelson has extensive experience in global banking and markets, having served in several senior executive positions with ABN AMRO Holdings N.V. and its affiliated entities and predecessors, including LaSalle Bank Corporation from 1996 to 2008, ultimately serving as Chief Executive Officer of ABN AMRO N.V. North America. During his tenure at the bank, he also served as Global Head of its Financial Markets Division, which encompassed the bank's Currency, Commodity, Fixed Income, Emerging Markets, and Derivatives businesses. He was a member of the Foreign Exchange Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States and during his tenure with ABN AMRO served as the bank's representative on various committees of The Bank of Canada, European Central Bank, and The Bank of England. Mr. Nelson previously served as a senior, external advisor to the financial services practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP (2012-2014). At Fordham University, he served as a director of The President's Council (2010- 2019) and previously served as a director of The Curran Center for Catholic American Studies (2009-2018). He served as a trustee and Chairman of The Board of Trustees of Marian University (2011-2013). Mr. Nelson is a graduate of Fordham University, holding a BA in Economics and an MBA in Finance.
Matthew Thornton III
Mr. Thornton has over 40 years of broad leadership and operating experience from his career with FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”), which, through its portfolio of companies, provides transportation, e-commerce and business services. In November 2019, Mr. Thornton retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of FedEx Freight Corporation (FedEx Freight), a subsidiary of FedEx, where,
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from May 2018 until his retirement, he had been responsible for day-to-day operations, strategic guidance, modernization of freight operations and delivering innovative customer solutions. From September 2006 to May 2018, Mr. Thornton served as Senior Vice President, U.S. Operations at Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Express), a subsidiary of FedEx. Prior to September 2006, Mr. Thornton held a range of positions of increasing responsibility with FedEx, including various management positions. In addition, Mr. Thornton currently (since 2014) serves on the Board of Directors of The Sherwin-Williams Company, where he is a member of the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and the Board of Directors of Crown Castle International (since 2020), where he is a member of the Strategy Committee and the Compensation Committee. Formerly (2012-2018), he was a member of the Board of Directors of Safe Kids Worldwide®, a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of childhood injuries. Mr. Thornton is a member (since 2014) of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the nation’s premier organization of global black senior executives. He is also a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). Mr. Thornton has been recognized by Black Enterprise on its 2017 list of the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America and by Ebony on its 2016 Power 100 list of the world’s most influential and inspiring African Americans. Mr. Thornton received a B.B.A. degree from the University of Memphis in 1980 and an M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee in 2001.
Terence J. Toth
Mr. Toth, the Nuveen Funds’ Independent Chair, was a Co-Founding Partner of Promus Capital (2008-2017). From 2012 to 2021, he was a Director of Quality Control Corporation, from 2010 to 2019, he was a Director of Fulcrum IT Service LLC and from 2012 to 2016, he was a Director of LogicMark LLC. From 2008 to 2013, he was a Director of Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. From 2004 to 2007, he was Chief Executive Officer and President of Northern Trust Global Investments, and Executive Vice President of Quantitative Management & Securities Lending from 2000 to 2004. He also formerly served on the Board of the Northern Trust Mutual Funds. He joined Northern Trust in 1994 after serving as Managing Director and Head of Global Securities Lending at Bankers Trust (1986 to 1994) and Head of Government Trading and Cash Collateral Investment at Northern Trust from 1982 to 1986. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Kehrein Center for the Arts (since 2021) and is on the Board of Catalyst Schools of Chicago (since 2008). He is on the Mather Foundation Board (since 2012) and was Chair of its Investment Committee from 2017 to 2022. Mr. Toth graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois, and received his MBA from New York University. In 2005, he graduated from the CEO Perspectives Program at Northwestern University.
Margaret L. Wolff
Ms. Wolff retired from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in 2014 after more than 30 years of providing client service in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. During her legal career, Ms. Wolff devoted significant time to advising boards and senior management on U.S. and international corporate, securities, regulatory and strategic matters, including governance, shareholder, fiduciary, operational and management issues. From 2013 to 2017, she was a Board member of Travelers Insurance Company of Canada and The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (each of which is a part of Travelers Canada, the Canadian operation of The Travelers Companies, Inc.). Ms. Wolff has been a trustee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital since 2005 and, since 2004, she has served as a trustee of The John A. Hartford Foundation (a philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults) where she formerly served as Chair from 2015 to 2022. From 2005 to 2015, she was a trustee of Mt. Holyoke College and served as Vice Chair of the Board from 2011 to 2015. Ms. Wolff received her Bachelor of Arts from Mt. Holyoke College and her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Robert L. Young
Mr. Young has more than 30 years of experience in the investment management industry. From 1997 to 2017, he held various positions with J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (“J.P. Morgan Investment”) and its affiliates (collectively, “J.P. Morgan”). Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Director of J.P. Morgan Investment (from 2010 to 2016) and as President and Principal Executive Officer of the J.P. Morgan Funds (from 2013 to 2016). As Chief Operating Officer of J.P. Morgan Investment, Mr. Young led service, administration and business platform support activities for J.P. Morgan’s domestic retail mutual fund and institutional commingled and separate account businesses, and co-led these activities for J.P. Morgan’s global retail and institutional investment management businesses. As President of the J.P. Morgan Funds, Mr. Young interacted with various service providers to these funds, facilitated the relationship between such funds and their boards, and was directly involved in establishing board agendas, addressing regulatory matters, and establishing policies and procedures. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Mr. Young, a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA), was a Senior
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Manager (Audit) with Deloitte & Touche LLP (formerly, Touche Ross LLP), where he was employed from 1985 to 1996. During his tenure there, he actively participated in creating, and ultimately led, the firm’s midwestern mutual fund practice. Mr. Young holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from the University of Dayton and, from 2008 to 2011, he served on the Investment Committee of its Board of Trustees.
Board Compensation
The following table shows, for each independent trustee, (1) the aggregate compensation (including deferred amounts), as well as any amounts related to special, ad hoc committees that are temporary in nature and not expected to be long-term, ongoing compensation, paid by the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, (2) the amount of total compensation paid by the Fund that has been deferred, and (3) the total compensation (including deferred amounts), as well as any amounts related to special, ad hoc committees that are temporary in nature and not expected to be long-term, ongoing compensation, paid to each trustee by the Nuveen Funds during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Board’s deferred compensation plan, a portion of the independent trustees’ compensation may be deferred and treated as though an equivalent dollar amount has been invested in shares of one or more eligible Nuveen Funds. The amount of total compensation that has been deferred provided below represents the total deferred fees payable from the Fund.
Name of Trustee |
Aggregate |
Amount
of Total |
|
Total
Compensation |
|||||||||||||||
Jack B. Evans |
$315 |
$ 33 |
$ |
400,455 |
|||||||||||||||
William C. Hunter |
310 |
— |
396,000 |
||||||||||||||||
Amy B. R. Lancellotta |
294 |
98 |
378,128 |
||||||||||||||||
Joanne T. Medero |
296 |
148 |
377,713 |
||||||||||||||||
Albin F. Moschner |
339 |
— |
445,500 |
||||||||||||||||
John K. Nelson |
322 |
— |
374,850 |
||||||||||||||||
Judith M. Stockdale1 |
288 |
230 |
365,329 |
||||||||||||||||
Carole E. Stone2 |
264 |
81 |
328,628 |
||||||||||||||||
Matthew Thornton III |
296 |
— |
395,000 |
||||||||||||||||
Terence J. Toth |
433 |
— |
554,750 |
||||||||||||||||
Margaret L. Wolff |
328 |
164 |
419,579 |
||||||||||||||||
Robert L. Young |
356 |
263 |
473,615 |
1 Ms. Stockdale retired as Trustee of the Nuveen Funds on December 31, 2022.
2 Ms. Stone retired as Trustee of the Nuveen Funds on December 31, 2022.
Prior to January 1, 2023, independent trustees received a $205,000 annual retainer, plus they received (a) a fee of $7,000 per day for attendance in person or by telephone at regularly scheduled meetings of the Board; (b) a fee of $3,000 per meeting for attendance in person or by telephone at special, non-regularly scheduled Board meetings where in-person attendance was required and $3,000 per meeting for attendance by telephone or in person at such meetings where in-person attendance was not required; (c) a fee of $2,500 per meeting for attendance in person or by telephone at Audit Committee meetings where in-person attendance was required and $2,250 per meeting for attendance by telephone or in person at such meetings where in-person attendance was not required; (d) a fee of $5,000 per meeting for attendance in person or by telephone at Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee meetings where in-person attendance was required and $2,000 per meeting for attendance by telephone or in person at such meetings where in-person attendance was not required; (e) a fee of $1,250 per meeting for attendance in person or by telephone at Dividend Committee meetings; (f) a fee of $500 per meeting for attendance in person or by telephone at all other committee meetings ($1,000 for shareholder meetings) where in-person attendance was required and $250 per meeting for attendance by telephone or in person at such committee meetings (excluding shareholder meetings) where in-person attendance was not required, and $100 per meeting when the Executive Committee acted as pricing committee for IPOs, plus, in each case, expenses incurred in attending such meetings, provided that no fees were received for meetings held on days on which regularly scheduled Board meetings were held; and (g) a fee of $2,500 per meeting for attendance in person or by telephone at Open-End Funds Committee meetings where in-person attendance was required and $2,000 per meeting for attendance by telephone or in person at such meetings where in-person attendance was not required; provided that no fees were received for meetings held on days on which regularly scheduled Board meetings were held. In addition to the payments described above, the Chair of the Board received
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$125,000, and the chairpersons of the Audit Committee, the Dividend Committee, the Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Open-End Funds Committee received $20,000 each as additional retainers. Independent trustees also received a fee of $3,500 per day for site visits to entities that provide services to the Nuveen Funds on days on which no Board meeting was held. When ad hoc committees are organized, the Nominating and Governance Committee at the time of formation determined compensation to be paid to the members of such committee; however, in general, such fees were $1,000 per meeting for attendance in person or by telephone at ad hoc committee meetings where in-person attendance was required and $500 per meeting for attendance by telephone or in person at such meetings where in-person attendance was not required. Any compensation paid to the independent directors as members of ad hoc committees is temporary in nature and not expected to be long-term, ongoing compensation. The annual retainer, fees and expenses were allocated among the Nuveen Funds on the basis of relative net assets, although management may have, in its discretion, established a minimum amount to be allocated to each fund. In certain instances fees and expenses were allocated only to those Nuveen Funds that were discussed at a given meeting. In certain circumstances, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board may have held in-person meetings by telephonic or videographic means and were compensated at the in-person rate.
Effective January 1, 2023, independent trustees receive a $210,000 annual retainer, plus they receive (a) a fee of $7,250 per day for attendance at regularly scheduled meetings of the Board; (b) a fee of $4,000 per meeting for attendance at special, non-regularly scheduled Board meetings; (c) a fee of $2,500 per meeting for attendance at Audit Committee meetings, Open-End Fund Committee meetings and Investment Committee Meetings; (d) a fee of $5,000 per meeting for attendance at Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee meetings; (e) a fee of $1,250 per meeting for attendance at Dividend Committee meetings; and (f) a fee of $500 per meeting for attendance at all other committee meetings, and $100 per meeting when the Executive Committee acts as pricing committee for IPOs, plus, in each case, expenses incurred in attending such meetings, provided that no fees are received for meetings held on days on which regularly scheduled Board meetings are held. In addition to the payments described above, the Chair of the Board receives $140,000, and the chairpersons of the Audit Committee, the Dividend Committee, the Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee, the Open-End Funds Committee and the Investment Committee receive $20,000 each as additional retainers. Independent trustees also receive a fee of $5,000 per day for site visits to entities that provide services to the Nuveen Funds on days on which no Board meeting is held. Per meeting fees for unscheduled Committee meetings or meetings of Ad Hoc or Special Assignment Committees will be determined by the Chair of such Committee based on the complexity or time commitment associated with the particular meeting. The annual retainer, fees and expenses are allocated among the Nuveen Funds on the basis of relative net assets, although management may, in its discretion, establish a minimum amount to be allocated to each fund. In certain instances fees and expenses will be allocated only to those Nuveen Funds that are discussed at a given meeting.
The Trust does not have a retirement or pension plan. The Trust is a participant in a deferred compensation plan (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”) that permits any independent trustee to elect to defer receipt of all or a portion of his or her compensation as an independent trustee. The deferred compensation of a participating trustee is credited to a book reserve account of the participating Nuveen Funds when the compensation would otherwise have been paid to the trustee. The value of the trustee’s deferral account at any time is equal to the value that the account would have had if contributions to the account had been invested and reinvested in shares of one or more of the eligible Nuveen Funds. An independent trustee may elect to receive distributions in a lump sum or over a period of five years. No participating Nuveen Fund will be liable for any other fund’s obligations to make distributions under the Deferred Compensation Plan.
The Fund has no employees. Each officer of the Trust serves without any compensation from the Fund. The CCO’s compensation, which is composed of base salary and incentive compensation, is paid by the Adviser, with review and input by the Board. The Fund reimburses the Adviser for an allocable portion of the Adviser’s cost of the CCO’s incentive compensation.
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Share Ownership
The information in the table below discloses the dollar ranges of (i) each trustee’s beneficial ownership in the Fund, and (ii) each trustee’s aggregate beneficial ownership in all funds within the Nuveen Funds complex, including in each case the value of fund shares elected by the trustee in the trustees’ deferred compensation plan, based on the value of fund shares as of December 31, 2022:
Name of Trustee |
Dollar
Range of |
Aggregate
Dollar Range | ||||
Jack B. Evans |
$0 |
Over $100,000 | ||||
William C. Hunter |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 | |||
Amy B. R. Lancellotta |
$1-$10,000 |
$50,001-$100,000 | ||||
Joanne T. Medero |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 | |||
Albin F. Moschner |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 | |||
John K. Nelson |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 | |||
Matthew Thornton III |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 | |||
Terence J. Toth |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 | |||
Margaret L. Wolff |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 | |||
Robert L. Young |
$ |
0 |
Over $100,000 |
As of December 4, 2023, the officers and trustees of the Trust, in the aggregate, owned less than 1% of the shares of the Fund.
As of December 4, 2023, none of the independent trustees or their immediate family members owned, beneficially, or of record, any securities in (i) an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund or (ii) a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund.
Sales Loads
Trustees of the Trust and certain other Fund affiliates may purchase the Fund's Class I shares. See the Fund's Prospectus for details.
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Investment Adviser
Nuveen Fund Advisors, located at 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, serves as the investment adviser of the Fund, with responsibility for the overall management of the Fund. The Adviser is also responsible for managing the Fund’s business affairs and providing day-to-day administrative services to the Fund. The Adviser has selected its affiliate, Nuveen Asset Management, located at 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, to serve as sub-adviser to manage the investment portfolio of the Fund. For additional information regarding the management services performed by the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, see “Who Manages the Fund” in the Prospectus.
The Adviser is an affiliate of the Distributor, which is located at 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The Distributor is the principal underwriter for the Nuveen Mutual Funds, and has served as co-managing underwriter for the shares of the Nuveen Closed-End Funds. The Adviser and the Distributor are subsidiaries of Nuveen, LLC, the investment management arm of TIAA.
For the management services and facilities furnished by the Adviser, the Fund has agreed to pay an annual management fee at a rate set forth in the Prospectus under “Who Manages the Fund.”
The Fund’s management fee is divided into two components—a complex-level fee based on the aggregate amount of all eligible Nuveen Fund assets and a specific fund-level fee based only on the amount of assets within the Fund. This pricing structure enables Fund shareholders to benefit from growth in the assets within the Fund as well as from growth in the amount of complex-wide assets managed by the Adviser. Under no circumstances will this pricing structure result in the Fund paying management fees at a rate higher than would otherwise have been applicable had the complex-wide management fee structure not been implemented.
The Fund has agreed to pay an annual fund-level management fee, payable monthly, based upon the average daily net assets of the Fund as set forth in the Prospectus.
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The annual complex-level management fee for the Fund, payable monthly, which is additive to the fund-level fee, is based on the aggregate amount of total eligible assets managed for all Nuveen-branded closed-end funds and Nuveen Mutual Funds as stated in the table below:
Complex-Level Asset |
Effective Rate at | ||
Breakpoint Level* |
Breakpoint Level | ||
$55 billion |
0.2000% | ||
$56 billion |
0.1996% | ||
$57 billion |
0.1989% | ||
$60 billion |
0.1961% | ||
$63 billion |
0.1931% | ||
$66 billion |
0.1900% | ||
$71 billion |
0.1851% | ||
$76 billion |
0.1806% | ||
$80 billion |
0.1773% | ||
$91 billion |
0.1691% | ||
$125 billion |
0.1599% | ||
$200 billion |
0.1505% | ||
$250 billion |
0.1469% | ||
$300 billion |
0.1445% |
* The complex-level fee is calculated based upon the aggregate daily “eligible assets” of all Nuveen-branded closed-end funds and Nuveen Mutual Funds. Except as described below, eligible assets include the net assets of all Nuveen-branded closed-end funds and Nuveen Mutual Funds organized in the United States. Eligible assets do not include assets attributable to investments in other Nuveen Funds or assets in excess of a determined amount (originally $2 billion) added to the Nuveen Fund complex in connection with Nuveen Fund Advisors’ assumption of the management of the former First American Funds effective January 1, 2011, but do include certain assets of certain Nuveen Mutual Funds that were reorganized into funds advised by an affiliate of Nuveen Fund Advisors during the 2019 calendar year. Eligible assets include closed-end fund assets managed by the Adviser that are attributable to financial leverage. For these purposes, financial leverage includes the closed-end funds’ use of preferred stock and borrowings and certain investments in the residual interest certificates (also called inverse floating rate securities) in tender option bond (TOB) trusts, including the portion of assets held by a TOB trust that has been effectively financed by the trust’s issuance of floating rate securities, subject to an agreement by the Adviser as to certain funds to limit the amount of such assets for determining eligible assets in certain circumstances.
The Fund’s complex-level fee rate will not exceed the maximum overall complex-level fee rate of 0.2000%. As of September 30, 2023, the Fund’s effective complex-level fee rate was 0.1611%.
The following tables set forth the management fees (net of fee waivers and expense reimbursements) paid by the Fund and the fees waived and expenses reimbursed by the Adviser for the specified periods.
Management
Fees Paid to the |
||||||||||||||||
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
||||||||||||||
$ 1,708,691 |
$ 1,407,307 |
$ 1,070,008 |
Fee
Waivers and Expense |
||||||||||||||||
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
||||||||||||||
$ 142,151 |
$ 244,384 |
$ 213,515 |
In addition to the Adviser’s management fee, the Fund also pays a portion of the Trust’s general administrative expenses allocated in proportion to the net assets of the Fund. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and deducted before payment of dividends to investors.
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Sub-Adviser
The Adviser has selected its affiliate, Nuveen Asset Management, to serve as sub-adviser to manage the investment portfolio of the Fund. The Adviser pays Nuveen Asset Management a portfolio management fee out of the advisory fee paid to the Adviser for its services to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Scott M. Tonneson, CFA, and Claire L. Ross have primary responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of the investment strategies of the Fund.
Compensation
Portfolio managers are compensated through a combination of base salary and variable components consisting of (i) a cash bonus; (ii) a long-term performance award; and (iii) participation in a profits interest plan.
Base salary. A portfolio manager’s base salary is determined based upon an analysis of the portfolio manager’s general performance, experience and market levels of base pay for such position.
Cash bonus. A portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus that is based on three variables: risk-adjusted investment performance relative to benchmark generally measured over the most recent one, three and five year periods (unless the portfolio manager’s tenure is shorter), ranking versus Morningstar peer funds generally measured over the most recent one, three and five year periods (unless the portfolio manager’s tenure is shorter), and management and peer reviews.
Long-term performance award. A portfolio manager is eligible to receive a long-term performance award that vests after three years. The amount of the award when granted is based on the same factors used in determining the cash bonus. The value of the award at the completion of the three-year vesting period is adjusted based on the risk-adjusted investment performance of Fund(s) managed by the portfolio manager during the vesting period and the performance of the TIAA organization as a whole.
Profits interest plan. Portfolio managers are eligible to receive profits interests in Nuveen Asset Management and its affiliate, TAL, which vest over time and entitle their holders to a percentage of the firms’ annual profits. Profits interests are allocated to each portfolio manager based on such person’s overall contribution to the firms.
There are generally no differences between the methods used to determine compensation with respect to the Fund and the Other Accounts shown in the table below.
Other Accounts Managed
In addition to the Fund, as of August 31, 2023, the portfolio managers were also primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the following accounts:
Portfolio Manager |
Type of Account Managed |
Number of Accounts |
Assets (millions) |
Number of Accounts with Performance- Based Fees |
Assets of Accounts with Performance-Based Fees |
|||
NUVEEN EQUITY LONG/SHORT FUND |
||||||||
Scott M. Tonneson |
Registered Investment Companies |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 | |||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 | ||||
Other Accounts |
756 |
$505.28 |
0 |
$0 | ||||
Claire L. Ross |
Registered Investment Companies |
2 |
$77.43 |
0 |
$0 | |||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 | ||||
Other Accounts |
3 |
$39.19 |
0 |
$0 | ||||
Conflicts of Interest
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one account. More specifically, portfolio managers who manage multiple accounts are presented a number of potential conflicts, including, among others, those discussed below.
The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. Nuveen Asset Management seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus
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on a particular investment discipline. Most accounts managed by a portfolio manager in a particular investment strategy are managed using the same investment models.
If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity which may be suitable for more than one account, an account may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of filled purchase or sale orders across all eligible accounts. To deal with these situations, Nuveen Asset Management has adopted procedures for allocating limited opportunities across multiple accounts.
With respect to many of its clients’ accounts, Nuveen Asset Management determines which broker to use to execute transaction orders, consistent with its duty to seek best execution of the transaction. However, with respect to certain other accounts, Nuveen Asset Management may be limited by the client with respect to the selection of brokers or may be instructed to direct trades through a particular broker. In these cases, Nuveen Asset Management may place separate, non-simultaneous, transactions for the Fund and other accounts which may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment of the Fund or the other accounts.
Some clients are subject to different regulations. As a consequence of this difference in regulatory requirements, some clients may not be permitted to engage in all the investment techniques or transactions or to engage in these transactions to the same extent as the other accounts managed by a portfolio manager. Finally, the appearance of a conflict of interest may arise where Nuveen Asset Management has an incentive, such as a performance-based management fee, which relates to the management of some accounts, with respect to which a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities.
Conflicts of interest may also arise when the Sub-Adviser invests one or more of its client accounts in different or multiple parts of the same issuer’s capital structure, including investments in public versus private securities, debt versus equity, or senior versus junior/subordinated debt, or otherwise where there are different or inconsistent rights or benefits. Decisions or actions such as investing, trading, proxy voting, exercising, waiving or amending rights or covenants, workout activity, or serving on a board, committee or other involvement in governance may result in conflicts of interest between clients holding different securities or investments. Generally, individual portfolio managers will seek to act in a manner that they believe serves the best interest of the accounts they manage. In cases where a portfolio manager or team faces a conflict among its client accounts, it will seek to act in a manner that it believes best reflects its overall fiduciary duty, which may result in relative advantages or disadvantages for particular accounts.
Nuveen Asset Management has adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts common among investment managers. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.
Nuveen Asset Management or its affiliates, including TIAA, sponsor an array of financial products for retirement and other investment goals, and provide services worldwide to a diverse customer base. Accordingly, from time to time, the Fund may be restricted from purchasing or selling securities, or from engaging in other investment activities because of regulatory, legal or contractual restrictions that arise due to another client account’s investments and/or the internal policies of Nuveen Asset Management, TIAA or its affiliates designed to comply with such restrictions. As a result, there may be periods, for example, when Nuveen Asset Management will not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions in certain securities or instruments with respect to which investment limits have been reached.
The investment activities of Nuveen Asset Management or its affiliates may also limit the investment strategies and rights of the Fund. For example, in certain circumstances where the Fund invests in securities issued by companies that operate in certain regulated industries, in certain emerging or international markets, or are subject to corporate or regulatory ownership definitions, or invests in certain futures and derivative transactions, there may be limits on the aggregate amount invested by Nuveen Asset Management or its affiliates for the Fund and other client accounts that may not be exceeded without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate consent. If certain aggregate ownership thresholds are reached or certain transactions undertaken, the ability of Nuveen Asset Management, on behalf of the Fund or other client accounts, to purchase or dispose of investments or exercise rights or undertake business transactions may be restricted by regulation or otherwise impaired. As a result, Nuveen Asset Management, on behalf of the Fund or other client accounts, may limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of rights (including voting rights) when Nuveen Asset Management, in its sole discretion, deems it appropriate in light of potential regulatory or other restrictions on ownership or other consequences resulting from reaching investment thresholds.
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Beneficial Ownership of Securities
The following table indicates as of August 31, 2023 the value, within the indicated range, of shares beneficially owned by each portfolio manager in the Fund. For purposes of this table, the following letters indicate the range listed next to each letter:
A |
- $0 |
|||
B |
- $1 - $10,000 |
|||
C |
- $10,001 - $50,000 |
|||
D |
- $50,001 - $100,000 |
|||
E |
- $100,001 - $500,000 |
|||
F |
- $500,001 - $1,000,000 |
|||
G |
- More than $1 million |
Portfolio Manager |
Dollar
Range of Equity | |
Scott M. Tonneson |
E | |
Claire L. Ross |
E |
Transfer Agent
The Fund's transfer, shareholder services, and dividend paying agent is SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc. (“SS&C GIDS”), P.O. Box 219140, Kansas City, Missouri 64121-9140.
Custodian
The custodian of the assets of the Fund is State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Congress Street, Suite 1, Boston, Massachusetts 02114-2016. The custodian performs custodial, fund accounting and portfolio accounting services.
Distributor
Nuveen Securities, LLC, 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, serves as the distributor for the Fund's shares pursuant to a “best efforts” arrangement as provided by a Distribution Agreement dated August 1, 1998 (the “Distribution Agreement”). Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Fund appointed the Distributor to be its agent for the distribution of the Fund's shares on a continuous offering basis.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
KPMG LLP, 200 East Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601, independent registered public accounting firm, has been selected as auditors for the Fund.
Securities Lending Agent
State Street serves as the securities lending agent to the Fund. Pursuant to a Securities Lending Agreement and in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, State Street effects loans of Fund securities to any firm on a list of approved borrowers, negotiates loan terms, monitors the value of the loaned securities and collateral, requests additional collateral as necessary, manages reinvestment of collateral in a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle, arranges for the return of loaned securities to the Fund, and maintains records and prepares reports regarding loans that are made and the income derived therefrom. For the services provided, a securities lending agent will receive fees and/or compensation from the Fund, which may include a portion of the income generated from securities lending activities.
The Fund did not engage in securities lending activities during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023. Consequently, the Fund did not earn any income or pay any fees related to securities lending activities for this fiscal year.
CODES OF ETHICS
The Fund, the Adviser, Nuveen Asset Management and the Distributor have adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and with respect to the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, addressing personal securities transactions and other conduct by investment personnel and access persons who may have access to information about the Fund's securities transactions. The codes are intended to address potential conflicts of interest that can arise in connection with personal trading activities of such persons. Persons subject to
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the codes are generally permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, including investing in securities eligible for investment by the Fund, subject to certain prohibitions, which may include prohibitions on investing in certain types of securities, pre-clearance requirements, blackout periods, annual and quarterly reporting of personal securities holdings and limitations on personal trading of initial public offerings. Violations of the codes are subject to review by the Board of Trustees and could result in severe penalties.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The Fund has delegated authority to the Adviser to vote proxies for securities held by the Fund, and the Adviser has in turn delegated that responsibility to the Sub-Adviser. The Adviser’s proxy voting policy establishes minimum standards for the exercise of proxy voting authority by the Sub-Adviser.
The Sub-Adviser will vote proxies in accordance with the Nuveen Proxy Voting Guidelines, which are attached, along with the Nuveen Proxy Voting Policy and Nuveen Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy and Procedures, as an Appendix to this SAI.
The Sub-Adviser relies on a dedicated team of professionals responsible for reviewing and voting proxies. In analyzing a proposal, in addition to exercising their professional judgment, these professionals utilize various sources of information to enhance their ability to evaluate the proposal. These sources may include research from third party proxy advisory firms and other consultants, various corporate governance-focused organizations, related publications and Nuveen investment professionals. Based on their analysis of proposals and guided by the Nuveen Proxy Voting Guidelines, these professionals then vote in a manner intended solely to advance the best interests of Fund shareholders.
The Sub-Adviser believes that it has implemented policies, procedures and processes designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions. These include (i) oversight by the Nuveen Fund Board or a designated committee thereof; (ii) a clear separation of proxy voting functions from external client relationship and sales functions; and (iii) the active monitoring of required annual disclosures of potential conflicts of interest by individuals who have direct roles in executing or influencing the Fund’s proxy voting by Nuveen’s legal and compliance professionals.
There could be rare instances in which an individual who has a direct role in executing or influencing the Fund’s proxy voting (e.g., Nuveen’s proxy voting professionals, a Board member, or a senior executive of the Fund, the Adviser, Sub-Adviser or their affiliates) is either a director or executive of a portfolio company or may have some other association with a portfolio company. In such cases, this individual is required to recuse himself or herself from all decisions related to proxy voting for that portfolio company.
Voted Proxies. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge by accessing Nuveen’s website at http://www.nuveen.com or the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Decisions with respect to which securities are to be bought or sold, the total amount of securities to be bought or sold, the broker-dealer with or through which the securities transactions are to be effected and the commission rates applicable to the trades are made by Nuveen Asset Management.
In selecting a broker-dealer to execute securities transactions, Nuveen Asset Management considers the full range and quality of a broker-dealer’s services including, among other things: the value, nature and quality of any brokerage and research products and services; execution capability; commission rate; financial responsibility (including willingness to commit capital); the likelihood of price improvement; the speed of execution and likelihood of execution for limit orders; the ability to minimize market impact; the maintenance of the confidentiality of orders; and responsiveness of the broker-dealer. The determinative factor is not the lowest possible commission cost but whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution for the Fund. Subject to the satisfaction of its obligation to seek best execution, another factor considered by Nuveen Asset Management in selecting a broker-dealer may include the broker-dealer’s access to initial public offerings.
For certain transactions, Nuveen Asset Management may cause the Fund to pay a broker-dealer a commission higher than that which another broker-dealer might have charged for effecting the same transaction (a practice commonly referred to as “paying up”). Nuveen Asset Management causes the Fund to pay up in recognition of the value of the brokerage and research products and services
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(“Research Services”) the broker-dealer provides. The broker-dealer may directly provide Research Services to the Fund or may purchase them from a third party for the Fund. In such cases, Nuveen Asset Management is in effect paying for the Research Services with client commissions – so-called “soft dollars.” Nuveen Asset Management will only cause the Fund to pay up if Nuveen Asset Management, subject to its overall duty to seek best execution, determines in good faith that the Research Services are eligible brokerage and research under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the amount of the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the Research Services provided, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities of Nuveen Asset Management or its affiliates with respect to the managing of its accounts.
Nuveen Asset Management employs the use of commission sharing arrangements administered by its centralized equity trading desk. Under these arrangements, when Nuveen Asset Management pays a commission to an executing broker, a portion of the commission is for execution of the trade (brokerage) and a portion is for Research Services. The broker will allocate the Research Services portion of the commission to a pool of commission credits it maintains. The commission manager, at Nuveen Asset Management’s direction, pays Research Services providers for eligible research products and services. An executing broker may or may not be a Research Services provider. Nuveen Asset Management uses commission sharing arrangements to pay for both proprietary and third party Research Services. The centralized equity trading desk does not select Research Services.
Under Nuveen Asset Management’s commission sharing arrangements, Nuveen Equities (the integrated equity investment team of Nuveen Asset Management (excluding Public Real Assets) and certain affiliates) aggregates commission credits into a single pool, and allocates the Research Services among the respective Nuveen Equities investment teams based on factors such as asset size of the team’s equity strategy and the strategy’s geographic considerations. Commission credits generated by Nuveen Asset Management’s Public Real Assets accounts are aggregated into a separate pool to purchase Research Services, which generally supports the Nuveen Asset Management Public Real Assets investment team. Research Services will not necessarily directly and specifically benefit the particular account(s) that generated the brokerage commissions used to acquire the Research Services.
Research Services consist of products and services including some or all of the following: economic analysis and forecasts, financial market analysis and forecasts, industry and company specific analysis, interest rate forecasts, arbitrage relative valuation analysis of various debt securities, analytical tools for investment research and related consulting services, market data services and other services that assist in the investment decision making process, and meetings arranged by broker-dealers with corporate management teams and spokespersons, as well as industry spokespersons. Research products include written reports, computer-generated services, telephone contacts and personal meetings with securities analysts that assist in the investment decision-making process.
Nuveen Asset Management will use Research Services to benefit any client of Nuveen Asset Management or its affiliates, including the Fund, and at times the Research Services will not directly benefit the particular account(s) that generated the brokerage commissions used to acquire the Research Services. For example, Nuveen Asset Management uses clients’ equity commissions to pay for Research Services that at times will benefit other accounts of Nuveen Asset Management and its affiliates.
The Research Services that Nuveen Asset Management receives from broker-dealers supplement Nuveen Asset Management’s own research activities. As a practical matter, in some cases Nuveen Asset Management could not, on its own, generate all of the Research Services that broker-dealers provide without materially increasing its expenses. Soft dollar arrangements create a potential conflict by giving Nuveen Asset Management an incentive to trade frequently to generate commissions to pay for Research Services, which may not be in the best interests of its clients. Nuveen Asset Management attempts to mitigate these potential conflicts through its review and oversight of the use of commissions. Because of the nature of soft dollar arrangements, and because of the fact that any particular Research Service may be used to service all of Nuveen Asset Management’s advisory accounts (possibly to varying degrees) or fewer than all of its advisory accounts, Nuveen Asset Management is unable to quantify or estimate the value of any such services attributable to a particular advisory account with any meaningful degree of accuracy.
The Board of the Nuveen Funds and the Adviser have agreed that the Adviser will compensate the Fund for all of its soft dollar costs. This arrangement may only be changed with Board approval. Additionally, the Adviser will report to the Board, or a designated Committee of the Board, at least annually regarding soft dollar usage by the Fund, including soft dollars attributable to the Fund.
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Many of the Fund’s portfolio transactions involve payment of a brokerage commission by the Fund. In some cases, transactions are with dealers or issuers who act as principal for their own accounts and not as brokers. Transactions effected on a principal basis, other than certain transactions effected on a so-called riskless principal basis, are made without the payment of brokerage commissions but at net prices which usually include a spread or markup. In effecting transactions in over-the-counter securities, the Fund typically deals with market makers unless it appears that better price and execution are available elsewhere.
It is expected that the Fund will purchase most foreign equity securities in the over-the-counter markets or stock exchanges located in the countries in which the respective principal offices of the issuers of the various securities are located if that is the best available market. The commission paid in connection with foreign stock transactions may be higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. transactions. There generally is less governmental supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges than in the United States. Foreign securities settlements may in some instances be subject to delays and related administrative uncertainties.
Foreign equity securities may be held in the form of depositary receipts or securities convertible into foreign equity securities. Depositary receipts may be listed on stock exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter markets in the United States or overseas. The foreign and domestic debt securities and money market instruments in which the Fund may invest are generally traded in the over-the-counter markets.
The Fund does not effect any brokerage transactions in its portfolio securities with any broker or dealer affiliated directly or indirectly with the Adviser, Nuveen Asset Management or Distributor unless such transactions, including the frequency thereof, the receipt of commission payable in connection therewith, and the selection of the affiliated broker or dealer effecting such transactions are not unfair or unreasonable to the shareholders of the Fund, as determined by the Board of Trustees. Any transactions with an affiliated broker or dealer must be on terms that are both at least as favorable to the Fund as the Fund can obtain elsewhere and at least as favorable as such affiliated broker or dealer normally gives to others.
When two or more clients of Nuveen Asset Management are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the prices and amounts are allocated in a manner considered by Nuveen Asset Management to be equitable to each client. In some cases, this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as each client is concerned. In other cases, however, the ability of the clients to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for each client.
On behalf of the Fund, Nuveen Asset Management may seek to buy from or sell securities to another fund or account advised by Nuveen Asset Management or an affiliate. Nuveen Asset Management may effect purchases and sales between its clients or clients of its affiliates, including the Fund (referred to herein as “cross trades”), if it believes that such transactions are appropriate based on each party’s investment objectives and guidelines, subject to applicable law and regulation. Cross trades may give rise to potential conflicts of interest for Nuveen Asset Management. On any occasion when the Fund participates in a cross trade, the Fund will comply with procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act and applicable SEC guidance.
The following table sets forth the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the specified periods:
Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund |
||||||||||||||||
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
||||||||||||||
$154,595 |
$67,334 |
$91,619 |
Brokerage commissions paid by the Fund may vary substantially from year to year as a result of changing asset levels throughout the year, portfolio turnover rates, varying market conditions, differences in shareholder purchase and redemption activity and other factors.
All soft dollar costs paid by the Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, were fully compensated by the Adviser.
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During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund has acquired the securities of its regular brokers or dealers as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act or of the parents of the brokers or dealers. The following table sets forth those brokers or dealers and states the value of the Fund’s aggregate holdings of the securities of each issuer as of close of the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023:
Broker/Dealer |
Issuer |
Aggregate
Fund Holdings |
||||
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
Wells Fargo & Co |
$ |
— | |||
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may not purchase portfolio securities from any underwriting syndicate of which the Distributor is a member except under certain limited conditions set forth in Rule 10f-3. The Rule sets forth requirements relating to, among other things, the terms of a security purchased by the Fund, the amount of securities that may be purchased in any one issue and the assets of the Fund that may be invested in a particular issue. In addition, purchases of securities made pursuant to the terms of the Rule must be approved at least quarterly by the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the independent trustees.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Nuveen Mutual Funds have adopted a portfolio holdings disclosure policy that governs the dissemination of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. In accordance with this policy, the Fund may provide portfolio holdings information to third parties no earlier than the time a report is filed with the SEC that is required to contain such information or one day after the information is posted on the Fund’s publicly accessible website, www.nuveen.com. A complete list of portfolio holdings information is generally made available on the Fund's website ten business days after the end of the month. Additionally, the Fund publishes on the website a list of its top ten holdings as of the end of each month, approximately two to five business days after the end of the month for which the information is current. This information will remain available on the website at least until the Fund files with the SEC its Form N-CSR or Form N-PORT for the period that includes the date as of which the website information is current.
Additionally, the Fund may disclose portfolio holdings information that has not been included in a filing with the SEC or posted on the Fund’s website (i.e., non-public portfolio holdings information) only if there is a legitimate business purpose for doing so and if the recipient is required, either by explicit agreement or by virtue of the recipient’s duties to the Fund as an agent or service provider, to maintain the confidentiality of the information and to not use the information in an improper manner (e.g., personal trading). In this context, portfolio holdings information does not include summary information from which the identity of the Fund’s specific portfolio holdings cannot reasonably be derived. The Fund may disclose on an ongoing basis non-public portfolio holdings information in the normal course of its investment and administrative operations to various service providers, including the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser, independent registered public accounting firm, custodian, financial printer, proxy voting service(s), borrowers of its securities pursuant to securities lending transactions, and to the legal counsel for the Fund’s independent trustees. Also, the Adviser may transmit to service providers non-public portfolio holdings information to enable the Adviser to perform portfolio attribution analysis using third-party systems and software programs. The Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser may also provide certain portfolio holdings information to broker-dealers from time to time in connection with the purchase or sale of securities or requests for price quotations or bids on one or more securities. In providing this information, reasonable precautions are taken in an effort to avoid potential misuse of the disclosed information, including limitations on the scope of the portfolio holdings information disclosed, when appropriate. The Fund, the Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser do not receive compensation or other consideration in exchange for the disclosure of portfolio holdings.
Non-public portfolio holdings information may be provided to other persons if approved by the Fund’s Chief Administrative Officer or Secretary upon a determination that there is a legitimate business purpose for doing so, the disclosure is consistent with the interests of the Fund, and the recipient is obligated to maintain the confidentiality of the information and not misuse it, which includes a prohibition on trading on such non-public information.
Compliance officers of the Fund and the Adviser and Sub-Adviser periodically monitor overall compliance with the policy to ascertain whether portfolio holdings information is disclosed in a manner that is consistent with the Fund’s policy. Reports are made to the Fund’s Board of Trustees on an annual basis.
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There is no assurance that the Fund’s policies on portfolio holdings information will protect the Fund from the potential misuse of portfolio holdings information by individuals or firms in possession of such information.
The following parties currently receive non-public portfolio holdings information regarding one or more of the Nuveen Mutual Funds on an ongoing basis pursuant to the various arrangements described above:
Advent
Adviser
Compliance Associates, LLC
Bank
of America PriceServe
Barclays
Capital, Inc.
Barra
Bloomberg
Broadridge
Investor Communication Solutions, Inc.
Broadridge
Systems
Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co.
Chapman
and Cutler LLP
Compliance
Solutions Strategies
Confluence
NXT
Donnelley
Financial Solutions
Eagle
Investment Systems, LLC
Electra
Information Systems
Ernst
& Young
FactSet
Research Systems
Financial
Graphic Services
Glass,
Lewis & Co.
Houlihan
Lokey Financial Advisors, Inc.
ICE
Benchmark Administration Limited
ICE
Data Services
IHS
Markit, Ltd.
ISS
Investortools
KPMG
LLP
Lipper
Inc.
Moody’s
Morningstar,
Inc.
Northern
Trust Corp.
Omgeo
LLC
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
PricingDirect
Inc.
Refinitiv
Rimes
Technologies Corporation
SS&C
Sherpa
Funds Technology Pte. Ltd.
State
Street Bank and Trust Co.
Strategic
Insight
Wolters
Kluwer
NET ASSET VALUE
The Fund’s net asset value is determined as set forth in the Prospectus under “General Information—Net Asset Value.”
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
The Board of Trustees of the Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares in one or more series, which may be divided into classes of shares. Currently, there are seven series authorized and outstanding, each of which may be generally divided into different classes of shares designated as Class A shares, Class C shares, Class R6 shares and Class I shares. Each class of shares represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the Fund. Each class of shares has equal rights as to voting, redemption, dividends and liquidation, except that each bears different class expenses, including
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different distribution and service fees, and each has exclusive voting rights with respect to any distribution or service plan applicable to its shares. There are no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights. The Board of Trustees of the Trust has the right to establish additional series and classes of shares in the future, to change those series or classes and to determine the preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges thereof.
The Trust is not required and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Shareholders owning more than 10% of the outstanding shares of the Fund have the right to call a special meeting to remove trustees or for any other purpose.
Under Massachusetts law applicable to Massachusetts business trusts, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations. However, the Declaration of Trust of the Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of this disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the trustees. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust further provides for indemnification out of the assets and property of the Trust for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust or the Fund itself was unable to meet its obligations. The Trust believes the likelihood of the occurrence of these circumstances is remote.
The following table sets forth the percentage ownership of each person, who, as of December 4, 2023, owned of record, or is known by the Trust to have owned beneficially, 5% or more of any class of the Fund’s shares.
Name of Fund and Class |
Name and Address of Owner |
Percentage
of | ||||
Nuveen
Equity Long/Short Fund |
|
|
||||
|
||||||
American
Enterprise Investment Serv |
16.13% |
|||||
|
||||||
UBS
WM USA |
13.62% |
|||||
|
||||||
LPL
Financial |
11.27% |
|||||
|
||||||
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc |
5.65% |
|||||
|
||||||
Nuveen
Equity Long/Short Fund |
|
|
||||
|
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Name of Fund and Class |
Name and Address of Owner |
Percentage
of | ||||
UBS
WM USA |
19.24% |
|||||
|
||||||
LPL
Financial |
17.49% |
|||||
|
||||||
National
Financial Services LLC |
9.25% |
|||||
|
||||||
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc |
6.92% |
|||||
|
||||||
Nuveen
Equity Long/Short Fund |
|
|
||||
|
||||||
American
Enterprise Investment Serv |
23.43% |
|||||
|
||||||
LPL
Financial |
13.34% |
|||||
|
||||||
National
Financial Services LLC |
10.70% |
|||||
|
||||||
Pershing
LLC |
6.55% |
TAX MATTERS
Federal Income Tax Matters
This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning shares of the Fund. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and this summary does not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, this summary generally does not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer or other investor with special circumstances, or if you are investing through a tax-deferred account, such as an IRA or 401(k) plan. In
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addition, this section does not describe your state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences. This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Fund. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, Fund's counsel was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be deposited in the Fund. Consequently, this summary may not be sufficient for you to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law. As with any investment, you should seek advice based on your individual circumstances from your own tax professional.
Fund Status
The Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the federal tax laws. If the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company and distributes its income as required by the tax law, the Fund generally will not pay federal income taxes. An adverse federal income tax audit of a partnership that the Fund invests in could result in the Fund being required to pay federal income tax or pay a deficiency dividend (without having received additional cash). If the Fund fails for any taxable year to qualify as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes, the Fund itself will generally be subject to federal income taxation (which will reduce the amount of Fund income available for distribution) and your tax consequences will be different from those described in this section (for example, all distributions to you will generally be taxed as ordinary income, even if those distributions are derived from capital gains realized by the Fund).
Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company
As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally will not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes at least 90% of its investment company taxable income and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income for the year (the “Distribution Requirement”) and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are generally described below. The Fund also intends to make such distributions as are necessary to avoid the otherwise applicable 4% non-deductible excise tax on certain undistributed earnings.
In addition to satisfying the Distribution Requirement, the Fund must, among other things, derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from (1) dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or disposition of stock, securities or non-U.S. currencies and other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (2) net income derived from an interest in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as such term is defined in the Code). The Fund must also satisfy an asset diversification test in order to qualify as a regulated investment company. Under this test, at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (1) 50% or more of the value of the Fund’s assets must be represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), United States government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (2) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s assets may be invested in securities of (a) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies), or of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (b) in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as such term is defined in the Code). There are certain exceptions for failure to qualify if the failure is for reasonable cause or is de minimis and certain corrective action is taken and certain tax payments are made by the Fund.
Distributions
Fund distributions are generally taxable. After the end of each year, you will receive a tax statement that separates the Fund’s distributions into three categories: ordinary income distributions, capital gain dividends and returns of capital. Ordinary income distributions are generally taxed at your ordinary tax rate, however, as further discussed below, certain ordinary income distributions received from the Fund may be taxed at the capital gains tax rates. Some portion of the ordinary income distributions that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from shares in certain real estate investment trusts may be designated by the Fund as eligible for a deduction for qualified business income, provided certain holding period requirements are satisfied. Generally, you will treat all capital gain dividends as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares. To determine your actual tax liability for your
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capital gain dividends, you must calculate your total net capital gain or loss for the tax year after considering all of your other taxable transactions, as described below. In addition, the Fund may make distributions that represent a return of capital for tax purposes and thus will generally not be immediately taxable to you unless the distribution exceeds your basis in your shares. The tax status of your distributions from the Fund is not affected by whether you reinvest your distributions in additional shares or receive them in cash. The income from the Fund that you must take into account for federal income tax purposes is not reduced by amounts used to pay a deferred sales fee, if any. The tax laws may require you to treat distributions made to you in January as if you had received them on December 31 of the previous year. Income from the Fund may also be subject to a 3.8 percent “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to your net investment income if your adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.
Dividends Received Deduction
A corporation that owns shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction (“DRD”) with respect to many dividends received from the Fund because the DRD is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund from certain corporations may be reported by the Fund as being eligible for the DRD. Certain hedging strategies may reduce the amount that would otherwise be treated as qualifying dividends.
If You Sell or Redeem Shares
If you sell or redeem your shares, you will generally recognize a taxable gain or loss. To determine the amount of this gain or loss, you must subtract your tax basis in your shares from the amount you receive in the transaction. Your tax basis in your shares is generally equal to the cost of your shares, generally including sales charges. In some cases, however, you may have to adjust your tax basis after you purchase your shares.
Taxation of Capital Gains and Losses
If you are an individual, the maximum marginal stated federal tax rate for net capital gains is generally 20% (15% or 0% for taxpayers with taxable incomes below certain thresholds). Some capital gains, including some portion of your capital gain dividends, might be attributable to the Fund’s interest in a master limited partnership which may be subject to a maximum marginal stated federal income tax rate of 28%, rather than the rates set forth above. In addition, capital gains received from assets held for more than one year that are considered “unrecaptured section 1250 gain” (which may be the case, for example, with some capital gains attributable to equity interests in real estate investment trusts that constitute interests in entities treated as real estate investment trusts for federal income tax purposes) are taxed at a maximum stated tax rate of 25%. In the case of capital gain dividends, the determination of which portion of the capital gain dividends, if any, is subject to the 28% tax rate or the 25% tax rate will be made based on the rules prescribed by the United States Treasury. Capital gains may also be subject to the “Medicare tax” described above.
Net capital gain equals net long-term capital gain minus net short-term capital loss for the taxable year. Capital gain or loss is long-term if the holding period for the asset is more than one year and is short-term if the holding period for the asset is one year or less. You must exclude the date you purchase your shares to determine your holding period. However, if you receive a capital gain dividend from the Fund and sell your share at a loss after holding it for six months or less, the loss will be recharacterized as long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain dividend received. The tax rates for capital gains realized from assets held for one year or less are generally the same as for ordinary income. The Code treats certain capital gains as ordinary income in special situations.
An election may be available to you to defer recognition of the gain attributable to a capital gain dividend if you make certain qualifying investments within a limited time. You should talk to your tax advisor about the availability of this deferral election and its requirements.
Taxation of Certain Ordinary Income Dividends
Ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as the Fund are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain (as discussed above), provided certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund itself. Distributions with respect to shares in real estate investment trusts are qualifying dividends only in limited circumstances. The Fund will provide
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notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distribution which may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates. Certain hedging strategies may reduce the amount that would otherwise be eligible for the capital gains tax rates.
When the Fund lends portfolio securities to a borrower as described above in “Investment Policies and Techniques—Lending of Portfolio Securities,” payments in lieu of dividends made by the borrower to the Fund will not constitute “qualified dividends” taxable at the same rate as long-term capital gains, even if the actual dividends would have constituted qualified dividends had the Fund held the securities. Such payments in lieu of dividends are taxable as ordinary income.
In-Kind Distributions
Under certain circumstances, as described in the Prospectus, you may receive an in-kind distribution of Fund securities when you redeem shares or when the Fund terminates. This distribution will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes and you will generally recognize gain or loss, generally based on the value at that time of the securities and the amount of cash received. The Internal Revenue Service could, however, assert that a loss may not be currently deducted.
Exchanges
If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another Nuveen Mutual Fund, the exchange would generally be considered a sale for federal income tax purposes.
Treatment of Fund Expenses
Expenses incurred and deducted by the Fund will generally not be treated as income taxable to you. In some cases, however, you may be required to treat your portion of these Fund expenses as income. You may not be able to deduct some or all of these expenses prior to 2026.
Non-U.S. Tax Credit
If the Fund invests in any non-U.S. securities, the tax statement that you receive may include an item showing non-U.S. taxes the Fund paid to other countries. In this case, dividends taxed to you will include your share of the taxes the Fund paid to other countries. You may be able to deduct or receive a tax credit for your share of these taxes.
Investments in Certain Non-U.S. Corporations
If the Fund holds an equity interest in any “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), which are generally certain foreign corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. The Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, the Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, the Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax. Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.
Non-U.S. Investors
If you are a non-U.S. investor (i.e., an investor other than a U.S. citizen or resident or a U.S. corporation, partnership, estate or trust), you should be aware that, generally, subject to applicable tax treaties, distributions from the Fund will be characterized as dividends for federal income tax purposes (other than dividends which the Fund properly reports as capital gain dividends) and will be subject to U.S. income taxes, including withholding taxes, subject to certain exceptions described below. However, distributions received by a non-U.S. investor from the Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, provided that the Fund makes certain disclosures and certain other conditions are met. Distributions from the Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by the Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain foreign investors, provided that the Fund makes
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certain disclosures and certain other conditions are met. These conditions include, but are not limited to, providing valid tax documentation certifying an investor’s non-U.S. status. For tax years after December 31, 2022, amounts paid to or recognized by a non-U.S. affiliate that are excluded from tax under the portfolio interest, capital gain dividends, short-term capital gains or tax-exempt interest dividend exceptions or applicable treaties, may be taken into consideration in determining whether a corporation is an “applicable corporation” subject to a 15% minimum tax on adjusted financial statement income.
Distributions to, and the gross proceeds from dispositions of shares by, (i) certain non-U.S. financial institutions that have not entered into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose certain information and are not resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury and (ii) certain other non-U.S. entities that do not provide certain certifications and information about the entity’s U.S. owners, may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax of 30%. However, proposed regulations may eliminate the requirement to withhold on payments of gross proceeds from dispositions.
Capital Loss Carry-Forward
When the Fund has a capital loss carry-forward, it does not make capital gain distributions until the loss has been offset or expired. As of August 31, 2023, the Fund had the following capital loss carry-forwards available for federal income tax purposes. The capital losses are not subject to expiration.
Short-Term |
Long-Term |
Total | |||||||
$ |
1,303,473 |
$ |
— |
$ |
1,303,473 |
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES
As described in the Prospectus, the Fund provides you with alternative ways of purchasing Fund shares based upon your individual investment needs and preferences.
Each class of shares of the Fund represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments. Each class of shares is identical in all respects except that each class bears its own class expenses, including distribution and administration expenses, and each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to any distribution or service plan applicable to its shares. As a result of the differences in the expenses borne by each class of shares, net income per share, dividends per share and net asset value per share will vary among the Fund’s classes of shares. There are no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights.
Shareholders of each class will share expenses proportionately for services that are received equally by all shareholders. A particular class of shares will bear only those expenses that are directly attributable to that class, where the type or amount of services received by a class varies from one class to another. For example, class-specific expenses generally will include distribution and service fees for those classes that pay such fees.
The expenses to be borne by specific classes of shares may include (i) transfer agency fees attributable to a specific class of shares, (ii) printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials such as shareholder reports, prospectuses and proxy statements to current shareholders of a specific class of shares, (iii) SEC and state securities registration fees incurred by a specific class of shares, (iv) the expense of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class of shares, (v) litigation or other legal expenses relating to a specific class of shares, (vi) trustees’ fees or expenses incurred as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares, (vii) accounting expenses relating to a specific class of shares and (viii) any additional incremental expenses subsequently identified and determined to be properly allocated to one or more classes of shares.
Class A Shares
Class A shares may be purchased at a public offering price equal to the applicable net asset value per share plus an up-front sales charge imposed at the time of purchase as set forth in the Prospectus. Shareholders may qualify for a reduced sales charge, or the sales charge may be waived in its entirety, as described below. Class A shares are also subject to an annual service fee of 0.25%. See “Distribution and Service Plan.” Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the Fund. The example assumes a purchase on August 31, 2023 of Class A shares of the Fund aggregating less than $50,000 subject to the schedule of sales charges set forth in the Prospectus at a price based upon the net asset value of the Class A shares.
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Net asset value per share |
$ |
49.84 | |
Per share sales charge—5.75% of public offering price (6.10% of net asset value per share) |
3.04 | ||
Per share offering price to the public |
$ |
52.88 |
The Fund receives the entire net asset value of all Class A shares that are sold. The Distributor retains the full applicable sales charge from which it pays the uniform reallowances shown in the Prospectus to financial intermediaries.
Investors may purchase Class A shares only for Fund accounts held with a financial advisor or other financial intermediary, and not directly with the Fund. In addition, Class A shares may not be available through certain financial intermediaries. Please consult with your financial intermediary to determine whether their policies allow for an investment in Class A shares.
Reduction or Elimination of Up-Front Sales Charge on Class A Shares
The availability of the sales charge reductions and waivers discussed below will depend on the policies of the financial intermediary through which you purchase your shares. Information on intermediaries’ variations from the reductions and waivers discussed below are disclosed in the appendix to the Prospectus titled “Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.” In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge waivers or discounts. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you will have to purchase Fund shares through another intermediary.
Rights of Accumulation. You may qualify for a reduced sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares of the Fund (and your financial advisor’s commission will be reduced accordingly) if the amount of your purchase, when added to the value that day of all of your shares of any Nuveen Mutual Fund, falls within the amounts stated in the Class A Sales Charges and Commissions table in “How You Can Buy and Sell Shares” in the Prospectus. You or your financial advisor must notify the Distributor or the Fund’s transfer agent of any cumulative discount whenever you plan to purchase Class A shares of the Fund that you wish to qualify for a reduced sales charge.
Letter of Intent. You may qualify for a reduced sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares of the Fund if you plan to purchase Class A shares of Nuveen Mutual Funds over the next 13 months and the total amount of your purchases would, if purchased at one time, qualify you for one of the reduced sales charges shown in the Class A Sales Charges and Commissions table in “How You Can Buy and Sell Shares” in the Prospectus. In order to take advantage of this option, you must complete the applicable section of the Application Form or sign and deliver to your financial advisor or other financial intermediary or to the Fund’s transfer agent a written Letter of Intent in a form acceptable to the Distributor. A Letter of Intent states that you intend, but are not obligated, to purchase over the next 13 months a stated total amount of Class A shares that would qualify you for a reduced sales charge shown above. You may count shares of all Nuveen Mutual Funds that you already own and any Class C and Class I shares of a Nuveen Mutual Fund that you purchase over the next 13 months towards completion of your investment program, but you will receive a reduced sales charge only on new Class A shares you purchase with a sales charge over the 13 months. You cannot count towards completion of your investment program Class A shares that you purchase without a sales charge through investment of distributions from a Nuveen Mutual Fund, or otherwise.
By establishing a Letter of Intent, you agree that your first purchase of Class A shares of the Fund following execution of the Letter of Intent will be at least 5% of the total amount of your intended purchases. You further agree that shares representing 5% of the total amount of your intended purchases will be held in escrow pending completion of these purchases. All dividends and capital gain distributions on Class A shares held in escrow will be credited to your account. If total purchases, less redemptions, prior to the expiration of the 13 month period equal or exceed the amount specified in your Letter of Intent, the Class A shares held in escrow will be transferred to your account. If the total purchases, less redemptions, are less than the amount specified, you must pay the Distributor an amount equal to the difference between the amounts paid for these purchases and the amounts which would have been paid if the higher sales charge had been applied. If you do not pay the additional amount within 20 days after written request by the Distributor or your financial advisor, the Distributor will redeem an appropriate number of your escrowed Class A shares to meet the required payment. By establishing a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint the Distributor as attorney to give instructions to redeem any or all of your escrowed shares, with full power of substitution in the premises.
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You or your financial advisor must notify the Distributor or the Fund's transfer agent whenever you make a purchase of Fund shares that you wish to be covered under the Letter of Intent option.
For purposes of determining whether you qualify for a reduced sales charge as described under Rights of Accumulation and Letter of Intent, you may include together with your own purchases those made by your spouse or domestic partner and your children under the age of 21 years, whether these purchases are made through a taxable or non-taxable account. You may also include purchases made by a corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship which is 100% owned, either alone or in combination, by any of the foregoing. In addition, a trustee or other fiduciary can count all shares purchased for a single trust, estate or other single fiduciary account that has multiple accounts (including one or more employee benefit plans of the same employer).
Elimination of Sales Charge on Class A Shares. Class A shares of the Fund may be purchased at net asset value without a sales charge by the following categories of investors:
· investors purchasing $1,000,000 or more;
· investors purchasing shares through the reinvestment of Nuveen Mutual Fund dividends and capital gain distributions;
· investors purchasing shares for accounts held directly with the Fund that do not have a financial intermediary of record;
· current and former trustees/directors of the Nuveen Funds;
· current and retired employees of Nuveen, LLC and its affiliates or their immediate family members (immediate family members are defined as their spouses or domestic partners, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, parents-in-law, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, siblings, a sibling’s spouse and a spouse’s siblings);
· any person who, for at least the last 90 days, has been an officer, director or employee of any financial intermediary, or their immediate family members;
· bank or broker-affiliated trust departments investing funds over which they exercise exclusive discretionary investment authority and that are held in a fiduciary, agency, advisory, custodial or similar capacity;
· investors purchasing on a periodic fee, asset-based fee or no transaction fee basis through a broker-dealer sponsored mutual fund purchase program;
· employer-sponsored retirement plans as defined below, except that, in the case of employer-sponsored retirement plans held through a brokerage account, Class A shares will be available at net asset value without a sales charge only if the broker-dealer has entered into an agreement with the Distributor that allows for such purchases. Intermediaries that have entered into such an agreement are listed in the appendix to the Prospectus titled, “Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.” For this purpose, employer-sponsored retirement plans include, but are not limited to, 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans, health savings accounts, defined benefit plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, Roth 401(k) plans and Roth 403(b) plans, and do not include SEPs, SAR-SEPs, SIMPLE IRAs (except as described below), SIMPLE 401(k) plans, Solo 401(k) plans, KEOGH plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and single defined benefit plans;
· SIMPLE IRAs opened before January 1, 2011 where Nuveen Securities, LLC is the broker of record;
· clients of investment advisers, financial planners or other financial intermediaries that charge periodic or asset-based fees for their services; and
· investors purchasing through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer the Fund's shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts and that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers. Intermediaries that have entered into such an agreement are listed in the appendix to the Prospectus titled, “Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.”
You or your financial advisor must notify the Distributor or the Fund’s transfer agent whenever you make a purchase of Class A shares of the Fund that you wish to be covered under these special sales charge waivers.
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Class A shares of the Fund may be issued at net asset value without a sales charge in connection with the acquisition by the Fund of another investment company. All purchases under the special sales charge waivers will be subject to minimum purchase requirements as established by the Fund.
The reduced sales charge programs may be modified or discontinued by the Fund at any time. For more information about the purchase of Class A shares or the reduced sales charge program, or to obtain the required application forms, call Nuveen Funds toll-free at (800) 257-8787.
Class C Shares
You may purchase Class C shares at a public offering price equal to the applicable net asset value per share without any up-front sales charge. Class C shares are subject to an annual distribution fee of 0.75% to compensate the Distributor for paying your financial advisor or other financial intermediary an ongoing sales commission. Class C shares are also subject to an annual service fee of 0.25% to compensate financial intermediaries for providing you with ongoing financial advice and other account services. The Distributor compensates financial intermediaries for sales of Class C shares at the time of the sale at a rate of 1.00% of the amount of Class C shares purchased, which represents an advance of the first year’s distribution fee of 0.75% plus an advance on the first year’s annual service fee of 0.25%. See “Distribution and Service Plan.”
Class C share purchase orders equaling or exceeding $1,000,000 will not be accepted. In addition, Class C share purchase orders for a single purchaser that, when added to the value that day of all of such purchaser’s shares of any class of any Nuveen Mutual Fund, cause the purchaser’s cumulative total of shares in Nuveen Mutual Funds to equal or exceed $1,000,000 will not be accepted. Your financial intermediary may set a lower maximum for Class C shares. Shareholders purchasing Class C shares should consider whether they would qualify for a reduced or eliminated sales charge on Class A shares that would make purchasing Class A shares a better choice. Class A share sales charges can be reduced or eliminated based on the size of the purchase, or pursuant to a letter of intent or rights of accumulation. See “Reduction or Elimination of Up-Front Sales Charge on Class A Shares” above.
Redemption of Class C shares within 12 months of purchase may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% of the lower of the purchase price or redemption proceeds. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after 8 years, thus reducing future annual expenses. Conversions occur during the month in which the 8-year anniversary of the purchase occurs. The automatic conversion is based on the relative net asset values of the two share classes without the imposition of a sales charge or fee. The automatic conversion of Class C shares to Class A shares may not apply to shares held through group retirement plan recordkeeping platforms of certain financial intermediaries who hold such shares in an omnibus account and do not track participant level share lot aging to facilitate such a conversion. Furthermore, the availability of the automatic Class C share conversion and the terms under which the conversion takes place may depend on the policies and/or system limitations of the financial intermediary through which you hold your shares. Information on intermediaries’ variations from the Class C share conversion discussed above is disclosed in the appendix to the Prospectus, “Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Through Certain Intermediaries.”
Investors may purchase Class C shares only for Fund accounts held with a financial advisor or other financial intermediary, and not directly with the Fund. In addition, Class C shares may not be available through certain financial intermediaries. Please consult with your financial intermediary to determine whether their policies allow for an investment in Class C shares.
Reduction or Elimination of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
The availability of the sales charge reductions and waivers discussed below will depend on the policies of the financial intermediary through which you purchase your shares. Information on intermediaries’ variations from the reductions and waivers discussed below are disclosed in the appendix to the Prospectus titled “Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.” In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge waivers or discounts. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you will have to purchase Fund shares through another intermediary.
Class A shares are normally redeemed at net asset value, without any CDSC. However, in the case of Class A shares purchased at net asset value without a sales charge because the purchase amount exceeded $1,000,000, a CDSC is imposed on any redemption within 18 months of purchase. Class C
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shares are redeemed at net asset value, without any CDSC, except that a CDSC of 1.00% is imposed upon any redemption within 12 months of purchase (except in cases where a shareholder is eligible for a waiver).
In determining whether a CDSC is payable, the Fund will first redeem shares not subject to any charge and then will redeem shares held for the longest period, unless the shareholder specifies another order. No CDSC is charged on shares purchased as a result of automatic reinvestment of dividends or capital gains paid. In addition, no CDSC will be charged on exchanges of shares into another Nuveen Mutual Fund. The holding period is calculated on a monthly basis and begins on the first day of the month in which the purchase was made. The CDSC is assessed on an amount equal to the lower of the then current market value or the cost of the shares being redeemed. Accordingly, no sales charge is imposed on increases of net asset value above the initial purchase price. The Distributor receives the amount of any CDSC shareholders pay.
The CDSC may be waived or reduced under the following circumstances: (i) in the event of total disability (as evidenced by a determination by the federal Social Security Administration) of the shareholder (including a registered joint owner) occurring after the purchase of the shares being redeemed; (ii) in the event of the death of the shareholder (including a registered joint owner); (iii) for redemptions made pursuant to a systematic withdrawal plan, up to 1% monthly, 3% quarterly, 6% semiannually or 12% annually of an account’s net asset value depending on the frequency of the plan as designated by the shareholder; (iv) redemptions in connection with a payment of account or plan fees; (v) redemptions in connection with the exercise of the Fund’s right to redeem all shares in an account that does not maintain a certain minimum balance; (vi) upon an optional conversion by the Fund of Class C shares held in an account which no longer has a financial intermediary of record into Class A shares; (vii) redemptions of Class C shares in cases where the Distributor did not advance the first year’s service and distribution fees when such shares were purchased; and (viii) redemptions of Class A shares where the Distributor did not pay a sales commission when such shares were purchased. If the Fund waives or reduces the CDSC, such waiver or reduction would be uniformly applied to all Fund shares in the particular category. In waiving or reducing a CDSC, the Fund will comply with the requirements of Rule 22d-1 under the 1940 Act.
In addition, the CDSC will be waived in connection with the following redemptions of shares held by an employer-sponsored qualified defined contribution retirement plan: (i) partial or complete redemptions in connection with a distribution without penalty under Section 72(t) of the Code from a retirement plan: (a) upon attaining age 59½, (b) as part of a series of substantially equal periodic payments, or (c) upon separation from service and attaining age 55; (ii) partial or complete redemptions in connection with a qualifying loan or hardship withdrawal; (iii) complete redemptions in connection with termination of employment, plan termination or transfer to another employer’s plan or IRA; and (iv) redemptions resulting from the return of an excess contribution. The CDSC will also be waived in connection with the following redemptions of shares held in an IRA account: (i) for redemptions made pursuant to an IRA systematic withdrawal based on the shareholder’s life expectancy including, but not limited to, substantially equal periodic payments described in Code Section 72(t)(A)(iv) prior to age 59½; and (ii) for redemptions to satisfy required minimum distributions from an IRA account upon reaching the qualified age based on applicable laws and regulations (with the maximum amount subject to this waiver being based only upon the shareholder’s Nuveen IRA accounts).
Class I Shares
Class I shares are available for purchase by clients of financial intermediaries who charge such clients an ongoing fee for advisory, investment, consulting or related services. Such clients may include individuals, corporations, endowments and foundations. The minimum initial investment for such clients is $100,000, but this minimum will be lowered to $250 for clients of financial intermediaries that have accounts holding Class I shares with an aggregate value of at least $100,000. The Distributor may also lower the minimum to $250 for clients of financial intermediaries anticipated to reach this Class I share holdings level.
Class I shares are also available for purchase by family offices and their clients. A family office is a company that provides certain financial and other services to a high net worth family or families. The minimum initial investment for family offices and their clients is $100,000, but this minimum will be lowered to $250 for clients of family offices that have accounts holding Class I shares with an aggregate value of at least $100,000. The Distributor may also lower the minimum to $250 for clients of family offices anticipated to reach this Class I share holdings level.
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Class I shares also are available for purchase, with no minimum initial investment, by the following categories of investors:
· employer-sponsored retirement plans, except SEPs, SAR-SEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and KEOGH plans;
· bank or broker-affiliated trust departments investing funds over which they exercise exclusive discretionary investment authority and that are held in a fiduciary, agency, advisory, custodial or similar capacity;
· advisory accounts of Nuveen Fund Advisors and its affiliates, including other Nuveen Mutual Funds whose investment policies permit investments in other investment companies;
· investors purchasing through a brokerage platform of a financial intermediary that has an agreement with the Distributor to offer such shares solely when acting as an agent for such investors. Investors transacting through a financial intermediary’s brokerage platform may be required to pay a commission directly to the intermediary;
· any registered investment company that is not affiliated with the Nuveen Funds and which invests in securities of other investment companies;
· any plan organized under section 529 under the Code (i.e., a 529 plan);
· participants in the TIAA IRA or TIAA-CREF Investment Solutions IRA;
· current and former trustees/directors of any Nuveen Fund, and their immediate family members (“immediate family members” are defined as spouses or domestic partners, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, parents-in-law, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, siblings, a sibling’s spouse and a spouse’s siblings);
· officers of Nuveen, LLC and its affiliates, and their immediate family members;
· full-time and retired employees of Nuveen, LLC and its affiliates, and their immediate family members, including any corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or other business organization that is wholly owned by one or more of such persons; and
· any person who, for at least the last 90 days, has been an officer, director or employee of any financial intermediary, and their immediate family members.
Holders of Class I shares may purchase additional Class I shares using dividends and capital gain distributions on their shares.
If you are eligible to purchase either Class I shares or Class A shares without a sales charge at net asset value, you should be aware of the differences between these two classes of shares. Class A shares are subject to an annual service fee to compensate financial intermediaries for providing you with ongoing account services. Class I shares are not subject to a distribution or service fee and, consequently, holders of Class I shares may not receive the same types or levels of services from financial intermediaries. In choosing between Class A shares and Class I shares, you should weigh the benefits of the services to be provided by financial intermediaries against the annual service fee imposed upon the Class A shares.
A financial intermediary through which you hold Class I shares may have the authority under its account agreement to exchange your Class I shares for another class of Fund shares having higher expenses than Class I shares if you withdraw from or are no longer eligible for the intermediary’s fee-based program or under other circumstances. You may be subject to the sales charges and service and/or distribution fees applicable to the share class that you receive in such an exchange. You should contact your financial intermediary for more information about your eligibility to purchase Class I shares and the class of shares you would receive in an exchange if you no longer meet Class I eligibility requirements.
Shareholder Programs
Exchange Privilege
You may exchange Fund shares into an identically registered account for the same class of another Nuveen Mutual Fund available in your state. Your exchange must meet the minimum purchase requirements of the fund into which you are exchanging.
You may also, under certain limited circumstances, exchange between certain classes of shares of the same Fund. You should be aware that exchanges between classes of shares of the same Fund may not be available for all accounts and may not be offered by the financial intermediary through which you may hold shares and that the financial intermediary through whom you hold shares may be authorized
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(e.g., under its account or similar agreement with you) to reject any share class exchange. An exchange between classes of shares of the same Fund may not be considered a taxable event; please consult your own tax advisor for further information.
If you hold your shares directly with the Fund, you may exchange your shares by either sending a written request to the Fund, c/o Nuveen Funds, P.O. Box 219140, Kansas City, Missouri 64121-9140 or by calling Nuveen Funds toll free at (800) 257-8787.
If you exchange shares between different Nuveen Mutual Funds and your shares are subject to a CDSC, no CDSC will be charged at the time of the exchange. However, if you subsequently redeem the shares acquired through the exchange, the redemption may be subject to a CDSC, depending on when you purchased your original shares and the CDSC schedule of the fund from which you exchanged your shares. If you exchange between classes of shares of the same Fund and your original shares are subject to a CDSC, the CDSC will be assessed at the time of the exchange.
For federal income tax purposes, an exchange between different Nuveen Mutual Funds constitutes a sale and purchase of shares and may result in capital gain or loss. Before making any exchange, you should obtain the Prospectus for the Nuveen Mutual Fund you are purchasing and read it carefully. If the registration of the account for the Fund you are purchasing is not exactly the same as that of the fund account from which the exchange is made, written instructions from all holders of the account from which the exchange is being made must be received, with signatures guaranteed by a member of an approved Medallion Signature Guarantee Program or in such other manner as may be acceptable to the Fund. You may also exchange shares by telephone if you authorize telephone exchanges by checking the applicable box on the Application Form or by calling Nuveen Funds toll-free at (800) 257-8787 to obtain an authorization form. The Fund reserves the right to revise or suspend the exchange privilege, limit the amount or number of exchanges, or reject any exchange. Shareholders will be provided with at least 60 days’ notice of any material revision to or termination of the exchange privilege.
The exchange privilege is not intended to permit the Fund to be used as a vehicle for short-term trading. Excessive exchange activity may interfere with portfolio management, raise expenses and otherwise have an adverse effect on all shareholders. In order to limit excessive exchange activity and in other circumstances where Fund management believes doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund, the Fund reserves the right to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, or limit the amount or number of exchanges or reject any exchange. Shareholders would be notified of any such action to the extent required by law. See “Frequent Trading Policy” below.
Reinstatement Privilege
If you redeemed Class A or Class C shares of a Nuveen Mutual Fund, you have up to one year to reinvest all or part of the full amount of the redemption in the same class of shares of any Nuveen Mutual Fund at net asset value. This reinstatement privilege can be exercised only once for any redemption, and reinvestment will be made at the net asset value next calculated after reinstatement of the appropriate class of Fund shares. If you reinstate shares that were subject to a CDSC, any shares purchased pursuant to the reinstatement privilege will not be subject to a CDSC. The federal income tax consequences of any capital gain realized on a redemption will not be affected by reinstatement, but a capital loss may be disallowed in whole or in part depending on the timing, the amount of the reinvestment and the fund from which the redemption occurred. Your financial advisor will not receive a commission on shares purchased pursuant to the reinstatement privilege.
Suspension of Right of Redemption
The Fund may suspend the right of redemption of Fund shares or delay payment more than seven days (a) during any period when the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the Fund normally utilizes is restricted or an emergency exists as determined by the SEC so that trading of the Fund’s investments or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable, or (c) for any other periods that the SEC by order may permit for protection of Fund shareholders.
Redemption In-Kind
The Fund has reserved the right to redeem in-kind (that is, to pay redemption requests in cash and portfolio securities, or wholly in portfolio securities). Pursuant to a notice of election under Rule 18f-1, the Fund voluntarily has committed to pay in cash all requests for redemption by any shareholder, limited as to each shareholder during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of the Fund at the beginning of the 90-day period.
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Purchase In-Kind
The Fund may allow the purchase of shares with investment securities (instead of cash), if it is determined that (i) the securities offered to the Fund are suitable for investment by the Fund and are appropriate, in type and amount, for investment by the Fund in light of its investment objective(s), policies and current holdings; (ii) the Fund expects to continue to hold the securities received in-kind, subject to subsequent changes in investment determinations regarding particular securities or as the need to raise cash by selling portfolio securities may arise; and (iii) the purchase in-kind is in the best interest of the Fund and its existing shareholders. If the Fund accepts the in-kind securities, the shareholder will receive Fund shares equal in NAV to the market value of the securities received.
Frequent Trading Policy
The Fund's Frequent Trading Policy is as follows:
Nuveen Mutual Funds are intended as long-term investments and not as short-term trading vehicles. At the same time, the Fund recognizes the need of investors to periodically make purchases and redemptions of Fund shares when rebalancing their portfolios and as their financial needs or circumstances change. Nuveen Mutual Funds have adopted the following Frequent Trading Policy that seeks to balance these needs against the potential for higher operating costs, portfolio management disruption and other inefficiencies that can be caused by excessive trading of Fund shares.
1. Definition of Round Trip
A Round Trip trade is the purchase and subsequent redemption of Fund shares, including by exchange. Each side of a Round Trip trade may be comprised of either a single transaction or a series of closely-spaced transactions.
2. Round Trip Trade Limitations
Nuveen Mutual Funds limit the frequency of Round Trip trades that may be placed in the Fund. Subject to certain exceptions noted below, the Fund limits an investor to two Round Trips per trailing 60-day period.
3. Enforcement
Trades placed in violation of the foregoing policies are subject to rejection or cancellation by Nuveen Mutual Funds. Nuveen Mutual Funds may also bar an investor (and/or the investor’s financial advisor) who has violated these policies from opening new accounts with the Fund and may restrict the investor’s existing account(s) to redemptions only. Nuveen Mutual Funds reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to (a) interpret the terms and application of these policies, (b) waive unintentional or minor violations (including transactions below certain dollar thresholds) if Nuveen Mutual Funds determine that doing so does not harm the interests of Fund shareholders, and (c) exclude certain classes of redemptions from the application of the trading restrictions set forth above.
Nuveen Mutual Funds reserve the right to impose restrictions on purchases or exchanges that are more restrictive than those stated above if they determine, in their sole discretion, that a proposed transaction or series of transactions involve market timing or excessive trading that is likely to be detrimental to the Fund. The Fund may also modify or suspend the Frequent Trading Policy without notice during periods of market stress or other unusual circumstances.
The ability of Nuveen Mutual Funds to implement the Frequent Trading Policy for omnibus accounts at certain financial intermediaries may be dependent on receiving from those intermediaries sufficient shareholder information to permit monitoring of trade activity and enforcement of the Fund's Frequent Trading Policy. In addition, the Fund may rely on a financial intermediary’s policy to restrict market timing and excessive trading if the Fund believes that the policy is reasonably designed to prevent market timing that is detrimental to the Fund. Such policy may be more or less restrictive than the Fund's Policy. The Fund cannot ensure that these financial intermediaries will in all cases apply the Fund's policy or their own policies, as the case may be, to accounts under their control.
Exclusions from the Frequent Trading Policy
As stated above, certain redemptions are eligible for exclusion from the Frequent Trading Policy, including: (i) redemptions or exchanges by shareholders investing through the fee-based platforms of certain financial intermediaries (where the intermediary charges an asset-based or comprehensive “wrap” fee for its services) that are effected by the financial intermediaries in connection with systematic portfolio rebalancing; (ii) when there is a verified trade error correction, which occurs when a dealer firm sends a trade to correct an earlier trade made in error and then the firm sends an explanation to the Nuveen
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Mutual Funds confirming that the trade is actually an error correction; (iii) in the event of total disability (as evidenced by a determination by the federal Social Security Administration) of the shareholder (including a registered joint owner) occurring after the purchase of the shares being redeemed; (iv) in the event of the death of the shareholder (including a registered joint owner); (v) redemptions made pursuant to a systematic withdrawal plan, up to 1% monthly, 3% quarterly, 6% semiannually or 12% annually of an account’s net asset value depending on the frequency of the plan as designated by the shareholder; (vi) redemptions of shares that were purchased through a systematic investment program; (vii) involuntary redemptions caused by operation of law; (viii) redemptions in connection with a payment of account or plan fees; (ix) redemptions or exchanges by any “fund of funds” advised by the Adviser; (x) redemptions or exchanges by certain 529 plans; and (xi) redemptions in connection with the exercise of the Fund’s right to redeem all shares in an account that does not maintain a certain minimum balance or that the Board has determined may have material adverse consequences to the shareholders of the Fund.
In addition, the following redemptions of shares by an employer-sponsored qualified defined contribution retirement plan are excluded from the Frequent Trading Policy: (i) partial or complete redemptions in connection with a distribution without penalty under Section 72(t) of the Code from a retirement plan: (a) upon attaining age 59½; (b) as part of a series of substantially equal periodic payments; or (c) upon separation from service and attaining age 55; (ii) partial or complete redemptions in connection with a qualifying loan or hardship withdrawal; (iii) complete redemptions in connection with termination of employment, plan termination, transfer to another employer’s plan or IRA or changes in a plan’s recordkeeper; and (iv) redemptions resulting from the return of an excess contribution. Also, the following redemptions of shares held in an IRA account are excluded from the application of the Frequent Trading Policy: (i) redemptions made pursuant to an IRA systematic withdrawal based on the shareholder’s life expectancy including, but not limited to, substantially equal periodic payments described in Code Section 72(t)(A)(iv) prior to age 59½; and (ii) redemptions to satisfy required minimum distributions from an IRA account due to a shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable laws and regulations.
Distribution and Service Plan
The Fund has adopted a plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Rule 12b-1 provides in substance that a mutual fund may not engage directly or indirectly in financing any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares, except pursuant to a plan adopted under the Rule. The Plan authorizes the Fund to pay the Distributor distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees on the Fund’s Class A and Class C shares as described below. The distribution fees under the Plan are used for the primary purpose of compensating participating intermediaries for their sales of the Fund. The shareholder servicing fees are used primarily for the purpose of providing compensation for the ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of shareholder accounts. Pursuant to the Plan, Class C shares are subject to an annual distribution fee and Class A and Class C shares are subject to the annual service fees (distribution and service fees collectively referred to herein as “12b-1 fees”). The 12b-1 fees are based on the average daily net assets of the class of shares of the Fund and are as follows:
Annual Distribution Fee |
Annual Service Fee |
Total 12b-1 Fee | |||||||
Class A |
— |
0.25 |
% |
0.25 |
% | ||||
Class C |
0.75 |
% |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
Class I shares are not subject to either distribution or service fees.
The distribution fee applicable to Class C shares under the Fund’s Plan compensates the Distributor for expenses incurred in connection with the distribution of Class C shares. These expenses include payments to financial intermediaries, including the Distributor, who are brokers of record with respect to the Class C shares, as well as, without limitation, expenses of printing and distributing Prospectuses to persons other than shareholders of the Fund, expenses of preparing, printing and distributing advertising and sales literature and reports to shareholders used in connection with the sale of Class C shares, certain other expenses associated with the distribution of Class C shares, and any other distribution-related expenses that may be authorized from time to time by the Board of Trustees.
The service fee applicable to Class A and Class C shares under the Fund’s Plan is used to compensate financial intermediaries in connection with the provision of ongoing account services to shareholders. These services may include establishing and maintaining shareholder accounts, answering shareholder inquiries and providing other personal services to shareholders.
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During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund incurred 12b-1 fees pursuant to its Plan in the amounts set forth in the table below. 12b-1 fees are calculated and accrued daily and paid monthly or at such other intervals as the Board of Trustees may determine. As noted above, no 12b-1 fees are paid with respect to Class I shares. For this period, substantially all of the 12b-1 service fees on Class A shares were paid out as compensation to financial intermediaries for providing services to shareholders relating to their investments. To compensate for commissions advanced to financial intermediaries, all 12b-1 fees on Class C shares during the first year following a purchase are retained by the Distributor. After the first year following a purchase, 12b-1 fees on Class C shares are paid to financial intermediaries.
12b-1
Fees Incurred | |||
Class A |
$ 59,276 | ||
Class C |
79,096 |
The Plan is a “compensation-type” plan under which the Distributor is entitled to receive the distribution and shareholder servicing fees regardless of whether its actual distribution and shareholder servicing expenses are more or less than the amount of the fees. It is therefore possible that the Distributor may realize a profit in a particular year as a result of these payments. The Plan recognizes that the Distributor and the Adviser, in their discretion, may from time to time use their own assets to pay for certain additional costs of distributing Class A and Class C shares. Any such arrangements to pay such additional costs may be commenced or discontinued by the Distributor or the Adviser at any time.
Under the Fund’s Plan, the Fund will report quarterly to the Board of Trustees for its review of all amounts expended per class of shares under the Plan. The Plan may be terminated at any time with respect to any class of shares, without the payment of any penalty, by a vote of a majority of the independent trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such class. The Plan may be renewed from year to year if approved by a vote of the Board of Trustees and a vote of the independent trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. The Plan may be continued only if the trustees who vote to approve such continuance conclude, in the exercise of reasonable business judgment and in light of their fiduciary duties under applicable law, that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the cost which a class of shares may bear under the Plan without the approval of the shareholders of the affected class, and any other material amendments of the Plan must be approved by the independent trustees by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments. During the continuance of the Plan, the selection and nomination of the independent trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of the independent trustees then in office. With the exception of the Distributor and its affiliates, no “interested person” of the Fund, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, and no trustee of the Fund has a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or any related agreement.
If the Fund closes to new investors, it may continue to make payments under the Plan. Such payments would be made for the various services provided to existing shareholders by the participating intermediaries receiving such payments.
General Matters
The Fund has authorized one or more brokers to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker’s authorized designee accepts the order. Customer orders received by such broker (or their designee) will be priced at the Fund’s net asset value next computed after they are accepted by an authorized broker (or their designee). Orders accepted by an authorized broker (or their designee) before the close of regular trading on the NYSE will receive that day’s share price; orders accepted after the close of trading will receive the next business day’s share price.
If you choose to invest in the Fund, an account will be opened and maintained for you by SS&C GIDS, the Fund's shareholder services agent. Shares will be registered in the name of the investor or the investor’s financial advisor. The Fund does not issue share certificates. A change in registration or transfer of shares held in the name of a financial advisor may only be made by an order in good standing
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form from the financial advisor acting on the investor’s behalf. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order and to waive or increase minimum investment requirements.
Distribution Arrangements
The Distributor sells shares to or through brokers, dealers, banks or other qualified financial intermediaries (collectively referred to as “Dealers”), or others, in a manner consistent with the then effective registration statement of the Trust. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, at its own expense, finances certain activities incident to the sale and distribution of the Fund's shares, including printing and distributing of prospectuses and statements of additional information to other than existing shareholders, the printing and distributing of sales literature, advertising and payment of compensation and giving of concessions to Dealers.
The Distributor receives for its services the excess, if any, of the sales price of the Fund’s shares less the net asset value of those shares, and reallows a majority or all of such amounts to the Dealers who sold the shares. The Distributor also receives distribution fees pursuant to a distribution plan adopted by the Trust pursuant to Rule 12b-1 and described herein under “Distribution and Service Plan.” The Distributor also receives any CDSCs imposed on redemptions of shares. The Distributor may also act as a Dealer.
The following tables set forth the amount of underwriting commissions paid by the Fund, the amount of such commissions retained by the Distributor, and the amount of compensation on redemptions and repurchases for the specified periods. All figures are presented in thousands and are rounded to the nearest thousand.
Amount of Underwriting Commissions |
||||||||||||||||||
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
||||||||||||||||
$ 8 |
$ 26 |
$ 14 |
Amount Retained by the Distributor |
||||||||||||||||||
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
||||||||||||||||
$ 1 |
$ 3 |
$ 2 |
Amount of Compensation on Redemptions and Repurchases |
||||||||||||||||||
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
Fiscal
Year |
||||||||||||||||
$— |
$— |
$— |
To help financial advisors and investors better understand and more efficiently use the Fund to reach their investment goals, the Distributor may advertise and create specific investment programs and systems. For example, this may include information on how to use the Fund to accumulate assets for future education needs or periodic payments such as insurance premiums. The Distributor may produce software, electronic information sites or additional sales literature to promote the advantages of using the Fund to meet these and other specific investor needs. In addition, wholesale representatives of the Distributor may visit financial advisors on a regular basis to educate them about the Fund and to encourage the sale of Fund shares to their clients. The costs and expenses associated with these efforts may include travel, lodging, sponsorship at educational seminars and conferences, entertainment and meals to the extent permitted by law. Nuveen wholesalers may receive additional compensation if they meet certain targets for sales of one or more Nuveen Mutual Funds.
Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries and Other Payments
As described in the Prospectus and elsewhere in this SAI, intermediaries that sell shares of the Nuveen Mutual Funds or provide services to their shareholders, such as brokers, dealers, banks, registered investment advisers, retirement plan administrators and other intermediaries (individually, an “Intermediary,” and collectively, “Intermediaries”), may receive sales charge payments and, out of Fund assets, may be paid Rule 12b-1 distribution and service payments and sub-transfer agency payments. The Distributor and the Adviser make additional payments out of their own assets to selected Intermediaries. These payments are made for the purposes of promoting the sale of Fund shares, maintaining share balances and/or for sub-accounting, administrative or shareholder services.
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The amounts of these payments could be significant and may create an incentive for an Intermediary or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Nuveen Mutual Funds to its customers. The Intermediary may elevate the prominence or profile of the Fund within the Intermediary’s organization by, for example, placing the Fund on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or granting the Distributor preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Fund in various ways within the Intermediary’s organization. These payments are made pursuant to negotiated agreements with Intermediaries. The categories of payments described below are not mutually exclusive, and a single Intermediary may receive payments under all categories. Further, representatives of the Distributor and its affiliates receive additional compensation related to the Nuveen Mutual Funds.
These payments do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a share or the amount the Fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. Furthermore, these payments are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fee table section of the Fund's Prospectus and described above because they are not paid by the Fund.
Distribution-Related Payments
The Distributor and/or the Adviser make payments (sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing” payments) to selected Intermediaries as compensation for services such as providing the Fund with “shelf space” or a higher profile for the Intermediary’s personnel or their customers, placing the Fund on the Intermediary’s preferred or recommended fund list, granting access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the Intermediary, providing assistance in training and educating the Intermediary’s personnel on the Fund, and furnishing marketing support and other services.
The Adviser and/or the Distributor compensate Intermediaries differently depending upon, among other factors, the number or value of Nuveen Mutual Funds shares that the Intermediary sells or may sell, the value of the assets invested in the Nuveen Mutual Funds by the Intermediary’s customers, redemption rates, ability to attract and retain assets, reputation in the industry and the level and/or type of marketing assistance and educational activities provided by the Intermediary. Such payments are generally asset-based but also may include the payment of a lump sum.
Servicing Payments
The Adviser and/or the Distributor make payments to selected Intermediaries that are registered as holders or dealers of record for accounts invested in one or more of the Nuveen Mutual Funds or that make Nuveen Mutual Fund shares available through employee benefit plans or fee-based advisory programs to compensate them for the variety of services they provide.
Services for which an Intermediary receives servicing payments typically include recordkeeping, reporting, or transaction processing, but may also include services rendered in connection with fund/ investment selection and monitoring, employee enrollment and education, plan balance rollover or separation, or other similar services. An Intermediary may perform the services itself or arrange with a third party to perform such services.
TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC (“TIAA-CREF IIS”), an affiliate of the Adviser and the Distributor, is one intermediary that receives servicing payments. The shareholder services agreement between TIAA-CREF IIS and the Distributor provides that in exchange for such services, TIAA-CREF IIS will receive payments of 0.25% of the average net assets of Fund shares on the TIAA-CREF IIS retirement platform on an annual basis. The Distributor pays the portion of the fee that represents 0.05% of the average net assets of Fund shares attributable to TIAA-CREF IIS and the Fund pays the remainder.
Servicing payments typically apply to employee benefit plans, such as retirement plans, or fee-based advisory programs but may apply to retail sales and assets in certain situations. The payments are based on such factors as the type and nature of services or support furnished by the Intermediary and are generally asset-based.
Distribution-Related and Servicing Payment Guidelines
In the case of any one Intermediary, distribution-related and servicing payments made by the Adviser and/or the Distributor are not expected, with certain limited exceptions, to exceed, in the aggregate, 0.35% of the average net assets of Fund shares attributable to that Intermediary on an annual basis. In connection with the sale of a business by U.S. Bank N.A. to Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (“Great-West”), the Adviser and/or the Distributor has a services agreement with GWFS Equities, Inc., an affiliate of Great-West, which provides for payments of up to 0.60% of the average net
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assets of Fund shares attributable to GWFS Equities, Inc. on an annual basis (which amount also includes payments by the Fund for sub-transfer agency services).
Other Payments to Intermediaries
The Adviser and/or the Distributor, at their expense, provide other compensation to Intermediaries that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of the Fund, which may be in addition to distribution-related and servicing payments described above. For example, the Adviser and/or the Distributor may: (i) compensate Intermediaries for National Securities Clearing Corporation networking system services (e.g., shareholder communication, account statements, trade confirmations, and tax reporting) on an asset-based or per account basis; (ii) compensate Intermediaries for providing Fund shareholder trading information; (iii) make one-time or periodic payments to reimburse selected Intermediaries for items such as ticket charges (i.e., fees that an Intermediary charges its representatives for effecting transactions in Fund shares) of up to $25 per purchase or exchange order, operational charges (e.g., fees that an Intermediary charges for establishing the Fund on its trading system), and literature printing and/or distribution costs; (iv) at the direction of a retirement plan’s sponsor, reimburse or pay direct expenses of an employee benefit plan that would otherwise be payable by the plan; and (v) provide payments to broker-dealers to help defray their technology or infrastructure costs.
The Adviser and/or the Distributor pay selected Intermediaries for enabling the Adviser and/or the Distributor to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other Intermediary employees, client and investor events and other Intermediary-sponsored events, and for travel expenses, including lodging incurred by registered representatives and other employees in connection with prospecting, asset retention and due diligence meetings. These payments vary depending upon the Intermediary and the nature of the event. The Adviser and/or the Distributor make payments for such events as it deems appropriate, subject to its internal guidelines and applicable law.
The Adviser and/or the Distributor occasionally sponsor due diligence meetings for Intermediaries’ registered representatives during which the registered representatives receive updates on various Nuveen Mutual Funds and are afforded the opportunity to speak with portfolio managers. Although invitations to these meetings are not conditioned on selling a specific number of shares, those who have shown an interest in Nuveen Mutual Funds are more likely to be considered. To the extent permitted by their firm’s policies and procedures, all or a portion of registered representatives’ expenses in attending these meetings may be covered by the Adviser and/or the Distributor.
Compensation to the Distributor’s Representatives
Representatives of the Distributor and its affiliates receive additional compensation from the Adviser and/or the Distributor based on whether certain targets are met for sales of one or more Nuveen Mutual Funds and other subjective factors. Such compensation varies by Fund, by distribution channel and by affiliate.
Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. Investors can ask their Intermediary for information about any payments it receives from the Adviser and/or the Distributor and the services it provides for those payments.
Investors may wish to take Intermediary payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares.
Intermediaries Receiving Additional Payments
The following is a list of Intermediaries eligible to receive one or more of the types of payments discussed above as of December 15, 2023:
ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc.
AXA Advisors, LLC
American United Life Insurance Company
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Ascensus (formerly BISYS Retirement Services, Inc.)
BB&T
BMO Harris Bank N.A.
BNY Mellon, N.A.
Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc.
Benefit Trust Company
Cetera
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Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Chase Investment Services
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Commonwealth Equity Services, LLP, DBA Commonwealth Financial Network
Davenport & Co., LLC
Digital Retirement Solutions, Inc.
Dyatech, LLC
Edward Jones
Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC/National Financial Services LLC
Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company, Inc. (FIIOC)/Fidelity Advisors Retirement
Financial Data Services, Inc.
First Clearing
Genesis Employee Benefits, Inc. DBA America’s VEBA Solution
Goldman Sachs
Great West Life and Annuity Insurance Co.
GWFS Equities, Inc.
Hartford Life Insurance Company
Hartford Securities Distribution Company, Inc.
ICMA Retirement Corporation
J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc.
J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services, LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
John Hancock Trust Company
Kestra Investment Services, LLC
LPL Financial Services
Ladenburg Thalmann Advisor Network LLC
Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation
Lincoln Retirement Services Company LLC/AMG Service Corp.
Linsco/Private Ledger Corp.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
Mercer HR Outsourcing LLC
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation
Morgan Stanley & Co., Incorporated/Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
MSCS Financial Services Division of Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC
National Financial Services, LLC
Nationwide Financial Services, Inc.
Newport Retirement Services, Inc.
Northwestern Mutual
NYLife Distributors LLC
Oppenheimer & Co.
Pershing LLC
PFS Investments Inc.
Primerica Shareholder Services, Inc.
Principal Life Insurance Company
Prudential Insurance Company of America (The)
Prudential Investment Management Services, LLC/Prudential Investments LLC
Raymond James & Associates/Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Reliance Trust Company
Retirement Plan Company, LLC (The)
Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc.
SI Financial Advisors
Southwest Securities, Inc.
Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc.
T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc./T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc.
TD Ameritrade, Inc.
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TD Ameritrade Trust Company (formerly Fiserv Trust Company/International Clearing Trust Company)
TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC
Trust Company of America
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
U.S. Bank N.A
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
Unified Trust Company, N.A.
VALIC Retirement Services Company (formerly AIG Retirement Services Company)
Vanguard Group, Inc.
Voya Financial (formerly ING)
Wedbush Morgan Securities
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement & Trust
Wilmington Trust Company
Wilmington Trust Retirement and Institutional Services Company (formerly AST Capital Trust Company)
Any additions, modifications or deletions to the list of Intermediaries identified above that have occurred since December 15, 2023 are not reflected in the list.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The audited financial statements for the Fund’s most recent fiscal year appear in the Fund’s Annual Report dated August 31, 2023. The Fund’s Annual Report is incorporated by reference into this SAI and is available without charge by calling (800) 257-8787.
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APPENDIX A
NUVEEN PROXY VOTING POLICY
Policy Purpose and Statement
Proxy voting is the primary means by which shareholders may influence a publicly traded company's governance and operations and thus create the potential for value and positive long-term investment performance. When an SEC registered investment adviser has proxy voting authority, the adviser has a fiduciary duty to vote proxies in the best interests of its clients and must not subrogate its clients’ interests to its own. In their capacity as fiduciaries and investment advisers, Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (“NAM”), Teachers Advisors, LLC (“TAL”) and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (“TCIM”), (each an “Adviser” and collectively, the “Advisers”), vote proxies for the Portfolio Companies held by their respective clients, including investment companies and other pooled investment vehicles, institutional and retail separate accounts, and other clients as applicable. The Advisers have adopted this Policy, the Nuveen Proxy Voting Guidelines, and the Nuveen Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy for voting the proxies of the Portfolio Companies they manage. The Advisers leverage the expertise and services of an internal group referred to as the Responsible Investing Team (RI Team) to administer the Advisers’ proxy voting. The RI Team adheres to the Advisers’ Proxy Voting Guidelines which are reasonably designed to ensure that the Advisers vote client securities in the best interests of the Advisers’ clients.
Policy Statement
Proxy voting is a key component of a Portfolio Company’s corporate governance program and is the primary method for exercising shareholder rights and influencing the Portfolio Company’s behavior. Nuveen makes informed voting decisions in compliance with Rule 206(4)-6 (the “Rule”) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and applicable laws and regulations, (e.g., the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, “ERISA”).
Enforcement
As provided in the TIAA Code of Business Conduct, all employees are expected to comply with applicable laws and regulations, as well as the relevant policies, procedures and compliance manuals that apply to Nuveen’s business activities. Violation of this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Terms and Definitions
Advisory Personnel includes the Adviser’s portfolio managers and/or research analysts.
Proxy Voting Guidelines (the ‘’Guidelines’’) are a set of pre-determined principles setting forth the manner in which the Advisers intend to vote on specific voting categories, and serve to assist clients, Portfolio Companies, and other interested parties in understanding how the Advisers intend to vote on proxy-related matters. The Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not necessarily dictate how the Advisers will ultimately vote with respect to any proposal or resolution.
Portfolio Company includes any publicly traded company held in an account that is managed by an Adviser.
Policy Requirements
Investment advisers, in accordance with the Rule, are required to (i) adopt and implement written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, and address resolution of material conflicts that may arise, (ii) describe their proxy voting procedures to their clients and provide copies on request, and (iii) disclose to clients how they may obtain information on how the Advisers voted their proxies.
The Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), the Advisers, the RI Team and Nuveen Compliance are subject to the respective requirements outlined below under Roles and Responsibilities.
Although it is the general policy to vote all applicable proxies received in a timely fashion with respect to securities selected by an Adviser for current clients, the Adviser may refrain from voting in certain circumstances where such voting would be disadvantageous, materially burdensome or impractical, or otherwise inconsistent with the overall best interest of clients.
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Roles and Responsibilities
Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee
The purpose of the Committee is to establish a governance framework to oversee the proxy voting activities of the Advisers in accordance with the Policy. The Committee has delegated responsibility for the implementation and ongoing administration of the Policy to the RI Team, subject to the Committee’s ultimate oversight and responsibility as outlined in the Committee’s Proxy Voting Charter.
Advisers
1. Advisory Personnel maintain the ultimate decision-making authority with respect to how proxies will be voted, unless otherwise instructed by a client, and may determine to vote contrary to the Guidelines and/or a vote recommendation of the RI Team if such Advisory Personnel determines it is in the best interest of the Adviser’s clients to do so. The rationale for all such contrary vote determinations will be documented and maintained.
2. When voting proxies for different groups of client accounts, Advisory Personnel may vote proxies held by the respective client accounts differently depending on the facts and circumstances specific to such client accounts. The rationale for all such vote determinations will be documented and maintained.
3. Advisory Personnel must comply with the Nuveen Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy with respect to potential material conflicts of interest.
Responsible Investing Team
1. Performs day-to-day administration of the Advisers’ proxy voting processes.
2. Seeks to vote proxies in adherence to the Guidelines, which have been constructed in a manner intended to align with the best interests of clients. In applying the Guidelines, the RI Team, on behalf of the Advisers, takes into account several factors, including, but not limited to:
· Input from Advisory Personnel
· Third-party research
· Specific Portfolio Company context, including environmental, social and governance practices, and financial performance.
3. Delivers copies of the Advisers’ Policy to clients and prospective clients upon request in a timely manner, as appropriate.
4. Assists with the disclosure of proxy votes as applicable on corporate website and elsewhere as required by applicable regulations.
5. Prepares reports of proxies voted on behalf of the Advisers’ investment company clients to their Boards or committees thereof, as applicable.
6. Performs an annual vote reconciliation for review by the Committee.
7. Arranges the annual service provider due diligence, including a review of the service provider’s potential conflicts of interests, and presents the results to the Committee.
8. Facilitates quarterly Committee meetings, including agenda and meeting minute preparation.
9. Complies with the Nuveen Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy with respect to potential material conflicts of interest.
10. Creates and retains certain records in accordance with Nuveen’s Record Management program.
11. Oversees the proxy voting service provider in making and retaining certain records as required under applicable regulation.
12. Assesses, in cooperation with Advisory Personnel, whether securities on loan should be recalled in order to vote their proxies.
Nuveen Compliance
1. Ensures proper disclosure of Advisers’ Policy to clients as required by regulation or otherwise.
2. Ensures proper disclosure to clients of how they may obtain information on how the Advisers voted their proxies.
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3. Assists the RI Team with arranging the annual service provider due diligence and presenting the results to the Committee.
4. Monitors for compliance with this Policy and retains records relating to its monitoring activities pursuant to Nuveen’s Records Management program.
Governance
Review and Approval
This Policy will be reviewed at least annually and will be updated sooner if substantive changes are necessary. The Policy Leader, the Committee and the NEFI Compliance Committee are responsible for the review and approval of this Policy.
Implementation
Nuveen has established the Committee to provide centralized management and oversight of the proxy voting process administered by the RI Team for the Advisers in accordance with its Proxy Voting Committee Charter and this Policy.
Exceptions
Any request for a proposed exception or variation to this Policy will be submitted to the Committee for approval and reported to the appropriate governance committee(s), where appropriate.
October 1, 2022
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NUVEEN PROXY VOTING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST POLICY AND PROCEDURES
Policy Purpose and Statement
Proxy voting by investment advisers is subject to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules and regulations, and for accounts subject to ERISA, U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) requirements. These rules and regulations require policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure proxies are voted in the best interest of clients and that such procedures set forth how the adviser addresses material conflicts that may arise between the Adviser’s interests and those of its clients. The purpose of this Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy and Procedures (“Policy”) is to describe how the Advisers monitor and address the risks associated with Material Conflicts of Interest arising out of business and personal relationships that could affect proxy voting decisions.
Nuveen’s Responsible Investing Team (“RI Team”) is responsible for providing vote recommendations, based on the Nuveen Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), to the Advisers and for administering the voting of proxies on behalf of the Advisers. When determining how to vote proxies, the RI Team adheres to the Guidelines which are reasonably designed to ensure that the Advisers vote proxies in the best interests of the Advisers’ clients.
Advisers may face certain potential Material Conflicts of Interest when voting proxies. The procedures set forth below have been reasonably designed to identify, monitor, and address potential Material Conflicts of Interest to ensure that the Advisers’ voting decisions are based on the best interest of their clients and are not the product of a conflict.
Policy Statement
The Advisers have a fiduciary duty to vote proxies in the best interests of their clients and must not subrogate the interests of their clients to their own.
Enforcement
As provided in the TIAA Code of Business Conduct, all employees are expected to comply with applicable laws and regulations, as well as the relevant policies, procedures and compliance manuals that apply to Nuveen’s business activities. Violation of this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Terms and Definitions
Advisory Personnel includes the Advisers’ portfolio managers and research analysts.
Conflicts Watch List (“Watch List”) refers to a list maintained by the RI Team based on the following:
1. The positions and relationships of the following categories of individuals are evaluated to assist in identifying a potential Material Conflict with a Portfolio Company:
i. The TIAA CEO
ii. Nuveen Executive Leadership Team
iii. RI Team members who provide proxy voting recommendations on behalf of the Advisers,
iv. Advisory Personnel, and
v. Household Members of the parties listed above in Nos. 1(i) – 1(iv)
The following criteria constitute a potential Material Conflict:
· Any individual identified above in 1(i) – 1(v) who serves on a Portfolio Company’s board of directors; and/or
· Any individual identified above in 1(v) who serves as a senior executive of a Portfolio Company.
2. In addition, the following circumstances have been determined to constitute a potential Material Conflict:
i. Voting proxies for Funds sponsored by a Nuveen Affiliated Entity (i.e., registered investment funds and other funds that require proxy voting) held in client accounts,
ii. Voting proxies for Portfolio Companies that are direct advisory clients of the Advisers and/or the Nuveen Affiliated Entities,
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iii. Voting proxies for Portfolio Companies that have a material distribution relationship1 with regard to the products or strategies of the Advisers and/or the Nuveen Affiliated Entities,
iv. Voting proxies for Portfolio Companies that are institutional investment consultants with which the Advisers and/or the Nuveen Affiliated Entities have engaged for any material business opportunity1 and
v. Any other circumstance where the RI Team, the Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), the Advisers, Nuveen Legal or Nuveen Compliance are aware of in which the Adviser’s duty to serve its clients’ interests could be materially compromised.
In addition, certain conflicts may arise when a Proxy Service Provider or their affiliate(s), have determined and/or disclosed that a relationship exists with i) a Portfolio Company ii) an entity acting as a primary shareholder proponent with respect to a Portfolio Company or iii) another party. Such relationships include, but are not limited to, the products and services provided to, and the revenue obtained from, such Portfolio Company or its affiliates. The Proxy Service Provider is required to disclose such relationships to the Advisers, and the RI Team reviews and evaluates the Proxy Service Provider’s disclosed conflicts of interest and associated controls annually and reports its assessment to the Committee.
Household Member includes any of the following who reside or are expected to reside in your household for at least 90 days a year: i) spouse or Domestic Partner, ii) sibling, iii) child, stepchild, grandchild, parents, grandparent, stepparent, and in-laws (mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister).
Domestic Partner is defined as an individual who is neither a relative of, or legally married to, a Nuveen employee but shares a residence and is in a mutual commitment similar to marriage with such Nuveen employee.
Material Conflicts of Interest (“Material Conflict”) A conflict of interest that reasonably could have the potential to influence a recommendation based on the criteria described in this Policy.
Nuveen Affiliated Entities refers to TIAA and entities that are under common control with the Advisers and that provide investment advisory services to third party clients2. TIAA and the Advisers will undertake reasonable efforts to identify and manage any potential TIAA-related conflicts of interest.
Portfolio Company refers to any publicly traded company held in an account that is managed by an Adviser or a Nuveen Affiliated Entity.
Proxy Service Provider(s) refers to any independent third-party vendor(s) who provides proxy voting administrative, research and/or recordkeeping services to Nuveen.
Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines’’) are a set of pre-determined principles setting forth the manner in which the Advisers generally intend to vote on specific voting categories and serve to assist clients, Portfolio Companies, and other interested parties in understanding how the Advisers generally intend to vote proxy-related matters. The Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not necessarily dictate how the Advisers will ultimately vote with respect to any proposal or resolution.
Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Escalation Form (“Escalation Form”) Used in limited circumstances as described below to formally document certain requests to deviate from the Guidelines, the rationale supporting the request, and the ultimate resolution.
Policy Requirements
The Advisers have a fiduciary duty to vote proxies in the best interests of their clients and must not subrogate the interests of their clients to their own.
1 Such criteria is defined in a separate standard operating procedure. 2 Such list is maintained in a separate standard operating procedure. |
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The RI Team and Advisory Personnel are prohibited from being influenced in their proxy voting decisions by any individual outside the established proxy voting process. The RI Team and Advisory Personnel are required to report to Nuveen Compliance any individuals or parties seeking to influence proxy votes outside the established proxy voting process.
The RI Team generally seeks to vote proxies in adherence to the Guidelines. In the event that a potential Material Conflict has been identified, the Committee, the RI Team, Advisory Personnel and Nuveen Compliance are required to comply with the following:
Proxies are generally voted in accordance with the Guidelines. In instances where a proxy is issued by a Portfolio Company on the Watch List, and the RI Team’s vote direction is in support of company management and either contrary to the Guidelines or the Guidelines require a case by case review, then the RI Team vote recommendation is evaluated using established criteria3 to determine whether a potential conflict exists. In instances where it is determined a potential conflict exists, the vote direction shall default to the recommendation of an independent third-party Proxy Service Provider based on such provider’s benchmark policy. To the extent the RI Team believes there is a justification to vote contrary to the Proxy Service Provider’s benchmark recommendation in such an instance, then such requests are evaluated and mitigated pursuant to an Escalation Form review process as described in the Roles and Responsibilities section below. In all cases votes are intended to be in line with the Guidelines and in the best interests of clients.
The Advisers are required to adhere to the baseline standards and guiding principles governing client and personnel conflicts as outlined in the TIAA Conflicts of Interest Policy to assist in identifying, escalating and addressing proxy voting conflicts in a timely manner.
Roles and Responsibilities
Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee
1. Annually, review and approve the criteria constituting a Material Conflict involving the individuals and entities named on the Watch List.
2. Review and approve the Policy annually, or more frequently as required.
3. Review Escalation Forms as described above to determine whether the rationale of the recommendation is clearly articulated and reasonable relative to the potential Material Conflict.
4. Review RI Team Material Conflicts reporting.
5. Review and consider any other matters involving the Advisers’ proxy voting activities that are brought to the Committee.
Responsible Investing Team
1. Promptly disclose RI Team members’ Material Conflicts to Nuveen Compliance.
2. RI Team members must recuse themselves from all decisions related to proxy voting for the Portfolio Company seeking the proxy for which they personally have disclosed, or are required to disclose, a Material Conflict.
3. Compile, administer and update the Watch List promptly based on the Watch List criteria described herein as necessary.
4. Evaluate vote recommendations for Portfolio Companies on the Watch List, based on established criteria to determine whether a vote shall default to the third-party Proxy Service Provider, or whether an Escalation Form is required.
5. In instances where an Escalation Form is required as described above, the RI Team member responsible for the recommendation completes and submits the form to an RI Team manager and the Committee. The RI Team will specify a response due date from the Committee typically no earlier than two business days from when the request was delivered. While the RI Team will make reasonable efforts to provide a two business day notification period, in certain instances the required response date may be shortened. The Committee reviews the Escalation Form to determine whether a Material Conflict exists and whether the rationale of the recommendation is clearly articulated and reasonable relative to the existing conflict. The Committee will then provide its response in writing to the RI Team member who submitted the Escalation Form.
3 Such criteria is defined in a separate standard operating procedure. |
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6. Provide Nuveen Compliance with established reporting.
7. Prepare Material Conflicts reporting to the Committee and other parties, as applicable.