UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Investment Company Act file number

811-21583

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado

 

80203

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Erin E. Douglas, Secretary
Clough Global Allocation Fund
1290 Broadway, Suite 1100
Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

303-623-2577

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

March 31

 

 

Date of reporting period:

September 30, 2007

 

 



 

Item 1.   Reports to Stockholders.

 



 

 

 

 

Semi-Annual Report

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 



 

Shareholder Letter

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

To Our Shareholders:

 

Since the Clough Global Allocation Fund’s market price is significantly below its net asset value, we thought it important to make the following points

 

During the six months ended September 30, 2007, the Fund’s net asset value assuming reinvestment of all distributions has increased 9.3%. That compares with an 8.4% gain in the S&P 500.

 

Since the Fund’s inception on July 28, 2004, the total growth in net asset value assuming reinvestment of all distributions has been 59.3%. This compares with a cumulative gain of 47.0% in the S&P 500.

 

The growth in net asset value has compounded at an annual rate of 15.8% since inception while the S&P 500 rise has compounded at an annual rate of 12.9%.

 

The Fund’s quarterly distribution has increased from $0.30 per share at inception to $0.45 per share today. In addition, $1.38 per share has been distributed in special distributions in the three years since the Fund began trading for a total of $5.61 in distributions since inception.

 

The Fund’s quarterly distributions have grown in line with the increase in net assets and at the current price they offer a yield of approximately 9%.

 

It is our view that such fundamental results are incompatible with such a large discount in the Fund’s current market price and we think that discount to net asset value over time should close.

 

The Fund’s investment strategy has been to focus on a few sectors or markets where investment returns are likely to be high. At present, our investments in Asian markets make up the Fund’s largest single exposure. They are focused on Hong Kong, Korea and smaller markets like Malaysia and Indonesia. Whereas the U.S. economy is slowing under the weight of high consumer debt, Asian economies are relatively debt free and are just entering long periods of rising consumer spending and infrastructure investment cycles. The U.S. may be ending a multi-decade debt super cycle; Asia may be just beginning one.

 

Hong Kong is benefiting from both a combination of strong growth in China and falling U.S. short term interest rates. Because the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the U.S. currency, declining U.S. rates translate directly into lower rates in Hong Kong. Since growth is already strong there, falling interest rates are likely to benefit both real estate and equities. Hong Kong property prices are still approximately 60% below their 1997 levels and there is little likelihood of excess supply growth due to the shortage of buildable land available.

 

The financial markets have begun to realize the coming relaxation of Chinese capital controls but the fact that it is recognized does not diminish its potential impact on markets the Fund is not exposed to the inflated Chinese domestic stock market. Nevertheless, in our view, the long term China story is far from discounted in the financial markets. The domestic markets may be inflated but other national markets in Asia still offer good values. Meanwhile, the Chinese currency is undervalued, and that supports profits; the gap between corporate ROE and borrowing costs is still wide and getting wider and China’s export markets are highly diversified.

 

Energy also remains an important secular investment theme for the Fund. The stocks have done well but remain undervalued in our view. OPEC production has been struggling to grow since September of 2005 as have global oil inventories. Declines in OPEC production began well before the so-called voluntary production declines took effect. The great issue

 

1



 

for the industry is whether depletion rates in the major oil fields will continue to exceed new production. So long as that is the case there will be upward pressures on oil prices and day by day the value of companies that own oil and gas reserves or sophisticated deepwater drilling rigs increases. Some estimates of annual global depletion rates are as high as 3.2 to 5.0 million barrels/day. The scramble to replace those reserves is underway as evidenced by the huge lease sale that just occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. The total bids for drilling rights totaled more than five times the total amount bid over the past five years, and the need for deepwater rigs and supplies will continue strong.

 

The Fund’s holdings of energy producer stocks have migrated toward the North American gas producers. The price of natural gas has been held hostage to a series of warm winters, an explosion of drilling rigs producing gas and a sharp rise in imports of liquid natural gas. Yet the depletion of most North American gas fields has accelerated, demand for LNG is rising abroad limiting supplies for North America, and warm winters may become less common. Gas stocks are cheap and we think represent the best values in the sector at present.

 

The Fund has investments in a number of other varied themes. Product upgrade cycles are underway in both the personal computer and telecommunications markets, enhancing the profit outlook for computer manufacturers, software companies and telecommunications equipment manufacturers. For the first time in years we see opportunities in the large capitalization technology companies such as Oracle Systems (ORCL–NYSE) and Cisco Systems (CSCO–NYSE). We also see opportunities in companies supplying flat screen TV’s and the proliferation of broadband. We have further diversified the Fund with investments in global agriculture, involving companies that grow and process agricultural commodities and provide capital goods for global agriculture. A growing middle class in China consumes 130,000 tons of pork a day and that economy does not have capacity to grow hogs or the feed with which to feed them. We think this once prosaic industry could become a recognized growth sector.

 

Many financial stocks have declined sharply and we think the sector offers opportunity on both the long and short sides. The Funds do own Citigroup NA (C–NYSE) and the American Depository Receipts of UBS AG (UBS–NYSE), for example. These companies have been in the headlines as the mortgage cycle and its related derivatives bubble unwind. The positive is that underneath the write-offs and excesses in the sub-prime and CDO space there are highly profitable franchises with high barriers to entry that provide huge cash flows. UBS for example has a highly profitable global wealth management business that allowed the firm to write off a $4 billion mistake with only a minor hit to book value. Our thinking is that management will eventually find the common sense to stop making $4 billion mistakes and the underlying value of the firm will show through. Citigroup has an important global broker-dealer franchise and a strong global consumer credit operation. Both companies should benefit from a more positive U.S. yield curve. We currently have these positions partially hedged with short positions in the Regional Bank Holders Trust and in specific regional banks with particularly vulnerable mortgage holdings. We also currently hold modest short positions in the mortgage insurers which have branched out from their original franchises to insure more exotic CDO tranches.

 

The summer months were particularly volatile for the financial markets and that volatility may be with us for a while. In the developed economies, we live in a highly indebted world, and growth is moving away from the developed economies and toward the emerging world with ever greater speed. One subtle signal from the marketplace that suggests the credit stress we experienced this summer is not over is the behavior of so-called swap spreads for financial companies. These are the interest rates at which financial companies are willing to lend to each other and they have remained at the punitive levels seen during the August turmoil even though the equities have rallied. That suggests that there is still

 

2



 

concern over the quality of the collective financial sector balance sheet. For that and for other reasons the Fund is currently balanced among themes and is partially hedged.

 

In that vein, we think that global equities markets are acting quite rationally and offer meaningful investment upside. In other words, there is a silver lining in all of this for the financial markets. With financial companies announcing write offs of supposedly highly rated mortgage paper and financial executives falling on their swords, the reality is the only way the Federal Reserve can stabilize the financial sector is to reduce short term interest rates and create a positive yield curve. Then, and only then can banks and brokerage firms generate the cash flow that allows the write downs of impaired assets so they can once again function as credit intermediaries.

 

The media puts an unending negative spin on events, and the current market decline centered on pressures based upon the sub-prime mortgage fallout, is creating concern among investors. However, we think the markets are simply separating winners from losers in an increasingly globalized economy. The winners are those companies exposed to global growth and the losers are those that grew on the back of the huge and unsustainable mortgage boom. Wal-Mart is only the latest company to announce a cutback in U.S. expansion to spend more in countries like China and India. GE recently announced that China, India, Latin America and Russia account for $32 billion in revenues and that sector is growing 20% per annum.

 

It is important as an investor to realize the reason why global growth can continue in the face of a U.S. credit slowdown. U.S. financial companies in particular have benefited from the decades long secular expansion in debt. Consumer and business debt combined were 125% of GDP back in the 1960s. Today it is 350% of GDP and it has reached the point of saturation. If debt cannot grow faster than GDP and support growth, U.S. domestic profits will stagnate, particularly for financial companies.

 

The opposite is true in Asia and in emerging economies generally. As U.S. interest rates fall, capital should migrate to these economies, Asian growth should rise on the support of consumer spending and balance sheets there are clean. Interest rates are 4% while growth rates in domestic spending are 6-10%.

 

We think the values remain in the sectors that benefit from global growth and the Fund is positioned to benefit from it.

 

We thank you for investing in the Clough Global Allocation Fund and invite you to visit www.cloughglobal.com for updates. If you have questions about your investment, please call 1-877-256-8445.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Charles I. Clough, Jr.

 

Clough Capital Partners, L.P. is a Boston-based investment management firm that has approximately $3.1 billion under management. For equities, the firm uses a global and theme-based investment approach based on identifying chronic shortages and growth opportunities. For fixed-income, Clough believes changing economic fundamentals help reveal potential global credit market opportunities based primarily on flow of capital into or out of a country. Clough was founded in 2000 by Chuck Clough and partners James Canty and Eric Brock. These three are the portfolio managers for the Clough Global Allocation Fund.

 

3



 

Portfolio allocation

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

ASSET TYPE*

 

Common Stocks

 

72.35

%

Short-Term Investments

 

7.66

%

Government & Agency Obligations

 

6.41

%

Structured Notes

 

4.70

%

Asset/Mortgage - Backed Securities

 

3.81

%

Exchange Traded Funds

 

2.35

%

Corporate Bonds

 

1.38

%

Preferred Stocks

 

1.01

%

Closed-End Funds

 

0.28

%

Options Purchased

 

0.05

%

 

GLOBAL BREAKDOWN*

 

US

 

62.74

%

South Korea

 

4.44

%

Hong Kong

 

4.29

%

Brazil

 

3.88

%

Japan

 

3.70

%

China

 

3.30

%

Great Britain

 

2.46

%

Indonesia

 

2.23

%

Bermuda

 

1.87

%

Canada

 

1.69

%

Thailand

 

1.45

%

Switzerland

 

1.31

%

Malaysia

 

1.27

%

Israel

 

0.95

%

Taiwan

 

0.93

%

Singapore

 

0.56

%

Vietnam

 

0.50

%

Russia

 

0.45

%

Argentina

 

0.38

%

India

 

0.31

%

Papua New Guinea

 

0.28

%

Australia

 

0.25

%

Germany

 

0.25

%

Netherlands

 

0.24

%

Chile

 

0.16

%

South Africa

 

0.06

%

Ireland

 

0.04

%

Columbia

 

0.01

%

 


*   As a percentage of total investments, not including securities sold short or any foreign cash balances.

 

4



 

STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

 

 

Shares

 

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS 105.91%

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture 0.60%

 

 

 

 

 

Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.

 

15,100

 

$

524,423

 

Sadia - S.A. *

 

76,000

 

424,986

 

Smithfield Foods, Inc. (a)

 

7,400

 

548,100

 

 

 

 

 

1,497,509

 

Consumer/Retail 3.48%

 

 

 

 

 

ASKUL Corp.

 

27,600

 

669,186

 

B&G Foods, Inc.

 

11,300

 

144,640

 

Belle International Holdings Ltd.

 

316,000

 

415,434

 

DSW, Inc. (a)

 

11,892

 

299,322

 

GOME Electrical Appliances Holdings Ltd.

 

515,000

 

1,010,940

 

Home Inns & Hotels Management, Inc. - ADR (a)

 

11,700

 

407,160

 

Hyundai Department Store Co. Ltd.

 

8,400

 

1,009,615

 

Isetan Co. Ltd.

 

41,000

 

552,901

 

Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd.

 

32,143

 

919,290

 

Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd.

 

25,724

 

406,439

 

Kraft Foods, Inc.

 

24,700

 

852,397

 

Lotte Shopping Co. Ltd.

 

1,700

 

724,432

 

Regal Hotels International Holdings Ltd.

 

3,743,900

 

284,145

 

Takashimaya Co. Ltd.

 

55,000

 

610,499

 

Yamada Denki Co. Ltd.

 

3,300

 

326,653

 

 

 

 

 

8,633,053

 

Energy 27.83%

 

 

 

 

 

Alternative Energy Technologies 4.13%

 

 

 

 

 

China Sunergy Co. Ltd. - ADR (a)

 

2,400

 

21,960

 

Conergy AG

 

9,600

 

924,012

 

Evergreen Solar, Inc. (a)

 

100,000

 

893,000

 

First Solar, Inc. (a)

 

13,100

 

1,542,394

 

JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. - ADR (a)

 

31,900

 

1,433,905

 

LDK Solar Co. Ltd. - ADR (a)

 

36,600

 

2,521,740

 

Sunpower Corp. (a)

 

14,387

 

1,191,531

 

Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. - ADR (a)

 

43,100

 

1,719,690

 

 

 

 

 

10,248,232

 

Coal 0.38%

 

 

 

 

 

CONSOL Energy, Inc.

 

18,100

 

843,460

 

Peabody Energy Corp.

 

2,400

 

114,888

 

 

 

 

 

958,348

 

Exploration & Production 9.25%

 

 

 

 

 

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.

 

37,800

 

2,031,750

 

Apache Corp.

 

5,000

 

450,300

 

Chesapeake Energy Corp. *

 

80,300

 

2,831,378

 

ConocoPhillips

 

32,000

 

2,808,640

 

Devon Energy Corp.

 

32,200

 

2,679,040

 

Hess Corp.

 

28,300

 

1,882,799

 

InterOil Corp. (a)

 

32,800

 

1,036,480

 

OAO Gazprom - S.A.

 

8,100

 

1,239,210

 

Occidental Petroleum Corp.

 

6,000

 

384,480

 

Parallel Petro Corp. (a)

 

22,867

 

388,510

 

PetroHawk Energy Corp. (a) (d)

 

18,000

 

295,560

 

 

5



 

 

 

Shares

 

Value

 

Exploration & Production (continued)

 

 

 

 

 

PetroHawk Energy Corp. (a)

 

64,600

 

$

1,060,732

 

Petroleo Brasileiro - S.A.

 

33,400

 

2,521,700

 

Range Resources Corp.

 

18,700

 

760,342

 

Southwestern Energy (a)

 

54,400

 

2,276,640

 

Ultra Petroleum Corp. (a)

 

5,000

 

310,200

 

 

 

 

 

22,957,761

 

Oil Services and Drillers 14.07%

 

 

 

 

 

Baker Hughes, Inc.

 

38,000

 

3,434,060

 

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.

 

3,000

 

3,738,570

 

FMC Technologies, Inc. (a)

 

14,000

 

807,240

 

Global SantaFe Corp.

 

52,000

 

3,953,040

 

Halliburton Co.

 

45,000

 

1,728,000

 

Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

 

14,100

 

462,903

 

Marathon Oil Corp.

 

4,200

 

239,484

 

Noble Corp.

 

79,000

 

3,874,950

 

Schlumberger Ltd.

 

80,000

 

8,400,000

 

Tenaris - S.A.

 

25,900

 

1,362,858

 

Transocean, Inc. (a)

 

51,000

 

5,765,550

 

Weatherford International Ltd.(a)

 

7,000

 

1,142,060

 

 

 

 

 

34,908,715

 

TOTAL ENERGY

 

 

 

69,073,056

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance 27.35%

 

 

 

 

 

Banks 23.48%

 

 

 

 

 

Banco Bradesco - S.A.

 

127,200

 

3,735,864

 

Banco Itau Holding Financeira - S.A.

 

55,700

 

2,819,534

 

Banco Santander Chile - S.A.

 

1,400

 

576,498

 

BanColombia - S.A.

 

1,200

 

41,580

 

Bangkok Bank PLC

 

249,500

 

844,406

 

Bank Mandiri Persero Tbk PT

 

3,816,000

 

1,470,902

 

Bank of Yokohama Ltd.

 

231,800

 

1,600,291

 

BlackRock Kelso Capital Corp.

 

105,700

 

1,532,650

 

BOC Hong Kong Holdings Ltd.

 

395,000

 

1,000,984

 

Brookline Bancorp, Inc.

 

133,424

 

1,546,384

 

CIT Group, Inc.

 

18,500

 

743,700

 

Citigroup, Inc. *

 

116,900

 

5,455,723

 

Daewoo Securities Co.

 

18,800

 

564,904

 

Hana Financial Group, Inc.

 

69,600

 

3,281,512

 

ICICI Bank Ltd. - S.A.

 

21,400

 

1,128,208

 

Indochina Capital Vietnam Holdings Ltd. (a)

 

200,000

 

1,816,000

 

Joyo Bank Ltd.

 

146,000

 

814,748

 

Kasikornbank PLC

 

290,600

 

686,757

 

Kookmin Bank - ADR

 

11,700

 

959,283

 

Korea Exchange Bank

 

73,900

 

1,199,099

 

Lion Diversified Holdings BHD

 

197,500

 

672,340

 

Malayan Banking BHD

 

204,100

 

658,870

 

Melco International Development Ltd.

 

218,000

 

407,180

 

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc

 

18,500

 

1,318,680

 

Mirae Asset Securities

 

4,600

 

439,795

 

NewAlliance Bancshares, Inc.

 

12,500

 

183,500

 

 

6



 

 

 

Shares

 

Value

 

Banks (continued)

 

 

 

 

 

Nomura Holdings, Inc.

 

64,700

 

$

1,084,858

 

PennantPark Investment Corp.

 

150,900

 

2,022,060

 

People’s United Financial, Inc.

 

42,500

 

734,400

 

Public Bank BHD

 

307,700

 

898,493

 

Shizuoka Bank Ltd.

 

111,800

 

1,086,221

 

Siam Commercial Bank PLC NVDR

 

460,000

 

1,060,248

 

Siam Commercial Bank PLC

 

958,700

 

2,209,695

 

Sime Darby BHD

 

314,000

 

958,357

 

Sovereign Bancorp, Inc.

 

70,900

 

1,208,136

 

Star Asia Financial Ltd. (b) (c)

 

75,000

 

693,750

 

UBS AG - Registered

 

22,800

 

1,225,922

 

UBS AG

 

66,500

 

3,541,125

 

Unibanco - Uniao de Bancos Brasileiros - GDR

 

23,600

 

3,104,580

 

Woori Finance Holdings Co. Ltd.

 

108,000

 

2,466,346

 

Woori Investments

 

16,600

 

469,777

 

 

 

 

 

58,263,360

 

Non-Bank 3.87%

 

 

 

 

 

Apollo Investment Corp.

 

298,489

 

6,208,571

 

Ares Capital Corp.

 

82,900

 

1,348,783

 

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

 

3,600

 

68,220

 

Daiwa Securities Group, Inc.

 

102,400

 

975,281

 

InterContinental Exchange, Inc. (a)

 

5,000

 

759,500

 

Maiden Holdings Ltd. (c)

 

23,900

 

239,000

 

 

 

 

 

9,599,355

 

TOTAL FINANCE

 

 

 

67,862,715

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Healthcare 0.79%

 

 

 

 

 

Athenahealth, Inc. (a)

 

200

 

6,782

 

BioSphere Medical, Inc. (a) (d)

 

50,000

 

238,500

 

BioSphere Medical, Inc. (a)

 

182,703

 

871,493

 

Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (a)

 

42,900

 

291,291

 

Pharmion Corp. (a)

 

12,000

 

553,680

 

 

 

 

 

1,961,746

 

Industrial 7.34%

 

 

 

 

 

Advantest Corp.

 

22,500

 

701,258

 

Altra Holdings, Inc. (a)

 

2,900

 

48,343

 

American Science & Engineering, Inc. *

 

32,258

 

2,021,286

 

Bunge Ltd.

 

5,500

 

590,975

 

Caterpillar, Inc.

 

26,000

 

2,039,180

 

Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. - NY shares

 

20,200

 

869,812

 

Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica - S.A.

 

16,355

 

718,312

 

General Cable Corp. (a)

 

10,000

 

671,200

 

General Electric Co.

 

77,800

 

3,220,920

 

General Motors Corp.

 

23,800

 

873,460

 

Grant Prideco, Inc. (a)

 

32,000

 

1,744,640

 

Kokuyo Co. Ltd.

 

50,000

 

519,741

 

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (a)

 

217,100

 

2,535,728

 

Spirit Aerosystems Holdings, Inc. (a)

 

31,000

 

1,207,140

 

Textron, Inc.

 

7,400

 

460,354

 

 

 

 

 

18,222,349

 

 

7



 

 

 

Shares

 

Value

 

Insurance 3.58%

 

 

 

 

 

ACE Ltd.

 

16,400

 

$

993,348

 

Allstate Corp.

 

15,800

 

903,602

 

Castlepoint Holdings Ltd.

 

31,100

 

357,650

 

Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

 

154,100

 

2,693,668

 

Loews Corp.

 

39,700

 

1,919,495

 

Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd.

 

62,800

 

1,111,560

 

Platinum Underwriters Holdings Ltd.

 

25,484

 

916,405

 

 

 

 

 

8,895,728

 

Media 0.64%

 

 

 

 

 

Kyocera Corp.

 

3,400

 

318,792

 

Nippon Television Network Corp.

 

9,900

 

1,274,722

 

 

 

 

 

1,593,514

 

Metals & Mining 2.83%

 

 

 

 

 

Anglo American PLC - ADR

 

18,134

 

606,582

 

Barrick Gold Corp.

 

1,200

 

48,336

 

Cameco Corp.

 

19,500

 

901,680

 

Denison Mines Corp. (a)

 

57,900

 

649,058

 

First Uranium Corp. (a)

 

22,000

 

209,461

 

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc.

 

12,500

 

1,311,125

 

Gerdau - S.A.

 

29,800

 

781,356

 

Goldcorp, Inc.

 

19,300

 

589,808

 

Paladin Resources Ltd. (a)

 

67,500

 

463,596

 

Uex Corp. (a)

 

8,500

 

51,873

 

Uranium One, Inc. (a)

 

99,385

 

1,313,942

 

Ur-Energy, Inc. (a)

 

32,200

 

98,738

 

 

 

 

 

7,025,555

 

Real Estate 7.43%

 

 

 

 

 

Aeon Mall Co. Ltd.

 

25,280

 

772,496

 

Beijing Capital Land Ltd. (c)

 

225,000

 

202,023

 

Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd.

 

199,800

 

3,294,939

 

China Resources Land Ltd.

 

276,000

 

575,159

 

Ciputra Development Tbk PT (a)

 

3,429,000

 

348,712

 

Cosco Corp. (Singapore) Ltd.

 

204,000

 

817,099

 

Great Eagle Holdings Ltd.

 

235,080

 

892,075

 

Greentown China Holdings Ltd.

 

213,000

 

496,480

 

Hang Lung Properties Ltd.

 

117,000

 

523,756

 

Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd.

 

148,000

 

1,173,704

 

Hopewell Holdings Ltd.

 

95,000

 

453,379

 

Hysan Development Co. Ltd.

 

401,771

 

1,113,755

 

Hyundai Development Co.

 

11,600

 

1,083,698

 

Italian-Thai Development PLC (a)

 

2,088,000

 

462,985

 

Kerry Properties Ltd.

 

63,500

 

487,654

 

Shimao Property Holdings Ltd.

 

163,500

 

497,408

 

Shun Tak Holdings Ltd. (c)

 

60,000

 

96,632

 

Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.

 

165,000

 

2,780,476

 

Trinity Capital PLC (a) (c)

 

564,168

 

979,179

 

Wharf Holdings Ltd.

 

226,000

 

1,110,544

 

YNH Property BHD

 

350,100

 

274,326

 

 

 

 

 

18,436,479

 

 

8



 

 

 

Shares

 

Value

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) 0.89%

 

 

 

 

 

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

 

137,600

 

$

2,191,968

 

Regal Real Estate Investment Trust

 

37,439

 

11,703

 

 

 

 

 

2,203,671

 

Technology & Communications 15.24%

 

 

 

 

 

AU Optronics Corp. - ADR

 

52,015

 

880,094

 

Broadcom Corp. (a)

 

21,900

 

798,036

 

Centron Telecom International Holdings Ltd. (a)

 

238,000

 

84,805

 

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd. (a)

 

960,000

 

704,410

 

China Unicom Ltd. - ADR

 

37,000

 

771,080

 

China Unicom Ltd.

 

245,000

 

506,776

 

Cisco Systems, Inc. (a)

 

227,500

 

7,532,525

 

Comcast Corp. (a)

 

45,100

 

1,080,596

 

Corning, Inc.

 

79,500

 

1,959,675

 

CTC Media, Inc. (a)

 

18,000

 

395,280

 

F5 Networks, Inc. (a)

 

15,900

 

591,321

 

Google, Inc. (a)

 

10,000

 

5,672,700

 

Ingram Micro, Inc. (a)

 

23,700

 

2,425,757

 

Intel Corp.

 

150,700

 

3,897,102

 

KT Corp. - ADR

 

40,200

 

1,007,010

 

LG.Philips LCD Co. Ltd. - ADR (a)

 

39,200

 

938,448

 

Magal Security Systems Ltd. (a)

 

76,443

 

679,578

 

Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (a)

 

58,200

 

952,734

 

Nan Ya Printed Circuit Board Corp.

 

97,000

 

585,537

 

Powerchip Semiconductor Corp. - GDR (c)

 

83,887

 

416,415

 

Radvision Ltd. * (a)

 

157,945

 

2,773,514

 

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

 

3,145

 

1,975,934

 

Time Warner, Inc.

 

64,500

 

1,184,220

 

 

 

 

 

37,813,547

 

Transportation 0.42%

 

 

 

 

 

AMR Corp. (a)

 

24,900

 

555,021

 

Babcock & Brown Air Ltd. - ADR (a)

 

6,600

 

150,480

 

Golar LNG, Ltd.

 

15,000

 

334,800

 

 

 

 

 

1,040,301

 

Utilities 7.49%

 

 

 

 

 

AES Corp. (a)

 

41,400

 

829,656

 

Bakrie Sumatera Plantations Tbk PT

 

2,320,000

 

390,683

 

Byd Co. Ltd.

 

66,800

 

498,818

 

Cleco Corp.

 

17,000

 

429,590

 

DPL, Inc.

 

46,000

 

1,207,960

 

Enbridge, Inc.

 

36,100

 

1,330,907

 

Equitable Resources, Inc.

 

21,000

 

1,089,270

 

Exelon Corp.

 

18,000

 

1,356,480

 

FirstEnergy Corp.

 

22,500

 

1,425,150

 

Gamuda BHD

 

298,500

 

770,888

 

Golden Agri-Resources Ltd.

 

443,000

 

423,467

 

IOI Corp. BHD

 

221,000

 

392,384

 

Mirant Corp. (a)

 

31,800

 

1,293,624

 

PPL Corp.

 

28,800

 

1,333,440

 

PT Astra International Tbk

 

985,000

 

2,073,401

 

 

9



 

 

 

Shares

 

Value

 

Utilities (continued)

 

 

 

 

 

Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co. Ltd.

 

1,600,000

 

$

1,311,062

 

Southern Union Co.

 

34,000

 

1,057,740

 

Williams Cos., Inc. *

 

40,000

 

1,362,400

 

 

 

 

 

18,576,920

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $229,080,893)

 

 

 

262,836,143

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 3.43%

 

 

 

 

 

iShares

 

 

 

 

 

MSCI Pacific

 

4,000

 

664,960

 

MSCI Taiwan

 

88,400

 

1,480,700

 

Semiconductor HOLDRs Trust

 

49,400

 

1,892,020

 

StreetTRACKS Gold Shares (a)

 

61,000

 

4,483,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
(Cost $7,371,229)

 

 

 

8,521,180

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PREFERRED STOCKS 1.48%

 

 

 

 

 

Arch Capital Group Ltd., 7.875%

 

75,000

 

1,878,750

 

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., 8.550%

 

50,000

 

1,181,250

 

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., 6.750% (c)

 

3,900

 

604,890

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS
(Cost $3,497,500)

 

 

 

3,664,890

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLOSED-END FUNDS 0.41%

 

 

 

 

 

The Ottoman Fund (a) (c)

 

515,340

 

1,024,755

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL CLOSED-END FUNDS
(Cost $896,434)

 

 

 

1,024,755

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest
Rate

 

Shares

 

Value

 

SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS 11.21%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money Market Funds 6.78%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JP Morgan Prime Money Market Fund

 

3.703

%

3,737,277

 

3,737,277

 

Merrill Lynch U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund

 

4.961

%

13,093,172

 

13,093,172

 

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS
(Cost $16,830,449)

 

 

 

 

 

16,830,449

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Principal
Amount

 

 

 

U.S. Government & Agency Obligations 4.43%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation DN (FHLMC) *

 

5.140

%

$

11,000,000

 

11,000,000

 

TOTAL U.S. Government & Agency obligations
(Cost $11,000,000)

 

 

 

 

 

11,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $27,830,449)

 

 

 

 

 

27,830,449

 

 

10



 

Maturity Date

 

Coupon
Rate

 

Principal
Amount

 

Value

 

CORPORATE BONDS 2.02%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suncor Energy, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

06/15/2038

 

6.500

%

$

1,175,000

 

$

1,206,118

 

Swedish Export Credit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

04/30/2012 (b)

 

9.706

%

3,800,000

 

3,800,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS
(Cost $4,999,289)

 

 

 

 

 

5,006,118

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES 5.58%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fannie Mae REMICS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series 2006-3, Class ZE, 03/25/2036 *

 

6.000

%

2,198,797

 

2,101,274

 

FNR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series 2006-83, Class HZ, 08/25/2036 *

 

6.000

%

5,730,783

 

5,747,270

 

Freddie Mac REMICS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series 2006-3155, Class SA, 11/15/2035 ^

 

3.585

%

1,739,279

 

1,722,999

 

Series 2006-3211, Class LZ, 09/15/2036 *

 

6.000

%

4,246,711

 

4,267,822

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES
(Cost $13,458,858)

 

 

 

 

 

13,839,365

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS 9.38%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non - U.S. Government Obligations 2.27%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Kingdom Treasury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

09/07/2015

 

4.750

%

2,800,000

 

5,634,315

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL NON-U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS
(Cost $5,262,897)

 

 

 

 

 

5,634,315

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Government Obligations 7.11%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury Bond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

06/30/2012

 

4.875

%

5,600,000

 

5,758,379

 

05/15/2017

 

4.500

%

6,000,000

 

5,968,128

 

02/15/2025 *

 

7.625

%

4,500,000

 

5,929,106

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS
(Cost $17,664,316)

 

 

 

 

 

17,655,613

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS
(Cost $22,927,213)

 

 

 

 

 

23,289,928

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STRUCTURED NOTES 6.89%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal Home Loan Bank System (FHLB)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12/20/2021 ^ # * (b)

 

7.500

%

7,000,000

 

6,772,500

 

04/18/2022 ^ † * (b)

 

7.050

%

5,000,000

 

4,762,500

 

Calyon Range Bond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

01/29/2022 ^ (c)

 

9.300

%

2,500,000

 

2,135,625

 

Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

01/29/2022 ^ * (c)

 

9.580

%

4,000,000

 

3,417,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL STRUCTURED NOTES
(Cost $18,385,000)

 

 

 

 

 

17,087,625

 

 

11



 

 

 

Expiration
Date

 

Exercise
Price

 

Number of
Contracts

 

Value

 

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS 0.08%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S&P 500 Index Option

 

December, 2007

 

$

1,400

 

120

 

$

195,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS
(Cost $425,859)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

195,000

 

 

Total Investments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Cost $328,872,724) 146.39%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

363,295,453

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets (7.99%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(19,824,315

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liquidation Preference of Auction Market Preferred Shares, Series W28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(including dividends payable on preferred shares) (38.40%)

 

 

 

 

 

(95,299,250

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS - 100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

248,171,888

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES SOLD SHORT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Shares

 

Value

 

Ashland, Inc.

 

(3,700

)

$

(222,777

)

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya - S.A.

 

(34,000

)

(791,520

)

Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc. (a)

 

(29,400

)

(1,003,128

)

BJ Services Co.

 

(3,000

)

(79,650

)

China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. - ADR

 

(9,600

)

(827,712

)

Comerica, Inc.

 

(5,700

)

(292,296

)

Energy Select Sector SPDR

 

(19,551

)

(1,465,543

)

ENSCO International, Inc.

 

(4,000

)

(224,400

)

Financial Select Sector SPDR

 

(89,900

)

(3,074,580

)

Hercules Offshore Inc. (a)

 

(23,000

)

(600,530

)

iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund

 

(11,100

)

(1,996,446

)

iShares MSCI Brazil

 

(7,100

)

(525,471

)

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets

 

(20,300

)

(3,028,760

)

iShares MSCI Mexico Index Fund

 

(18,300

)

(1,068,171

)

iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund

 

(79,500

)

(6,371,925

)

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

 

(7,600

)

(1,014,980

)

MBIA, Inc.

 

(18,100

)

(1,105,005

)

Nabors Industries Ltd. (a)

 

(7,000

)

(215,390

)

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

 

(55,300

)

(1,248,121

)

Polaris Industries, Inc.

 

(33,900

)

(1,478,718

)

Pride International, Inc. (a)

 

(4,000

)

(146,200

)

Regional Bank HOLDRs Trust

 

(12,800

)

(1,900,160

)

Rowan Cos., Inc.

 

(10,000

)

(365,800

)

SPDR Trust Series 1

 

(9,800

)

(1,495,872

)

Toro Co.

 

(6,300

)

(370,629

)

Unit Corp. (a)

 

(13,200

)

(638,880

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Securities Sold Short
(Proceeds $31,392,024)

 

 

 

$

(31,552,664

)

 

12



 

S.A - Sponsored ADR

ADR - American Depositary Receipt

GDR - Global Depositary Receipt

PLC - Public Limited Company

PT - equivalent to Public Limited Company in Indonesia

BHD - Berhad (in Malaysia; equivalent to Public Limited Company)

Tbk - Terbuka (stock symbol in Indonesian)

DN - Discount Note

REMICS - Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits

SPDR - Standard & Poor’s Depository Receipt

 


(a)

 

Non-Income Producing Security.

(b)

 

Fair valued security; valued in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2007, these securities had total value of $16,028,750 or 6.46% of total net assets.

(c)

 

Security exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. As of September 30, 2007, these securities had a total value of $9,809,269 or 3.95% of total net assets.

(d)

 

Private Placement; these securities may only be resold in transactions exempt from registration under the securities Act of 1933. As of September 30, 2007, these securities had a total value of $534,060 or 0.22% of total net assets.

^

 

Floating or variable rate security - rate disclosed as of September 30, 2007.

#

 

Next reset date 12/20/07.

 

Next reset date 04/18/08.

*

 

Security, or portion of security, is being held as collateral for written options and/or short sales.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

13



 

Statement of Assets & Liabilities

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

Assets:

 

 

 

Investments, at value (Cost - see below)

 

$

363,295,453

 

Cash

 

7,780,662

 

Foreign currency, at value (Cost $1,068,853)

 

1,062,654

 

Deposit with broker for securities sold short and written options

 

7,307,729

 

Dividends receivable

 

413,784

 

Interest receivable

 

612,682

 

Receivable for investments sold

 

6,136,523

 

Other assets

 

6,596

 

Total Assets

 

386,616,083

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

Securities sold short (Proceeds $31,392,024)

 

31,552,664

 

Payable for investments purchased

 

11,174,057

 

Dividends payable - short sales

 

67,289

 

Interest payable - margin account

 

13,688

 

Accrued investment advisory fee

 

216,157

 

Accrued administration fee

 

88,007

 

Accrued trustees fee

 

20,175

 

Other payables

 

12,908

 

Total Liabilities

 

43,144,945

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred Stock (unlimited shares authorized):

 

 

 

Auction market preferred shares, Series W28, including dividends payable on preferred shares ($25,000 liquidation value per share, no par value, 3,800 shares issued and outstanding)

 

95,299,250

 

Net Assets

 

$

248,171,888

 

Cost of investments

 

$

328,872,724

 

 

 

 

 

Composition of Net Assets:

 

 

 

Paid in capital

 

200,587,066

 

Overdistributed net investment income

 

(6,221,295

)

Accumulated net realized gain on investments, options, securities sold short and foreign currency transactions

 

19,543,724

 

Net unrealized appreciation in value of investments, options, securities sold short and foreign currency transactions

 

34,262,393

 

Net Assets

 

$

248,171,888

 

 

 

 

 

Shares of common stock outstanding of no par value, unlimited shares authorized

 

10,434,606

 

Net asset value per share

 

$

23.78

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

14



 

Statement of Operations

 

For the Six Months Ended September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

Investment Income:

 

 

 

Dividends (Net of foreign withholding taxes of $189,807)

 

$

2,645,435

 

Interest on investment securities

 

2,394,154

 

Total Income

 

5,039,589

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses:

 

 

 

Investment advisory fee

 

1,331,812

 

Administration fee

 

542,237

 

Trustees fee

 

72,197

 

Dividend expense - short sales

 

230,580

 

Broker/dealer fees

 

120,701

 

Interest expense - margin account

 

176,386

 

Miscellaneous

 

7,696

 

Total Expenses

 

2,481,609

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

 

2,557,980

 

 

 

 

 

Net realized gain (loss) on:

 

 

 

Investment securities

 

10,845,379

 

Securities sold short

 

(3,377,750

)

Written options

 

1,460,498

 

Foreign currency transactions

 

(3,208

)

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments, options, securities sold short and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

 

11,795,475

 

Net gain on investments, options, securities sold short, and foreign currency transactions

 

20,720,394

 

Distributions to Preferred Shareholders:

 

 

 

From net investment income

 

(2,616,038

)

From net realized gains

 

 

Net Increase in Net Assets Attributable to Common Shares from Operations

 

$

20,662,336

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

15



 

Statement of changes in net assets

 

 

 

For the
Six Months Ended
September 30, 2007
(Unaudited)

 

For the
Year Ended
March 31, 2007

 

Common Shareholder Operations:

 

 

 

 

 

Net investment income

 

$

2,557,980

 

$

6,229,507

 

Net realized gain (loss) from:

 

 

 

 

 

Investment securities

 

10,845,379

 

19,188,941

 

Securities sold short

 

(3,377,750

)

(2,721,025

)

Written options

 

1,460,498

 

2,221,312

 

Foreign currency transactions

 

(3,208

)

(4,700

)

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments, options, securities sold short and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

 

11,795,475

 

(16,434,185

)

Distributions to Preferred Shareholders:

 

 

 

 

 

From net investment income

 

(2,616,038

)

(2,461,753

)

From net realized gains

 

 

(2,492,392

)

Net increase in net assets attributable to common shares from operations

 

20,662,336

 

3,525,705

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions to Common Shareholders:

 

 

 

 

 

From net investment income

 

(8,452,030

)

(14,773,186

)

From net realized gains

 

 

(7,344,044

)

Net decrease in net Assets from distributions

 

(8,452,030

)

(22,117,230

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Share Transactions:

 

 

 

 

 

Net asset value of common stock issued to stockholders from reinvestment of dividends

 

 

6,199,170

 

Net increase in net assets from capital share transactions

 

 

6,199,170

 

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Attributable to Common Shares

 

12,210,306

 

(12,392,355

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets Attributable to Common Shares:

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of period

 

235,961,582

 

248,353,937

 

End of period*

 

$

248,171,888

 

$

235,961,582

 

 


* Includes undistributed (overdistributed) net investment income of:

 

$

(6,221,295

)

$

2,288,793

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

16



 

Intentionally Left Blank

 



 

financial highlightS

 

 

 

For the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

For the

 

For the Period

 

For the Period

 

 

 

September 30, 2007

 

Year Ended

 

June 1, 2005 to

 

July 28, 2004 (inception) to

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

March 31, 2007

 

March 31, 2006^

 

May 31, 2005

 

Per Common Share Operating Performance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net asset value - beginning of period

 

$

22.61

 

$

24.42

 

$

20.78

 

$

19.10

 

Income from investment operations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net investment income

 

0.25

*

1.79

 

0.92

 

0.93

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

 

1.98

 

(0.98

)

4.75

 

1.99

 

Distributions to Preferred Shareholders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From net investment income

 

(0.25

)

(0.47

)

(0.31

)

(0.14

)

Total from investment operations

 

1.98

 

0.34

 

5.36

 

2.78

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions to common shareholders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From net investment income

 

(0.81

)

(1.44

)

(1.05

)

(0.93

)

From net realized gain

 

 

(0.71

)

(0.67

)

(0.00

)

Total distributions to common shareholders

 

(0.81

)

(2.15

)

(1.72

)

(0.93

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Share Transactions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common share offering costs charged to paid in capital

 

 

 

 

(0.04

)

Preferred share offering costs and sales load charged to paid in capital

 

 

 

 

(0.13

)

Total capital share transactions

 

 

 

 

(0.17

)

Net asset value - end of period

 

$

23.78

 

$

22.61

 

$

24.42

 

$

20.78

 

Market price - end of period

 

$

20.62

 

$

20.82

 

$

23.99

 

$

22.59

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Investment Return - Net Asset Value(1)

 

9.30

%

1.59

%

25.99

%

13.89

%

Total Investment Return - Market Price(1)

 

2.93

%

(4.77

)%

13.85

%

18.24

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios and Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net assets attributable to common shares, end of period (000)

 

$

248,172

 

$

235,962

 

$

248,354

 

$

205,260

 

Ratios to average net assets attributable to common shareholders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net expenses (3)

 

2.05

%(2)

2.02

%

2.07

%(2)

1.89

%(2)

Net expenses excluding dividends on short
sales (3)

 

1.86

%(2)

1.75

%

1.83

%(2)

1.54

%(2)

Net investment income (3)

 

2.11

%(2)

2.63

%

2.73

%(2)

1.23

%(2)

Preferred share dividends

 

2.16

%(2)

2.10

%

1.62

%(2)

0.82

%(2)

Portfolio turnover rate

 

69

%

187

%

182

%

236

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auction Market Preferred Shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liquidation value, end of period, including dividends on preferred shares (000)

 

$

95,299

 

$

95,042

 

$

95,051

 

$

95,050

 

Total shares outstanding (000)

 

3.8

 

3.8

 

3.8

 

3.8

 

Asset coverage per share(4)

 

$

90,387

 

$

87,106

 

$

90,370

 

$

79,029

 

Liquidation preference per share

 

$

25,000

 

$

25,000

 

$

25,000

 

$

25,000

 

Average market value per share (5)

 

$

25,000

 

$

25,000

 

$

25,000

 

$

25,000

 

 


*

 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(1)

 

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of a common share at the opening on the first day and a sale at closing on the last day of each period reported. Total investment return on net asset value excludes a sales load of $0.90 per share for the period, effectively reducing the net asset value at issuance from $20.00 to $19.10. Dividends and distributions, if any, are assumed for purposes of this calculation to be reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment returns do not reflect brokerage commissions on the purchase or sale of the Fund’s common shares. Total investment returns for less than a full year are not annualized. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

(2)

 

Annualized.

(3)

 

Ratios do not reflect dividend payments to preferred shareholders.

(4)

 

Calculated by subtracting the Fund’s total liabilities (excluding Preferred Shares) from the Fund’s total assets and dividing by the number of preferred shares outstanding.

(5)

 

Based on monthly prices.

^

 

As approved by the Board of Trustees of the Fund, the fiscal year-end changed from May 31 to March 31, effective March 15, 2006.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

18



 

Notes To Financial Statements

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

1. Significant Accounting and Operating Policies

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund is a closed-end management investment company (the “Fund”) that was organized under the laws of the state of Delaware by an Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated April 27, 2004. The Fund is a non-diversified series with an investment objective to provide a high level of total return. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may authorize separate classes of shares of beneficial interest.

 

Security Valuation: The net asset value per Share of the Fund is determined no less frequently than daily, on each day that the American Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) is open for trading, as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time). Trading may take place in foreign issues held by the Fund at times when the Fund is not open for business. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value may change at times when it is not possible to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Securities held by the fund for which exchange quotations are readily available are valued at the last sale price, or if no sale price or if traded on the over-the-counter market, at the mean of the bid and asked prices on such day. Over-the-counter securities traded on NASDAQ are valued based upon the closing price. Debt securities for which the over-the-counter market is the primary market are normally valued on the basis of prices furnished by one or more pricing services at the mean between the latest available bid and asked prices. As authorized by the Trustees, debt securities (other than short-term obligations) may be valued on the basis of valuations furnished by a pricing service which determines valuations based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of securities. Short-term obligations maturing within 60 days are valued at amortized cost, which approximates value, unless the Trustees determine that under particular circumstances such method does not result in fair value. Over-the-counter options are valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by dealers. Financial futures contracts listed on commodity exchanges and exchange-traded options are valued at closing settlement prices. Securities for which there is no such quotation or valuation and all other assets are valued at fair value in good faith by or at the direction of the Trustees.

 

Foreign Securities: The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities. In the event that the Fund executes a foreign security transaction, the Fund will generally enter into a forward foreign currency contract to settle the foreign security transaction. Foreign securities may carry more risk than U.S. securities, such as political, market and currency risks.

 

The accounting records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Prices of securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the closing rates of exchange at period end. Amounts related to the purchase and sale of foreign securities and investment income are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions.

 

The effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on investments is included with the fluctuations arising from changes in market values of securities held and reported with all other foreign currency gains and losses in the Fund’s Statement of Operations.

 

Options: The Fund may purchase or write (sell) put and call options. One of the risks associated with purchasing an option among others, is that the Fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised. Additionally, the Fund bears the risk of loss of premium and change in market value should the counterparty not perform under the contract. Put and call options purchased are accounted for in the same manner as portfolio securities. The cost of securities acquired through the exercise of call options is increased by premiums paid. The proceeds from securities sold through the exercise of put options are decreased by the premiums paid.

 

19



 

When the Fund writes an option, an amount equal to the premium received by the Fund is recorded as a liability and is subsequently adjusted to the current value of the option written. Premiums received from writing options that expire unexercised are treated by the Fund on the expiration date as realized gains from investments. The difference between the premium and the amount paid on effecting a closing purchase transaction, including brokerage commissions, is also treated as a realized gain, or, if the premium is less than the amount paid for the closing purchase transaction, as a realized loss. If a call option is exercised, the premium is added to the proceeds from the sale of the underlying security or currency in determining whether the Fund has realized a gain or loss. If a put option is exercised, the premium reduces the cost basis of the securities purchased by the Fund. The Fund, as writer of an option, bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the security underlying the written option. Written and purchased options are non- income producing securities.

 

Written option activity as of September 30, 2007 was as follows:

 

Written Call Options

 

Contracts

 

Premiums

 

Outstanding, March 31, 2007

 

 

$

 

Positions opened

 

590

 

159,282

 

Expired

 

(120

)

(38,759

)

Closed

 

(470

)

(120,523

)

Outstanding, September 30, 2007

 

 

$

 

Market Value, September 30, 2007

 

 

 

$

 

 

Written Put Options

 

Contracts

 

Premiums

 

Outstanding, March 31, 2007

 

12,000

 

$

1,321,509

 

Positions opened

 

 

 

Expired

 

(12,000

)

(1,321,509

)

Closed

 

 

 

Outstanding, September 30, 2007

 

 

$

 

Market Value, September 30, 2007

 

 

 

$

 

 

Short Sales: The Fund may sell a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the fair value of that security. When the Fund sells a security short, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale. A gain, limited to the price at which the Fund sold the security short, or a loss, unlimited in size, will be recognized upon the termination of the short sale.

 

Income Taxes: The Fund’s policy is to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required.

 

Distributions to Shareholders: The Fund intends to make a level dividend distribution each quarter to Common Shareholders after payment of interest on any outstanding borrowings or dividends on any outstanding preferred shares. The level dividend rate may be modified by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Any net capital gains earned by the Fund are distributed at least annually to the extent necessary to avoid federal income and excise taxes. Distributions to shareholders are recorded by the Fund on the ex-dividend date. The Fund has applied to the Securities and Exchange Commission for

 

20



 

an exemption from Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder permitting the Fund to make periodic distributions of long-term capital gains, provided that the distribution policy of the Fund with respect to its Common Shares calls for periodic (e.g., quarterly/monthly) distributions in an amount equal to a fixed percentage of the Fund’s average net asset value over a specified period of time or market price per common share at or about the time of distribution or pay-out of a level dollar amount.

 

Securities Transactions and Investment Income: Investment security transactions are accounted for as of trade date. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Certain dividend income from foreign securities will be recorded as soon as the Fund is informed of the dividend if such information is obtained subsequent to the ex-dividend date and may be subject to withholding taxes in these jurisdictions. Interest income, which includes amortization of premium and accretion of discount, is accrued as earned. Realized gains and losses from securities transactions and unrealized appreciation and depreciation of securities are determined using the highest cost basis for both financial reporting and income tax purposes.

 

Use of Estimates: The Fund’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. This requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

 

Reclassifications: Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation format.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements: In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued FASB Interpretation No. 48 – Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, that requires the tax effects of certain tax positions to be recognized. These tax positions must meet a “more likely than not” standard that, based on their technical merits, have a more than 50 percent likelihood of being sustained upon examination. FASB Interpretation No. 48 is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2006. At adoption, the financial statements must be adjusted to reflect only those tax positions that are more likely than not of being sustained. Management of the Fund is currently evaluating the impact that FASB Interpretation No. 48 will have on the Fund’s financial statements.

 

In September 2006, the FASB issued FASB Statement No. 157, “Fair Valuation Measurement” (“SFAS No. 157”), which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Fund is currently evaluating the potential impact the adoption of SFAS No. 157 will have on the Fund’s financial statements.

 

In February 2007, the FASB issued FASB Statement No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities – Including an amendment of FASB Statement No. 115” (“SFAS No. 159”), which permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. This Statement is expected to expand the use of fair value measurement, which is consistent with the FASB’s long-term measurement objectives for accounting for financial instruments. This Statement is effective as of the beginning of an entity’s first fiscal year that begins after November 15, 2007. The Fund is currently evaluating the potential impact the adoption of SFAS No. 159 will have on the Fund’s financial statements.

 

21



 

2. Taxes

 

Net unrealized appreciation/depreciation of investments based on federal tax cost as of September 30, 2007, were as follows:

 

Gross appreciation (excess of value over tax cost)

 

$

41,468,770

 

Gross depreciation (excess of tax cost over value)

 

(8,752,114

)

Net unrealized appreciation

 

$

32,716,656

 

Cost of investments for income tax purpose

 

$

330,578,797

 

 

3. Capital Transactions

 

Common Shares: There are an unlimited number of no par value common shares of beneficial interest authorized. Of the 10,434,606 common shares outstanding on September 30, 2007, ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (“ALPS”) owned 5,236 shares.

 

Transactions in common shares were as follows:

 

 

 

For the

 

For the

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

Year Ended

 

 

 

September 30, 2007

 

March 31, 2007

 

Common shares outstanding - beginning of period

 

10,434,606

 

10,169,924

 

Common shares issued as reinvestment of dividends

 

 

264,682

 

Common shares outstanding - end of period

 

10,434,606

 

10,434,606

 

 

Preferred Shares: On September 15, 2004, the Fund’s Board of Trustees authorized the issuance of an unlimited number of no par value preferred shares, in addition to the existing common shares, as part of the Fund’s leverage strategy. Preferred shares issued by the Fund have seniority over the common shares.

 

The Fund is subject to certain limitations and restrictions while preferred shares are outstanding. Failure to comply with these limitations and restrictions could preclude the Fund from declaring any dividends or distributions to common shareholders or repurchasing common shares and/or could trigger the mandatory redemption of Preferred Shares at their liquidation value. Specifically, the Fund is required under the Investment Company Act of 1940 to maintain an asset coverage with respect to the outstanding preferred shares of 200% or greater.

 

The Fund has one series of Auction Market Preferred Shares (“AMPS”), W28. On December 1, 2004, the Fund issued 3,800 shares of AMPS with a net asset and liquidation value of $25,000 per share plus accrued dividends. Dividends on the AMPS are cumulative and are paid based on an annual rate set through auction procedures. Distributions of net realized capital gains, if any, are paid annually. As of September 30, 2007, the annualized dividend rate for the AMPS was 6.30%. The dividend rate, as set by the auction process, is generally expected to vary with short-term interest rates. The rate may vary in a manner unrelated to the income received on the Fund’s assets, which could have either a beneficial or detrimental impact on net investment income and gains available to Common Shareholders. Preferred Shares, which are entitled to one vote per share, generally vote with the Common Shares but vote separately as a class to elect two Trustees and on any matters affecting the rights of the Preferred Shares.

 

4. PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

 

Purchases and sales of investment securities, other than short-term securities, for the six months ended September 30, 2007 aggregated $225,538,910 and $243,993,183, respectively. Purchase and sales of U.S. government and agency securities, other than short-term securities, for the six months ended September 30, 2007 aggregated $11,707,300 and $10,136,773, respectively.

 

22



 

5. Investment Advisory and Administration Agreements

 

Clough Capital Partners L.P. (“Clough”) serves as the Fund’s investment adviser pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with the Fund. As compensation for its services to the Fund, Clough receives an annual investment advisory fee of 0.70% based on the Fund’s average daily total assets, computed daily and payable monthly. ALPS serves as the Fund’s administrator pursuant to an Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement with the Fund. As compensation for its services to the Fund, ALPS receives an annual administration fee of 0.285% based on the Fund’s average daily total assets, computed daily and payable monthly. ALPS will pay all expenses incurred by the Fund, with the exception of advisory fees, trustees’ fees, portfolio transaction expenses, litigation expenses, taxes, cost of preferred shares, expenses of conducting repurchase offers for the purpose of repurchasing fund shares, and extraordinary expenses.

 

6. Other

 

Each Independent Trustee of the Fund receives a quarterly retainer of $3,500 and an additional $1,500 for each meeting attended. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees receives a quarterly retainer of $4,200 and $1,800 for each meeting attended. The Chairman of the Audit Committee receives a quarterly retainer of $3,850 and attendance fee of $1,650 per meeting.

 

23



 

dividend reinveStment Plan

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

Unless the registered owner of Common Shares elects to receive cash by contacting The Bank of New York (the “Plan Administrator” or “BONY”), all dividends declared on Common Shares will be automatically reinvested by the Plan Administrator for shareholders in the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “Plan”), in additional Common Shares. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the Plan will receive all dividends and other distributions in cash paid by check mailed directly to the shareholder of record (or, if the Common Shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee) by BONY as dividend disbursing agent. You may elect not to participate in the Plan and to receive all dividends in cash by contacting BONY, as dividend disbursing agent, at the address set forth below. Participation in the Plan is completely voluntary and may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty by notice if received and processed by the Plan Administrator prior to the dividend record date; otherwise such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared dividend or other distribution. Some brokers may automatically elect to receive cash on your behalf and may re-invest that cash in additional Common Shares for you. If you wish for all dividends declared on your Common Shares to be automatically reinvested pursuant to the Plan, please contact your broker.

 

The Plan Administrator will open an account for each Common Shareholder under the Plan in the same name in which such Common Shareholder’s Common Shares are registered. Whenever the Fund declares a dividend or other distribution (together, a “Dividend”) payable in cash, non-participants in the Plan will receive cash and participants in the Plan will receive the equivalent in Common Shares. The Common Shares will be acquired by the Plan Administrator for the participants’ accounts, depending upon the circumstances described below, either (i) through receipt of additional unissued but authorized Common Shares from the Fund (“Newly Issued Common Shares”) or (ii) by purchase of outstanding Common Shares on the open market (“Open-Market Purchases”) on the American Stock Exchange or elsewhere. If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the closing market price plus estimated brokerage commissions per Common Share is equal to or greater than the net asset value per Common Share, the Plan Administrator will invest the Dividend amount in Newly Issued Common Shares on behalf of the participants. The number of Newly Issued Common Shares to be credited to each participant’s account will be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the Dividend by the net asset value per Common Share on the payment date; provided that, if the net asset value is less than or equal to 95% of the closing market value on the payment date, the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided by 95% of the closing market price per Common Share on the payment date. If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the net asset value per Common Share is greater than the closing market value plus estimated brokerage commissions, the Plan Administrator will invest the Dividend amount in Common Shares acquired on behalf of the participants in Open-Market Purchases. In the event of a market discount on the payment date for any Dividend, the Plan Administrator will have until the last business day before the next date on which the Common Shares trade on an “ex-dividend” basis or 30 days after the payment date for such Dividend, whichever is sooner (the “Last Purchase Date”), to invest the Dividend amount in Common Shares acquired in Open-Market Purchases. If, before the Plan Administrator has completed its Open-Market Purchases, the market price per Common Share exceeds the net asset value per Common Share, the average per Common Share purchase price paid by the Plan Administrator may exceed the net asset value of the Common Shares, resulting in the acquisition of fewer Common Shares than if the Dividend had been paid in Newly Issued Common Shares on the Dividend payment date. Because of the foregoing difficulty with respect to Open-Market Purchases, the Plan provides that if the Plan Administrator is unable to invest the full Dividend amount in

 

24



 

Open-Market Purchases during the purchase period or if the market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase period, the Plan Administrator may cease making Open-Market Purchases and may invest the uninvested portion of the Dividend amount in Newly Issued Common Shares at the net asset value per Common Share at the close of business on the Last Purchase Date provided that, if the net asset value is less than or equal to 95% of the then current market price per Common Share; the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided by 95% of the market price on the payment date.

 

The Plan Administrator maintains all shareholders’ accounts in the Plan and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by shareholders for tax records. Common Shares in the account of each Plan participant will be held by the Plan Administrator on behalf of the Plan participant, and each shareholder proxy will include those shares purchased or received pursuant to the Plan. The Plan Administrator will forward all proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for shares held under the Plan in accordance with the instructions of the participants. In the case of Common Shareholders such as banks, brokers or nominees which hold shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Plan Administrator will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of Common Shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners who participate in the Plan.

 

There will be no brokerage charges with respect to Common Shares issued directly by the Fund. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred in connection with Open-Market Purchases. The automatic reinvestment of Dividends will not relieve participants of any federal, state or local income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on such Dividends. Participants that request a sale of Common Shares through the Plan Administrator are subject to brokerage commissions. The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan. There is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases in the Plan; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan to include a service charge payable by the participants.

 

All correspondence or questions concerning the Plan should be directed to the Plan Administrator, The Bank of New York, 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286, 11E, Transfer Agent Services, 800-433-8191.

 

25



 

Fund Proxy Voting Policies & Procedures

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

Fund policies and procedures used in determining how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities and a summary of proxies voted by the Fund for the period ended June 30, 2007 are available without a charge, upon request, by contacting the Fund at 1-877-256-8445 and on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“Commission”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Portfolio Holdings

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Commission for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q within 60 days after the end of the period. Copies of the Fund’s Forms N-Q are available upon request, by contacting the Fund at 1-877-256-8445 and on the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may also review and copy form N-Q at the Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. For more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room, please call the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330.

 

Notice

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 that the Fund may purchase at market prices from time to time shares of its common stock in the open market.

 

Shareholder Meeting

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

On July 23, 2007, the Fund held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) for the purpose of voting on a proposal to re-elect two trustees of the Fund. The results of the proposal are as follows:

 

Proposal 1: Re-election of Trustees

 

 

 

Edmund J. Burke

 

James E. Canty

 

For

 

9,999,004

 

9,999,004

 

Abstain

 

0

 

0

 

Withheld

 

258,603

 

258,603

 

 

26



 

Investment Advisory Agreement

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

On July 12, 2007, the Board of Trustees met in person to, among other things, review and consider the renewal of the Advisory Agreement. In its consideration of the Advisory Agreement, the Trustees, including the non-interested Trustees, considered in general the nature, quality and scope of services to be provided by Clough.

 

Prior to the beginning of their review of the Advisory Agreement, counsel to the Fund, who also serves as independent counsel to the non-interested Trustees, discussed with the Trustees their fiduciary responsibilities in general and also specifically with respect to the renewal of the Advisory Agreement.

 

Mr. Canty, as Partner of Clough, next presented Clough’s materials regarding consideration of renewal of the Advisory Agreement. Mr. Canty stated that included in the Board materials were responses by Clough to a questionnaire drafted by legal counsel to the Fund to assist the Board in evaluating whether to renew the Advisory Agreements (the “15(c) Materials”). Mr. Canty noted that the 15(c) Materials were extensive, and included information relating to the Fund’s investment results; portfolio composition; advisory fee and expense comparisons; financial information regarding Clough; descriptions such as compliance monitoring; and portfolio trading practices and information about the personnel providing investment management services to the Fund, and the nature of services provided under the Advisory Agreement.

 

Mr. Canty discussed the organizational structure of Clough and the qualifications of Clough and its principals to act as the Fund’s adviser. He reviewed the professional experience of the portfolio managers, referring the Trustees to the biographies of Chuck Clough, Eric Brock, and himself, Partners at Clough, emphasizing that Mr. Clough, Mr. Brock, and he each had substantial experience as an investment professional. Mr. Canty stated that Clough is the investment adviser to the Fund, the Clough Global Equity Fund and the Clough Global Opportunities Fund, all closed-end funds. The Trustees, all of whom currently serve as Trustees for the Fund, the Clough Global Equity Fund and the Clough Global Opportunities Fund, acknowledged their familiarity with the expertise and standing in the investment community of Messrs. Clough, Canty, and Brock, and their satisfaction with the expertise of Clough and the services provided by Clough to the Fund. The Trustees concluded that the portfolio management team was well qualified to serve the Fund in those functions.

 

Mr. Canty then reviewed Clough’s current staffing as well as future staffing plans. He described Clough’s procedures relating to compliance and oversight with respect to Clough’s brokerage allocation policies. He discussed Clough’s order management systems that contain pre-trade compliance functions that review each trade against certain of the Fund’s investment restrictions and applicable 1940 Act and Internal Revenue Code restrictions, and the efforts that Clough’s Chief Compliance Officer will undertake to summarize monthly for Clough’s management and quarterly for the Trustees any violations that may occur, as well any other violations detected through the manual monitoring that supplements the order management system’s testing. He also reviewed the adequacy of Clough’s facilities. Mr. Canty further discussed the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund. The Trustees concluded that Clough appeared to have adequate procedures and personnel in place to ensure compliance by Clough with applicable law and with the Fund’s investment objectives and restrictions.

 

Mr. Canty next reviewed the terms of the Advisory Agreement, stating that Clough would receive a fee of 0.70% of the average daily total assets of the Fund. He then discussed the fees charged by Clough to other clients for which it provides comparable services. Mr. Canty discussed the actual dollar amount of management fees paid under the Advisory

 

27



 

Agreement. The Trustees then reviewed Clough’s income statement for the year ended December 31, 2006, and its balance sheet as of that date. The Trustees further reviewed a profit and loss analysis as it relates to Clough’s advisory businesses.

 

Mr. Canty discussed the possible benefits Clough may accrue because of its relationship with the Fund as well as potential benefits that accrue to the Fund because of its relationship with Clough. Mr. Canty stated that Clough does not realize any direct benefits due to the allocation of brokerage and related transactions on behalf of the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees reviewed and discussed materials prepared and distributed in advance of the meeting regarding the comparability of the investment advisory fees of the Fund with the investment advisory fees of other investment companies, which had been prepared at the request of ALPS by Lipper Analytical Services (“Lipper”.) Lipper’s report contained information regarding investment performance, comparisons of cost and expense structures of the Fund with other funds’ cost and expense structures, as well as comparisons of the Fund’s performance with the performance during similar periods of members of an objectively identified peer group and related matters.

 

As the Fund is unique in the marketplace, Lipper had a difficult time presenting a large peer group for comparison. The Trustees compared fees from nine (9) closed-end investment companies that are leveraged (i.e., issue debt or preferred stock) versus the Fund’s fees. The investment advisory fee for this group ranged from 0.645% to 1.00%, with a median of 0.940%. The total expenses for this group ranged from 0.711% to 1.340%, with a median of 1.108%. The Fund’s total expenses were 1.028%.

 

The Trustees stated that the objectives of the funds in the analysis differed from the Fund’s objectives and policies. In conjunction with Lipper’s reports, the Trustees also reviewed a comparative fund universe prepare by Clough. The Trustees believed that the Lipper report, augmented by Clough’s analysis, provided a sufficient comparative universe. Nevertheless, the Trustees requested that there be an on-going effort to identify funds and groups of funds that might provide additional benchmarks that could be useful.

 

The Trustees then reviewed the Fund’s performance as compared to the performance of the leveraged closed-end fund universe selected by Lipper. The Trustees reviewed the Fund’s performance as compared to the nine (9) leveraged funds for one-year performance ended as of May 31, 2007. The performance ranged from a high of 37.61% to a low of 11.38% with a median of 23.23%. The Fund’s performance during such time period was 12.40%. The Trustees then reviewed performance data since the Fund’s inception through May 31, 2007. The performance data ranged from a high of 31.72% to the Fund’s low of 16.92% with a median of 23.35%.

 

At this point, Mr. Burke and Mr. Canty, both “interested persons” of the Fund, as well as the other representatives of ALPS and Clough, left the meeting. The non-interested Trustees, with the assistance of legal counsel, reviewed and discussed in more detail the information that had been presented relating to Clough, the Advisory Agreement and Clough’s profitability.

 

Mr. Burke, Mr. Canty, and the representatives of ALPS rejoined the meeting. The Board of Trustees of the Fund, present in person, with the non-interested Trustees present in person voting separately, unanimously concluded that the investment advisory fee of 0.70% of the Fund’s total assets are fair and reasonable for the Fund and that the renewal of the Advisory Agreement is in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

 

28



 

Trustees & Officers

 

September 30, 2007 (unaudited)

 

Information pertaining to the Trustees and Officers of the Trust is set forth below. Trustees deemed to be interested persons of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” Additional information about the Trustees is available, without charge, upon request by contacting the Fund at 1-877-256-8445.

 

INTERESTED TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

 

Name, Age and Address

 

Position(s) Held
with Funds/
Length of Time
Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During
past 5 years* and other
Directorships Held by Trustee

 

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James E. Canty

Age - 45

One Post Office Square

40th Floor

Boston, MA 02109

 

Trustee and
Portfolio Manager/
Since Inception

 

 

Mr. Canty is a founding partner, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel for Clough. Prior to founding Clough in 2000, Mr. Canty worked as a corporate and securities lawyer and Director of Investor Relations for Converse, Inc. from 1995 to 2000. He was a corporate and securities lawyer for the Boston offices of Goldstein & Manello, P.C. from 1993 to 1995 and Bingham, Dana and Gould from 1990 to 1993. Mr. Canty served as an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern University from 1996 to 2000. Mr. Canty is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Clough Offshore Fund, Ltd and Board of Trustees of Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund. Because of his affiliation with Clough, Mr. Canty is considered an “interested” Trustee of the Fund.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edmund J. Burke

Age - 46

1290 Broadway
Ste. 1100

Denver, CO 80203

 

Principal Executive
Officer And
President/Since
Inception

 

Trustee/
Since July 12, 2006

 

Mr. Burke is President and a Director of ALPS. Mr. Burke joined ALPS in 1991 as Vice President and National Sales Manager. Because of his position with ALPS, Mr. Burke is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act. Mr. Burke is currently the President of Reaves Utility Income Fund, Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust and Financial Investors Trust, and President and a Trustee of Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund. Mr. Burke is also a Trustee and Vice-President of Liberty All-Star Equity Fund and Director and Vice President of Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc.

 

3

 

29



 

Name, Age and Address

 

Position(s) Held
with Funds/
Length of Time
Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During
past 5 years* and other
Directorships Held by Trustee

 

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremy O. May

Age - 37

1290 Broadway
Ste. 1100

Denver, CO 80203

 

Treasurer/Since
Inception

 

Mr. May is Managing Director of ALPS. Mr. May joined ALPS in 1995 as a Controller. Because of his position with ALPS, Mr. May is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act. Mr. May is currently the Treasurer of Reaves Utility Income Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, Clough Global Opportunities Fund, Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc., Liberty All-Star Equity Fund, Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust and Financial Investors Trust.

 

N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kimberly R. Storms

Age - 34

1290 Broadway
Ste. 1100

Denver, CO 80203

 

Assistant
Treasurer/Since
July 13, 2005

 

Ms. Storms is Vice President and Director of Fund Administration and Vice- President of ALPS. Ms. Storms joined ALPS in 1998 as Assistant Controller. Because of her position with ALPS, Ms. Storms is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act. Ms. Storms is also Assistant Treasurer of the Clough Global Equity Fund, Clough Global Opportunities Fund, Reaves Utility Income Fund, Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc., Liberty All-Star Equity Fund, and Financial Investors Trust and Assistant Secretary of Ameristock Mutual Fund, Inc.

 

N/A

 

30



 

Name, Age and Address

 

Position(s) Held
with Funds/
Length of Time
Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During past 5 
years* and other Directorships Held 
by Trustee

 

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erin Douglas*

Age - 30

1290 Broadway
Ste. 1100

Denver, CO 80203

 

Secretary/

Since

Inception

 

Ms. Douglas is Associate Counsel of ALPS. Ms. Douglas joined ALPS as Associate Counsel in 2003. Ms. Douglas is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act. Ms. Douglas is currently the Secretary of Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund.

 

N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael T. Akins*

Age - 31

1290 Broadway
Ste. 1100

Denver, CO 80203

 

Chief
Compliance
Officer/ Since
September 20, 2006

 

Mr. Akins is Deputy Chief Compliance Officer of ALPS. Mr. Akins served as Assistant Vice-president and Compliance Officer for UMB Financial Corporation. Before joining UMB, Mr. Akins was an Account Manager at State Street Corporation. Mr. Akins is deemed an affiliate of the Fund as defined under the 1940 Act. Mr. Akins also serves as Chief Compliance Officer of Clough Global Equity Fund, Clough Global Opportunities Fund, Financial Investors Trust, Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust, and Reaves Utility Income Fund.

 

N/A

 


* Except as otherwise indicated, each individual has held the office shown or other offices in the same company for the last five years.

 

31



 

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES

 

Name, Age and Address

 

Position(s) Held
with Funds/
Length of Time
Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During past 
5 years* and other Directorships 
Held by Trustee

 

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrew C. Boynton

Age - 51

Carroll School of
Management

Boston College

Fulton Hall 510

140 Comm. Ave.

Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

 

Trustee/Since

March 2005

 

 

Mr. Boynton is currently the Dean of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. Mr. Boynton served as Professor of Strategy from 1996 to 2005 and Program Director of the Executive MBA Program from 1998 to 2005 at International Institute of Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland (“IMD”). Prior to that he was an Associate Professor at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill from 1994 to 1996, Visiting Professor at IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland from 1992 to 1994 and Assistant Professor, Darden School, University of Virginia from 1987 to 1992. Mr. Boynton is also a Trustee of the Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Butler

Age - 66

12 Harvard Drive

Hingham, MA 02043

 

Trustee/Since
Inception

 

Chairman/Since

July 12, 2006

 

Mr. Butler is currently an independent consultant for businesses. Mr. Butler was President of the Pioneer Funds Distributor, Inc. from 1989 to 1998. He was Senior Vice-President from 1985 to 1988 and Executive Vice-President and Director from 1988 to 1999 of the Pioneer Group, Inc. While at the Pioneer Group, Inc. until his retirement in 1999, Mr. Butler was a Director or Supervisory Board member of a number of subsidiary and affiliated companies, including: Pioneer First Polish Investment Fund, JSC, Pioneer Czech Investment Company and Pioneer Global Equity Fund PLC. From 1975 to 1984 Mr. Butler was a Vice-President of the Financial Industry Regulator Authority (formerly known as the National Association of Securities Dealers). Mr. Butler is currently Chairman and a Trustee of the Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund.

 

3

 

32



 

Name, Age and Address

 

Position(s) Held
with Funds/
Length of Time
Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During
past 5 years* and other
Directorships Held by Trustee

 

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adam Crescenzi

Age - 65

100 Walden Street

Concord, MA 01742

 

Trustee/Since Inception

 

Mr. Crescenzi is a founding partner of Telos Partners, a business advisory firm founded in 1998. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President of CSC Index. Mr. Crescenzi is currently a Trustee of Dean College and Clough Global Equity Fund, Clough Global Opportunities Fund, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Creative Realities and ICEX, Inc. Mr. Crescenzi is an active member of the strategic committee of the Patrons of Boston College McMullen Museum of Arts and President of the Italian Cultural Society of Naples, Florida.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John F. Mee, Esq.

Age - 63

1290 Broadway
Ste. 1100

Denver, CO 80203

 

Trustee/Since Inception

 

Mr. Mee is an attorney practicing commercial law, family law, products liability and criminal law. He is an advisor in the Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy Work-shop from 1990 to present. Mr. Mee is a member of the Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He serves on the Board of Directors of Holy Cross Alumni Association and Board of Trustees of the Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard C. Rantzow

Age - 69

1290 Broadway
Ste. 1100

Denver, CO 80203

 

Trustee/Since Inception

 

Vice-Chairman/
Since July 12,
2006

 

Financial Officer and a Director of Ron Miller Associates, Inc. (manufacturer). Prior to that, Mr. Rantzow was Managing Partner (until 1990) of the Memphis office of Ernst & Young. Mr. Rantzow is also Vice-Chairman and a Trustee of the Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund. Mr. Rantzow is also a Trustee of Liberty All-Star Equity Fund and Director of Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc. Mr. Rantzow was from 1992 to 2005 Chairman of the First Funds Family of mutual funds.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jerry G. Rutledge

Age - 63

2745 Springmede Court

Colorado Springs, CO 80906

 

Trustee/Since Inception

 

Mr. Rutledge is the President and owner of Rutledge’s Inc., a retail clothing business. Mr. Rutledge is currently Director of the American National Bank, and a Trustee of Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund. Mr. Rutledge was from 1994 to 2007 a Regent of the University of Colorado.

 

3

 

33



 


CLOUGH GLOBAL ALLOCATION FUND

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, CO 80203

1-877-256-8445

 



























This Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. Government, the FDIC, the Federal Reserve Board or any other governmental agency or insurer.

For more information about the Fund, including a prospectus, please visit www.cloughglobal.com or call
1-877-256-8445.

 

 



 

Item 2.    Code of Ethics.

 

Not applicable to semi-annual report.

 

Item 3.    Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

Not applicable to semi-annual report.

 

Item 4.    Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

Not applicable to semi-annual report.

 

Item 5.    Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6.    Schedule of Investments.

 

Schedule of Investments is included as part of the Report to Stockholders filed under Item 1 of this form.

 

Item 7.    Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to semi-annual report.

 

Item 8.    Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to semi-annual report.

 

Item 9.    Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Companies and Affiliated Purchasers.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 10.  Submission of Matters to Vote of Security Holders.

 



 

There have been no material changes by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Board of Trustees.

 

Item 11.  Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)    The Registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) are effective based on their evaluation of these controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this document.

 

(b)   There was no change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12.  Exhibits.

 

(a)(1) Not applicable to semi-annual report.

 

(a)(2) The certifications required by Rule 30a-2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto as Ex99.Cert.

 

(a)(3) Not applicable.

 

(b) A certification for the Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as required by Rule 30a-2(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto as Ex99.906Cert.

 



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

CLOUGH GLOBAL ALLOCATION FUND

 

By:

 

/s/ Edmund J. Burke

 

 

 

Edmund J. Burke

 

 

President

 

 

 

Date:

 

December 7, 2007

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

CLOUGH GLOBAL ALLOCATION FUND

 

By:

 

/s/ Edmund J. Burke

 

 

 

Edmund J. Burke

 

 

President/Principal Executive Officer

 

 

 

Date:

 

December 7, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Jeremy O. May

 

 

 

Jeremy O. May

 

 

Treasurer/Principal Financial Officer

 

 

 

Date:

 

December 7, 2007