FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (“FIN 48”) requires an analysis of tax positions taken or to be taken on a tax return and whether such positions are “more likely than not” to be sustained upon examination based on their technical merit. To the extent they would not be sustained, tax expense (and related interest and penalties) would be recognized for financial statement reporting purposes. Management has evaluated the application of FIN 48 to the Fund, and has determined that FIN 48 does not have a material impact on the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund files U.S. and various state tax returns. To the best of the Fund’s knowledge, no income tax returns are currently under examination. All tax years of the Fund are open at this time.
|
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (concluded) |
(f) Dividends and distributions — Dividends and distributions paid by the Fund are recorded on the ex-dividend dates.
2. Investment Advisory Agreement and Transactions with Affiliates:
The Fund has entered into an Investment Advisory and Management Agreement with IQ Investment Advisors LLC (“IQ Advisors”), an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (“ML & Co.”), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (“Bank of America”). IQ Advisors is responsible for the investment advisory, management and administrative services to the Fund. In addition, IQ Advisors provides the necessary personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operations of the Fund. For such services, the Fund pays a monthly fee at an annual rate equal to .82% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets plus borrowings for leverage and other investment purposes.
In addition, IQ Advisors has entered into a Subadvisory Agreement with BlackRock Investment Management, LLC (the “Subadviser”), an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). Pursuant to the agreement, the Subadviser provides certain investment advisory services to IQ Advisors with respect to the Fund. For such services, IQ Advisors pays the Subadviser a monthly fee at an annual rate equal to .35% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets plus borrowings for leverage and other investment purposes. There is no increase in the aggregate fees paid by the Fund for these services.
IQ Advisors has entered into an Administration Agreement with Princeton Administrators, LLC (the “Administrator”). The Administration Agreement provides that IQ Advisors pays the Administrator a fee from its investment advisory fee at an annual rate equal to .12% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets plus borrowings for leverage and other investment purposes for the performance of administrative and other services necessary for the operation of the Fund. There is no increase in the aggregate fees paid by the Fund for these services. The Administrator is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock. ML & Co. has a substantial financial interest in BlackRock.
In addition, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, an affiliate of IQ Advisors, received $298 in commissions on the execution of portfolio security transactions for the Fund for the six months ended June 30, 2009.
Certain officers of the Fund are officers and/or directors of IQ Advisors and/or ML & Co. or their affiliates.
3. Investments:
Purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term securities, for the six months ended June 30, 2009 were $755,144 and $512,042, respectively.
Transactions in options written outstanding for the six months ended June 30, 2009 were as follows:
| | | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Number of Contracts | | Premiums Paid | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding call options written, beginning of period | | | 114,240 | | $ | 10,750,843 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
Outstanding call options written, end of period | | | 114,240 | | $ | 10,750,843 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
4. Common Stock Transactions:
The Fund is authorized to issue 100,000,000 shares of capital stock, par value $.001 per share, all of which were initially classified as Common Stock. The Board of Directors is authorized, however, to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of capital stock without approval of the holders of Common Stock.
Shares issued and outstanding during the six months ended June 30, 2009 remained constant. Shares issued and outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2008 decreased by 186,904, as a result of a repurchase offer.
Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, the Fund will make offers to repurchase shares at annual (approximately 12-month) intervals. The shares tendered in the repurchase offer will be subject to a repurchase fee retained by the Fund to compensate the Fund for expenses directly related to the repurchase offer.
With regard to repurchase fees, IQ Advisors will reimburse the Fund for the cost of expenses paid in excess of 2% of the value of the shares that are repurchased.
5. Capital Loss Carryforward:
As of December 31, 2008, the Fund had a capital loss carry-forward of $13,526,198, all of which expires in 2016. This amount is available to offset future realized capital gains.
| | |
|
|
|
18 | S&P 500® GEARED FUND INC.® | JUNE 30, 2009 |
|
|
|
Fundamental Periodic Repurchase Policy |
The Board of Directors approved a fundamental policy whereby the Fund would adopt an “interval fund” structure pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As an interval fund, the Fund will make annual repurchase offers at net asset value (less repurchase fee not to exceed 2%) to all Fund stockholders. The percentage of outstanding shares that the Fund can repurchase in each offer will be established by the Fund’s Board of Directors shortly before the commencement of each offer, and will be between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s then outstanding shares.
The Fund has adopted the following fundamental policy regarding periodic repurchases:
a) The Fund will make offers to repurchase its shares at annual (approximately 12-month) intervals pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act (“Offers”). The Board of Directors may place such conditions and limitations on an Offer, as may be permitted under Rule 23c-3.
b) The repurchase request deadline for each Offer, by which the Fund must receive repurchase requests submitted by stockholders in response to the most recent Offer, will be determined by reference to the exercise date of the call spreads and written call options that comprise the Fund’s transactions (as described in the Fund’s prospectus) for an annual period; and will be the fourteenth day prior to such exercise date; provided that, in the event that such day is not a business day, the repurchase request deadline will be the business day subsequent to the fourteenth day prior to the exercise date of the call spreads and written call options (the “Repurchase Request Deadline”).
c) The maximum number of days between a Repurchase Request Deadline and the next repurchase pricing date will be fourteen days; provided that if the fourteenth day after a Repurchase Request Deadline is not a business day, the repurchase pricing date shall be the next business day (the “Repurchase Pricing Date”).
d) Offers may be suspended or postponed under certain circumstances, as provided for in Rule 23c-3. (For further details, see Note 4 to the Financial Statements.)
|
|
|
Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments |
The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Forms N-Q are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Fund’s Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.
The Fund offers electronic delivery of communications to its stockholders. In order to receive this service, you must register your account and provide us with e-mail information. To sign up for this service, simply access this website at http://www.icsdelivery.com/live and follow the instructions.
When you visit this site, you will obtain a personal identification number (PIN). You will need this PIN should you wish to update your e-mail address, choose to discontinue this service and/or make any other changes to the service. This service is not available for certain retirement accounts at this time.
For more information regarding the Fund, please visit www.IQIAFunds.com or contact us at 1-877-449-4742.
| | |
|
|
|
S&P 500® GEARED FUND INC.® | JUNE 30, 2009 | 19 |

| |

| www.IQIAFunds.com |
S&P 500® GEARED Fund Inc.® seeks to provide total returns, exclusive of fees and expenses of the Fund, linked to the annual performance of the S&P 500® Composite Stock Price Index.
This report, including the financial information herein, is transmitted to stockholders of S&P 500® GEARED Fund Inc.® for their information. It is not a prospectus. Past performance results shown in this report should not be considered a representation of future performance. Statements and other information herein are as dated and are subject to change.
A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available without charge at www.IQIAFunds.com/proxyvoting.asp or upon request by calling toll-free 1-877-449-4742 or through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Information about how the Fund voted proxies relating to securities held in the Fund’s portfolio during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available (1) at www.IQIAFunds.com/proxyvoting.asp; and (2) on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
S&P 500® GEARED Fund Inc.®
2 World Financial Center, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10281
Item 2 – | Code of Ethics – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
| |
Item 3 – | Audit Committee Financial Expert – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
| |
Item 4 – | Principal Accountant Fees and Services – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
| |
Item 5 – | Audit Committee of Listed Registrants – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
| |
Item 6 – | Investments |
| (a) The registrant’s Schedule of Investments is included as part of the Report to Stockholders filed under Item 1 of this form. |
| (b) Not Applicable since no such divestments occurred during the semi-annual period covered since the last report on Form N-CSR. |
| |
Item 7 – | Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
| |
Item 8 – | Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
| |
Item 9 – | Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers – Not Applicable |
| |
Item 10 – | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders – The registrant’s Nominating Committee will consider nominees to the board of directors recommended by shareholders when a vacancy becomes available. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations that include biographical information and set forth the qualifications of the proposed nominee to the registrant’s Secretary. There have been no material changes to these procedures. |
| |
Item 11 – | Controls and Procedures |
| |
11(a) – | The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers or persons performing similar functions have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 13a-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
| |
11(b) – | There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
| |
Item 12 – | Exhibits attached hereto |
| |
12(a)(1) – | Code of Ethics – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
| |
12(a)(2) – | Certifications – Attached hereto |
| |
12(a)(3) – | Not Applicable |
| |
12(b) – | Certifications – Attached hereto |
| Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. |
| |
| S&P 500® GEARED Fund Inc.® |
| |
| By: | /s/ Justin C. Ferri | |
| | Justin C. Ferri |
| | Chief Executive Officer of |
| | S&P 500® GEARED Fund Inc.® |
| |
| Date: August 20, 2009 |
| |
| Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. |
| |
| By: | /s/ Justin C. Ferri | |
| | Justin C. Ferri |
| | Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of |
| | S&P 500® GEARED Fund Inc.® |
| |
| Date: August 20, 2009 |
| |
| By: | /s/ James E. Hillman | |
| | James E. Hillman |
| | Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) of |
| | S&P 500® GEARED Fund Inc.® |
| |
| Date: August 20, 2009 |