pos8c
1933 Act File No.: 333-104669
1940 Act File No.: 811-00266
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-2
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 |
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o
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Pre-Effective Amendment No. |
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Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 |
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and/or |
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 |
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Amendment No. 44 |
Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter:
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
Address of Principal Executive Offices (Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code):
225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Registrants Telephone Number, including Area Code:
(800) 345-6611
Name and Address (Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code) of Agent for Service:
Scott R. Plummer, 5228 Ameriprise Financial Center, Minneapolis, MN 55474
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in
reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection
with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. o
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
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when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c) |
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immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) |
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b) |
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60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) |
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a) of Rule 486. |
If appropriate, check the following box:
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This Post-Effective Amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed Post-Effective Amendment or Registration Statement. |
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This Post-Effective Amendment on Form N-2 is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Act Registration Statement Number of the earlier effective Registration Statement for the same offering is: _________ |
Prospectus
Tri-Continental
Corporation
Tri-Continental
Corporation seeks future growth of both capital and income while
providing reasonable current income.
The Securities and
Exchange Commission has neither approved nor disapproved these
securities, and it has not determined this Prospectus to be
accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a
criminal offense.
Not FDIC
Insured - May
Lose
Value - No
Bank Guarantee
an
investment you can live with
Prospectus
May 1, 2011
225 Franklin Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Toll-Free Telephone
(800) 345-6611
Tri-Continental Corporation (the Corporation) is a
diversified, closed-end management investment
company a publicly traded investment fund. The
Corporations shares of common stock (the Common
Stock) are traded primarily on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol TY. The closing market price of the
Common Stock on February 28, 2011 was $14.61 per share.
The Corporation invests primarily for the longer term, and over
the years the Corporations objective has been to produce
future growth of both capital and income while providing
reasonable current income. Common stocks have historically made
up the bulk of investments. However, assets may be held in cash
or invested in all types of securities. See Investment
Objective and Other Policies and Related Risks. No
assurance can be given that the Corporations investment
objective will be realized. The Corporations manager is
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (Columbia
Management or the Manager).
This Prospectus applies to all shares of Common Stock purchased
under the Corporations various investment plans for which
an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the 1933 Act), is not available, and to
all shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of the
Corporations outstanding Warrants. See Investment
Plans and Other Services. The shares of Common Stock
covered by this Prospectus also may be issued from time to time
by the Corporation to acquire the assets of personal holding
companies, private investment companies or publicly owned
investment companies. See Issuance of Shares in Connection
with Acquisitions.
This Prospectus sets forth the information that a prospective
investor should know about the Corporation before investing.
Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully and to
retain it for future reference. Additional information about the
Corporation, including a Statement of Additional Information
(SAI) dated May 1, 2011, has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SAI, as well as the
Corporations most recent Annual and Mid-Year Reports are
also available upon request and without charge by writing to
Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. (CMISC
or the Service Agent), the Corporations
stockholder servicing, dividend paying and transfer agent, at
225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 or calling the
Corporation at the telephone number listed above. Investors may
also write or
call CMISC in order to request other available information or
to make stockholder inquiries. The SAI is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety and its table of contents appears on
page 36 of this Prospectus. The 2010 Annual Report contains
financial statements of the Corporation for the year ended
December 31, 2010, which are incorporated by reference into
the SAI. The SAI, as well as the Corporations most recent
Annual and Mid-Year Reports are also available at
www.columbiamanagement.com. The website references in this
Prospectus are inactive textual references and information
contained in or otherwise accessible through this website does
not form a part of this Prospectus. The Securities and Exchange
Commission maintains a web site (www.sec.gov) that contains the
Prospectus, SAI, material incorporated by reference, and other
information filed electronically by the Corporation.
Common Stock
($0.50 par value)
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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Summary of Corporation Expenses
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3
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Prospectus Summary
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5
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The Corporation
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6
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Financial Highlights
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7
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Capitalization at February 28, 2011
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11
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Trading and Net Asset Value Information
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11
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Investment Objective and Other Policies and Related Risks
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12
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Management of the Corporation
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17
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Description of Capital Stock
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22
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Description of Warrants
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24
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Computation of Net Asset Value
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24
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Dividend Policy and Taxes
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26
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Investment Plans and Other Services
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30
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Issuance of Shares in Connection with Acquisitions
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35
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Table of Contents of the Statement of Additional Information
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36
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2p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Summary
of Corporation Expenses
The following table illustrates the expenses and fees that the
Corporation expects to incur and that you can expect to bear as
a holder of the Corporations Common Stock. The total
annual expenses in the fee and expense table below are based on
expenses incurred during the Corporations most recently
completed fiscal year and are expressed as a percentage (expense
ratio) of the Corporations average net assets during the
period. The expense ratio has been adjusted to reflect current
fee arrangements, but has not been adjusted to reflect the
Corporations assets as of a different period or point in
time, as asset levels will fluctuate. In general, the
Corporations annual operating expense ratio will increase
as the Corporations assets decrease, such that the
Corporations actual expense ratio may be higher than the
expense ratio presented in the table.
Columbia Management provides investment management services for
a fee, as disclosed in the fee table below. Effective
January 1, 2011, Columbia Management also serves as
administrative services agent for the Corporation. Columbia
Management charges a fee for administrative services provided to
the Corporation (reflected in the Corporations Other
Expenses in the fee table below). Prior to January 2011,
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial)
provided administrative services to the Corporation for a fee.
Please see the Management of the Corporation section
of the prospectus for a description of such fees.
Stockholder
Transaction Expenses
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Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash Purchase Plan Fees
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$
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2.00(1
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Annual Expenses
(as a percentage of net assets
attributable to Common Stock)
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Management Fees
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0.36%
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Other
Expenses(2)
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0.24%
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Total Annual Expenses*
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0.60%
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*Impact of Dividends on Preferred Stock
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0.19%
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Total Annual Expenses, including Impact of Dividends on
Preferred Stock
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0.79%
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(1)
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Stockholders
participating in the Corporations investment plans pay a
$2.00 fee per transaction. See Investment Plans and Other
Services Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash
Purchase Plan for a description of the investment plans
and services.
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(2)
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Other
Expenses includes administrative services fees, and
transfer and stockholder service agent fees and expenses.
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TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 3p
The following example illustrates the costs you would pay on a
$1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return:
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1 Year
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3 Years
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5 Years
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10
Years
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Tri-Continental Corporation Common Stock
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$
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6
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$
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19
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$
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34
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$
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75
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If dividends on the Corporations Preferred Stock (as
defined herein) are included, the total expenses incurred for 1,
3, 5 and 10 years will be $8, $25, $44 and $98.
The purpose of the table above is to assist you in understanding
the various costs and expenses you will bear directly or
indirectly. For more complete descriptions of the various costs
and expenses, see Management of the Corporation and
Investment Plans and Other Services Automatic
Dividend Investment and Cash Purchase Plan.
The example does not represent actual costs, which may be more
or less than those shown. Moreover, the Corporations
actual rate of return may be more or less than the hypothetical
5% return shown in the example.
4p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Prospectus
Summary
The following is qualified in its entirety by the more
detailed information included elsewhere in this Prospectus.
This Prospectus applies to shares of Common Stock of the
Corporation. The Corporation invests primarily for the longer
term and has no charter restrictions with respect to such
investments. Over the years the Corporations objective has
been to produce future growth of both capital and income while
providing reasonable current income. There can be no assurance
that this objective will be achieved. While common stocks have
historically made up the bulk of investments, assets may be held
in cash or invested in all types of securities in whatever
amounts or proportions the Manager believes is best suited to
current and anticipated economic and market conditions. These
may include preferred stock, debt securities, repurchase
agreements, derivatives, including options, futures contracts
and equity-linked notes, illiquid securities and securities of
foreign issuers, each of which could involve certain risks. See
Investment Objective and Other Policies and Related
Risks.
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, is the investment manager of
the Corporation. Columbia Management also serves as
administrative services agent to the Corporation and provides or
compensates others to provide accounting, treasury and other
services to the Corporation and the other funds in the Columbia
Family of Funds.
The management fee rate for the year ended December 31,
2010 was equivalent to 0.36% of the Corporations average
daily net assets. See Management of the Corporation
for more information.
Shares of Common Stock covered by this Prospectus may be
purchased from time to time by the Service Agent, the Plan
service agent for the Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash
Purchase Plans, Individual Retirement Accounts
(IRAs) and Retirement Plans for Self-Employed
Individuals, Partnerships and Corporations (collectively, the
Plans), as directed by participants, and may be sold
from time to time by the Service Agent for participants in
Systematic Withdrawal Plans. See Investment Plans and
Other Services. Shares will be purchased for the Plans on
the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere when the market price
of the Common Stock is equal to or less than its net asset
value, and any brokerage commissions applicable to such
purchases will be charged pro rata to the Plan participants.
Shares will be purchased for the Plans from the Corporation at
net asset value when the net asset value is lower than the
market price, all as more fully described in this Prospectus.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 5p
The Board re-approved the Corporations stock repurchase
program for 2011. Identical to the Corporations 2010 stock
repurchase program, the Corporations 2011 stock repurchase
program allows the Corporation to repurchase up to 5% of the
Corporations outstanding Common Stock during the year
directly from Stockholders and in the open market, provided
that, with respect to shares purchased in the open market, the
excess of the net asset value of a share of Common Stock over
its market price (the discount) is greater than 10%. During
2010, the Corporation purchased 1,232,037 shares of Common
Stock in the open market. The intent of the stock repurchase
program is, among other things, to moderate the growth in the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, increase the NAV
of the Corporations outstanding shares, reduce the
dilutive impact on stockholders who do not take capital gains
distributions in additional shares and increase the liquidity of
the Corporations Common Stock in the marketplace.
THE
CORPORATION
The Corporation is a Maryland corporation formed in 1929 by the
consolidation of two predecessor corporations. It is registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
1940 Act), as a diversified management investment
company of the closed-end type. The Corporations Common
Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
TY. The average weekly trading volume on that and
other exchanges during 2010 was 473,569 shares. The
Corporations Common Stock has historically been traded on
the market at less than net asset value. As of February 28,
2011, the Corporation had 66,135,757 shares of Common Stock
outstanding and net assets attributable to Common Stock of
$1,117,679,705.
6p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
The Corporations financial highlights for 2010 (and for
certain fiscal years) presented on the following pages have been
derived from the financial statements audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm. Financial highlights for the fiscal years prior
to 2009 were derived from the financial statements audited by
other auditors. The information below, which is derived from the
financial and accounting records of the Corporation, should be
read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes
contained in the Corporations 2010 Annual Report, which
may be obtained from CMISC as provided in this Prospectus.
Per Share Operating Performance data is designed to
allow you to trace the operating performance, on a per Common
Stock share basis, from the beginning net asset value to the
ending net asset value so that you can understand what effect
the individual items have on your investment, assuming it was
held throughout the year. Generally, the per share amounts are
derived by converting the actual dollar amounts incurred for
each item, as disclosed in the financial statements, to their
equivalent per Common Stock share amounts, using average shares
outstanding during the period.
The total investment return based on market value measures the
Corporations performance assuming you purchased shares of
the Corporation at the market value as of the beginning of the
year, invested dividends and capital gains paid as provided for
in the Corporations Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash
Purchase Plan, and then sold your shares at the closing market
value per share on the last day of the year. The computation
does not reflect any sales commissions you may incur in
purchasing or selling shares of the Corporation. The total
investment return based on net asset value is similarly computed
except that the Corporations net asset value is
substituted for the corresponding market value.
The ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets for Common Stock for the periods presented do not reflect
the effect of dividends paid to holders of the
Corporations $2.50 cumulative preferred stock (the
Preferred Stock).
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 7p
PER SHARE
OPERATING PERFORMANCE, TOTAL INVESTMENT RETURN, RATIOS AND
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
(for a share of Common Stock
outstanding throughout each year)
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Year ended
December 31,
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Per
share operating performance
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2010
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2009
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2008
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Net asset value, beginning of period
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$13.73
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$11.29
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$23.03
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Income from
investment operations:
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Net investment income
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.30
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.20
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.52
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Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
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2.28
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2.42
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(9.88
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Increase from payments by affiliate
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.04
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Total from investment operations
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2.58
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2.66
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(9.36
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Less
distributions to Stockholders from:
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Preferred stock
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(.03
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(.03
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(.02
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Common stock
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(.25
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(.17
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(.50
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Net realized gains
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(.39
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Tax return of capital
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(.02
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(1.22
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Total distributions to Stockholders
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(.28
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(.22
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(2.38
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Capital stock transactions at market price
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(.07
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(.25
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)(a)
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Net asset value, end of period
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$15.96
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$13.73
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$11.29
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Adjusted net asset value, end of
period(b)
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$15.90
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$13.69
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$11.26
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Market price, end of period
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$13.76
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$11.52
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$9.86
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Total
return
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Based upon net asset value
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18.58%
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24.11%(c
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(43.77%
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Based upon market price
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21.85%
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19.24%
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(45.89%
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Ratios to
average net
assets(e)
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Expenses to average net assets for Common Stock
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.60%
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.98%
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.73%
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Net investment income to average net assets for Common Stock
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1.84%
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1.46%
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2.96%
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Supplemental
data
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Net assets, end
of period (000s):
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Common stock
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$1,061,251
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$946,344
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$893,899
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Preferred stock
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37,637
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37,637
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37,637
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Total net
assets
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$1,098,888
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$983,981
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$931,536
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Portfolio turnover
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86%
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70%
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111%
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(a)
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Reflects
the issuance of Common Stock in distributions.
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(b)
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Assumes
the exercise of outstanding warrants. Warrant exercise terms
were: Dec. 18, 2000 to Dec. 16, 2001
21.63 shares at $1.04 per share; Dec. 17, 2001 to
July 25, 2007 22.50 shares at $1.00 per
share; July 26, 2007 to Sept. 19, 2007
22.73 shares at $0.99 per share; Sept. 20, 2007 to Dec. 18,
2007 22.96 shares at $0.98 per share; Dec. 19,
2007 to March 26, 2008 23.20 shares at
$0.97 per share; March 27, 2008 to June 19,
2008 23.44 shares at $0.96 per share;
June 20, 2008 to Sept. 18, 2008
23.68 shares at $0.95 per share; Sept. 19, 2008 to Dec. 10,
2008 23.94 shares at $0.94 per share; and
subsequently, 24.19 shares at $0.93 per share.
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(c)
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During
the year ended Dec. 31, 2009, the Fund received a payment by
affiliate. Had the Fund not received this payment, the total
return would have been lower by 0.47%.
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(d)
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Excluding
the effect of a payment received from the Funds
predecessor investment manager, the total return would have been
13.33%.
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(e)
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In
addition to the fees and expenses which the Fund bears directly,
the Fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and
expenses of the acquired funds in which it invests. Such
indirect expenses are not included in the reported expense
ratios.
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8p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
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Year ended
December 31,
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2007
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2006
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2005
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2004
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2003
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2002
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2001
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$25.66
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$22.16
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$21.87
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$19.55
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$15.72
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$21.69
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$25.87
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.84
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.33
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|
.26
|
|
|
|
.26
|
|
|
|
.18
|
|
|
|
.25
|
|
|
|
.32
|
|
|
|
|
(1.01
|
)
|
|
|
3.47
|
|
|
|
.29
|
|
|
|
2.31
|
|
|
|
3.84
|
|
|
|
(5.95
|
)
|
|
|
(3.02
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(.17
|
)
|
|
|
3.80
|
|
|
|
.55
|
|
|
|
2.57
|
|
|
|
4.02
|
|
|
|
(5.70
|
)
|
|
|
(2.70
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(.02
|
)
|
|
|
(.02
|
)
|
|
|
(.02
|
)
|
|
|
(.02
|
)
|
|
|
(.02
|
)
|
|
|
(.01
|
)
|
|
|
(.01
|
)
|
|
|
|
(.87
|
)
|
|
|
(.28
|
)
|
|
|
(.24
|
)
|
|
|
(.23
|
)
|
|
|
(.17
|
)
|
|
|
(.26
|
)
|
|
|
(.28
|
)
|
|
|
|
(1.57
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.11
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.46
|
)
|
|
|
(.30
|
)
|
|
|
(.26
|
)
|
|
|
(.25
|
)
|
|
|
(.19
|
)
|
|
|
(.27
|
)
|
|
|
(1.40
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(.08
|
)(a)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$23.03
|
|
|
|
$25.66
|
|
|
|
$22.16
|
|
|
|
$21.87
|
|
|
|
$19.55
|
|
|
|
$15.72
|
|
|
|
$21.69
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$22.98
|
|
|
|
$25.60
|
|
|
|
$22.10
|
|
|
|
$21.82
|
|
|
|
$19.51
|
|
|
|
$15.69
|
|
|
|
$21.65
|
|
|
|
|
$20.90
|
|
|
|
$22.38
|
|
|
|
$18.58
|
|
|
|
$18.28
|
|
|
|
$16.40
|
|
|
|
$13.25
|
|
|
|
$18.75
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(.52%
|
)
|
|
|
17.38%
|
|
|
|
2.66%
|
|
|
|
13.36%(d
|
)
|
|
|
25.84%
|
|
|
|
(26.35%
|
)
|
|
|
(10.20
|
)%
|
|
|
|
3.51%
|
|
|
|
22.10%
|
|
|
|
2.98%
|
|
|
|
12.95%
|
|
|
|
25.24%
|
|
|
|
(28.18%
|
)
|
|
|
(5.22
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.66%
|
|
|
|
.80%
|
|
|
|
.65%
|
|
|
|
.66%
|
|
|
|
.70%
|
|
|
|
.68%
|
|
|
|
.60%
|
|
|
|
|
3.22%
|
|
|
|
1.40%
|
|
|
|
1.20%
|
|
|
|
1.28%
|
|
|
|
1.05%
|
|
|
|
1.31%
|
|
|
|
1.37%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$2,373,429
|
|
|
|
$2,657,209
|
|
|
|
$2,392,304
|
|
|
|
$2,470,781
|
|
|
|
$2,310,999
|
|
|
|
$1,958,295
|
|
|
|
$2,873,655
|
|
|
|
|
37,637
|
|
|
|
37,637
|
|
|
|
37,637
|
|
|
|
37,637
|
|
|
|
37,637
|
|
|
|
37,637
|
|
|
|
37,637
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$2,411,066
|
|
|
|
$2,694,846
|
|
|
|
$2,429,941
|
|
|
|
$2,508,418
|
|
|
|
$2,348,636
|
|
|
|
$1,995,932
|
|
|
|
$2,911,292
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
123%
|
|
|
|
122%
|
|
|
|
71%
|
|
|
|
47%
|
|
|
|
139%
|
|
|
|
153%
|
|
|
|
124%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 9p
SENIOR
SECURITIES $2.50 CUMULATIVE PREFERRED
STOCK
The following information is being presented with respect to the
Corporations $2.50 cumulative Preferred Stock. The first
column presents the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding at the end of each year presented. Year-End
Asset Coverage Per Share represents the total amount of
net assets of the Corporation in relation to each share of
Preferred Stock outstanding as of the end of the respective
year. The Involuntary Liquidation Preference Per
Share is the amount each share of Preferred Stock would be
entitled to upon involuntary liquidation of these shares.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Involuntary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year-End
|
|
|
Liquidation
|
|
|
Average Daily
|
|
|
|
Total Shares
|
|
|
Asset Coverage
|
|
|
Preference
|
|
|
Market Value
|
|
Year
|
|
Outstanding
|
|
|
Per
Share
|
|
|
Per
Share
|
|
|
Per
Share
|
|
2010
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
$
|
1,460
|
|
|
$
|
50
|
|
|
$
|
46.62
|
|
2009
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
1,307
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
42.31
|
|
2008
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
1,238
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
42.08
|
|
2007
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
3,203
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
43.77
|
|
2006
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
3,580
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
43.48
|
|
2005
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
3,228
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
45.70
|
|
2004
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
3,332
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
45.40
|
|
2003
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
3,120
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
44.16
|
|
2002
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
2,654
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
40.61
|
|
2001
|
|
|
752,740
|
|
|
|
3,868
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
37.57
|
|
10p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Capitalization
at February 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount Held
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
by Corporation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
or for its
|
Title of
Class
|
|
Authorized
|
|
Outstanding
|
|
Account
|
$2.50 Cumulative Preferred Stock, $50 par value
|
|
|
1,000,000 shs.
|
|
|
|
752,740 shs.
|
|
|
|
|
-0-shs.
|
|
|
Common Stock, $0.50 par value
|
|
|
159,000,000 shs.
|
*
|
|
|
66,135,757 shs.
|
|
|
|
|
-0-shs.
|
|
|
Warrants to purchase Common Stock
|
|
|
9,491 wts.
|
|
|
|
9,491 wts.
|
|
|
|
|
-0- wts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
229,587 shares
of Common Stock were reserved for issuance upon the exercise of
outstanding Warrants.
|
Trading
and Net Asset Value Information
The following table shows the high and low sale prices of the
Corporations Common Stock on the composite tape for issues
listed on the New York Stock Exchange for each calendar quarter
since the beginning of 2009, as well as the net asset values and
the range of the percentage discounts to net asset value per
share that correspond to such prices.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corresponding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corresponding
|
|
|
Discount to
|
|
|
|
Market
Price
|
|
|
Net Asset
Value
|
|
|
Net Asset
Value
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1st Q
|
|
|
10.47
|
|
|
|
7.08
|
|
|
|
11.69
|
|
|
|
8.27
|
|
|
|
(10.44
|
)
|
|
|
(14.39
|
)
|
2nd Q
|
|
|
9.58
|
|
|
|
8.51
|
|
|
|
11.47
|
|
|
|
9.90
|
|
|
|
(16.48
|
)
|
|
|
(14.04
|
)
|
3rd Q
|
|
|
11.13
|
|
|
|
8.80
|
|
|
|
13.21
|
|
|
|
10.69
|
|
|
|
(15.75
|
)
|
|
|
(17.68
|
)
|
4th Q
|
|
|
11.57
|
|
|
|
10.63
|
|
|
|
13.86
|
|
|
|
12.63
|
|
|
|
(16.52
|
)
|
|
|
(15.84
|
)
|
2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1st Q
|
|
|
12.32
|
|
|
|
10.86
|
|
|
|
14.57
|
|
|
|
13.00
|
|
|
|
(15.44
|
)
|
|
|
(16.46
|
)
|
2nd Q
|
|
|
12.95
|
|
|
|
10.87
|
|
|
|
15.30
|
|
|
|
12.95
|
|
|
|
(15.36
|
)
|
|
|
(16.06
|
)
|
3rd Q
|
|
|
12.34
|
|
|
|
10.80
|
|
|
|
14.48
|
|
|
|
12.90
|
|
|
|
(14.78
|
)
|
|
|
(16.28
|
)
|
4th Q
|
|
|
13.76
|
|
|
|
12.24
|
|
|
|
15.96
|
|
|
|
14.43
|
|
|
|
(13.78
|
)
|
|
|
(15.18
|
)
|
2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1st Q
|
|
|
14.75
|
|
|
|
13.76
|
|
|
|
17.05
|
|
|
|
15.96
|
|
|
|
(13.49
|
)
|
|
|
(13.78
|
)
|
The Corporations Common Stock has historically been traded
on the market at less than net asset value. The closing market
price, net asset value and percentage discount to net asset
value per share of the Corporations Common Stock on
March 31, 2011 were $14.62, $16.98 and 13.90%, respectively.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 11p
Investment
Objective and Other Policies and Related Risks
The Corporation is a Maryland corporation formed in 1929 by the
consolidation of two predecessor corporations. It is registered
under the 1940 Act as a diversified management investment
company of the closed-end type.
The Corporation invests primarily for the longer term and has no
charter restrictions with respect to such investments. Over the
years, the Corporations investment objective has been to
produce future growth of both capital and income while providing
reasonable current income. There can be no assurance that this
objective will be achieved. While common stocks have
historically made up the bulk of the Corporations
investments, assets may be held in cash or invested in all types
of securities, that is, in bonds, debentures, notes, preferred
and common stocks, rights and warrants, derivatives (including
options, futures contracts, swaps and equity-linked notes), and
other securities, in whatever amounts or proportions the Manager
believes best suited to current and anticipated economic and
market conditions.
The Corporations present investment policies, in respect
to which it has freedom of action, are:
(1) it keeps investments in individual issuers within the
limits permitted diversified companies under the 1940 Act (i.e.,
75% of its total assets must be represented by cash items,
government securities, securities of other investment companies,
and securities of other issuers which, at the time of
investment, do not exceed 5% of the Corporations total
assets at market value in the securities of any issuer and do
not exceed 10% of the voting securities of any issuer);
(2) it does not make investments with a view to exercising
control or management except that, as of the date hereof, it has
an investment in Seligman Data Corp., the former shareholder
servicing agent for the Corporation;
(3) it ordinarily does not invest in other investment
companies, but it may purchase up to 3% of the voting securities
of such investment companies, provided purchases of securities
of a single investment company do not exceed in value 5% of the
total assets of the Corporation and all investments in
investment company securities do not exceed 10% of total assets;
and
(4) it has no fixed policy with respect to portfolio
turnover and purchases and sales in the light of economic,
market and investment considerations. The portfolio turnover
rates for the ten fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 are
shown under Financial Highlights.
12p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
The foregoing investment objective and policies may be changed
by the Corporations Board of Directors (the
Board) without stockholder approval, unless such a
change would change the Corporations status from a
diversified to a non-diversified company
under the 1940 Act.
The Corporation has fundamental policies relating to the
issuance of senior securities, the borrowing of money, the
underwriting of securities of other issuers, the concentration
of investments in a particular industry or groups of industries,
the purchase or sale of real estate, the purchase or sale of
commodities or commodity contracts, and the making of loans.
These policies may not be changed without a vote of
stockholders. A more detailed description of the
Corporations investment policies, including a list of
those restrictions on the Corporations investment
activities which cannot be changed without such a vote, appears
in the SAI. Within the limits of these fundamental policies, the
Manager has reserved freedom of action.
Foreign/Emerging Markets Securities and their
Risks: The Corporation may invest up to 25% of its net
assets in foreign investments. Foreign securities are securities
of issuers based outside the United States. An issuer is deemed
to be based outside the United States if it is organized under
the laws of another country. Foreign securities are primarily
denominated in foreign currencies. In addition to the risks
normally associated with domestic securities of the same type,
foreign securities are subject to the following foreign risks:
Country risk includes the political, economic, and other
conditions of the country. These conditions include lack of
publicly available information, less government oversight
(including lack of accounting, auditing, and financial reporting
standards), the possibility of government-imposed restrictions,
and the nationalization of assets. The liquidity of foreign
investments may be more limited than for most
U.S. investments, which means that, at times it may be
difficult to sell foreign securities at desirable prices.
Currency risk results from the constantly changing
exchange rate between local currency and the U.S. dollar.
Whenever the Corporation holds securities valued in a foreign
currency or holds the currency, changes in the exchange rate add
to or subtract from the value of the investment.
Custody risk refers to the process of clearing and
settling trades. It also covers holding securities with local
agents and depositories. Low trading volumes and volatile prices
in less developed markets make trades harder to complete and
settle. Local agents are held only to the standard of care of
the local market. Governments or trade groups may compel local
agents to hold securities in designated depositories that are
not subject to independent evaluation. The less developed a
countrys securities market is, the greater the likelihood
of problems occurring.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 13p
Emerging markets risk includes the dramatic pace of
change (including economic, social and political change) in
these countries as well as the other considerations listed
above. These markets are in early stages of development and are
extremely volatile. They can be marked by extreme inflation,
devaluation of currencies, dependence on trade partners, and
hostile relations with neighboring countries.
Common Stock Risk. An adverse event, such as an
unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a
particular common stock held by the Corporation. Also, the
prices of common stocks are sensitive to general movements in
the stock market and a drop in the stock market may depress the
price of common stocks to which the Corporation has exposure.
Common stock prices fluctuate for several reasons, including
changes to investors perceptions of the financial
condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant
stock market, or when political or economic events affecting an
issuer occurs. In addition, common stock prices may be
particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of
capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
Leverage and its Risks: Senior securities issued or
money borrowed to raise funds for investment have a prior fixed
dollar claim on the Corporations assets and income. Any
gain in the value of securities purchased or income received in
excess of the cost of the amount borrowed or interest or
dividends payable causes the net asset value of the
Corporations Common Stock or the income available to it to
increase more than otherwise would be the case. Conversely, any
decline in the value of securities purchased or income received
on them that is less than the asset or income claims of the
senior securities or cost of borrowed money causes the net asset
value of the Common Stock or income available to it to decline
more sharply than would be the case if there were no prior
claim. Funds obtained through senior securities or borrowings
thus create investment opportunity, but they also increase
exposure to risk. This influence ordinarily is called
leverage. As of February 28, 2011, the only
senior securities of the Corporation outstanding were
752,740 shares of its $2.50 Cumulative Preferred Stock, $50
par value. The dividend rate as of February 28, 2011 on the
Preferred Stock was $2.50 per annum payable quarterly. Based on
the net asset value of the Corporations Common Stock on
February 28, 2011, the Corporations portfolio
requires an annual return of 0.16% in order to cover dividend
payments on the Preferred Stock. For a description of such
payments, see Description of Capital Stock. The
following table illustrates the effect of leverage relating to
presently outstanding Preferred Stock on the return available to
a holder of the Corporations Common Stock.
14p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
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Assumed return on portfolio (net of expenses)
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-10
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%
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-5
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%
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0
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%
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5
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%
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10
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%
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Corresponding return to common stockholder
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-10.51
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%
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-5.34
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%
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-0.17
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%
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5.00
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%
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10.17
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%
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The purpose of the table above is to assist you in understanding
the effects of leverage caused by the Corporations
Preferred Stock. The percentages appearing in the table are
hypothetical. Actual returns may be greater or less than those
shown above.
The use of leverage creates certain risks for the
Corporations Common Stockholders, including the greater
likelihood of higher volatility of the Corporations
return, its net asset value and the market price of the
Corporations Common Stock. Changes in the value of the
Corporations total assets will have a disproportionate
effect on the net asset value per share of Common Stock because
of the Corporations leveraged assets. For example, if the
Corporation was leveraged equal to 50% of the Corporations
Common Stock equity, it would show an approximately 1.5%
increase or decline in net asset value for each 1% increase or
decline in the value of its total assets. An additional risk of
leverage is that the cost of the leverage plus applicable
Corporation expenses may exceed the return on the transactions
undertaken with the proceeds of the leverage, thereby
diminishing rather than enhancing the return to the
Corporations Common Stockholders. These risks generally
would make the Corporations return to Common Stockholders
more volatile. The Corporation also may be required to sell
investments in order to make interest payments on borrowings
used for leverage when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Because the fees received by the Manager are based on the net
assets of the Corporation (including assets attributable to the
Corporations Preferred Stock and borrowings that may be
outstanding), the Manager has a financial incentive for the
Corporation to maintain the Preferred Stock or use borrowings,
which may create a conflict of interest between the Manager, on
the one hand, and the Common Stockholders on the other hand.
Active Management Risk. The Corporation is actively
managed and its performance therefore will reflect in part the
ability of the portfolio managers to select securities and to
make investment decisions that are suited to achieving the
Corporations investment objective. Due to its active
management, the Corporation could underperform other funds with
similar investment objectives.
Issuer Risk. An issuer may perform poorly, and
therefore, the value of its securities and bonds may decline,
which would negatively affect the Corporations performance.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 15p
Market Risk. The market value of securities may
fall, fail to rise, or fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and
unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, sector of
the economy, industry, or the market as a whole. These risks are
generally greater for small and mid-sized companies. Focus on a
particular style, for example, investment in growth or value
securities, may cause the Corporation to underperform other
funds if that style falls out of favor with the market.
The Corporation may not invest 25% or more of its total assets
in securities of companies in any one industry. The Corporation
may, however, invest a substantial percentage of its assets in
certain industries or economic sectors believed to offer good
investment opportunities. If an industry or economic sector in
which the Corporation is invested falls out of favor, the
Corporations performance may be negatively affected.
Quantitative Model Risk. Securities selected using
quantitative methods may perform differently from the market as
a whole as a result of the factors used in the quantitative
method, the weight placed on each factor, and changes in the
factors historical trends. The quantitative methodology
employed by the Manager has been extensively tested using
historical securities market data, but has only recently begun
to be used to manage investment companies. There can be no
assurance that the methodology will enable the Corporation to
achieve its objective.
Derivatives Risk. The Corporation may use
derivatives such as futures, options, swaps and forward
contracts, to produce incremental earnings, to hedge existing
positions, maintain investment efficiency or to increase
flexibility. Derivatives are financial instruments that have a
value which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of
something else, such as one or more underlying securities, pools
of securities, options, futures, indexes or currencies. Losses
involving derivative instruments may be substantial, because a
relatively small price movement in the underlying security(ies),
instrument, currency or index may result in a substantial loss
for the Corporation. In addition to the potential for increased
losses, the use of derivative instruments may lead to increased
volatility within the Corporation. Derivative instruments in
which the Corporation invests will typically increase the
Corporations exposure to risks to which it is otherwise
exposed, and may expose the Corporation to additional risks,
including correlation risk, counterparty credit risk, hedging
risk, leverage risk, and liquidity risk.
Correlation risk is related to hedging risk and is the
risk that there may be an incomplete correlation between the
hedge and the opposite position, which may result in increased
or unanticipated losses.
Counterparty credit risk is the risk that a counterparty
to the derivative instrument becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails
to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, and
the Corporation may obtain no recovery of its investment or may
only obtain a limited recovery, and any recovery may be delayed.
16p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Hedging risk is the risk that derivative instruments used
to hedge against an opposite position may offset losses, but
they may also offset gains. There is no guarantee that a hedging
strategy will eliminate the risk which the hedging strategy is
intended to offset, which may lead to losses within the
Corporation.
Leverage risk is the risk that losses from the derivative
instrument may be greater than the amount invested in the
derivative instrument.
Liquidity risk is the risk that the derivative instrument
may be difficult or impossible to sell or terminate, which may
cause the Corporation to be in a position to do something the
Manager would not otherwise choose, including accepting a lower
price for the derivative instrument, selling other investments
or foregoing another, more appealing investment opportunity.
Derivative instruments which are not traded on an exchange,
including, but not limited to, forward contracts, swaps and
over-the-counter options, may have increased liquidity risk.
Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited losses,
regardless of the size of the initial investment.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Corporation may
actively and frequently trade securities in its portfolio to
carry out its investment strategies. A high portfolio turnover
rate increases transaction costs which may increase the
Corporations expenses. Frequent and active trading may
cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Corporation
due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
An investment in the Corporation is not a deposit in a bank and
is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government agency.
Management
of the Corporation
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, 225 Franklin
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, is the investment manager
to all of the funds in the Columbia Family of Funds (including
the Columbia, Columbia Acorn, RiverSource, Seligman and
Threadneedle funds) and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Ameriprise Financial. Ameriprise Financial is a financial
planning and financial services company that has been offering
solutions for clients asset accumulation, income
management and protection needs for more than 110 years. In
addition to managing investments for the Columbia Family of
Funds, Columbia Management manages investments for itself and
its affiliates. For institutional clients, Columbia Management
and its affiliates provide investment management and related
services, such as separate account asset management, and
institutional trust and custody, as well as other investment
products. For all of its clients, Columbia Management seeks to
allocate investment opportunities in an equitable manner over
time. See the SAI for more information.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 17p
Under an Investment Management Services Agreement between
Columbia Management and the Corporation (the Management
Agreement), the Manager determines on behalf of the
Corporation which securities will be purchased, held or sold.
The annual management fee rate charged by the Manager is 0.355%
of the Corporations average daily net assets. The
management fee for the year ended December 31, 2010 was
0.36% of the Corporations average daily net assets.
Effective January 1, 2011 under an Administrative Services
Agreement between the Corporation and Columbia Management,
Columbia Management provides, or compensates others to provide,
administrative services, including accounting, treasury and
other services to the Corporation for a fee at an annual rate
equal to a percentage of the Corporations average daily
net assets as follows:
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Asset levels and
breakpoints in applicable fees
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500,000,001-
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1,000,000,001-
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3,000,000,001-
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12,000,000,001
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$0-500,000,000
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1,000,000,000
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3,000,000,000
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12,000,000,000
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or more
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Tri-Continental Corporation
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0.060%
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0.055%
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0.050%
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0.040%
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0.030%
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For the year ended December 31, 2010, administrative
services were provided to the Corporation under an
administrative services agreement with Ameriprise Financial, for
which the Corporation paid to Ameriprise Financial 0.06% of
the Corporations average daily net assets.
The Management Agreement was originally entered into on
November 7, 2008 and will continue in full force and effect
and from year to year thereafter if such continuance is approved
in the manner required by the 1940 Act (i.e., by a vote of a
majority of the Board or of the outstanding voting securities of
the Corporation and by a vote of a majority of
Corporations directors who are not parties to the
Management Agreement or interested persons (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party). The Management
Agreement may be terminated by either the Corporation or
Columbia Management at any time by giving the other party
60 days written notice of such intention to
terminate, provided that any termination shall be made without
the payment of any penalty, and provided further that
termination may be effected either by the Board or by a vote of
the majority of the outstanding voting shares of the
Corporation. The Management Agreement will terminate
automatically in the event of its assignment, as such term is
defined in the 1940 Act.
18p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Under the Management Agreement, the Corporation also pays taxes,
brokerage commissions and nonadvisory expenses, which include
custodian fees and charges; fidelity bond premiums; certain
legal fees; registration fees for shares, as necessary;
consultants fees; compensation of Board members, officers
and employees not employed by the Manager or its affiliates;
corporate filing fees; organizational expenses; expenses
incurred in connection with lending securities; interest and fee
expense related to the Corporations participation in
inverse floater structures; and expenses properly payable by the
Corporation, approved by the Board.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Boards approval
of the Management Agreement will be made available in the
Corporations Semi-Annual Report for the period ending
June 30, 2011.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 19p
Portfolio Manager. The portfolio manager responsible
for the Corporations day-to-day management is:
Brian M. Condon, Portfolio Manager
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Managed the Corporation since May 2010.
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Joined the Manager in May 2010 as a result of Ameriprise
Financials acquisition of Columbia Management Group, where
he worked as an investment professional since 1999.
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Began investment career in 1993.
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BA from Bryant University and MS in finance from Bentley College.
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The SAI provides additional information about portfolio manager
compensation, management of other accounts and ownership of
shares in the Corporation.
Administration Services. Columbia Management
Investment Advisers, LLC serves as administrator to the
Corporation and is located at 225 Franklin Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110. Columbia Management provides or compensates
others to provide administrative services to the Corporation and
the other funds in the Columbia Family of Funds.
Board Services Corporation. The Corporation has an
agreement with Board Services Corporation (Board
Services) located at 901 Marquette Avenue South,
Suite 2810, Minneapolis, MN 55402. This agreement sets
forth the terms of Board Services responsibility to serve
as an agent of the funds in the Columbia Family of Funds, which
includes the Corporation, for purposes of administering the
payment of compensation to each independent Board member, to
provide office space for use by the funds and their boards, and
to provide any other services to the boards or the independent
members, as may be reasonably requested.
Transfer, Stockholder Service and Dividend Paying Agent.
Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. is the
Corporations transfer, stockholder service and dividend
paying agent. CMISC is located at 225 Franklin Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm. Ernst & Young LLP is the
Corporations independent registered public accounting
firm. Their address is 220 S. 6th Street #1400,
Minneapolis, MN 55402.
In January 2011, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
recommended, and the Board of Directors, including a majority of
those members who are not interested persons of the
Corporation (as defined in the 1940 Act), approved
Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public
accounting firm to serve as auditors for the Corporation.
Ernst & Young LLP began service as the
Corporations independent registered public accounting firm
effective March 18, 2009.
20p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
The firm of Ernst & Young LLP has extensive experience
in investment company accounting and auditing. Ernst &
Young LLP has served as the independent registered public
accounting firm for the funds in the Columbia Family of Funds
overseen by the Columbia RiverSource Board of Directors/Trustees
since July 2007. In connection with the acquisition of
J.&W. Seligman & Co. Incorporated, the
Corporations predecessor investment manager, and the
Corporation becoming part of the RiverSource Family of Funds
(now the Columbia Family of Funds), the Audit Committee and
Board determined that it would be in the best interest of the
Corporation if one independent registered public accounting firm
were to perform audit and accounting services for all funds
overseen by the Columbia RiverSource Board of Directors/Trustees
which includes the Corporation. Ernst & Young LLP was
chosen due to the fact that the firm is familiar with the
management team and with the management and operations of the
funds advised by management.
LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
Ameriprise Financial and certain of its affiliates have
historically been involved in a number of legal, arbitration and
regulatory proceedings, including routine litigation, class
actions, and governmental actions, concerning matters arising in
connection with the conduct of their business activities.
Ameriprise Financial believes that the Corporation is not
currently the subject of, and that neither Ameriprise Financial
nor any of its affiliates are the subject of, any pending legal,
arbitration or regulatory proceedings that are likely to have a
material adverse effect on the Corporation or the ability of
Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their
contracts with the Corporation. Information regarding certain
pending and settled legal proceedings may be found in the
Corporations stockholder reports and in the SAI.
Additionally, Ameriprise Financial is required to make
10-Q,
10-K and, as
necessary,
8-K filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on legal and
regulatory matters that relate to Ameriprise Financial and its
affiliates. Copies of these filings may be obtained by accessing
the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 21p
Description
of Capital Stock
(a) Dividend Rights: Holders of Common Stock
(Common Stockholders) are entitled to receive
dividends only if and to the extent declared by the
Corporations Board and only after (i) such provisions
have been made for working capital and for reserves as the Board
may deem advisable, (ii) full cumulative dividends at the
rate of $0.625 per share per quarterly dividend period have been
paid on the Preferred Stock for all past quarterly periods and
have been provided for the current quarterly period, and
(iii) such provisions have been made for the purchase or
for the redemption (at a price of $55 per share) of the
Preferred Stock as the Board may deem advisable. In any event,
no dividend may be declared upon the Common Stock unless, at the
time of such declaration, the net assets of the Corporation,
after deducting the amount of such dividend and the amount of
all unpaid dividends declared on the Preferred Stock, shall be
at least equal to $100 per outstanding share of Preferred Stock.
The equivalent figure was $1,534.82 at February 28, 2011.
(b) Voting Rights: The Preferred Stock is entitled
to two votes and the Common Stock is entitled to one vote per
share at all meetings of stockholders. In the event of a default
in payments of dividends on the Preferred Stock equivalent to
six quarterly dividends, the Preferred Stockholders are
entitled, voting separately as a class to the exclusion of
Common Stockholders, to elect two additional directors, such
right to continue until all arrearages have been paid and
current Preferred Stock dividends are provided for.
Notwithstanding any provision of law requiring any action to be
taken or authorized by the affirmative vote of the holders of a
designated portion of all the shares or of the shares of each
class, such action shall be effective if taken or authorized by
the affirmative vote of a majority of the aggregate number of
the votes entitled to vote thereon, except that a class vote of
Preferred Stockholders is also required to approve certain
actions adversely affecting their rights. Any change in the
Corporations fundamental policies may also be authorized
by the vote of 67% of the votes present at a meeting if the
holders of a majority of the aggregate number of votes entitled
to vote are present or represented by proxy.
22p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Consistent with the requirements of Maryland law, the
Corporations charter provides that the affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the aggregate number of votes entitled to be cast
thereon shall be necessary to authorize any of the following
actions: (i) the dissolution of the Corporation;
(ii) a merger or consolidation of the Corporation (in which
the Corporation is not the surviving corporation) with
(a) an open-end investment company or (b) a closed-end
investment company, unless such closed-end investment
companys articles of incorporation require a two-thirds or
greater proportion of the votes entitled to be cast by such
companys stock to approve the types of transactions
covered by clauses (i) through (iv) of this paragraph;
(iii) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of
the Corporation to any person (as such term is defined in the
1940 Act); or (iv) any amendment of the charter of this
Corporation which makes any class of the Corporations
stock a redeemable security (as such term is defined in the 1940
Act) or reduces the two-thirds vote required to authorize the
actions listed in this paragraph. This could have the effect of
delaying, deferring or preventing changes in control of the
Corporation.
(c) Liquidation Rights: In the event of any
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up
of the Corporation, after payment to the holders of Preferred
Stock (Preferred Stockholders) of an amount equal to
$50 per share plus dividends accrued or in arrears, the Common
Stockholders are entitled, to the exclusion of the Preferred
Stockholders, to share ratably in all the remaining assets of
the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders.
(d) Other Provisions: Common Stockholders do not
have preemptive, subscription or conversion rights, and are not
liable for further calls or assessments. The Corporations
Board (other than any directors who may be elected to represent
Preferred Stockholders as described above) are classified as
nearly as possible into three equal classes with a maximum
three-year term so that the term of one class of directors
expires annually. Such classification provides continuity of
experience and stability of the Board while providing for the
election of a portion of the Board each year. Such
classification could have the effect of delaying, deferring or
preventing changes in control of the Corporation.
The Board may classify or reclassify any unissued stock of any
class with or without par value (including Preferred Stock and
Common Stock) into one or more classes of preference stock on a
parity with, but not having preference or priority over, the
Preferred Stock by fixing or altering before the issuance
thereof the designations, preferences, voting powers,
restrictions and qualifications of, the fixed annual dividends
on, the times and prices of redemption, the terms of conversion,
the number
and/or par
value of the shares and other provisions of such stock to the
full extent permitted by the laws of Maryland and the
Corporations charter. Stockholder approval of such action
is not required.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 23p
Description
of Warrants
The Corporation has issued and outstanding warrants (the
Warrants). The Corporations charter and
Warrant certificates provide that each Warrant represents the
right during an unlimited time to purchase one share of Common
Stock at a price of $22.50 per share, subject to increase in the
number of shares purchasable and adjustment of the price payable
pursuant to provisions of the charter requiring such adjustments
whenever the Corporation issues any shares of Common Stock at a
price less than the Warrant purchase price in effect immediately
prior to issue. Each Warrant presently entitles the holder to
purchase 24.19 shares of Common Stock at $0.93 per share.
There were 9,491 Warrants outstanding at February 28, 2011.
Fractional shares of Common Stock are not issued upon the
exercise of Warrants. In lieu thereof, the Corporation issues
scrip certificates representing corresponding fractions of the
right to receive a full share of Common Stock if exchanged by
the end of the second calendar year following issuance or of the
proceeds of the sale of a full share if surrendered during the
next four years thereafter.
Computation
of Net Asset Value
Net asset value of the Common Stock is determined daily, Monday
through Friday, as of the close of regular trading on the New
York Stock Exchange (normally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) each
day the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
Net asset value per share of Common Stock is determined by
dividing the current value of the assets of the Corporation less
its liabilities and the prior claim of the Preferred Stock by
the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding.
24p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
The Corporations securities are valued as follows as of
the close of business of the New York Stock Exchange. Securities
traded on a securities exchange for which a last-quoted sales
price is readily available are valued at the last-quoted sales
price on the exchange where such security is primarily traded.
Securities traded on a securities exchange for which a
last-quoted sales price is not readily available are valued at
the mean of the closing bid and asked prices, looking first to
the bid and asked prices on the exchange where the security is
primarily traded and, if none exist, to the
over-the-counter
market. Securities included in the NASDAQ National Market System
are valued at the last-quoted sales price in this market.
Securities included in the NASDAQ National Market System for
which a last-quoted sales price is not readily available, and
other securities traded
over-the-counter
but not included in the NASDAQ National Market System are valued
at the mean of the closing bid and asked prices. Futures and
options traded on major exchanges are valued at the last-quoted
sales price on their primary exchange. Foreign securities traded
outside the United States are generally valued as of the time
their trading is complete, which is usually different from the
close of the Exchange. Foreign securities quoted in foreign
currencies are translated into U.S. dollars utilizing spot
exchange rates at the close of regular trading on the Exchange.
Occasionally, events affecting the value of securities occur
between the time the primary market on which the securities are
traded closes and the close of the Exchange. If events
materially affect the value of securities, the securities will
be valued at their fair value according to procedures decided
upon in good faith by the Board. This occurs most commonly with
foreign securities, but may occur in other cases. The fair value
of a security is likely to be different from the quoted or
published price. Short-term securities maturing more than
60 days from the valuation date are valued at the readily
available market price or approximate market value based on
current interest rates. Typically, short-term securities
maturing in 60 days or less that originally had maturities
of more than 60 days at acquisition date are valued at
amortized cost using the market value on the 61st day
before maturity. Short-term securities maturing in 60 days
or less at acquisition date are valued at amortized cost.
Amortized cost is an approximation of market value determined by
systematically increasing the carrying value of a security if
acquired at a discount, or reducing the carrying value if
acquired at a premium, so that the carrying value is equal to
maturity value on the maturity date. Securities without a
readily available market price and securities for which the
price quotations or valuations received from other sources are
deemed unreliable or not reflective of market value are valued
at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board. The
Board is responsible for selecting methods it believes provide
fair value. When possible, bonds are valued at an evaluated bid
by a pricing service independent from the Corporation. If a
valuation of a bond is not available from a pricing service, the
bond will be valued by a dealer knowledgeable about the bond if
such a dealer is available.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 25p
Dividend
Policy and Taxes
Distributions: Dividends are paid quarterly on the
Preferred Stock and on the Common Stock in amounts representing
substantially all of the net investment income earned each year
by the Corporation. Payments on the Preferred Stock are in a
fixed amount, but payments on the Common Stock vary in amount,
depending on investment income received and expenses of
operation. In addition, substantially all of any taxable net
gain realized on investments is paid to Common Stockholders at
least annually in accordance with requirements under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and other applicable
statutory and regulatory requirements.
For stockholder accounts established after June 1, 2007
directly with the Corporation (which are serviced by the Service
Agent), unless the Service Agent is otherwise instructed by you,
distributions on the Common Stock are paid in book shares of
Common Stock which are entered in your Corporation account as
book credits. You may also elect to receive
distributions 75% in shares and 25% in cash, 50% in shares and
50% in cash, or 100% in cash. Any such election must be received
by the Service Agent by the record date for a distribution. If
you hold your shares of Common Stock through a financial
intermediary (such as a broker), you should contact the
financial intermediary to discuss your reinvestment and
distribution options, as they may be different than as described
above for accounts held directly with the Corporation. Elections
received after a record date for a distribution will be
effective in respect of the next distribution. Shares issued to
you in respect of distributions will be at a price equal to the
lower of: (i) the closing sale or bid price, plus
applicable commission, of the Common Stock on the New York Stock
Exchange on the ex-dividend date or (ii) the greater of net
asset value per share of the Common Stock and 95% of the closing
price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the
ex-dividend date (without adjustment for the exercise of
Warrants remaining outstanding). The issuance of Common Stock at
less than net asset value per share will dilute the net asset
value of all Common Stock outstanding at that time.
Distributions received by you will have the effect of reducing
the net asset value of the shares of the Corporation by the
amount of such distributions. If the net asset value of shares
is reduced below your cost by a distribution, the distribution
will be taxable as described below even though it is in effect a
return of capital.
Distributions described above are subject to applicable law and
the Boards right to suspend, modify or terminate the
distribution policy described below in the event the Board
determines that such action would be in the best interests of
the Corporation. In addition, distributions will be made only
when, as and if approved and declared and after paying dividends
on the Preferred Stock and interest and required principal
payments on borrowings, if any.
26p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Pursuant to the Corporations earned distribution policy,
the Corporation, subject to appropriate approval, intends to
make quarterly distributions to Common Stockholders that are
approximately equal to net investment income, less dividends
payable on the Corporations Preferred Stock. Capital
gains, when available, are distributed to Common Stockholders
along with the last income dividend of the calendar year.
Dividends and other distributions to Stockholders are recorded
on ex-dividend dates.
Taxes: The Corporation intends to continue to
qualify and elect to be treated as a regulated investment
company under the Internal Revenue Code. As a regulated
investment company, the Corporation will generally be exempt
from federal income taxes on its investment company taxable
income and net capital gains realized during the year, if any,
which it distributes to stockholders, provided that at least 90%
of its investment company taxable income (which includes net
short-term capital gains) is distributed to stockholders each
year.
Qualification does not, of course, involve governmental
supervision of management or investment practices or policies.
Investors should consult their own counsel for a complete
understanding of the requirements the Corporation must meet to
qualify for such treatment. The information set forth below
relates solely to the U.S. Federal income taxes on dividends and
distributions by the Corporation and assumes that the
Corporation qualifies as a regulated investment company.
Dividends on Common Stock or Preferred Stock from net investment
income (other than qualified dividend income) and
distributions from the excess of net short-term capital gains
over net long-term capital losses are taxable to stockholders as
ordinary income, whether received in cash or invested in
additional shares. For taxable years beginning before
January 1, 2011, qualified dividend income will be taxed at
a reduced rate to individuals of generally 15% (5% for
individuals in lower tax brackets). Qualified dividend income
is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic
corporations and certain foreign corporations (e.g., generally
foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United
States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty
with the United States, or the stock of which is readily
tradable on an established securities market in the United
States). The amount of dividend income that may be designated as
qualified dividend income by the Corporation will
generally be limited to the aggregate of the eligible dividends
received by the Corporation. In addition, the Corporation must
meet certain holding period requirements with respect to the
shares on which the Corporation received the eligible dividends,
and the non-corporate U.S. stockholder must meet certain holding
period requirements with respect to the Corporations
shares.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 27p
If for any year the Corporation does not qualify as a regulated
investment company, all of its taxable income (including its net
capital gain) will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates
without any deduction for distributions to stockholders. Such
distributions will generally be taxable to the stockholders as
qualified dividend income and generally will be eligible for the
dividends received deduction in the case of corporate
stockholders.
Distributions of net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net
long-term capital gains over any net short-term capital losses)
are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether received in cash
or invested in additional shares, regardless of how long you
have held your shares. Individual stockholders will be subject
to federal income tax on distributions of net capital gains at a
maximum rate of 15% if designated as derived from the
Corporations capital gains from such assets held for more
than one year and recognized in the taxable years beginning
before January 1, 2011. Net capital gain of a corporate
shareholder is taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.
Stockholders receiving distributions in the form of additional
shares issued by the Corporation will generally be treated for
federal income tax purposes as having received a distribution in
an amount equal to the cash that could have been elected to be
received instead of the additional shares.
At December 31, 2010, the Corporation had a capital loss
carryforward for federal income purposes of $773,083,601, of
which $216,574,794 expires in 2016 and $556,508,807 expires in
2017 and is available for offset against future taxable net
gains. Accordingly, no capital gain distributions are expected
to be paid to stockholders until net capital gains have been
realized in excess of the available capital loss carryforward.
There is no assurance that the Corporation will be able to
utilize all of its capital loss carryforward before it expires.
Dividends declared in October, November or December, payable to
stockholders of record on a specified date in such a month and
paid in the following January will be treated as having been
paid by the Corporation and received by each stockholder in
December, to the extent the Corporation has earnings and profits
as defined in the Internal Revenue Code. Under this rule,
therefore, stockholders may be taxed in one year on dividends or
distributions actually received in January of the following year.
Distributions of Common Stock will be treated as if the
stockholder received cash in amount equal to the fair market
value of the distributed Common Stock on the date of such
distribution. A stockholder will have a tax basis in the
distributed shares of Common Stock equal to the fair market
value of the Common Stock on the relevant distribution date and
a stockholders holding period with respect to such Common
Stock will begin the day following the distribution date for the
Common Stock.
28p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Any gain or loss you realize upon a sale of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock by a stockholder who is not a dealer in
securities will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain
or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and
as a short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for
one year or less. Capital gain of a non-corporate U.S.
stockholder that is recognized in a taxable year beginning
before January 1, 2011 is generally taxed at a maximum rate
of 15% in respect of shares held for more than one year. Net
capital gain of a corporate stockholder is taxed at the same
rate as ordinary income. However, if shares on which a long-term
capital gain distribution has been received are subsequently
sold or redeemed and such shares have been held for six months
or less (after taking into account certain hedging
transactions), any loss realized will be treated as long-term
capital loss to the extent that it offsets the long-term capital
gain distribution. No loss will be allowed on the sale or other
disposition of shares of the Corporation if, within a period
beginning 30 days before the date of such sale or
disposition and ending 30 days after such date, you acquire
(such as through the Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash
Purchase Plan), or enter into a contract or option to acquire,
securities that are substantially identical to the shares of the
Corporation.
The Corporation is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on
amounts required to be paid but not distributed under a
prescribed formula. The formula requires payment to stockholders
during a calendar year of distributions representing at least
98% of the Corporations ordinary income for the calendar
year, at least 98% of its net capital gain income realized
during the one-year period ending on October 31 during such
year, and all ordinary income and net capital gain income for
prior years that was not previously distributed. The Corporation
intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions
of its ordinary income and net capital gain income prior to the
end of each calendar year to avoid liability for the excise tax,
but there is no assurance that the Corporation will be able to
do so.
The tax treatment of the Corporation and of stockholders under
the tax laws of the various states may differ from the federal
tax treatment. You are urged to consult your own tax advisor
regarding specific questions as to federal, state or local
taxes, including questions regarding the alternative minimum tax.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 29p
The Corporation is required to withhold and remit to the U.S.
Treasury Department a portion of taxable dividends and other
reportable payments paid on your account if you provide the
Corporation with either an incorrect Taxpayer Identification
Number (this is your Social Security Number for individuals) or
no number at all or you fail to certify that you are not subject
to such withholding. You should be aware that, under regulations
promulgated by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Corporation may
be fined on an annual basis for each account for which a
certified Taxpayer Identification Number or Social Security
Number is not provided. The Corporation may charge you a service
fee equal to such fine for accounts not having a certified
Taxpayer Identification Number or Social Security Number, as
applicable. Certificates will not be issued unless an account is
certified.
Investment
Plans and Other Services
AUTOMATIC
DIVIDEND INVESTMENT AND CASH PURCHASE PLAN
The Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash Purchase Plan is
available for any Common Stockholder who wishes to purchase
additional shares of the Corporations Common Stock with
dividends or other cash payments on shares owned, with cash
dividends paid by other corporations in which stock is owned or
with cash funds. The tax treatment of dividends and capital gain
distributions is the same whether you take them in cash or
reinvest them to buy additional shares of the Corporations
Common Stock. Details of the services offered under the Plan are
given in the Authorization Form available at
columbiamanagement.com. Under the Plan, you appoint the
Corporation as your purchase agent to receive or invest such
dividends and cash funds forwarded by you for your accounts in
additional shares of the Corporations Common Stock (after
deducting a service charge), as described under Methods of
Purchase below. Funds forwarded by you under the Plan
should be made payable to
Tri-Continental
Corporation and mailed (if regular mail) to Tri-Continental
Corporation, P.O. Box 8099, Boston, MA
02266-8099,
and (if express mail) to Tri-Continental Corporation,
c/o Boston
Financial Data Services, Inc., 30 Dan Road, Canton, MA
02021-2809.
Checks for investment must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a
domestic bank. You will be assessed a $15 fee for any checks
rejected by your financial institution due to insufficient funds
or other reasons. The Corporation does not accept cash, credit
card convenience checks, money orders, travelers checks,
starter checks, third or fourth party checks, or other cash
equivalents. You should direct all correspondence concerning the
Plan to Tri-Continental Corporation, P.O. Box 8099,
Boston, MA
02266-8099.
At present, a service fee of $2.00 will be charged for each cash
purchase transaction. There is no charge for Automatic Dividend
Investment or transactions conducted by the Automated Clearing
House Service. As of February 28, 2011, 17,998
stockholders, owning approximately 28,584,377 shares of
Common Stock, were
30p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
using the Plan. You may choose one or more of the services
under the Plan and you may change your choices (or terminate
participation) at any time by notifying CMISC in writing. The
Plan may be amended or terminated by written notice to
Planholders.
AUTOMATED
CLEARING HOUSE SERVICE
The Automated Clearing House Service (ACH) enables
you, if you are an Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash
Purchase Planholder, to establish the ACH privilege that allows
you to transfer money directly from your bank account by
electronic funds transfer to be invested in additional shares of
Common Stock for your account. ACH is a payment transfer system
that connects US financial institutions. The ACH network acts as
a central clearing facility for all electronic fund transfers
transactions that occur nationwide. Important: Payments sent by
electronic funds transfer, a bank authorization, or check that
are not guaranteed may take up to 10 days or more to clear.
If you request to sell shares before the purchase funds clear,
this may cause your request to sell shares to fail to process if
the requested amount includes unguaranteed funds. If you
purchased your shares by check or from your bank account as an
ACH transaction, the Corporation may hold the proceeds of the
sale when you sell those shares for a period of time after the
receipt date of the funds.
SHARE KEEPING
SERVICE
You may send certificates for shares of the Corporations
Common Stock to
Tri-Continental
Corporation to be placed in your account. Certificates should be
sent to Tri-Continental Corporation, P.O. Box 8099,
Boston, MA
02266-8099,
in each case with a letter requesting that they be placed in
your account. You should not sign the certificates and they
should be sent by certified or registered mail. Return receipt
is advisable; however, this may increase mailing time. When your
certificates are received by the Service Agent, the shares will
be entered in your Corporation account as book
credits and shown on the account statement received from
the Service Agent. If you use the Share Keeping Service, you
should keep in mind that you may need a stock certificate for
delivery to a broker if you wish to sell shares. A certificate
will be issued and sent to you on your written or telephone
request to the Service Agent, usually within two business days
of the receipt of your request. You should consider the time it
takes for a letter to arrive at the Service Agent and for a
certificate to be delivered to you by mail before you choose to
use this service. During such time the market price of the
Common Stock may fluctuate.
TAX-DEFERRED
RETIREMENT PLANS
Shares of the Corporation may be purchased for:
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Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) (available to current
stockholders only);
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TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 31p
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Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE IRAs);
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Simplified Employee Pension Plans (SEPs);
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Section 401(k) Plans for corporations and their employees;
and
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Money Purchase Pension and Profit Sharing Plans for sole
proprietorships, partnerships and corporations.
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These types of plans may be established only upon receipt of a
written application form. The Corporation may register an IRA
investment for which an account application has not been
received as an ordinary taxable account.
For more information, write Retirement Plan Services,
Tri-Continental Corporation, P.O. Box 8099, Boston, MA
02266-8099.
You may also telephone toll free by dialing 800.345.6611 option
3 in the United States, (except holidays) between the hours of
9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.
METHOD OF
PURCHASE
Purchases will be made by the Corporation from time to time on
the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere to satisfy cash
purchase investments under the Automatic Dividend Investment and
Cash Purchase Plan, tax-deferred retirement plans, and the
investment plans noted above. Purchases will be suspended on any
day when the closing price (or closing bid price if there were
no sales) of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on
the preceding trading day was higher than the net asset value
per share (without adjustment for the exercise of Warrants
remaining outstanding). If on the date shares are issuable to
stockholders making Cash Purchase investments under the Plan
(the Issuance Date), shares previously purchased by
the Corporation are insufficient to satisfy Cash Purchase
investments and on the last trading day immediately preceding
the Issuance Date the closing sale or bid price of the Common
Stock is lower than or the same as the net asset value per
share, the Corporation will continue to purchase shares until a
number of shares sufficient to cover all investments by
stockholders has been purchased or the closing sale or bid price
of the Common Stock becomes higher than the net asset value, in
which case the Corporation will issue the necessary additional
shares. If on the last trading date immediately preceding the
Issuance Date, the closing sale or bid price of the Common Stock
was higher than the net asset value per share, and if shares of
the Common Stock previously purchased on the New York Stock
Exchange or elsewhere are insufficient to satisfy Cash Purchase
investments, the Corporation will issue the necessary additional
shares from authorized but unissued shares of the Common Stock.
32p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Shares will be issued on the dividend payable date or the
Issuance Date at a price equal to the lower of (1) the
closing sale or bid price, plus applicable commission, of the
Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the ex-dividend
date or Issuance Date or (2) the greater of the net asset
value per share of the Common Stock on such trading day (without
adjustment for the exercise of Warrants remaining outstanding)
and 95% of the closing sale or bid price of the Common Stock on
the New York Stock Exchange on such trading day. The issuance of
Common Stock at less than net asset value per share will dilute
the net asset value of all Common Stock outstanding at that
time. The Common Stock has historically been priced in the
market at less than its net asset value per share (i.e. at a
discount).
The net proceeds to the Corporation from the sale of any shares
of Common Stock to the Plans will be added to its general funds
and will be available for investment. The Manager anticipates
that investment of any proceeds, in accordance with the
Corporations investment objective and policies, will take
up to thirty days from their receipt by the Corporation,
depending on market conditions and the availability of
appropriate securities, but in no event will such investment
take longer than six months. Pending such investment in
accordance with the Corporations objective and policies,
the proceeds will be held in U.S. Government Securities (which
term includes obligations of the United States Government, its
agencies or instrumentalities) and other short-term money market
instruments as well as affiliated money market funds.
If you are participating in the Automatic Dividend Investment
and Cash Purchase Plan and your shares are held under the Plan
in book credit form, you may terminate your participation in the
Plan and receive a certificate for all or a part of your shares
or have all or a part of your shares sold for you by the
Corporation and retain unsold shares in book credit form or
receive a certificate for any shares not sold. Instructions must
be signed by all registered stockholders and should be sent to
Tri-Continental Corporation, P.O. Box 8099, Boston, MA
02266-8099.
If you elect to have shares sold, you will receive the proceeds
from the sale, less any brokerage commissions. Only participants
whose shares are held in book credit form may elect upon
termination of their participation in the Plan to have shares
sold in the above manner. This will not affect the date on which
your instruction to sell shares is actually processed.
MEDALLION
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE
Whenever the value of the shares being sold is greater than
$100,000, or the proceeds are to be paid or mailed to an address
or payee different from that on our records, or the address of
record on your account has been changed within the last
30 days, the signature of all stockholders must be
guaranteed by any financial institution including
commercial banks, credit unions and broker/dealers
that participates in one of the three Medallion Signature
Guarantee programs recognized by the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 33p
Medallion Signature Guarantee programs are the Securities
Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), the Stock Exchanges
Medallion Program (SEMP) and the New York Stock Exchange
Medallion Signature Program (MSP). A Medallion Signature
Guarantee helps assure that a signature is genuine and not a
forgery. The selling/and or servicing agent providing the
Medallion Signature Guarantee is financially liable for the
transaction if the signature is a forgery. Notarization by a
notary public is not an acceptable signature guarantee. The
Corporation reserves the right to reject a signature guarantee
where it is believed that the Corporation will be placed at risk
by accepting such guarantee.
SYSTEMATIC
WITHDRAWAL PLAN
This Plan is available if you wish to receive fixed payments
from your investment in the Corporations Common Stock in
any amount at specified regular intervals. You may start a
Systematic Withdrawal Plan if your shares of the
Corporations Common Stock have a market value of $5,000 or
more. Shares must be held in your account as book credits. The
Service Agent will act for you, make payments to you in
specified amounts on either the 1st or 15th day of each month,
as designated by you, and maintain your account, except that
with respect to Systematic Withdrawal Plans that are established
to satisfy the Minimum Required Distribution on a retirement
plan account, the Service Agent can only make payments to you on
the 1st and 15th days of each month.
Payments under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan will be made by
selling exactly enough full and fractional shares of Common
Stock to cover the amount of the designated withdrawal. Sales
may be made on the New York Stock Exchange, to the agent or a
trustee for one of the other Plans, or elsewhere. Payments from
sales of shares will reduce the amount of capital at work and
dividend earning ability, and ultimately may liquidate the
investment. You can cancel the plan by giving the
Fund 30 days notice in writing or by calling the
Service Agent at (800) 345-6611, option 3. Sales of shares may
result in gain or loss for income tax purposes. Withdrawals
under this Plan or any similar withdrawal plan of any other
investment company, concurrent with purchases of shares of the
Common Stock or of shares of any other investment company, will
ordinarily be disadvantageous to the Planholder because of the
payment of duplicative commissions.
LIMITATIONS ON
PURCHASES AND SALES UNDER PLANS
Purchases and sales of shares of the Corporations Common
Stock through the foregoing plans (other than retirement plans)
are limited to a total of 12,500 shares transacted per
calendar quarter, subject to a maximum 40,000 shares per
calendar year, per account (including any related accounts,
e.g., those under the same social security number or tax
identification number or otherwise under common control).
34p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
STOCKHOLDER
INFORMATION
The Service Agent maintains books and records for all of the
Plans, and confirms transactions to stockholders. To insure
prompt delivery of checks, account statements and other
information, you should notify the Service Agent immediately, in
writing or over the phone, of any address changes. If you close
your account, it is important that you notify the Service Agent
of any subsequent address changes to ensure that you receive a
year-end statement and tax information for that year. You will
be sent reports quarterly regarding the Corporation.
For information about your account held directly with the
Corporation you can write to Tri-Continental Corporation, P. O.
Box 8099, Boston, MA
02266-8099
or the Service Agent may be telephoned Monday through Friday at
(800)
345-6611,
option 3 (within the United States) (except holidays) between
the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Your call will be answered by a service representative.
24-hour
automated telephone access is available by dialing
(800) 345-6611,
(within the United States) on a touchtone telephone, which
provides instant access to price, account balance, most recent
transaction and other information. In addition, you may request
Account Statements and
Form 1099-DIV.
Issuance
of Shares in Connection with Acquisitions
The Corporation may issue shares of its Common Stock in exchange
for the assets of another investment company in transactions in
which the number of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation to
be delivered will be generally determined by dividing the
current value of the sellers assets by the current per
share net asset value or market price on the New York Stock
Exchange of the Common Stock of the Corporation, or by an
intermediate amount. In such acquisitions, the number of shares
of the Corporations Common Stock to be issued will not be
determined on the basis of the market price of such Common Stock
if such price is lower than its net asset value per share,
except pursuant to an appropriate order of the Securities and
Exchange Commission or approval by stockholders of the
Corporation, as required by law.
Some or all of the stock so issued may be sold from time to time
by the recipients or their stockholders through brokers in
ordinary transactions on stock exchanges at current market
prices. The Corporation has been advised that such sellers may
be deemed to be underwriters as that term is defined in the 1933
Act.
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS 35p
TABLE
OF CONTENTS OF THE
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Additional Investment Policies (See also Investment
Objective and Other Policies and Related Risks in the
Prospectus)
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3
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Directors and Officers
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20
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Management of the Corporation (See also Management of the
Corporation in the Prospectus)
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31
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Portfolio Managers
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32
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Holdings of Preferred Stock, Common Stock and Warrants
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34
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Securities Transactions
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34
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Financial Statements
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37
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Information Regarding Pending and Settled Legal Proceedings
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37
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Custodian, Transfer, Stockholder Service and Dividend Paying
Agent and Experts
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38
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on
Financial Highlights Senior Securities
$2.50 Cumulative Preferred Stock
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39
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36p TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
2011 PROSPECTUS
Additional
information about the Corporation and its investments is
available in the Corporations SAI, and annual and
semiannual reports to shareholders. In the Corporations
annual report, you will find a discussion of the market
conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected
the Corporations performance during its last fiscal year.
The SAI is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. For a
free copy of the SAI, the annual report, or the semiannual
report, or to request other information about the Corporation,
contact the Corporation directly or your financial intermediary.
To make a shareholder inquiry, contact the financial
intermediary through whom you purchased these funds.
Tri-Continental
Corporation
P.O. Box 8099
Boston, MA 02266-8099
Information
is also available at columbiamanagement.com
Information
about the Corporation, including the SAI, can be viewed at the
Securities and Exchange Commissions (Commission) Public
Reference Room in Washington, D.C. (for information about the
public reference room call
1-202-551-8090).
Reports and other information about the Corporation are
available on the EDGAR Database on the Commissions
Internet site at www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be
obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request
at the following
E-mail
address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the
Commissions Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C.
20549-1520.
Investment
Company Act File #811-00266
TICKER SYMBOL:
TY
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SL-9912-99 B
(5/11)
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TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
(the Corporation)
Statement of Additional Information
May 1, 2011
225 Franklin Street
Boston, MA 02110
Toll-Free Telephone: (800) 345-6611, option 3
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus. This SAI relates to the
Corporations current Prospectus, dated May 1, 2011 (the Prospectus), and should be read in
conjunction therewith. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained by writing or calling the
Corporation at the Corporations stockholder servicing agent, Columbia Management Investment
Services Corp. (CMISC or the Service Agent) at 225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110 or call
the telephone number above. The SAI, as well as the Corporations most recent Annual and Mid-Year
Reports are also available at www.columbiamanagement.com. The website references in this SAI are
inactive textual references and information contained in or otherwise accessible through these
websites does not form a part of this SAI. Terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meaning described in the Prospectus.
The financial statements and notes included in the Corporations Annual Report, which includes the
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm thereon, are incorporated herein by
reference. The Annual Report will be furnished to you, without charge, when you request a copy of
this SAI.
The Columbia Family of Funds includes a comprehensive array of funds managed by Columbia Management
Investment Advisers, LLC (Columbia Management, the Manager or investment manager), including
the Corporation, the Columbia, Columbia Acorn, RiverSource, Seligman and Threadneedle branded
funds. The investment manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
(Ameriprise Financial).
The Corporation is governed by a Board that meets regularly to review a wide variety of matters
affecting the Corporation. Detailed information about governance of the Corporation, RiverSource
Investments and other aspects of management of the Corporation can be found by referencing the
Table of Contents.
A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC).
Table of Contents
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2
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT POLICIES
The investment objectives and policies of the Corporation are set forth in the Prospectus. Certain
additional investment information is set forth below. Defined terms used herein and not otherwise
defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.
Fundamental Policies
The Corporations stated fundamental policies, which may not be changed without a vote of
stockholders, are listed below. Within the limits of these fundamental policies, the Manager has
reserved freedom of action. The Corporation:
(1) |
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may issue senior securities such as bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness if
immediately after issuance the net assets of the Corporation provide 300% coverage of the
aggregate principal amount of all bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness and that
amount does not exceed 150% of the capital and surplus of the Corporation; |
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(2) |
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may issue senior equity securities on a parity with, but not having preference or priority
over, the Preferred Stock if immediately after issuance its net assets are equal to at least
200% of the aggregate amount (exclusive of any dividends accrued or in arrears) to which all
shares of the Preferred Stock, then outstanding, shall be entitled as a preference over the
Common Stock in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up
of the Corporation; |
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(3) |
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may borrow money for substantially the same purposes as it may issue senior debt securities,
subject to the same restrictions and to any applicable limitations prescribed by law; |
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(4) |
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may engage in the business of underwriting securities either directly or through
majority-owned subsidiaries subject to any applicable restrictions and limitations prescribed
by law; |
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(5) |
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does not intend to concentrate its assets in any one industry although it may from time to
time invest up to 25% of the value of its assets, taken at market value, in a single industry; |
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(6) |
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may not, with limited exceptions, purchase and sell real estate directly but may do so
through majority-owned subsidiaries, so long as its real estate investments do not exceed 10%
of the value of the Corporations total assets; |
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(7) |
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may not purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts; and |
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(8) |
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may make money loans (subject to restrictions imposed by law and by charter) (a) only to its
subsidiaries, (b) as incidents to its business transactions or (c) for other purposes. It may
lend its portfolio securities to brokers or dealers in corporate or government securities,
banks or other recognized institutional borrowers of securities subject to any applicable
requirements of a national securities exchange or of a governmental regulatory body against
collateral consisting of cash or direct obligations of the United States, maintained on a
current basis, so long as all such loans do not exceed 10% of the value of total assets, and
it may make loans represented by repurchase agreements, so long as such loans do not exceed
10% of the value of total assets. |
During its last three fiscal years, the Corporation did not: (a) issue senior securities; (b)
borrow any money; (c) underwrite securities; (d) concentrate investments in particular industries
or groups of industries; (e) purchase or sell real estate, commodities, or commodity contracts; or
(f) make money loans.
Other Policies and Risks
Cash/Money Market Instruments. Cash-equivalent investments include short-term U.S. and Canadian
government securities and negotiable certificates of deposit, non-negotiable fixed-time deposits,
bankers acceptances, and letters of credit of banks or savings and loan associations having
capital, surplus, and undivided profits (as of the date of its most recently published annual
financial statements) in excess of $100 million (or the equivalent in the instance of a foreign
branch of a U.S. bank) at the date of investment. The Corporation also may purchase short-term
notes and obligations of U.S. and foreign banks and corporations and may use repurchase agreements
with broker-dealers registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and with commercial banks.
These types of instruments generally offer low rates of return and subject the Corporation to
certain costs and expenses.
3
Bankers acceptances are marketable short-term credit instruments used to finance the import,
export, transfer or storage of goods. They are termed accepted when a bank guarantees their
payment at maturity.
Bank certificates of deposit are certificates issued against funds deposited in a bank (including
eligible foreign branches of U.S. banks), are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate
of return and are normally negotiable.
The Corporation may invest its daily cash balance in Columbia Short-Term Cash Fund, a money market
fund established for the exclusive use of the Columbia Family of Funds and other institutional
clients of Columbia Management.
Common Stock and its Risks. Common stock represents units of ownership in a corporation. Owners
typically are entitled to vote on the selection of directors and other important matters as well as
to receive dividends on their holdings. In the event that a corporation is liquidated, the claims
of secured and unsecured creditors and owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the
claims of those who own common stock. The price of common stock is generally determined by
corporate earnings, type of products or services offered, projected growth rates, experience of
management, liquidity, and general market conditions for the markets on which the stock trades. The
price of common stocks will fluctuate and the Corporation could lose money on its investments in
common stocks.
Convertible Securities and their Risks. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes,
preferred stocks, or other securities that may be converted into common, preferred or other
securities of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified
price. Some convertible securities, such as preferred equity-redemption cumulative stock (PERCs),
have mandatory conversion features. Others are voluntary. A convertible security entitles the
holder to receive interest normally paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock
until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted, or exchanged. Convertible
securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally (i) have higher yields
than common stocks but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities, (ii) are less
subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying stock since they have fixed income
characteristics, and (iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of
the underlying common stock increases.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its investment value (determined by its
yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do
not have a conversion privilege) and its conversion value (the securitys worth, at market value,
if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is
influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase
and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also
may have an effect on the convertible securitys investment value. The conversion value of a
convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the
conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is
governed principally by its investment value. Generally, the conversion value decreases as the
convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of the underlying common
stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be
increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a
premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to
acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.
Corporate Bonds and their Risks. Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by private
corporations, as distinct from bonds issued by a government or its agencies or a municipality.
Corporate bonds typically have four distinguishing features: (1) they are taxable; (2) they have a
par value of $1,000; (3) they have a term maturity, which means they come due all at once; and (4)
many are traded on major exchanges. Corporate bonds are subject to the same concerns as other debt
obligations. Corporate bonds may be either secured or unsecured. Unsecured corporate bonds are
generally referred to as debentures. Investment by the Corporation in corporate bonds subjects
the Corporation to issuer credit risk, interest rate risk, issuer risk, prepayment and extension
risk, and reinvestment risk.
Debt Obligations and their Risks. Many different types of debt obligations exist (for example,
bills, bonds, or notes). Issuers of debt obligations have a contractual obligation to pay interest
at a fixed, variable or floating rate on specified dates and to repay principal on a specified
maturity date. Certain debt obligations (usually intermediate- and long-term bonds) have provisions
that allow the issuer to redeem or call a bond before its maturity. Issuers are most likely to
call these securities during periods of falling interest rates. When this happens, an investor may
have to replace these securities with lower yielding securities, which could result in a lower
return.
4
The market value of debt obligations is affected primarily by changes in prevailing interest rates
and the issuers perceived ability to repay the debt. The market value of a debt obligation
generally reacts inversely to interest rate changes. When prevailing interest rates decline, the
price usually rises, and when prevailing interest rates rise, the price usually declines. In
general, the longer the maturity of a debt obligation, the higher its yield and the greater the
sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Conversely, the shorter the maturity, the lower the yield
but the greater the price stability.
As noted, the values of debt obligations also may be affected by changes in the credit rating or
financial condition of their issuers. Generally, the lower the quality rating of a security, the
higher the degree of risk as to the payment of interest and return of principal. To compensate
investors for taking on such increased risk, those issuers deemed to be less creditworthy generally
must offer their investors higher interest rates than do issuers with better credit ratings.
Generally, debt obligations that are investment grade are those that have been rated in one of the
top four credit quality categories by two out of the three independent rating agencies. In the
event that a debt obligation has been rated by only two agencies, the most conservative, or lower,
rating must be in one of the top four credit quality categories in order for the security to be
considered investment grade. If only one agency has rated the debt obligation, that rating must be
in one of the top four credit quality categories for the security to be considered investment
grade.
All ratings limitations are applied at the time of purchase. Subsequent to purchase, a debt
security may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase
by the Corporation. Neither event will require the sale of such a security, but it will be a factor
in considering whether to continue to hold the security. To the extent that ratings change as a
result of changes in a rating agency or its rating system, the Corporation will attempt to use
comparable ratings as standards for selecting investments.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with debt obligations include: Credit Risk, Interest Rate Risk, Issuer Risk, Prepayment
and Extension Risk, and Reinvestment Risk.
Depositary Receipts and their Risks. Some foreign securities are traded in the form of American
Depositary Receipts (ADRs). ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company
evidencing ownership of the underlying securities of foreign issuers. European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) are receipts typically issued by foreign banks or
trust companies, evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or U.S.
issuer. Generally, depositary receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. and
depositary receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the U.S.
Depositary receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying
securities into which they may be converted. Depositary receipts involve the risks of other
investments in foreign securities. In addition, ADR holders may not have all the legal rights of
shareholders and may experience difficulty in receiving shareholder communications.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with depositary receipts include: Foreign/Emerging Markets Risk, Issuer Risk, and Market
Risk.
Derivative Instruments and their Risks. Derivative instruments are commonly defined to include
securities or contracts whose values depend, in whole or in part, on (or derive from) the value
of one or more other assets, such as securities, currencies, or commodities.
A derivative instrument generally consists of, is based upon, or exhibits characteristics similar
to options or forward contracts. Such instruments may be used to maintain cash reserves while
remaining fully invested, to offset anticipated declines in values of investments, to facilitate
trading, to reduce transaction costs, or to pursue higher investment returns. Derivative
instruments are characterized by requiring little or no initial payment. Their value changes daily
based on a security, a currency, a group of securities or currencies, or an index. A small change
in the value of the underlying security, currency, or index can cause a sizable percentage gain or
loss in the price of the derivative instrument.
Options and forward contracts are considered to be the basic building blocks of derivatives. For
example, forward- based derivatives include forward contracts, swap contracts, and exchange-traded
futures. Forward-based derivatives are sometimes referred to generically as futures contracts.
Option-based derivatives include privately negotiated, over-the-counter (OTC) options (including
caps, floors, collars, and options on futures) and exchange-traded options on futures. Diverse
types of derivatives may be created by combining options or futures in different ways, and by
applying these structures to a wide range of underlying assets.
5
An option is a contract. A person who buys a call option for a security has the right to buy the
security at a set price for the length of the contract. A person who sells a call option is called
a writer. The writer of a call option agrees for the length of the contract to sell the security at
the set price when the buyer wants to exercise the option, no matter what the market price of the
security is at that time. A person who buys a put option has the right to sell a security at a set
price for the length of the contract. A person who writes a put option agrees to buy the security
at the set price if the purchaser wants to exercise the option during the length of the contract,
no matter what the market price of the security is at that time. An option is covered if the writer
owns the security (in the case of a call) or sets aside the cash or securities of equivalent value
(in the case of a put) that would be required upon exercise.
The price paid by the buyer for an option is called a premium. In addition to the premium, the
buyer generally pays a broker a commission. The writer receives a premium, less another commission,
at the time the option is written. The premium received by the writer is retained whether or not
the option is exercised. A writer of a call option may have to sell the security for a below-market
price if the market price rises above the exercise price. A writer of a put option may have to pay
an above-market price for the security if its market price decreases below the exercise price.
When an option is purchased, the buyer pays a premium and a commission. It then pays a second
commission on the purchase or sale of the underlying security if the option is exercised. For
record keeping and tax purposes, the price obtained on the sale of the underlying security is the
combination of the exercise price, the premium, and both commissions.
One of the risks an investor assumes when it buys an option is the loss of the premium. To be
beneficial to the investor, the price of the underlying security must change within the time set by
the option contract. Furthermore, the change must be sufficient to cover the premium paid, the
commissions paid both in the acquisition of the option and in a closing transaction or in the
exercise of the option and sale (in the case of a call) or purchase (in the case of a put) of the
underlying security. Even then, the price change in the underlying security does not ensure a
profit since prices in the option market may not reflect such a change.
Options on many securities are listed on options exchanges. If a fund writes listed options, it
will follow the rules of the options exchange. Options are valued at the close of the New York
Stock Exchange. An option listed on a national exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, or NASDAQ
will be valued at the last quoted sales price or, if such a price is not readily available, at the
mean of the last bid and ask prices.
Options on certain securities are not actively traded on any exchange, but may be entered into
directly with a dealer. These options may be more difficult to close. If an investor is unable to
effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until
the call written by the investor expires or is exercised.
Futures Contracts. The Corporation may utilize index futures contracts. A futures contract
is a sales contract between a buyer (holding the long position) and a seller (holding the short
position) for an asset with delivery deferred until a future date. The buyer agrees to pay a fixed
price at the agreed future date and the seller agrees to deliver the asset. The seller hopes that
the market price on the delivery date is less than the agreed upon price, while the buyer hopes for
the contrary. Many futures contracts trade in a manner similar to the way a stock trades on a stock
exchange and the commodity exchanges.
Generally, a futures contract is terminated by entering into an offsetting transaction. An
offsetting transaction is effected by an investor taking an opposite position. At the time a
futures contract is made, a good faith deposit called initial margin is set up. Daily thereafter,
the futures contract is valued and the payment of variation margin is required so that each day a
buyer would pay out cash in an amount equal to any decline in the contracts value or receive cash
equal to any increase. At the time a futures contract is closed out, a nominal commission is paid,
which is generally lower than the commission on a comparable transaction in the cash market.
Futures contracts may be based on various securities, securities indexes (such as the S&P 500
Index), foreign currencies and other financial instruments and indexes.
The Corporation may engage in futures and related options transactions to produce incremental
earnings, to hedge existing positions, and to increase flexibility. The Corporation intends to
comply with Rule 4.5 of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), under which a registered
investment company is exempt from the definition of a commodity pool operator. The Corporation,
therefore, is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator, meaning that
the Corporation may invest in futures contracts without registering with the CFTC.
6
Options on Futures. The Corporation may utilize options on index futures (options on
futures). Options on futures contracts give the holder a right to buy or sell futures contracts in
the future. Unlike a futures contract, which requires the parties to the contract to buy and sell a
security on a set date (some futures are settled in cash), an option on a futures contract merely
entitles its holder to decide on or before a future date (within nine months of the date of issue)
whether to enter into a contract. If the holder decides not to enter into the contract, all that is
lost is the amount (premium) paid for the option. Further, because the value of the option is fixed
at the point of sale, there are no daily payments of cash to reflect the change in the value of the
underlying contract. However, since an option gives the buyer the right to enter into a contract at
a set price for a fixed period of time, its value does change daily.
One of the risks in buying an option on a futures contract is the loss of the premium paid for the
option. The risk involved in writing options on futures contracts an investor owns, or on
securities held in its portfolio, is that there could be an increase in the market value of these
contracts or securities. If that occurred, the option would be exercised and the asset sold at a
lower price than the cash market price. To some extent, the risk of not realizing a gain could be
reduced by entering into a closing transaction. An investor could enter into a closing transaction
by purchasing an option with the same terms as the one previously sold. The cost to close the
option and terminate the investors obligation, however, might still result in a loss. Further, the
investor might not be able to close the option because of insufficient activity in the options
market. Purchasing options also limits the use of monies that might otherwise be available for
long-term investments.
Options on Indexes. Options on indexes are securities traded on national securities
exchanges. An option on an index is similar to an option on a futures contract except all
settlements are in cash. A fund exercising a put, for example, would receive the difference between
the exercise price and the current index level. Options may also be traded with respect to other
types of indexes, such as options on indexes of commodities futures.
Currency Options. Options on currencies are contracts that give the buyer the right, but
not the obligation, to buy (call options) or sell (put options) a specified amount of a currency at
a predetermined price (strike price) on or before the option matures (expiry date). Conversely, the
seller has the obligation to buy or sell a currency option upon exercise of the option by the
purchaser. Currency options are traded either on a national securities exchange or
over-the-counter.
Tax and Accounting Treatment. As permitted under federal income tax laws, the Corporation
would intend to identify futures contracts as part of a mixed straddle and not mark them to market,
that is, not treat them as having been sold at the end of the year at market value. If the
Corporation is using short futures contracts for hedging purposes, the Corporation may be required
to defer recognizing losses incurred on short futures contracts and on underlying securities. Any
losses incurred on securities that are part of a straddle may be deferred to the extent there is
unrealized appreciation on the offsetting position until the offsetting position is sold. Federal
income tax treatment of gains or losses from transactions in options, options on futures contracts
and indexes will depend on whether the option is a section 1256 contract. If the option is a
non-equity option, the Corporation would either make a 1256(d) election and treat the option as a
mixed straddle or mark to market the option at fiscal year end and treat the gain/loss as 40%
short-term and 60% long-term.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has ruled publicly that an exchange-traded call option is a
security for purposes of the 50%-of-assets test and that its issuer is the issuer of the underlying
security, not the writer of the option, for purposes of the diversification requirements.
Accounting for futures contracts will be according to generally accepted accounting principles.
Initial margin deposits will be recognized as assets due from a broker (the Corporations agent in
acquiring the futures position). During the period the futures contract is open, changes in value
of the contract will be recognized as unrealized gains or losses by marking to market on a daily
basis to reflect the market value of the contract at the end of each days trading. Variation
margin payments will be made or received depending upon whether gains or losses are incurred. All
contracts and options will be valued at the last-quoted sales price on their primary exchange.
Other Risks of Derivatives. The primary risk of derivatives is the same as the risk of the
underlying asset, namely that the value of the underlying asset may go up or down. Adverse
movements in the value of an underlying asset can expose an investor to losses. Derivative
instruments may include elements of leverage and, accordingly, the fluctuation of the value of the
derivative instrument in relation to the underlying asset may be magnified. The successful use of
derivative instruments depends upon a variety of factors, particularly the investment managers
ability to predict movements of the securities, currencies, and commodity markets, which requires
different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. There can be no
assurance that any particular strategy will succeed.
7
Another risk is the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the failure of a counterparty
to comply with the terms of a derivative instrument. The counterparty risk for exchange-traded
derivative instruments is generally less than for privately negotiated or OTC derivative
instruments, since generally a clearing agency, which is the issuer or counterparty to each
exchange-traded instrument, provides a guarantee of performance. For privately-negotiated
instruments, there is no similar clearing agency guarantee. In all transactions, an investor will
bear the risk that the counterparty will default, and this could result in a loss of the expected
benefit of the derivative transaction and possibly other losses.
When a derivative transaction is used to completely hedge another position, changes in the market
value of the combined position (the derivative instrument plus the position being hedged) result
from an imperfect correlation between the price movements of the two instruments. With a perfect
hedge, the value of the combined position remains unchanged for any change in the price of the
underlying asset. With an imperfect hedge, the values of the derivative instrument and its hedge
are not perfectly correlated. For example, if the value of a derivative instrument used in a short
hedge (such as writing a call option, buying a put option, or selling a futures contract) increased
by less than the decline in value of the hedged investment, the hedge would not be perfectly
correlated. Such a lack of correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of the
investments being hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the markets in which these
instruments are traded.
Derivatives also are subject to the risk that they cannot be sold, closed out, or replaced quickly
at or very close to their fundamental value. Generally, exchange contracts are very liquid because
the exchange clearinghouse is the counterparty of every contract. OTC transactions are less liquid
than exchange-traded derivatives since they often can only be closed out with the other party to
the transaction.
Another risk is caused by the legal unenforcibility of a partys obligations under the derivative.
A counterparty that has lost money in a derivative transaction may try to avoid payment by
exploiting various legal uncertainties about certain derivative products.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with derivative instruments include: Derivatives Risk and Liquidity Risk.
Equity-Linked Securities and their Risks. The Corporation may invest in equity-linked securities
(each, an ELS) as part of its overall investment strategy. An ELS is a debt instrument whose
value is based on the value of a single equity security, basket of equity securities or an index of
equity securities (each, an Underlying Equity). An ELS typically provides interest income,
thereby offering a yield advantage over investing directly in an Underlying Equity. However, the
holder of an ELS typically does not benefit from all appreciation in the Underlying Equity, but
generally is exposed to downside market risk. The Corporation may purchase ELSs that trade on a
securities exchange or those that trade on the over-the-counter markets, including Rule 144A
securities. The Corporation may also purchase ELSs in a privately negotiated transaction with the
issuer of the ELSs (or its broker-dealer affiliate, collectively referred to in this section as the
issuer). The Corporation may or may not hold an ELS until its maturity.
Investments in ELSs subject the Corporation to risks, primarily to the downside market risk
associated with the Underlying Equity, and to additional risks not typically associated with
investments in listed equity securities, such as liquidity risk, credit risk of the issuer, and
concentration risk. Most ELSs do not have any downside protection (though some ELSs provide for a
floor on the downside). In general, an investor in an ELS has the same downside risk as an investor
in the Underlying Equity. The liquidity of an ELS that is not actively traded on an exchange is
linked to the liquidity of the Underlying Equity. The issuer of an ELS generally purchases the
Underlying Equity as a hedge. If the Corporation wants to sell an ELS back to the issuer prior to
its maturity, the issuer may sell the Underlying Equity to unwind the hedge and, therefore, must
take into account the liquidity of the Underlying Equity in negotiating the purchase price the
issuer will pay to the Corporation to acquire the ELS.
The liquidity of an unlisted ELS is normally determined by the willingness of the issuer to make a
market in the ELS. While the Corporation will seek to purchase ELSs only from issuers that it
believes to be willing to, and capable of, repurchasing the ELS at a reasonable price, there can be
no assurance that the Corporation will be able to sell any ELS at such a price or at all. This may
impair the Corporations ability to enter into other transactions at a time when doing so might be
advantageous. In addition, because ELSs are senior unsecured notes of the issuer, the Corporation
would be subject to the credit risk of the issuer and the potential risk of being too concentrated
in the securities (including ELSs) of that issuer. The Corporation bears the risk that the issuer
may default on its obligations under the ELS. In the event of insolvency of the issuer, the
Corporation will be unable to obtain the
8
intended benefits of the ELS. Moreover, it may be may be difficult to obtain market quotations for
purposes of valuing the Corporations ELSs and computing the Corporations net asset value.
Price movements of an ELS will likely differ significantly from price movements of the Underlying
Equity, resulting in the risk of loss if the Manager is incorrect in its expectation of
fluctuations in securities prices, interest rates or currency prices or other relevant features of
an ELS.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and their Risks. An ETFs share price may not track its specified
market index and may trade below its net asset value. ETFs generally use a passive investment
strategy and will not attempt to take defensive positions in volatile or declining markets. An
active secondary market in an ETFs shares may not develop or be maintained and may be halted or
interrupted due to actions by its listing exchange, unusual market conditions or other reasons.
There can be no assurance an ETFs shares will continue to be listed on an active exchange. In
addition, stockholders bear both their proportionate share of the Corporations expenses and
similar expenses incurred through ownership of the ETF.
The Corporation generally expects to purchase shares of ETFs through broker-dealers in transactions
on a securities exchange, and in such cases the Corporation will pay customary brokerage
commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a
specified portfolio of the ETFs underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal
to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the
ETFs custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes
referred to as a creation unit. Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be
accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may redeemed in kind for a
portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETFs net asset value) together with a cash
payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Corporation may
redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a
portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units. The
Corporations ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), which provides that ETFs will not be obligated to redeem shares
held by the Corporation in an amount exceeding one percent of their total outstanding securities
during any period of less than 30 days.
There is a risk that ETFs in which the Corporation invests may terminate due to extraordinary
events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may
close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to
find a substitute service provider. Also, ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various
indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names.
If these licenses are terminated, the ETFs may also terminate. In addition, an ETF may terminate if
its net assets fall below a certain amount.
Foreign Securities and their Risks. Foreign securities, foreign currencies, and securities issued
by U.S. entities with substantial foreign operations involve special risks, including those set
forth below, which are not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities. Foreign
companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting
standards comparable to those applicable to domestic companies. Additionally, many foreign stock
markets, while growing in volume of trading activity, have substantially less volume than the New
York Stock Exchange, and securities of some foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile
than securities of domestic companies. Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign bond markets
are less than the volume and liquidity in the U.S. and, at times, volatility of price can be
greater than in the U.S. Further, foreign markets have different clearance, settlement,
registration, and communication procedures and in certain markets there have been times when
settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions making it
difficult to conduct such transactions. Delays in such procedures could result in temporary periods
when assets are uninvested and no return is earned on them. The inability of an investor to make
intended security purchases due to such problems could cause the investor to miss attractive
investment opportunities.
Payment for securities without delivery may be required in certain foreign markets and, when
participating in new issues, some foreign countries require payment to be made in advance of
issuance (at the time of issuance, the market value of the security may be more or less than the
purchase price). Some foreign markets also have compulsory depositories (i.e., an investor does not
have a choice as to where the securities are held). Fixed commissions on some foreign stock
exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges. Further, an investor
may encounter difficulties or be unable to pursue legal remedies and obtain judgments in foreign
courts. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of business and industry
practices, stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the U.S. It may be more difficult
for an investors agents to keep currently informed about corporate actions such as stock dividends
or other matters that may affect the prices of portfolio securities. Communications between the
U.S. and foreign countries may be less reliable than within the
9
U.S., thus increasing the risk of delays or loss of certificates for portfolio securities. In
addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of nationalization,
expropriation, the imposition of additional withholding or confiscatory taxes, political, social,
or economic instability, diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries,
or other unforeseen actions by regulatory bodies (such as changes to settlement or custody
procedures).
The risks of foreign investing may be magnified for investments in emerging markets, which may have
relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets
that trade a small number of securities. The introduction of a single currency, the euro, on Jan.
1, 1999 for participating European nations in the Economic and Monetary Union (EU) presents unique
uncertainties, including the legal treatment of certain outstanding financial contracts after Jan.
1, 1999 that refer to existing currencies rather than the euro; the establishment and maintenance
of exchange rates; the fluctuation of the euro relative to non-euro currencies; whether the
interest rate, tax or labor regimes of European countries participating in the euro will converge
over time; and whether the admission of other countries as members of the EU may have an impact on
the euro.
Foreign Currency and its Risks. The Corporations exposure to foreign currencies subjects the
Corporation to constantly changing exchange rates and the risk that those currencies will decline
in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of short positions, that the U.S. dollar will
decline in value relative to the currency being sold forward. Currency rates in foreign countries
may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes
in interest rates and economic or political developments in the U.S. or abroad. As a result, the
Corporations exposure to foreign currencies may reduce the returns of the Corporation. Trading of
foreign currencies also includes the risk of clearing and settling trades which, if prices are
volatile, may be difficult.
Investments in foreign securities usually involve currencies of foreign countries. In addition, the
Corporation may hold cash and cash equivalent investments in foreign currencies. As a result, the
value of the Corporations assets as measured in U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or
unfavorably by changes in currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations. Also, the
Corporation may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. Currency
exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time causing the Corporations net
asset value (NAV) to fluctuate. Currency exchange rates are generally determined by the forces of
supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets, actual or anticipated changes in interest rates,
and other complex factors. Currency exchange rates also can be affected by the intervention of U.S.
or foreign governments or central banks, or the failure to intervene, or by currency controls or
political developments.
Spot Rates and Derivative Instruments. The Corporation may conduct its foreign currency
exchange transactions either at the spot (cash) rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange
market or by entering into forward currency exchange contracts (forward contracts). These contracts
are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large
commercial banks) and their customers. Because foreign currency transactions occurring in the
interbank market might involve substantially larger amounts than those involved in the use of such
derivative instruments, the Corporation could be disadvantaged by having to deal in the odd lot
market for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.
The Corporation may enter into forward contracts for a variety of reasons, but primarily it will
enter into such contracts for risk management (hedging) or for investment purposes. The Corporation
may enter into forward contracts to settle a security transaction or handle dividend and interest
collection. When the Corporation enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security
denominated in a foreign currency or has been notified of a dividend or interest payment, it may
desire to lock in the price of the security or the amount of the payment, usually in U.S. dollars,
although it could desire to lock in the price of the security in another currency. By entering into
a forward contract, the Corporation would be able to protect itself against a possible loss
resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between different currencies from the date the
security is purchased or sold to the date on which payment is made or received or when the dividend
or interest is actually received.
The Corporation may enter into forward contracts when management of the Corporation believes the
currency of a particular foreign country may decline in value relative to another currency. When
selling currencies forward in this fashion, the Corporation may seek to hedge the value of foreign
securities it holds against an adverse move in exchange rates. The precise matching of forward
contract amounts and the value of securities involved generally will not be possible since the
future value of securities in foreign currencies more than likely will change between the date the
forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. The projection of short-term currency
market movements is extremely difficult and successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy
is highly uncertain. Unless specifically permitted, the Corporation would not enter into such
forward contracts or maintain a net
10
exposure to such contracts when consummating the contracts would obligate it to deliver an amount
of foreign currency in excess of the value of its securities or other assets denominated in that
currency.
This method of protecting the value of the Corporations securities against a decline in the value
of a currency does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. It simply
establishes a rate of exchange that can be achieved at some point in time. Although forward
contracts tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in value of hedged currency, they tend
to limit any potential gain that might result should the value of such currency increase.
The Corporation may also enter into forward contracts when its management believes the currency of
a particular country will increase in value relative to another currency. The Corporation may buy
currencies forward to gain exposure to a currency without incurring the additional costs of
purchasing securities denominated in that currency. The Corporation may designate cash or
securities in an amount equal to the value of the Corporations total assets committed to
consummating forward contracts entered into under the circumstance set forth above. If the value of
the securities declines, additional cash or securities will be designated on a daily basis so that
the value of the cash or securities will equal the amount of the Corporations commitments on such
contracts. At maturity of a forward contract, the Corporation may either deliver (if a contract to
sell) or take delivery of (if a contract to buy) the foreign currency or terminate its contractual
obligation by entering into an offsetting contract with the same currency trader, the same maturity
date, and covering the same amount of foreign currency. If the Corporation engages in an offsetting
transaction, it would incur a gain or loss to the extent there has been movement in forward
contract prices. If the Corporation engages in an offsetting transaction, it may subsequently enter
into a new forward contract to buy or sell the foreign currency.
Although the Corporation values its assets each business day in terms of U.S. dollars, it may not
intend to convert its foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. It would do so from
time to time, and stockholders should be aware of currency conversion costs. Although foreign
exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the
difference (spread) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies.
Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Corporation at one rate, while offering
a lesser rate of exchange should the Corporation desire to resell that currency to the dealer.
Options on Foreign Currencies. The Corporation may buy put and call options and write
covered call and cash-secured put options on foreign currencies for hedging purposes and to gain
exposure to foreign currencies. For example, a decline in the dollar value of a foreign currency in
which securities are denominated will reduce the dollar value of such securities, even if their
value in the foreign currency remains constant. In order to protect against the diminutions in the
value of securities, the Corporation may buy put options on the foreign currency. If the value of
the currency does decline, the Corporation would have the right to sell the currency for a fixed
amount in dollars and would offset, in whole or in part, the adverse effect on its portfolio that
otherwise would have resulted.
Conversely, where a change in the dollar value of a currency would increase the cost of securities
the Corporation plans to buy, or where the Corporation would benefit from increased exposure to the
currency, the Corporation may buy call options on the foreign currency. The purchase of the options
could offset, at least partially, the changes in exchange rates. As in the case of other types of
options, however, the benefit to the Corporation derived from purchases of foreign currency options
would be reduced by the amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In addition, where
currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated, the Corporation
could sustain losses on transactions in foreign currency options that would require it to forego a
portion or all of the benefits of advantageous changes in rates.
The Corporation may write options on foreign currencies for the same types of purposes. For
example, when the Corporation anticipates a decline in the dollar value of foreign-denominated
securities due to adverse fluctuations in exchange rates it could, instead of purchasing a put
option, write a call option on the relevant currency. If the expected decline occurs, the option
would most likely not be exercised and the diminution in value of securities would be fully or
partially offset by the amount of the premium received.
Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option when a foreign currency is expected to appreciate,
the Corporation could write a put option on the relevant currency. If rates move in the manner
projected, the put option would expire unexercised and allow the Corporation to hedge increased
cost up to the amount of the premium.
As in the case of other types of options, however, the writing of a foreign currency option will
constitute only a partial hedge up to the amount of the premium, and only if rates move in the
expected direction. If this does not occur, the option may be exercised and the Corporation would
be required to buy or sell the underlying currency at a
11
loss that may not be offset by the amount of the premium. Through the writing of options on foreign
currencies, the Corporation also may be required to forego all or a portion of the benefits that
might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements on exchange rates.
All options written on foreign currencies will be covered. An option written on foreign currencies
is covered if the Corporation holds currency sufficient to cover the option or has an absolute and
immediate right to acquire that currency without additional cash consideration upon conversion of
assets denominated in that currency or exchange of other currency held in its portfolio. An option
writer could lose amounts substantially in excess of its initial investments, due to the margin and
collateral requirements associated with such positions.
Options on foreign currencies are traded through financial institutions acting as market-makers,
although foreign currency options also are traded on certain national securities exchanges, such as
the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, subject to SEC regulation.
In an over-the-counter trading environment, many of the protections afforded to exchange
participants will not be available. For example, there are no daily price fluctuation limits, and
adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of time.
Although the purchaser of an option cannot lose more than the amount of the premium plus related
transaction costs, this entire amount could be lost. Foreign currency option positions entered into
on a national securities exchange are cleared and guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corporation
(OCC), thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Further, a liquid secondary market in
options traded on a national securities exchange may be more readily available than in the
over-the-counter market, potentially permitting the Corporation to liquidate open positions at a
profit prior to exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the event of adverse market
movements.
The purchase and sale of exchange-traded foreign currency options, however, is subject to the risks
of availability of a liquid secondary market described above, as well as the risks regarding
adverse market movements, margining of options written, the nature of the foreign currency market,
possible intervention by governmental authorities and the effects of other political and economic
events. In addition, exchange-traded options on foreign currencies involve certain risks not
presented by the over-the-counter market. For example, exercise and settlement of such options must
be made exclusively through the OCC, which has established banking relationships in certain foreign
countries for that purpose. As a result, the OCC may, if it determines that foreign governmental
restrictions or taxes would prevent the orderly settlement of foreign currency option exercises, or
would result in undue burdens on OCC or its clearing member, impose special procedures on exercise
and settlement, such as technical changes in the mechanics of delivery of currency, the fixing of
dollar settlement prices or prohibitions on exercise.
Foreign Currency Futures and Related Options. The Corporation may enter into currency
futures contracts to buy or sell currencies. It also may buy put and call options and write covered
call and cash-secured put options on currency futures. Currency futures contracts are similar to
currency forward contracts, except that they are traded on exchanges (and have margin requirements)
and are standardized as to contract size and delivery date. Most currency futures call for payment
of delivery in U.S. dollars. The Corporation may use currency futures for the same purposes as
currency forward contracts, subject to CFTC limitations.
Currency futures and options on futures values can be expected to correlate with exchange rates,
but will not reflect other factors that may affect the value of the Corporations investments. A
currency hedge, for example, should protect a Yen-denominated bond against a decline in the Yen,
but will not protect the Corporation against price decline if the issuers creditworthiness
deteriorates. Because the value of the Corporations investments denominated in foreign currency
will change in response to many factors other than exchange rates, it may not be possible to match
the amount of a forward contract to the value of the Corporations investments denominated in that
currency over time.
The Corporation will hold securities or other options or futures positions whose values are
expected to offset its obligations. The Corporation would not enter into an option or futures
position that exposes the Corporation to an obligation to another party unless it owns either (i)
an offsetting position in securities or (ii) cash, receivables and short-term debt securities with
a value sufficient to cover its potential obligations.
High-Yield Debt Securities (Junk Bonds) and their Risks. High yield (high-risk) debt securities are
sometimes referred to as junk bonds. They are non-investment grade (lower quality) securities that
have speculative characteristics. Lower quality securities, while generally offering higher yields
than investment grade securities with similar maturities, involve greater risks, including the
possibility of default or bankruptcy. They are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect
to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The special risk considerations in
connection with investments in these securities are discussed below.
12
All fixed rate interest-bearing securities typically experience appreciation when interest rates
decline and depreciation when interest rates rise. The market values of lower-quality and
comparable unrated securities tend to reflect individual corporate developments to a greater extent
than do higher rated securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of
interest rates. Lower-quality and comparable unrated securities also tend to be more sensitive to
economic conditions than are higher-rated securities. As a result, they generally involve more
credit risks than securities in the higher-rated categories. During an economic downturn or a
sustained period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of lower-quality securities may
experience financial stress and may not have sufficient revenues to meet their payment obligations.
The issuers ability to service its debt obligations also may be adversely affected by specific
corporate developments, the issuers inability to meet specific projected business forecasts, or
the unavailability of additional financing. The risk of loss due to default by an issuer of these
securities is significantly greater than a default by issuers of higher-rated securities because
such securities are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to other creditors. Further, if
the issuer of a lower quality security defaulted, an investor might incur additional expenses to
seek recovery.
Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies are designed to evaluate the safety of principal
and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of
lower-quality securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In
addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes
in the economy or in the condition of the issuer that affect the market value of the securities.
Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality. An
investor may have difficulty disposing of certain lower-quality and comparable unrated securities
because there may be a thin trading market for such securities. Because not all dealers maintain
markets in all lower quality and comparable unrated securities, there is no established retail
secondary market for many of these securities. To the extent a secondary trading market does exist,
it is generally not as liquid as the secondary market for higher-rated securities. The lack of a
liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. The lack of
a liquid secondary market for certain securities also may make it more difficult for an investor to
obtain accurate market quotations. Market quotations are generally available on many lower-quality
and comparable unrated issues only from a limited number of dealers and may not necessarily
represent firm bids of such dealers or prices for actual sales.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with high-yield debt securities include: Credit Risk, Interest Rate Risk, and Prepayment
and Extension risk.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities and their Risks. No more than 15% of the Corporations net
assets will be held in securities and other instruments that are illiquid. Illiquid securities are
securities that are not readily marketable. These securities may include, but are not limited to,
certain securities that are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, certain
repurchase agreements, and derivative instruments. To the extent the Corporation invests in
illiquid or restricted securities, it may encounter difficulty in determining a market value for
the securities. Disposing of illiquid or restricted securities may involve time-consuming
negotiations and legal expense, and it may be difficult or impossible for the Corporation to sell
the investment promptly and at an acceptable price.
In determining the liquidity of all securities and derivatives, such as Rule 144A securities, which
are unregistered securities offered to qualified institutional buyers, and interest-only and
principal-only fixed mortgage-backed securities (IOs and POs) issued by the U.S. government or its
agencies and instrumentalities the Manager, under guidelines established by the Board, will
consider any relevant factors including the frequency of trades, the number of dealers willing to
purchase or sell the security and the nature of marketplace trades.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and their Risks. Companies issuing IPOs generally have no or
limited operating histories, and their prospects for future profitability are uncertain. These
companies often are engaged in new and evolving businesses and are particularly vulnerable to
competition and to changes in technology, markets and economic conditions. They may be dependent on
certain key managers and third parties, need more personnel and other resources to manage growth
and require significant additional capital. They may also be dependent on limited product lines and
uncertain property rights and need regulatory approvals. Funds that invest in IPOs can be affected
by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal
shareholders. Stock prices of IPOs can also be highly unstable, due to the absence of a prior
public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited investor information.
Most IPOs involve a high degree of risk not normally associated with offerings of more seasoned
companies.
IPOs are subject to many of the same risks as investing in companies with smaller market
capitalizations. To the extent the Corporation determines to invest in IPOs it may not be able to
invest to the extent desired, because, for example, only a small portion (if any) of the securities
being offered in an IPO may be made available. The
13
investment performance of the Corporation during periods when it is unable to invest significantly
or at all in IPOs may be lower than during periods when the Corporation is able to do so. In
addition, as the Corporation increases in size, the impact of IPOs on the Corporations performance
will generally decrease. IPOs sold within 12 months of purchase will result in increased short-term
capital gains, which will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
Although one or more risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks associated with IPOs
include: Small and Mid-Sized Company Risk.
Investment Companies and their Risks. Investing in securities issued by registered and
unregistered investment companies may involve the duplication of advisory fees and certain other
expenses. Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest
risks associated with the securities of other investment companies include Market Risk.
Lending of Portfolio Securities and its Risks. To generate income, the Corporation may lend up to
10% of the value of its total assets to broker-dealers, banks or other institutional borrowers of
securities subject to any applicable requirements of a national securities exchange or of a
governmental regulatory body. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. serves as lending agent (the Lending Agent)
to the Corporation pursuant to a securities lending agreement (the Securities Lending Agreement)
approved by the Board.
Under the Securities Lending Agreement, the Lending Agent loans securities to approved borrowers
pursuant to borrower agreements in exchange for collateral equal to at least 100% of the market
value of the loaned securities. Collateral may consist of cash, securities issued by the U.S.
government or its agencies or instrumentalities (collectively, U.S. government securities) or
such collateral as may be approved by the Board. For loans secured by cash, the Corporation retains
the interest earned on cash collateral investments, but is required to pay the borrower a rebate
for the use of the cash collateral. For loans secured by U.S. government securities, the borrower
pays a borrower fee to the Lending Agent on behalf of the Corporation. If the market value of the
loaned securities goes up, the Lending Agent will request additional collateral from the borrower.
If the market value of the loaned securities goes down, the borrower may request that some
collateral be returned. During the existence of the loan, the lender will receive from the borrower
amounts equivalent to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, as
well as interest on such amounts.
Loans are subject to termination by the Corporation or a borrower at any time. The Corporation may
choose to terminate a loan in order to vote in a proxy solicitation if the Corporation has
knowledge of a material event to be voted on that would affect the Corporations investment in the
loaned security.
Securities lending involves counterparty risk, including the risk that a borrower may not provide
additional collateral when required or return the loaned securities in a timely manner.
Counterparty risk also includes a potential loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower or the
Lending Agent defaults or fails financially. This risk is increased if the Corporations loans are
concentrated with a single or limited number of borrowers. There are no limits on the number of
borrowers the Corporation may use and the Corporation may lend securities to only one or a small
group of borrowers. Funds participating in securities lending also bear the risk of loss in
connection with investments of cash collateral received from the borrowers. Cash collateral is
invested in accordance with investment guidelines contained in the Securities Lending Agreement and
approved by the Board. To the extent that the value or return of the Corporations investments of
the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to a borrower, the Corporation may incur losses
that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. The Lending Agent will indemnify the
Corporation from losses resulting from a borrowers failure to return a loaned security when due,
but such indemnification does not extend to losses associated with declines in the value of cash
collateral investments. The investment manager is not responsible for any loss incurred by the
Corporation in connection with the securities lending program. Although one or more of the other
risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks associated with the lending of portfolio
securities include: credit risk.
Leverage (Use of) and its Risks. Leverage occurs when the Corporation increases its assets
available for investment by issuing preferred stock or using borrowings, short sales, derivatives,
or similar instruments or techniques. Due to the fact that short sales involve borrowing securities
and then selling them, the Corporations short sales effectively leverage the Corporations assets.
The use of leverage may make any change in the Corporations net asset value (NAV) even greater and
thus result in increased volatility of returns. The Corporations assets that are used as
collateral to secure the short sales may decrease in value while the short positions are
outstanding, which may force the Corporation to use its other assets to increase the collateral.
Leverage can also create an interest expense that may lower the Corporations overall returns.
Lastly, there is no guarantee that a leveraging strategy will be successful.
14
Loan Participations and their Risks. Loans, loan participations, and interests in securitized loan
pools are interests in amounts owed by a corporate, governmental, or other borrower to a lender or
consortium of lenders (typically banks, insurance companies, investment banks, government agencies,
or international agencies). Loans involve a risk of loss in case of default or insolvency of the
borrower and may offer less legal protection to an investor in the event of fraud or
misrepresentation.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with loan participations include: Credit Risk.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities and their Risks. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct
or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real
property, and include single- and multi-class pass-through securities and Collateralized Mortgage
Obligations (CMOs). These securities may be issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies or
instrumentalities (see also Agency and Government Securities), or by private issuers, generally
originators and investors in mortgage loans, including savings associations, mortgage bankers,
commercial banks, investment bankers, and special purpose entities. Mortgage-backed securities
issued by private lenders may be supported by pools of mortgage loans or other mortgage-backed
securities that are guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the U.S. government or one of its
agencies or instrumentalities, or they may be issued without any governmental guarantee of the
underlying mortgage assets but with some form of non-governmental credit enhancement. Commercial
mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) are a specific type of mortgage-backed security collateralized by
a pool of mortgages on commercial real estate.
Stripped mortgage-backed securities are a type of mortgage-backed security that receive differing
proportions of the interest and principal payments from the underlying assets. Generally, there are
two classes of stripped mortgage-backed securities: Interest Only (IO) and Principal Only (PO). IOs
entitle the holder to receive distributions consisting of all or a portion of the interest on the
underlying pool of mortgage loans or mortgage-backed securities. POs entitle the holder to receive
distributions consisting of all or a portion of the principal of the underlying pool of mortgage
loans or mortgage-backed securities. The cash flows and yields on IOs and POs are extremely
sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage
loans or mortgage-backed securities. A rapid rate of principal payments may adversely affect the
yield to maturity of IOs. A slow rate of principal payments may adversely affect the yield to
maturity of POs. If prepayments of principal are greater than anticipated, an investor in IOs may
incur substantial losses. If prepayments of principal are slower than anticipated, the yield on a
PO will be affected more severely than would be the case with a traditional mortgage-backed
security.
CMOs are hybrid mortgage-related instruments secured by pools of mortgage loans or other
mortgage-related securities, such as mortgage pass through securities or stripped mortgage-backed
securities. CMOs may be structured into multiple classes, often referred to as tranches, with
each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of
principal and interest, including prepayments. Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO
may cause it to be retired substantially earlier than its stated maturity. The yield
characteristics of mortgage-backed securities differ from those of other debt securities. Among the
differences are that interest and principal payments are made more frequently on mortgage-backed
securities, usually monthly, and principal may be repaid at any time. These factors may reduce the
expected yield.
Asset-backed securities have structural characteristics similar to mortgage-backed securities.
Asset-backed debt obligations represent direct or indirect participation in, or secured by and
payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales contracts, other installment loan
contracts, home equity loans, leases of various types of property, and receivables from credit
cards or other revolving credit arrangements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities
depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the
entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other
affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.
Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset- backed debt obligations may be
supported by non-governmental credit enhancements including letters of credit, reserve funds,
overcollateralization, and guarantees by third parties. The market for privately issued
asset-backed debt obligations is smaller and less liquid than the market for government sponsored
mortgage-backed securities.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with mortgage and asset-backed securities include: Credit Risk, Interest Rate Risk,
Liquidity Risk, and Prepayment and Extension Risk.
Mortgage Dollar Rolls and their Risks. Mortgage dollar rolls are investments in which an investor
sells mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to
purchase substantially
15
similar securities on a specified future date. While an investor foregoes principal and interest
paid on the mortgage-backed securities during the roll period, the investor is compensated by the
difference between the current sales price and the lower price for the future purchase as well as
by any interest earned on the proceeds of the initial sale. The investor also could be compensated
through the receipt of fee income equivalent to a lower forward price.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with mortgage dollar rolls include: Credit Risk and Interest Rate Risk.
Portfolio Trading and Turnover Risks. Portfolio trading may be undertaken to accomplish the
investment objective of the Corporation in relation to actual and anticipated movements in interest
rates, securities markets and for other reasons. In addition, a security may be sold and another of
comparable quality purchased at approximately the same time to take advantage of what the Manager
believes to be a temporary price disparity between the two securities. Temporary price disparities
between two comparable securities may result from supply and demand imbalances where, for example,
a temporary oversupply of certain securities may cause a temporarily low price for such security,
as compared with other securities of like quality and characteristics. The Corporation may also
engage in short-term trading consistent with its investment objective. Securities may be sold in
anticipation of a market decline or purchased in anticipation of a market rise and later sold, or
to recognize a gain.
A change in the securities held by the Corporation is known as portfolio turnover. The use of
certain derivative instruments with relatively short maturities may tend to exaggerate the
portfolio turnover rate for the Corporation. High portfolio turnover may involve correspondingly
greater expenses to the Corporation, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other
transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestments in other securities. Trading in debt
obligations does not generally involve the payment of brokerage commissions, but does involve
indirect transaction costs. The use of futures contracts may involve the payment of commissions to
futures commission merchants. The higher the rate of portfolio turnover of the Corporation, the
higher the transaction costs borne by the Corporation generally will be. Transactions in the
Corporations portfolio securities may result in realization of taxable capital gains (including
short-term capital gains which are generally taxed to stockholders at ordinary income tax rates).
The trading costs and tax effects associated with portfolio turnover may adversely affect the
Corporations performance.
Preferred Stock and its Risks. The Corporation may invest in preferred stock, which is a type of
stock that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has preference over common stock in the
payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets. Preferred stock does not ordinarily carry
voting rights. The price of a preferred stock is generally determined by earnings, type of products
or services, projected growth rates, experience of management, liquidity, and general market
conditions of the markets on which the stock trades.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with investments in preferred stock include: Issuer Risk and Market Risk.
Repurchase Agreements and their Risks. Repurchase agreements may be entered into with certain banks
or non-bank dealers. In a repurchase agreement, the purchaser buys a security at one price, and at
the time of sale, the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation at a mutually agreed upon time and
price (usually within seven days). The repurchase agreement determines the yield during the
purchasers holding period, while the sellers obligation to repurchase is secured by the value of
the underlying security. Repurchase agreements could involve certain risks in the event of a
default or insolvency of the other party to the agreement, including possible delays or
restrictions upon the purchasers ability to dispose of the underlying securities.
Small and Mid-Sized Company Risk. The Corporation may invest in companies of any size. Investments
in small and medium companies often involve greater risks than investments in larger, more
established companies because small and medium companies may lack the management experience,
financial resources, product diversification, experience, and competitive strengths of larger
companies. Additionally, in many instances the securities of small and medium companies are traded
only over-the-counter or on regional securities exchanges and the frequency and volume of their
trading is substantially less and may be more volatile than is typical of larger companies.
Swap Agreements and their Risks. Swap agreements are typically individually negotiated agreements
that obligate two parties to exchange payments based on a reference to a specified asset, reference
rate or index. Swap agreements will tend to shift a partys investment exposure from one type of
investment to another. A swap agreement can increase or decrease the volatility of the
Corporations investments and its net asset value. Swap agreements are traded in the
over-the-counter market and may be considered to be illiquid. Swap agreements entail the risk that
a party will default on its payment obligations. The Corporation will enter into a swap agreement
only if
16
the claims-paying ability of the other party or its guarantor is considered to be investment grade
by the investment manager. Generally, the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of
the other party or its guarantor must be rated in one of the three highest rating categories of at
least one Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO) at the time of entering
into the transaction. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the
Corporation will have to rely on its contractual remedies (which may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar laws) pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. In certain
circumstances, the Corporation may seek to minimize counterparty risk by requiring the counterparty
to post collateral.
Swap agreements are usually entered into without an upfront payment because the value of each
partys position is the same. The market values of the underlying commitments will change over time
resulting in one of the commitments being worth more than the other and the net market value
creating a risk exposure for one counterparty or the other.
Interest Rate Swaps.Interest rate swap agreements are often used to obtain or preserve a
desired return or spread at a lower cost than through a direct investment in an instrument that
yields the desired return or spread. They are financial instruments that involve the exchange of
one type of interest rate cash flow for another type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates
in the future. In a standard interest rate swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange their
respective commitments to pay fixed or floating rates on a predetermined specified (notional)
amount. The swap agreement notional amount is the predetermined basis for calculating the
obligations that the swap counterparties have agreed to exchange. Under most swap agreements, the
obligations of the parties are exchanged on a net basis. The two payment streams are netted out,
with each party receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments.
Interest rate swaps can be based on various measures of interest rates, including LIBOR, swap
rates, treasury rates and other foreign interest rates.
Cross Currency Swaps. Cross currency swaps are similar to interest rate swaps, except that
they involve multiple currencies. The Corporation may enter into a currency swap when it has
exposure to one currency and desires exposure to a different currency. Typically the interest rates
that determine the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may
pay a floating rate of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap, however, the principal amounts are
exchanged at the beginning of the contract and returned at the end of the contract. In addition to
paying and receiving amounts at the beginning and termination of the agreements, both sides will
also have to pay in full periodically based upon the currency they have borrowed. Change in foreign
exchange rates and changes in interest rates, as described above, may negatively affect currency
swaps.
Total Return Swaps.Total return swaps are contracts in which one party agrees to make
periodic payments based on the change in market value of the underlying assets, which may include a
specified security, basket of securities or security indexes during the specified period, in return
for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate of the total return from other
underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or
market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or market. For example, CMBS
total return swaps are bilateral financial contracts designed to replicate synthetically the total
returns of commercial mortgage-backed securities. In a typical total return equity swap, payments
made by the Corporation or the counterparty are based on the total return of a particular reference
asset or assets (such as an equity security, a combination of such securities, or an index). That
is, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a stock, basket of stocks, or stock index
in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, for example, the
index receiver can gain exposure to stocks making up the index of securities without actually
purchasing those stocks. Total return swaps involve not only the risk associated with the
investment in the underlying securities, but also the risk of the counterparty not fulfilling its
obligations under the agreement.
Swaption Transaction. A swaption is an option on a swap agreement and a contract that gives
a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to
shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future
time on specified terms, in return for payment of the purchase price (the premium) of the option.
The Corporation may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions to the same extent it may make
use of standard options on securities or other instruments. The writer of the contract receives the
premium and bears the risk of unfavorable changes in the market value on the underlying swap
agreement.
Swaptions can be bundled and sold as a package. These are commonly called interest rate caps,
floors and collars. In interest rate cap transactions, in return for a premium, one party agrees to
make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or cap.
Interest rate floor transactions require one party, in exchange for a premium to agree to make
payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level, or floor.
17
In interest rate collar transactions, one party sells a cap and purchases a floor, or vice versa,
in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum
levels or collar amounts.
Credit Default Swaps. Credit default swaps are contracts in which third party credit risk
is transferred from one party to another party by one party, the protection buyer, making payments
to the other party, the protection seller, in return for the ability of the protection buyer to
deliver a reference obligation, or portfolio of reference obligations, to the protection seller
upon the occurrence of certain credit events relating to the issuer of the reference obligation and
receive the notional amount of the reference obligation from the protection seller. The Corporation
may use credit default swaps for various purposes including to increase or decrease its credit
exposure to various issuers. For example, as a seller in a transaction, the Corporation could use
credit default swaps as a way of increasing investment exposure to a particular issuers bonds in
lieu of purchasing such bonds directly. Similarly, as a buyer in a transaction, the Corporation may
use credit default swaps to hedge its exposure on bonds that it owns or in lieu of selling such
bonds. A credit default swap agreement may have as reference obligations one or more securities
that are not currently held by the Corporation. The Corporation may be either the buyer or seller
in the transaction. Credit default swaps may also be structured based on the debt of a basket of
issuers, rather than a single issuer, and may be customized with respect to the default event that
triggers purchase or other factors. As a seller, the Corporation generally receives an up front
payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, which typically is between six
months and three years, provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally
the seller must pay the buyer the full face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference
obligations that may have little or no value. If the Corporation is a buyer and no credit event
occurs, the Corporation recovers nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However,
if a credit event occurs, the buyer may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in
exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference obligation that may
have little or no value.
Credit default swap agreements can involve greater risks than if the Corporation had invested in
the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps
are subject to counterparty credit risk, leverage risk, hedging risk, correlation risk and
liquidity risk. The Corporation will enter into credit default swap agreements only with
counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose
its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its
termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received
by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than
the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The
Corporations obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset
against any amounts owing to the Corporation). In connection with credit default swaps in which the
Corporation is the buyer, the Corporation will segregate or earmark cash or other liquid assets,
or enter into certain offsetting positions, with a value at least equal to the Corporations
exposure (any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed by the Corporation to any counterparty), on a
marked-to-market basis. In connection with credit default swaps in which the Corporation is the
seller, the Corporation will segregate or earmark cash or other liquid assets, or enter into
offsetting positions, with a value at least equal to the full notional amount of the swap (minus
any amounts owed to the Corporation). Such segregation or earmarking will ensure that the
Corporation has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction. Such
segregation or earmarking will not limit the Corporations exposure to loss.
The use of swap agreements by the Corporation entails certain risks, which may be different from,
or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities and other
investments that are the referenced asset for the swap agreement. Swaps are highly specialized
instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from
those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a swap requires
an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index, but also of the swap
itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all the possible market
conditions. Because some swap agreements have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value
or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially
greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. Certain swaps have the potential for unlimited
loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with swaps include: Credit Risk, Liquidity Risk and Market Risk.
Tax Risk. As a regulated investment company, the Corporation must derive at least 90% of its gross
income for each taxable year from sources treated as qualifying income under the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended. The Corporation currently intends to take positions in forward currency
contracts with notional value up to the Corporations total net assets. Although foreign currency
gains currently constitute qualifying income the
18
Treasury Department has the authority to issue regulations excluding from the definition of
qualifying incomes a funds foreign currency gains not directly related to its principal
business of investing in stocks or securities (or options and futures with respect thereto). Such
regulations might treat gains from some of the Corporations foreign currency-denominated positions
as not qualifying income and there is a remote possibility that such regulations might be applied
retroactively, in which case, the Corporation might not qualify as a regulated investment company
for one or more years. In the event the Treasury Department issues such regulations, the
Corporations Board of Directors may authorize a significant change in investment strategy or
liquidation of the Corporation.
Warrants and their Risks. The Corporation may invest in warrants. Warrants are securities giving
the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy the stock of an issuer at a given price
(generally higher than the value of the stock at the time of issuance) during a specified period or
perpetually. Warrants may be acquired separately or in connection with the acquisition of
securities. Warrants do not carry with them the right to dividends or voting rights and they do not
represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. Warrants may be considered to have more
speculative characteristics than certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a
warrant does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and a warrant
ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date.
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments and their Risks. When-issued securities and forward
commitments involve a commitment to purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price
or yield in which payment and delivery take place after the customary settlement period for that
type of security. Normally, the settlement date occurs within 45 days of the purchase although in
some cases settlement may take longer. The investor does not pay for the securities or receive
dividends or interest on them until the contractual settlement date. Such instruments involve the
risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date and
the risk that the security will not be issued as anticipated. If the security is not issued as
anticipated, a fund may lose the opportunity to obtain a price and yield considered to be
advantageous.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with when-issued securities and forward commitments include: Credit Risk.
Zero-Coupon, Step-Coupon, and Pay-in-Kind Securities and their Risks. These securities are debt
obligations that do not make regular cash interest payments. Zero-coupon and step-coupon securities
are sold at a deep discount to their face value because they do not pay interest until maturity.
Pay-in-kind securities pay interest through the issuance of additional securities. Because these
securities do not pay current cash income, the price of these securities can be extremely volatile
when interest rates fluctuate.
Although one or more of the other risks described in this SAI may apply, the largest risks
associated with zero- coupon, step-coupon, and pay-in-kind securities include: Credit Risk and
Interest Rate Risk.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that one or more fixed income securities in the Corporations
portfolio will decline in price or fail to pay interest or repay principal when due because the
issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial status and is unable or unwilling to
honor its obligations, including the payment of interest or the repayment of principal. Adverse
conditions in the credit markets can adversely affect the broader global economy, including the
credit quality of issuers of fixed income securities in which the Corporation may invest. Changes
by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations in its rating of securities and in the
ability of an issuer to make scheduled payments may also affect the value of the Corporations
investments. To the extent the Corporation invests in below-investment grade securities, it will be
exposed to a greater amount of credit risk than a fund which invests solely in investment grade
securities. The prices of lower grade securities are more sensitive to negative developments, such
as a decline in the issuers revenues or a general economic downturn, than are the prices of higher
grade securities. Fixed income securities of below investment grade quality are predominantly
speculative with respect to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due and
therefore involve a greater risk of default. If the Corporation purchases unrated securities, or if
the rating of a security is reduced after purchase, the Corporation will depend on the Managers
analysis of credit risk more heavily than usual.
Interest Rate Risk. The fixed income securities in the portfolio are subject to the risk of losses
attributable to changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally associated with bond
prices: when interest rates rise, bond prices fall. In general, the longer the maturity or duration
of a bond, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates.
19
Liquidity Risk. The risk associated from a lack of marketability of securities which may make it
difficult or impossible to sell at desirable prices in order to minimize loss. The Corporation may
have to lower the selling price, sell other investments, or forego another, more appealing
investment opportunity.
Prepayment and Extension Risk. The risk that a bond or other security might be called, or otherwise
converted, prepaid, or redeemed, before maturity. This risk is primarily associated with
asset-backed securities, including mortgage backed securities. If a security is converted, prepaid,
or redeemed, before maturity, particularly during a time of declining interest rates, the
investment manager may not be able to reinvest in securities providing as high a level of income,
resulting in a reduced yield to the Corporation. Conversely, as interest rates rise, the likelihood
of prepayment decreases. The investment manager may be unable to capitalize on securities with
higher interest rates because the Corporations investments are locked in at a lower rate for a
longer period of time.
Reinvestment Risk. The risk that the Corporation will not be able to reinvest income or principal
at the same rate it currently is earning.
Portfolio Turnover
The Corporations portfolio turnover rates for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 were 86%
and 70%, respectively.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Board Members and Officers
Stockholders elect a Board that oversees the Corporations operations. The Board appoints officers
who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board.
Information with respect to the members of the Board is shown below. As of March 31, 2011 each
Board member also serves as director/trustee of 145 Columbia, RiverSource, Seligman and
Threadneedle Funds in the Columbia Family of Funds. Under current Board policy, members may serve
until the next regular stockholders meeting (the Corporations Board has three classes, with one
class expiring each year), until he or she reaches the mandatory retirement age established by the
Board, or the fifteenth anniversary of the first Board meeting they attended as members of the
Board.
Independent Board Members
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Position with |
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Corporation |
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and Length of |
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Principal Occupation During Last |
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Other |
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Committee |
Name, Address, Age |
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Time Served |
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Five Years |
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Directorships |
|
Memberships |
Kathleen Blatz
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 56
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Board member
since November
2008
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Chief Justice, Minnesota
Supreme Court, 1998-2006;
Attorney
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Other funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Board Governance,
Compliance,
Investment Review,
Audit |
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Pamela G. Carlton
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 56
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Board member
since November
2008
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President, Springboard-Partners
in Cross Cultural Leadership
(consulting company)
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Other funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Investment Review,
Audit |
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Patricia M. Flynn
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 60
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Board member
since November
2008
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Trustee Professor of Economics
and Management, Bentley
University; former Dean,
McCallum Graduate School of
Business, Bentley University
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Other funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Board Governance,
Contracts,
Investment Review |
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Anne P. Jones
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 76
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Board member
since November
2008
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Attorney and Consultant
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Other funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Compliance, Executive,
Investment Review,
Audit |
20
Independent Board Members
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Corporation |
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and Length of |
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Other |
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Name, Address, Age |
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Time Served |
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Five Years |
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Directorships |
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Memberships |
Stephen R. Lewis, Jr.
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 72
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Board member and
Chair of Board
since November
2008
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President Emeritus and
Professor of Economics,
Carleton College
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Valmont Industries,
Inc. (manufactures
irrigation
systems); other
funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Board Governance,
Compliance, Contracts, Executive, Investment Review |
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John F. Maher
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 68
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Board member since
December 2006
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Retired President and Chief
Executive Officer and former
Director, Great Western
Financial Corporation
(financial services),
1986-1997.
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Other funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Investment Review,
Audit |
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Catherine James Paglia
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 58
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Board member since
November 2008
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Director, Enterprise Asset
Management, Inc. (private real
estate and asset management
company)
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Other funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Board Governance, Compliance,
Contracts, Executive, Investment Review
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Leroy C. Richie
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 69
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Board member since 2000
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Counsel, Lewis & Munday, P.C.
since 1987; Vice President and
General Counsel, Automotive
Legal Affairs, Chrysler
Corporation, 1990-1997
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Digital Ally, Inc.
(digital imaging);
Infinity, Inc. (oil
and gas exploration
and production);
OGE Energy Corp.
(energy and energy
services); other
funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Contracts,
Investment Review |
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Alison Taunton-Rigby
901 S. Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Age 67
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Board member since
November 2008
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Chief Executive Officer and
Director, RiboNovix, Inc. since
2003 (biotechnology); former
President, Aquila
Biopharmaceuticals
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Idera
Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.
(biotechnology);
Healthways, Inc.
(health management
programs); other
funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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Contracts, Executive, Investment Review |
21
Board Member Affiliated With Columbia Management*
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and Length of |
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Principal Occupation During Last |
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Other |
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Committee |
Name, Address, Age |
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Time Served |
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Five Years |
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Directorships |
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Memberships |
William F. Truscott
53600 Ameriprise Financial Center
Minneapolis, MN 55474
Age 50
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Board member and
Vice President
since November
2008
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Chairman of the
Board, Columbia
Management Investment
Advisers, LLC
(formerly RiverSource
Investments, LLC)
since May 2010
(previously
President, Chairman
of the Board and
Chief Investment
Officer, 2001-April
2010); Senior Vice
President, Atlantic
Funds, Columbia Funds
and Nations Funds
since May 2010; Chief
Executive Officer,
U.S. Asset Management
& President
Annuities, Ameriprise
Financial, Inc. since
May 2010 (previously
President U.S.
Asset Management and
Chief Investment
Officer, 2005-April
2010 and Senior Vice
President Chief
Investment Officer,
2001-2005); Director,
President and Chief
Executive Officer,
Ameriprise
Certificate Company
since 2006; Director,
Columbia Management
Investment
Distributors, Inc.
(formerly RiverSource
Fund Distributors,
Inc.) since May 2010
(previously Chairman
of the Board and
Chief Executive
Officer, 2008-April
2010); Chairman of
the Board and Chief
Executive Officer,
RiverSource
Distributors, Inc.
since 2006
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Other funds in the
Columbia Family of
Funds
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None |
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* |
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Interested person by reason of being an officer, director, security holder and/or employee of
Columbia Management and Ameriprise Financial. |
The Board has appointed officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based
on policies it has established. The officers serve at the pleasure of the Board. In addition to Mr.
Truscott, who is a Vice President, as of March 31, 2011, the other officers are:
Corporation Officers
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Position with |
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Corporation and Length of |
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Name, Address, Age |
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Time Served* |
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Principal Occupation During Last Five Years |
J. Kevin Connaughton
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111
Age 46
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President since May 2010
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Senior Vice President and General Manager
Mutual Fund Products, Columbia
Management Investment Advisers, LLC since
May 2010; President, Columbia Funds since
2009 (previously Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer, June 2008
January 2009); President, Atlantic Funds
and Nations Funds since 2009; Managing
Director of Columbia Management Advisors,
LLC, December 2004 April 2010;
Treasurer, Columbia Funds, October 2003
May 2008; Treasurer, the Liberty Funds,
Stein Roe Funds and Liberty All-Star
Funds, December 2000 December 2006 |
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Amy K. Johnson
5228 Ameriprise Financial Center
Minneapolis, MN 55474
Age 45
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Vice President
since November 2008
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Senior Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer, Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (formerly RiverSource
Investments, LLC) since May 2010
(previously Chief Administrative Officer,
2009 April 2010 and Vice President
Asset Management and Trust Company
Services, 2006-2009 and Vice President
Operations and Compliance, 2004-2006);
Senior Vice President, Atlantic Funds,
Columbia Funds and Nations Funds since May
2010; Director of Product Development
Mutual Funds, Ameriprise Financial, Inc.,
2001-2004 |
22
Corporation Officers
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Position with |
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Corporation and Length of |
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Name, Address, Age |
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Time Served* |
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Principal Occupation During Last Five Years |
Michael G. Clarke
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111
Age 41
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Treasurer since
January 2011
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Vice President, Columbia Management
Investment Advisers, LLC since May 2010;
Managing Director of Fund Administration,
Columbia Management Advisers, LLC, from
September 2004 to April 2010; senior
officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated
funds since 2002 |
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Scott R. Plummer
5228 Ameriprise Financial Center
Minneapolis, MN 55474
Age 51
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Vice President,
General Counsel and
Secretary since
November 2008
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Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and
Assistant Secretary, Columbia Management
Investment Advisers, LLC (formerly
RiverSource Investments, LLC) since June
2005; Vice President and Lead Chief
Counsel Asset Management, Ameriprise
Financial, Inc. since May 2010 (previously
Vice President and Chief Counsel Asset
Management, 2005-April 2010 and Vice
President Asset Management Compliance,
2004-2005); Senior Vice President,
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer,
Atlantic Funds, Columbia Funds and Nations
Funds since May 2010; Vice President,
Chief Counsel and Assistant Secretary,
Columbia Management Investment
Distributors, Inc. (formerly RiverSource
Fund Distributors, Inc.) since 2008; Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary,
Ameriprise Certificate Company since 2005;
Chief Counsel, RiverSource Distributors,
Inc. since 2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
Michael A. Jones
100 Federal Street
Boston, MA 02110
Age 51
|
|
Vice President since
May 2010
|
|
Director and President, Columbia
Management Investment Advisers, LLC since
May 2010; President and Director, Columbia
Management Investment Distributors, Inc.
since May 2010; Senior Vice President,
Atlantic Funds, Columbia Funds and Nations
Funds since May 2010; Manager, Chairman,
Chief Executive Officer and President,
Columbia Management Advisors, LLC, 2007
April 2010; Chief Executive Officer,
President and Director, Columbia
Management Distributors, Inc., 2006
April 2010; former Co-President and Senior
Managing Director, Robeco Investment
Management |
|
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Colin Moore
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111
Age 52
|
|
Vice President since
May 2010
|
|
Chief Investment Officer, Columbia
Management Investment Advisers, LLC since
May 2010; Senior Vice President, Atlantic
Funds, Columbia Funds and Nations Funds
since May 2010; Manager, Managing Director
and Chief Investment Officer, Columbia
Management Advisors, LLC, 2007- April
2010; Head of Equities, Columbia
Management Advisors, LLC, 2002-Sept. 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
Linda Wondrack
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111
Age 46
|
|
Chief Compliance Officer since
May 2010
|
|
Vice President and Chief Compliance
Officer, Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC since May 2010; Chief
Compliance Officer, Columbia Funds since
2007; Senior Vice President and Chief
Compliance Officer, Atlantic Funds and
Nations Funds since 2007; Director
(Columbia Management Group, LLC and
Investment Product Group Compliance), Bank
of America, June 2005 April 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
Neysa M. Alecu
2934 Ameriprise Financial Center
Minneapolis, MN 55474
Age 47
|
|
Money Laundering
Prevention Officer
and Identity Theft
Prevention Officer
since November
2008
|
|
Vice President Compliance, Ameriprise
Financial, Inc. since 2008; Anti-Money
Laundering Officer and Identity Theft
Prevention Officer, Columbia Management
Investment Distributors, Inc. (formerly
RiverSource Fund Distributors, Inc.) since
2008; Anti-Money Laundering Officer,
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since 2005;
Compliance Director, Ameriprise Financial,
Inc., 2004-2008 |
|
|
|
* |
|
All officers are elected annually by the Board of Directors and serve until their successors
are elected and qualify or their earlier resignation. |
Responsibilities of the Board with Respect to Management of the Corporation
The Board is chaired by an independent Director who has significant additional responsibilities
compared to the other board members, including, among other things: setting the agenda for Board
meetings, communicating and meeting regularly with Board members between Board and committee
meetings on Corporation-related matters with the Corporations Chief Compliance Officer, counsel to
the directors who are not interested persons of the Corporation, as that term is defined in the
1940 Act (Independent Directors), and representatives of the Corporations service providers and
overseeing Board Services Corporation. The Board initially approved the
23
Corporations investment management services agreement (the Management Agreement) and other
contracts with the Manager and its affiliates, and other service providers. The Management
Agreement was most recently re-approved by the Board at its meeting held in April 2011. Once the
contracts are approved, the Board monitors the level and quality of services including commitments
of service providers to achieve expected levels of investment performance and stockholder services.
In addition, the Board oversees that processes are in place to assure compliance with applicable
rules, regulations and investment policies and addresses possible conflicts of interest. Annually,
the Board evaluates the services received under the contracts by reviewing, among other things,
reports covering investment performance, stockholder services, and the Managers profitability in
order to determine whether to continue existing contracts or negotiate new contracts. The Board
also oversees the Corporations risks, primarily through the functions (described below) performed
by the Investment Review Committee, the Audit Committee and the Compliance Committee.
The Board of Directors met 11 times during the year ended December 31, 2010.
Committees of the Board
The Board has organized the following standing committees to facilitate its work: Board Governance
Committee, Compliance Committee, Contracts Committee, Executive Committee, Investment Review
Committee and Audit Committee. These Committees are comprised solely of Independent Directors. The
table above providing biographical and other information about each Director also includes their
respective committee memberships. The duties of these committees are described below.
Mr. Lewis, as Chairman of the Board, acts as a point of contact between the Independent Directors
and the Manager between Board meetings in respect of general matters.
Board Governance Committee. Recommends to the Board the size, structure and composition of the
Board and its committees; the compensation to be paid to members of the Board; and a process for
evaluating the Boards performance. The committee also makes recommendations to the Board regarding
responsibilities and duties of the Board, oversees proxy voting and supports the work of the
Chairman of the Board in relation to furthering the interests of the Corporation and other funds in
the Columbia Family of Funds and their shareholders on external matters. The committee also reviews
candidates for Board membership including candidates recommended by stockholders. This committee
met 6 times during the year ended December 31, 2010.
To be considered as a candidate for director, recommendations must include a curriculum vitae and
be mailed to the Chairman of the Board, Columbia Family of Funds, 901 Marquette Avenue South, Suite
2810, Minneapolis, MN 55402-3268. To be timely for consideration by the committee, the submission,
including all required information, must be submitted in writing not less than 120 days before the
date of the proxy statement for the previous years annual meeting of Stockholders. The committee
will consider only one candidate submitted by such a Stockholder or group for nomination for
election at an annual meeting of Stockholders. The committee will not consider self-nominated
candidates or candidates nominated by members of a candidates family, including such candidates
spouse, children, parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, nieces and nephews. Stockholders who wish
to submit a candidate for nomination directly to the Corporations stockholders must follow the
procedures described in the Corporations Bylaws, as posted to the website
www.columbiamanagement.com.
The committee will consider and evaluate candidates submitted by the nominating stockholder or
group on the basis of the same criteria as those used to consider and evaluate candidates submitted
from other sources. The committee may take into account a wide variety of factors in considering
Director candidates, including (but not limited to): (i) the candidates knowledge in matters
relating to the investment company industry; (ii) any experience possessed by the candidate as a
director or senior officer of other public or private companies; (iii) the candidates educational
background; (iv) the candidates reputation for high ethical standards and personal and
professional integrity; (v) any specific financial, technical or other expertise possessed by the
candidate, and the extent to which such expertise would complement the Boards existing mix of
skills and qualifications; (vi) the candidates perceived ability to contribute to the ongoing
functions of the Board, including the candidates ability and commitment to attend meetings
regularly, work collaboratively with other members of the Board and carry out his or her duties in
the best interests of the Corporation; (vii) the candidates ability to qualify as an independent
director; and (viii) such other criteria as the committee determines to be relevant in light of the
existing composition of the Board and any anticipated vacancies or other factors.
Members of the committee (and/or the Board) also meet personally with each nominee to evaluate the
candidates ability to work effectively with other members of the Board, while also exercising
independent judgment. Although the Board does not have a formal diversity policy, the Board
endeavors to comprise itself of members with a broad
24
mix of professional and personal backgrounds. Thus, the committee and the Board accorded particular
weight to the individual professional background of each Independent Director, as encapsulated in
their bios included above.
The Board believes that the Corporation is well-served by the Board, the membership of which
consists of persons that represent a broad mix of professional and personal backgrounds. In
considering nominations, the Committee takes the following matrix into account in assessing how a
candidates professional background would fit into the mix of experiences represented by the
then-current Board.
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|
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND - 2011 |
|
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|
For Profit; |
|
Non-Profit; |
|
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|
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|
|
|
|
CIO/CFO; |
|
Government; |
|
|
|
Legal; |
|
|
|
|
|
Audit Committee; |
Name |
|
Geographic |
|
CEO/COO |
|
CEO |
|
Investment |
|
Regulatory |
|
Political |
|
Academic |
|
Financial Expert |
Blatz
|
|
MN
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
Carlton
|
|
NY
|
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
Flynn
|
|
MA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Jones
|
|
MD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
Lewis
|
|
MN
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Maher
|
|
CT
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
Paglia
|
|
NY
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
Richie
|
|
MI
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taunton-Rigby
|
|
MA
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
With respect to the directorship of Mr. Truscott, who is not an Independent Director, the
committee and the Board have concluded that having a senior member of the investment manager serve
on the Board can facilitate the Independent Directors increased access to information regarding
the investment manager, which is the Corporations most significant service provider.
Compliance Committee. This committee supports the Corporations maintenance of a strong compliance
program by providing a forum for independent Board members to consider compliance matters impacting
the Corporation or its key service providers; developing and implementing, in coordination with the
Corporations Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), a process for the review and consideration of
compliance reports that are provided to the Board; and providing a designated forum for the
Corporations CCO to meet with independent Board members on a regular basis to discuss compliance
matters. This committee met 5 times during the year ended December 31, 2010.
Contracts Committee. This committee reviews and oversees the contractual relationships with service
providers and receives and analyzes reports covering the level and quality of services provided
under contracts with the Corporation. It also advises the Board regarding actions taken on these
contracts during the annual review process. This committee met 6 times during the year ended
December 31, 2010.
Executive Committee. This committee acts for the Board between meetings of the Board. This
committee did not meet during the year ended December 31, 2010.
Investment Review Committee. This committee reviews and oversees the management of the
Corporations assets and considers investment management policies and strategies; investment
performance; risk management techniques; and securities trading practices and reports areas of
concern to the Board. This committee met 5 times during the year ended December 31, 2010.
Audit Committee. This committee oversees the accounting and financial reporting processes of the
Corporation and internal controls over financial reporting. It also oversees the quality and
integrity of the Corporations financial statements and independent audits as well as the
Corporations compliance with legal and regulatory requirements relating to the Corporations
accounting and financial reporting, internal controls over financial reporting and independent
audits. The committee also makes recommendations regarding the selection of the Corporations
independent registered public accounting firm (i.e., independent auditors) and reviews and
evaluates the
25
qualifications, independence and performance of such firm. The committee oversees the Corporations
risks by, among other things, meeting with the Corporations internal auditors, establishing
procedures for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of concerns about accounting or
audit matters, and overseeing the Corporations Disclosure Controls and Procedures. This committee
acts as a liason between the independent auditors and the full Board and must prepare an audit
committee report. This committee operates pursuant to a written charter, a copy of which is
available at www.columbiamanagement.com. The members of this committee are independent as
required by applicable listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange. This committee met 8 times
during the year ended December 31, 2010.
Procedures for Communications to the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has adopted a process for Stockholders to send communications to the Board.
To communicate with the Board of Directors or an individual Director, a Stockholder must send
written communications to Board Services Corporation, 901 Marquette Avenue South, Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55402, addressed to the Board of Directors of Tri-Continental Corporation or the
individual Director. All Stockholder communications received in accordance with this process will
be forwarded to the Board of Directors or the individual Director.
Beneficial Ownership of Shares
As of December 31, 2010, the Directors beneficially owned shares in the Corporation and other
investment companies overseen by the Board members as follows:
26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dollar Range of |
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity |
|
|
Equity Securities Owned By |
|
Securities of all funds overseen by |
Name |
|
Director of the Corporation |
|
Director Owned by Director(*) |
INDEPENDENT BOARD MEMBERS
|
Kathleen Blatz
|
|
$1-$10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Pamela G. Carlton
|
|
$1-$10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Patricia M. Flynn
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Anne P. Jones
|
|
$1-$10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Stephen R. Lewis, Jr.
|
|
$1-$10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
John F. Maher
|
|
$50,001-$100,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Catherine James Paglia
|
|
$1-$10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Leroy C. Richie
|
|
$50,001-$100,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Alison Taunton-Rigby
|
|
$1-$10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
INTERESTED BOARD MEMBERS
|
William F. Truscott
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Total includes deferred compensation invested in share equivalents. |
Compensation Table
Total Directors fees paid by the Corporation to the current independent Directors for the year
ended December 31, 2010 were as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Number of |
|
|
|
Aggregate Direct |
Independent Directors |
|
Capacity in which Remuneration was Received |
|
Remuneration |
|
9 |
|
Directors and Members of Committees and Sub-Committees |
|
$22,620 |
In addition, the attendance, retainer, committee and/or sub-committee fees paid to a Director
from the Corporation and from all funds in the Columbia Family of Funds overseen by the Director
(in their capacity as director/trustee of such funds) during the year ended December 31, 2010 was
as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pension or |
|
Total compensation |
|
|
Aggregate |
|
Retirement Benefits |
|
from Corporation and |
|
|
Compensation |
|
Accrued as Part of |
|
funds overseen by |
Name |
|
from Corporation |
|
Corporation Expenses |
|
Directors Paid to Directors (1) |
Kathleen Blatz |
|
$ |
2,247.54 |
|
|
-0- |
|
$ |
201,227.42 |
|
Arne H. Carlson (3) |
|
|
2,518.82 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
203,437 |
|
Pamela G. Carlton |
|
|
2,191.33 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
196,227.42 |
|
Patricia M. Flynn (2) |
|
|
2,360.60 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
210,475.26 |
|
Anne P. Jones |
|
|
2,279.22 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
203,727.42 |
|
Jeffrey Laikind (2)(4) |
|
|
2,138.03 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
169,474 |
|
Stephen R. Lewis, Jr. (2) |
|
|
4,467.16 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
400,502.61 |
|
John F. Maher (2) |
|
|
2,349.17 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
210,000.04 |
|
Catherine James Paglia |
|
|
2,279.22 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
203,727.42 |
|
Leroy C. Richie |
|
|
2,223.02 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
198,727.42 |
|
Alison Taunton-Rigby |
|
|
2,223.02 |
|
|
-0- |
|
|
198,727.42 |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
For the year ended December 31, 2010, there were 145 funds in the Columbia Family of Funds
overseen by the Directors, including the Corporation. |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Ms. Flynn, Mr. Laikind, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Maher elected to defer a portion of the total
compensation payable during the period in the amount of $110,000, $130,625, $86,000, and
$210,000, respectively. |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
Mr. Carlson ceased serving as a member of the Board effective December 31, 2010. |
|
|
|
(4) |
|
Mr. Laikind ceased serving as a member of the Board effective November 11, 2010. |
|
The Independent Directors determine the amount of compensation that they receive, including
the amount paid to the Chairman of the Board. In determining compensation for the Independent
Directors, the Independent Directors take into account a variety of factors including, among other
things, their collective significant work experience (e.g., in business and finance, government or
academia). The Independent Directors also recognize that these individuals advice and counsel are
in demand by other organizations, that these individuals may reject other opportunities because the
time demands of their duties as Independent Directors, and that they undertake significant legal
responsibilities. The Independent Directors also consider the compensation paid to independent
board
27
members of other fund complexes of comparable size. In determining the compensation paid to the
Chairman, the Independent Directors take into account, among other things, the Chairmans
significant additional responsibilities (e.g., setting the agenda for Board meetings, communicating
or meeting regularly with the Corporations CCO, counsel to the Independent Directors, and the
Corporations service providers) which result in a significantly greater time commitment required
of the Chairman. The Chairmans compensation, therefore, has generally been set at a level between
2.5 and 3 times the level of compensation paid to the other independent Board members.
The Independent Directors are paid an annual retainer of $125,000. Committee and sub-committee
chairs each receive an additional annual retainer of $5,000. In addition, Independent Directors are
paid the following fees for attending Board and committee meetings: $5,000 per day of in-person
Board meetings and $2,500 per day of in-person committee or sub-committee meetings (if such
meetings are not held on the same day as a Board meeting). Independent Directors are not paid for
special meetings conducted by telephone. The Boards Chairman will receive total annual cash
compensation of $430,000. The fees payable to the Chairman as well as the other fees described
above that are payable to the other Independent Directors are the aggregate director/trustee fees
paid by all of the funds (other than any fund of funds) in the Columbia Family of Funds that are
overseen by the Independent Directors, including the Corporation. These fees are accrued monthly
based upon the relative net assets of these funds.
The Independent Directors may elect to defer payment of up to 100% of the compensation they receive
in accordance with a Deferred Compensation Plan (the Deferred Plan). Under the Deferred Plan, a
Board member may elect to have his or her deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested
in shares of one or more funds in the Columbia Family of Funds, and the amount paid to the Board
member under the Deferred Plan will be determined based on the performance of such investments.
Distributions may be taken in a lump sum or over a period of years. The Deferred Plan will remain
unfunded for federal income tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. It is
anticipated that deferral of Board member compensation in accordance with the Deferred Plan will
have, at most, a negligible impact on the Corporations assets and liabilities.
Code of Ethics
The funds in the Columbia Family of Funds (which includes the Corporation), Columbia Management,
and Columbia Management Investment Distributors (the distributor of the mutual funds in the
Columbia Family of Funds) have each adopted a Code of Ethics (collectively, the Codes) and
related procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of Rule 204A-1 under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Codes contain provisions reasonably
necessary to prevent a funds access persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by paragraph
(b) of Rule 17j-1, which indicates that it is unlawful for any affiliated person of or principal
underwriter for a fund, or any affiliated person of an investment adviser of or principal
underwriter for a fund, in connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, by the
person of a security held or to be acquired by a fund (i) to employ any device, scheme or artifice
to defraud a fund; (ii) to make any untrue statement of a material fact to a fund or omit to state
a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to a fund, in light of the
circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; (iii) to engage in any act, practice or
course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a fund; or (iv) to engage
in any manipulative practice with respect to a fund. The Codes prohibit affiliated personnel from
engaging in personal investment activities that compete with or attempt to take advantage of
planned portfolio transactions for the fund.
Copies of the Codes are on public file with the SEC and can be reviewed and copied at the SECs
Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. The information on the operation of the SECs Public
Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-942-8090. Copies of the Codes are also
available on the EDGAR Database on the SECs Internet site at www.sec.gov. Copies of the Codes may
also be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail
address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SECs Public Reference Section, Washington, DC
20549-0102.
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
General guidelines, policies and procedures
These Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures apply to the Corporation and the funds and portfolios
(the Funds) that historically bore the RiverSource or Seligman brands, including those renamed to
bear the Columbia brand effective September 27, 2010.
28
The Funds uphold a long tradition of supporting sound and principled corporate governance. For more
than 30 years, the Funds Boards of Trustees/Directors (Board), which consist of a majority of
independent Board members, has determined policies and voted proxies. The Funds investment manager
and administrator, Columbia Management, provide support to the Board in connection with the proxy
voting process.
General Guidelines
The Board supports proxy proposals that it believes are tied to the interests of shareholders and
votes against proxy proposals that appear to entrench management. For example:
Election of Directors
|
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|
The Board generally votes in favor of proposals for an independent chairman or, if the
chairman is not independent, in favor of a lead independent director. |
|
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|
The Board supports annual election of all directors and proposals to eliminate classes
of directors. |
|
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|
In a routine election of directors, the Board will generally vote with the
recommendations of the companys nominating committee because the Board believes that
nominating committees of independent directors are in the best position to know what
qualifications are required of directors to form an effective board. However, the Board
will generally vote against a nominee who has been assigned to the audit, compensation, or
nominating committee if the nominee is not independent of management based on established
criteria. The Board will generally also withhold support for any director who fails to
attend 75% of meetings or has other activities that appear to interfere with his or her
ability to commit sufficient attention to the company and, in general, will vote against
nominees who are determined to have exhibited poor governance such as involvement in
options backdating, financial restatements or material weaknesses in control, approving
egregious compensation or have consistently disregarded the interests of shareholders. |
|
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|
The Board generally supports proposals requiring director nominees to receive a majority
of affirmative votes cast in order to be elected to the board, and in the absence of
majority voting, generally will support cumulative voting. |
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|
Votes in a contested election of directors are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. |
|
Defense mechanisms
The Board generally supports proposals eliminating provisions requiring supermajority approval of
certain actions. The Board generally supports proposals to opt out of control share acquisition
statutes and proposals restricting a companys ability to make greenmail payments. The Board
reviews management proposals submitting shareholder rights plans (poison pills) to shareholders on
a case-by-case basis,
Auditors
The Board values the independence of auditors based on established criteria. The Board supports a
reasonable review of matters that may raise concerns regarding an auditors service that may cause
the Board to vote against a companys recommendation for auditor, including, for example, auditor
involvement in significant financial restatements, options backdating, conflicts of interest,
material weaknesses in control, attempts to limit auditor liability or situations where
independence has been compromised.
Management compensation issues
The Board expects company management to give thoughtful consideration to providing competitive
long-term employee incentives directly tied to the interest of shareholders. The Board generally
votes for plans if they are reasonable and consistent with industry and country standards and
against plans that it believes dilute shareholder value substantially.
The Board generally favors minimum holding periods of stock obtained by senior management pursuant
to equity compensation plans and will vote against compensation plans for executives that it deems
excessive.
29
Social and corporate policy issues
The Board believes proxy proposals should address the business interests of the corporation.
Shareholder proposals sometime seek to have the company disclose or amend certain business
practices based purely on social or environmental issues rather than compelling business arguments.
In general, the Board recognizes our Fund shareholders are likely to have differing views of social
and environmental issues and believes that these matters are primarily the responsibility of a
companys management and its board of directors. The Board generally abstains or votes against
these proposals.
Policy and Procedures
The policy of the Board is to vote all proxies of the companies in which a Fund holds investments.
Because of the volume and complexity of the proxy voting process, including inherent inefficiencies
in the process that are outside the control of the Board or the Proxy Team (defined below), not all
proxies may be voted. The Board has implemented policies and procedures that have been reasonably
designed to vote proxies and to address any conflicts between interests of a Funds shareholders
and those of Columbia Management or other affiliated persons. In exercising its proxy voting
responsibilities, the Board may rely upon the research or recommendations of one or more third
party service providers.
The administration of the proxy voting process is handled by the Columbia Management Proxy
Administration Team (Proxy Team). In exercising its responsibilities, the Proxy Team may rely
upon one or more third party service providers. The Proxy Team assists the Board in identifying
situations where its guidelines do not clearly require a vote in a particular manner and assists in
researching matters and making voting recommendations. The Proxy Team may recommend that a proxy be
voted in a manner contrary to the Boards guidelines. In making recommendations to the Board about
voting on a proposal, the Proxy Team relies on Columbia Management investment personnel (or the
investment personnel of a Funds subadviser(s)) and information obtained from an independent
research firm. The Proxy Team makes the recommendation in writing. The Board Chair or other Board
members who are independent from the investment manager will consider the recommendation and decide
how to vote the proxy proposal or establish a protocol for voting the proposal.
On an annual basis, or more frequently as determined necessary, the Board reviews recommendations
to revise the existing guidelines or add new guidelines. Recommendations are based on, among other
things, industry trends and the frequency that similar proposals appear on company ballots.
The Board considers managements recommendations as set out in the companys proxy statement. In
each instance in which a Fund votes against managements recommendation (except when withholding
votes from a nominated director), the Board generally sends a letter to senior management of the
company explaining the basis for its vote. This permits both the companys management and the Board
to have an opportunity to gain better insight into issues presented by the proxy proposal(s).
Voting in countries outside the United States (non-U.S. countries)
Voting proxies for companies not domiciled in the United States may involve greater effort and cost
due to the variety of regulatory schemes and corporate practices. For example, certain non-U.S.
countries require securities to be blocked prior to a vote, which means that the securities to be
voted may not be traded within a specified number of days before the shareholder meeting. The Board
typically will not vote securities in non-U.S. countries that require securities to be blocked as
the need for liquidity of the securities in the Funds will typically outweigh the benefit of
voting. There may be additional costs associated with voting in non-U.S. countries such that the
Board may determine that the cost of voting outweighs the potential benefit.
Securities on loan
The Board will generally refrain from recalling securities on loan based upon its determination
that the costs and lost revenue to the Funds, combined with the administrative effects of recalling
the securities, generally outweigh the benefit of voting the proxy. While neither the Board nor
Columbia Management assesses the economic impact and benefits of voting loaned securities on a
case-by-case basis, situations may arise where the Board requests that loaned securities be
recalled in order to vote a proxy. In this regard, if a proxy relates to matters that may impact
the nature of a company, such as a proposed merger or acquisition, and the Funds ownership
position is more significant, the Board has established a guideline to direct Columbia Management
to use its best efforts to recall such securities based upon its determination that, in these
situations, the benefits of voting such proxies generally
30
outweigh the costs or lost revenue to the Funds, or any potential adverse administrative effects to
the Funds, of not recalling such securities.
Investment in affiliated funds
Certain Funds may invest in shares of other funds managed by Columbia Management (referred to in
this context as underlying funds) and may own substantial portions of these underlying funds. In
general, the proxy policy of the Funds is to ensure that direct public shareholders of underlying
funds control the outcome of any shareholder vote. To help manage this potential conflict of
interest, the policy of the Funds is to vote proxies of the underlying funds in the same proportion
as the vote of the direct public shareholders; provided, however, that if there are no direct
public shareholders of an underlying fund or if direct public shareholders represent only a
minority interest in an underlying fund, the Fund may cast votes in accordance with instructions
from the independent members of the Board.
OBTAIN A PROXY VOTING RECORD
Each year the Corporation files its proxy voting records with the SEC and makes them available by
August 31 for the 12-month period ending June 30 of that year. The records can be obtained without
charge through columbiamanagement.com or searching the website of the SEC at www.sec.gov.
MANAGEMENT OF THE CORPORATION
The Manager
Under the Management Agreement most recently re-approved on April 14, 2011, Columbia Management,
subject to the policies set by the Board, provides investment management services to the
Corporation.
Columbia Management, 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, is also the investment
manager of the funds in the Columbia Family of Funds, which includes the Columbia, Columbia Acorn,
RiverSource, Threadneedle and Seligman funds, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameriprise
Financial. Ameriprise Financial is a financial planning and financial services company that has
been offering solutions for clients asset accumulation, income management and protection needs for
more than 110 years. In addition to managing investments for the Columbia Family of Funds, Columbia
Management manages investments for itself and its affiliates. For institutional clients, Columbia
Management and its affiliates provide investment management and related services, such as separate
account asset management, and institutional trust and custody, as well as other investment
products.
Effective January 1, 2011, Columbia Management serves as administrative services agent to the
Corporation and provides or compensates others to provide certain services, including
administrative, accounting, treasury, and other services to the Corporation and the other funds in
the Columbia Family of Funds. Prior to such date, Ameriprise Financial served as the Corporations
administrative service agent.
The management fee paid to Columbia Management is equal to an annual rate of 0.355% of the
Corporations average daily net assets. Columbia Management charges the Corporation an
administrative service fee for the services it provides to the Corporation, and such fees are as
follows (as a percentage of the Corporations average daily net assets):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FEES |
|
|
(ASSET LEVELS AND BREAKPOINTS IN APPLICABLE FEES) |
|
|
$0 - |
|
500,000,001 |
|
1,000,000,001 |
|
3,000,000,001 |
|
12,000,000,001 |
|
|
500,000,000 |
|
1,000,000,000 |
|
3,000,000,000 |
|
12,000,000,000 |
|
or more |
Tri-Continental
Corporation |
|
|
0.060 |
% |
|
|
0.055 |
% |
|
|
0.050 |
% |
|
|
0.040 |
% |
|
|
0.030 |
% |
For the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, the management fee paid, which for 2008
was calculated based on a formula that is no longer applicable, amounted to $3,575,281, $3,255,497,
and $7,746,821, respectively,
31
which was equivalent to an annual rate of 0.36%, 0.39% and 0.42%, respectively, of the average
daily net assets of the Corporation.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
The following table sets forth certain additional information from that discussed in the Prospectus
with respect to the portfolio manager of the Corporation. Unless noted otherwise, all information
is provided as of December 31, 2010.
Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager. Table A below identifies, for the portfolio
manager, the number of accounts managed (other than the Corporation) and the total assets in such
accounts within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled
investment vehicles, and other accounts. Table B identifies, for the portfolio manager, only those
accounts that have an advisory fee based on the performance of the account. For the purposes of
the tables below, each series or portfolio of a registered investment company is treated as a
separate registered investment company.
Table A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment |
|
Other Pooled Investment |
|
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
Companies |
|
Vehicles |
|
Other Accounts |
Brian M. Condon
|
|
7 Registered Investment
Companies with
approximately $6.42
billion in total
assets under
management.
|
|
0 Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles.
|
|
5 Other Accounts with
approximately $0.72
million in total
assets under
management. |
Table B
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment |
|
Other Pooled Investment |
|
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
Companies |
|
Vehicles |
|
Other Accounts |
Brian M. Condon
|
|
7 Registered
Investment Companies
with approximately
$6.42 billion in
total assets under
management.
|
|
0 Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles.
|
|
0 Other Accounts. |
Compensation/Material Conflicts of Interest. Set forth below is an explanation of the
structure of, and method(s) used to determine portfolio manager compensation. Also set forth below
is an explanation of material conflicts of interest that may arise between the portfolio managers
management of the Corporations investments and investments in other accounts.
Compensation:
As of the Corporations most recent fiscal year end, Mr. Condon received all of his compensation in
the form of salary, bonus, stock options, restricted stock, and notional investments through an
incentive plan, the value of which is measured by reference to the performance of the funds in
which the account is invested. The bonus is variable and generally is based on (1) an evaluation of
the portfolio managers investment performance and (2) the results of a peer and/or management
review of the portfolio manager, which takes into account skills and attributes such as team
participation, investment process, communication and professionalism. In evaluating investment
performance, the investment manager generally considers the one, three and five year performance of
mutual funds and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager. The investment manager also may
consider a portfolio managers performance in managing client assets in sectors and industries
assigned to the portfolio manager as part of his/her investment team responsibilities, where
applicable. For portfolio managers who also have group management responsibilities, another factor
in their evaluation is an assessment of the groups overall investment performance.
The size of the overall bonus pool each year depends on, among other factors, the levels of
compensation generally in the investment management industry (based on market compensation data)
and the investment managers profitability for the year, which is largely determined by assets
under management.
32
Potential Conflicts of Interest:
Like other investment professionals with multiple clients, the Corporations portfolio
manager(s) may face certain potential conflicts of interest in connection with managing both the
Corporation and other accounts at the same time. The investment manager and the Corporation have
adopted compliance policies and procedures that attempt to address certain of the potential
conflicts that portfolio managers face in this regard. Certain of these conflicts of interest
are summarized below.
The management of accounts with different advisory fee rates and/or fee structures, including
accounts that pay advisory fees based on account performance (performance fee accounts), may raise
potential conflicts of interest for a portfolio manager by creating an incentive to favor higher
fee accounts.
Potential conflicts of interest also may arise when a portfolio manager has personal investments
in other accounts that may create an incentive to favor those accounts. As a general matter and
subject to the investment managers Code of Ethics and certain limited exceptions, the
investment managers investment professionals do not have the opportunity to invest in client
accounts, other than the funds.
A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote
unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. The effects of this
potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts managed by a particular
portfolio manager have different investment strategies.
A portfolio manager may be able to select or influence the selection of the broker/dealers that are
used to execute securities transactions for the Corporation. A portfolio managers decision as to
the selection of broker/dealers could produce disproportionate costs and benefits among the
Corporation and the other accounts the portfolio manager manages.
A potential conflict of interest may arise when a portfolio manager buys or sells the same
securities for the Corporation and other accounts. On occasions when a portfolio manager considers
the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests of the Corporation as well as other
accounts, the investment managers trading desk may, to the extent consistent with applicable laws
and regulations, aggregate the securities to be sold or bought in order to obtain the best
execution and lower brokerage commissions, if any. Aggregation of trades may create the potential
for unfairness to the Corporation or another account if a portfolio manager favors one account over
another in allocating the securities bought or sold.
Cross trades, in which a portfolio manager sells a particular security held by a fund to another
account (potentially saving transaction costs for both accounts), could involve a potential
conflict of interest if, for example, a portfolio manager is permitted to sell a security from one
account to another account at a higher price than an independent third party would pay. The
investment manager and the Corporation have adopted compliance procedures that provide that any
transactions between the Corporation and another account managed by the investment manager are to
be made at a current market price, consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
Another potential conflict of interest may arise based on the different investment objectives and
strategies of the Corporation and other accounts managed by its portfolio manager(s). Depending on
another accounts objectives and other factors, a portfolio manager may give advice to and make
decisions for the Corporation that may differ from advice given, or the timing or nature of
decisions made, with respect to another account. A portfolio managers investment decisions are the
product of many factors in addition to basic suitability for the particular account involved. Thus,
a portfolio manager may buy or sell a particular security for certain accounts, and not for the
Corporation, even though it could have been bought or sold for the fund at the same time. A
portfolio manager also may buy a particular security for one or more accounts when one or more
other accounts are selling the security (including short sales). There may be circumstances when a
portfolio managers purchases or sales of portfolio securities for one or more accounts may have an
adverse effect on other accounts, including the Corporation.
The Corporations portfolio manager(s) also may have other potential conflicts of interest in
managing the Corporation, and the description above is not a complete description of every conflict
that could exist in managing the Corporation and other accounts. Many of the potential conflicts of
interest to which the investment managers portfolio managers are subject are essentially the same
or similar to the potential conflicts of interest related to the investment management activities
of the investment manager and its affiliates.
Securities Ownership. As of December 31, 2010, Mr. Condon owned between $10,001 and $50,000 of the
shares of the Corporation.
33
HOLDINGS OF PREFERRED STOCK, COMMON STOCK AND WARRANTS
As of March 31, 2011, holders of record of the Corporations Preferred Stock totaled 230; holders
of record of Common Stock totaled 19,571; and holders of record of Warrants totaled 87.
Control Persons
As of March 31, 2011, there was no person or persons who controlled the Corporation, either through
a significant ownership of shares or any other means of control.
Principal Holders
As of March 31, 2011 (unless otherwise noted), the principal holders owned of record 5% or more of
the outstanding equity securities of the Corporation as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage |
|
|
|
|
of |
Name and Address |
|
Security |
|
Shares Held |
Cede & Co., Depository Trust/Central
Delivery, 55 Water Street, New York, NY
10041
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
|
38.20 |
% |
|
Tri-Continental Corp. Investment Plan
Account, Minneapolis, MN
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
|
27.08 |
% |
|
Cede & Co., Depository Trust/Central
Delivery, 55 Water Street, New York, NY
10041
|
|
Preferred
|
|
|
88.50 |
% |
|
Cede & Co., Depository Trust/Central
Delivery, 55 Water Street, New York, NY
10041
|
|
Warrants
|
|
|
66.78 |
% |
|
Treasurer State of Illinois Unclaimed
Property Division, PO Box 19495,
Springfield, IL 62794
|
|
Warrants
|
|
|
8.05 |
% |
Management Ownership
As of March 31, 2011, the Directors and officers of the Corporation, as a group, owned less than 1%
of the Corporations Common Stock. As of the same date, the Directors or officers of the
Corporation did not own any of the Corporations Preferred Stock or Warrants.
SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
Subject to policies set by the Board, as well as the terms of the Management Agreement, the
investment manager is authorized to determine, consistent with the Corporations investment
objective and policies, which securities will be purchased, held, or sold. In determining where the
buy and sell orders are to be placed, the investment manager has been directed to use its best
efforts to obtain the best available price and the most favorable execution except where otherwise
authorized by the Board.
The Corporation, investment manager and Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the
distributor of the mutual funds in the Columbia Family of Funds) each has a strict Code of Ethics
that prohibits affiliated personnel from engaging in personal investment activities that compete
with or attempt to take advantage of planned portfolio transactions for the Corporation.
The Corporations securities may be traded on an agency basis with brokers or dealers or on a
principal basis with dealers. In an agency trade, the broker-dealer generally is paid a commission.
In a principal trade, the investment manager will trade directly with the issuer or with a dealer
who buys or sells for its own account, rather than acting on behalf of another client. The
investment manager may pay the dealer a commission or instead, the dealers profit, if any, is the
difference, or spread, between the dealers purchase and sale price for the security.
Broker-Dealer Selection
In selecting broker-dealers to execute transactions, the investment manager will consider from
among such factors as the ability to minimize trading costs, trading expertise, infrastructure,
ability to provide information or services,
34
financial condition, confidentiality, competitiveness of commission rates, evaluations of execution
quality, promptness of execution, past history, ability to prospect for and find liquidity,
difficulty of trade, securitys trading characteristics, size of order, liquidity of market, block
trading capabilities, quality of settlement, specialized expertise, overall responsiveness,
willingness to commit capital and research services provided.
The Board has adopted a policy prohibiting the investment manager from considering sales of shares
of the funds as a factor in the selection of broker-dealers through which to execute securities
transactions.
On a periodic basis, the investment manager makes a comprehensive review of the broker-dealers and
the overall reasonableness of their commissions, including review by an independent third-party
evaluator. The review evaluates execution, operational efficiency, and research services.
Commission Dollars
Broker-dealers typically provide a bundle of services including research and execution of
transactions. The research provided can be either proprietary (created and provided by the
broker-dealer) or third party (created by a third party but provided by the broker-dealer).
Consistent with the interests of the Corporation, the investment manager may use broker-dealers who
provide both types of research products and services in exchange for commissions, known as soft
dollars, generated by transactions in fund accounts.
The receipt of research and brokerage products and services is used by the investment manager to
the extent it engages in such transactions, to supplement its own research and analysis activities,
by receiving the views and information of individuals and research staffs of other securities
firms, and by gaining access to specialized expertise on individual companies, industries, areas of
the economy and market factors. Research and brokerage products and services may include reports on
the economy, industries, sectors and individual companies or issuers; statistical information;
accounting and tax law interpretations; political analyses; reports on legal developments affecting
portfolio securities; information on technical market actions; credit analyses; on-line quotation
systems; risk measurement; analyses of corporate responsibility issues; on-line news services; and
financial and market database services. Research services may be used by the investment manager in
providing advice to multiple accounts, including the funds in the Columbia Family of Funds, which
includes the Corporation, even though it is not possible to relate the benefits to any particular
account or fund.
On occasion, it may be desirable to compensate a broker for research services or for brokerage
services by paying a commission that might not otherwise be charged or a commission in excess of
the amount another broker might charge. The Board has adopted a policy authorizing the investment
manager to do so, to the extent authorized by law, if the investment manager determines, in good
faith, that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage or research
services provided by a broker or dealer, viewed either in the light of that transaction or the
investment managers overall responsibilities with respect to a fund and the other funds or
accounts for which it acts as investment manager (or by any subadviser to any other client of that
subadviser).
As a result of these arrangements, some portfolio transactions may not be effected at the lowest
commission, but overall execution may be better. The investment manager and each subadviser have
represented that under its procedures the amount of commission paid will be reasonable and
competitive in relation to the value of the brokerage services and research products and services
provided.
The investment manager may use step-out transactions. A step-out is an arrangement in which the
investment manager executes a trade through one broker-dealer but instructs that broker-dealer to
step-out all or a part of the trade to another broker-dealer. The second broker-dealer will clear
and settle, and receive commissions for, the stepped-out portion. The investment manager may
receive research products and services in connection with step-out transactions.
Use of fund commissions may create potential conflicts of interest between the investment manager
and the Corporation.
However, the investment manager has policies and procedures in place intended to mitigate these
conflicts and ensure that the use of fund commissions falls within the safe harbor of Section
28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Some products and services may be used for both
investment decision-making and non-investment decision-making purposes (mixed use items). The
investment manager, to the extent it has mixed use items, has procedures in place to assure that
fund commissions pay only for the investment decision-making portion of a mixed-use item.
35
Trade Aggregation and Allocation
Generally, orders are processed and executed in the order received. When the Corporation buys or
sells the same security as another portfolio, fund, or account, the investment manager carries out
the purchase or sale pursuant to policies and procedures designed in such a way believed to be fair
to the Corporation. Purchase and sale orders may be combined or aggregated for more than one
account if it is believed it would be consistent with best execution. Aggregation may reduce
commission costs or market impact on a per-share and per-dollar basis, although aggregation may
have the opposite effect. There may be times when not enough securities are received to fill an
aggregated order, including in an initial public offering, involving multiple accounts. In that
event, the investment manager has policies and procedures designed in such a way believed to result
in a fair allocation among accounts, including the Corporation.
From time to time, different portfolio managers with the investment manager may make differing
investment decisions related to the same security. However, with certain exceptions for funds
managed using strictly quantitative methods, a portfolio manager or portfolio management team may
not sell a security short if the security is owned in another portfolio managed by that portfolio
manager or portfolio management team. On occasion, a fund may purchase and sell a security
simultaneously in order to profit from short-term price disparities.
Certain Investment Limitations
From time to time, the investment manager and its respective affiliates (adviser group) will be
trading in the same securities or be deemed to beneficially hold the same securities. Due to
regulatory and other restrictions or limits in various countries or industry- or issuer-specific
restrictions or limitations (e.g., poison pills) that restrict the amount of securities or other
investments of an issuer that may be held on an aggregate basis by an adviser group, a fund may be
limited or prevented from acquiring securities of an issuer that the funds adviser may otherwise
prefer to purchase. For example, many countries limit the amount of outstanding shares that may be
held in a local bank by an adviser group. In these circumstances, a fund may be limited or
prevented from purchasing additional shares of a bank if the purchase would put the adviser group
over the regulatory limit when the adviser groups holdings are combined together or with the
holdings of the funds affiliates, even if the purchases alone on behalf of a specific fund would
not be in excess of such limit. Additionally, regulatory and other applicable limits are complex
and vary significantly, including, among others, from country to country, industry to industry and
issuer to issuer. However, given the complexity of these limits, a funds adviser may inadvertently
breach these limits, and a fund may be required to sell securities of an issuer in order to be in
compliance with such limits even if the funds adviser may otherwise prefer to continue to hold
such securities. At certain times, the funds may be restricted in their investment activities
because of relationships an affiliate of the funds, which may include Ameriprise Financial and its
affiliates, may have with the issuers of securities.
The investment manager has portfolio management teams in its multiple geographic locations that may
share research information regarding leveraged loans. The investment manager operates separate and
independent trading desks in these locations for the purpose of purchasing and selling leveraged
loans. As a result, the investment manager does not aggregate orders in leveraged loans across
portfolio management teams. For example, funds and other client accounts being managed by these
portfolio management teams may purchase and sell the same leveraged loan in the secondary market on
the same day at different times and at different prices. There is also the potential for a
particular account or group of accounts, including the Corporation to forego an opportunity or to
receive a different allocation (either larger or smaller) than might otherwise be obtained if the
investment manager were to aggregate trades in leveraged loans across the portfolio management
teams. Although the investment manager does not aggregate orders in leveraged loans across its
portfolio management teams in its multiple geographic locations, it operates in this structure
subject to its duty to seek best execution.
Brokerage Commissions Paid to Brokers Affiliated with the Investment Manager
Affiliates of the investment manager may engage in brokerage and other securities transactions on
behalf of a fund according to procedures adopted by the Board and to the extent consistent with
applicable provisions of the federal securities laws. Subject to approval by the Board, the same
conditions apply to transactions with broker-dealer affiliates of any subadviser. The investment
manager will use an affiliate only if (i) the investment manager determines that the Corporation
will receive prices and executions at least as favorable as those offered by qualified independent
brokers performing similar brokerage and other services for the Corporation and (ii) the affiliate
charges the Corporation commission rates consistent with those the affiliate charges comparable
unaffiliated customers in similar transactions and if such use is consistent with terms of the
Management Agreement.
Commissions
36
Total brokerage commissions (not including any spreads on principal transactions on a net basis)
paid by the Corporation during the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 were $342,799,
$877,230 and $4,245,043, respectively.
Regular Broker-Dealers
During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Corporation acquired securities of its regular brokers
or dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or of their parents. At December 31,
2010, the Corporation held securities of Citigroup Inc., with an aggregate value of $19,751,028;
Franklin Resources, with an aggregate value of $4,226,870; Goldman Sachs Group, with an aggregate
value of $9,288,149; and JPMorgan Chase & Co., with an aggregate value of $25,344,126.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Corporations financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010 are incorporated into
this SAI by reference to the 2010 Annual Report to Stockholders of the Corporation, filed with the
SEC pursuant to Section 30(b) of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The 2010
Annual Report contains schedules of the Corporations portfolio investments as of December 31, 2010
and certain other financial information as of this date. The Corporation will furnish, without
charge, a copy of such Annual Report, which includes the Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm, to any person who requests a copy of the SAI.
The financial information of the Corporation included in the Prospectus under the caption
Financial Highlights and the financial statements that are incorporated by reference in this SAI
for the year-ended December 31, 2010 have been so included or incorporated by reference in reliance
on the reports of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, given on their
authority as experts in auditing and accounting. The financial statements for periods ended on or
before December 31, 2008 were audited by other auditors.
INFORMATION REGARDING PENDING AND SETTLED LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
In June 2004, an action captioned John E. Gallus et al. v. American Express Financial Corp. and
American Express Financial Advisors Inc., was filed in the United States District Court for the
District of Arizona. The plaintiffs allege that they are investors in several American Express
Company (now known as legacy RiverSource) mutual funds and they purport to bring the action
derivatively on behalf of those funds under the 1940 Act. The plaintiffs allege that fees allegedly
paid to the defendants by the funds for investment advisory and administrative services are
excessive. The plaintiffs seek remedies including restitution and rescission of investment advisory
and distribution agreements. The plaintiffs voluntarily agreed to transfer this case to the United
States District Court for the District of Minnesota (the District Court). In response to
defendants motion to dismiss the complaint, the District Court dismissed one of plaintiffs four
claims and granted plaintiffs limited discovery. Defendants moved for summary judgment in April
2007. Summary judgment was granted in the defendants favor on July 9, 2007. The plaintiffs filed a
notice of appeal with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (the Eighth Circuit) on Aug. 8, 2007.
On April 8, 2009, the Eighth Circuit reversed summary judgment and remanded to the District Court
for further proceedings. On August 6, 2009, defendants filed a writ of certiorari with the U.S.
Supreme Court (the Supreme Court), asking the Supreme Court to stay the District Court
proceedings while the Supreme Court considers and rules in a case captioned Jones v. Harris
Associates, which involves issues of law similar to those presented in the Gallus case. On March
30, 2010, the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Jones v. Harris Associates, and on April 5, 2010,
the Supreme Court vacated the Eighth Circuits decision in the Gallus case and remanded the case to
the Eighth Circuit for further consideration in light of the Supreme Courts decision in Jones v.
Harris Associates. On June 4, 2010, the Eighth Circuit remanded the Gallus case to the District
Court for further consideration in light of the Supreme Courts decision in Jones v. Harris
Associates. On December 9, 2010, the District Court reinstated its July 9, 2007 summary judgment
order in favor of the defendants. On January 10, 2011, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal with the
Eighth Circuit.
In December 2005, without admitting or denying the allegations, American Express Financial
Corporation (AEFC, which is now known as Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial)),
entered into settlement agreements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Minnesota
Department of Commerce (MDOC) related to market timing activities. As a result, AEFC was censured
and ordered to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations of certain provisions of
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Investment Company Act
37
of 1940, and various Minnesota laws. AEFC agreed to pay disgorgement of $10 million and civil money
penalties of $7 million. AEFC also agreed to retain an independent distribution consultant to
assist in developing a plan for distribution of all disgorgement and civil penalties ordered by the
SEC in accordance with various undertakings detailed at
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/ia-2451.pdf. Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates have
cooperated with the SEC and the MDOC in these legal proceedings, and have made regular reports to
the RiverSource Funds Boards of Directors/Trustees.
Ameriprise Financial and certain of its affiliates have historically been involved in a number of
legal, arbitration and regulatory proceedings, including routine litigation, class actions, and
governmental actions, concerning matters arising in connection with the conduct of their business
activities. Ameriprise Financial believes that the Funds are not currently the subject of, and that
neither Ameriprise Financial nor any of its affiliates are the subject of, any pending legal,
arbitration or regulatory proceedings that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the
Funds or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their contracts
with the Funds. Ameriprise Financial is required to make 10-Q, 10-K and, as necessary, 8-K filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on legal and regulatory matters that relate to
Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates. Copies of these filings may be obtained by accessing the
SEC website at www.sec.gov.
There can be no assurance that these matters, or the adverse publicity associated with them, will
not result in increased fund redemptions, reduced sale of fund shares or other adverse consequences
to the Funds. Further, although we believe proceedings are not likely to have a material adverse
effect on the Funds or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their
contracts with the Funds, these proceedings are subject to uncertainties and, as such, we are
unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may result. An adverse outcome in one or
more of these proceedings could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties or other
relief that could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition or results
of operations of Ameriprise Financial.
CUSTODIAN, TRANSFER, STOCKHOLDER SERVICE AND DIVIDEND PAYING AGENT AND EXPERTS
Custodian. JPMorgan Chase, N.A., serves as custodian for the Corporations portfolio securities
and is located at 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza, New York, NY 10005. It also maintains, under the
general supervision of the Manager, the accounting records and determines the net asset value for
the Corporation.
Administration Services. Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, 225 Franklin Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02110, provides or compensates others to provide administrative services to
the funds in the Columbia Family of Funds, including the Corporation. These services include
administrative, accounting, treasury, and other services.
Board Services Corporation. The Corporation has an agreement with Board Services Corporation
(Board Services) located at 901 Marquette Avenue South, Suite 2810, Minneapolis, MN 55402. This
agreement sets forth the terms of Board Services responsibility to serve as an agent of the funds
in the RiverSource Family of Funds, which includes the Corporation, for purposes of administering
the payment of compensation to each independent Board member, to provide office space for use by
the funds and their boards, and to provide any other services to the boards or the independent
members, as may be reasonably requested.
Transfer, Stockholder Service and Dividend Paying Agent. Columbia Management Investment Services
Corp. serves as the Corporations transfer, stockholder service and dividend paying agent. CMISC,
located at 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, performs certain recordkeeping
functions for the Corporation, maintains the records of stockholder accounts and furnishes dividend
paying and related services.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Ernst & Young LLP, 220 S. 6th Street
#1400, Minneapolis, MN 55402, serves as the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the
Corporation and in such capacity audits the Corporations annual financial statements and financial
highlights. The financial statements for periods ended on or before December 31, 2008 were audited
by other auditors.
38
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Tri-Continental Corporation
We have audited the financial statements of Tri-Continental Corporation (the Fund) as of December
31, 2010, and for the two years then ended and have issued our report thereon dated February 23,
2011 (incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement). Our audits also included the
financial statement schedule listed under the caption Senior Securities $2.50 Cumulative
Preferred Stock on page 10 of the Prospectus, which forms a part of the Funds Registration
Statement. The Senior Securities $2.50 Cumulative Preferred Stock schedule for each of the years
presented through December 31, 2008 was audited by other auditors whose report dated February 27,
2009, expressed an unqualified opinion on the schedule. This schedule is the responsibility of the
Funds management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our audits.
In our opinion, the Senior Securities $2.50 Cumulative Preferred Stock schedule for each of the
two years ended December 31, 2010, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements
taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 23, 2011
39
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
1. Financial Statements.
Part A. Financial Highlights for the ten years ended December 31, 2010; Table for the
ten years ended December 31, 2010 under the caption Senior Securities $2.50 Cumulative Preferred
Stock.
Part B. The required financial statements are included in the Corporations 2010
Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference into the Statement of Additional Information.
These statements include: Portfolio of Investments at December 31, 2010; Statement of Assets and
Liabilities at December 31, 2010; Statement of Capital Stock and Surplus at December 31, 2010;
Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2010; Statements of Changes in Net
Investment Assets for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009; Notes to Financial Statements;
Financial Highlights for the five years ended December 31, 2010; Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm.
2. Exhibits. All Exhibits listed below are incorporated herein by reference, except those
Exhibits marked with an asterisk (*) which are filed herewith.
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(a) |
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Amended and Restated Charter of the Registrant. (Incorporated by reference to
Registrants Amendment No. 27 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on April
16, 1998.) |
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(b) |
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Amended and Restated By-laws of the Registrant. (Incorporated by reference to
Registrants Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 on Form N-2 filed on April 13, 2006). |
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(c) |
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Not Applicable. |
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(d)(1) |
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Specimen certificates of Common Stock. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on March 6, 1981.) |
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(d)(2) |
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Specimen certificates of $2.50 Cumulative Preferred Stock. (Incorporated by
reference to Registrants Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2
filed on March 6, 1981.) |
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(d)(3) |
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Specimen of Warrant of the Registrant. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on March 6, 1981.) |
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(d)(4) |
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Form of Subscription Certificate Subscription Right for shares of Common Stock.
(Incorporated by reference to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on
September 17, 1992.) |
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(d)(5) |
|
The Registrants Charter is the constituent instrument defining the rights of the
$2.50 Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $50, and the Common Stock of the
Registrant. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants Amendment No. 27 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on April 16, 1998.) |
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(e) |
|
Registrants Automatic Dividend Investment and Cash Purchase Plan is set forth
in Registrants Prospectus which is filed as Part A of this Registration Statement. |
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(f) |
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Not Applicable. |
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(g) |
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*Amended and Restated Investment Management Services Agreement between the
Registrant and Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC. |
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(h) |
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Not Applicable. |
C-1
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION (continued)
|
(i) |
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Deferred Compensation Plan, amended and restated Jan. 1, 2010, filed
electronically on or about Jan. 26, 2011 as Exhibit (f) to RiverSource Tax-Exempt
Series, Inc. Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to Registration Statement No. 2-57328 is
incorporated by reference. |
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(j) |
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Form of Master Global Custody Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. filed
electronically on or about Dec. 23, 2008 as Exhibit (g) to RiverSource International
Managers Series, Inc. Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 to Registration Statement No.
333-64010 is incorporated by reference. |
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(k) |
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*Form of Amended and Restated Administrative Services Agreement between the
Registrant and Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC. |
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(l) |
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Opinion and Consent of Counsel. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants Amendment No. 33 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on April 22, 2003.) |
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(m) |
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Not Applicable. |
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(n) |
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*Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Ernst & Young LLP). |
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(o) |
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Not Applicable. |
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(p) |
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Not Applicable. |
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(q)(1) |
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The Seligman Roth/Traditional IRA Information Kit. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants Amendment
No. 27 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on April 16, 1998.) |
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(q)(3) |
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Qualified Plan and Trust Basic Plan Document. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants Amendment No.
27 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on April 16, 1998.) |
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(q)(4) |
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Flexible Standardized 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan Adoption Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to
Registrants Amendment No. 27 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed on April 16, 1998.) |
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(q)(4) |
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Seligman Qualified Retirement Plan and Trust Defined Contribution Basis Plan.
(Incorporated by reference to Registrants Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 on Form N-2
filed on April 13, 2006). |
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(q)(5) |
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Seligman Profit Sharing Plan Forms: Super Simplified Standardized Profit Sharing
Plan; and Simplified Profit Sharing Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants
Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 on Form N-2 filed on April 13, 2006). |
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(q)(6) |
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Flexible Nonstandardized Safe Harbor 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan Adoption
Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Registrants Amendment No. 27 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-2 filed on April 16, 1998.) |
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(r)(1) |
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Code of Ethics adopted under Rule 17j-1 for Registrant filed electronically on or
about Feb. 27, 2009 as Exhibit (p)(1) to RiverSource Variable Series Trust
Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Registration Statement No. 333-146374 is incorporated
by reference. |
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(r)(2) |
|
Code of Ethics adopted under Rule 17j-1 for Registrants investment adviser and
principal underwrtier, dated May 1, 2010, filed electronically on or about May 27, 2010
as Exhibit (p)(2) to RiverSource Strategy Series, Inc. Post-Effective Amendment No. 58
to Registration Statement No. 2-89288 is incorporated by reference. |
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(Other Exhibits) |
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(a) Directors Power of Attorney to sign Amendments to this Registration Statement,
dated April 6, 2010, filed electronically on or about April 29, 2010 as Exhibit (q) to
Columbia Funds Series Trust II Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 to Registration Statement No.
333-131683 is incorporated by reference. |
C-2
Item 26. Marketing Arrangements. Not Applicable.
Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
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Registration fees |
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$ |
-0- |
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NYSE listing fees |
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-0- |
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Registrar fees |
|
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-0- |
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Legal fees |
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-0- |
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Accounting fees |
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-0- |
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Miscellaneous (mailing, etc.) |
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-0- |
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Item 28. |
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Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant. Seligman
Data Corp., a New York Corporation, is owned by the Registrant and certain associated
investment companies. The Registrants investment in Seligman Data Corp. is recorded at a
cost of $43,681. |
Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities.
As of March 31, 2010:
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Title of Class |
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Number of Recordholders |
$2.50 Cumulative Preferred |
|
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230 |
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Common Stock |
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19,571 |
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Warrants |
|
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87 |
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Item 30. |
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Indemnification. Reference is made to the provisions of Article Eleventh
of Registrants Amended and Restated Charter filed as an exhibit to Registrants Registration
Statement on Form N-2 filed on April 16, 1998 and Article X of Registrants Amended and
Restated By-laws filed as an exhibit to Registrants Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 on Form
N-2 filed on April 13, 2006. |
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Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised by the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense
of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion
of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
C-3
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION (continued)
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
|
|
To the knowledge of the Registrant, none of the directors or officers of Columbia
Management Investment Advisers, LLC (Columbia Management), the Registrants investment
adviser, except as set forth below, are or have been, at any time during the Registrants
past two fiscal years, engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment
of a substantial nature. |
|
|
Columbia Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc., performs
investment advisory services for the Registrant and certain other clients. Information
regarding the business of Columbia Management and the directors and principal officers of
Columbia Management is also included in the Form ADV filed by Columbia Management
(formerly, RiverSource Investments, LLC) with the SEC pursuant to the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940 (File No. 801-25943), which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition
to their position with Columbia Management, except that certain directors and officers of
Columbia Management also hold various positions with, and engage in business for,
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. or its other subsidiaries. Prior to May 1, 2010, when
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. acquired the long-term asset management business of Columbia
Management Group, LLC from Bank of America, N.A., certain current directors and officers
of CMIA held various positions with, and engaged in business for, Columbia Management
Group, LLC or other direct or indirect subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation. |
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Item 32. |
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Location of Accounts and Records. The accounts, books and documents to be
maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules promulgated
thereunder are kept in the possession of Registrants investment adviser and administrator,
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, at its offices at 100 Park Avenue, New York, NY
10017 and 225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110 or at the following locations: (1) the offices
of the Corporations Board of Directors at Board Services Corporation, 901 Marquette Avenue
South, Suite 2810, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, (2) JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., located at 1
Chase Manhattan Plaza, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10005, custodian of the Registrants
cash and securities; (3) Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. located at 225
Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110, shareholder service agent, maintains shareholder records
for the Registrant, and (4) Ameriprise Financial, Inc., 707 Second Avenue, South Minneapolis,
MN 55402, and Iron Mountain Records Management, 920 and 950 Apollo Road, Eagan, MN 55121. Iron
Mountain Records Management is an off-site storage facility housing historical records that
are no longer required to be maintained on-site. Records stored at this facility include
various trading and accounting records, as well as other miscellaneous records. |
Item 33. Management Services. Not Applicable.
Item 34. Undertakings.
I. Registrant undertakes: to suspend the offering of shares until the prospectus is
amended if (1) subsequent to the effective date of its registration statement, the net
asset value declines more than 10% from its net asset value as of the effective date of
the registration statement.
II. Registrant undertakes:
(a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to the registration statement: (1) to include any prospectus required by Section
10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act; (2) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the Registration Statement; and (3) to include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration
statement;
C-4
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION (continued)
(b) and that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to
the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
III. The Registrant undertakes: to send by first class mail or other means designed to
ensure equally prompt delivery within two business days of receipt of a written or oral
request, the Registrants Statement of Additional Information.
C-5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940,
the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Minneapolis, and State of Minnesota, and in
the City of Boston, and State of Massachusetts on the _8th____day of April, 2011.
|
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|
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
|
|
|
By: |
/s/J. Kevin Connaughton
|
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|
J. Kevin Connaughton, President |
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|
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been
signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on April _8th____, 2011.
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
/s/ J. Kevin Connaughton
|
|
President |
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J. Kevin Connaughton
|
|
(Principal Executive Officer) |
|
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/s/Michael G. Clarke
|
|
Treasurer (Principal Financial and |
|
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|
Michael G. Clarke
|
|
Accounting Officer) |
|
|
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|
|
|
|
Kathleen A. Blatz, Director
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|
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) |
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|
|
Pamela G. Carlton, Director
|
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) |
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Patricia M. Flynn, Director
|
|
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) |
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Anne P. Jones, Director
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|
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) |
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Stephen R. Lewis, Jr., Chairman of the Board and Director) |
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John F. Maher, Director
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|
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) |
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Catherine James Paglia, Director
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) |
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Leroy C. Richie, Director
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) |
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/s/ Scott R. Plummer |
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Alison Taunton-Rigby, Director
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) |
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Scott R. Plummer, Attorney in Fact |
William F. Truscott, Director
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|
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) |
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|
TRI-CONTINENTAL CORPORATION
FORM N-2
Post-Effective Amendment No. 10
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
|
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Form N-2 Item No. |
|
Description |
|
|
|
Item 25(g)
|
|
Amended and Restated Investment Management Services Agreement between the Registrant
and Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC. |
|
|
|
Item 25(k)
|
|
Form of Amended and Restated Administrative Services Agreement between the Registrant
and Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC. |
|
|
|
Item 25(n)
|
|
Consent of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm (Ernst & Young LLP). |