The cost and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments, including open derivative contracts, of the Fund at March 31, 2024, as determined on a federal income tax basis, were as follows:
Aggregate cost | $421,571,695 |
Gross unrealized appreciation | $341,107,097 |
Gross unrealized depreciation | (900,848) |
Net unrealized appreciation | $340,206,249 |
3 Investment Adviser Fee and Other Transactions with Affiliates
The investment adviser fee is earned by Eaton Vance Management (EVM), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, as compensation for investment advisory services rendered to the Fund. The fee is computed at an annual rate of 1.00% of the Fund’s average daily gross assets, as defined in the investment advisory agreement, and is payable monthly. Gross assets as referred to herein represent net assets plus obligations attributable to investment leverage. During the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Fund had no obligations attributable to investment leverage. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Fund’s investment adviser fee amounted to $3,476,608. The Fund may invest in a money market fund, the Institutional Class of the Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds - Government Portfolio (the "Liquidity Fund"), an open-end management investment company managed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The investment adviser fee paid by the Fund is reduced by an amount equal to its pro rata share of the advisory and administration fees paid by the Fund due to its investment in the Liquidity Fund. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, the investment adviser fee paid was reduced by $8,379 relating to the Fund’s investment in the Liquidity Fund. EVM also serves as administrator of the Fund, but receives no compensation.
Trustees and officers of the Fund who are members of EVM’s organization receive remuneration for their services to the Fund out of the investment adviser fee. Trustees of the Fund who are not affiliated with EVM may elect to defer receipt of all or a percentage of their annual fees in accordance with the terms of the Trustees Deferred Compensation Plan. Certain officers and Trustees of the Fund are officers of EVM.
4 Purchases and Sales of Investments
Purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, aggregated $169,999,204 and $210,375,214, respectively, for the six months ended March 31, 2024.
5 Common Shares of Beneficial Interest and Shelf Offering
The Fund may issue common shares pursuant to its dividend reinvestment plan. There were no common shares issued by the Fund for the six months ended March 31, 2024. Common shares issued by the Fund pursuant to its dividend reinvestment plan for the year ended September 30, 2023 were 112,880.
In August 2012, the Board of Trustees initially approved a share repurchase program for the Fund. Pursuant to the reauthorization of the share repurchase program by the Board of Trustees in March 2019, the Fund is authorized to repurchase up to 10% of its common shares outstanding as of the last day of the prior calendar year at market prices when shares are trading at a discount to net asset value. The share repurchase program does not obligate the Fund to purchase a specific amount of shares. There were no repurchases of common shares by the Fund for the six months ended March 31, 2024 and the year ended September 30, 2023.
Pursuant to a registration statement filed with the SEC, the Fund is authorized to issue up to an additional 2,942,268 common shares through an equity shelf offering program (the “shelf offering”). Under the shelf offering, the Fund, subject to market conditions, may raise additional capital from time to time and in varying amounts and offering methods at a net price at or above the Fund’s net asset value per common share. During the six months ended March 31, 2024, there were no shares sold by the Fund pursuant to its shelf offering. During the year ended September 30, 2023, the Fund sold 135,911 common shares and received proceeds (net of offering costs) of $2,134,844 through its shelf offering. The net proceeds in excess of the net asset value of the shares sold were $55,245 for the year ended September 30, 2023. Offering costs (other than the applicable sales commissions) incurred in connection with the shelf offering were borne directly by EVM. Eaton Vance Distributors, Inc. (EVD), an affiliate of EVM, is the distributor of the Fund’s shares and is entitled to receive a sales commission from the Fund of 1.00% of the gross sales price per share, a portion of which is re-allowed to sales agents. The Fund was informed that the sales commissions retained by EVD during the year ended September 30, 2023 were $4,313.