Dear Fellow Shareholders:
On behalf of all of us here at Value Line Funds, I hope this semi-annual report finds you and your family safe and well.
As we continue through these challenging times, know that our long-term commitment to you, our Fund shareholders, remains unchanged. As such, we are pleased to present you with this semi-annual report for Value Line Select Growth Fund, Inc., Value Line Mid Cap Focused Fund, Inc., Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. and Value Line Larger Companies Focused Fund, Inc. (individually, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
During the semi-annual period, most broad U.S. equity indices generated strong positive absolute returns. Notably, all four Funds also posted positive absolute returns during the semi-annual period, though three of the four underperformed their respective benchmark index on a relative basis. The semi-annual period was highlighted by each of the four equity and hybrid Value Line Funds being recognized for its long-term performance and/or attractive risk profiles.
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Value Line Select Growth Fund, Inc.* was given an overall Risk Rating of Below Averagei by Morningstar1,2.
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Value Line Mid Cap Focused Fund, Inc.* earned an overall four-star rating from Morningstar1,2 in the mid-cap growth category among 546 funds as of June 30, 2021 based on risk-adjusted returns. Morningstar gave the Fund an overall Risk Rating of Low.ii
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Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.* outpaced the category average return of its peers for the three-, five- and ten-year periods ended June 30, 2021 (allocation-70% to 85% equity category), as measured by Morningstar,1 ranking in the top 3% of its peer category in each of those time periods. Additionally, the Fund earned an overall five-star rating from Morningstar2 in the allocation-70% to 85% equity category among 287 funds as of June 30, 2021 based on risk-adjusted returns. Morningstar gave the Fund an overall Return Rating of High.iii
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Value Line Larger Companies Focused Fund, Inc.* outpaced the category average return of its peers for the five- and ten-year periods ended June 30, 2021 (large growth category), as measured by Morningstar1.
On the following pages, the Funds’ portfolio managers discuss the management of their respective Funds during the semi-annual period. The discussions highlight key factors influencing recent performance of the Funds. You will also find a Schedule of Investments and financial statements for each of the Funds.
Before reviewing the performance of your individual mutual fund investment(s), we encourage you to take a brief look at the major factors affecting the financial markets during the six months ended June 30, 2021, especially given the newsworthy events of the semi-annual period. With meaningful trends and developments during the first half of 2021 in several drivers of the capital markets, we also invite you to take this time to consider a broader diversification strategy by including additional Value Line Funds in your investment portfolio. You can find out more about the entire family of Value Line Funds at our website, www.vlfunds.com.
Economic Review
During the six months ended June 30, 2021, the U.S. economy increasingly opened up as just under half of Americans became fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Pandemic-driven lockdowns virtually ended. U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of 6.4% in the first quarter of 2021, the second-largest quarterly gain since 2003, following an annualized growth rate of 4.3% in the last quarter of 2020. GDP forecasts for the second quarter of 2021 were also strong.
Jobs increased at a healthy pace through most of the semi-annual period. Non-farm payroll jobs began the calendar year with a monthly gain of 233,000 jobs. Progress was rather steadily higher, and by the end of June 2021, non-farm payroll jobs had increased to a monthly gain of 833,000. In turn, jobless claims and the unemployment rate declined. Jobless claims totaled 904,000 in early January 2021 and were down to 364,000 at the end of June. The U.S. unemployment rate went from 6.7% at the start of the calendar year to 5.9% at the end of the semi-annual period. In turn, consumer spending rose, home sales skyrocketed and travelers began returning to the skies.
Manufacturing was also robust, reaching heights not seen in decades. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Survey soared to 64.7 in March 2021, the highest reading since 1983, before declining slightly to 60.6 in June 2021, still well above the level widely considered to be a sign of expansion. Additionally, manufacturers could not produce enough to meet the pent-up demand as individuals released from lockdowns spent more than was widely anticipated. Major shortages were seen in semiconductor chips, commodities and a variety of goods, including lumber and automobiles, causing customers to wait long times for deliveries. Services, the largest sector of the U.S. economy, which had been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, also began to recover during the semi-annual period, as more people became more comfortable going to restaurants, movies and retail stores. The ISM Services Index registered 57.2 at the end of 2020 and reached a historic peak of 64.0 in May 2021 before slipping to 60.1 in June.
Perhaps the major concern for the economy during the semi-annual period was a significant increase in inflationary pressures, a consequence of the strong economic recovery. The core Consumer Price Index, which excludes food and energy, rose 1.6% on a year over year basis in December 2020 but then reached an annualized growth rate of 4.5% in June 2021, the largest 12-month