We are pleased to present this semiannual report for BNY Mellon International Stock Index Fund (formerly Dreyfus International Stock Index Fund), covering the six-month period from November 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019. For information about how the fund performed during the reporting period, as well as general market perspectives, we provide a Discussion of Fund Performance on the pages that follow.
The U.S. and many other developed economies continued their pattern of moderate growth during the six months. Equity markets experienced a sharp sell-off in the fourth quarter of 2018, triggered in part by interest-rate increases, trade tensions and slowing global growth. The sell-off partially reduced prior gains on U.S. indices, while losses deepened in international developed and emerging markets. Global equities continued their general decline through the end of 2018. However, comments made in January by the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) that it might slow the pace of interest-rate increases in 2019 helped stimulate a rebound across equity markets. In a similar stance, other central banks pledged to continue policies that support economic growth, helping to further ease investor concerns. Talk of a potential trade agreement between the U.S. and China also helped to buoy equity markets, which continued their upward trajectory through the end of the period.
Equity volatility and global growth concerns triggered a flight to quality in many areas of the bond market, raising Treasury prices and flattening the yield curve. Corporate bonds, however, were hindered somewhat by concerns about economic growth, resulting in widening spreads and lower prices through November. After encouraging comments by the Fed in January, bond markets rebounded, and most U.S. indices continued to post positive returns through the end of April.
We remain positive on the near-term economic outlook for the U.S. but will monitor relevant data for any signs of a change. As always, we encourage you to discuss the risks and opportunities in today’s investment environment with your financial advisor.
Thank you for your continued confidence and support.
DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE(Unaudited)
For the period from November 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019, as provided by Thomas J. Durante, CFA, Karen Q. Wong, CFA, and Richard A. Brown, CFA, Portfolio Managers
Market and Fund Performance Overview
For the six-month period ended April 30, 2019, BNY Mellon International Stock Index Fund’s (formerly Dreyfus International Stock Index Fund) Class I shares produced a total return of 7.64%, and its Investor shares returned 7.50%.1 This compares with a 7.45% total return for the fund’s benchmark, the MSCI EAFE Index (the “Index”), during the same period.2
International stocks recovered from fourth-quarter 2018 volatility to advance during the reporting period, bolstered by supportive central bank policies. The fund slightly outperformed its benchmark, due primarily to fair-value pricing.
The Fund’s Investment Approach
The fund seeks to match the performance of the Index. To pursue its goal, the fund generally is fully invested in stocks included in the Index and in futures whose performance is tied to certain countries included in the Index. The fund generally invests in all stocks included in the Index. The fund’s investments are selected to match the benchmark composition along individual name, country and industry weighting, and other benchmark characteristics. Under these circumstances, the fund maintains approximately the same weighting for each stock as the Index does.
The Index is an unmanaged, free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the United States and Canada. Each stock in the Index is weighted by its float-adjusted market capitalization.
A Tale of Two Markets
Markets delivered two drastically different periods of behavior over the six-month reporting period, but gained ground over the period as a whole. Through the fourth quarter of 2018, many equity markets felt pressure from slowing global growth, escalating trade issues between the U.S. and China, Brexit difficulties, and additional geopolitical issues elsewhere in Europe and the emerging markets. Renewed articulation of hawkish narratives by U.S. Federal Reserve (“Fed”) officials alarmed investors and stoked volatility. In December, equities reached new lows for the year, as economic and political news continued to unnerve investors. Investors also feared the European Central Bank (ECB) would proceed with its plan to conclude stimulus measures in January, despite moderating growth rates.
January marked a turnaround in markets. Talk of a potential trade deal between the U.S. and China helped fuel investor optimism, as equity prices recovered. The ECB announced it would provide additional stimulus to support the Eurozone economy. China also announced plans to stoke its slowing economic growth rate, bolstering prospects for businesses in Japan, its largest trading partner. At its first meeting of the year, the Fed emphasized its focus on data as a primary driver for rate-hike decisions, and its ability to suspend additional rate increases when the data is not supportive. These sentiments reassured investors of central bankers’ commitments to support flagging growth. In addition, the continued delay of a Brexit resolution has given businesses located in the United Kingdom (UK) time to change their locations and business models in order to mitigate the negative effects of a hard Brexit. The market rebound continued through the month of January, and stocks maintained an upward trajectory through the remainder of the reporting period.
3
DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE(Unaudited) (continued)
Industrials Sector Drives Index Returns
The industrials sector benefited from increased exports to China during the first several months of 2019. In February, effects of the Chinese government’s stimulus efforts increased demand for industrial goods, boosting exports from Japan and Australia. Japanese manufacturing activity expanded in April for the first time in many months. In addition, economic growth within the Eurozone started to pick up in February, which also increased demand for industrial goods. UK banks also performed well during the period, bolstering returns within the financials sector. Lending increased in Europe and the UK during the period, and Brexit tensions decreased. Stress tests were also conducted by the Bank of England, and it was determined that banks could safely withstand several months of financial disruption. Chinese demand for insurance products also helped increase revenues for issuers. The consumer staples sector was bolstered by strong consumer cash flows during the six months. Companies selling consumer and household goods in emerging markets did well. In addition, organizations that have been able to mold their product lineups to changing consumer tastes, a challenge for many product manufacturers, have benefited from increased sales. From a country perspective, the top-performing countries were the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia.
Conversely, the energy sector provided a headwind for international markets. Volatility in the price of oil and concerns over slowing demand growth from large importers is fueling investor concern. Proposed regulation may additionally curb future demand, as many areas impose taxes on gasoline-fueled vehicles and are trying to push towns and municipalities to use electric transportation to curb pollution. Communication services also struggled during the period. Companies working to build their 5G networks have incurred significant costs, which have reduced margins. European governments have been slow to deliver promised subsidies, which are intended to help support companies during these buildouts. The health care industry has been hampered by government concerns over drug prices in parts of the Eurozone. Over-the-counter drug sales have also slowed, as has foot traffic in drug stores, hurting revenues.
Replicating the Performance of the Index
Although we do not actively manage the fund’s investments in response to macroeconomic trends, it is worth noting that while non-U.S. developed markets appear supported by central bank activities, trade frictions and other geopolitical issues may have the potential to impact the markets. As always, we continue to monitor factors which affect the fund’s investments.
June 3, 2019
1 Total return includes reinvestment of dividends and any capital gains paid. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Share price, yield, and investment return fluctuate such that upon redemption, fund shares may be worth more or less than their original cost.
2 Source: Lipper Inc. — The MSCI EAFE Index (Europe, Australasia, Far East) is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the U.S. and Canada. It reflects reinvestment of net dividends and, where applicable, capital gain distributions. Investors cannot invest directly in any index.
Equities are subject generally to market, market sector, market liquidity, issuer, and investment style risks, among other factors, to varying degrees, all of which are more fully described in the fund’s prospectus.
Currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to a local currency, or, in the case of hedged positions, that the local currency will decline relative to the currency being hedged. Each of these risks could increase the fund’s volatility.
Investing in foreign denominated and/or domiciled securities involves special risks, including changes in currency exchange rates, political, economic, and social instability, limited company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and less market liquidity. These risks generally are greater with emerging market countries.
Diversification cannot assure a profit or protect against loss.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR FUND’S EXPENSES(Unaudited)
As a mutual fund investor, you pay ongoing expenses, such as management fees and other expenses. Using the information below, you can estimate how these expenses affect your investment and compare them with the expenses of other funds. You also may pay one-time transaction expenses, including sales charges (loads) and redemption fees, which are not shown in this section and would have resulted in higher total expenses. For more information, see your fund’s prospectus or talk to your financial adviser.
Review your fund’s expenses
The table below shows the expenses you would have paid on a $1,000 investment in BNY Mellon International Stock Index Fund from November 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019. It also shows how much a $1,000 investment would be worth at the close of the period, assuming actual returns and expenses.
| | | | | | |
Expenses and Value of a $1,000 Investment |
assuming actual returns for the six months ended April 30, 2019 |
| Investor Shares | Class I |
Expenses paid per $1,000† | | | | $3.09 | | $1.80 |
Ending value (after expenses) | | | | $1,075.00 | | $1,076.40 |
COMPARING YOUR FUND’S EXPENSES
WITH THOSE OF OTHER FUNDS(Unaudited)
Using the SEC’s method to compare expenses
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has established guidelines to help investors assess fund expenses. Per these guidelines, the table below shows your fund’s expenses based on a $1,000 investment, assuming a hypothetical 5% annualized return. You can use this information to compare the ongoing expenses (but not transaction expenses or total cost) of investing in the fund with those of other funds. All mutual fund shareholder reports will provide this information to help you make this comparison. Please note that you cannot use this information to estimate your actual ending account balance and expenses paid during the period.
| | | | | | |
Expenses and Value of a $1,000 Investment |
assuming a hypothetical 5% annualized return for the six months ended April 30, 2019 |
| Investor Shares | Class I |
Expenses paid per $1,000† | | | | $3.01 | | $1.76 |
Ending value (after expenses) | | | | $1,021.82 | | $1,023.06 |
† Expenses are equal to the fund’s annualized expense ratio of .60% for Investor Shares and .35% for Class I, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 181/365 (to reflect the one-half year period).
5
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS
April 30, 2019 (Unaudited)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% | | | | | |
Australia - 6.7% | | | | | |
AGL Energy | | | | 28,446 | | 445,778 | |
Alumina | | | | 103,183 | | 162,935 | |
Amcor | | | | 50,914 | | 575,346 | |
AMP | | | | 121,540 | | 194,493 | |
APA Group | | | | 52,288 | | 354,597 | |
Aristocrat Leisure | | | | 25,628 | | 471,173 | |
ASX | | | | 8,620 | | 452,712 | |
Aurizon Holdings | | | | 85,599 | | 287,233 | |
AusNet Services | | | | 72,030 | | 90,130 | |
Australia & New Zealand Banking Group | | | | 126,553 | | 2,426,608 | |
Bank of Queensland | | | | 16,881 | | 110,315 | |
Bendigo & Adelaide Bank | | | | 22,413 | | 162,740 | |
BHP Group | | | | 129,894 | | 3,424,672 | |
BHP Group | | | | 93,348 | | 2,202,506 | |
BlueScope Steel | | | | 22,644 | | 214,701 | |
Boral | | | | 49,992 | | 170,923 | |
Brambles | | | | 68,887 | | 585,171 | |
Caltex Australia | | | | 10,948 | | 210,001 | |
Challenger | | | | 23,612 | | 136,824 | |
CIMIC Group | | | | 4,044 | | 144,223 | |
Coca-Cola Amatil | | | | 22,091 | | 137,043 | |
Cochlear | | | | 2,507 | | 331,070 | |
Coles Group | | | | 49,174 | a | 437,128 | |
Commonwealth Bank of Australia | | | | 78,038 | | 4,099,560 | |
Computershare | | | | 19,354 | | 243,265 | |
Crown Resorts | | | | 16,014 | | 150,032 | |
CSL | | | | 19,984 | | 2,797,399 | |
Dexus | | | | 45,456 | b | 400,553 | |
Domino's Pizza Enterprises | | | | 2,506 | | 75,964 | |
Flight Centre Travel Group | | | | 2,140 | | 57,930 | |
Fortescue Metals Group | | | | 68,099 | | 343,246 | |
Goodman Group | | | | 71,528 | | 663,575 | |
GPT Group | | | | 78,800 | | 318,302 | |
Harvey Norman Holdings | | | | 29,031 | c | 85,341 | |
Incitec Pivot | | | | 69,755 | | 165,716 | |
Insurance Australia Group | | | | 101,506 | | 563,866 | |
LendLease Group | | | | 23,510 | | 220,426 | |
Macquarie Group | | | | 14,194 | | 1,347,816 | |
Medibank Private | | | | 115,472 | | 232,810 | |
Mirvac Group | | | | 162,824 | | 324,835 | |
National Australia Bank | | | | 120,695 | | 2,156,878 | |
6
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Australia - 6.7% (continued) | | | | | |
Newcrest Mining | | | | 33,727 | | 594,634 | |
Oil Search | | | | 59,640 | | 327,096 | |
Orica | | | | 17,089 | | 224,072 | |
Origin Energy | | | | 75,060 | | 389,973 | |
QBE Insurance Group | | | | 58,333 | | 531,705 | |
Ramsay Health Care | | | | 6,187 | | 284,895 | |
REA Group | | | | 2,250 | c | 126,732 | |
Santos | | | | 75,788 | | 384,138 | |
Scentre Group | | | | 229,340 | | 617,592 | |
SEEK | | | | 13,743 | | 176,421 | |
Sonic Healthcare | | | | 18,401 | | 332,726 | |
South32 | | | | 221,351 | | 521,178 | |
Stockland | | | | 108,281 | | 287,774 | |
Suncorp Group | | | | 57,049 | | 533,675 | |
Sydney Airport | | | | 46,218 | | 248,270 | |
Tabcorp Holdings | | | | 85,447 | | 288,530 | |
Telstra | | | | 183,892 | | 438,165 | |
TPG Telecom | | | | 14,383 | | 68,339 | |
Transurban Group | | | | 116,493 | | 1,103,716 | |
Treasury Wine Estates | | | | 32,195 | | 390,369 | |
Vicinity Centres | | | | 137,818 | | 246,773 | |
Washington H Soul Pattinson & Co. | | | | 4,963 | | 80,434 | |
Wesfarmers | | | | 49,800 | | 1,264,185 | |
Westpac Banking | | | | 151,509 | | 2,938,240 | |
Woodside Petroleum | | | | 41,183 | | 1,027,441 | |
Woolworths Group | | | | 57,849 | | 1,298,864 | |
WorleyParsons | | | | 14,225 | | 143,600 | |
| | | | 42,845,373 | |
Austria - .3% | | | | | |
ANDRITZ | | | | 3,131 | | 149,249 | |
Erste Group Bank | | | | 13,029 | | 521,696 | |
OMV | | | | 6,412 | | 343,404 | |
Raiffeisen Bank International | | | | 6,805 | | 181,424 | |
Verbund | | | | 2,984 | | 147,998 | |
Voestalpine | | | | 5,116 | a | 164,282 | |
| | | | 1,508,053 | |
Belgium - 1.0% | | | | | |
Ageas | | | | 7,936 | | 418,348 | |
Anheuser-Busch InBev | | | | 33,642 | | 2,990,707 | |
Colruyt | | | | 2,524 | a | 181,915 | |
Groupe Bruxelles Lambert | | | | 3,510 | | 335,495 | |
KBC Group | | | | 10,911 | | 807,938 | |
Proximus | | | | 6,406 | | 179,265 | |
7
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Belgium - 1.0% (continued) | | | | | |
Solvay | | | | 3,170 | | 380,969 | |
Telenet Group Holding | | | | 2,481 | a | 131,677 | |
UCB | | | | 5,568 | | 441,651 | |
Umicore | | | | 9,104 | | 352,281 | |
| | | | 6,220,246 | |
Chile - .0% | | | | | |
Antofagasta | | | | 18,089 | | 214,180 | |
China - .1% | | | | | |
BeiGene, ADR | | | | 1,403 | a,c | 174,295 | |
Minth Group | | | | 34,000 | | 107,269 | |
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings | | | | 111,800 | | 129,054 | |
| | | | 410,618 | |
Denmark - 1.7% | | | | | |
AP Moller - Maersk, Cl. A | | | | 172 | | 209,564 | |
AP Moller - Maersk, Cl. B | | | | 290 | | 377,819 | |
Carlsberg, Cl. B | | | | 4,695 | | 606,457 | |
Charles Hansen Holding | | | | 4,446 | | 453,530 | |
Coloplast, Cl. B | | | | 5,221 | | 563,334 | |
Danske Bank | | | | 31,434 | | 557,484 | |
Demant | | | | 4,279 | a | 134,998 | |
DSV | | | | 8,232 | | 760,585 | |
Genmab | | | | 2,708 | a | 449,550 | |
H Lundbeck | | | | 2,953 | | 124,219 | |
ISS | | | | 7,509 | | 233,518 | |
Novo Nordisk, Cl. B | | | | 80,165 | | 3,920,152 | |
Novozymes, Cl. B | | | | 9,831 | | 458,149 | |
Orsted | | | | 8,297 | d | 635,210 | |
Pandora | | | | 4,928 | | 206,706 | |
Tryg | | | | 5,238 | | 160,060 | |
Vestas Wind Systems | | | | 8,556 | | 773,810 | |
| | | | 10,625,145 | |
Finland - 1.1% | | | | | |
Elisa | | | | 6,479 | | 274,905 | |
Fortum | | | | 19,603 | | 414,230 | |
Kone, Cl. B | | | | 15,088 | | 826,843 | |
Metso | | | | 4,810 | | 179,164 | |
Neste | | | | 17,012 | | 561,735 | |
Nokia | | | | 249,684 | | 1,310,333 | |
Nokian Renkaat | | | | 5,430 | | 181,612 | |
Nordea Bank | | | | 133,511 | | 1,050,836 | |
Orion, Cl. B | | | | 4,849 | | 161,147 | |
Sampo, Cl. A | | | | 19,515 | | 892,156 | |
Stora Enso, Cl. R | | | | 23,989 | | 297,716 | |
8
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Finland - 1.1% (continued) | | | | | |
UPM-Kymmene | | | | 23,813 | | 670,654 | |
Wartsila | | | | 19,362 | | 308,807 | |
| | | | 7,130,138 | |
France - 10.8% | | | | | |
Accor | | | | 8,366 | a | 352,437 | |
Aeroports de Paris | | | | 1,329 | | 270,694 | |
Air Liquide | | | | 18,924 | | 2,516,243 | |
Airbus Group | | | | 25,697 | | 3,512,796 | |
Alstom | | | | 6,795 | a | 298,754 | |
Amundi | | | | 2,557 | d | 183,691 | |
Arkema | | | | 3,062 | | 314,105 | |
Atos | | | | 4,173 | | 429,570 | |
AXA | | | | 85,721 | | 2,282,955 | |
BioMerieux | | | | 1,765 | | 140,058 | |
BNP Paribas | | | | 49,682 | | 2,644,072 | |
Bollore | | | | 37,683 | | 179,036 | |
Bouygues | | | | 9,387 | | 353,125 | |
Bureau Veritas | | | | 11,256 | | 285,066 | |
Capgemini | | | | 7,132 | | 864,719 | |
Carrefour | | | | 25,600 | | 498,744 | |
Casino Guichard Perrachon | | | | 2,484 | c | 101,691 | |
Cie de Saint-Gobain | | | | 22,124 | | 904,232 | |
Cie Generale des Etablissements Michelin | | | | 7,517 | | 970,837 | |
CNP Assurances | | | | 7,875 | | 185,838 | |
Covivio | | | | 1,962 | | 212,356 | |
Credit Agricole | | | | 51,145 | | 701,565 | |
Danone | | | | 27,255 | | 2,203,428 | |
Dassault Aviation | | | | 105 | a | 158,869 | |
Dassault Systemes | | | | 5,816 | | 920,101 | |
Edenred | | | | 10,625 | | 500,633 | |
Eiffage | | | | 3,414 | | 356,493 | |
Electricite de France | | | | 26,090 | | 375,731 | |
Engie | | | | 80,220 | | 1,188,117 | |
EssilorLuxottica | | | | 12,634 | a | 1,537,477 | |
Eurazeo | | | | 1,930 | | 151,420 | |
Eutelsat Communications | | | | 7,788 | | 140,546 | |
Faurecia | | | | 3,492 | | 177,345 | |
Gecina | | | | 2,037 | | 304,093 | |
Getlink | | | | 20,964 | | 337,415 | |
Hermes International | | | | 1,395 | | 981,337 | |
ICADE | | | | 1,449 | | 123,840 | |
Iliad | | | | 1,145 | | 116,480 | |
9
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
France - 10.8% (continued) | | | | | |
Imerys | | | | 1,513 | | 80,573 | |
Ingenico Group | | | | 2,736 | | 230,643 | |
Ipsen | | | | 1,662 | | 194,053 | |
JCDecaux | | | | 3,285 | | 107,586 | |
Kering | | | | 3,350 | | 1,980,129 | |
Klepierre | | | | 9,088 | | 322,815 | |
Legrand | | | | 11,871 | a | 872,367 | |
L'Oreal | | | | 11,133 | | 3,060,508 | |
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton | | | | 12,250 | | 4,795,807 | |
Natixis | | | | 40,044 | a | 235,705 | |
Orange | | | | 87,512 | | 1,370,713 | |
Pernod Ricard | | | | 9,307 | | 1,621,657 | |
Peugeot | | | | 25,775 | | 675,320 | |
Publicis Groupe | | | | 9,403 | | 557,694 | |
Remy Cointreau | | | | 1,025 | a | 136,577 | |
Renault | | | | 8,509 | | 580,447 | |
Rexel | | | | 12,502 | | 167,986 | |
Safran | | | | 14,751 | | 2,149,159 | |
Sanofi | | | | 49,709 | | 4,320,348 | |
Sartorius Stedim Biotech | | | | 1,221 | | 165,706 | |
Schneider Electric | | | | 24,318 | | 2,058,177 | |
SCOR | | | | 7,107 | | 289,833 | |
SEB | | | | 1,044 | | 191,099 | |
Societe BIC | | | | 1,164 | | 100,331 | |
Societe Generale | | | | 33,762 | | 1,068,620 | |
Sodexo | | | | 3,813 | | 437,289 | |
Suez | | | | 16,160 | | 227,016 | |
Teleperformance | | | | 2,507 | | 481,670 | |
Thales | | | | 4,668 | | 557,333 | |
Total | | | | 106,453 | | 5,915,558 | |
Ubisoft Entertainment | | | | 3,730 | a | 355,771 | |
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield | | | | 5,254 | | 903,085 | |
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield-CDI | | | | 21,629 | | 186,475 | |
Valeo | | | | 10,492 | a | 380,925 | |
Veolia Environnement | | | | 23,627 | | 558,091 | |
Vinci | | | | 22,446 | | 2,266,293 | |
Vivendi | | | | 45,824 | | 1,329,620 | |
Wendel | | | | 1,243 | | 172,038 | |
| | | | 68,880,926 | |
Germany - 8.0% | | | | | |
1&1 Drillisch | | | | 2,258 | | 84,183 | |
adidas | | | | 7,976 | | 2,049,501 | |
Allianz | | | | 18,721 | | 4,510,257 | |
10
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Germany - 8.0% (continued) | | | | | |
Axel Springer | | | | 1,985 | | 112,432 | |
BASF | | | | 40,539 | | 3,296,015 | |
Bayer | | | | 41,181 | | 2,740,832 | |
Bayerische Motoren Werke | | | | 14,543 | | 1,238,037 | |
Beiersdorf | | | | 4,449 | | 486,225 | |
Brenntag | | | | 6,849 | | 369,189 | |
Commerzbank | | | | 44,749 | | 402,126 | |
Continental | | | | 4,896 | | 809,206 | |
Covestro | | | | 8,539 | d | 466,895 | |
Daimler | | | | 40,166 | | 2,628,228 | |
Delivery Hero | | | | 4,238 | a,d | 195,315 | |
Deutsche Bank | | | | 85,829 | | 709,383 | |
Deutsche Boerse | | | | 8,296 | | 1,106,340 | |
Deutsche Lufthansa | | | | 10,025 | | 241,972 | |
Deutsche Post | | | | 43,392 | | 1,503,856 | |
Deutsche Telekom | | | | 147,258 | | 2,463,264 | |
Deutsche Wohnen | | | | 15,915 | | 715,260 | |
E.ON | | | | 96,757 | | 1,038,345 | |
Evonik Industries | | | | 6,850 | | 204,059 | |
Fraport Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide | | | | 1,702 | | 140,958 | |
Fresenius & Co. | | | | 18,340 | | 1,040,438 | |
Fresenius Medical Care & Co. | | | | 9,634 | | 809,980 | |
GEA Group | | | | 7,022 | | 196,267 | |
Hannover Rueck | | | | 2,666 | | 401,881 | |
HeidelbergCement | | | | 6,454 | | 521,194 | |
Henkel & Co. | | | | 4,506 | | 429,331 | |
HOCHTIEF | | | | 1,139 | | 169,908 | |
HUGO BOSS | | | | 2,893 | | 201,696 | |
Infineon Technologies | | | | 49,967 | | 1,178,304 | |
Innogy | | | | 5,409 | | 234,783 | |
KION Group | | | | 3,038 | | 207,989 | |
LANXESS | | | | 3,842 | | 221,923 | |
Merck | | | | 5,587 | | 594,554 | |
METRO | | | | 7,713 | | 130,629 | |
MTU Aero Engines | | | | 2,253 | | 529,905 | |
Muenchener Rueckversicherungs | | | | 6,556 | | 1,639,766 | |
OSRAM Licht | | | | 4,413 | c | 150,914 | |
ProSiebenSat.1 Media | | | | 10,556 | | 166,169 | |
Puma | | | | 375 | | 231,961 | |
RWE | | | | 22,411 | | 572,351 | |
SAP | | | | 43,341 | | 5,569,879 | |
Siemens | | | | 33,751 | | 4,040,656 | |
11
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Germany - 8.0% (continued) | | | | | |
Siemens Healthineers | | | | 6,760 | d | 288,268 | |
Symrise | | | | 5,431 | | 522,034 | |
Telefonica Deutschland Holding | | | | 30,497 | | 99,059 | |
ThyssenKrupp | | | | 18,988 | | 266,957 | |
TUI | | | | 20,240 | | 225,343 | |
Uniper | | | | 8,823 | | 267,288 | |
United Internet | | | | 5,576 | | 223,457 | |
Volkswagen | | | | 1,388 | | 248,151 | |
Vonovia | | | | 21,631 | | 1,078,901 | |
Wirecard | | | | 5,140 | c | 770,784 | |
Zalando | | | | 5,101 | a,d | 239,951 | |
| | | | 50,982,549 | |
Hong Kong - 3.8% | | | | | |
AIA Group | | | | 532,400 | | 5,425,936 | |
ASM Pacific Technology | | | | 12,900 | | 149,394 | |
Bank of East Asia | | | | 57,258 | | 180,646 | |
BOC Hong Kong Holdings | | | | 165,000 | | 738,260 | |
CK Asset Holdings | | | | 114,975 | | 923,341 | |
CK Hutchison Holdings | | | | 118,475 | | 1,244,435 | |
CK Infrastructure Holdings | | | | 28,000 | | 227,361 | |
CLP Holdings | | | | 73,288 | | 830,992 | |
Dairy Farm International Holdings | | | | 13,500 | | 105,705 | |
Galaxy Entertainment Group | | | | 106,277 | | 794,558 | |
Hang Lung Group | | | | 36,000 | | 107,154 | |
Hang Lung Properties | | | | 93,000 | | 218,606 | |
Hang Seng Bank | | | | 34,000 | | 892,821 | |
Henderson Land Development | | | | 59,217 | | 364,596 | |
HK Electric Investments | | | | 106,500 | | 104,263 | |
HKT Trust | | | | 161,660 | | 250,585 | |
Hong Kong & China Gas | | | | 405,964 | | 968,749 | |
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing | | | | 52,242 | | 1,811,369 | |
Hongkong Land Holdings | | | | 52,100 | | 363,137 | |
Hysan Development | | | | 27,000 | | 151,094 | |
Jardine Matheson Holdings | | | | 9,846 | | 647,867 | |
Jardine Strategic Holdings | | | | 9,800 | | 370,636 | |
Kerry Properties | | | | 28,500 | | 121,705 | |
Link REIT | | | | 93,000 | | 1,084,731 | |
Melco Resorts & Entertainment, ADR | | | | 10,860 | | 272,586 | |
MTR | | | | 68,395 | | 407,155 | |
New World Development | | | | 274,566 | | 454,297 | |
NWS Holdings | | | | 64,918 | | 134,887 | |
PCCW | | | | 202,000 | | 121,795 | |
Power Assets Holdings | | | | 62,000 | | 432,312 | |
12
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Hong Kong - 3.8% (continued) | | | | | |
Shangri-La Asia | | | | 49,000 | | 69,457 | |
Sino Land | | | | 141,730 | | 249,321 | |
SJM Holdings | | | | 78,530 | | 94,799 | |
Sun Hung Kai Properties | | | | 70,199 | | 1,211,624 | |
Swire Pacific, Cl. A | | | | 22,500 | | 284,806 | |
Swire Properties | | | | 48,800 | | 198,129 | |
Techtronic Industries | | | | 60,365 | | 436,301 | |
WH Group | | | | 384,000 | d | 455,231 | |
Wharf Holdings | | | | 50,311 | | 144,620 | |
Wharf Real Estate Investment | | | | 53,311 | | 408,422 | |
Wheelock & Co. | | | | 37,000 | | 263,417 | |
Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings | | | | 32,800 | | 105,991 | |
| | | | 23,823,091 | |
Ireland - .7% | | | | | |
AerCap Holdings | | | | 5,446 | a | 270,339 | |
AIB Group | | | | 34,440 | | 159,842 | |
Bank of Ireland Group | | | | 42,659 | | 272,246 | |
CRH | | | | 35,759 | | 1,200,411 | |
DCC | | | | 4,271 | | 381,392 | |
James Hardie Industries-CDI | | | | 18,436 | | 250,572 | |
Kerry Group, Cl. A | | | | 7,068 | | 791,161 | |
Kingspan Group | | | | 6,922 | | 363,963 | |
Paddy Power Betfair | | | | 3,405 | | 285,206 | |
Ryanair Holdings | | | | 3,900 | a | 52,207 | |
Smurfit Kappa Group | | | | 10,215 | | 299,375 | |
| | | | 4,326,714 | |
Isle Of Man - .0% | | | | | |
GVC Holdings | | | | 24,832 | | 211,383 | |
Israel - .5% | | | | | |
Azrieli Group | | | | 1,992 | | 113,387 | |
Bank Hapoalim | | | | 45,734 | a | 336,209 | |
Bank Leumi Le-Israel | | | | 67,105 | | 458,999 | |
Bezeq The Israeli Telecommunication Corporation | | | | 79,342 | a | 54,248 | |
Check Point Software Technologies | | | | 5,579 | a,c | 673,720 | |
Elbit Systems | | | | 962 | | 133,901 | |
Israel Chemicals | | | | 30,384 | | 160,874 | |
Israel Discount Bank, Cl. A | | | | 1 | | 3 | |
Mizrahi Tefahot Bank | | | | 6,222 | a | 134,524 | |
NICE | | | | 2,787 | a | 384,515 | |
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, ADR | | | | 43,217 | a | 657,763 | |
Wix.com | | | | 1,882 | a,c | 252,489 | |
| | | | 3,360,632 | |
13
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Italy - 2.0% | | | | | |
Assicurazioni Generali | | | | 51,658 | | 1,002,355 | |
Atlantia | | | | 21,775 | | 593,963 | |
Davide Campari-Milano | | | | 24,584 | | 247,747 | |
Enel | | | | 359,497 | | 2,273,712 | |
Eni | | | | 112,497 | | 1,920,156 | |
Ferrari | | | | 5,464 | | 740,007 | |
Intesa Sanpaolo | | | | 652,393 | | 1,710,039 | |
Leonardo | | | | 17,321 | | 200,003 | |
Mediobanca Banca di Credito Finanziario | | | | 27,718 | | 293,786 | |
Moncler | | | | 8,097 | | 332,114 | |
Pirelli & C | | | | 18,888 | d | 137,871 | |
Poste Italiane | | | | 23,696 | d | 252,751 | |
Prysmian | | | | 10,097 | | 194,673 | |
Recordati | | | | 4,751 | | 191,781 | |
Snam | | | | 97,616 | | 496,738 | |
Telecom Italia | | | | 506,706 | a | 283,365 | |
Telecom Italia-RSP | | | | 271,717 | | 141,682 | |
Terna Rete Elettrica Nazionale | | | | 62,268 | | 372,805 | |
UniCredit | | | | 88,168 | | 1,219,304 | |
| | | | 12,604,852 | |
Japan - 22.9% | | | | | |
ABC-Mart | | | | 1,500 | | 93,400 | |
Acom | | | | 15,500 | | 54,524 | |
Aeon | | | | 26,400 | | 488,828 | |
AEON Financial Service | | | | 4,860 | | 100,954 | |
AEON Mall | | | | 4,480 | | 68,541 | |
AGC | | | | 7,760 | | 263,732 | |
Air Water | | | | 6,800 | | 103,317 | |
Aisin Seiki | | | | 7,100 | | 274,472 | |
Ajinomoto | | | | 18,900 | | 304,169 | |
Alfresa Holdings | | | | 8,300 | | 231,220 | |
Alps Alpine | | | | 9,200 | | 193,896 | |
Amada Holdings | | | | 15,800 | | 175,364 | |
ANA Holdings | | | | 4,900 | | 171,045 | |
Aozora Bank | | | | 4,795 | | 116,633 | |
Asahi Group Holdings | | | | 16,200 | | 702,430 | |
Asahi Intecc | | | | 4,200 | | 212,799 | |
Asahi Kasei | | | | 55,400 | | 568,646 | |
Asics | | | | 7,300 | | 89,480 | |
Astellas Pharma | | | | 82,595 | | 1,121,830 | |
Bandai Namco Holdings | | | | 8,650 | | 412,749 | |
Bank of Kyoto | | | | 2,400 | | 103,446 | |
14
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
Benesse Holdings | | | | 3,200 | | 88,067 | |
Bridgestone | | | | 26,800 | | 1,060,231 | |
Brother Industries | | | | 9,400 | | 184,275 | |
CALBEE | | | | 3,500 | | 96,351 | |
Canon | | | | 43,917 | | 1,218,077 | |
Casio Computer | | | | 8,500 | | 107,286 | |
Central Japan Railway | | | | 6,300 | | 1,354,063 | |
Chiba Bank | | | | 25,000 | | 130,424 | |
Chubu Electric Power | | | | 26,300 | | 382,157 | |
Chugai Pharmaceutical | | | | 9,828 | | 621,229 | |
Chugoku Electric Power | | | | 12,000 | | 142,962 | |
Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings | | | | 6,300 | | 154,821 | |
Concordia Financial Group | | | | 45,000 | | 175,194 | |
Credit Saison | | | | 6,200 | | 79,352 | |
CyberAgent | | | | 4,600 | | 184,112 | |
Dai Nippon Printing | | | | 10,700 | | 253,602 | |
Daicel | | | | 11,900 | | 132,709 | |
Daifuku | | | | 4,300 | | 261,821 | |
Dai-ichi Life Insurance | | | | 48,100 | | 691,582 | |
Daiichi Sankyo | | | | 24,883 | | 1,224,748 | |
Daikin Industries | | | | 10,900 | | 1,388,453 | |
Daito Trust Construction | | | | 3,100 | | 414,209 | |
Daiwa House Industry | | | | 25,300 | | 707,794 | |
Daiwa House REIT Investment | | | | 84 | | 192,820 | |
Daiwa Securities Group | | | | 68,800 | | 318,211 | |
Dena | | | | 4,300 | | 66,981 | |
Denso | | | | 19,300 | | 841,033 | |
Dentsu | | | | 9,400 | | 382,780 | |
Disco | | | | 1,200 | | 205,613 | |
East Japan Railway | | | | 13,400 | | 1,262,450 | |
Eisai | | | | 10,900 | | 631,742 | |
Electric Power Development | | | | 6,080 | | 140,843 | |
FamilyMart UNY Holdings | | | | 11,268 | | 301,150 | |
FANUC | | | | 8,529 | | 1,591,062 | |
Fast Retailing | | | | 2,558 | | 1,480,183 | |
Fuji Electric | | | | 5,300 | | 186,814 | |
FUJIFILM Holdings | | | | 17,200 | | 802,836 | |
Fujitsu | | | | 8,580 | | 626,707 | |
Fukuoka Financial Group | | | | 7,900 | | 183,459 | |
Hakuhodo DY Holdings | | | | 9,900 | | 166,514 | |
Hamamatsu Photonics | | | | 6,100 | | 246,765 | |
Hankyu Hanshin Holdings | | | | 9,900 | | 369,664 | |
Hikari Tsushin | | | | 900 | | 166,601 | |
15
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
Hino Motors | | | | 11,300 | | 106,337 | |
Hirose Electric | | | | 1,433 | | 165,485 | |
Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical | | | | 2,400 | | 101,510 | |
Hitachi | | | | 42,380 | | 1,403,923 | |
Hitachi Chemical | | | | 4,900 | | 129,796 | |
Hitachi Construction Machinery | | | | 4,600 | | 121,861 | |
Hitachi High-Technologies | | | | 3,200 | | 142,856 | |
Hitachi Metals | | | | 9,800 | | 113,096 | |
Honda Motor | | | | 72,059 | | 2,006,405 | |
Hoshizaki | | | | 2,500 | | 162,614 | |
Hoya | | | | 16,800 | | 1,182,644 | |
Hulic | | | | 13,500 | | 116,123 | |
Idemitsu Kosan | | | | 9,075 | | 293,798 | |
IHI | | | | 6,800 | | 161,701 | |
Iida Group Holdings | | | | 7,000 | | 118,103 | |
INPEX | | | | 46,000 | | 449,503 | |
Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings | | | | 14,520 | | 138,062 | |
Isuzu Motors | | | | 24,500 | | 351,029 | |
ITOCHU | | | | 60,800 | | 1,091,819 | |
J Front Retailing | | | | 9,200 | | 111,933 | |
Japan Airlines | | | | 5,000 | | 167,567 | |
Japan Airport Terminal | | | | 1,800 | | 75,726 | |
Japan Exchange Group | | | | 22,100 | | 359,768 | |
Japan Post Bank | | | | 17,400 | | 191,061 | |
Japan Post Holdings | | | | 70,200 | | 783,406 | |
Japan Prime Realty Investment | | | | 35 | | 139,992 | |
Japan Real Estate Investment | | | | 59 | | 326,960 | |
Japan Retail Fund Investment | | | | 112 | | 214,395 | |
Japan Tobacco | | | | 48,300 | | 1,117,140 | |
JFE Holdings | | | | 21,360 | | 366,605 | |
JGC | | | | 8,700 | | 124,073 | |
JSR | | | | 8,100 | | 122,774 | |
JTEKT | | | | 9,800 | | 125,759 | |
JXTG Holdings | | | | 140,226 | | 680,854 | |
Kajima | | | | 19,700 | | 291,840 | |
Kakaku.com | | | | 6,200 | | 127,381 | |
Kamigumi | | | | 4,700 | | 111,919 | |
Kaneka | | | | 2,000 | | 76,868 | |
Kansai Electric Power | | | | 30,999 | | 374,462 | |
Kansai Paint | | | | 7,800 | | 148,126 | |
Kao | | | | 21,600 | | 1,659,630 | |
Kawasaki Heavy Industries | | | | 5,900 | | 137,013 | |
KDDI | | | | 78,463 | | 1,792,799 | |
16
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
Keihan Holdings | | | | 4,200 | | 178,491 | |
Keikyu | | | | 9,800 | | 167,168 | |
Keio | | | | 4,400 | | 265,156 | |
Keisei Electric Railway | | | | 5,700 | | 199,506 | |
Keyence | | | | 4,270 | | 2,650,222 | |
Kikkoman | | | | 6,500 | | 301,165 | |
Kintetsu Group Holdings | | | | 7,335 | | 325,537 | |
Kirin Holdings | | | | 36,000 | | 814,412 | |
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical | | | | 2,300 | | 184,259 | |
Kobe Steel | | | | 13,300 | | 101,393 | |
Koito Manufacturing | | | | 4,700 | | 280,376 | |
Komatsu | | | | 40,600 | | 1,049,261 | |
Konami Holdings | | | | 3,900 | | 177,183 | |
Konica Minolta | | | | 20,000 | | 200,708 | |
Kose | | | | 1,300 | | 243,390 | |
Kubota | | | | 43,300 | | 654,392 | |
Kuraray | | | | 14,600 | | 194,941 | |
Kurita Water Industries | | | | 4,300 | | 111,847 | |
Kyocera | | | | 14,100 | | 910,313 | |
Kyowa Hakko Kirin | | | | 11,705 | | 226,574 | |
Kyushu Electric Power | | | | 16,000 | | 154,709 | |
Kyushu Railway | | | | 6,700 | | 218,116 | |
Lawson | | | | 2,100 | | 97,852 | |
LINE | | | | 3,400 | a | 113,649 | |
Lion | | | | 9,400 | | 193,098 | |
LIXIL Group | | | | 12,224 | | 158,833 | |
M3 | | | | 18,400 | | 325,355 | |
Makita | | | | 9,900 | | 361,211 | |
Marubeni | | | | 68,900 | | 493,368 | |
Marui Group | | | | 8,500 | | 172,249 | |
Maruichi Steel Tube | | | | 2,600 | | 72,007 | |
Mazda Motor | | | | 25,600 | | 303,426 | |
McDonald's Holdings Co. Japan | | | | 2,800 | | 129,460 | |
Mebuki Financial Group | | | | 34,130 | | 86,729 | |
Medipal Holdings | | | | 7,300 | | 163,537 | |
MEIJI Holdings | | | | 5,242 | | 412,289 | |
MinebeaMitsumi | | | | 17,300 | | 306,069 | |
MISUMI Group | | | | 12,638 | | 326,640 | |
Mitsubishi | | | | 59,798 | | 1,648,139 | |
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings | | | | 55,480 | | 393,118 | |
Mitsubishi Electric | | | | 80,200 | | 1,139,318 | |
Mitsubishi Estate | | | | 52,600 | | 885,789 | |
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical | | | | 6,700 | | 99,878 | |
17
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | | | | 13,170 | | 547,699 | |
Mitsubishi Materials | | | | 4,600 | | 119,420 | |
Mitsubishi Motors | | | | 28,600 | | 159,999 | |
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma | | | | 10,700 | | 134,573 | |
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group | | | | 519,190 | | 2,581,877 | |
Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance | | | | 18,600 | | 94,198 | |
Mitsui & Co. | | | | 72,700 | | 1,174,153 | |
Mitsui Chemicals | | | | 8,500 | | 207,457 | |
Mitsui Fudosan | | | | 39,286 | | 905,499 | |
Mitsui OSK Lines | | | | 5,000 | | 126,620 | |
Mizuho Financial Group | | | | 1,067,700 | | 1,673,139 | |
Monotaro | | | | 5,500 | | 126,541 | |
MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings | | | | 21,157 | | 653,072 | |
Murata Manufacturing | | | | 24,000 | | 1,284,534 | |
Nabtesco | | | | 4,700 | | 143,102 | |
Nagoya Railroad | | | | 7,600 | | 205,743 | |
NEC | | | | 11,780 | | 397,564 | |
NEXON | | | | 19,200 | a | 275,137 | |
NGK Insulators | | | | 11,100 | | 163,858 | |
NGK Spark Plug | | | | 6,626 | | 128,347 | |
NH Foods | | | | 4,000 | | 160,760 | |
Nidec | | | | 9,800 | | 1,402,174 | |
Nikon | | | | 13,460 | | 187,917 | |
Nintendo | | | | 5,025 | | 1,714,659 | |
Nippon Building Fund | | | | 59 | | 379,961 | |
Nippon Electric Glass | | | | 3,417 | | 93,588 | |
Nippon Express | | | | 3,300 | | 181,178 | |
Nippon Paint Holdings | | | | 6,600 | | 249,791 | |
Nippon Prologis REIT | | | | 74 | | 158,930 | |
Nippon Steel | | | | 36,061 | | 643,269 | |
Nippon Telegraph & Telephone | | | | 28,200 | | 1,170,385 | |
Nippon Yusen | | | | 7,180 | | 122,994 | |
Nissan Chemical | | | | 5,500 | | 244,061 | |
Nissan Motor | | | | 103,300 | | 828,526 | |
Nisshin Seifun Group | | | | 9,138 | | 212,434 | |
Nissin Foods Holdings | | | | 2,800 | | 184,297 | |
Nitori Holdings | | | | 3,500 | | 416,365 | |
Nitto Denko | | | | 7,400 | | 398,022 | |
Nomura Holdings | | | | 149,600 | | 564,177 | |
Nomura Real Estate Holdings | | | | 5,500 | | 116,603 | |
Nomura Real Estate Master Fund | | | | 171 | | 250,630 | |
Nomura Research Institute | | | | 5,083 | | 247,834 | |
NSK | | | | 16,500 | | 170,384 | |
18
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
NTT Data | | | | 28,400 | | 329,979 | |
NTT DOCOMO | | | | 59,200 | | 1,283,917 | |
Obayashi | | | | 27,600 | | 269,885 | |
Obic | | | | 2,800 | | 323,336 | |
Odakyu Electric Railway | | | | 12,500 | | 293,384 | |
Oji Holdings | | | | 36,000 | | 215,990 | |
Olympus | | | | 50,400 | | 565,190 | |
Omron | | | | 8,400 | | 448,847 | |
Ono Pharmaceutical | | | | 17,100 | | 319,309 | |
Oracle Japan | | | | 1,600 | | 109,781 | |
Oriental Land | | | | 8,800 | | 973,164 | |
ORIX | | | | 59,000 | | 832,505 | �� |
Osaka Gas | | | | 16,300 | | 300,747 | |
OTSUKA | | | | 4,400 | | 172,663 | |
Otsuka Holdings | | | | 17,100 | | 611,809 | |
Pan Pacific International Holdings | | | | 5,400 | | 347,625 | |
Panasonic | | | | 98,195 | | 900,272 | |
Park24 | | | | 4,700 | | 98,815 | |
Persol Holdings | | | | 7,500 | | 140,371 | |
Pigeon | | | | 5,000 | | 211,697 | |
Pola Orbis Holdings | | | | 3,900 | | 122,562 | |
Rakuten | | | | 37,600 | | 418,549 | |
Recruit Holdings | | | | 48,400 | | 1,446,870 | |
Renesas Electronics | | | | 36,700 | a | 195,467 | |
Resona Holdings | | | | 92,400 | | 390,780 | |
Ricoh | | | | 29,200 | | 294,437 | |
Rinnai | | | | 1,400 | | 94,024 | |
Rohm | | | | 4,200 | | 309,428 | |
Ryohin Keikaku | | | | 1,000 | | 189,830 | |
Sankyo | | | | 2,000 | | 78,741 | |
Santen Pharmaceutical | | | | 16,200 | | 247,093 | |
SBI Holdings | | | | 9,930 | | 211,605 | |
Secom | | | | 9,300 | | 779,706 | |
Sega Sammy Holdings | | | | 7,484 | | 94,347 | |
Seibu Holdings | | | | 10,100 | | 163,869 | |
Seiko Epson | | | | 11,800 | | 188,484 | |
Sekisui Chemical | | | | 16,600 | | 265,479 | |
Sekisui House | | | | 27,700 | | 445,672 | |
Seven & i Holdings | | | | 33,060 | | 1,146,699 | |
Seven Bank | | | | 26,000 | | 70,702 | |
SG Holdings | | | | 4,600 | | 123,097 | |
Sharp | | | | 8,500 | | 94,359 | |
Shimadzu | | | | 9,900 | | 264,394 | |
19
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
Shimamura | | | | 1,000 | | 74,437 | |
Shimano | | | | 3,300 | | 482,702 | |
Shimizu | | | | 24,400 | | 207,921 | |
Shin-Etsu Chemical | | | | 15,900 | | 1,489,113 | |
Shinsei Bank | | | | 6,900 | | 95,889 | |
Shionogi & Co. | | | | 12,300 | | 717,249 | |
Shiseido | | | | 16,700 | | 1,312,322 | |
Shizuoka Bank | | | | 19,200 | | 146,540 | |
Showa Denko | | | | 6,000 | | 202,876 | |
SMC | | | | 2,500 | | 1,034,108 | |
Softbank | | | | 74,500 | | 880,672 | |
SoftBank Group | | | | 36,400 | | 3,794,574 | |
Sohgo Security Services | | | | 3,100 | | 137,919 | |
Sompo Holdings | | | | 13,970 | | 521,944 | |
Sony | | | | 56,080 | | 2,624,469 | |
Sony Financial Holdings | | | | 8,000 | | 162,843 | |
Stanley Electric | | | | 5,500 | | 148,660 | |
Subaru | | | | 27,500 | | 671,782 | |
Sumco | | | | 9,900 | | 129,815 | |
Sumitomo | | | | 50,200 | | 716,483 | |
Sumitomo Chemical | | | | 64,800 | | 321,200 | |
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma | | | | 6,500 | | 142,994 | |
Sumitomo Electric Industries | | | | 33,300 | | 440,900 | |
Sumitomo Heavy Industries | | | | 4,900 | | 172,712 | |
Sumitomo Metal Mining | | | | 10,500 | | 330,709 | |
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | | | | 58,800 | | 2,136,490 | |
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings | | | | 14,364 | | 499,615 | |
Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. | | | | 15,700 | | 579,434 | |
Sumitomo Rubber Industries | | | | 7,400 | | 90,833 | |
Sundrug | | | | 3,000 | | 80,436 | |
Suntory Beverage & Food | | | | 6,300 | | 277,451 | |
Suzuken | | | | 3,212 | | 185,241 | |
Suzuki Motor | | | | 15,300 | | 695,789 | |
Sysmex | | | | 7,500 | | 427,796 | |
T&D Holdings | | | | 25,100 | | 269,691 | |
Taiheiyo Cement | | | | 5,200 | | 167,251 | |
Taisei | | | | 9,300 | | 407,084 | |
Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings | | | | 1,600 | | 147,701 | |
Taiyo Nippon Sanso | | | | 6,000 | | 99,935 | |
Takashimaya | | | | 6,000 | | 67,283 | |
Takeda Pharmaceutical | | | | 65,523 | | 2,426,631 | |
TDK | | | | 5,700 | | 495,999 | |
Teijin | | | | 8,200 | | 140,406 | |
20
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
Terumo | | | | 27,100 | | 814,377 | |
THK | | | | 5,100 | | 133,102 | |
Tobu Railway | | | | 8,000 | | 225,548 | |
Toho | | | | 4,700 | | 196,765 | |
Toho Gas | | | | 3,200 | | 131,587 | |
Tohoku Electric Power | | | | 18,800 | | 214,961 | |
Tokio Marine Holdings | | | | 28,300 | | 1,426,559 | |
Tokyo Century | | | | 1,700 | | 78,159 | |
Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings | | | | 65,272 | a | 368,815 | |
Tokyo Electron | | | | 7,000 | | 1,109,152 | |
Tokyo Gas | | | | 16,900 | | 428,934 | |
Tokyu | | | | 22,110 | | 359,721 | |
Tokyu Fudosan Holdings | | | | 26,500 | | 148,953 | |
Toppan Printing | | | | 10,900 | | 176,267 | |
Toray Industries | | | | 60,100 | | 409,066 | |
Toshiba | | | | 29,000 | | 966,717 | |
Tosoh | | | | 11,900 | | 191,419 | |
TOTO | | | | 6,400 | | 270,301 | |
Toyo Seikan Group Holdings | | | | 7,000 | | 140,253 | |
Toyo Suisan Kaisha | | | | 4,000 | | 152,297 | |
Toyoda Gosei | | | | 2,400 | | 49,785 | |
Toyota Industries | | | | 6,400 | | 362,047 | |
Toyota Motor | | | | 100,655 | | 6,240,549 | |
Toyota Tsusho | | | | 9,500 | | 314,808 | |
Trend Micro | | | | 5,200 | | 260,322 | |
Tsuruha Holdings | | | | 1,500 | | 127,549 | |
Unicharm | | | | 18,000 | | 591,439 | |
United Urban Investment | | | | 128 | | 204,508 | |
USS | | | | 9,100 | | 173,718 | |
Welcia Holdings | | | | 2,100 | | 82,925 | |
West Japan Railway | | | | 7,200 | | 535,087 | |
Yahoo! Japan | | | | 123,900 | | 329,289 | |
Yakult Honsha | | | | 5,100 | | 345,747 | |
Yamada Denki | | | | 26,900 | | 127,480 | |
Yamaguchi Financial Group | | | | 8,800 | | 64,796 | |
Yamaha | | | | 5,700 | | 294,299 | |
Yamaha Motor | | | | 12,300 | | 252,717 | |
Yamato Holdings | | | | 13,400 | | 291,000 | |
Yamazaki Baking | | | | 5,000 | | 74,345 | |
Yaskawa Electric | | | | 10,500 | | 386,174 | |
Yokogawa Electric | | | | 9,500 | | 197,747 | |
Yokohama Rubber | | | | 5,400 | | 101,492 | |
21
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Japan - 22.9% (continued) | | | | | |
ZOZO | | | | 9,200 | | 163,578 | |
| | | | 145,802,275 | |
Luxembourg - .3% | | | | | |
ArcelorMittal | | | | 29,104 | a | 630,925 | |
Aroundtown | | | | 35,647 | | 288,908 | |
Eurofins Scientific | | | | 526 | a | 240,704 | |
Millicom International Cellular, SDR | | | | 2,847 | | 166,525 | |
RTL Group | | | | 1,680 | | 94,403 | |
SES | | | | 15,857 | | 269,802 | |
Tenaris | | | | 21,215 | | 294,579 | |
| | | | 1,985,846 | |
Macau - .1% | | | | | |
MGM China Holdings | | | | 40,000 | | 82,399 | |
Sands China | | | | 105,013 | | 576,950 | |
Wynn Macau | | | | 65,200 | | 187,003 | |
| | | | 846,352 | |
Mexico - .0% | | | | | |
Fresnillo | | | | 9,224 | | 90,066 | |
Netherlands - 4.7% | | | | | |
ABN AMRO Group | | | | 18,657 | d | 438,812 | |
Adyen | | | | 447 | d | 363,783 | |
Aegon | | | | 80,200 | | 418,818 | |
Akzo Nobel | | | | 9,987 | | 847,947 | |
ASML Holding | | | | 18,087 | | 3,763,935 | |
EXOR | | | | 4,861 | | 323,637 | |
Heineken | | | | 11,384 | | 1,228,821 | |
Heineken Holding | | | | 5,070 | | 514,914 | |
ING Groep | | | | 171,987 | | 2,190,579 | |
Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize | | | | 51,798 | | 1,246,754 | |
Koninklijke DSM | | | | 8,066 | | 921,419 | |
Koninklijke KPN | | | | 145,814 | | 447,459 | |
Koninklijke Philips | | | | 40,788 | | 1,736,816 | |
Koninklijke Vopak | | | | 2,912 | | 129,827 | |
NN Group | | | | 13,473 | | 586,621 | |
NXP Semiconductors | | | | 15,103 | | 1,595,179 | |
QIAGEN | | | | 10,398 | a | 401,536 | |
Randstad | | | | 5,213 | | 297,724 | |
Royal Dutch Shell, Cl. A | | | | 198,634 | | 6,345,959 | |
Royal Dutch Shell, Cl. B | | | | 165,145 | | 5,307,278 | |
Wolters Kluwer | | | | 12,506 | | 872,182 | |
| | | | 29,980,000 | |
New Zealand - .2% | | | | | |
a2 Milk | | | | 32,196 | a | 360,617 | |
22
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
New Zealand - .2% (continued) | | | | | |
Auckland International Airport | | | | 41,164 | | 219,123 | |
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare | | | | 26,119 | | 275,804 | |
Fletcher Building | | | | 34,315 | | 118,262 | |
Meridian Energy | | | | 52,186 | | 141,511 | |
Ryman Healthcare | | | | 16,781 | | 136,178 | |
Spark New Zealand | | | | 84,529 | | 207,197 | |
| | | | 1,458,692 | |
Norway - .7% | | | | | |
Aker | | | | 4,923 | | 162,342 | |
DNB | | | | 42,844 | | 822,619 | |
Equinor | | | | 51,345 | | 1,145,338 | |
Gjensidige Forsikring | | | | 8,353 | | 162,220 | |
Mowi | | | | 19,329 | | 418,732 | |
Norsk Hydro | | | | 58,743 | | 251,655 | |
Orkla | | | | 35,565 | | 278,833 | |
Schibsted, Cl. B | | | | 4,266 | | 102,058 | |
Telenor | | | | 32,849 | | 659,459 | |
Yara International | | | | 7,746 | | 349,346 | |
| | | | 4,352,602 | |
Portugal - .2% | | | | | |
Banco Espirito Santo | | | | 118,053 | a,e | 0 | |
Energias de Portugal | | | | 113,882 | a | 431,600 | |
Galp Energia | | | | 21,836 | | 366,634 | |
Jeronimo Martins | | | | 10,446 | | 170,120 | |
| | | | 968,354 | |
Singapore - 1.3% | | | | | |
Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust | | | | 116,333 | | 256,598 | |
CapitaLand | | | | 115,200 | | 298,990 | |
CapitaLand Commercial Trust | | | | 107,851 | | 153,835 | |
CapitaLand Mall Trust | | | | 116,600 | | 207,464 | |
City Developments | | | | 17,000 | | 111,742 | |
ComfortDelGro | | | | 93,200 | | 184,331 | |
DBS Group Holdings | | | | 78,688 | | 1,634,392 | |
Genting Singapore | | | | 251,927 | | 182,448 | |
Golden Agri-Resources | | | | 278,440 | | 59,369 | |
Jardine Cycle & Carriage | | | | 4,113 | | 107,414 | |
Keppel | | | | 65,300 | | 325,036 | |
Oversea-Chinese Banking | | | | 141,538 | | 1,259,179 | |
SATS | | | | 27,600 | | 106,130 | |
Sembcorp Industries | | | | 43,254 | | 84,594 | |
Singapore Airlines | | | | 22,833 | | 162,505 | |
Singapore Exchange | | | | 34,000 | | 184,486 | |
Singapore Press Holdings | | | | 69,075 | | 127,475 | |
23
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Singapore - 1.3% (continued) | | | | | |
Singapore Technologies Engineering | | | | 67,400 | | 196,239 | |
Singapore Telecommunications | | | | 363,351 | | 846,866 | |
Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust | | | | 96,000 | | 130,579 | |
United Overseas Bank | | | | 59,063 | | 1,208,531 | |
UOL Group | | | | 21,111 | | 117,654 | |
Venture | | | | 12,500 | | 155,963 | |
Wilmar International | | | | 86,800 | | 232,301 | |
| | | | 8,334,121 | |
South Africa - .0% | | | | | |
Investec | | | | 30,160 | | 190,744 | |
Spain - 2.9% | | | | | |
ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios | | | | 11,058 | | 507,641 | |
Aena Sme | | | | 2,920 | d | 541,533 | |
Amadeus IT Group | | | | 19,242 | | 1,530,583 | |
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria | | | | 295,002 | | 1,792,677 | |
Banco de Sabadell | | | | 253,721 | | 294,818 | |
Banco Santander | | | | 716,496 | | 3,625,540 | |
Bankia | | | | 54,722 | | 151,292 | |
Bankinter | | | | 30,826 | | 246,101 | |
CaixaBank | | | | 154,978 | | 493,484 | |
Enagas | | | | 9,933 | | 282,978 | |
Endesa | | | | 13,810 | | 344,017 | |
Ferrovial | | | | 21,816 | | 537,335 | |
Grifols | | | | 13,223 | | 366,917 | |
Iberdrola | | | | 274,520 | | 2,493,387 | |
Industria de Diseno Textil | | | | 47,854 | | 1,447,562 | |
Mapfre | | | | 46,873 | | 140,632 | |
Naturgy Energy Group | | | | 15,467 | | 439,246 | |
Red Electrica | | | | 18,783 | | 389,424 | |
Repsol | | | | 61,359 | a | 1,041,250 | |
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy | | | | 10,111 | | 181,335 | |
Telefonica | | | | 206,795 | | 1,723,788 | |
| | | | 18,571,540 | |
Sweden - 2.4% | | | | | |
Alfa Laval | | | | 12,808 | | 297,235 | |
Assa Abloy, Cl. B | | | | 44,529 | | 949,924 | |
Atlas Copco, Cl. A | | | | 29,862 | | 928,201 | |
Atlas Copco, Cl. B | | | | 17,505 | | 498,213 | |
Boliden | | | | 11,970 | | 355,427 | |
Electrolux, Ser. B | | | | 10,577 | | 259,827 | |
Epiroc, Cl. A | | | | 29,339 | | 303,364 | |
Epiroc, Cl. B | | | | 17,899 | | 177,065 | |
24
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Sweden - 2.4% (continued) | | | | | |
Ericsson, Cl. B | | | | 134,877 | | 1,334,973 | |
Essity, Cl. B | | | | 27,014 | | 801,561 | |
Hennes & Mauritz, Cl. B | | | | 38,723 | | 675,124 | |
Hexagon, Cl. B | | | | 11,425 | | 623,150 | |
Husqvarna, Cl. B | | | | 17,528 | | 159,940 | |
ICA Gruppen | | | | 3,794 | | 137,224 | |
Industrivarden, Cl. C | | | | 6,910 | | 155,413 | |
Investor, Cl. B | | | | 20,050 | | 955,722 | |
Kinnevik, Cl. B | | | | 10,806 | | 314,606 | |
L E Lundbergforetagen, Cl. B | | | | 3,112 | | 106,364 | |
Lundin Petroleum | | | | 7,919 | | 259,154 | |
Sandvik | | | | 50,188 | | 928,228 | |
Securitas, Cl. B | | | | 13,365 | | 233,606 | |
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, Cl. A | | | | 72,585 | | 692,592 | |
Skanska, Cl. B | | | | 15,311 | | 266,491 | |
SKF, Cl. B | | | | 16,944 | | 313,558 | |
Svenska Handelsbanken, Cl. A | | | | 68,041 | | 742,586 | |
Swedbank, Cl. A | | | | 40,421 | | 655,655 | |
Swedish Match | | | | 7,651 | | 372,675 | |
Tele2, Cl. B | | | | 22,256 | | 296,914 | |
Telia | | | | 124,688 | | 530,936 | |
Volvo, Cl. B | | | | 68,900 | | 1,102,731 | |
| | | | 15,428,459 | |
Switzerland - 9.0% | | | | | |
ABB | | | | 80,799 | | 1,662,844 | |
Adecco Group | | | | 6,881 | | 395,187 | |
Alcon | | | | 19,254 | a | 1,108,813 | |
Baloise Holding | | | | 2,163 | | 370,636 | |
Barry Callebaut | | | | 92 | | 168,479 | |
Cie Financiere Richemont | | | | 23,100 | a | 1,688,944 | |
Clariant | | | | 8,861 | | 182,099 | |
Coca-Cola HBC | | | | 8,846 | a | 316,179 | |
Credit Suisse Group | | | | 112,160 | a | 1,497,008 | |
Dufry | | | | 1,417 | a | 138,425 | |
EMS-Chemie Holding | | | | 344 | | 208,301 | |
Ferguson | | | | 10,148 | | 719,875 | |
Geberit | | | | 1,652 | | 692,772 | |
Givaudan | | | | 407 | | 1,054,098 | |
Glencore | | | | 497,439 | | 1,974,198 | |
Julius Baer Group | | | | 10,045 | | 484,234 | |
Kuehne + Nagel International | | | | 2,418 | | 351,327 | |
LafargeHolcim | | | | 21,344 | a | 1,097,207 | |
Lindt & Spruengli | | | | 4 | a | 303,450 | |
25
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
Switzerland - 9.0% (continued) | | | | | |
Lindt & Spruengli-PC | | | | 48 | a | 319,152 | |
Lonza Group | | | | 3,275 | | 1,011,475 | |
Nestle | | | | 134,921 | | 12,982,977 | |
Novartis | | | | 95,551 | | 7,802,933 | |
Pargesa Holding-BR | | | | 1,815 | | 142,856 | |
Partners Group Holding | | | | 750 | | 564,993 | |
Roche Holding | | | | 30,960 | | 8,161,201 | |
Schindler Holding | | | | 853 | | 181,156 | |
Schindler Holding-PC | | | | 1,798 | | 387,851 | |
SGS | | | | 231 | | 609,607 | |
Sika | | | | 5,583 | | 854,750 | |
Sonova Holding | | | | 2,466 | a | 497,338 | |
STMicroelectronics | | | | 30,289 | | 556,294 | |
Straumann Holding | | | | 457 | | 368,937 | |
Swatch Group | | | | 2,353 | | 138,093 | |
Swatch Group-BR | | | | 1,387 | | 423,607 | |
Swiss Life Holding | | | | 1,526 | a | 717,510 | |
Swiss Prime Site | | | | 3,329 | | 267,248 | |
Swiss Re | | | | 13,376 | | 1,287,257 | |
Swisscom | | | | 1,120 | | 521,776 | |
Temenos | | | | 2,691 | a | 447,378 | |
UBS Group | | | | 170,399 | a | 2,285,198 | |
Vifor Pharma | | | | 1,991 | | 260,269 | |
Zurich Insurance Group | | | | 6,691 | | 2,133,477 | |
| | | | 57,337,409 | |
United Arab Emirates - .0% | | | | | |
NMC Health | | | | 4,724 | | 173,838 | |
United Kingdom - 14.6% | | | | | |
3i Group | | | | 42,753 | | 596,803 | |
Admiral Group | | | | 8,590 | | 246,878 | |
Anglo American | | | | 46,251 | | 1,195,008 | |
Ashtead Group | | | | 21,018 | | 581,587 | |
Associated British Foods | | | | 15,416 | | 514,422 | |
AstraZeneca | | | | 55,881 | | 4,172,469 | |
Auto Trader Group | | | | 40,945 | d | 301,880 | |
Aviva | | | | 173,406 | | 971,192 | |
Babcock International Group | | | | 10,761 | | 73,670 | |
BAE Systems | | | | 140,678 | | 906,214 | |
Barclays | | | | 758,345 | | 1,624,535 | |
Barratt Developments | | | | 44,315 | | 347,761 | |
Berkeley Group Holdings | | | | 5,356 | | 262,327 | |
BP | | | | 884,055 | | 6,444,195 | |
British American Tobacco | | | | 101,196 | | 3,945,592 | |
26
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
United Kingdom - 14.6% (continued) | | | | | |
British Land | | | | 39,207 | | 303,688 | |
BT Group | | | | 370,750 | | 1,107,361 | |
Bunzl | | | | 14,940 | | 449,834 | |
Burberry Group | | | | 18,466 | | 485,687 | |
Centrica | | | | 244,779 | | 339,141 | |
CNH Industrial | | | | 44,702 | | 484,732 | |
Coca-Cola European Partners | | | | 9,689 | | 519,233 | |
Compass Group | | | | 70,216 | | 1,595,920 | |
ConvaTec Group | | | | 55,965 | d | 101,112 | |
Croda International | | | | 5,488 | | 370,780 | |
Diageo | | | | 107,056 | | 4,513,999 | |
Direct Line Insurance Group | | | | 60,342 | | 259,192 | |
easyJet | | | | 6,768 | | 102,684 | |
Experian | | | | 40,385 | | 1,171,730 | |
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles | | | | 47,502 | | 731,723 | |
G4S | | | | 66,375 | | 187,128 | |
GlaxoSmithKline | | | | 218,835 | | 4,489,867 | |
Hammerson | | | | 32,066 | | 134,599 | |
Hargreaves Lansdown | | | | 12,745 | | 375,102 | |
HSBC Holdings | | | | 882,914 | | 7,680,455 | |
Imperial Brands | | | | 41,847 | | 1,329,288 | |
Informa | | | | 55,462 | | 563,392 | |
InterContinental Hotels Group | | | | 7,585 | | 491,377 | |
Intertek Group | | | | 6,999 | | 488,278 | |
ITV | | | | 158,945 | | 283,227 | |
J Sainsbury | | | | 76,796 | | 222,816 | |
John Wood Group | | | | 29,942 | | 183,704 | |
Johnson Matthey | | | | 8,418 | | 366,305 | |
Kingfisher | | | | 96,525 | | 332,419 | |
Land Securities Group | | | | 32,207 | | 387,641 | |
Legal & General Group | | | | 262,269 | | 951,441 | |
Lloyds Banking Group | | | | 3,142,903 | | 2,564,335 | |
London Stock Exchange Group | | | | 13,935 | | 911,106 | |
Marks & Spencer Group | | | | 74,042 | | 276,039 | |
Meggitt | | | | 35,566 | | 252,482 | |
Melrose Industries | | | | 213,737 | | 563,558 | |
Merlin Entertainments | | | | 31,172 | d | 148,854 | |
Micro Focus International | | | | 15,454 | | 390,500 | |
Mondi | | | | 15,694 | | 343,914 | |
National Grid | | | | 150,470 | | 1,640,536 | |
Next | | | | 6,062 | | 455,794 | |
Pearson | | | | 34,881 | | 377,615 | |
Persimmon | | | | 13,934 | | 406,280 | |
27
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Common Stocks - 96.1% (continued) | | | | | |
United Kingdom - 14.6% (continued) | | | | | |
Prudential | | | | 114,490 | | 2,590,268 | |
Reckitt Benckiser Group | | | | 29,699 | | 2,399,943 | |
RELX | | | | 86,251 | | 1,978,370 | |
Rio Tinto | | | | 16,310 | | 1,096,539 | |
Rio Tinto | | | | 51,017 | | 2,970,393 | |
Rolls-Royce Holdings | | | | 5,261,171 | a | 6,861 | |
Rolls-Royce Holdings | | | | 74,101 | a | 883,757 | |
Royal Bank of Scotland Group | | | | 214,878 | | 671,361 | |
Royal Mail | | | | 38,434 | | 126,698 | |
RSA Insurance Group | | | | 46,504 | | 328,675 | |
Sage Group | | | | 48,291 | | 456,795 | |
Schroders | | | | 5,696 | | 235,232 | |
Segro | | | | 47,905 | | 423,784 | |
Severn Trent | | | | 10,397 | | 276,035 | |
Smith & Nephew | | | | 38,977 | | 752,479 | |
Smiths Group | | | | 17,284 | | 343,146 | |
SSE | | | | 45,352 | | 676,846 | |
St James's Place | | | | 23,189 | | 339,124 | |
Standard Chartered | | | | 123,626 | | 1,128,458 | |
Standard Life Aberdeen | | | | 110,853 | | 403,156 | |
Taylor Wimpey | | | | 143,266 | | 338,889 | |
Tesco | | | | 429,858 | | 1,400,216 | |
Unilever | | | | 49,021 | | 2,977,232 | |
Unilever-CVA | | | | 68,087 | | 4,120,730 | |
United Utilities Group | | | | 29,785 | | 321,903 | |
Vodafone Group | | | | 1,181,150 | | 2,187,112 | |
Weir Group | | | | 10,884 | | 235,528 | |
Whitbread | | | | 7,950 | | 462,359 | |
Wm Morrison Supermarkets | | | | 96,648 | | 272,097 | |
WPP | | | | 56,302 | | 702,168 | |
| | | | 92,625,555 | |
United States - .1% | | | | | |
Carnival | | | | 7,531 | | 396,254 | |
Total Common Stocks(cost $475,351,979) | | | | 611,686,007 | |
| | Preferred Dividend Yield (%) | | | | | |
Preferred Stocks - .5% | | | | | |
Germany - .5% | | | | | |
Bayerische Motoren Werke | | 6.61 | | 2,325 | | 171,588 | |
Fuchs Petrolub | | 2.67 | | 2,998 | | 130,400 | |
Henkel & Co. | | 2.11 | | 7,935 | | 803,127 | |
Porsche Automobil Holding | | 2.92 | | 6,644 | | 460,826 | |
28
| | | | | | | |
|
Description | | Preferred Dividend Yield (%) | | Shares | | Value ($) | |
Preferred Stocks - .5% (continued) | | | | | |
Germany - .5% (continued) | | | | | |
Sartorius | | .38 | | 1,567 | | 286,832 | |
Volkswagen | | 2.62 | | 8,144 | | 1,416,183 | |
Total Preferred Stocks(cost $2,362,775) | | | | 3,268,956 | |
| | | | Principal Amount ($) | | | |
Short-Term Investments - .2% | | | | | |
U.S. Treasury Bills - .2% | | | | | |
2.44%, 6/6/19 (cost $932,757) | | | | 935,000 | f,g | 932,772 | |
| | 1-Day Yield (%) | | Shares | | | |
Investment Companies - 2.4% | | | | | |
Registered Investment Companies - 2.4% | | | | | |
Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Government Plus Money Market Fund (cost $15,045,216) | | 2.45 | | 15,045,216 | h | 15,045,216 | |
| | | | | | | |
Investment of Cash Collateral for Securities Loaned - .1% | | | | | |
Registered Investment Companies - .1% | | | | | |
Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Government Plus Money Market Fund (cost $786,230) | | 2.45 | | 786,230 | h | 786,230 | |
Total Investments(cost $494,478,957) | | 99.3% | | 631,719,181 | |
Cash and Receivables (Net) | | .7% | | 4,659,636 | |
Net Assets | | 100.0% | | 636,378,817 | |
ADR—American Depository Receipt
BR—Bearer Certificate
CDI—Chess Depository Interest
CVA—Company Voluntary Arrangement
PC—Participation Certificate
RSP—Risparmio (Savings) Shares
SDR—Swedish Depository Receipts
a Non-income producing security.
b Investment in real estate investment trust within the United States.
c Security, or portion thereof, on loan. At April 30, 2019, the value of the fund’s securities on loan was $1,953,184 and the value of the collateral held by the fund was $2,077,923, consisting of cash collateral of $786,230 and U.S. Government & Agency securities valued at $1,291,693.
d Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. At April 30, 2019, these securities were valued at $4,751,157 or .75% of net assets.
e The fund held Level 3 securities at April 30, 2019, these securities were valued at $ or .0% of net assets.
f Held by a counterparty for open exchange traded derivative contracts.
g Security is a discount security. Income is recognized through the accretion of discount.
h Investment in affiliated issuer. The investment objective of this investment company is publicly available and can be found within the investment company’s prospectus.
29
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited) (continued)
| |
Portfolio Summary (Unaudited)† | Value (%) |
Banks | 10.2 |
Capital Goods | 9.8 |
Pharmaceuticals Biotechnology & Life Sciences | 8.3 |
Materials | 7.2 |
Food, Beverage & Tobacco | 6.8 |
Energy | 5.5 |
Insurance | 5.5 |
Automobiles & Components | 4.2 |
Consumer Durables & Apparel | 3.8 |
Telecommunication Services | 3.7 |
Real Estate | 3.5 |
Utilities | 3.4 |
Household & Personal Products | 3.1 |
Diversified Financials | 3.1 |
Investment Companies | 2.5 |
Technology Hardware & Equipment | 2.5 |
Transportation | 2.5 |
Software & Services | 2.4 |
Health Care Equipment & Services | 2.1 |
Commercial & Professional Services | 1.8 |
Media & Entertainment | 1.5 |
Retailing | 1.5 |
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment | 1.5 |
Consumer Services | 1.4 |
Food & Staples Retailing | 1.3 |
U.S. Treasury Bills | .2 |
| 99.3 |
† Based on net assets.
See notes to financial statements.
30
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS IN AFFILIATED ISSUERS(Unaudited)
| | | | | | |
Investment Companies | Value 10/31/18($) | Purchases($) | Sales($) | Value 4/30/19($) | Net Assets(%) | Dividends/ Distributions($) |
Registered Investment Companies: | | | | |
Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Government Plus Money Market Fund | 9,952,974 | 69,767,244 | 64,675,002 | 15,045,216 | 2.4 | 150,207 |
Investment of Cash Collateral for Securities Loaned: | | | |
Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Government Plus Money Market Fund | - | 19,879,298 | 19,093,068 | 786,230 | .1 | - |
Total | 9,952,974 | 89,646,542 | 83,768,070 | 15,831,446 | 2.5 | 150,207 |
See notes to financial statements.
31
STATEMENT OF FUTURES
April 30, 2019 (Unaudited)
| | | | | | |
Description | Number of Contracts | Expiration | Notional Value ($) | Value ($) | Unrealized Appreciation ($) | |
Futures Long | | |
MSCI EAFE Index | 197 | 6/19 | 18,656,233 | 18,882,450 | 226,217 | |
Gross Unrealized Appreciation | | 226,217 | |
See notes to financial statements.
32
STATEMENT OF FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTSApril 30, 2019 (Unaudited)
| | | | | |
Counterparty/ Purchased Currency | Purchased Currency Amounts | Currency Sold | Sold Currency Amounts | Settlement Date | Unrealized Appreciation ($) |
Goldman Sachs | | | |
Japanese Yen | 146,284,754 | United States Dollar | 1,312,708 | 5/8/19 | 1,374 |
Societe Generale | | | |
Japanese Yen | 2,601,020 | United States Dollar | 23,339 | 5/8/19 | 26 |
Gross Unrealized Appreciation | | | 1,400 |
See notes to financial statements.
33
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
April 30, 2019 (Unaudited)
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | Cost | | Value | |
Assets ($): | | | | |
Investments in securities—See Statement of Investments (including securities on loan, valued at $1,953,184)—Note 1(c): | | | |
Unaffiliated issuers | 478,647,511 | | 615,887,735 | |
Affiliated issuers | | 15,831,446 | | 15,831,446 | |
Cash | | | | | 78,678 | |
Cash denominated in foreign currency | | | 235,107 | | 236,135 | |
Dividends, interest and securities lending income receivable | | 2,752,793 | |
Tax reclaim receivable | | 2,112,059 | |
Receivable for shares of Common Stock subscribed | | 2,092,356 | |
Receivable for futures variation margin—Note 4 | | 3,134 | |
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts—Note 4 | | 1,400 | |
Cash collateral held by broker—Note 4 | | 36 | |
| | | | | 638,995,772 | |
Liabilities ($): | | | | |
Due to BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. and affiliates—Note 3(b) | | 251,624 | |
Payable for investment securities purchased | | 1,333,385 | |
Liability for securities on loan—Note 1(c) | | 786,230 | |
Payable for shares of Common Stock redeemed | | 152,264 | |
Unrealized depreciation on foreign currency transactions | | 84,746 | |
Directors fees and expenses payable | | 932 | |
Accrued expenses | | | | | 7,774 | |
| | | | | 2,616,955 | |
Net Assets ($) | | | 636,378,817 | |
Composition of Net Assets ($): | | | | |
Paid-in capital | | | | | 565,854,585 | |
Total distributable earnings (loss) | | | | | 70,524,232 | |
Net Assets ($) | | | 636,378,817 | |
| | | |
Net Asset Value Per Share | Investor Shares | Class I | |
Net Assets ($) | 370,416,683 | 265,962,134 | |
Shares Outstanding | 21,793,973 | 15,657,296 | |
Net Asset Value Per Share ($) | 17.00 | 16.99 | |
| | | |
See notes to financial statements. | | | |
34
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
Six Months Ended April 30, 2019 (Unaudited)
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
Investment Income ($): | | | | |
Income: | | | | |
Cash dividends (net of $944,685 foreign taxes withheld at source): | |
Unaffiliated issuers | | | 10,066,254 | |
Affiliated issuers | | | 150,207 | |
Interest | | | 9,636 | |
Income from securities lending—Note 1(c) | | | 5,879 | |
Total Income | | | 10,231,976 | |
Expenses: | | | | |
Management fee—Note 3(a) | | | 1,002,773 | |
Shareholder servicing costs—Note 3(b) | | | 424,833 | |
Directors’ fees—Note 3(a,c) | | | 23,926 | |
Loan commitment fees—Note 2 | | | 13,962 | |
Total Expenses | | | 1,465,494 | |
Less—Directors’ fees reimbursed by BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc.—Note 3(a) | | | (23,926) | |
Net Expenses | | | 1,441,568 | |
Investment Income—Net | | | 8,790,408 | |
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments—Note 4 ($): | | |
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency transactions | 357,750 | |
Net realized gain (loss) on futures | 807,612 | |
Net realized gain (loss) on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | (1,421) | |
Net Realized Gain (Loss) | | | 1,163,941 | |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments and foreign currency transactions | | | 33,589,045 | |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures | | | 334,633 | |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 1,401 | |
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | | | 33,925,079 | |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments | | | 35,089,020 | |
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations | | 43,879,428 | |
| | | | | | |
See notes to financial statements. | | | | | |
35
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Six Months Ended April 30, 2019 (Unaudited) | | Year Ended October 31, 2018 | |
Operations ($): | | | | | | | | |
Investment income—net | | | 8,790,408 | | | | 14,295,616 | |
Net realized gain (loss) on investments | | 1,163,941 | | | | (3,038,201) | |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments | | 33,925,079 | | | | (54,247,558) | |
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations | 43,879,428 | | | | (42,990,143) | |
Distributions ($): | |
Distributions to shareholders: | | | | | | | | |
Investor Shares | | | (8,364,440) | | | | (9,690,563) | |
Class I | | | (5,935,815) | | | | (4,110,609) | |
Total Distributions | | | (14,300,255) | | | | (13,801,172) | |
Capital Stock Transactions ($): | |
Net proceeds from shares sold: | | | | | | | | |
Investor Shares | | | 65,554,374 | | | | 129,568,834 | |
Class I | | | 91,681,004 | | | | 113,058,264 | |
Distributions reinvested: | | | | | | | | |
Investor Shares | | | 8,283,721 | | | | 9,622,337 | |
Class I | | | 2,613,946 | | | | - | |
Cost of shares redeemed: | | | | | | | | |
Investor Shares | | | (58,459,388) | | | | (222,344,569) | |
Class I | | | (56,040,069) | | | | (31,706,560) | |
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets from Capital Stock Transactions | 53,633,588 | | | | (1,801,694) | |
Total Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets | 83,212,761 | | | | (58,593,009) | |
Net Assets ($): | |
Beginning of Period | | | 553,166,056 | | | | 611,759,065 | |
End of Period | | | 636,378,817 | | | | 553,166,056 | |
Capital Share Transactions (Shares): | |
Investor Sharesa | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 4,066,202 | | | | 7,291,243 | |
Shares issued for distributions reinvested | | | 557,451 | | | | 539,671 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (3,651,630) | | | | (12,492,543) | |
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding | 972,023 | | | | (4,661,629) | |
Class Ia | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 5,790,501 | | | | 6,270,089 | |
Shares issued for distributions reinvested | | | 176,142 | | | | 74,652 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (3,533,151) | | | | (1,800,643) | |
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding | 2,433,492 | | | | 4,544,098 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
aDuring the period ended April 30, 2019, 2,842 Class I shares representing $48,283 were exchanged for 2,839 Investor shares and during the period ended October 31, 2018, 844,229 Investor shares representing $15,382,638 were exchanged for 844,719 Class I shares. | |
See notes to financial statements. | | | | | | | | |
36
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The following tables describe the performance for each share class for the fiscal periods indicated. All information (except portfolio turnover rate) reflects financial results for a single fund share. Total return shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased (or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and distributions. These figures have been derived from the fund’s financial statements.
| | | | | | |
Six Months Ended | |
| April 30, 2019 | Year Ended October 31, |
Investor Shares | (Unaudited) | 2018 | 2017 | 2016a | 2015 | 2014 |
Per Share Data ($): | | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | 16.24 | 17.90 | 15.01 | 15.86 | 16.54 | 17.12 |
Investment Operations: | | | | | | |
Investment income—netb | .24 | .40 | .35 | .36 | .35 | .47 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | .92 | (1.67) | 2.96 | (.89) | (.60) | (.49) |
Total from Investment Operations | 1.16 | (1.27) | 3.31 | (.53) | (.25) | (.02) |
Distributions: | | | | | | |
Dividends from investment income—net | (.40) | (.39) | (.42) | (.32) | (.43) | (.37) |
Dividends from net realized gain on investments | - | - | - | - | - | (.19) |
Total Distributions | (.40) | (.39) | (.42) | (.32) | (.43) | (.56) |
Net asset value, end of period | 17.00 | 16.24 | 17.90 | 15.01 | 15.86 | 16.54 |
Total Return (%) | 7.50c | (7.30) | 22.71 | (3.37) | (1.46) | (.13) |
Ratios/Supplemental Data (%): | | | | | | |
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets | .61d | .61 | .61 | .61 | .61 | .61 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | .60d | .60 | .60 | .60 | .60 | .60 |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 2.95d | 2.24 | 2.20 | 2.43 | 2.14 | 2.76 |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | 1.03c | 7.48 | 9.18 | 5.53 | 8.44 | 10.26 |
Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) | 370,417 | 338,147 | 456,213 | 514,975 | 575,306 | 567,711 |
a On August 31, 2016, the fund redesignated existing shares as Investor shares.
b Based on average shares outstanding.
c Not annualized.
d Annualized.
See notes to financial statements.
37
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (continued)
| | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended | |
| | April 30, 2019 | Year Ended October 31, |
Class I Shares | | (Unaudited) | 2018 | 2017 | 2016a |
Per Share Data ($): | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | | 16.26 | 17.92 | 15.02 | 15.15 |
Investment Operations: | | | | | |
Investment income—netb | | .26 | .46 | .42 | .02 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | | .92 | (1.69) | 2.94 | (.15) |
Total from Investment Operations | | 1.18 | (1.23) | 3.36 | (.13) |
Distributions: | | | | | |
Dividends from investment income—net | | (.45) | (.43) | (.46) | - |
Net asset value, end of period | | 16.99 | 16.26 | 17.92 | 15.02 |
Total Return (%) | | 7.64c | (7.06) | 23.04 | (.86)c |
Ratios/Supplemental Data (%): | | | | | |
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets | | .36d | .36 | .36 | .40d |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | | .35d | .35 | .35 | .39d |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | | 3.24d | 2.55 | 2.48 | 1.95d |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | | 1.03c | 7.48 | 9.18 | 5.53 |
Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) | | 265,962 | 215,019 | 155,546 | 673 |
a From August 31, 2016 (commencement of initial offering) to October 31, 2016.
b Based on average shares outstanding.
c Not annualized.
d Annualized.
See notes to financial statements.
38
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS(Unaudited)
NOTE 1—Significant Accounting Policies:
BNY Mellon International Stock Index Fund (the “fund”) is a separate non-diversified series of BNY Mellon Index Funds, Inc. (the “Company”), which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), as an open-end management investment company and operates as a series company currently offering three series, including the fund. The fund’s investment objective is to seek to match the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe, Australasia, Far East Index (MSCI EAFE®). BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. (the “Adviser”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (“BNY Mellon”), serves as the fund’s investment adviser.
Effective June 3, 2019, the fund changed its name from Dreyfus International Stock Index Fund to BNY Mellon International Stock Index Fund and the Company changed its name from Dreyfus Index Funds, Inc. to BNY Mellon Index Funds, Inc. In addition, The Dreyfus Corporation, the fund’s investment adviser and administrator, changed its name to “BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc.”, MBSC Securities Corporation, the fund’s distributor, changed its name to “BNY Mellon Securities Corporation” and Dreyfus Transfer, Inc., the fund’s transfer agent, changed its name to “BNY Mellon Transfer, Inc.”
BNY Mellon Securities Corporation (the “Distributor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, is the distributor of the fund’s shares which are sold to the public without a sales charge. The fund is authorized to issue 300 million shares of $.001 par value Common Stock. The fund currently has authorized two classes of shares: Investor shares (200 million shares authorized) and Class I (100 million shares authorized). Investor shares are sold primarily to retail investors through financial intermediaries and bear Shareholder Services Plan fees. Class I shares are sold at net asset value per share generally to institutional investors. Other differences between the classes include the services offered to and the expenses borne by each class, and certain voting rights. Income, expenses (other than expenses attributable to a specific class), and realized and unrealized gains or losses on investments are allocated to each class of shares based on its relative net assets.
The Company accounts separately for the assets, liabilities and operations of each series. Expenses directly attributable to each series are charged to that series’ operations; expenses which are applicable to all series are allocated among them on a pro rata basis.
39
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)(continued)
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) is the exclusive reference of authoritative U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) recognized by the FASB to be applied by nongovernmental entities. Rules and interpretive releases of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under authority of federal laws are also sources of authoritative GAAP for SEC registrants. The fund’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP, which may require the use of management estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The Companyenters into contracts that contain a variety of indemnifications. The fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown. The fund does not anticipate recognizing any loss related to these arrangements.
(a) Portfolio valuation: The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (i.e., the exit price). GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs of valuation techniques used to measure fair value. This hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements).
Additionally, GAAP provides guidance on determining whether the volume and activity in a market has decreased significantly and whether such a decrease in activity results in transactions that are not orderly. GAAP requires enhanced disclosures around valuation inputs and techniques used during annual and interim periods.
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the fund’s investments relating to fair value measurements. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:
Level 1—unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical investments.
Level 2—other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
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 necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
40
Changes in valuation techniques may result in transfers in or out of an assigned level within the disclosure hierarchy. Valuation techniques used to value the fund’s investments are as follows:
Investments in securities are valued at the last sales price on the securities exchange or national securities market on which such securities are primarily traded. Securities listed on the National Market System for which market quotations are available are valued at the official closing price or, if there is no official closing price that day, at the last sales price. For open short positions, asked prices are used for valuation purposes. Bid price is used when no asked price is available. Registered investment companies that are not traded on an exchange are valued at their net asset value. All of the preceding securities are generally categorized within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
Securities not listed on an exchange or the national securities market, or securities for which there were no transactions, are valued at the average of the most recent bid and asked prices. U.S. Treasury Bills are valued at the mean price between quoted bid prices and asked prices by an independent pricing service (the “Service”) approved by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). These securities are generally categorized within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
The Service is engaged under the general oversight of the Board.
Fair valuing of securities may be determined with the assistance of a pricing service using calculations based on indices of domestic securities and other appropriate indicators, such as prices of relevant ADRs and futures. Utilizing these techniques may result in transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
When market quotations or official closing prices are not readily available, or are determined not to accurately reflect fair value, such as when the value of a security has been significantly affected by events after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded (for example, a foreign exchange or market), but before the fund calculates its net asset value, the fund may value these investments at fair value as determined in accordance with the procedures approved by the Board. Certain factors may be considered when fair valuing investments such as: fundamental analytical data, the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition, an evaluation of the forces that influence the market in which the securities are purchased and sold, and public trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable issuers. These securities are either categorized within Level 2 or 3 of the fair value hierarchy depending on the relevant inputs used.
41
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)(continued)
For restricted securities where observable inputs are limited, assumptions about market activity and risk are used and such securities are generally categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Investments denominated in foreign currencies are translated to U.S. dollars at the prevailing rates of exchange.
Futures, which are traded on an exchange, are valued at the last sales price on the securities exchange on which such securities are primarily traded or at the last sales price on the national securities market on each business day and are generally categorized within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts (“forward contracts”) are valued at the forward rate and are generally categorized within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
The following is a summary of the inputs used as of April 30, 2019in valuing the fund’s investments:
| | | | |
| Level 1 - Unadjusted Quoted Prices | Level 2 - Other Significant Observable Inputs | Level 3 - Significant Unobservable Inputs | Total |
Assets ($) | | | | |
Investments in Securities: | | | | |
Equity Securities - Common Stocks | 611,679,146 | 6,861† | 0 | 611,686,007 |
Equity Securities - Preferred Stocks | 3,268,956 | - | - | 3,268,956 |
Investment Companies | 15,831,446 | - | - | 15,831,446 |
U.S. Treasury | - | 932,772 | - | 932,772 |
Other Financial Instruments: | | | | |
Futures†† | 226,217 | - | - | 226,217 |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts†† | - | 1,400 | - | 1,400 |
† Securities classified within Level 2 at period end as the values were determined pursuant to the fund’s fair valuation procedures.
†† Amount shown represents unrealized (depreciation) at period end, but only variation margin on exchanged traded and centrally cleared derivatives are reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
At April 30, 2019, the amount of securities transferred between levels equals fair value of exchange traded equity securities reported as Level 2 in the table above. At October 31, 2018, $532,825,832 of exchange traded equity securities were classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy pursuant to the fund’s fair valuation procedures. It is the fund's policy to recognize transfers between levels at the end of the reporting period.
42
The following is a reconciliation of Level 3 assets for which significant unobservable inputs were used to determine fair value:
| |
| Equity Securities— Foreign Common Stock ($) |
Balance as of 10/31/2018 | 0 |
Realized gain (loss) | (37) |
Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | 4,074 |
Purchases/Issuances | - |
Sales/Dispositions | (4,037) |
Transfers into Level 3† | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3† | 0 |
Balance as of 4/30/2019†† | 0 |
The amount of total gains (losses) for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains (losses) relating to investments still held at 4/30/2019 | - |
† Transfers into or out of Level 3 represent the value at the date of transfer. The transfer into Level 3 for the current period was due to the lack of observable inputs following the issuer's default. The transfer out of Level 3 for the current period was due to the resumption of trading of a security.
†† Securities deemed as Level 3 have been determined to be worthless by management own assessment.
(b) Foreign currency transactions: 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 the market prices of securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments.
Net realized foreign exchange gains or losses arise from sales of foreign currencies, currency gains or losses realized on securities transactions between trade and settlement date, and 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 resulting from changes in exchange rates. Foreign currency gains and losses on foreign currency transactions are also included with net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments.
(c)Securities transactions and investment income: Securities transactions are recorded on a trade date basis. Realized gains and losses from securities transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recognized on the ex-dividend date and interest income, including, where applicable, accretion of discount and amortization of premium on investments, is recognized on the accrual basis.
Pursuant to a securities lending agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon, a subsidiary of BNY Mellon and an affiliate of the Adviser, the
43
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)(continued)
fund may lend securities to qualified institutions. It is the fund’s policy that, at origination, all loans are secured by collateral of at least 102% of the value of U.S. securities loaned and 105% of the value of foreign securities loaned. Collateral equivalent to at least 100% of the market value of securities on loan is maintained at all times. Collateral is either in the form of cash, which can be invested in certain money market mutual funds managed by the Adviser, or U.S. Government and Agency securities. The fund is entitled to receive all dividends, interest and distributions on securities loaned, in addition to income earned as a result of the lending transaction. Should a borrower fail to return the securities in a timely manner, The Bank of New York Mellon is required to replace the securities for the benefit of the fund or credit the fund with the market value of the unreturned securities and is subrogated to the fund’s rights against the borrower and the collateral. Additionally, the contractual maturity of security lending transactions are on an overnight and continuous basis. During the period ended April 30, 2019, The Bank of New York Mellon earned $1,470 from lending portfolio securities, pursuant to the securities lending agreement.
(d) Affiliated issuers: Investments in other investment companies advised by the Adviser are considered “affiliated” under the Act.
(e) Risk: Investing in foreign markets may involve special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in the U.S. These risks include revaluation of currencies, high rates of inflation, repatriation restrictions on income and capital, and adverse political and economic developments. Moreover, securities issued in these markets may be less liquid, subject to government ownership controls and delayed settlements, and their prices may be more volatile than those of comparable securities in the U.S.
(f) Dividends and distributions to shareholders: Dividends and distributions are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Dividends from investment income-net and dividends from net realized capital gains, if any, are normally declared and paid annually, but the fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). To the extent that net realized capital gains can be offset by capital loss carryovers, it is the policy of the fund not to distribute such gains. Income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.
(g) Federal income taxes: It is the policy of the fund to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company, if such qualification is in the best interests of its shareholders, by complying with the applicable
44
provisions of the Code, and to make distributions of taxable income and net realized capital gain sufficient to relieve it from substantially all federal income and excise taxes.
As of and during the period ended April 30, 2019, the fund did not have any liabilities for any uncertain tax positions. The fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to uncertain tax positions as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations. During the period ended April 30, 2019, the fund did not incur any interest or penalties.
Each tax year in the three-year period ended October 31, 2018 remains subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities.
The fund is permitted to carry forward capital losses for an unlimited period. Furthermore, capital loss carryovers retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses.
The fund has an unused capital loss carryover of $40,095,256 available for federal income tax purposes to be applied against future net realized capital gains, if any, realized subsequent to October 31, 2018. The fund has $40,610 of short-term capital losses and $40,054,646 of long-term capital losses which can be carried forward for an unlimited period.
The tax character of distributions paid to shareholders during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2018 was as follows: ordinary income $13,801,172. The tax character of current year distributions will be determined at the end of the current fiscal year.
(h) New Accounting Pronouncements: In August 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). The update provides guidance that eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Management is currently assessing the potential impact of these changes to future financial statements.
NOTE 2—Bank Lines of Credit:
The fund participates with other long-term open-end funds managed by the Adviser in a $1.030 billion unsecured credit facility led by Citibank, N.A. (the “Citibank Credit Facility”) and a $300 million unsecured credit facility provided by The Bank of New York Mellon (the “BNYM Credit Facility”), a subsidiary of BNY Mellon and an affiliate of the Adviser, each to be utilized primarily for temporary or emergency purposes, including the
45
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)(continued)
financing of redemptions (each, a “Facility”). The Citibank Credit Facility is available in two tranches: (i) Tranche A is in an amount equal to $830 million and is available to all long-term open-ended funds, including the fund, and (ii) Tranche B is in amount equal to $200 million and is available only to BNY Mellon Floating Rate Income Fund, a series of BNY Mellon Investment Funds IV, Inc. In connection therewith, the fund has agreed to pay its pro rata portion of commitment fees for Tranche A of the Citibank Credit Facility and the BNYM Credit Facility. Interest is charged to the fund based on rates determined pursuant to the terms of the respective Facility at the time of borrowing. During the period ended April 30, 2019, the fund did not borrow under the Facilities.
NOTE 3—Management Fee and Other Transactions with Affiliates:
(a)Pursuant to a management agreement with the Adviser, the management fee is computed at the annual rate of .35% of the value of the fund’s average daily net assets and is payable monthly. Out of its fee, the Adviser pays all of the expenses of the fund, except management fees, Shareholder Services Plan fees, brokerage fees and commissions, taxes, interest expense, commitment fees on borrowings, fees and expenses of interested Directors (including counsel fees) and extraordinary expenses. In addition, the Adviser is required to reduce its fee in an amount equal to the fund’s allocable portion of fees and expenses of the non-interested Directors (including counsel fees). During the period ended April 30, 2019, fees reimbursed by the Adviser amounted to $23,926.
(b)Under the Shareholder Services Plan, Investor shares pay the Distributor at an annual rate of .25% of the value of its average daily net assets for the provision of certain services. The services provided may include personal services relating to shareholder accounts, such as answering shareholder inquiries regarding the fund and providing reports and other information, and services related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts, such as recordkeeping and sub-accounting services. The Distributor may make payments to Service Agents (securities dealers, financial institutions or other industry professionals) with respect to these services. The Distributor determines the amounts to be paid to Service Agents. During the period ended April 30, 2019,the fund was charged $424,833 pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan.
The components of “Due to BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. and affiliates” in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities consist of: management fees $180,558 and Shareholder Services Plan fees $75,374, which are offset against an expense reimbursement currently in effect in the amount of $4,308.
46
(c) Each Board member also serves as a Board member of other funds in the BNY Mellon Family of Funds complex. Annual retainer fees and attendance fees are allocated to each fund based on net assets.
NOTE 4—Securities Transactions:
The aggregate amount of purchases and sales of investment securities, excluding short-term securities, futures and forward contracts, during the period ended April 30, 2019, amounted to $47,622,997 and $5,801,718, respectively.
Derivatives: A derivative is a financial instrument whose performance is derived from the performance of another asset. The fund enters into International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreements or similar agreements (collectively, “Master Agreements”) with its over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivative contract counterparties in order to, among other things, reduce its credit risk to counterparties. Master Agreements include provisions for general obligations, representations, collateral and events of default or termination. Under a Master Agreement, the fund may offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instrument’s payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment in the event of default or termination.
Each type of derivative instrument that was held by the fund during the period ended April 30, 2019 is discussed below.
Futures:In the normal course of pursuing its investment objective, the fund is exposed to market risk, including equity price risk,as a result of changes in value of underlying financial instruments. The fund invests in futures in order to manage its exposure to or protect against changes in the market. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or a sale of an asset at a specified date. Upon entering into such contracts, these investments require initial margin deposits with a counterparty, which consist of cash or cash equivalents. The amount of these deposits is determined by the exchange or Board of Trade on which the contract is traded and is subject to change. Accordingly, variation margin payments are received or made to reflect daily unrealized gains or losses which are recorded in the Statement of Operations. When the contracts are closed, the fund recognizes a realized gain or loss which is reflected in the Statement of Operations. There is minimal counterparty credit risk to the fund with futures since they are exchange traded, and the exchange guarantees the futures against default. Futures open at April 30, 2019, are set forth in the Statement of Futures.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: The fund enters into forward contracts in order to hedge its exposure to changes in foreign
47
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)(continued)
currency exchange rates on its foreign portfolio holdings, to settle foreign currency transactions or as a part of its investment strategy. When executing forward contracts, the fund is obligated to buy or sell a foreign currency at a specified rate on a certain date in the future. With respect to sales of forward contracts, the fund incurs a loss if the value of the contract increases between the date the forward contract is opened and the date the forward contract is closed. The fund realizes a gain if the value of the contract decreases between those dates. With respect to purchases of forward contracts, the fund incurs a loss if the value of the contract decreases between the date the forward contract is opened and the date the forward contract is closed. The fund realizes a gain if the value of the contract increases between those dates. Any realized or unrealized gains or losses which occurred during the period are reflected in the Statement of Operations. The fund is exposed to foreign currency risk as a result of changes in value of underlying financial instruments. The fund is also exposed to credit risk associated with counterparty nonperformance on these forward contracts, which is generally limited to the unrealized gain on each open contract. This risk may be mitigated by Master Agreements, if any, between the fund and the counterparty and the posting of collateral, if any, by the counterparty to the fund to cover the fund’s exposure to the counterparty. Forward contracts open at April 30, 2019, are set forth in the Statement of Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts.
The following tables show the fund’s exposure to different types of market risk as it relates to the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and the Statement of Operations, respectively.
Fair value of derivative instruments as of April 30, 2019 is shown below:
| | | | | | | |
| | Derivative Assets ($) | | | | Derivative Liabilities ($) | |
Equity risk | 226,217 | 1 | Equity risk | - | |
Foreign exchange risk | 1,400 | 2 | Foreign exchange risk | - | |
Gross fair value of derivative contracts | 227,617 | | | | - | |
| | | | | | |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities location: | |
1Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) on futures as reported in the Statement of Futures, but only the unpaid variation margin is reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. |
2Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on forward foreign currency exchange contracts. |
48
The effect of derivative instruments in the Statement of Operations during the period ended April 30, 2019 is shown below:
| | | | | | | | | |
Amount of realized gain (loss) on derivatives recognized in income ($) | |
Underlying risk | Futures | 1 | Forward Contracts | 2 | Total | | |
Equity | 807,612 | | - | | 807,612 | | | |
Foreign exchange | - | | (1,421) | | (1,421) | | | |
Total | 807,612 | | (1,421) | | 806,191 | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on derivatives recognized in income ($) | |
Underlying risk | Futures | 3 | Forward Contracts | 4 | Total | 4 | |
Equity | 334,633 | | - | | 334,633 | | | |
Foreign exchange | - | | 1,401 | | 1,401 | | | |
Total | 334,633 | | 1,401 | | 336,034 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
Statement of Operations location: | |
1Net realized gain (loss) on futures. |
2Net realized gain (loss) on forward foreign currency exchange contracts. |
3Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures. |
4Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on forward foreign currency exchange contracts. |
The provisions of ASC Topic 210 “Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” require disclosure on the offsetting of financial assets and liabilities. These disclosures are required for certain investments, including derivative financial instruments subject to Master Agreements which are eligible for offsetting in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and require the fund to disclose both gross and net information with respect to such investments. For financial reporting purposes, the fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to Master Agreements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
At April 30, 2019, derivative assets and liabilities (by type) on a gross basis are as follows:
| | | | | |
Derivative Financial Instruments: | | Assets ($) | | Liabilities ($) | |
Futures | | 226,217 | | - | |
Forward contracts | | 1,400 | | - | |
Total gross amount of derivative | | | | | |
assets and liabilities in the | | | | | |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities | | 227,617 | | - | |
Derivatives not subject to | | | | | |
Master Agreements | | (226,217) | | - | |
Total gross amount of assets | | | | | |
and liabilities subject to | | | | | |
Master Agreements | | 1,400 | | - | |
49
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)(continued)
The following table presents derivative liabilities net of amounts available for offsetting under Master Agreements and net of related collateral received or pledged, if any, as of April 30, 2019:†
| | | | | | |
| | | Financial | | | |
| | | Instruments | | | |
| | | and Derivatives | | | |
| Gross Amount of | | Available | Collateral | | Net Amount of |
Counterparty | Assets ($) | 1 | for Offset ($) | Received ($) | | Assets ($) |
Goldman Sachs International | 1,374 | | - | - | | 1,374 |
Societe Generale | 26 | | - | - | | 26 |
Total | 1,400 | | - | - | | 1,400 |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
1Absent a default event or early termination, OTC derivative assets and liabilities are presented at gross amounts and are not offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. |
†See Statement of Investments for detailed information regarding collateral held for open exchange traded derivative contracts. |
The following summarizes the average market value of derivatives outstanding duringthe period ended April 30, 2019:
| | |
| | Average Market Value ($) |
Equity futures | | 16,470,451 |
Forward contracts | | 191,711 |
| | |
At April 30, 2019, accumulated net unrealized appreciation on investments inclusive of derivative contracts was $137,467,841, consisting of $180,279,208 gross unrealized appreciation and $42,811,367 gross unrealized depreciation.
At April 30, 2019, the cost of investments inclusive of derivative contracts for federal income tax purposes was substantially the same as the cost for financial reporting purposes (see the Statement of Investments).
50
INFORMATION ABOUT THE RENEWAL OF THE FUND'S MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (Unaudited)
At a meeting of the fund’s Board of Directors held on March 12-13, 2019, the Board considered the renewal of the fund’s Management Agreement pursuant to which the Adviser provides the fund with investment advisory and administrative services (the “Agreement”). The Board members, none of whom are “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) of the fund, were assisted in their review by independent legal counsel and met with counsel in executive session separate from representatives of the Adviser. In considering the renewal of the Agreement, the Board considered all factors that it believed to be relevant, including those discussed below. The Board did not identify any one factor as dispositive, and each Board member may have attributed different weights to the factors considered.
Analysis of Nature, Extent, and Quality of Services Provided to the Fund. The Board considered information provided to it at the meeting and in previous presentations from representatives of the Adviser regarding the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided to funds in the BNY Mellon fund complex. The Adviser provided the number of open accounts in the fund, the fund’s asset size and the allocation of fund assets among distribution channels. The Adviser also had previously provided information regarding the diverse intermediary relationships and distribution channels of funds in the BNY Mellon fund complex (such as retail direct or intermediary, in which intermediaries typically are paid by the fund and/or the Adviser) and the Adviser’s corresponding need for broad, deep, and diverse resources to be able to provide ongoing shareholder services to each intermediary or distribution channel, as applicable to the fund.
The Board also considered research support available to, and portfolio management capabilities of, the fund’s portfolio management personnel and that the Adviser also provides oversight of day-to-day fund operations, including fund accounting and administration and assistance in meeting legal and regulatory requirements. The Board also considered the Adviser’s extensive administrative, accounting and compliance infrastructures. The Board also considered portfolio management’s brokerage policies and practices (including policies and practices regarding soft dollars) and the standards applied in seeking best execution.
Comparative Analysis of the Fund’s Performance and Management Fee and Expense Ratio. The Board reviewed reports prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”), an independent provider of investment company data, which included information comparing (1) the fund’s performance with the performance of a group of comparable funds (the “Performance Group”) and with a broader group of funds (the “Performance Universe”), all for various periods ended January 31, 2019, and (2) the fund’s actual and contractual management fees and total expenses with those of a group of comparable funds (the “Expense Group”) and with a broader group of funds (the “Expense Universe”), the information for which was derived in part from fund financial statements available to Broadridge as of the date of its analysis. The Adviser previously had furnished the Board with a description of the methodology Broadridge used to
51
INFORMATION ABOUT THE RENEWAL OF THE FUND'S MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (Unaudited) (continued)
select the Performance Group and Performance Universe and the Expense Group and Expense Universe.
Representatives of the Adviser stated that the usefulness of performance comparisons may be affected by a number of factors, including different investment limitations and policies that may be applicable to the fund and comparison funds. The Board discussed with representatives of the Adviser and/or its affiliates the results of the comparisons and considered that the fund’s total return performance was at or below the Performance Group median for all periods and below the Performance Universe median for all periods, except the one- and two-year periods when it was above the median. The Board considered the relative proximity of the fund’s performance to the Performance Group and/or Performance Universe median in certain periods when performance was below median. The Adviser also provided a comparison of the fund’s calendar year total returns to the returns of the fund’s benchmark index.
The Board also reviewed the range of actual and contractual management fees and total expenses of the Expense Group and Expense Universe funds and discussed the results of the comparisons. Taking into account the fund’s “unitary” fee structure, the Board considered that the fund’s contractual management fee was above the Expense Group median and the fund’s actual management fee and total expenses were above the Expense Group and Expense Universe medians.
Representatives of the Adviser reviewed with the Board the management or investment advisory fees (1) paid by funds advised or administered by the Adviser that are in the same Lipper category as the fund and (2) paid to the Adviser, or the primary employer of the fund’s primary portfolio manager(s) that is affiliated with the Adviser, for advising any separate accounts and/or other types of client portfolios that are considered to have similar investment strategies and policies as the fund (the “Similar Clients”), and explained the nature of the Similar Clients. They discussed differences in fees paid and the relationship of the fees paid in light of any differences in the services provided and other relevant factors, noting the fund’s “unitary” fee structure. The Board considered the relevance of the fee information provided for the Similar Clients to evaluate the appropriateness of the fund’s management fee.
Analysis of Profitability and Economies of Scale. Representatives of the Adviser reviewed the expenses allocated and profit received by the Adviser and its affiliates and the resulting profitability percentage for managing the fund and the aggregate profitability percentage to the Adviser and its affiliates for managing the funds in the BNY Mellon fund complex, and the method used to determine the expenses and profit. The Board concluded that the profitability results were not unreasonable, given the services rendered and service levels provided by the Adviser. The Board also had been provided with information prepared by an independent consulting firm regarding the Adviser’s approach to allocating costs to, and determining the profitability of, individual funds and the entire BNY Mellon fund complex. The consulting firm also had analyzed where any economies of scale might emerge in connection with the management of a fund.
52
The Board considered, on the advice of its counsel, the profitability analysis (1) as part of its evaluation of whether the fees under the Agreement, considered in relation to the mix of services provided by the Adviser, including the nature, extent and quality of such services, supported the renewal of the Agreement and (2) in light of the relevant circumstances for the fund and the extent to which economies of scale would be realized if the fund grows and whether fee levels reflect these economies of scale for the benefit of fund shareholders. Representatives of the Adviser stated that a discussion of economies of scale is predicated on a fund having achieved a substantial size with increasing assets and that, if a fund’s assets had been stable or decreasing, the possibility that the Adviser may have realized any economies of scale would be less. Representatives of the Adviser also stated that, as a result of shared and allocated costs among funds in the BNY Mellon fund complex, the extent of economies of scale could depend substantially on the level of assets in the complex as a whole, so that increases and decreases in complex-wide assets can affect potential economies of scale in a manner that is disproportionate to, or even in the opposite direction from, changes in the fund’s asset level. The Board also considered potential benefits to the Adviser from acting as investment adviser and took into consideration the soft dollar arrangements in effect for trading the fund’s investments.
At the conclusion of these discussions, the Board agreed that it had been furnished with sufficient information to make an informed business decision with respect to the renewal of the Agreement. Based on the discussions and considerations as described above, the Board concluded and determined as follows.
· The Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by the Adviser are adequate and appropriate.
· While the Board noted the fund’s improved performance relative to the Performance Universe in the most recent one- and two-year periods, the Board expressed some concern about relative performance and agreed to closely monitor performance.
· The Board concluded that the fee paid to the Adviser continued to be appropriate under the circumstances and in light of the factors and the totality of the services provided as discussed above.
· The Board determined that the economies of scale which may accrue to the Adviser and its affiliates in connection with the management of the fund had been adequately considered by the Adviser in connection with the fee rate charged to the fund pursuant to the Agreement and that, to the extent in the future it were determined that material economies of scale had not been shared with the fund, the Board would seek to have those economies of scale shared with the fund.
In evaluating the Agreement, the Board considered these conclusions and determinations and also relied on its previous knowledge, gained through meetings and other interactions with the Adviser and its affiliates, of the Adviser and the services
53
INFORMATION ABOUT THE RENEWAL OF THE FUND'S MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (Unaudited) (continued)
provided to the fund by the Adviser. The Board also relied on information received on a routine and regular basis throughout the year relating to the operations of the fund and the investment management and other services provided under the Agreement, including information on the investment performance of the fund in comparison to similar mutual funds and benchmark performance indices; general market outlook as applicable to the fund; and compliance reports. In addition, the Board’s consideration of the contractual fee arrangements for this fund had the benefit of a number of years of reviews of the Agreement for the fund, or substantially similar agreements for other BNY Mellon funds that the Board oversees, during which lengthy discussions took place between the Board and representatives of the Adviser. Certain aspects of the arrangements may receive greater scrutiny in some years than in others, and the Board’s conclusions may be based, in part, on their consideration of the fund’s arrangements, or substantially similar arrangements for other BNY Mellon funds that the Board oversees, in prior years. The Board determined to renew the Agreement.
54
NOTES
55
NOTES
56
NOTES
57
BNY Mellon International Stock Index Fund
240 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10286
Adviser
BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc.
240 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10286
Custodian
The Bank of New York Mellon
240 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10286
Transfer Agent &
Dividend Disbursing Agent
BNY Mellon Transfer, Inc.
240 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10286
Distributor
BNY Mellon Securities Corporation
240 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10286
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Ticker Symbols: | Investor: DIISX Class I: DINIX |
Telephone Call your financial representative or 1-800-373-9387
Mail The BNY Mellon Family of Funds, 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, NY 11556-0144
E-mailSend your request toinfo@bnymellon.com
InternetInformation can be viewed online or downloaded atwww.bnymellonim.com/us
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website atwww.sec.gov.
A description of the policies and procedures that the fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities and information regarding how the fund voted these proxies for the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available atwww.bnymellonim.com/us and on the SEC’s website atwww.sec.gov and without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-373-9387.
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