CRM has agreed to reimburse the Fund’s operating expenses to the extent that total annual operating expenses (relating to ordinary operating expenses only and excluding expenses such as brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses of unaffiliated funds, borrowing costs, taxes or litigation expenses) exceed 0.74%, 0.49% and 0.46% for Class A, Class I and Class R6, respectively, of such class's average daily net assets. The expense reimbursement agreement with CRM may be changed or terminated after February 1, 2025. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, CRM waived or reimbursed expenses of $298,412.
The administrative fee is earned by CRM as compensation for administrative services rendered to the Fund. The fee is computed at an annual rate of 0.12% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A, Class I and Class R6 and is payable monthly. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, CRM was paid administrative fees of $464,339.
The Fund has in effect a distribution plan for Class A shares (Class A Plan) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Pursuant to the Class A Plan, the Fund pays Eaton Vance Distributors, Inc. (EVD), an affiliate of CRM and the Fund’s principal underwriter, a distribution and service fee of 0.25% per annum of its average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares for distribution services and facilities provided to the Fund by EVD, as well as for personal services and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Distribution and service fees paid or accrued for the six months ended March 31, 2024 amounted to $83,717 for Class A shares.
The Fund was informed that EVD received $10,818 as its portion of the sales charge on sales of Class A shares and no contingent deferred sales charges paid by Fund shareholders for the six months ended March 31, 2024.
Eaton Vance Management (EVM), an affiliate of CRM, provides sub-transfer agency and related services to the Fund pursuant to a Sub-Transfer Agency Support Services Agreement. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, sub-transfer agency fees and expenses incurred to EVM amounted to $7,108 and are included in transfer agency fees and expenses on the Statement of Operations.
Each Trustee of the Fund who is not an employee of CRM or its affiliates receives an annual fee of $225,000 ($214,000 prior to January 1, 2024), an annual Committee fee ranging from $8,500 to $16,500 depending on the Committee, and may receive a fee of $10,000 for special meetings. The Board chair receives an additional $40,000 annual fee, Committee chairs receive an additional $15,000 annual fee and the special equities liaison receives an additional $2,500 annual fee. Eligible Trustees may participate in a Deferred Compensation Plan (the Plan). Amounts deferred under the Plan are treated as though equal dollar amounts had been invested in shares of the Fund or other Calvert funds selected by the Trustees. The Fund purchases shares of the funds selected equal to the dollar amounts deferred under the Plan, resulting in an asset equal to the deferred compensation liability. Obligations of the Plan are paid solely from the Fund's assets. Trustees’ fees are allocated to each of the Calvert funds served. Salaries and fees of officers and Trustees of the Fund who are employees of CRM or its affiliates are paid by CRM.
3 Investment Activity
During the six months ended March 31, 2024, the cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments, other than U.S. government and agency securities and short-term securities and including paydowns, were $410,674,613 and $201,934,186, respectively. Purchases and sales of U.S. government and agency securities, including paydowns and TBA transactions, were $1,430,432,893 and $1,343,417,482, respectively.
4 Distributions to Shareholders and Income Tax Information
At September 30, 2023, the Fund, for federal income tax purposes, had deferred capital losses of $20,124,089 which would reduce the Fund's taxable income arising from future net realized gains on investment transactions, if any, to the extent permitted by the Internal Revenue Code, and thus would reduce the amount of distributions to shareholders, which would otherwise be necessary to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income or excise tax. The deferred capital losses are treated as arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year, can be carried forward for an unlimited period, and retain the same short-term or long-term character as when originally deferred. Of the deferred capital losses at September 30, 2023, $12,837,181 are short-term and $7,286,908 are long-term.
The cost and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments, including open derivative contracts, of the Fund at March 31, 2024, as determined on a federal income tax basis, were as follows:
Aggregate cost | $1,056,601,812 |
Gross unrealized appreciation | $ 7,971,977 |
Gross unrealized depreciation | (7,786,038) |
Net unrealized appreciation | $ 185,939 |