United States
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form N-CSR
Certified Shareholder Report of Registered Management Investment Companies
811-23259
(Investment Company Act File Number)
Federated Hermes Adviser Series
_______________________________________________________________
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Federated Hermes Funds
4000 Ericsson Drive
Warrendale, Pennsylvania 15086-7561
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(412) 288-1900
(Registrant's Telephone Number)
Peter J. Germain, Esquire
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3779
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
(Notices should be sent to the Agent for Service)
Date of Fiscal Year End: 08/31/20
Date of Reporting Period: 08/31/20
| Item 1. | Reports to Stockholders |
Annual Shareholder Report
August 31, 2020
Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit FundFund Established 2019
A Portfolio of Federated Hermes Adviser Series(formerly, Federated Adviser Series)
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING REPORT DELIVERY
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports like this one will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund or your financial intermediary electronically by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank); other shareholders may call the Fund at 1-800-341-7400, Option 4.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. You can inform the Fund or your financial intermediary that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank); other shareholders may call the Fund at 1-800-341-7400, Option 4. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with the Fund complex or your financial intermediary.
Not FDIC Insured ▪ May Lose Value ▪ No Bank Guarantee
J. Christopher
Donahue
President
Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund
Letter from the President
Dear Valued Shareholder,
I am pleased to present the Annual Shareholder Report for your fund covering the period from September 26, 2019 through August 31, 2020.
As we all confront the unprecedented effects of the coronavirus and the challenges it presents to our families, communities, businesses and the financial markets, I want you to know that everyone at Federated Hermes is dedicated to helping you successfully navigate the markets ahead. You can count on us for the insights, investment management knowledge and client service that you have come to expect. Please refer to our website, FederatedInvestors.com, for timely updates on this and other economic and market matters.
Thank you for investing with us. I hope you find this information useful and look forward to keeping you informed.
Sincerely, 
J. Christopher Donahue, President
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (unaudited)
The total return of Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund (the “Fund”), based on net asset value for the since-inception reporting period from September 26, 2019 through August 31, 2020, was 6.19% for the Institutional Shares. The total return of the ICE BofA Global High Yield Constrained (USD Hedged) Index (IGHYC),1 the Fund’s broad-based securities market index, was 3.82% for the same period. The total return of the Lipper High Yield Funds Average (LHYFA),2 a peer group average for the Fund, was 2.05% for the same period. The Fund’s and LHYFA’s total returns for the most recently completed reporting period reflected actual cash flows, transaction costs and other expenses, which were not reflected in the total return of the IGHYC.
During the reporting period the most significant factors affecting the Fund’s performance relative to the IGHYC were: (1) the allocation among industry sectors; (2) the allocation among credit ratings;3,4 (3) the allocation between regions;5 and (4) the selection of individual securities.
MARKET OVERVIEW
In the fourth quarter of 2019, optimism on the U.S.-China trade front drove investor appetite for riskier credit. Following the announcement of a delay in the implementation date of the new China tariffs, USD high-yield6 spreads tightened relative to investment-grade. Declining policy uncertainty and improving growth sentiment boosted investors’ appetite towards cyclical sectors. In December 2019, investment-grade and high-yield spreads dropped to the lowest in two decades bolstered by declining tail risks, supportive new issue features and improving funding conditions. In the first quarter of 2020, sentiment changed, the continued expansion of a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 around the world and the collapse in oil prices caused increasing concern and the ensuing downside risks for economic activity, global supply chains and confidence among the general public caused investors to start to take money out of high yield as an asset class. The ensuing market fall from the highs of February 20, 2020 to the lows of March 23, 2020 saw a decline in the IGHYC of -21%. To support liquidity in the market, the Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) and other central banks announced a wide range of new stimulus measures, including buying a potentially unlimited amount of Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed7 securities as well as corporate bonds8 issued by eligible issuers. There was a surge in investment-grade issuance as companies looked to quickly shore up cash reserves with investment-grade firms issuing $528 billion – the highest Q1 total on record. The reaction of rating agencies following the market shock meant that by May, the wave of fallen angels had increased the notional value of the USD and EUR high-yield markets by 10% and 17%, respectively. Beyond size, the composition of the USD high-yield market also shifted, with
Annual Shareholder Report
increased issuer concentration and average duration.9 Across sectors and ratings, the share of securities that track the economic cycle of expansions and recessions and “BB”-rated securities also rose materially, and default rates picked up.
Since the lows of March, the market has continued to rally back to the levels observed in January driven by cyclical recovery themes as new daily U.S. COVID-19 infections decreased and economic data generally surprised to the upside. Policy support continues: the European Central Bank’s (ECB) purchases of corporate bonds has been larger relative to those of the Fed (both on an absolute basis and relative to the size of the respective markets). Government bond yields remained at extremely low, and in some cases negative, levels and this has led to the support of credit markets where higher yields are available.
Within the high-yield market, major industry sectors that substantially outperformed the IGHYC included: Healthcare, Insurance, Technology & Electronics, Real Estate and Automotive. Major industry sectors that substantially underperformed the IGHYC included: Energy, Leisure, Transportation and Services. From a ratings perspective, lower quality credit securities (“CCC” and below) materially underperformed the IGHYC, while securities rated “BBB-“ and “BB+” substantially outperformed. Regionally, Western Europe outperformed the U.S. and the UK, with performance across emerging market credit also substantially outperforming the IGHYC.
SECTOR ALLOCATION
During the reporting period, the Fund was positively affected by its sector allocation. The Fund benefited from its underweight positioning in the poor-performing Energy, Leisure and Transportation sectors. It also benefited from its overweight positioning in the Capital Goods, Basic Industry and Telecommunications sectors. The Fund was negatively affected by its underweight positioning in Real Estate, Healthcare and Technology Sectors, as well as its overweight positioning in the Automotive sector.
During the reporting period, the Fund’s performance was positively affected by its use of credit default swap index contracts10 as a proxy for the market itself. The Fund also made use of short government bond futures to hedge performance-at-risk that can arise from changes in interest rates. As such, detraction from Fund performance attributed to the bond futures contracts was offset by the capital appreciation of securities due to changes in interest rates.
Annual Shareholder Report
RATING ALLOCATION
During the reporting period, the Fund was positively affected by its allocation across ratings. The Fund benefited from its higher quality bias relative to the IGHYC. Overweight positioning in “BBB” and “BB”-rated securities contributed positively to the relative performance of the Fund. Underweight positioning in “B” and “CCC”-rated issues helped the performance of the Fund.
REGIONAL ALLOCATION
During the reporting period, the Fund was positively affected by its allocation across regions. The Fund benefited from its overweight allocation to Western Europe and the UK. It also benefited from its underweight positioning in North America. The Fund was negatively affected by its underweight allocation to emerging markets, especially in Asia and the Middle East.
SECURITY SELECTION
During the reporting period, the Fund was positively affected by security selection. This was especially true in the Basic Industry, Telecommunications and Banking sectors. On a single name basis, issuers which contributed the most to relative performance over the period were Phoenix Group, Liberty Global Companies, CenturyLink and Range Resources. The Fund was negatively affected by security selection in the Utility and Real Estate sectors. On a single name basis, issuers which detracted the most from relative performance were Ford, PEMEX and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.
1
Please see the footnotes to the line graphs below for definitions of, and further information about, the IGHYC.
2
Please see the footnotes to the line graphs below for definitions of, and further information about, the LHYFA.
3
Credit ratings pertain only to the securities in the portfolio and do not protect Fund shares against market risk.
4
Investment-grade securities and noninvestment-grade securities may either: be (a) rated by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization or rating agency; or (b) unrated securities that the Fund’s Adviser believes are of comparable quality. The rating agencies that provided the ratings for rated securities include Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. and Fitch Rating Service. When ratings vary, the highest rating is used. Credit ratings of “AA” or better are considered to be high credit quality; credit ratings of “A” are considered high or medium/good quality; and credit ratings of “BBB” are considered to be medium/good credit quality, and the lowest category of investment-grade securities; credit ratings of “BB” and below are lower-rated, noninvestment-grade securities or junk bonds; and credit ratings of “CCC” or below are noninvestment-grade securities that have high default risk. Any credit quality breakdown does not give effect to the impact of any credit derivative investments made by the Fund. Credit ratings are an indication of the risk that a security will default. They do not protect a security from credit risk. Lower-rated bonds typically offer higher yields to help compensate investors for the increased risk associated with them. Among these risks are lower creditworthiness, greater price volatility, more risk to principal and income than with higher-rated securities and increased possibilities of default.
Annual Shareholder Report
5
International investing involves special risks including currency risk, increased volatility, political risks and differences in auditing and other financial standards. Prices of emerging market securities can be significantly more volatile than the prices of securities in developed countries, and currency risk and political risks are accentuated in emerging markets.
6
High-yield, lower-rated securities generally entail greater market, credit and liquidity risks than investment-grade securities and may include higher volatility and a higher risk of default.
7
The value of some mortgage-backed securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and although the securities are generally supported by some form of government or private insurance, there is no assurance that private guarantors or insurers will meet their obligations.
8
Bond prices are sensitive to changes in interest rates, and a rise in interest rates can cause a decline in their prices.
9
Duration is a measure of a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Securities with longer durations are more sensitive to changes in interest rates than securities of shorter duration.
10
The Fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional instruments.
Annual Shareholder Report
FUND PERFORMANCE AND GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT
The graph below illustrates the hypothetical investment of $10,0001 in the Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund (the “Fund”) from inception on September 26, 2019 to August 31, 2020 compared to the ICE BofA Global High Yield Constrained (USD Hedged) Index (IGHYC)2 and the Lipper High Yield Funds Average (LHYFA).3 The Cumulative Total Return table below shows returns for the since-inception reporting period.
Growth of a $10,000 INVESTMENT
Growth of $10,000 as of August 31, 2020 
Cumulative Total Returns for the Period Ended 8/31/2020
Performance data quoted represents past performance which is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Mutual fund performance changes over time and current performance may be lower or higher than what is stated. For current to the most recent month-end performance and after-tax returns, visit FederatedInvestors.com or call 1-800-341-7400. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. Mutual funds are not obligations of or guaranteed by any bank and are not federally insured.
Annual Shareholder Report
1
The Fund’s performance assumes the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The IGHYC and the LHYFA have been adjusted to reflect reinvestment of dividends on securities in the indexes and the average.
2
The IGHYC contains all securities in the ICE BofA Global High Yield Index but caps issuer exposure at 2%. The ICE BofA Global High Yield Index tracks the performance of USD, CAD, GBP and EUR denominated below investment-grade corporate debt publicly issued in the major domestic or eurobond markets. The IGHYC is not adjusted to reflect sales charges, expenses or other fees that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires to be reflected in the Fund’s performance. The index is unmanaged and, unlike the Fund, is not affected by cash flows. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
3
Lipper figures represent the average of the total returns reported by all funds designated by Lipper, Inc., as falling into the respective category and are not adjusted to reflect any sales charges. The Lipper figures in the Growth of $10,000 line graph are based on historical return information published by Lipper and reflect the return of the funds comprising the category in the year of publication. Because the funds designated by Lipper as falling into the category can change over time, the Lipper figures in the line graph may not match the Lipper figures in the Average Annual Total Returns table, which reflect the return of the funds that currently comprise the category.
4
The Fund commenced operations on September 26, 2019.
Annual Shareholder Report
Portfolio of Investments Summary Table (unaudited)
At August 31, 2020, the Fund’s sector composition1 was as follows:
| Percentage of
Total Net Assets |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net3 | |
| |
1
Sector classifications are based upon, and individual portfolio securities are assigned to, the classifications of the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) except that the Adviser assigns a classification to securities not classified by the GICS and to securities for which the Adviser does not have access to the classification made by the GICS.
2
Based upon net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) or value of the derivative contracts as applicable. Derivative contracts may consist of futures, forwards and swaps. The impact of a derivative contract on the Fund’s performance may be larger than its unrealized appreciation (depreciation) or value may indicate. In many cases, the notional value or amount of a derivative contract may provide a better indication of the contract’s significance to the portfolio. More complete information regarding the Fund’s direct investments in derivative contracts, including unrealized appreciation (depreciation), value and notional values or amounts of such contracts, can be found in the table at the end of the Portfolio of Investments included in this Report.
3
Assets, other than investments in securities and derivative contracts, less liabilities. See Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Annual Shareholder Report
Portfolio of Investments
August 31, 2020
Foreign
Currency Par Amount or
Principal
Amount | | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Faurecia, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.375%, 6/15/2027 | |
| | Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.250%, 4/15/2023 | |
| | Ford Motor Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.750%, 1/15/2043 | |
| | General Motors Financial Co., Inc., Jr. Sub. Deb., Series A, 5.750%, 3/30/2169 | |
| | General Motors Financial Co., Inc., Jr. Sub. Note, Series B, 6.500%, 3/30/2169 | |
| | Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.875%, 3/15/2027 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | ABN Amro Bank NV, Jr. Sub. Deb., 4.750%, 3/22/2169 | |
| | Akbank TAS, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 5.125%, 3/31/2025 | |
| | Ally Financial, Inc., Sr. Sub. Note, 5.750%, 11/20/2025 | |
| | Ally Financial, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.800%, 5/1/2025 | |
| | Banco Btg Pactual/Cayman, Sub., REGS, 7.750%, 2/15/2029 | |
| | Banco Mercantil De Norte, Jr. Sub. Deb., REGS, 7.500%, 9/27/2168 | |
| | Bank of Ireland Group PLC, Sub., Series EMTN, 4.125%, 9/19/2027 | |
| | Caixa Geral de Depositos S.A. (CGD), Jr. Sub. Deb., 10.750%, 6/30/2169 | |
| | CIT Group, Inc., Sub., 6.125%, 3/9/2028 | |
| | Commerzbank AG, Jr. Sub. Note, 7.000%, 4/9/2168 | |
| | Credit Suisse Group AG, Jr. Sub. Deb., REGS, 5.100%, 7/24/2169 | |
| | Deutsche Bank AG, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series EMTN, 5.625%, 5/19/2031 | |
| | Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, Sub. Deb., 5.710%, 1/15/2026 | |
| | Itau Unibanco Holding SA, Sub. Deb., REGS, 4.500%, 11/21/2029 | |
| | National Westminster Bank plc, Jr. Sub. Deb., Series C, 2.375% (3-month USLIBOR +0.250%), 2/27/2169 | |
| | UniCredit SpA, Jr. Sub. Deb., 8.000%, 6/3/2168 | |
| | | |
Annual Shareholder Report
Foreign Currency Par Amount or Principal Amount | | | |
| | CORPORATE BONDS—continued | |
| | | |
| | Alcoa Nederland Holding B.V., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 6.125%, 5/15/2028 | |
| | Anglo American Capital PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series EMTN, 3.375%, 3/11/2029 | |
| | Ashland Services B.V., Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 2.000%, 1/30/2028 | |
| | BHP Billiton Finance (USA) Ltd., Jr. Sub. Deb., REGS, 6.750%, 10/19/2075 | |
| | Cemex SAB de CV, Sec. Fac. Bond, REGS, 5.450%, 11/19/2029 | |
| | Cemex SAB de CV, Sec. Fac. Bond, REGS, 7.375%, 6/5/2027 | |
| | CF Industries Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.150%, 3/15/2034 | |
| | Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 7.000%, 3/15/2027 | |
| | Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc., Term Loan—1st Lien, 144A, 6.750%, 3/15/2026 | |
| | Domtar, Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.250%, 9/1/2042 | |
| | GTL Trade Finance, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 7.250%, 4/16/2044 | |
| | Huntsman International LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.500%, 5/1/2029 | |
| | KB HOME, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.800%, 11/15/2029 | |
| | Lennar Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.750%, 11/29/2027 | |
| | Novelis Corporation, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.750%, 1/30/2030 | |
| | Orbia Advance Corp. SAB de CV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 5.500%, 1/15/2048 | |
| | Sappi Papier Holding GmbH, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 3.125%, 4/15/2026 | |
| | Suzano Austria GmbH, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.000%, 1/15/2030 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC/Ardagh Holdings, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 4.750%, 7/15/2027 | |
| | Ball Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.500%, 3/15/2027 | |
| | Berry Global, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, REGS, 1.500%, 1/15/2027 | |
| | Crown European Holdings SA, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 2.875%, 2/1/2026 | |
| | Sealed Air Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.000%, 12/1/2027 | |
| | Sig Combibloc Purchaser, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.125%, 6/18/2025 | |
| | Sig Combibloc Purchaser, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 2.125%, 6/18/2025 | |
Annual Shareholder Report
Foreign Currency Par Amount or Principal Amount | | | |
| | CORPORATE BONDS—continued | |
| | | |
| | Silgan Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.250%, 6/1/2028 | |
| | Smurfit Kappa Treasury Unlimited Company, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.500%, 9/15/2027 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Arcelik AS, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 5.000%, 4/3/2023 | |
| | Coca-Cola Icecek AS, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 4.215%, 9/19/2024 | |
| | Kraft Heinz Foods Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.250%, 3/1/2031 | |
| | Kraft Heinz Foods Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.375%, 6/1/2046 | |
| | NBM US Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 6.625%, 8/6/2029 | |
| | Post Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.625%, 4/15/2030 | |
| | | |
| | Consumer Non-Cyclical—3.0% | |
| | Hanesbrands, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.875%, 5/15/2026 | |
| | Levi Strauss & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.375%, 3/15/2027 | |
| | Toll Brothers, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.800%, 11/1/2029 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Aker BP ASA, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 3.750%, 1/15/2030 | |
| | BP Capital Markets PLC, 4.250%, 6/22/2169 | |
| | DCP Midstream Operating LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.600%, 4/1/2044 | |
| | EnLink Midstream Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.450%, 6/1/2047 | |
| | EnLink Midstream Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.600%, 4/1/2044 | |
| | Enterprise Products Operating LLC, Jr. Sub. Deb., 5.375%, 2/15/2078 | |
| | EQT Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.900%, 10/1/2027 | |
| | EQT Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 8.750%, 2/1/2030 | |
| | Hess Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.600%, 2/15/2041 | |
| | Occidental Petroleum Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.500%, 8/15/2029 | |
| | Occidental Petroleum Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.100%, 2/15/2047 | |
Annual Shareholder Report
Foreign Currency Par Amount or Principal Amount | | | |
| | CORPORATE BONDS—continued | |
| | | |
| | Pemex Project Funding Master Trust, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.625%, 6/15/2038 | |
| | Petrobras Global Finance BV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.600%, 1/3/2031 | |
| | Petrobras Global Finance BV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.900%, 3/19/2049 | |
| | Petroleos Mexicanos, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.750%, 9/21/2047 | |
| | Petroleos Mexicanos, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 6.840%, 1/23/2030 | |
| | Petroleos Mexicanos, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 6.950%, 1/28/2060 | |
| | Range Resources Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.875%, 5/15/2025 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Barclays Bank plc, Jr. Sub. Deb., 6.278%, 12/15/2168 | |
| | | |
| | Eurofins Scientific SE, Jr. Sub. Note, 3.250%, 11/13/2168 | |
| | Grifols SA, Sec. Fac. Bond, REGS, 2.250%, 11/15/2027 | |
| | HCA, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.500%, 9/1/2030 | |
| | Iqvia, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.875%, 6/15/2028 | |
| | Iqvia, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 5.000%, 5/15/2027 | |
| | Tenet Healthcare Corp., 144A, 4.875%, 1/1/2026 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Phoenix Group Holdings PLC, Jr. Sub. Deb., 5.750%, 10/26/2168 | |
| | | |
| | Altice France Holding SA, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.000%, 2/15/2028 | |
| | CCO Holdings LLC/Cap Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.750%, 3/1/2030 | |
| | CSC Holdings LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.375%, 2/15/2031 | |
| | United Group B.V., Sr. Secd. Note, REGS, 3.625%, 2/15/2028 | |
| | Virgin Media Secured Finance PLC, Sec. Fac. Bond, REGS, 4.250%, 1/15/2030 | |
| | Ziggo Bond Co. BV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 3.375%, 2/28/2030 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | ADLER Real Estate AG, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.000%, 4/27/2026 | |
| | Country Garden Holdings Co., 5.125%, 1/17/2025 | |
Annual Shareholder Report
Foreign Currency Par Amount or Principal Amount | | | |
| | CORPORATE BONDS—continued | |
| | | |
| | MPT Operating Partnership LP / MPT Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.692%, 6/5/2028 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | L Brands, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 7.600%, 7/15/2037 | |
| | Marks & Spencer PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.250%, 7/10/2027 | |
| | Marks & Spencer PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 7.125%, 12/1/2037 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Catalent Pharma Solutions, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 2.375%, 3/1/2028 | |
| | Technology & Electronics—1.4% | |
| | Dell, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.400%, 9/10/2040 | |
| | Dell, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.500%, 4/15/2038 | |
| | NXP BV / NXP Funding LLC / NXP USA Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.400%, 5/1/2030 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Altice Financing SA, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 3.000%, 1/15/2028 | |
| | Altice France SA, Sec. Fac. Bond, REGS, 3.375%, 1/15/2028 | |
| | Cellnex Telecom S.A., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.875%, 6/26/2029 | |
| | CenturyLink, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, 144A, 4.000%, 2/15/2027 | |
| | CenturyLink, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series P, 7.600%, 9/15/2039 | |
| | Embarq Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 7.995%, 6/1/2036 | |
| | Millicom International Cellular S. A., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 6.250%, 3/25/2029 | |
| | Network i2i Ltd., Sub. Deb., REGS, 5.650%, 4/15/2169 | |
| | T-Mobile USA, Inc., 144A, 4.375%, 4/15/2040 | |
| | T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, 144A, 2.550%, 2/15/2031 | |
| | T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.750%, 2/1/2028 | |
| | Telecom Italia Capital SA, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.000%, 9/30/2034 | |
| | Telefonica Europe BV, Jr. Sub. Note, 2.625%, 6/7/2169 | |
| | Telefonica Europe BV, Sub., 2.502%, 5/5/2169 | |
| | Turk Telekomunikasyon AS, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 4.875%, 6/19/2024 | |
Annual Shareholder Report
Foreign Currency Par Amount or Principal Amount | | | |
| | CORPORATE BONDS—continued | |
| | Telecommunications—continued | |
| | Veon Holdings BV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, REGS, 4.000%, 4/9/2025 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | AES Corp., Sec. Fac. Bond, 144A, 3.950%, 7/15/2030 | |
| | AES Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.125%, 9/1/2027 | |
| | AES Gener S.A., Jr. Sub. Note, REGS, 6.350%, 10/7/2079 | |
| | Calpine Corp., 144A, 4.500%, 2/15/2028 | |
| | Calpine Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 5.125%, 3/15/2028 | |
| | Clearway Energy Operating LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.750%, 3/15/2028 | |
| | Enel SpA, Jr. Sub. Deb., 2.500%, 11/24/2078 | |
| | Energias de Portugal SA, Jr. Sub. Note, 1.700%, 7/20/2080 | |
| | Orsted A/S, 1.750%, 12/9/3019 | |
| | TerraForm Power Operating LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.750%, 1/15/2030 | |
| | | |
| | TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS
(IDENTIFIED COST $29,066,809) | |
| | | |
| | United States Treasury Bill, 0.148%—0.169%, 12/24/2020 (IDENTIFIED COST $299,755) | |
| | TOTAL INVESTMENT IN SECURITIES—95.5%
(IDENTIFIED COST $29,366,564)4 | |
| | OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES - NET—4.5%5 | |
| | | |
At August 31, 2020, the Fund had the following outstanding futures contracts:
| | | | Value and
Unrealized
Depreciation |
|
6United States Treasury Note 10-Year Note | | | | |
6United States Treasury Ultra Long Bond | | | | |
NET UNREALIZED DEPRECIATION ON FUTURES CONTRACTS | |
Annual Shareholder Report
At August 31, 2020, the Fund had the following open swap contracts:
Credit Default Swaps
| | | | | Implied
Credit
Spread at
8/31/20207 | | | Upfront
Premiums
Paid
(Received) | |
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Fiat Chrysler
Automobiles
NV | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
TOTAL CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS | | | |
Annual Shareholder Report
At August 31, 2020, the Fund had the following outstanding foreign exchange contracts:
| | Foreign Currency
Units to
Receive/Deliver | | |
|
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
NET UNREALIZED DEPRECIATION ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE CONTRACTS | |
Net Unrealized Depreciation on Futures Contracts and Foreign Exchange Contracts and value for Swap Contracts is included in “Other Assets and Liabilities—Net.”
1
Perpetual Bond Security. The maturity date reflects the next call date.
2
Floating/variable note with current rate and current maturity or next reset date shown.
3
Discount rate at time of purchase.
4
Also represents cost for federal tax purposes.
5
Assets, other than investments in securities, less liabilities. See Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
6
Non-income-producing security.
7
Implied credit spreads, represented in absolute terms, utilized in determining the market value of credit default swap agreements serve as an indicator of the current status of the payment/performance risk and represent the likelihood or risk of default for the credit derivative. The implied credit spread of a particular referenced entity reflects the cost of buying/selling protection and may include upfront payments required to be made to enter into the agreement. Wider credit spreads represent a deterioration of the referenced entity’s credit soundness and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. A credit spread identified as “Defaulted” indicates a credit event has occurred for the referenced entity or obligation.
Note: The categories of investments are shown as a percentage of total net assets at August 31, 2020.
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:
Level 1—quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.). Also includes securities valued at amortized cost.
Level 3—significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Annual Shareholder Report
The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of August 31, 2020, in valuing the Fund’s assets carried at fair value:
| | | | |
| | Level 2—
Other
Significant
Observable
Inputs | Level 3—
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Other Financial Instruments: | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Foreign Exchange Contracts | | | | |
| | | | |
TOTAL OTHER FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS | | | | |
The following acronyms are used throughout this portfolio:
| |
| |
| |
| —London Interbank Offered Rates |
| |
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
Financial Highlights–Institutional Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period)
| |
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | |
Income From Investment Operations: | |
| |
Net realized and unrealized gain | |
TOTAL FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS | |
| |
Distributions from net investment income | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | |
| |
Ratios to Average Net Assets: | |
| |
| |
Expense waiver/reimbursement6 | |
| |
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted) | |
| |
1
Reflects operations for the period from September 26, 2019 (date of initial investment) to August 31, 2020.
2
Based on net asset value. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.
3
Amount does not reflect net expenses incurred by investment companies in which the Fund may invest.
4
Computed on an annualized basis.
5
The net expense ratio is calculated without reduction for expense offset arrangements. The net expense ratio is 0.62% for the period ended August 31, 2020 after taking into account this expense reduction.
6
This expense decrease is reflected in both the net expense and the net investment income ratios shown above. Amount does not reflect expense waiver/reimbursement recorded by investment companies in which the Fund may invest.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
Statement of Assets and Liabilities August 31, 2020
| | |
Investment in securities, at value (identified cost $29,366,564) | | |
Due from broker for swap contracts | | |
| | |
Cash collateral on swap contracts | | |
Cash denominated in foreign currencies (identified cost $130,301) | | |
Receivable for investments sold | | |
| | |
Receivable for shares sold | | |
Swaps, at value (net premium paid of $82,393) | | |
Receivable for periodic payments from swap contracts | | |
| | |
| | |
Unrealized depreciation on foreign exchange contracts | | |
Payable for investments purchased | | |
| | |
Payable for shares redeemed | | |
Swaps, at value (net premium received of $3,878) | | |
Payable for portfolio accounting fees | | |
Payable to adviser (Note 5) | | |
Payable for variation margin on futures contracts | | |
Payable for administrative fee (Note 5) | | |
Accrued expenses (Note 5) | | |
| | |
Net assets for 3,151,946 shares outstanding | | |
| | |
| | |
Total distributable earnings (loss) | | |
| | |
Net Asset Value, Offering Price and Redemption Proceeds Per Share: | | |
| | |
$32,603,079 ÷ 3,151,946 shares outstanding, no par value, unlimited shares authorized | | |
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
Statement of Operations Period Ended August 31, 20201
| | | |
Interest (net of foreign tax withheld of $2,080) | | | |
| | | |
Investment adviser fee (Note 5) | | | |
Administrative fee (Note 5) | | | |
| | | |
Transfer agent fees (Note 2) | | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Portfolio accounting fees | | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Waiver, Reimbursements and Reduction: | | | |
Waiver of investment adviser fee (Note 5) | | | |
Reimbursements of other operating expenses (Notes 2 and 5) | | | |
Reduction of custodian fees (Note 6) | | | |
TOTAL WAIVER, REIMBURSEMENTS AND REDUCTION | | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Annual Shareholder Report
Statement of Operations–continued
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Foreign Exchange Contracts, Futures Contracts, Swap Contracts and Foreign Currency Transactions: | | | |
Net realized loss on investments and foreign currency transactions | | | |
Net realized gain on foreign exchange contracts | | | |
Net realized loss on futures contracts | | | |
Net realized gain on swap contracts | | | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation of investments and translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currency | | | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation of foreign exchange contracts | | | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation of futures contracts | | | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation of swap contracts | | | |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign exchange contracts, futures contracts, swap contracts and foreign currency transactions | | | |
Change in net assets resulting from operations | | | |
1
Reflects operations for the period from September 26, 2019 (date of initial investment) to August 31, 2020.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
| |
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets | |
| |
| |
| |
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation | |
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS | |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |
| |
Proceeds from sale of shares | |
Net asset value of shares issued to shareholders in payment of distributions declared | |
| |
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM SHARE TRANSACTIONS | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
1
Reflects operations for the period from September 26, 2019 (date of initial investment) to August 31, 2020.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
Notes to Financial Statements
August 31, 2020
1. ORGANIZATION
Federated Hermes Adviser Series (the “Trust”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Trust consists of 11 portfolios. The financial statements included herein are only those of the Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund (the “Fund”), a diversified portfolio. The financial statements of the other portfolios are presented separately. The assets of each portfolio are segregated and a shareholder’s interest is limited to the portfolio in which shares are held. Each portfolio pays its own expenses. The Fund offers one class of shares, Institutional Shares, which commenced operations on September 26, 2019. Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class R6 Shares are effective with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), but are not yet offered for sale. All shares of the Fund have equal rights with respect to voting, except on class-specific matters. The Fund’s investment objective is to seek current income and long term capital appreciation alongside positive societal impact.
Prior to June 29, 2020, the name of the Trust was Federated Adviser Series.
2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. These policies are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
Investment Valuation
In calculating its net asset value (NAV), the Fund generally values investments as follows:
■ Fixed-income securities are fair valued using price evaluations provided by a pricing service approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Trustees”).
■ Equity securities listed on an exchange or traded through a regulated market system are valued at their last reported sale price or official closing price in their principal exchange or market.
■ Derivative contracts listed on exchanges are valued at their reported settlement or closing price, except that options are valued at the mean of closing bid and asked quotations.
■ Over-the-counter (OTC) derivative contracts are fair valued using price evaluations provided by a pricing service approved by the Trustees.
■ Shares of other mutual funds or non-exchange-traded investment companies are valued based upon their reported NAVs.
■ For securities that are fair valued in accordance with procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Trustees, certain factors may be considered, such as: the last traded or purchase price of the security, information obtained by contacting the issuer or dealers, analysis of the issuer’s financial statements or other available documents, fundamental analytical data, the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition, the movement of the market in which the security is normally traded, public trading in similar securities or derivative contracts of the issuer or comparable issuers, movement of a relevant index, or other factors including but not limited to industry changes and relevant government actions.
Annual Shareholder Report
If any price, quotation, price evaluation or other pricing source is not readily available when the NAV is calculated, if the Fund cannot obtain price evaluations from a pricing service or from more than one dealer for an investment within a reasonable period of time as set forth in the Fund’s valuation policies and procedures, or if information furnished by a pricing service, in the opinion of the valuation committee (“Valuation Committee”), is deemed not representative of the fair value of such security, the Fund uses the fair value of the investment determined in accordance with the procedures described below. There can be no assurance that the Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to an investment if it sold the investment at approximately the time at which the Fund determines its NAV per share, and the actual value obtained could be materially different.
Fair Valuation and Significant Events Procedures
The Trustees have ultimate responsibility for determining the fair value of investments for which market quotations are not readily available. The Trustees have appointed a Valuation Committee comprised of officers of the Fund, Federated Investment Management Company (the “Adviser”) and certain of the Adviser’s affiliated companies to assist in determining fair value and in overseeing the calculation of the NAV. The Trustees have also authorized the use of pricing services recommended by the Valuation Committee to provide fair value evaluations of the current value of certain investments for purposes of calculating the NAV. The Valuation Committee employs various methods for reviewing third-party pricing-service evaluations including periodic reviews of third-party pricing services’ policies, procedures and valuation methods (including key inputs, methods, models and assumptions), transactional back-testing, comparisons of evaluations of different pricing services and review of price challenges by the Adviser based on recent market activity. In the event that market quotations and price evaluations are not available for an investment, the Valuation Committee determines the fair value of the investment in accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees. The Trustees periodically review and approve the fair valuations made by the Valuation Committee and any changes made to the procedures.
Factors considered by pricing services in evaluating an investment include the yields or prices of investments of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, call rights and other potential prepayments, terms and type, reported transactions, indications as to values from dealers and general market conditions. Some pricing services provide a single price evaluation reflecting the bid-side of the market for an investment (a “bid” evaluation). Other pricing services offer both bid evaluations and price evaluations indicative of a price between the prices bid and asked for the investment (a “mid” evaluation). The Fund normally uses bid evaluations for any U.S. Treasury and Agency securities, mortgage-backed securities and municipal securities. The Fund normally uses mid evaluations for any other types of fixed-income securities and any OTC derivative contracts. In the event that market quotations and price evaluations are not available for an investment, the fair value of the investment is determined in accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees.
The Trustees also have adopted procedures requiring an investment to be priced at its fair value whenever the Adviser determines that a significant event affecting the value of the investment has occurred between the time as of which the price of the investment would otherwise be determined and the time as of which the NAV is computed. An event is considered significant if there is both an affirmative expectation
Annual Shareholder Report
that the investment’s value will change in response to the event and a reasonable basis for quantifying the resulting change in value. Examples of significant events that may occur after the close of the principal market on which a security is traded, or after the time of a price evaluation provided by a pricing service or a dealer, include:
■ With respect to securities principally traded in foreign markets, significant trends in U.S. equity markets or in the trading of foreign securities index futures contracts;
■ Political or other developments affecting the economy or markets in which an issuer conducts its operations or its securities are traded;
■ Announcements concerning matters such as acquisitions, recapitalizations, litigation developments, or a natural disaster affecting the issuer’s operations or regulatory changes or market developments affecting the issuer’s industry.
The Trustees have adopted procedures whereby the Valuation Committee uses a pricing service to provide factors to update the fair value of equity securities traded principally in foreign markets from the time of the close of their respective foreign stock exchanges to the pricing time of the Fund. For other significant events, the Fund may seek to obtain more current quotations or price evaluations from alternative pricing sources. If a reliable alternative pricing source is not available, the Fund will determine the fair value of the investment in accordance with the fair valuation procedures approved by the Trustees. The Trustees have ultimate responsibility for any fair valuations made in response to a significant event.
Investment Income, Gains and Losses, Expenses and Distributions
Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade-date basis. Realized gains and losses from investment transactions are recorded on an identified-cost basis. Interest income and expenses are accrued daily. Dividend income and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Foreign dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date or when the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Distributions of net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly. Non-cash dividends included in dividend income, if any, are recorded at fair value. Amortization/accretion of premium and discount is included in investment income. The detail of the total fund expense waiver, reimbursements and reduction of $279,963 is disclosed in various locations in Note 2, Note 5 and Note 6.
For period ended August 31, 2020, transfer agent fees for the Fund were as follows:
| Transfer Agent
Fees Incurred | Transfer Agent
Fees Reimbursed |
| | |
Other Service Fees
The Fund may pay other service fees up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund’s Institutional Shares to unaffiliated financial intermediaries or to Federated Shareholder Services Company (FSSC) for providing services to shareholders and maintaining shareholder accounts. Subject to the terms described in the Expense Limitation note, FSSC may voluntarily reimburse the Fund for other service fees.
For the period ended August 31, 2020, the Fund’s Institutional Shares did not incur other service fees.
Annual Shareholder Report
Federal Taxes
It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the Subchapter M provision of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and to distribute to shareholders each year substantially all of its income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income tax is necessary. As of and during the period ended August 31, 2020, the Fund did not have a liability for any uncertain tax positions. The Fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to tax liabilities as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations. As of August 31, 2020, the current tax year will be subject to examination by the Fund’s major tax jurisdictions, which include the United States of America and the state of Delaware.
The Fund may be subject to taxes imposed by governments of countries in which it invests. Such taxes are generally based on either income or gains earned or repatriated. The Fund accrues and applies such taxes to net investment income, net realized gains and net unrealized gains as income and/or gains are earned.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions
The Fund may engage in when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions. The Fund records when-issued securities on the trade date and maintains security positions such that sufficient liquid assets will be available to make payment for the securities purchased. Securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis are marked to market daily and begin earning interest on the settlement date. Losses may occur on these transactions due to changes in market conditions or the failure of counterparties to perform under the contract.
Swap Contracts
Swap contracts involve two parties that agree to exchange the returns (or the differential in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments, instruments, indices or other measures. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount” for a determined period of time. The Fund may enter into interest rate, total return, credit default, currency and other swap agreements to seek to increase yield, income and return and to manage country, currency, security, market and sector/asset class risks. Risks may arise upon entering into swap agreements from the potential inability of the counterparties to meet the terms of their contract from unanticipated changes in the value of the swap agreement. In connection with these agreements, securities or cash may be identified as collateral or margin in accordance with the terms of the respective swap agreements to provide assets of value and recourse in the event of default.
The Fund is subject to interest rate risk exposure in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. Because the Fund holds fixed rate bonds, the value of these bonds may decrease if interest rates rise. Interest rate swap agreements generally involve the agreement by the Fund to pay the counterparty a fixed or floating interest rate on a fixed notional amount and to receive a fixed or floating rate on a fixed notional amount, but may also involve the agreement to pay or receive payments derived from changes in interest rates. Periodic payments are generally made during the life of the swap agreement according to the terms and conditions of the agreement and at termination or maturity. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty credit risk is the discounted value of the net cash flows to be received from/paid to the counterparty
Annual Shareholder Report
over the contract’s remaining life, to the extent the amount is positive. This risk is mitigated by having a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty and by the posting of collateral by the counterparty to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.
The “buyer” in a credit default swap is obligated to pay the “seller” a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default on an underlying reference obligation has occurred. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value, or the “par value,” of the reference obligation in exchange for the reference obligation. In connection with these agreements, securities may be identified as collateral in accordance with the terms of the respective swap agreements to provide assets of the value and recourse in the event of default or bankruptcy/solvency. Recovery values are assumed by market makers considering either industry standard recovery rates or entity specific factors and considerations until a credit event occurs. If a credit event has occurred, the recovery value is typically determined by a facilitated auction whereby a minimum number of allowable broker bids, together with a specific valuation method, are used to calculate the settlement value. The maximum amount of the payment that may occur, as a result of a credit event payable by the protection seller, is equal to the notional amount of the underlying index or security. The Fund’s maximum exposure to loss of the notional value of credit default swaps outstanding at August 31, 2020, is $800,000. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty credit risk, either as the protection buyer or as the protection seller, is the fair value of the contract. This risk is mitigated by having a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty and by the posting of collateral by the counterparty to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.
Upfront payments received or paid by the Fund will be reflected as an asset or liability on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Changes in the value of swap contracts are included in “Swaps, at value” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, and periodic payments are reported as “Net realized gain (loss) on swap contracts” in the Statement of Operations.
Certain swap contracts are subject to Master Netting Agreements (MNA) which are agreements between the Fund and its counterparties that provides for the net settlement of all transactions and collateral with the Fund, through a single payment, in the event of default or termination. Amounts presented on the Portfolio of Investments and Statement of Assets and Liabilities are not net settlement amounts but gross. The cash or securities deposited in a segregated account offsets the amount due to the broker reducing the net settlement amount to zero.
Certain swap contracts may be centrally cleared (“centrally cleared swaps”), whereby all payments made or received by the Fund pursuant to the contract are with a central clearing party (CCP) rather than the counterparty. The CCP guarantees the performance of the parties to the contract. Upon entering into centrally cleared swaps, the Fund is required to deposit with the CCP, either in cash or securities, an amount of initial margin determined by the CCP, which is subject to adjustment. For centrally cleared swaps, the daily change in valuation is recorded as a receivable or payable for variation margin and settled in cash with the CCP daily. In the case of centrally cleared swaps, counterparty risk is minimal due to protections provided by the CCP.
Swaps, at value at period end, including net unrealized appreciation, are listed after the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
Annual Shareholder Report
The average notional amount of credit default swap contracts held by the Fund throughout the period was $958,462. This is based on amounts held as of each month-end throughout the fiscal period.
Foreign Exchange Contracts
The Fund may enter into foreign exchange contracts to seek to manage currency risk. Purchased contracts are used to acquire exposure to foreign currencies, whereas, contracts to sell are used to hedge the Fund’s securities against currency fluctuations. Risks may arise upon entering into these transactions from the potential inability of counterparties to meet the terms of their commitments and from unanticipated movements in security prices or foreign exchange rates. The foreign exchange contracts are adjusted by the daily exchange rate of the underlying currency and any gains or losses are recorded for financial statement purposes as unrealized until the settlement date.
Foreign exchange contracts are subject to MNA which are agreements between the Fund and its counterparties that provides for the net settlement of all transactions and collateral with the Fund, through a single payment, in the event of default or termination. Amounts presented on the Portfolio of Investments and Statement of Assets and Liabilities are not net settlement amounts but gross.
Foreign exchange contracts outstanding at period end, including net unrealized depreciation or net settlement amount, are listed after the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
The average value at settlement date payable and receivable of foreign exchange contracts purchased and sold by the Fund throughout the period was $12,832 and $39,311, respectively. This is based on the amounts held as of each month-end throughout the fiscal period.
Foreign Currency Translation
The accounting records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. All assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the rates of exchange of such currencies against U.S. dollars on the date of valuation. Purchases and sales of securities, income and expenses are translated at the rate of exchange quoted on the respective date that such transactions are recorded. The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates on investments from the fluctuations arising from changes in market prices of securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized and unrealized gain or loss from investments.
Reported net realized foreign exchange gains or losses arise from sales of foreign currencies, currency gains or losses realized between the trade and settlement dates on securities transactions, the difference between the amounts of dividends, interest and foreign withholding taxes recorded on the Fund’s books and the U.S. dollar equivalent of the amounts actually received or paid. Net unrealized foreign exchange gains and losses arise from changes in the value of assets and liabilities other than investments in securities at period end, resulting from changes in the exchange rate.
Annual Shareholder Report
Futures Contracts
The Fund purchases and sells financial futures contracts to seek to manage duration risk. Upon entering into a financial futures contract with a broker, the Fund is required to deposit with a broker, either U.S. government securities or a specified amount of cash, which is shown as due from broker in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Futures contracts are valued daily and unrealized gains or losses are recorded in a “variation margin” account. The Fund receives from or pays to the broker a specified amount of cash based upon changes in the variation margin account. When a contract is closed, the Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss. Futures contracts have market risks, including the risk that the change in the value of the contract may not correlate with the changes in the value of the underlying securities. There is minimal counterparty risk to the Fund since futures contracts are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearing house, as counterparty to all exchange traded futures contracts, guarantees the futures contracts against default.
Futures contracts outstanding at period end are listed after the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
The average notional values of short futures contracts held by the Fund throughout the period was $3,682,626. This is based on amounts held as of each month-end throughout the fiscal period.
Restricted Securities
The Fund may purchase securities which are considered restricted. Restricted securities are securities that either: (a) cannot be offered for public sale without first being registered, or being able to take advantage of an exemption from registration, under the Securities Act of 1933; or (b) are subject to contractual restrictions on public sales. In some cases, when a security cannot be offered for public sale without first being registered, the issuer of the restricted security has agreed to register such securities for resale, at the issuer’s expense, either upon demand by the Fund or in connection with another registered offering of the securities. Many such restricted securities may be resold in the secondary market in transactions exempt from registration. Restricted securities may be determined to be liquid under criteria established by the Trustees. The Fund will not incur any registration costs upon such resales. The Fund’s restricted securities, like other securities, are priced in accordance with procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Trustees.
Annual Shareholder Report
Additional Disclosure Related to Derivative Instruments
Fair Value of Derivative Instruments |
| | |
| Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities
Location | | Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities
Location | |
Derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments under ASC Topic 815 | | | | |
Foreign exchange contracts | Unrealized
appreciation
on foreign
exchange contracts | | Unrealized
depreciation
on foreign
exchange contracts | |
| | | | |
| Receivable for variation margin on
futures contracts | | Payable for variation margin on
future contracts | |
Total derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments under ASC Topic 815 | | | | |
*
Includes cumulative depreciation of futures contracts as reported in the footnotes to the Portfolio of Investments. Only the current day’s variation margin is reported within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
The Effect of Derivative Instruments on the Statement of Operations for the Period Ended August 31, 2020
Amount of Realized Gain or (Loss) on Derivatives Recognized in Income |
| | | | |
Credit Default Swap Contracts | | | | |
Foreign Exchange Contracts | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Change in Unrealized Appreciation or (Depreciation) on Derivatives Recognized in Income |
| | | | |
Credit Default Swap Contracts | | | | |
Foreign Exchange Contracts | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Annual Shareholder Report
As indicated above, certain derivative investments are transacted subject to MNA. These agreements permit the Fund to offset with a counterparty certain derivative payables and/or receivables with collateral held and create one single net payment in the event of default or termination of the agreement by either the Fund or the counterparty. As of August 31, 2020, the impact of netting assets and liabilities and the collateral pledged or received based on MNA are detailed below:
Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities |
| Gross Asset
Derivatives
Presented in
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities | | | |
| | | | |
Foreign Exchange Contracts | | | | |
| | | | |
| Gross Liability
Derivatives
Presented in
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities | | | |
| | | | |
Foreign Exchange Contracts | | | | |
| | | | |
Other
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets, liabilities, expenses and revenues reported in the financial statements. Actual results could differ materially from those estimated. The Fund applies investment company accounting and reporting guidance.
3. SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
The following table summarizes share activity:
| |
| |
Shares issued to shareholders in payment of distributions declared | |
| |
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM INSTITUTIONAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS | |
1
Reflects operations for the period September 26, 2019 (date of initial investment) to August 31, 2020.
Annual Shareholder Report
4. FEDERAL TAX INFORMATION
The tax character of distributions as reported on the Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the period ended August 31, 2020, was as follows:
As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax-basis were as follows:
Undistributed Ordinary income | |
Net unrealized appreciation | |
Capital Loss Carryforwards | |
The difference between book-basis and tax-basis net unrealized appreciation is attributable to differing treatments for the mark to market of derivative instruments.
At August 31, 2020, the cost of investments for federal tax purposes was $29,366,564. The net unrealized appreciation of investments for federal tax purposes was $1,768,605. This consists of net unrealized appreciation from investments for those securities having an excess of value over cost of $1,864,777 and net unrealized depreciation from investments for those securities having an excess of cost over value of $96,172. The amounts presented are inclusive of derivative contracts.
As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had a capital loss carryforward of $698,590 which will reduce the Fund’s taxable income arising from future net realized gains on investments, if any, to the extent permitted by the Code, thereby reducing the amount of distributions to shareholders which would otherwise be necessary to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax. Pursuant to the Code, these net capital losses retain their character as either short-term or long-term and do not expire.
The following schedule summarizes the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards:
5. INVESTMENT ADVISER FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
Investment Adviser Fee
The advisory agreement between the Fund and the Adviser provides for an annual fee equal to 0.60% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Subject to the terms described in the Expense Limitation note, the Adviser may voluntarily choose to waive any portion of its fee and/or reimburse certain operating expenses of the Fund. For the period ended August 31, 2020, the Adviser voluntarily waived its entire fee of $151,664 and voluntarily reimbursed $898 of transfer agent fees and $126,636 of other operating expenses.
Some or all of the Fund’s assets are managed by Hermes Investment Management Limited (the “Sub-Adviser”). Under the terms of a sub-advisory agreement between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser receives an annual fee equal to 0.35% of the daily net assets of the Fund. The fee is paid by the Adviser out of its resources and is
Annual Shareholder Report
not an incremental Fund expense. The Sub-Adviser may from time to time and for such periods as it deems appropriate reduce its compensation. The Sub-Adviser agrees to share pro rata in any fee waivers, or expense assumptions and reimbursements, imposed or made by the Adviser or its affiliates.
For the period ended August 31, 2020, the Sub-Adviser waived all of its fee.
Administrative Fee
Federated Administrative Services (FAS), under the Administrative Services Agreement, provides the Fund with administrative personnel and services. For purposes of determining the appropriate rate breakpoint, “Investment Complex” is defined as all of the Federated Hermes Funds subject to a fee under the Administrative Services Agreement. The fee paid to FAS is based on the average daily net assets of the Investment Complex as specified below:
| Average Daily Net Assets
of the Investment Complex |
| on assets up to $50 billion |
| on assets over $50 billion |
Subject to the terms described in the Expense Limitation note, FAS may voluntarily choose to waive any portion of its fee. For the period ended August 31, 2020, the annualized fee paid to FAS was 0.082% of average daily net assets of the Fund.
In addition, FAS may charge certain out-of-pocket expenses to the Fund.
Expense Limitation
The Adviser and certain of its affiliates (which may include FAS and FSSC) on their own initiative have agreed to waive certain amounts of their respective fees and/or reimburse expenses. Total annual fund operating expenses (as shown in the financial highlights, excluding interest expense, extraordinary expenses and proxy related expenses paid by the Fund, if any) paid by the Fund’s Institutional Shares (after the voluntary waivers and reimbursements) will not exceed 0.62% (the “Fee Limit”), up to but not including the later of (the “Termination Date”): (a) November 1, 2021; or (b) the date of the Fund’s next effective Prospectus. While the Adviser and its applicable affiliates currently do not anticipate terminating or increasing these arrangements prior to the Termination Date, these arrangements may only be terminated or the Fee Limit increased prior to the Termination Date with the agreement of the Trustees.
Directors’/Trustees’ and Miscellaneous Fees
Certain Officers and Trustees of the Fund are Officers and Directors or Trustees of certain of the above companies. To efficiently facilitate payment, Independent Directors’/Trustees’ fees and certain expenses related to conducting meetings of the Directors/Trustees and other miscellaneous expenses are paid by an affiliate of the Adviser which in due course are reimbursed by the Fund. These expenses related to conducting meetings of the Directors/Trustees and other miscellaneous expenses may be included in Accrued and Miscellaneous Expenses on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Statement of Operations, respectively.
Annual Shareholder Report
6. EXPENSE REDUCTION
Through arrangements with the Fund’s custodian, net credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances were used to reduce custody expenses. For the period ended August 31, 2020, the Fund’s expenses were reduced by $765 under these arrangements.
7. Investment TRANSACTIONS
Purchases and sales of investments, excluding long-term U.S. government securities and short-term obligations, for the period ended August 31, 2020, were as follows:
8. LINE OF CREDIT
The Fund participates with certain other Federated Hermes Funds, on a several basis, in an up to $500,000,000 unsecured, 364-day, committed, revolving line of credit (LOC) agreement. The LOC was made available to temporarily finance the repurchase or redemption of shares of the Fund, failed trades, payment of dividends, settlement of trades and for other short-term, temporary or emergency general business purposes. The Fund cannot borrow under the LOC if an inter-fund loan is outstanding. The Fund’s ability to borrow under the LOC also is subject to the limitations of the Act and various conditions precedent that must be satisfied before the Fund can borrow. Loans under the LOC are charged interest at a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest, on any day, of (a) (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the one month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), or a replacement rate as appropriate, and (iii) 0.0%, plus (b) a margin. Any fund eligible to borrow under the LOC pays its pro rata share of an upfront fee, and its pro rate share of a commitment fee based on the amount of the lenders’ commitment that has not been utilized, quarterly in arrears and at maturity. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had no outstanding loans. During the period ended August 31, 2020, the Fund did not utilize the LOC.
9. INTERFUND LENDING
Pursuant to an Exemptive Order issued by the SEC, the Fund, along with other funds advised by subsidiaries of Federated Hermes, Inc., may participate in an interfund lending program. This program provides an alternative credit facility allowing the Fund to borrow from other participating affiliated funds. As of August 31, 2020, there were no outstanding loans. During the period ended August 31, 2020, the program was not utilized.
Annual Shareholder Report
10. other matters
An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus was first detected in China in late 2019 and subsequently spread internationally. As of the date of the issuance of these financial statements, this coronavirus has resulted in closing borders, enhanced health screenings, healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, disruptions to supply chains, workflow operations and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this coronavirus may be short term or may last for an extended period of time and has resulted in a substantial economic downturn. Health crises caused by outbreaks, such as the coronavirus outbreak, may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks. The impact of this outbreak, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could continue to negatively affect the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, individual companies (including certain Fund service providers and issuers of the Fund’s investments) and the market in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Annual Shareholder Report
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To The Board of Trustees of Federated hermes ADVISER SERIES and Shareholders of Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund:
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of the Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Federated Hermes Adviser Series (formerly, Federated Adviser Series), as of August 31, 2020, the related statements of operations and changes in net assets for the period from September 26, 2019 (date of initial investment) to August 31, 2020 and the related notes (collectively, the “financial statements”) and the financial highlights for period from September 26, 2019 (date of initial investment) to August 31, 2020. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of August 31, 2020, the results of its operations, changes in its net assets, and financial highlights for the period from September 26, 2019 (date of initial investment) to August 31, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
Annual Shareholder Report
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements and financial highlights, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights. Such procedures also included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements and financial highlights. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. 
We have served as the auditor of one or more Federated Hermes’ investment companies since 2006.
Boston, Massachusetts
October 23, 2020
Annual Shareholder Report
Shareholder Expense Example (unaudited)
As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur ongoing costs, including management fees; and to the extent applicable, distribution (12b-1) fees and/or other service fees and other Fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you to understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. It is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020.
ACTUAL EXPENSES
The first section of the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this section, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you incurred over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first section under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses attributable to your investment during this period.
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES
The second section of the table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. Thus, you should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate the actual ending account balance or your expenses for the period. Rather, these figures are required to be provided to enable you to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund with other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.
Annual Shareholder Report
Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only. Therefore, the second section of the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds.
| Beginning
Account Value
3/1/2020 | Ending
Account Value
8/31/2020 | Expenses Paid
During Period1 |
| | | |
Hypothetical (assuming a 5% return
before expenses) | | | |
1
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized net expense ratios of 0.62%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/366 (to reflect the one half year period).
Annual Shareholder Report
Board of Trustees and Trust Officers
The Board of Trustees is responsible for managing the Trust’s business affairs and for exercising all the Trust’s powers except those reserved for the shareholders. The following tables give information about each Trustee and the senior officers of the Fund. Where required, the tables separately list Trustees who are “interested persons” of the Fund (i.e., “Interested” Trustees) and those who are not (i.e., “Independent” Trustees). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is 1001 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. The address of all Independent Trustees listed is 4000 Ericsson Drive, Warrendale, PA 15086-7561; Attention: Mutual Fund Board. As of December 31, 2019, the Trust comprised 11 portfolio(s), and the Federated Hermes Fund Family consisted of 41 investment companies (comprising 135 portfolios). Unless otherwise noted, each Officer is elected annually. Unless otherwise noted, each Trustee oversees all portfolios in the Federated Hermes Fund Family and serves for an indefinite term. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about Trust Trustees and is available, without charge and upon request, by calling 1-800-341-7400.
Interested TRUSTEES Background
Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with Trust
Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held and Previous Position(s) |
J. Christopher Donahue*
Birth Date: April 11, 1949
President and Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Principal Executive Officer and President of certain of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Director or Trustee of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Federated Hermes, Inc.; Chairman and Trustee, Federated Investment Management Company; Trustee, Federated Investment Counseling; Chairman and Director, Federated Global Investment Management Corp.; Chairman and Trustee, Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania; Trustee, Federated Shareholder Services Company; Director, Federated Services Company.
Previous Positions: President, Federated Investment Counseling; President and Chief Executive Officer, Federated Investment Management Company, Federated Global Investment Management Corp. and Passport Research, Ltd; Chairman, Passport Research, Ltd. |
Annual Shareholder Report
Name Birth Date Positions Held with Trust Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years, Other Directorships Held and Previous Position(s) |
John B. Fisher*
Birth Date: May 16, 1956
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Principal Executive Officer and President of certain of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Director or Trustee of certain of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Vice President, Federated Hermes, Inc.; President, Director/Trustee and CEO, Federated Advisory Services Company, Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania, Federated Global Investment Management Corp., Federated Investment Counseling, Federated Investment Management Company; President of some of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family and Director, Federated Investors Trust Company.
Previous Positions: President and Director of the Institutional Sales Division of Federated Securities Corp.; President and Director of Federated Investment Counseling; President and CEO of Passport Research, Ltd.; Director, Edgewood Securities Corp.; Director, Federated Services Company; Director, Federated Hermes, Inc.; Chairman and Director, Southpointe Distribution Services, Inc. and President, Technology, Federated Services Company. |
*
Reasons for “interested” status: J. Christopher Donahue and John B. Fisher are interested due to their beneficial ownership of shares of Federated Hermes, Inc. and due to positions they hold with Federated Hermes, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES Background
Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with Trust
Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications |
John T. Collins
Birth Date: January 24, 1947
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving:
May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; formerly, Chairman and CEO, The Collins Group, Inc. (a private equity firm) (Retired).
Other Directorships Held: Chairman of the Board of Directors, Director, and Chairman of the Compensation Committee, KLX Energy Services Holdings, Inc. (oilfield services); former Director of KLX Corp. (aerospace).
Qualifications: Mr. Collins has served in several business and financial management roles and directorship positions throughout his career. Mr. Collins previously served as Chairman and CEO of The Collins Group, Inc. (a private equity firm) and as a Director of KLX Corp. Mr. Collins serves as Chairman Emeriti, Bentley University. Mr. Collins previously served as Director and Audit Committee Member, Bank of America Corp.; Director, FleetBoston Financial Corp.; and Director, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Harvard University Affiliate Hospital). |
Annual Shareholder Report
Name Birth Date Positions Held with Trust Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years, Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications |
G. Thomas Hough
Birth Date: February 28, 1955
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee, Chair of the Audit Committee of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; formerly, Vice Chair, Ernst & Young LLP (public accounting firm) (Retired).
Other Directorships Held: Director, Chair of the Audit Committee, Equifax, Inc.; Director, Member of the Audit Committee, Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc.; formerly, Director, Member of Governance and Compensation Committees, Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Qualifications: Mr. Hough has served in accounting, business management and directorship positions throughout his career. Mr. Hough most recently held the position of Americas Vice Chair of Assurance with Ernst & Young LLP (public accounting firm). Mr. Hough serves on the President’s Cabinet and Business School Board of Visitors for the University of Alabama. Mr. Hough previously served on the Business School Board of Visitors for Wake Forest University, and he previously served as an Executive Committee member of the United States Golf Association. |
Maureen Lally-Green
Birth Date: July 5, 1949
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Adjunct Professor of Law, Duquesne University School of Law; formerly, Dean of the Duquesne University School of Law and Professor of Law and Interim Dean of the Duquesne University School of Law; formerly, Associate General Secretary and Director, Office of Church Relations, Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Other Directorships Held: Director, CNX Resources Corporation (formerly known as CONSOL Energy Inc.).
Qualifications: Judge Lally-Green has served in various legal and business roles and directorship positions throughout her career. Judge Lally-Green previously held the position of Dean of the School of Law of Duquesne University (as well as Interim Dean). Judge Lally-Green previously served as a member of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and as a Professor of Law, Duquesne University School of Law. Judge Lally-Green was appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to serve on the Supreme Court’s Board of Continuing Judicial Education and the Supreme Court’s Appellate Court Procedural Rules Committee. Judge Lally-Green also currently holds the positions on not for profit or for profit boards of directors as follows: Director and Chair, UPMC Mercy Hospital; Director and Vice Chair, Our Campaign for the Church Alive!, Inc.; Regent, Saint Vincent Seminary; Member, Pennsylvania State Board of Education (public); Director, Catholic Charities, Pittsburgh; and Director CNX Resources Corporation (formerly known as CONSOL Energy Inc.). Judge Lally-Green has held the positions of: Director, Auberle; Director, Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central Pennsylvania; Director, Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh; Director, Saint Thomas More Society; Director and Chair, Catholic High Schools of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Inc.; Director, Pennsylvania Bar Institute; Director, St. Vincent College; and Director and Chair, North Catholic High School, Inc. |
Annual Shareholder Report
Name Birth Date Positions Held with Trust Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years, Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications |
Charles F. Mansfield, Jr.
Birth Date: April 10, 1945
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Management Consultant and Author.
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Mr. Mansfield has served as a Marine Corps officer and in several banking, business management, educational roles and directorship positions throughout his long career. He remains active as a Management Consultant and Author. |
Thomas M. O’Neill
Birth Date: June 14, 1951
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Sole Proprietor, Navigator Management Company (investment and strategic consulting).
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Mr. O’Neill has served in several business, mutual fund and financial management roles and directorship positions throughout his career. Mr. O’Neill serves as Director, Medicines for Humanity and Director, The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, Florida. Mr. O’Neill previously served as Chief Executive Officer and President, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Fleet Investment Advisors; President and Chief Executive Officer, Aeltus Investment Management, Inc.; General Partner, Hellman, Jordan Management Co., Boston, MA; Chief Investment Officer, The Putnam Companies, Boston, MA; Credit Analyst and Lending Officer, Fleet Bank; Director and Consultant, EZE Castle Software (investment order management software); and Director, Midway Pacific (lumber). |
P. Jerome Richey
Birth Date: February 23, 1949
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving:
May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Management Consultant; Retired; formerly, Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Legal Officer, University of Pittsburgh and Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, CNX Resources Corporation (formerly known as CONSOL Energy Inc.).
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Mr. Richey has served in several business and legal management roles and directorship positions throughout his career. Mr. Richey most recently held the positions of Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Legal Officer, University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Richey previously served as Chairman of the Board, Epilepsy Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and Chairman of the Board, World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. Mr. Richey previously served as Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President, CNX Resources Corporation (formerly known as CONSOL Energy Inc.); and Board Member, Ethics Counsel and Shareholder, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC (a law firm). |
Annual Shareholder Report
Name Birth Date Positions Held with Trust Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years, Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications |
John S. Walsh
Birth Date:
November 28, 1957
Trustee
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee, and Chair of the Board of Directors or Trustees, of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; President and Director, Heat Wagon, Inc. (manufacturer of construction temporary heaters); President and Director, Manufacturers Products, Inc. (distributor of portable construction heaters); President, Portable Heater Parts, a division of Manufacturers Products, Inc.
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Mr. Walsh has served in several business management roles and directorship positions throughout his career. Mr. Walsh previously served as Vice President, Walsh & Kelly, Inc. (paving contractors). |
OFFICERS
Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with Trust
Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years
and Previous Position(s) |
Lori A. Hensler
Birth Date: January 6, 1967
TREASURER
Officer since: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Federated Fund Family; Senior Vice President, Federated Administrative Services; Financial and Operations Principal for Federated Securities Corp. and Edgewood Services, Inc.; and Assistant Treasurer, Federated Investors Trust Company. Ms. Hensler has received the Certified Public Accountant designation.
Previous Positions: Controller of Federated Investors, Inc.; Senior Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, Federated Investors Management Company; Treasurer, Federated Investors Trust Company; Assistant Treasurer, Federated Administrative Services, Federated Administrative Services, Inc., Federated Securities Corp., Edgewood Services, Inc., Federated Advisory Services Company, Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania, Federated Global Investment Management Corp., Federated Investment Counseling, Federated Investment Management Company, Passport Research, Ltd., and Federated MDTA, LLC; Financial and Operations Principal for Federated Securities Corp., Edgewood Services, Inc. and Southpointe Distribution Services, Inc. |
Annual Shareholder Report
Name Birth Date Positions Held with Trust Date Service Began | Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years and Previous Position(s) |
Peter J. Germain
Birth Date:
September 3, 1959
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER, SECRETARY and EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Officer since: November 2017 | Principal Occupations: Mr. Germain is Chief Legal Officer, Secretary and Executive Vice President of the Federated Hermes Fund Family. He is General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, Secretary and Executive Vice President, Federated Hermes, Inc.; Trustee and Senior Vice President, Federated Investors Management Company; Trustee and President, Federated Administrative Services; Director and President, Federated Administrative Services, Inc.; Director and Vice President, Federated Securities Corp.; Director and Secretary, Federated Private Asset Management, Inc.; Secretary, Federated Shareholder Services Company; and Secretary, Retirement Plan Service Company of America. Mr. Germain joined Federated Hermes, Inc. in 1984 and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Previous Positions: Deputy General Counsel, Special Counsel, Managing Director of Mutual Fund Services, Federated Hermes, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Federated Services Company; and Senior Corporate Counsel, Federated Hermes, Inc. |
Stephen Van Meter
Birth Date: June 5, 1975
CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Officer since: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of Federated Hermes, Inc. and Chief Compliance Officer of certain of its subsidiaries. Mr. Van Meter joined Federated Hermes, Inc. in October 2011. He holds FINRA licenses under Series 3, 7, 24 and 66.
Previous Positions: Mr. Van Meter previously held the position of Compliance Operating Officer, Federated Hermes, Inc. Prior to joining Federated Hermes, Inc., Mr. Van Meter served at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in the positions of Senior Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Investment Management and Senior Counsel, Division of Enforcement. |
Stephen F. Auth
Birth Date: September 13, 1956
101 Park Avenue
41st Floor
New York, NY 10178
CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER
Officer since: May 2017 | Principal Occupations: Stephen F. Auth is Chief Investment Officer of various Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Executive Vice President, Federated Investment Counseling, Federated Global Investment Management Corp. and Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania.
Previous Positions: Executive Vice President, Federated Investment Management Company and Passport Research, Ltd. (investment advisory subsidiary of Federated); Senior Vice President, Global Portfolio Management Services Division; Senior Vice President, Federated Investment Management Company and Passport Research, Ltd.; Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Prudential Investments. |
Annual Shareholder Report
Evaluation and Approval of Advisory Contract–August 2019
FEDERATED HERMES SDG ENGAGEMENT High Yield Credit Fund (THE “FUND”)
At its meetings in August 2019, the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Trustees”), reviewed and unanimously approved for an initial two-year term a proposed investment advisory contract for the Fund with Federated Investment Management Company (“FIMCO”) and a separate proposed subadvisory contract with Hermes Investment Management Limited (the “Sub-Adviser” and together with FIMCO, the “Advisers”) on behalf of the Fund. The Board’s decision to approve these contracts reflects the exercise of its business judgment on whether to authorize the creation and offering of this new investment vehicle, as proposed by Federated Investors, Inc. (together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, “Federated”), and based on information requested by the Board and provided by Federated, as well as Federated’s recommendation to go forward with development of the Fund.
At the request of the Independent Trustees, the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (the “CCO”) furnished to the Board in advance of its August 2019 meetings an independent written evaluation presenting on the topics below. The Board considered the CCO’s independent written evaluation (the “CCO Fee Evaluation Report”), along with other information, including additional materials relating to the proposed Fund presented to the Board by Federated, at its August 2019 meetings, in evaluating the reasonableness of the Fund’s proposed management fee and in deciding to approve the proposed investment advisory and subadvisory contracts. The Board also considered the materials and presentations provided by Federated and the CCO’s independent written evaluation, in connection with its annual approval of the continuation of the advisory and subadvisory contracts for the other funds advised by Federated (each, a “Federated Fund”) at its May 2019 meetings, and information provided at various recent meetings at which the Board considered and approved initial advisory and subadvisory contracts for different Federated Funds sub-advised by the Sub-Adviser. The CCO, in preparing the CCO Fee Evaluation Report, has the authority to retain consultants, experts or staff as reasonably necessary to assist in the performance of his duties, reports directly to the Board, and can be terminated only with the approval of a majority of the Independent Trustees. At the request of the Independent Trustees, the CCO Fee Evaluation Report followed the same general approach and covered the same topics as that of the report that had previously been delivered by the CCO in his capacity as “Senior Officer”, prior to the elimination of the Senior Officer position in December 2017.
The Board also considered judicial decisions concerning allegedly excessive investment advisory fees in making its decision. Using these judicial decisions as a guide, the Board observed that the following factors may be relevant to an adviser’s fiduciary duty with respect to its receipt of compensation from a fund: (1) the nature and quality of the services provided by an adviser to a fund and its shareholders (including the performance of the fund, its benchmark, and comparable funds); (2) an adviser’s cost of providing the services (including the profitability to an adviser of providing advisory services to a fund); (3) the extent to which an adviser may realize “economies of scale” as a fund grows larger and, if such economies of scale exist, whether they have been shared with a fund and its shareholders or the family of funds; (4) any “fall-out” financial benefits that accrue to an adviser because of its relationship with a fund (including research services received from brokers that execute fund trades and any fees paid to affiliates of an adviser for services rendered to a fund); (5) comparative fee and expense structures (including a comparison of fees paid to an adviser with those paid by similar funds both internally and externally as well as management fees charged to institutional and other advisory clients of the Advisers and their affiliates for what might be viewed as like services); and (6) the extent of care, conscientiousness and independence with which the fund’s board members perform their duties and their expertise (including whether they are fully informed about all facts the board deems relevant to its consideration of an adviser’s services and fees). The Board noted that the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) disclosure requirements regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and subadvisory contracts generally align with the factors listed above. The Board was aware of these factors and was guided by them in its review of the Fund’s proposed investment advisory and subadvisory contracts to the extent it considered them to be appropriate and relevant, as discussed further below.
The Board considered and weighed these factors in light of its substantial accumulated experience in governing, and working with Federated on matters relating to, the Federated Funds. The Independent Trustees were assisted in their deliberations by independent legal counsel. At the August meetings, in addition meeting in separate sessions of the Independent Trustees without management present, senior management of FIMCO also met with the Independent Trustees and their counsel to discuss the materials presented and such additional matters as the Independent Trustees deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the proposed advisory and subadvisory contracts.
The Board’s consideration of the proposed investment advisory and subadvisory contracts included review of the CCO Fee Evaluation Report, accompanying data and additional information covering the following matters, among others: each Adviser’s investment philosophy, revenue, profitability, personnel and processes; investment and operating strategies; the Fund’s proposed investment objectives; the Fund’s anticipated fees and expenses (including the proposed advisory and subadvisory fees and the overall
estimated expense structure of the Fund, both in absolute terms and relative to similar and/or competing funds, with due regard for contractual or voluntary fee waivers and expense limitations); the use and allocation of brokerage commissions to be derived from trading the Fund’s portfolio securities (if any); and the nature, quality and extent of the advisory and other services to be provided to the Fund by each Adviser and its affiliates. The Board also considered the likely preferences and expectations of anticipated Fund shareholders; the entrepreneurial and other risks assumed by FIMCO in sponsoring the Fund; the continuing state of competition in the mutual fund industry and market practices; the range of comparable fees for similar funds in the mutual fund industry; the Fund’s relationship to the Federated Funds, which include a comprehensive array of funds with different investment objectives, policies and strategies that are generally available for exchange without the incurrence of additional sales charges; compliance and audit reports concerning the Federated Funds and the Federated companies that service them (including communications from regulatory agencies), as well as Federated’s responses to any issues raised therein; and relevant developments in the mutual fund industry and how the Federated Funds and/or Federated are responding to them. The Board’s evaluation process is evolutionary. The criteria considered and the emphasis placed on relevant criteria change in recognition of changing circumstances in the mutual fund marketplace.
While mindful that courts have cautioned against giving too much weight to comparative information concerning fees charged by other advisers for managing funds with comparable investment programs, the Board has found the use of such comparisons to be relevant to its deliberations. In this regard, the Board was presented with, and considered, information regarding the proposed contractual advisory and subadvisory fee rates, proposed net advisory fee rates, anticipated total expense ratios and each element of the Fund’s anticipated total expense ratio (i.e., gross and net advisory fees, custody fees, portfolio accounting fees and transfer agency fees) relative to an appropriate group of peer funds compiled by Federated using data supplied by independent fund ranking organizations (the “Peer Group”). The Board received a description of the composition and methodology used to select the Peer Group. The Board focused on comparisons with other similar mutual funds more heavily than non-mutual fund products or services because it is believed that they are more relevant. For example, other mutual funds are the products most like the Fund, in that they are readily available to Fund shareholders as alternative investment vehicles. Also, they are the type of investment vehicle, in fact, chosen and maintained by the Fund’s anticipated investors. The range of their fees and expenses, therefore, appears to be a relevant indicator of what consumers have found to be reasonable in the marketplace in which the Fund will compete.
The Board reviewed the proposed contractual advisory and subadvisory fee rates, proposed net advisory fee rate and other proposed expenses of the Fund and noted the position of the Fund’s proposed fee rates relative to its Peer Group. In this regard, the Board noted that the proposed contractual advisory fee rate of the Fund was below the median of the Peer Group. The Board also considered absolute and relative information regarding the proposed contractual subadvisory fee rate (expressed as a percentage of the contractual advisory fee rate).
For comparison, the CCO reviewed the fees charged by Federated for providing advisory services to products other than the Federated Funds (e.g., institutional and separate accounts and third-party unaffiliated mutual funds for which Federated serves as sub-adviser) (referenced to as “Other Funds/Accounts”). The CCO provided information to the Board regarding the Other Funds/Accounts other than third-party mutual funds, and the CCO concluded that they are inherently different products in light of, among other differences, different types of targeted investors, different applicable laws and regulations, different legal structures, and different average account sizes and portfolio management techniques made necessary by different cash flows and different associated costs. The CCO noted that Federated did not currently manage any Other Funds/Accounts with comparable investment strategies to the Fund’s proposed investment strategy.
The CCO also reviewed the fees to be charged by the Sub-Adviser for serving as the sole investment adviser to a foreign fund that employs an investment strategy substantially similar to that proposed for the Fund, which is expected to commence investment operations at approximately the same time as the Fund (the “Comparable Fund”). The Board considered that, unlike the Fund’s proposed management fee structure, the Comparable Fund will pay an advisory fee to the Sub-Adviser under an all-in “unitary” fee structure. The Board considered the inherent limitations of comparing the Fund’s proposed management fee to the Comparable Fund’s advisory fee because such advisory fee is subsumed within its unitary fee. The Board considered that the unitary fee was higher than the anticipated total expense ratio for the share class offered by the Fund that is similar to the Comparable Fund. In connection with these considerations, the Board considered FIMCO’s representation to the Board that any differences between the total expense ratios of the Fund and the Comparable Fund will be primarily attributable to certain differences between U.S. registered mutual funds and funds domiciled in a foreign (non-U.S.) country, including differences in the types of restrictions and investment limitations that are in place under the regulatory regimes for each investment product. The Board also noted that the anticipated total expense ratio for the share class offered by the Fund that is similar to the Comparable Fund was below the average of the Peer Group.
The CCO Fee Evaluation Report indicated that the proposed management fee, after projected waivers, was reasonable. The Board reviewed the proposed fees and other proposed expenses of the Fund and was satisfied that the overall proposed expense structure of the Fund appeared to be appropriate.
The Board considered the nature, extent and quality of the services to be provided to the Fund by each Adviser and the resources of each Adviser and its affiliates dedicated to the Fund. In this regard, the Board evaluated, among other things, each Adviser’s organizational structure, personnel, experience, track record, financial resources, overall reputation and willingness to invest in personnel and infrastructure that will benefit the Fund. The Board considered the personnel and other resources dedicated to the Sub-Adviser’s operational, compliance and legal functions. The Board also considered that Federated recently acquired a majority ownership stake in the Sub-Adviser’s parent company. In addition, the Board reviewed the qualifications, backgrounds and responsibilities of the portfolio managers who will be primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund and each Adviser’s ability and experience in attracting and retaining qualified personnel to service the Fund.
The Board considered the range of investment advisory services to be provided by the Sub-Adviser under the oversight of FIMCO, including the daily investment of the assets of the Fund. In evaluating these investment advisory services, the Board considered, among other things, the Sub-Adviser’s investment philosophy and process, investment research capabilities and resources, performance record, trade execution capabilities and experience, including with respect to impact investing in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“UN SDGs”). The Board considered that the Sub-Adviser has experience engaging in such impact investing for another Federated Fund.
The Board received and considered information regarding the application of fiduciary principles to the different ways in which environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) investing may be integrated into a fund’s investment process. The Board considered that the Fund will engage in impact investing in accordance with the UN SDGs, as the Fund will include positive societal impact considerations as part of its investment objective and principal investment strategies. The Board considered the differences between such impact investing, on the one hand, and analyzing ESG-related risk and return factors to seek to enhance a fund’s returns, on the other hand. The Board considered the Adviser’s belief that such impact investing is consistent with the Adviser’s and the Sub-Adviser’s fiduciary duties to the Fund.
The Board considered that FIMCO would retain overall responsibility for the management and investment of the assets of the Fund and that, in this capacity, FIMCO would play an active role in overseeing, monitoring and reviewing the Sub-Adviser in the performance of its duties. The Board evaluated information about the nature and extent of responsibilities retained and risks assumed by FIMCO and not delegated to or assumed by the
Sub-Adviser. In this regard, the Board considered that FIMCO would monitor and evaluate the performance of the Sub-Adviser, monitor the Sub-Adviser for adherence to the stated investment objectives, strategies, policies and restrictions of the Fund, and supervise the Sub-Adviser with respect to the services that the Sub-Adviser would provide under the subadvisory contract. The Board also considered the process used by FIMCO to recommend to the Board that the Sub-Adviser be appointed as the sub-adviser to the Fund.
The Board noted the compliance program of each Adviser and the compliance-related resources to be provided to the Fund by each Adviser, including each Adviser’s commitment to respond to rulemaking initiatives of the SEC. The Fund’s anticipated ability to deliver competitive performance when compared to its Peer Group was also deemed to be relevant by the Board as a useful indicator of how the Advisers are anticipated to execute the Fund’s investment program. The Advisers’ ability to execute this program was one of the Board’s considerations in reaching a conclusion that the nature, extent and quality of the Advisers’ investment management services to be provided to the Fund warrant the approval of the proposed advisory and subadvisory contracts.
The CCO reviewed the investment performance of the Sub-Adviser, including, for purposes of considering the investment skill and experience of the Fund’s portfolio managers, performance data showing the portfolio managers’ capabilities in managing a composite of other accounts that has a similar investment strategy to that proposed for the Fund, noting that the Sub-Adviser did not currently manage an investment company registered under the 1940 Act that uses an investment strategy substantially similar to that proposed for the Fund. The Board also considered information comparing the Composite to its benchmark. The Board considered the CCO’s view that comparisons to the Composite may be helpful, though not conclusive, in evaluating the anticipated performance of the Sub-Adviser in managing the Fund. The CCO also provided additional information about the broad range of the portfolio managers’ investment experience and the Sub-Adviser’s investment philosophy and process. The Board also considered how the Fund’s strategy to pursue investments that deliver positive societal impact aligned with the UN SDGs may influence the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark or peers. Based on these considerations, the Board concluded that it was satisfied that FIMCO and the Sub-Adviser have the capability of providing satisfactory investment performance for the Fund.
In connection with the Board’s governance of other Federated Funds, the Board noted that it regularly receives financial information about Federated, including information regarding the compensation and ancillary (or “fall-out”) benefits Federated derives from its relationships with the other Federated Funds. This information covers not only the fees under the investment advisory contracts, but also fees received by Federated’s subsidiaries for providing other services to the Federated Funds under separate contracts (e.g., for serving as the Federated Funds’ administrator and distributor). In this regard, the Board
considered that certain Federated subsidiaries provide distribution and shareholder services to the Federated Funds, for which they may be compensated through distribution and servicing fees paid pursuant to Rule 12b-1 plans or otherwise. The information also details any indirect benefit Federated may derive from its receipt of research services from brokers who execute Federated Fund trades. In addition, the Board considered the fact that, in order for a Federated Fund to be competitive in the marketplace, Federated frequently waives fees and/or reimburses expenses and has disclosed to fund investors and/or indicated to the Board its intention to do so in the future. Moreover, the Board receives regular reporting as to the institution, adjustment or elimination of these voluntary waivers.
Because the Board was considering the advisory and subadvisory contracts in the context of Federated’s proposal to create a new Federated Fund, the factors mentioned above relating to such matters as performance and any indirect benefits that may accrue to the Advisers and their affiliates as a result of the Advisers’ relationships with the Fund are essentially impossible to apply before the Fund has experienced any meaningful operating history.
Federated furnished information, requested by the CCO, that reported projected revenues for the Fund, as detailed cost allocation reports had not yet been projected for this Fund. The CCO noted that, while these cost allocation reports apply consistent allocation processes, the inherent difficulties in allocating costs continues to cause the CCO to question the precision of the process and to conclude that such reports may be unreliable, since a single change in an allocation estimate may dramatically alter the resulting estimate of cost and/or profitability of a Federated Fund and may produce unintended consequences. The CCO noted that the Fund was new to Federated and any projected cost allocation and/or profit margin does not represent the full or actual cost of operating a Federated Fund and makes only rough estimates of the cost to launch a Federated Fund. The CCO also noted that, while the Fund is expected to grow in size, the creation and maintenance of the Fund requires a substantial initial investment. The allocation information, including the CCO’s view that the estimations regarding the Fund may be unreliable, was considered in the evaluation by the Board.
The Board and the CCO also reviewed information compiled by Federated comparing its profitability information to other publicly held fund management companies. The CCO noted that while Federated regularly undertakes to establish new Federated Funds and maintains a number of other smaller Federated Funds that, while expected to grow to a greater size, nevertheless require substantial investment and waiver or assumption of fees and other expenses in order to deliver them to the marketplace. Based on this and other relevant information, the CCO concluded that Federated’s projected profit margins did not appear to be excessive. The CCO also noted that Federated appeared financially sound, with the resources necessary to fulfill its obligations under its contracts with the Fund.
The CCO Fee Evaluation Report also discussed the notion of possible realization of “economies of scale” as a fund grows larger, the difficulties of calculating economies of scale at an individual fund level, and the extent to which potential scale benefits are expected to be shared with shareholders. In this regard, the Board considered that Federated has made significant and long-term investments in areas that support all of the Federated Funds, such as personnel and processes for the portfolio management, shareholder services, compliance, internal audit and risk management functions, as well as systems technology (including technology relating to cybersecurity), and that the benefits of these investments (as well as any economies of scale, should they exist) were likely to be shared with the Federated Fund family as a whole. The Board noted that Federated’s investments in these areas are extensive. In addition, the Board considered that the Advisers and their affiliates have frequently waived fees and/or reimbursed expenses and that this has allowed potential economies of scale to be shared with shareholders. The Board also considered that such waivers and reimbursements can provide protection from an increase in expenses if a Federated Fund’s assets decline. Federated, as it does throughout the year, and specifically in connection with the Board’s review of the advisory and subadvisory contracts, furnished information relative to revenue sharing or adviser-paid fees. Federated and the CCO noted that this information should be viewed to determine if there was an incentive to either not apply breakpoints, or to apply breakpoints at higher levels, and should not be viewed to determine the appropriateness of advisory fees. The Board also noted the absence of any applicable regulatory or industry guidelines on this subject, which is compounded by the lack of any common industry practice or general pattern with respect to structuring fund advisory fees with “breakpoints” that serve to reduce the fee as a fund attains a certain size. The CCO did not recommend institution of breakpoints in pricing Federated’s proposed advisory services to the Fund at this time, noting that it would review future asset growth and the appropriateness of any potential future breakpoints as part of its future annual review of the advisory and subadvisory contracts.
The CCO stated that his observations and the information accompanying the CCO Fee Evaluation Report supported a finding by the Board that the management fee for the Fund was reasonable.
The Board based its decision to approve the proposed investment advisory and subadvisory contracts on the totality of the circumstances and relevant factors and with a view to past and future long-term considerations. Not all of the factors and considerations identified above were necessarily relevant to the Fund, nor did the Board consider any one of them to be determinative. With respect to the factors that were relevant, the Board’s decision to approve the proposed investment advisory and subadvisory contracts reflects its view that, based upon the information requested and supplied, Federated’s proposal to establish and manage the Fund, and its past performance and actions in providing services to other Federated Funds (which the Board has found to be satisfactory with respect to such other Federated Funds), provide a satisfactory
basis to support the decision to approve the proposed arrangements.
Annual Shareholder Report
Liquidity Risk Management Program– Annual Evaluation of Adequacy and Effectiveness
In accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Liquidity Rule”), Federated Hermes Adviser Series (the “Trust”) has adopted and implemented a liquidity risk management program (the “Program”) for Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund (the “Fund” and, collectively with the Federated Hermes funds, the “Federated Hermes Funds”). The Program seeks to assess and manage the Fund’s liquidity risk. “Liquidity risk” is defined under the Liquidity Rule as the risk that the Fund is unable to meet redemption requests without significantly diluting remaining investors’ interests in the Fund. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has approved the designation of the Fund’s investment adviser as the administrator for the Program for the Fund. Each affiliated Federated Hermes advisory subsidiary (including the Fund’s investment adviser) that serves as investment adviser to a Federated Hermes Fund (including the Fund) has been approved as the administrator of the Program for each Federated Hermes Fund they manage (each an “Administrator”). The Administrator in turn has delegated daily responsibility for the administration of the Program to multiple Liquidity Risk Management Committees (the “Committees”). The Committees, which are comprised of representatives of Enterprise Risk Management, Compliance, Investment Management and Trading, must review and assess certain information related to the liquidity of the Federated Hermes Funds, including the Fund.
The Program is comprised of various components designed to support the assessment and/or management of liquidity risk, including: (1) the periodic assessment (no less frequently than annually) of certain factors that influence the Fund’s liquidity risk; (2) the periodic classification (no less frequently than monthly) of the Fund’s investments into one of four liquidity categories that reflect an estimate of their liquidity under current market conditions; (3) a 15% limit on the acquisition of “illiquid investments” (as defined under the Liquidity Rule); (4) to the extent a Fund does not invest primarily in “highly liquid investments” (as defined under the Liquidity Rule), the determination of a minimum percentage of the Fund’s assets that generally will be invested in highly liquid investments (an “HLIM”); (5) if a Fund has established an HLIM, the periodic review (no less frequently than annually) of the HLIM and the adoption of policies and procedures for responding to a shortfall of the Fund’s highly liquid investments below its HLIM; and (6) periodic reporting to the Board.
At its meetings in May 2020, the Board received and reviewed a written report (the “Report”) from the Federated Hermes Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Risk Officer, on behalf of the Administrator, concerning the operation of the Program for the period from the Program’s inception on December 1, 2018 through March 31, 2020 (the “Period”). The Report
Annual Shareholder Report
addressed the operation of the Program and assessed its adequacy and effectiveness, including, where applicable, the operation of any HLIM established for a Federated Hermes Fund and each Federated Hermes Fund’s access to other available funding sources such as the Federated Hermes Funds’ interfund lending facility, redemptions in-kind and committed lines of credit. There were no material changes to the Program during the Period. The Report summarized the operation of the Program and the information and factors considered by the Administrator in assessing whether the Program has been adequately and effectively implemented with respect to the Federated Hermes Funds. Such information and factors included, among other things:
■ confirmation that the Fund did not utilize alternative funding sources during the Period;
■ the periodic classifications of the Fund’s investments into one of four liquidity categories and the methodologies and inputs used to classify the investments, including the Fund’s reasonably anticipated trade size;
■ the analysis received from a third-party liquidity assessment vendor that is taken into account in the process of determining the liquidity classifications of the Fund’s investments and the results of an evaluation of the services performed by the vendor in support of this process;
■ the fact that the Fund invested primarily in highly liquid investments during the Period and, therefore, was not required to establish, and has not established, an HLIM and the procedures for monitoring the status of the Fund as investing primarily in highly liquid investments;
■ the fact that the Fund invested no more than 15% of its assets in illiquid investments during the Period and the procedures for monitoring this limit; and
■ liquidity events during the Period, including the impact on liquidity caused by extended non-U.S. market closures and the market disruptions resulting from the novel coronavirus outbreak, and the fact that there were no specific liquidity events during the Period that materially affected the Fund’s liquidity risk.
Based on this review, the Fund’s investment adviser, in its role as Administrator, collectively with the other investment advisers to the Federated Hermes Funds, concluded that the Program is operating effectively to assess and manage the Fund’s liquidity risk, and that the Program has been and continues to be adequately and effectively implemented to monitor and, as applicable, respond to the Fund’s liquidity developments.
Annual Shareholder Report
Voting Proxies on Fund Portfolio Securities
A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies, if any, relating to securities held in the Fund’s portfolio is available, without charge and upon request, by calling 1-800-341-7400. A report on “Form N-PX” of how the Fund voted any such proxies during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available via the Proxy Voting Record (Form N-PX) link associated with the Fund and share class name at FederatedInvestors.com/FundInformation. Form N-PX filings are also available at the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
Quarterly Portfolio Schedule
Each fiscal quarter, the Fund will file with the SEC a complete schedule of its monthly portfolio holdings on “Form N-PORT.” The Fund’s holdings as of the end of the third month of every fiscal quarter, as reported on Form N-PORT, will be publicly available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov within 60 days of the end of the fiscal quarter upon filing. You may also access this information via the link to the Fund and share class name at FederatedInvestors.com.
Annual Shareholder Report
Mutual funds are not bank deposits or obligations, are not guaranteed by any bank and are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency. Investment in mutual funds involves investment risk, including the possible loss of principal.
This Report is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only when preceded or accompanied by the Fund’s Prospectus, which contains facts concerning its objective and policies, management fees, expenses and other information. 
Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund
Federated Hermes Funds
4000 Ericsson Drive
Warrendale, PA 15086-7561
Contact us at FederatedInvestors.com
or call 1-800-341-7400.
Federated Securities Corp., Distributor
CUSIP 31423A556
Q454749 (10/20)
© 2020 Federated Hermes, Inc.
(a) As of the end of the period covered by this report, the registrant has adopted a code of ethics (the "Section 406 Standards for Investment Companies - Ethical Standards for Principal Executive and Financial Officers") that applies to the registrant's Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer; the registrant's Principal Financial Officer also serves as the Principal Accounting Officer.
(c) There was no amendment to the registrant’s code of ethics described in Item 2(a) above during the period covered by the report.
(d) There was no waiver granted, either actual or implicit, from a provision to the registrant’s code of ethics described in Item 2(a) above during the period covered by the report.
(e) Not Applicable
(f)(3) The registrant hereby undertakes to provide any person, without charge, upon request, a copy of the code of ethics. To request a copy of the code of ethics, contact the registrant at 1-800-341-7400, and ask for a copy of the Section 406 Standards for Investment Companies - Ethical Standards for Principal Executive and Financial Officers.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert
The registrant's Board has determined that each of the following members of the Board's Audit Committee is an “audit committee financial expert,” and is "independent," for purposes of this Item: John T. Collins, G. Thomas Hough and Thomas M. O'Neill.
| Item 4. | Principal Accountant Fees and Services |
(a) Audit Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:
Fiscal year ended 2020 - $322,876
Fiscal year ended 2019 - $28,020
(b) Audit-Related Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:
Fiscal year ended 2020 - $5,000
Fiscal year ended 2019 - $0
Audit consent for Form N-1A.
Amount requiring approval of the registrant’s audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, $6,896 and $0 respectively. Fiscal year ended 2020- Audit consent fee for N-14 merger document.
(c) Tax Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:
Fiscal year ended 2020 - $0
Fiscal year ended 2019 - $0
Amount requiring approval of the registrant’s audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, $0 and $0 respectively.
(d) All Other Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:
Fiscal year ended 2020 - $0
Fiscal year ended 2019 - $0
Amount requiring approval of the registrant’s audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, $49,966 and $24,642 respectively. Fiscal year ended 2020- Service fee for analysis of potential Passive Foreign Investment Company holdings. Fiscal year ended 2019- Service fee for analysis of potential Passive Foreign Investment Company holdings.
(e)(1) Audit Committee Policies regarding Pre-approval of Services.
The Audit Committee is required to pre-approve audit and non-audit services performed by the independent auditor in order to assure that the provision of such services do not impair the auditor’s independence. Unless a type of service to be provided by the independent auditor has received general pre-approval, it will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.
Certain services have the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The term of the general pre-approval is 12 months from the date of pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee specifically provides for a different period. The Audit Committee will annually review the services that may be provided by the independent auditor without obtaining specific pre-approval from the Audit Committee and may grant general pre-approval for such services. The Audit Committee will revise the list of general pre-approved services from time to time, based on subsequent determinations. The Audit Committee will not delegate to management its responsibilities to pre-approve services performed by the independent auditor.
The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to its Chairman for services that do not exceed a specified dollar threshold. The Chairman or Chief Audit Executive will report any such pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The Committee will designate another member with such pre-approval authority when the Chairman is unavailable.
AUDIT SERVICES
The annual Audit services engagement terms and fees will be subject to the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will approve, if necessary, any changes in terms, conditions and fees resulting from changes in audit scope, registered investment company (RIC) structure or other matters.
In addition to the annual Audit services engagement specifically approved by the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval for other Audit services, which are those services that only the independent auditor reasonably can provide. The Audit Committee has pre-approved certain Audit services; with limited exception, all other audit services must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
AUDIT-RELATED SERVICES
Audit-related services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the RIC’s financial statements or that are traditionally performed by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee believes that the provision of Audit-related services does not impair the independence of the auditor, and has pre-approved certain audit-related services; all other audit-related services must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
TAX SERVICES
The Audit Committee believes that the independent auditor can provide Tax services to the RIC such as tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice without impairing the auditor’s independence. However, the Audit Committee will not permit the retention of the independent auditor in connection with a transaction initially recommended by the independent auditor, the purpose of which may be tax avoidance and the tax treatment of which may not be supported in the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations. The Audit Committee has pre-approved certain Tax services; with limited exception, all tax services involving large and complex transactions must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
ALL OTHER SERVICES
With respect to the provision of permissible services other than audit, review or attest services the pre-approval requirement is waived if:
| (1) | With respect to such services rendered to the Funds, the aggregate amount of all such services provided constitutes no more than five percent of the total amount of revenues paid by the audit client to its accountant during the fiscal year in which the services are provided; and, |
| (2) | With respect to such services rendered to the Fund’s investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by to under common control with the investment adviser such as affiliated non-U.S. and U.S. funds not under the Audit Committee’s purview and which do not fall within a category of service which has been determined by the Audit Committee not to have a direct impact on the operations or financial reporting of the RIC, the aggregate amount of all services provided constitutes no more than five percent of the total amount of revenues paid to the RIC’s auditor by the RIC, its investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser during the fiscal year in which the services are provided; and |
| (3) | Such services were not recognized by the issuer or RIC at the time of the engagement to be non-audit services; and |
| (4) | Such services are promptly brought to the attention of the Audit Committee and approved prior to the completion of the audit by the Audit Committee or by one or more members of the Audit Committee who are members of the Board of Directors to whom authority to grant such approvals has been delegated by the Audit Committee. |
The Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval to those permissible non-audit services which qualify for pre-approval and which it believes are routine and recurring services, and would not impair the independence of the auditor.
The SEC’s rules and relevant guidance should be consulted to determine the precise definitions of these services and applicability of exceptions to certain of the prohibitions.
PRE-APPROVAL FEE LEVELS
Pre-approval fee levels for all services to be provided by the independent auditor will be established annually by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding these levels will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.
PROCEDURES
Requests or applications to provide services that require specific approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Audit Committee by the Fund’s Principal Accounting Officer and/or the Chief Audit Executive of Federated Hermes, Inc., only after those individuals have determined that the request or application is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.
(e)(2) Percentage of services identified in items 4(b) through 4(d) that were approved by the registrants audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X:
4(b)
Fiscal year ended 2020 – 0%
Fiscal year ended 2019 - 0%
Percentage of services provided to the registrants investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were approved by the registrants audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, 0% and 0% respectively.
4(c)
Fiscal year ended 2020 – 0%
Fiscal year ended 2019 – 0%
Percentage of services provided to the registrants investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were approved by the registrants audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, 0% and 0% respectively.
4(d)
Fiscal year ended 2020 – 0%
Fiscal year ended 2019 – 0%
Percentage of services provided to the registrants investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were approved by the registrants audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, 0% and 0% respectively.
| (g) | Non-Audit Fees billed to the registrant, the registrant’s investment adviser, and certain entities controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser: |
Fiscal year ended 2020 - $200,601
Fiscal year ended 2019 - $548,013
| (h) | The registrant’s Audit Committee has considered that the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant’s adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence. |
The registrant’s management and Audit Committee continue to believe that the registrant’s registered public accounting firms, Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) and KPMG LLP (“KPMG”) (as applicable, “EY/KPMG”), have the ability to exercise objective and impartial judgment on all issues encompassed within their audit services. EY/KPMG is required to make a determination that it satisfies certain independence requirements under the federal securities laws. Like other registrants, there is a risk that activities or relationships of EY/KPMG, or its partners or employees, can prevent a determination from being made that it satisfies such independence requirements with respect to the registrant, which could render it ineligible to serve as the registrant’s independent public accountant.
In their respective required communications to the Audit Committee of the registrant’s Board, EY/KPMG informed the Audit Committee that EY/KPMG and/or covered person professionals within EY/KPMG maintain lending relationships with certain owners of greater than 10% of the shares of certain investment companies within the “investment company complex” as defined under Rule 2-01(f)(14) of Regulation S-X, which are affiliates of the registrant. EY/KPMG has advised the Audit Committee that these lending relationships implicate Rule 2-01(c)(1)(ii)(A) of Regulation S-X (referred to as the “Loan Rule”). The Loan Rule prohibits an independent public accountant, or covered person professionals at such firm, from having a financial relationship (such as a loan) with a lender that is a record or beneficial owner of more than 10% of an audit client’s equity securities. For purposes of the Loan Rule, audit clients include the registrant, as well as all registered investment companies advised by advisory subsidiaries of Federated Hermes, Inc., the Adviser (for which EY serves as independent public accountant), and their respective affiliates (collectively, the “Federated Hermes Fund Complex”).
EY/KPMG informed the Audit Committee that EY/KPMG believes that these lending relationships described above do not and will not impair EY/KPMG’s ability to exercise objective and impartial judgment in connection with financial statement audits of their respective funds of the registrant and a reasonable investor with knowledge of all relevant facts and circumstances would conclude that EY/KPMG has been and is capable of objective and impartial judgment on all issues encompassed within EY/KPMG’s audits.
On June 20, 2016, the Division of Investment Management of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a no-action letter to another mutual fund complex (see Fidelity Management & Research Company et al., No-Action Letter) related to similar Loan Rule matters as those described above (the “Letter”). In the Letter, the SEC Staff confirmed that it would not recommend enforcement action against an investment company that relied on the audit services performed by an independent public accountant where the Loan Rule was implicated in certain specified circumstances provided that: (1) the auditor has complied with PCAOB Rule 3526(b)(1) and 3526(b)(2); (2) the Loan Rule is implicated because of lending relationships; and (3) notwithstanding such lending relationships that implicate the Loan Rule, the auditor has concluded that it is objective and impartial with respect to the issues encompassed within its engagement as auditor of the funds. The circumstances described in the Letter are substantially similar to the circumstances that implicated the Loan Rule with respect to EY/KPMG and the registrant. On September 22, 2017, the SEC extended the expiration of the Letter until the effectiveness of any amendments to the Loan Rule designed to address the concerns in the Letter. On June 18, 2019, the SEC adopted amendments (effective October 3, 2019) to the Loan Rule, which, refocus the analysis that must be conducted to determine whether an auditor is independent when the auditor has a lending relationship with certain shareholders of an audit client at any time during an audit or professional engagement period.
If it were to be determined that, with respect to the Loan Rule, the relief available under the Letter was improperly relied upon, or that the independence requirements under the federal securities laws were not complied with regarding the registrant, for certain periods, and/or given the implication of the Investment Rule for certain periods, any of the registrant’s filings with the SEC which contain financial statements of the registrant for such periods may be determined not to be consistent with or comply with applicable federal securities laws, the registrant’s ability to offer shares under its current registration statement may be impacted, and certain financial reporting and/or other covenants with, and representations and warranties to, the registrant’s lender under its committed line of credit may be impacted. Such events could have a material adverse effect on the registrant and the Federated Hermes Fund Complex.
| Item 5. | Audit Committee of Listed Registrants |
Not Applicable
| Item 6. | Schedule of 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; Fund had no divestments during the reporting period covered since the previous Form N-CSR filing.
| Item 7. | Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies |
Not Applicable
| Item 8. | Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies |
Not Applicable
| 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 |
No Changes to Report
| Item 11. | Controls and Procedures |
(a) The registrant’s President and Treasurer have concluded that the
registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in rule 30a-3(c) under the Act) are effective in design and operation and are sufficient to form the basis of the certifications required by Rule 30a-(2) under the Act, based on their evaluation of these disclosure controls and procedures within 90 days of the filing date of this report on Form N-CSR.
(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) during the registrant’s most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant’s second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
| Item 12. | Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies |
Not Applicable
(a)(1) Code of Ethics- Not Applicable to this Report.
(a)(2) Certifications of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer.
(a)(3) Not Applicable.
(b) Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.
SIGNATURES
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.
Registrant Federated Hermes Adviser Series
By /S/ Lori A. Hensler
Lori A. Hensler, Principal Financial Officer
Date October 23, 2020
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/ J. Christopher Donahue
J. Christopher Donahue, Principal Executive Officer
Date October 23, 2020
By /S/ Lori A. Hensler
Lori A. Hensler, Principal Financial Officer
Date October 23, 2020
