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Share Name | Share Symbol | Market | Type |
---|---|---|---|
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | NYSE:THW | NYSE | Common Stock |
Price Change | % Change | Share Price | High Price | Low Price | Open Price | Shares Traded | Last Trade | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
-0.04 | -0.33% | 11.96 | 12.00 | 11.88 | 11.99 | 117,504 | 21:00:03 |
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act file number: | 811-23037 |
Exact name of registrant as specified in charter: | |
Address of principal executive offices: | 1900 Market Street, Suite 200 |
Philadelphia, PA 19103 | |
Name and address of agent for service: | Sharon Ferrari |
abrdn Inc. | |
1900 Market Street Suite 200 | |
Philadelphia, PA 19103 | |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: | 1-800-522-5465 |
Date of fiscal year end: | September 30 |
Date of reporting period: | |
Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.
1 | Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate and shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. NAV return data include investment management fees, custodial charges and administrative fees (such as Trustee and legal fees) and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions. |
2 | Assuming the reinvestment of dividends and distributions. |
3 | The Fund’s total return is based on the reported NAV for each financial reporting period end and may differ from what is reported on the Financial Highlights due to financial statement rounding or adjustments. |
4 | S&P Global 1200 Healthcare Index consists of all members of the S&P Global 1200 that are classified with the GICS® Health Care Sector. S&P 500® Health Care Corporate Bond Index, a subindex of the S&P 500 Bond Index, seeks to measure the performance of the U.S. corporate debt issued by constituents in the health care sector of the S&P 500. The S&P 500 Bond Index is designed to be a corporate-bond counterpart to the S&P 500. The S&P Composite 1500 Health Care REITs Index comprises those companies included in the S&P Composite 1500 that are classified as members of the GICS Health Care REITS industry. Indexes are unmanaged and have been provided for comparison purposes only. No fees or expenses are reflected. You cannot invest directly in an index. |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 1 |
2 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 3 |
4 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
6 Months | 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | Since Inception | |
Net Asset Value (NAV) | 13.30% | 11.19% | 4.51% | 8.53% | 5.45% |
Market Price | 19.73% | 8.00% | 6.28% | 11.63% | 5.52% |
80% S&P Global 1200 Healthcare Index, 15% S&P 500 HealthCare Corporate Bond Index, 5% S&P Composite 1500 Health Care REITS Index | 12.77% | 12.22% | 6.79% | 9.22% | 7.73% |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 5 |
Asset Allocation | |
Common Stocks | 100.9% |
Non-Convertible Notes | 17.6% |
Convertible Preferred Stocks | 2.5% |
Milestone Interest | 0.0% |
Short-Term Investments | 3.7% |
Call Options Written | (0.1%) |
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets | (24.6%) |
100.0% |
Industries | |
Pharmaceuticals | 53.9% |
Health Care Equipment & Supplies | 17.8% |
Biotechnology | 17.5% |
Health Care Providers & Services | 16.3% |
Life Sciences Tools & Services | 10.4% |
Health Care REITs | 4.7% |
Healthcare Service | 0.3% |
Health Care Technology | 0.1% |
Short-Term Investments | 3.7% |
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets | (24.7%) |
100.0% |
Countries | Percentage of Net Assets | Percentage of Managed Assets |
United States | 68.8% | 55.0% |
United States (with Substantial ex-U.S. revenue) | 28.5% | 22.8% |
Denmark | 6.8% | 5.4% |
United Kingdom | 6.4% | 5.1% |
Switzerland | 2.8% | 2.2% |
Germany | 1.9% | 1.5% |
France | 1.9% | 1.5% |
Japan | 1.7% | 1.3% |
Netherlands | 1.3% | 1.1% |
Israel | 0.5% | 0.4% |
China | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Ireland | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Canada | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Top Ten Holdings | |
Eli Lilly & Co. | 7.9% |
Novo Nordisk AS, ADR | 6.5% |
UnitedHealth Group, Inc. | 5.8% |
Johnson & Johnson | 4.6% |
Merck & Co., Inc. | 4.6% |
AbbVie, Inc. | 4.0% |
AstraZeneca PLC, ADR | 3.9% |
Roche Holding AG, ADR | 3.8% |
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. | 3.1% |
Abbott Laboratories | 2.5% |
6 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 7 |
8 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
At March 31, 2024, the Fund held the following forward foreign currency contracts: |
Sale Contracts Settlement Date | Counterparty | Currency Purchased | Amount Purchased | Currency Sold | Amount Sold | Fair Value | Unrealized Appreciation/ (Depreciation) | |
United States Dollar/Australian Dollar | ||||||||
04/30/2024 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | USD | 2,986,725 | AUD | 4,572,304 | $2,981,851 | $4,874 | |
United States Dollar/British Pound | ||||||||
04/30/2024 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | USD | 11,910,025 | GBP | 9,440,375 | 11,916,926 | (6,901) | |
United States Dollar/Danish Krone | ||||||||
04/30/2024 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | USD | 14,567,908 | DKK | 100,246,147 | 14,518,893 | 49,015 | |
United States Dollar/Euro | ||||||||
04/30/2024 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | USD | 15,995,897 | EUR | 14,756,481 | 15,937,235 | 58,662 | |
United States Dollar/Israeli Shekel | ||||||||
04/30/2024 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | USD | 1,228,780 | ILS | 4,457,647 | 1,213,646 | 15,134 | |
United States Dollar/Japanese Yen | ||||||||
04/30/2024 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | USD | 3,479,026 | JPY | 523,322,125 | 3,471,806 | 7,220 | |
United States Dollar/Swiss Franc | ||||||||
04/30/2024 | Goldman Sachs & Co. | USD | 15,520,746 | CHF | 13,872,816 | 15,428,721 | 92,025 | |
$65,469,078 | $220,029 | |||||||
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | $226,930 | |||||||
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | $(6,901) |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 9 |
Number of Contracts (100 shares each) | Notional Amount ($) | Value ($) | |
Option Contracts Written—(0.1)% | |||
Call Options Written—(0.1)% | |||
Abbott Laboratories Apr24 113 Call | 134 | (1,514,200) | (37,252) |
AbbVie, Inc. Apr24 182.5 Call | 83 | (1,514,750) | (19,256) |
Ardelyx, Inc. Apr24 9 Call | 1,645 | (1,480,500) | (24,675) |
Argenx SE Apr24 420 Call | 42 | (1,764,000) | (24,150) |
AstraZeneca PLC Apr24 68 Call | 134 | (911,200) | (21,440) |
Baxter International, Inc. Apr24 43 Call | 275 | (1,182,500) | (27,500) |
Biogen, Inc. Apr24 225 Call | 132 | (2,970,000) | (22,440) |
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. Apr24 280 Call | 85 | (2,380,000) | (30,600) |
Gilead Sciences, Inc. Apr24 75 Call | 82 | (615,000) | (5,494) |
Humana, Inc. Apr24 370 Call | 64 | (2,368,000) | (21,248) |
Illumina, Inc. Apr24 140 Call | 106 | (1,484,000) | (53,000) |
Insulet Corp. Apr24 175 Call | 34 | (595,000) | (18,496) |
Johnson & Johnson Apr24 160 Call | 370 | (5,920,000) | (68,450) |
Medtronic PLC Apr24 85 Call | 71 | (603,500) | (21,655) |
Novo Nordisk AS Apr24 135 Call | 137 | (1,849,500) | (16,440) |
Pfizer, Inc. Apr24 28 Call | 529 | (1,481,200) | (26,450) |
Sanofi SA Apr24 50 Call | 591 | (2,955,000) | (35,460) |
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Apr24 15 Call | 395 | (592,500) | (5,135) |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Apr24 430 Call | 69 | (2,967,000) | (33,120) |
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. Apr24 130 Call | 137 | (1,781,000) | (49,320) |
Total Call Options Written (Premiums received $(437,694)) | (561,581) |
10 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
Assets | |
Investments, at value (cost $560,595,378) | $ 579,311,528 |
Short-term investments, at value (cost $17,839,462) | 17,839,462 |
Milestone interests, at value(cost $143,115) | — |
Foreign currency, at value (cost $7,223) | 7,222 |
Cash | 29,081 |
Receivable for investments sold | 8,276 |
Interest and dividends receivable | 2,015,747 |
Receivable for common shares issued | 135,898 |
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | 226,930 |
Reimbursement receivable due from Investment Manager | 40,162 |
Tax reclaim receivable | 1,545,365 |
Prepaid expenses in connection with the at-the-market stock offering (Note 5) | 271,108 |
Prepaid expenses in connection with bank loan | 8,675 |
Prepaid expenses | 386,555 |
Total assets | 601,826,009 |
Liabilities | |
Bank loan payable | 120,000,000 |
Interest payable on line of credit | 1,437,847 |
Written Options, at value(premiums received $437,694) | 561,581 |
Investment advisory fees payable (Note 3) | 501,812 |
Administration fees payable (Note 3) | 48,661 |
Trustee fees payable | 11,095 |
Investor relations fees payable (Note 3) | 9,356 |
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | 6,901 |
Other accrued expenses | 214,289 |
Total liabilities | 122,791,542 |
Commitments and Contingencies (Notes 7 & 10) | |
Net Assets | $ 479,034,467 |
Composition of Net Assets | |
Common stock (par value $0.010 per share) (Note 5) | $ 382,446 |
Paid-in capital in excess of par | 505,073,002 |
Accumulated loss | (26,420,981) |
Net Assets | $ 479,034,467 |
Net asset value per share based on |
$ 12.53 |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 11 |
Net Investment Income | |
Investment Income: | |
Dividends (net of foreign withholding taxes of $181,918) | $ 4,649,856 |
Interest and amortization of discount and premium and other income | 1,967,679 |
Total investment income | 6,617,535 |
Expenses: | |
Investment advisory fee (Note 3) | 2,849,960 |
Investor relations fees and expenses (Note 3) | 126,763 |
Trustees' fees and expenses | 74,964 |
Custodian’s fees and expenses | 74,627 |
Reports to shareholders and proxy solicitation | 64,605 |
Administration fee (Note 3) | 61,644 |
Legal fees and expenses | 61,409 |
Independent auditors’ fees and tax expenses | 58,000 |
Transfer agent’s fees and expenses | 17,239 |
Insurance expense | 9,204 |
Miscellaneous | 87,776 |
Total operating expenses, excluding interest expense | 3,486,191 |
Interest expense | 4,009,391 |
Total operating expenses before reimbursed/waived expenses | 7,495,582 |
Expenses waived by investment adviser (Note 3) | (40,162) |
Net expenses | 7,455,420 |
Net Investment Loss | (837,885) |
Net Realized/Unrealized Gain/(Loss) from Investments and Foreign Currency Related Transactions: | |
Net realized gain/(loss) from: | |
Investments | (9,773,544) |
Written options | 1,526,176 |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | (598,470) |
Foreign currency transactions | (4,643) |
(8,850,481) | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on: | |
Investments | 66,724,035 |
Written options | (161,974) |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | 128,981 |
Foreign currency translation | 6,718 |
66,697,760 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain from investments, written options, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and foreign currencies | 57,847,279 |
Change in Net Assets Resulting from Operations | $ 57,009,394 |
12 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
For the Six-Month Period Ended March 31, 2024 (unaudited) | For the Year Ended September 30, 2023 | |
Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets: | ||
Operations: | ||
Net investment loss | $ (837,885) | $ (1,615,740) |
Net realized loss from investments, written options, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and foreign currency transactions | (8,850,481) | 33,221,850 |
Net change in unrealized appreciation on investments, written options, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and foreign currency translation | 66,697,760 | 6,011,873 |
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations | 57,009,394 | 37,617,983 |
Distributions to Shareholders From: | ||
Distributable earnings | (26,710,100) | (30,951,311) |
Return of capital | – | (22,034,793) |
Net decrease in net assets from distributions | (26,710,100) | (52,986,104) |
Proceeds from at-the-market offering resulting in the issuance of 0 and 274,984 shares of common stock, respectively (Note 5) | – | 3,950,593 |
Expenses in connection with the at-the-market stock offering (Note 5) | – | (7,478) |
Reinvestment of dividends resulting in the issuance of 131,263 and 318,084 shares of common stock, respectively | 1,617,549 | 4,199,880 |
Change in net assets from capital transactions | 1,617,549 | 8,142,995 |
Change in net assets | 31,916,843 | (7,225,126) |
Net Assets: | ||
Beginning of period | 447,117,624 | 454,342,750 |
End of period | $479,034,467 | $ 447,117,624 |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 13 |
Cash flows from operating activities: | |
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | $ 57,009,394 |
Adjustments to reconcile net increase in net assets resulting from operations to net cash provided by operating activities: | |
Investments purchased | (61,705,830) |
Investments sold and principal repayments | 85,960,477 |
Proceeds from option contracts written | 1,723,185 |
Decrease in short-term investments, excluding foreign government | 2,029,538 |
Net amortization/accretion of premium/(discount) | 7,994 |
Increase in receivable for common shares sold | (135,898) |
Increase in interest, dividends and other receivables | (930,934) |
Net change unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | (128,981) |
Increase in prepaid expenses | (344,681) |
Decrease in interest payable on revolving credit facility | (6,820) |
Decrease in accrued investment advisory fees payable | (1,300) |
Decrease in other accrued expenses | (28,255) |
Net change in unrealized appreciation of investments and options | (66,562,061) |
Net change in unrealized appreciation on foreign currency translations | (6,718) |
Net realized loss on investments transactions and options | 8,247,368 |
Net cash provided by operating activities | 25,126,478 |
Cash flows from financing activities: | |
Distributions paid to shareholders | (26,710,100) |
Proceeds from reinvestment of dividends | 1,617,549 |
Net cash used in financing activities | (25,092,551) |
Effect of exchange rate on cash | (1) |
Net change in cash | 33,926 |
Unrestricted and restricted cash and foreign currency, beginning of period | 2,377 |
Unrestricted and restricted cash and foreign currency, end of period | $ 36,303 |
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: | |
Cash paid for interest and fees on borrowing | $ 4,016,211 |
14 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
For the Six-Month Period Ended March 31, |
For the Fiscal Years Ended September 30, | |||||
2024 (unaudited)(a) |
2023 (b) |
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE(c): | ||||||
Net asset value per common share, beginning of period | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
Net investment income/(loss) | (0.02) | (0.04) | 0.05 | 0.08 | 0.10 | 0.06 |
Net realized and unrealized gains/(losses) on investments, interest rate swaps, futures contracts and foreign currency transactions | 1.52 | 1.05 | (4.52) | 2.36 | 1.93 | (0.40) |
Total from investment operations applicable to common shareholders | 1.50 | 1.01 | (4.47) | 2.44 | 2.03 | (0.34) |
Distributions to common shareholders from: | ||||||
Net investment income | (0.70) | – | (0.33) | (0.14) | (0.05) | (0.19) |
Net realized gains | – | (0.82) | (0.50) | – | – | – |
Return of capital | – | (0.58) | (0.57) | (1.26) | (1.35) | (1.21) |
Total distributions | (0.70) | (1.40) | (1.40) | (1.40) | (1.40) | (1.40) |
Capital Share Transactions: | ||||||
Impact due to open market repurchase policy | – | – | – | – |
–(d) |
0.01 |
Impact of shelf offering | – | 0.01 | – | – | – | – |
Total capital share transactions | – | 0.01 | – | – | – | 0.01 |
Net asset value per common share, end of period | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
Market price, end of period | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
Total Investment Return Based on(e): | ||||||
Market price | 19.73% | 1.70% | (13.65%) | 26.00% | 18.14% | 6.80% |
Net asset value | 13.30% | 8.09% | (11.94%) | 17.91% | 15.97% | (1.10%) |
Ratio to Average Net Assets Applicable to Common Shareholders/Supplementary Data: | ||||||
Net assets applicable to common shareholders, end of period (000 omitted) | $479,034 | $447,118 | $454,343 | $565,682 | $426,526 | $407,475 |
Average net assets applicable to common shareholders (000 omitted) | $454,772 | $482,033 | $531,805 | $508,230 | $426,665 | $417,386 |
Net operating expenses, net of fee waivers | 3.28%(f) | 2.99% | 1.91% | 1.74% | 2.16% | 2.53% |
Net operating expenses, excluding fee waivers | 3.30%(f) | – | – | – | – | – |
Net operating expenses, net of fee waivers and excluding interest expense |
1.51%(f) | 1.54% | 1.53% | 1.51% | 1.57% | 1.59% |
Net Investment income (loss) | (0.37%)(f) | (0.34%) | 0.37% | 0.53% | 0.68% | 0.45% |
Portfolio turnover | 10%(g) | 40.12% | 43.87% | 69.37% | 48.11% | 55.17% |
Senior securities (loan facility) outstanding (000 omitted) | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
440% |
||||||
Asset coverage ratio on revolving credit facility at period end | 499% | 473% | 479% | 571% | 455% |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
|
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 15 |
For the Six-Month Period Ended March 31, |
For the Fiscal Years Ended September 30, | |||||
2024 (unaudited)(a) |
2023 (b) |
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
Asset coverage per $1,000 on revolving credit facility at period end | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
(a) | Effective October 27, 2023, abrdn Inc. became the investment adviser of the Fund. Prior to October 27, 2023, the Fund was managed by Tekla Capital Management, LLC. |
(b) | Beginning with the year ended September 30, 2023, the Fund’s financial statements were audited by KPMG LLP. Previous years were audited by a different independent registered public accounting firm. |
(c) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(d) | Amount represents less than $0.005 per share. |
(e) | Total investment return based on market value is calculated assuming that shares of the Fund’s common stock were purchased at the closing market price as of the beginning of the period, dividends, capital gains and other distributions were reinvested as provided for in the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan and then sold at the closing market price per share on the last day of the period. The computation does not reflect any sales commission investors may incur in purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. The total investment return based on the net asset value is similarly computed except that the Fund’s net asset value is substituted for the closing market value. |
(f) | Annualized. |
(g) | Not annualized. |
16 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 17 |
18 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
Security Type | Standard Inputs |
Foreign equities utilizing a fair value factor | Depositary receipts, indices, futures, sector indices/ETFs, exchange rates, and local exchange opening and closing prices of each security. |
Forward foreign currency contracts | Forward exchange rate quotations. |
Investments, at Value | Level 1 – Quoted Prices |
Level 2 – Other Significant Observable Inputs |
Level 3 – Significant Unobservable Inputs |
Total |
Assets | ||||
Investments in Securities | ||||
Common Stocks | $ 460,602,251 | $ 22,447,997 | $ – | $483,050,248 |
Non-Convertible Notes | – | 84,386,522 | – | 84,386,522 |
Convertible Preferred Stocks | – | – | 11,874,758 | 11,874,758 |
Milestone Interest | – | – | – | – |
Short-Term Investment | 17,839,462 | – | – | 17,839,462 |
Total Investments | $478,441,713 | $106,834,519 | $11,874,758 | $ 597,150,990 |
Other Financial Instruments | ||||
Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | $ 226,930 | $ – | $ 226,930 | |
Total Investment Assets | $478,441,713 | $ 107,061,449 | $11,874,758 | $ 597,377,920 |
Liabilities | ||||
Other Financial Instruments | ||||
Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | $ – | $ (6,901) | $ – | $ (6,901) |
Written Options | (561,581) | – | – | (561,581) |
Total Investment Liabilities | $ (561,581) | $ (6,901) | $ – | $ (568,482) |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 19 |
Rollforward of Level 3 Fair Value Measurements For the Six Months Ended March 31, 2024 |
|||||
Investments in Securities |
Balance as of September 30, 2023 |
Net Realized Gain (Loss) and Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) |
Net Purchases and conversions |
Balance as of March 31, 2024 |
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) from Investments Held at March 31, 2024 |
Convertible Preferred Stocks | |||||
France | $3,100,979 | $5,457,247 | $0 | $8,558,226 | $5,457,247 |
United States | 2,154,672 | (154,663) | 950,000 | 2,950,009 | (154,663) |
Ireland | 1,436,737 | (1,070,214) | 0 | 366,523 | (1,070,214) |
Milestone Interest | |||||
United States | 0 | - | 0 | - | - |
Total | $6,692,388 | $4,232,370 | $950,000 | $11,874,758 | $4,232,370 |
Description | Fair Value at 03/31/24 |
Valuation Technique (s) | Unobservable Inputs | Range | Weighted Average |
Relationship Between FairValue and Input; if input value increases then Fair Value: |
Convertible Preferred Stocks | $11,874,758 | Transaction Price | (a) | N/A | N/A | Increase |
Milestone Interests | $0 | Probability adjusted value | Probability of events Timing of events |
0.00% 1.25-12.25 years |
0.00% 6.55 years |
Increase Decrease |
$11,874,758 |
(a) | The valuation technique used as a basis to approximate fair value of these investments is based on a transaction price or subsequent financing rounds. |
20 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 21 |
Risk Exposure Category | |||||||
Interest Rate Contracts |
Foreign Currency Contracts |
Credit Contracts |
Equity Contracts |
Commodity Contracts |
Other | Total | |
Assets: | |||||||
Unrealized appreciation on: | |||||||
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | $– | $ 226,930 | $– | $ – | $– | $– | $ 226,930 |
Total | $– | $226,930 | $– | $ – | $– | $– | $ 226,930 |
Liabilities: | |||||||
Unrealized depreciation on: | |||||||
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | $– | $ 6,901 | $– | $ – | $– | $– | $ 6,901 |
Written Options, market value | – | – | – | 561,581 | – | – | 561,581 |
Total | $– | $ 6,901 | $– | $561,581 | $– | $– | $568,482 |
22 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities |
Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities |
|||||||
Gross Amounts of Assets Presented in Statement of Assets and Liabilities |
Financial Instruments |
Collateral Received |
Net Amount |
Gross Amounts of Liabilities Presented in Statement of Assets and Liabilities |
Financial Instruments |
Collateral Pledged |
Net Amount |
|
Description | Assets | Liabilities | ||||||
Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | ||||||||
Goldman Sachs & Co. | $226,930 | $(6,901) | $– | $220,029 | $6,901 | $(6,901) | $– | $– |
Risk Exposure Category | ||||||
Interest Rate Contracts |
Foreign Currency Contracts |
Credit Contracts |
Equity Contracts |
Commodity Contracts |
Total | |
Realized Gain/(Loss) on Derivatives Recognized as a Result of Operations: |
||||||
Net realized gain/(loss) on: | ||||||
Forward Currency Contracts | $– | $ (598,470) | $– | $ – | $– | $ (598,470) |
Written Options | – | – | – | 1,526,176 | – | 1,526,176 |
Total | $– | $(598,470) | $– | $1,526,176 | $– | $ 927,706 |
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation) on Derivatives Recognized as a Result of Operations: |
||||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of: | ||||||
Forward Currency Contracts | $– | $ 128,981 | $– | $ – | $– | $ 128,981 |
Written Options | – | – | – | (161,974) | – | (161,974) |
Total | $– | $ 128,981 | $– | $ (161,974) | $– | $ (32,993) |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 23 |
24 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 25 |
Security | Acquisition Date |
Cost | Carrying Value per Unit |
Value |
Amolyt Pharma SAS, Series C — Convertible Preferred Stock | 01/25/23 | $2,306,755 | $7.80 | $7,659,523 |
Endeavor Biomedicines, Inc., Series B — Convertible Preferred Stock | 01/21/22 | 2,002,482 | 4.72 | 1,999,999 |
Engrail Therapeutics, Inc., Series B — Convertible Preferred Stock | 03/14/24 | 950,000 | 1.06 | 950,000 |
Flamingo Therapeutics, Inc., Series A3 — Convertible Preferred Stock | 04/21/20, 10/28/20 | 3,142,774 | 6.59 | 898,703 |
IO Light Holdinigs, Inc., Series A2 — Convertible Preferred Stock | 04/30/20, 05/17/21, 09/15/21* |
337,063 | 0.00 | 10 |
Priothera Co. Ltd., Series A — Convertible Preferred Stock | 10/07/20 | 2,265,398 | 1.89 | 366,523 |
Rainier Therapeutics, Inc. Milestone Interest | 09/28/21 | 143,115 | 0.00 | 0 |
$11,147,587 | $11,874,758 |
* | Interest received as part of a corporate action for a previously owned security. |
26 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 27 |
28 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 29 |
30 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
Tax Cost of Securities |
Unrealized Appreciation |
Unrealized Depreciation |
Net Unrealized Appreciation/ (Depreciation) |
$584,950,768 | $97,294,638 | $(84,436,693) | $12,857,945 |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 31 |
32 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 33 |
34 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | 35 |
36 | abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
Item 2. Code of Ethics.
This item is inapplicable to semi-annual report on Form N-CSR.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
This item is inapplicable to semi-annual report on Form N-CSR.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
This item is inapplicable to semi-annual report on Form N-CSR.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
This item is inapplicable to semi-annual report on Form N-CSR.
Item 6. Schedule of Investments.
(a) Schedule of Investments in securities of unaffiliated issuers as of close of the reporting period is included as part of the Reports to Shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form N-CSR.
(b) Not applicable.
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
This item is inapplicable to semi-annual report on Form N-CSR.
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
(a) Not applicable to semi-annual report on Form N-CSR.
(b) There has been no change, as of the date of this filing, in any of the portfolio managers identified in response to paragraph (a)(1) of this Item in the registrant’s most recently filed annual report on Form N-CSR. On March 21, 2024, the Fund announced the appointment of Dr. Jason Akus as co-lead portfolio manager to the Fund alongside Dr. Daniel Omstead. Dr. Akus has served on the investment team with Dr. Omstead for over 20 years. Dr. Omstead was the founder of Tekla Capital Management (TCM) that served as the investment advisor to the Funds from 2001 until October 27, 2023, when a strategic transaction with abrdn Inc. (“abrdn”) was completed and the Fund’s advisory agreement transferred to abrdn. Dr. Akus’ appointment is part of the orderly transition of Dr. Omstead’s responsibilities as the lead portfolio manager to the Fund. Dr. Omstead continued to serve as the co-lead portfolio manager alongside Dr. Akus through May 31, 2024. Subsequently, Dr. Akus took over as lead portfolio manager and Dr. Omstead will remain at abrdn and serve in an advisory role to Dr. Akus and the investment team until September 30, 2024.
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
Period | (a) Total No. of Shares Purchased |
(b) Average Price Paid per Share |
(c) Total No. of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs(1) |
(d) Maximum No. of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs(1) |
|||||||||||
Month #1 (Oct. 1, 2023 — Oct. 31, 2023) | — | — | — | 4,563,005 | |||||||||||
Month #2 (Nov. 1, 2023 — Nov. 30, 2023) | — | — | — | 4,563,005 | |||||||||||
Month #3 (Dec. 1, 2023 — Dec. 31, 2023) | — | — | — | 4,563,005 | |||||||||||
Month #4 (Jan. 1, 2024 — Jan. 31, 2024) | — | — | — | 4,563,005 | |||||||||||
Month #5 (Feb. 1, 2024 — Feb. 29, 2024) | — | — | — | 4,563,005 | |||||||||||
Month #6 (Mar. 1, 2024 — Mar. 31, 2024) | — | — | — | 4,563,005 | |||||||||||
Total | — | $ | — | — |
(1) | On December 3, 2015, the share repurchase program was announced, which has been subsequently reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees. In March 2024, the Board approved the renewal of the repurchase program to allow the Fund to repurchase up to 12% of its outstanding shares in the open market for a one-year period ending July 14, 2025. Prior to this renewal, in March 2023, the Trustees approved the renewal of the share repurchase program to allow the Fund to repurchase up to 12% of its outstanding shares for a one-year period ending July 14, 2024. |
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
During the period ended March 31, 2024, there were no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrant’s Board of Trustees.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures.
(a) | The Registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) are effective, as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a3(b)) and Rule 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d15(b)). |
(b) | There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d))) that occurred during 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. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies
Not applicable
Item 13. Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation
Not appliable
Item 14. Exhibits.
(a)(1) | Not applicable. |
(a)(2) | The certifications of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Act are exhibits to this Form N-CSR . |
(a)(3) | Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.23c-1) sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the registrant to 10 or more persons. Not applicable. |
(a)(4) | Change in Registrant’s independent public accountant. Not applicable. |
(b) | The certifications of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the Act are exhibits to this Form N-CSR . |
(c) | A copy of the Registrant’s notices to stockholders, which accompanied distributions paid, pursuant to the Registrant’s Managed Distribution Policy since the Registrant’s last filed N-CSR, are filed herewith as Exhibits (c)(1), (c)(2), (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5) and (c)(6) as required by the terms of the Registrant’s SEC exemptive order. |
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.
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | ||
By: | /s/ Christian Pittard | |
Christian Pittard, | ||
Principal Executive Officer of abrdn World Healthcare Fund |
Date: June 10, 2024
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By: | /s/ Christian Pittard | |
Christian Pittard, | ||
Principal Executive Officer of abrdn World Healthcare Fund | ||
Date: June 10, 2024 | ||
By: | /s/ Sharon Ferrari | |
Sharon Ferrari, | ||
Principal Financial Officer of abrdn World Healthcare Fund | ||
Date: June 10, 2024 |
Exhibit 99.CERT
Certification Pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
I, Sharon Ferrari, certify that:
1. | I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of abrdn World Healthcare Fund (the “Registrant”); |
2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
4. | The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the Registrant and have: |
(a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
(b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
(c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and |
(d) | Disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during 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; and |
5. | The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the Registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the Registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
(a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and |
(b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
Date June 10, 2024
/s/ Sharon Ferrari | |
Sharon Ferrari | |
Principal Financial Officer |
Certification Pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
I, Christian Pittard, certify that:
1. | I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of abrdn World Healthcare Fund (the “Registrant”); |
2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
4. | The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the Registrant and have: |
(a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
(b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
(c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and |
(d) | Disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during 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; and |
5. | The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the Registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the Registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
(a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and |
(b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: June 10, 2024
/s/ Christian Pittard | |
Christian Pittard | |
Principal Executive Officer |
Exhibit 99.906CERT
Certification Pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the 1940 Act and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Christian Pittard, Principal Executive Officer, and Sharon Ferrari, Principal Financial Officer, of abrdn World Healthcare Fund (the “Registrant”), each certify that:
1. | The Registrant’s periodic report on Form N-CSR for the period ended March 31, 2024 (the “Form N-CSR”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as applicable; and |
2. | The information contained in the Form N-CSR fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Registrant. |
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER | |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | |
/s/ Christian Pittard | |
Christian Pittard | |
Date: June 10, 2024 | |
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER | |
abrdn World Healthcare Fund | |
/s/ Sharon Ferrari | |
Sharon Ferrari | |
Date: June 10, 2024 |
This certification is being furnished solely pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and is not being filed as part of Form N-CSR or as a separate disclosure document. A signed original of this written statement, or other document authenticating, acknowledging, or otherwise adopting the signature that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written statement required by Section 906, has been provided to the Registrant and will be retained by the Registrant and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.
Exhibit (c)(1)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds
Investor Relations
1-800-522-5465
Investor.Relations@abrdn.com
ABRDN U.S. CLOSED-END
FUNDS
ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS
(Philadelphia, January 10, 2024) - The abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds (NYSE: ASGI, IFN, JEQ) (NYSE American: HQH, HQL, IAF, THQ, THW), (the “Funds” or individually the “Fund”), today announced that the Funds paid the distributions noted in the table below on January 10, 2024, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of December 29, 2023 (ex-dividend date December 28, 2023). These dates apply to the Funds listed below with the exception of abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH), abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL), the abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF), the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ) which will pay on January 10, 2024, to all shareholders of record as of November 22, 2023 (ex-dividend date November 21, 2023).
Ticker | Exchange | Fund | Amount | |||||
ASGI | NYSE | abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund | $ | 0.1200 | ||||
HQH | NYSE American | abrdn Healthcare Investors | $ | 0.3800 | ||||
HQL | NYSE American | abrdn Life Sciences Investors | $ | 0.3000 | ||||
IAF | NYSE American | abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. | $ | 0.1100 | ||||
IFN | NYSE | The India Fund, Inc. | $ | 0.4100 | ||||
JEQ | NYSE | abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. | $ | 0.1000 | ||||
THQ | NYSE American | abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund | $ | 0.1125 | ||||
THW | NYSE American | abrdn World Healthcare Fund | $ | 0.1167 |
Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital.
For the abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH), abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL), the abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF), the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ) the stock distributions were automatically paid in newly issued shares of the Fund unless otherwise instructed by the shareholder to be paid in cash. Shares of common stock were issued at the lower of the net asset value (“NAV”) per share or the market price per share with a floor for the NAV of not less than 95% of the market price on December 19, 2023. The reinvestment prices per share for these distributions were as follows: $16.33 for the abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH); $13.26 for the abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL); $4.35 for the abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF); $17.66 for the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and $5.58 for the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ). Fractional shares were generally settled in cash, except for registered shareholders with book entry accounts at Computershare Investor Services who had whole and fractional shares added to their account.
To have received the abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH), abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL), abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF), the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ) quarterly distributions payable in January 2024 in cash instead of shares of common stock, for shareholders who hold shares in “street name,” the bank, brokerage or nominee who holds the shares must have advised the Depository Trust Company as to the full and fractional shares for which they want the distribution paid in cash by December 18, 2023; and for shares that are held in registered form, written notification for the election of cash by registered shareholders must have been received by Computershare Investor Services prior to December 18, 2023.
Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund’s fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund’s fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.
The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions paid this month as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.
The Funds’ estimated sources of the current distribution paid this month and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:
Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short- Term Gains** | Net Realized Long- Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.1200 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1200 | 100 | % | - | - | |||||||||||||||
HQH | $ | 0.3800 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0836 | 22 | % | $ | 0.2964 | 78 | % | |||||||||||||
HQL | $ | 0.3000 | - | - | $ | 0.1380 | 46 | % | - | - | $ | 0.1620 | 54 | % | |||||||||||||
IAF | $ | 0.1100 | $ | 0.0055 | 5 | % | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1045 | 95 | % | |||||||||||||
IFN | $ | 0.4100 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.4100 | 100 | % | - | - | |||||||||||||||
JEQ | $ | 0.1000 | - | - | $ | 0.0020 | 2 | % | - | - | $ | 0.0980 | 98 | % | |||||||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.1125 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0023 | 2 | % | $ | 0.1102 | 98 | % | |||||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.1167 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1167 | 100 | % |
Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year* to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short-Term Gains ** | Net Realized Long-Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.3600 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.3600 | 100 | % | - | - | |||||||||||||||
HQH | $ | 0.3800 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0836 | 22 | % | $ | 0.2964 | 78 | % | |||||||||||||
HQL | $ | 0.3000 | - | - | $ | 0.1380 | 46 | % | - | - | $ | 0.1620 | 54 | % | |||||||||||||
IAF | $ | 0.1100 | $ | 0.0055 | 5 | % | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1045 | 95 | % | |||||||||||||
IFN | $ | 1.6400 | - | - | - | - | $ | 1.6400 | 100 | % | - | - | |||||||||||||||
JEQ | $ | 0.1000 | - | - | $ | 0.0020 | 2 | % | - | - | $ | 0.0980 | 98 | % | |||||||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.3375 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0068 | 2 | % | $ | 0.3307 | 98 | % | |||||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.3501 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.3501 | 100 | % |
* ASGI, HQH, HQL, THQ and THW have a 9/30 fiscal year end. IAF and JEQ have a 10/31 fiscal year end. IFN has a 12/31 fiscal year end.
**includes currency gains
Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a “Return of Capital,” it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.”
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
The following table provides the Funds’ total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds’ annualized and cumulative distribution rates.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 11/30/20231 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
ASGI3 | 7.49 | %3 | 7.14 | % | 7.04 | % | 1.19 | % | ||||||||
THQ | 7.00 | % | 6.64 | % | 2.42 | % | 1.11 | % | ||||||||
THW | 5.71 | % | 12.14 | % | 0.49 | % | 2.02 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of November 30, 2023.
3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through November 30, 2023.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 10/31/20231 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
HQH | 4.52 | % | N/A* | -4.99 | % | N/A* | ||||||||||
HQL | 4.03 | % | N/A* | -5.00 | % | N/A* | ||||||||||
IAF | 5.86 | % | 11.85 | % | 1.45 | % | 11.85 | % | ||||||||
IFN | 7.68 | % | 10.20 | % | 6.67 | % | 7.65 | % | ||||||||
JEQ | 1.15 | % | 6.78 | % | 8.10 | % | 6.78 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of October 31, 2023.
Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the “Distribution Policy”).
While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund’s investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund’s market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund’s shares in the open market.
Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.
The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. A decrease in the Fund’s net assets may cause an increase in the Fund’s annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund’s market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund’s net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund’s investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund’s Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund’s market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.
Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, and abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC.
Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund’s investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund’s portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter#
###
Exhibit (c)(2)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds
Investor Relations
1-800-522-5465
Investor.Relations@abrdn.com
ABRDN U.S. CLOSED-END FUNDS
ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS
(Philadelphia, January 31, 2024) - The abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds (NYSE: ASGI) (NYSE American THQ, THW), (the “Funds” or individually the “Fund”), today announced that the Funds paid the distributions noted in the table below on January 31, 2024, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of January 24, 2024 (ex-dividend date January 23, 2024).
Ticker | Exchange | Fund | Amount | |||||
ASGI | NYSE | abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund | $ | 0.1600 | ||||
THQ | NYSE American | abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund | $ | 0.1125 | ||||
THW | NYSE American | abrdn World Healthcare Fund | $ | 0.1167 |
Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital.
Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund’s fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund’s fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.
The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions paid this month as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.
The Funds’ estimated sources of the current distribution paid this month and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:
Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short- Term Gains** | Net Realized Long- Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.1600 | $ | 0.0112 | 7 | % | - | - | $ | 0.1152 | 72 | % | $ | 0.0336 | 21 | % | |||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.1125 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0023 | 2 | % | $ | 0.1102 | 98 | % | |||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.1167 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1167 | 100 | % |
Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year* to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short-Term Gains ** | Net Realized Long-Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.5200 | $ | 0.0364 | 7 | % | - | - | $ | 0.3744 | 72 | % | $ | 0.1092 | 21 | % | |||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.4500 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0090 | 2 | % | $ | 0.4410 | 98 | % | |||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.4668 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.4668 | 100 | % |
* ASGI, THQ and THW have a 9/30 fiscal year end.
**includes currency gains
Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a “Return of Capital,” it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.”
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
The following table provides the Funds’ total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds’ annualized and cumulative distribution rates.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 12/31/20231 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
ASGI3 | 8.81 | %3 | 6.84 | % | 12.29 | % | 1.71 | % | ||||||||
THQ | 10.34 | % | 6.37 | % | 7.41 | % | 1.59 | % | ||||||||
THW | 9.00 | % | 11.68 | % | 5.44 | % | 2.92 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of December 31, 2023.
3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through December 31, 2023.
Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the “Distribution Policy”).
While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund’s investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund’s market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund’s shares in the open market.
Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.
The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. A decrease in the Fund’s net assets may cause an increase in the Fund’s annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund’s market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund’s net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund’s investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund’s Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund’s market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.
Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, and abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC.
Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund’s investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund’s portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter#
###
Exhibit (c)(3)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds
Investor Relations
1-800-522-5465
Investor.Relations@abrdn.com
ABRDN U.S. CLOSED-END FUNDS
ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS
(Philadelphia, February 29, 2024) - The abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds (NYSE: ASGI) (NYSE American THQ, THW), (the “Funds” or individually the “Fund”), today announced that the Funds paid the distributions noted in the table below on February 29, 2024, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of February 22, 2024 (ex-dividend date February 21, 2024).
Ticker | Exchange | Fund | Amount | |||||
ASGI | NYSE | abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund | $ | 0.1500 | ||||
THQ | NYSE American | abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund | $ | 0.1800 | ||||
THW | NYSE American | abrdn World Healthcare Fund | $ | 0.1167 |
Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital.
Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund’s fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund’s fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.
The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions paid this month as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.
The Funds’ estimated sources of the current distribution paid this month and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:
Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short- Term Gains** | Net Realized Long- Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.1500 | $ | 0.0120 | 8 | % | - | - | $ | 0.0840 | 56 | % | $ | 0.0540 | 36 | % | |||||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.1800 | - | - | $ | 0.0018 | 1 | % | $ | 0.0018 | 1 | % | $ | 0.1764 | 98 | % | |||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.1167 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1167 | 100 | % |
Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year* to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short-Term Gains ** | Net Realized Long-Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.6700 | $ | 0.0536 | 8 | % | - | - | $ | 0.3752 | 56 | % | $ | 0.2412 | 36 | % | |||||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.6300 | - | - | $ | 0.0063 | 1 | % | $ | 0.0063 | 1 | % | $ | 0.6174 | 98 | % | |||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.5835 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.5835 | 100 | % |
* ASGI, THQ and THW have a
9/30 fiscal year end.
**includes currency gains
Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a “Return of Capital,” it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.”
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
The following table provides the Funds’ total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds’ annualized and cumulative distribution rates.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 01/31/20241 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
ASGI3 | 7.42 | %3 | 9.58 | % | 8.08 | % | 2.59 | % | ||||||||
THQ | 9.26 | % | 6.26 | % | 9.98 | % | 2.09 | % | ||||||||
THW | 8.00 | % | 11.53 | % | 7.82 | % | 3.84 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of January 31, 2024.
3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through January 31, 2024.
Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the “Distribution Policy”).
While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund’s investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund’s market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund’s shares in the open market.
Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.
The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. A decrease in the Fund’s net assets may cause an increase in the Fund’s annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund’s market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund’s net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund’s investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund’s Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund’s market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.
Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, and abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC.
Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund’s investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund’s portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter#
###
Exhibit (c)(4)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For
More Information Contact:
abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds
Investor Relations
1-800-522-5465
Investor.Relations@abrdn.com
ABRDN
U.S. CLOSED-END FUNDS
ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS
(Philadelphia, March 28, 2024) - The abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds (NYSE: ASGI, HQH, HQL, IFN, JEQ, THQ, THW) (NYSE American IAF), (the “Funds” or individually the “Fund”), today announced that the Funds paid the distributions noted in the table below on March 28, 2024, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of March 21, 2024 (ex-dividend date March 20, 2024). These dates apply to the Funds listed below with the exception of abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH), abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL), the abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF), the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ) which will pay on March 28, 2024, to all shareholders of record as of February 22, 2024 (ex-dividend date February 21, 2024).
Ticker | Exchange | Fund | Amount | |||||
ASGI | NYSE | abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund | $ | 0.1500 | ||||
HQH | NYSE | abrdn Healthcare Investors | $ | 0.4800 | ||||
HQL | NYSE | abrdn Life Sciences Investors | $ | 0.3900 | ||||
IAF | NYSE American | Abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. | $ | 0.1200 | ||||
IFN | NYSE | The India Fund, Inc. | $ | 0.4300 | ||||
JEQ | NYSE | Abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. | $ | 0.1100 | ||||
THQ | NYSE | abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund | $ | 0.1800 | ||||
THW | NYSE | abrdn World Healthcare Fund | $ | 0.1167 |
Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital.
For the abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH), abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL), the abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF), the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ) the stock distributions were automatically paid in newly issued shares of the Fund unless otherwise instructed by the shareholder to be paid in cash. Shares of common stock were issued at the lower of the net asset value (“NAV”) per share or the market price per share with a floor for the NAV of not less than 95% of the market price on March 19, 2024. The reinvestment prices per share for these distributions were as follows: $16.49 for the abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH); $13.40 for the abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL); $4.16 for the abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF); $18.4775 for the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and $6.20 for the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ). Fractional shares were generally settled in cash, except for registered shareholders with book entry accounts at Computershare Investor Services who had whole and fractional shares added to their account.
To have received the abrdn Healthcare Investors (HQH), abrdn Life Sciences Investors (HQL), Abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF), the India Fund, Inc. (IFN) and the abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc. (JEQ) quarterly distributions payable in March 2024 in cash instead of shares of common stock, for shareholders who hold shares in “street name,” the bank, brokerage or nominee who holds the shares must have advised the Depository Trust Company as to the full and fractional shares for which they want the distribution paid in cash by March 18, 2024; and for shares that are held in registered form, written notification for the election of cash by registered shareholders must have been received by Computershare Investor Services prior to March 18, 2024
Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund’s fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund’s fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.
The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions paid this month as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.
The Funds’ estimated sources of the current distribution paid this month and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:
Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short- Term Gains** | Net Realized Long- Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.1500 | $ | 0.0120 | 8 | % | $ | 0.0015 | 1 | % | $ | 0.1080 | 72 | % | $ | 0.0285 | 19 | % | |||||||||
HQH | $ | 0.4800 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0480 | 10 | % | $ | 0.4320 | 90 | % | |||||||||||||
HQL | $ | 0.3900 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.3900 | 100 | % | |||||||||||||||
IAF | $ | 0.1200 | $ | 0.0228 | 19 | % | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0972 | 81 | % | |||||||||||||
IFN | $ | 0.4300 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.4300 | 100 | % | - | - | |||||||||||||||
JEQ | $ | 0.1100 | $ | 0.0143 | 13 | % | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0957 | 87 | % | |||||||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.1800 | - | - | $ | 0.0108 | 6 | % | $ | 0.0018 | 1 | % | $ | 0.1674 | 93 | % | |||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.1167 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1167 | 100 | % |
Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year* to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short-Term Gains ** | Net Realized Long-Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.8200 | $ | 0.0656 | 8 | % | $ | 0.0082 | 1 | % | $ | 0.5904 | 72 | % | $ | 0.1558 | 19 | % | |||||||||
HQH | $ | 0.8600 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0860 | 10 | % | $ | 0.7740 | 90 | % | |||||||||||||
HQL | $ | 0.6900 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.6900 | 100 | % | |||||||||||||||
IAF | $ | 0.2300 | $ | 0.0437 | 19 | % | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1863 | 81 | % | |||||||||||||
IFN | $ | 0.4300 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.4300 | 100 | % | - | - | |||||||||||||||
JEQ | $ | 0.2100 | $ | 0.0273 | 13 | % | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.1827 | 87 | % | |||||||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.8100 | - | - | $ | 0.0486 | 6 | % | $ | 0.0081 | 1 | % | $ | 0.7533 | 93 | % | |||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.7002 | - | - | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.7002 | 100 | % |
* ASGI, HQH, HQL, THQ and THW have a 9/30 fiscal year end. IAF and JEQ have a 10/31 fiscal year end. IFN has a 12/31 fiscal year end.
**includes currency gains
Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a “Return of Capital,” it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.”
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
The following tables provide the Funds’ total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds’ annualized and cumulative distribution rates.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 02/29/20241 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
ASGI3 | 7.45 | %3 | 8.60 | % | 8.80 | % | 3.35 | % | ||||||||
THQ | 9.84 | % | 8.61 | % | 12.88 | % | 2.87 | % | ||||||||
THW | 8.02 | % | 11.48 | % | 9.30 | % | 4.78 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of February 29, 2024.
3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through February 29, 2024.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 01/31/20241 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative
Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
HQH | 6.50 | % | 7.57 | % | 9.06 | % | 1.89 | % | ||||||||
HQL | 6.29 | % | 7.33 | % | 11.53 | % | 1.83 | % | ||||||||
IAF | 8.54 | % | 9.07 | % | 17.84 | % | 2.27 | % | ||||||||
IFN | 8.96 | % | N/A | * | 0.95 | % | N/A | * | ||||||||
JEQ | 4.70 | % | 5.89 | % | 18.11 | % | 1.47 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of January 31, 2024.
* The Fund’s fiscal period to date is January 1, 2024 to January 31, 2024 and there was no distribution during this period.
Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the “Distribution Policy”).
While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund’s investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund’s market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund’s shares in the open market.
Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.
The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. A decrease in the Fund’s net assets may cause an increase in the Fund’s annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund’s market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund’s net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund’s investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund’s Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund’s market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.
Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, and abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC.
Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund’s investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund’s portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter#
###
Exhibit (c)(5)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds
Investor Relations
1-800-522-5465
Investor.Relations@abrdn.com
ABRDN U.S. CLOSED-END FUNDS
ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS
(Philadelphia, April 30, 2024) - The abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds (NYSE: ASGI, THQ, THW), (the “Funds” or individually the “Fund”), today announced that the Funds paid the distributions noted in the table below on April 30, 2024, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of April 23, 2024 (ex-dividend date April 22, 2024).
Ticker | Exchange | Fund | Amount | |||||
ASGI | NYSE | abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund | $ | 0.1500 | ||||
THQ | NYSE | abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund | $ | 0.1800 | ||||
THW | NYSE | abrdn World Healthcare Fund | $ | 0.1167 |
Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital.
Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund’s fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund’s fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.
The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions paid this month as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.
The Funds’ estimated sources of the current distribution paid this month and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:
Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short- Term Gains** | Net Realized Long- Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.1500 | $ | 0.0135 | 9 | % | $ | 0.0015 | 1 | % | $ | 0.0960 | 64 | % | $ | 0.0390 | 26 | % | |||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.1800 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0018 | 1 | % | $ | 0.1782 | 99 | % | |||||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.1167 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0023 | 2 | % | $ | 0.1144 | 98 | % |
Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year* to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short-Term Gains ** | Net Realized Long-Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.9700 | $ | 0.0873 | 9 | % | $ | 0.0097 | 1 | % | $ | 0.6208 | 64 | % | $ | 0.2522 | 26 | % | |||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.9900 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0099 | 1 | % | $ | 0.9801 | 99 | % | |||||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.8169 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0163 | 2 | % | $ | 0.8006 | 98 | % |
* ASGI, THQ and THW have
a 9/30 fiscal year end.
**includes currency gains
Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a “Return of Capital,” it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.”
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
The following tables provide the Funds’ total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds’ annualized and cumulative distribution rates.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 03/31/20241 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
ASGI3 | 8.34 | %3 | 8.75 | % | 12.85 | % | 3.98 | % | ||||||||
THQ | 15.78 | % | 8.47 | % | 10.18 | % | 3.63 | % | ||||||||
THW | 13.30 | % | 11.18 | % | 8.53 | % | 5.59 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of March 31, 2024.
3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through March 31, 2024.
Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the “Distribution Policy”).
While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund’s investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund’s market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund’s shares in the open market.
Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.
The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. A decrease in the Fund’s net assets may cause an increase in the Fund’s annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund’s market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund’s net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund’s investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund’s Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund’s market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.
Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, and abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC.
Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund’s investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund’s portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter#
###
Exhibit (c)(6)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds
Investor Relations
1-800-522-5465
Investor.Relations@abrdn.com
ABRDN U.S. CLOSED-END FUNDS
ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS
(Philadelphia, May 31, 2024) - The abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds (NYSE: ASGI, THQ, THW), (the “Funds” or individually the “Fund”), today announced that the Funds paid the distributions noted in the table below on May 31, 2024, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of May 23, 2024 (ex-dividend date May 22, 2024).
Ticker | Exchange | Fund | Amount | |||||
ASGI | NYSE | abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund | $ | 0.2000 | ||||
THQ | NYSE | abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund | $ | 0.1800 | ||||
THW | NYSE | abrdn World Healthcare Fund | $ | 0.1167 |
Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital.
Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund’s fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund’s fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.
The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions paid this month as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.
The Funds’ estimated sources of the current distribution paid this month and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:
Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short- Term Gains** | Net Realized Long- Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 0.2000 | $ | 0.0400 | 20 | % | - | - | $ | 0.1240 | 62 | % | $ | 0.0360 | 18 | % | |||||||||||
THQ | $ | 0.1800 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0018 | 1 | % | $ | 0.1782 | 99 | % | |||||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.1167 | - | - | $ | 0.0070 | 6 | % | $ | 0.0128 | 11 | % | $ | 0.0969 | 83 | % |
Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year* to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fund | Distribution Amount | Net Investment Income | Net Realized Short-Term Gains ** | Net Realized Long-Term Gains | Return of Capital | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ASGI | $ | 1.1700 | $ | 0.2340 | 20 | % | - | - | $ | 0.7254 | 62 | % | $ | 0.2106 | 18 | % | |||||||||||
THQ | $ | 1.1700 | - | - | - | - | $ | 0.0117 | 1 | % | $ | 1.1583 | 99 | % | |||||||||||||
THW | $ | 0.9336 | - | - | $ | 0.0560 | 6 | % | $ | 0.1027 | 11 | % | $ | 0.7749 | 83 | % |
* ASGI, THQ and THW have
a 9/30 fiscal year end.
**includes currency gains
Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a “Return of Capital,” it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.”
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
The following tables provide the Funds’ total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds’ annualized and cumulative distribution rates.
Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information | ||||||||||||||||
Fund | Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 03/31/20241 | Current Fiscal Period’s Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV | Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 | Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 | ||||||||||||
ASGI3 | 7.42 | %3 | 8.65 | % | 10.02 | % | 4.88 | % | ||||||||
THQ | 9.87 | % | 9.96 | % | 10.45 | % | 4.69 | % | ||||||||
THW | 8.37 | % | 11.69 | % | 9.37 | % | 6.82 | % |
1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.
2 Based on the Fund’s NAV as of April 30, 2024.
3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through April 30, 2024.
Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the “Distribution Policy”).
While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund’s investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund’s market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund’s shares in the open market.
Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.
The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. A decrease in the Fund’s net assets may cause an increase in the Fund’s annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund’s market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund’s net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund’s investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund’s Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund’s market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.
Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, and abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC.
Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund’s investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund’s portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter#
###
N-2 - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands |
6 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mar. 31, 2024 |
Sep. 30, 2023 |
Sep. 30, 2022 |
Sep. 30, 2021 |
Sep. 30, 2020 |
Sep. 30, 2019 |
Sep. 30, 2018 |
||||||||||
Cover [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Entity Central Index Key | 0001635977 | |||||||||||||||
Amendment Flag | false | |||||||||||||||
Document Type | N-CSRS | |||||||||||||||
Entity Registrant Name | abrdn World Healthcare Fund | |||||||||||||||
Document Period End Date | Mar. 31, 2024 | |||||||||||||||
Financial Highlights [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Senior Securities Amount | $ 120,000 | [1] | $ 120,000 | [2] | $ 120,000 | $ 120,000 | $ 120,000 | $ 120,000 | ||||||||
Senior Securities Coverage per Unit | $ 4,992 | [1] | $ 4,726 | [2] | $ 4,786 | $ 5,714 | $ 4,554 | $ 4,396 | ||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk Factors [Table Text Block] |
9. Portfolio Investment Risks
a. Concentration Risk:
The Fund’s portfolio may be more sensitive to, and possibly more adversely affected by, regulatory, economic or political factors or trends relating to the healthcare industries than a portfolio of companies representing a larger number of industries. This risk is in addition to the risks normally associated with any strategy seeking capital appreciation by investing in a portfolio of equity securities. As a result of its concentration policy, the Fund’s investments may be subject to greater risk than a fund that has securities representing a broader range of investments and may cause the value of the Fund’s shares to fluctuate significantly over relatively short periods of time.
b. Convertible Securities Risk:
Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than nonconvertible debt securities of similar quality. The market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stock. Consequently, a unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. Investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer but more risk than the issuer’s debt obligations.
c. Derivatives Risk (including Options, Futures and Swaps):
Derivatives are speculative and may hurt the Fund’s performance. The potential benefits to be derived from the Fund’s options, futures and derivatives strategy are dependent upon the portfolio managers’ ability to discern pricing inefficiencies and predict trends in these markets, which decisions could prove to be inaccurate.
d. Equity-Linked Notes:
The Fund may invest in equity-linked notes, which are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign equity securities or the basket of foreign securities they are linked to. If the linked security(ies) declines in value, the note may return a lower amount at maturity. The trading price of an equity-linked note also depends on the value of the linked security(ies).
e. Equity Securities Risk:
The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry). Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common shareholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.
f. Foreign Securities Risk:
Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund's investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
g. Key Personnel Risk:
There may be only a limited number of securities professionals who have comparable experience to that of the Fund’s existing portfolio management team in the area of healthcare companies. If one or more of the team members dies, resigns, retires or is otherwise unable to act on behalf of the Investment Adviser, there can be no assurance that a suitable replacement could be found immediately.
h. Leverage Risk:
The Fund may use leverage to purchase securities. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund's portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.
i. Market Events Risk:
Markets are affected by numerous factors, including interest rates, the outlook for corporate profits, the health of the national and world economies, the fluctuation of other stock markets around the world, and financial, economic and other global market developments and
disruptions, such as those arising from war, terrorism, market manipulation, government interventions, trading and tariff arrangements, defaults and shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, public health emergencies and natural/environmental disasters. Such events can negatively impact the securities markets and cause the Fund to lose value.
Policy and legislative changes in countries around the world are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have previously responded to serious economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes.
The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time. In addition, economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries or sectors experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by such events.
j. REIT and Real Estate Risk:
Investment in real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and real estate involves the risks that are associated with direct ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include: declines in the value of real estate; risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition; increases in property taxes and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws; casualty or condemnation losses; variations in rental income, neighborhood values or the appeal of properties to tenants; changes in interest rates and changes in general economic and market conditions; reduced demand for commercial and office space; increased maintenance or tenant improvement costs to convert properties for other uses; default risk of tenants and borrowers; the financial condition of tenants, buyers and sellers; and the inability to re-lease space on attractive terms or to obtain mortgage financing on a timely basis or at all. REITs’ share prices may decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry including changes in interest rates. The returns from REITs may trail returns from the overall market. Additionally, there is always a risk that a given REIT will fail to qualify for favorable tax treatment. REITs may be leveraged, which increases risk. Certain REITs charge management fees, which may result in layering the management fee paid by the Fund.
k. Restricted Securities and Valuation Risk:
Some of the Fund’s investments are subject to restrictions on resale and generally have no established trading market or are otherwise illiquid with little or no trading activity. The valuation process requires an analysis of various factors. The Fund’s fair value
methodology includes the examination of, among other things, (i) the existence of any contractual restrictions on the disposition of the securities; (ii) information obtained from the issuer which may include an analysis of the company’s financial statements, the company’s products or intended markets, or the company’s technologies; and (iii) the price of a security sold at arm’s length in an issuer’s subsequent completed round of financing. As there is typically no readily available market value for some of the Restricted Securities in the Fund’s portfolio, such Restricted Securities in the Fund’s portfolio are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board pursuant to the Fund’s valuation policy and a consistently applied valuation process. Because of the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments determined in good faith by the Board may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for the investments, and the differences could be material.
l. Risks Associated with the Fund’s Option Strategy:
The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is partially dependent on the successful implementation of its option strategy. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities used in connection with the Fund's option strategy. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
As the writer of a call option covered with a security held by the Fund, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunities to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call but retains the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. As the Fund writes such covered calls over more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited. To the extent the Fund writes call options that are not fully covered by securities in its portfolio (such as calls on an index or sector), it will lose money if the portion of the security or securities underlying the option that is not covered by securities in the Fund's portfolio appreciate in value above the exercise price of the option by an amount that exceeds the premium received on the option plus the exercise price of the option. The amount of this loss theoretically could be unlimited. The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligations as a writer of the option.
When the Fund writes put options, it bears the risk of loss if the value of the underlying stock declines below the exercise price minus the put premium. If the option is exercised, the Fund could incur a loss if it is required to purchase the stock underlying the put option at a price greater than the market price of the stock at the time of exercise plus the put premium the Fund received when it wrote the option. While the Fund's potential gain as the writer of a covered put option is limited to the premium received from the purchaser of the put option, the Fund risks a loss equal to the entire exercise price of the option minus the put premium.
m. Sector Risk:
To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Pharmaceutical Sector Risk. The success of companies in the pharmaceutical sector is highly dependent on the development, procurement and marketing of drugs. The values of pharmaceutical companies are also dependent on the development, protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights and other proprietary information, and the profitability of pharmaceutical companies may be significantly affected by such things as the expiration of patents or the loss of, or the inability to enforce, intellectual property rights. The research and other costs associated with developing or procuring new drugs and the related intellectual property rights can be significant, and the results of such research and expenditures are unpredictable. There can be no assurance that those efforts or costs will result in the development of a profitable drug.
The pharmaceutical sector is also subject to rapid and significant technological change and competitive forces that may make drugs obsolete or make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Companies in the pharmaceutical sector may also be subject to expenses and losses from extensive litigation based on intellectual property, product liability and similar claims. Companies in the pharmaceutical sector may be adversely affected by government regulation and changes in reimbursement rates. The ability of many pharmaceutical companies to commercialize and monetize current and any future products depends in part on the extent to which reimbursement for the cost of such products and related treatments are available from third-party payors, such as Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations.
Biotechnology Industry Risk. The success of biotechnology companies is highly dependent on the development, procurement and/or marketing of drugs. The values of biotechnology companies are also dependent on the development, protection and exploitation of
intellectual property rights and other proprietary information, and the profitability of biotechnology companies may be significantly affected by such things as the expiration of patents or the loss of, or the inability to enforce, intellectual property rights The research and other costs associated with developing or procuring new drugs, products or technologies and the related intellectual property rights can be significant, and the results of such research and expenditures are unpredictable. There can be no assurance that those efforts or costs will result in the development of a profitable drug, product or technology.
The biotechnology sector is also subject to rapid and significant technological change and competitive forces that may make drugs, products or technologies obsolete or make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Companies in the biotechnology sector may also be subject to expenses and losses from extensive litigation based on intellectual property, product liability and similar claims. Companies in the biotechnology sector may be adversely affected by government regulation and changes in reimbursement rates. Healthcare providers, principally hospitals, that transact with companies in the biotechnology industry, often rely on third party payors, such as Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations to reimburse all or a portion of the cost of healthcare related products or services. Biotechnology companies will continue to be affected by the efforts of governments and third-party payors to contain or reduce health care costs.
Managed Care Sector Risk. Companies in the managed care sector often assume the risk of both medical and administrative costs for their customers in return for monthly premiums. The profitability of these products depends in large part on the ability of such companies to predict, price for, and effectively manage medical costs. Managed care companies base the premiums they charge and their Medicare bids on estimates of future medical costs over the fixed contract period; however, many factors may cause actual costs to exceed what was estimated and reflected in premiums or bids.
Managed care companies are regulated at the federal, state, local and international levels. The evolution of the ACA and other regulatory reforms could materially and adversely affect the manner in which U.S. managed care companies conduct business and their results of operations, financial position and cash flows. New laws or regulations could drive substantial change to the way healthcare products and services are currently delivered and paid for in the United States. A transformative overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system could impact the financial viability of managed care companies in which the Fund may invest.
Life Science and Tools Industry Risk. Life science industries are characterized by limited product focus, rapidly changing technology,
extensive government regulation, and intense competition. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a disproportionate share of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Extensive regulation can delay cause delays in product development, which may disadvantage a company in an intensely competitive environment. These various factors may result in abrupt advances and declines in the securities prices of particular companies, and, in some cases, may have a broad effect on the prices of securities of companies in particular life science industries.
Healthcare Technology Sector Risk. Companies in the healthcare technology sector may incur substantial cost related to product-related liabilities, interruptions at their data centers or client support facilities, claims for infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights of others, or infringement or misappropriation of their intellectual property. Each of these may adversely impact the prices of securities of companies in the healthcare technology sector.
Additionally, the success of healthcare technology companies depends upon the recruitment and retention of key personnel. The failure to attract and retain qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on healthcare technology companies’ prospects for long-term growth.
Healthcare Services Sector Risk. The operations of healthcare services companies are subject to extensive federal, state and local government regulations. A violation or departure from any of these legal requirements may result in government audits, lower reimbursements, significant fines and penalties, the potential loss of certification, recoupment efforts or voluntary repayments. If healthcare services companies fail to adhere to all of the complex government regulations that apply to their businesses, such companies could suffer severe consequences that would substantially reduce revenues, earnings, cash flows and stock prices.
A substantial percentage of a healthcare services company’s service revenues may be generated from patients who have state Medicaid or other non-Medicare government-based programs, such as coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”), as their primary coverage. As state governments and other governmental organizations face increasing budgetary pressure, healthcare services companies may in turn face reductions in payment rates, delays in the receipt of payments, limitations on enrollee eligibility or other changes to the applicable programs.
Healthcare Supplies Sector Risk. If healthcare supplies companies are unable to successfully expand their product lines through internal research and development and acquisitions or are unable to successfully grow their business through marketing partnerships, their business may be materially and adversely affected.
Quality is extremely important to healthcare supplies companies and their customers due to the serious and costly consequences of product failure. Quality certifications are critical to the marketing success of their products and services. If a healthcare supplies company fails to meet these standards or fails to adapt to evolving standards, its reputation could be damaged, it could lose customers, and its revenue and results of operations could decline.
Healthcare Facilities Sector Risk. A healthcare facility’s ability to negotiate favorable contracts significantly affects the revenues and operating results of such healthcare facilities. If a healthcare facility is unable to enter into and maintain managed care contractual arrangements on acceptable terms, if it experiences material reductions in the contracted rates received from managed care payers, or if it has difficulty collecting from managed care payers, its results of operations could be adversely affected.
Further changes in the Medicare and Medicaid programs or other government health care programs could have an adverse effect on a healthcare facility’s business. In addition to the changes affected by the ACA, the Medicare and Medicaid programs are subject to other regulatory changes which could materially increase or decrease payments from government programs in the future, as well as affect the cost of providing services to patients and the timing of payments to facilities, which could in turn adversely affect a healthcare facility’s overall business, financial condition, results of operations or cashflows.
Healthcare Equipment Sector Risk. The medical device markets are highly competitive and characterized by rapid change, which may affect a company’s ability to be competitive. They are also rigorously regulated and it is anticipated that governmental authorities will continue to scrutinize this industry closely, and that additional regulation may increase compliance and legal costs, exposure to litigation, and other adverse effects to operations.
Healthcare equipment companies are substantially dependent on patent and other proprietary rights and failing to protect such rights or to be successful in litigation related to such rights may negatively impact the ability of healthcare equipment companies to sell current or future products. Quality problems with the processes, goods and services of a healthcare equipment company could harm the company’s reputation for producing high-quality products and erode its competitive advantage, sales and market share. Quality certifications are critical to the marketing success of goods and services. If a healthcare equipment company fails to meet these standards, its reputation could be damaged, it could lose customers, and its revenue and results of operations could decline.
Healthcare Distributors Sector Risk. Companies in the healthcare distribution sector operate in markets that are highly competitive and in an industry that is highly regulated and often subject to legal proceedings. Due to the nature of the business of healthcare
distribution companies, each of the above may have an adverse impact on the securities prices of companies in the healthcare distribution sector.
Healthcare distribution companies depend on the availability of various components, compounds, raw materials and energy supplied by others for their operations. Any of these supplier relationships could be interrupted due to events beyond the control of such companies, including pandemics, epidemics or natural disasters, or could be terminated. A sustained supply interruption could have an adverse effect on business.
n. Valuation Risk:
The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund's valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lower than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund's ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
o. Venture Capital Investments Risk:
The Fund may occasionally invest in venture capital opportunities. While these securities offer the opportunity for significant capital gains, such investments also involve a degree of risk that can result in substantial losses. Some of the venture capital opportunities in which the Fund may invest are expected to be companies that are in a “start-up” stage of development, have little or no operating history, operate at a loss or with substantial variations in operating results
from period to period, have limited products, markets, financial resources or management depth, or have the need for substantial additional “follow-on” capital to support expansion or to achieve or maintain a competitive position. Such additional investments may dilute the interests of prior investors, such as the Fund. Some of these companies may be emerging companies at the research and development stage with no marketable or approved products or technology. There can be no assurance that securities of start-up or emerging growth companies will, in the future, yield returns commensurate with their associated risks.
These investments, which are considered Restricted Securities, will be made primarily in convertible preferred stock. The Fund may also purchase non-convertible debt securities in connection with its venture capital investments, and otherwise when the Investment Adviser believes that such investments would be consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. While these debt investments typically will not be rated, the Investment Adviser believes that, in light of the risk characteristics associated with investments in emerging growth companies, if such investments were to be compared with investments rated by S&P or Moody’s, they may be rated as low as “C” in the rating categories established by S&P and Moody’s. Such securities are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered, on balance, as predominantly speculative.
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Lowest Price or Bid | $ 9.84 | |||||||||||||||
Highest Price or Bid | 13.23 | |||||||||||||||
Lowest Price or Bid, NAV | 10.88 | |||||||||||||||
Highest Price or Bid, NAV | $ 12.53 | |||||||||||||||
Highest Price or Bid, Premium (Discount) to NAV [Percent] | 7.78% | |||||||||||||||
Lowest Price or Bid, Premium (Discount) to NAV [Percent] | (9.56%) | |||||||||||||||
Share Price | [3] | $ 13.23 | [1] | 11.72 | [2] | 12.86 | 16.45 | 14.33 | 13.44 | |||||||
NAV Per Share | [3] | $ 12.53 | [1] | $ 11.73 | [1],[2] | $ 12.11 | [2] | $ 15.18 | $ 14.14 | $ 13.51 | $ 15.24 | |||||
Latest Premium (Discount) to NAV [Percent] | 5.59% | (0.09%) | ||||||||||||||
Capital Stock, Long-Term Debt, and Other Securities [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Outstanding Security, Held [Shares] | 38,244,601 | |||||||||||||||
Concentration Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
a. Concentration Risk:
The Fund’s portfolio may be more sensitive to, and possibly more adversely affected by, regulatory, economic or political factors or trends relating to the healthcare industries than a portfolio of companies representing a larger number of industries. This risk is in addition to the risks normally associated with any strategy seeking capital appreciation by investing in a portfolio of equity securities. As a result of its concentration policy, the Fund’s investments may be subject to greater risk than a fund that has securities representing a broader range of investments and may cause the value of the Fund’s shares to fluctuate significantly over relatively short periods of time.
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Convertible Securities Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
b. Convertible Securities Risk:
Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than nonconvertible debt securities of similar quality. The market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stock. Consequently, a unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. Investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer but more risk than the issuer’s debt obligations.
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Derivatives Risk Including Options, Futures And Swaps [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
c. Derivatives Risk (including Options, Futures and Swaps):
Derivatives are speculative and may hurt the Fund’s performance. The potential benefits to be derived from the Fund’s options, futures and derivatives strategy are dependent upon the portfolio managers’ ability to discern pricing inefficiencies and predict trends in these markets, which decisions could prove to be inaccurate.
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Equity Linked Notes Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
d. Equity-Linked Notes:
The Fund may invest in equity-linked notes, which are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign equity securities or the basket of foreign securities they are linked to. If the linked security(ies) declines in value, the note may return a lower amount at maturity. The trading price of an equity-linked note also depends on the value of the linked security(ies).
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Equity Securities Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
e. Equity Securities Risk:
The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry). Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common shareholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.
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Foreign Securities Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
f. Foreign Securities Risk:
Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund's investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
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Key Personnel Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
g. Key Personnel Risk:
There may be only a limited number of securities professionals who have comparable experience to that of the Fund’s existing portfolio management team in the area of healthcare companies. If one or more of the team members dies, resigns, retires or is otherwise unable to act on behalf of the Investment Adviser, there can be no assurance that a suitable replacement could be found immediately.
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Leverage Risks [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
h. Leverage Risk:
The Fund may use leverage to purchase securities. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund's portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.
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Market Events Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
i. Market Events Risk:
Markets are affected by numerous factors, including interest rates, the outlook for corporate profits, the health of the national and world economies, the fluctuation of other stock markets around the world, and financial, economic and other global market developments and
disruptions, such as those arising from war, terrorism, market manipulation, government interventions, trading and tariff arrangements, defaults and shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, public health emergencies and natural/environmental disasters. Such events can negatively impact the securities markets and cause the Fund to lose value.
Policy and legislative changes in countries around the world are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have previously responded to serious economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes.
The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time. In addition, economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries or sectors experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by such events.
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Real Estate Investment Trusts And Real Estate Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
j. REIT and Real Estate Risk:
Investment in real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and real estate involves the risks that are associated with direct ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include: declines in the value of real estate; risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition; increases in property taxes and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws; casualty or condemnation losses; variations in rental income, neighborhood values or the appeal of properties to tenants; changes in interest rates and changes in general economic and market conditions; reduced demand for commercial and office space; increased maintenance or tenant improvement costs to convert properties for other uses; default risk of tenants and borrowers; the financial condition of tenants, buyers and sellers; and the inability to re-lease space on attractive terms or to obtain mortgage financing on a timely basis or at all. REITs’ share prices may decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry including changes in interest rates. The returns from REITs may trail returns from the overall market. Additionally, there is always a risk that a given REIT will fail to qualify for favorable tax treatment. REITs may be leveraged, which increases risk. Certain REITs charge management fees, which may result in layering the management fee paid by the Fund.
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Restricted Securities And Valuation Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
k. Restricted Securities and Valuation Risk:
Some of the Fund’s investments are subject to restrictions on resale and generally have no established trading market or are otherwise illiquid with little or no trading activity. The valuation process requires an analysis of various factors. The Fund’s fair value
methodology includes the examination of, among other things, (i) the existence of any contractual restrictions on the disposition of the securities; (ii) information obtained from the issuer which may include an analysis of the company’s financial statements, the company’s products or intended markets, or the company’s technologies; and (iii) the price of a security sold at arm’s length in an issuer’s subsequent completed round of financing. As there is typically no readily available market value for some of the Restricted Securities in the Fund’s portfolio, such Restricted Securities in the Fund’s portfolio are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board pursuant to the Fund’s valuation policy and a consistently applied valuation process. Because of the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments determined in good faith by the Board may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for the investments, and the differences could be material.
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Risks Associated With Funds Option Strategy [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
l. Risks Associated with the Fund’s Option Strategy:
The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is partially dependent on the successful implementation of its option strategy. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities used in connection with the Fund's option strategy. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
As the writer of a call option covered with a security held by the Fund, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunities to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call but retains the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. As the Fund writes such covered calls over more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited. To the extent the Fund writes call options that are not fully covered by securities in its portfolio (such as calls on an index or sector), it will lose money if the portion of the security or securities underlying the option that is not covered by securities in the Fund's portfolio appreciate in value above the exercise price of the option by an amount that exceeds the premium received on the option plus the exercise price of the option. The amount of this loss theoretically could be unlimited. The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligations as a writer of the option.
When the Fund writes put options, it bears the risk of loss if the value of the underlying stock declines below the exercise price minus the put premium. If the option is exercised, the Fund could incur a loss if it is required to purchase the stock underlying the put option at a price greater than the market price of the stock at the time of exercise plus the put premium the Fund received when it wrote the option. While the Fund's potential gain as the writer of a covered put option is limited to the premium received from the purchaser of the put option, the Fund risks a loss equal to the entire exercise price of the option minus the put premium.
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Sector Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
m. Sector Risk:
To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Pharmaceutical Sector Risk. The success of companies in the pharmaceutical sector is highly dependent on the development, procurement and marketing of drugs. The values of pharmaceutical companies are also dependent on the development, protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights and other proprietary information, and the profitability of pharmaceutical companies may be significantly affected by such things as the expiration of patents or the loss of, or the inability to enforce, intellectual property rights. The research and other costs associated with developing or procuring new drugs and the related intellectual property rights can be significant, and the results of such research and expenditures are unpredictable. There can be no assurance that those efforts or costs will result in the development of a profitable drug.
The pharmaceutical sector is also subject to rapid and significant technological change and competitive forces that may make drugs obsolete or make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Companies in the pharmaceutical sector may also be subject to expenses and losses from extensive litigation based on intellectual property, product liability and similar claims. Companies in the pharmaceutical sector may be adversely affected by government regulation and changes in reimbursement rates. The ability of many pharmaceutical companies to commercialize and monetize current and any future products depends in part on the extent to which reimbursement for the cost of such products and related treatments are available from third-party payors, such as Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations.
Biotechnology Industry Risk. The success of biotechnology companies is highly dependent on the development, procurement and/or marketing of drugs. The values of biotechnology companies are also dependent on the development, protection and exploitation of
intellectual property rights and other proprietary information, and the profitability of biotechnology companies may be significantly affected by such things as the expiration of patents or the loss of, or the inability to enforce, intellectual property rights The research and other costs associated with developing or procuring new drugs, products or technologies and the related intellectual property rights can be significant, and the results of such research and expenditures are unpredictable. There can be no assurance that those efforts or costs will result in the development of a profitable drug, product or technology.
The biotechnology sector is also subject to rapid and significant technological change and competitive forces that may make drugs, products or technologies obsolete or make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Companies in the biotechnology sector may also be subject to expenses and losses from extensive litigation based on intellectual property, product liability and similar claims. Companies in the biotechnology sector may be adversely affected by government regulation and changes in reimbursement rates. Healthcare providers, principally hospitals, that transact with companies in the biotechnology industry, often rely on third party payors, such as Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations to reimburse all or a portion of the cost of healthcare related products or services. Biotechnology companies will continue to be affected by the efforts of governments and third-party payors to contain or reduce health care costs.
Managed Care Sector Risk. Companies in the managed care sector often assume the risk of both medical and administrative costs for their customers in return for monthly premiums. The profitability of these products depends in large part on the ability of such companies to predict, price for, and effectively manage medical costs. Managed care companies base the premiums they charge and their Medicare bids on estimates of future medical costs over the fixed contract period; however, many factors may cause actual costs to exceed what was estimated and reflected in premiums or bids.
Managed care companies are regulated at the federal, state, local and international levels. The evolution of the ACA and other regulatory reforms could materially and adversely affect the manner in which U.S. managed care companies conduct business and their results of operations, financial position and cash flows. New laws or regulations could drive substantial change to the way healthcare products and services are currently delivered and paid for in the United States. A transformative overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system could impact the financial viability of managed care companies in which the Fund may invest.
Life Science and Tools Industry Risk. Life science industries are characterized by limited product focus, rapidly changing technology,
extensive government regulation, and intense competition. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a disproportionate share of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Extensive regulation can delay cause delays in product development, which may disadvantage a company in an intensely competitive environment. These various factors may result in abrupt advances and declines in the securities prices of particular companies, and, in some cases, may have a broad effect on the prices of securities of companies in particular life science industries.
Healthcare Technology Sector Risk. Companies in the healthcare technology sector may incur substantial cost related to product-related liabilities, interruptions at their data centers or client support facilities, claims for infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights of others, or infringement or misappropriation of their intellectual property. Each of these may adversely impact the prices of securities of companies in the healthcare technology sector.
Additionally, the success of healthcare technology companies depends upon the recruitment and retention of key personnel. The failure to attract and retain qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on healthcare technology companies’ prospects for long-term growth.
Healthcare Services Sector Risk. The operations of healthcare services companies are subject to extensive federal, state and local government regulations. A violation or departure from any of these legal requirements may result in government audits, lower reimbursements, significant fines and penalties, the potential loss of certification, recoupment efforts or voluntary repayments. If healthcare services companies fail to adhere to all of the complex government regulations that apply to their businesses, such companies could suffer severe consequences that would substantially reduce revenues, earnings, cash flows and stock prices.
A substantial percentage of a healthcare services company’s service revenues may be generated from patients who have state Medicaid or other non-Medicare government-based programs, such as coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”), as their primary coverage. As state governments and other governmental organizations face increasing budgetary pressure, healthcare services companies may in turn face reductions in payment rates, delays in the receipt of payments, limitations on enrollee eligibility or other changes to the applicable programs.
Healthcare Supplies Sector Risk. If healthcare supplies companies are unable to successfully expand their product lines through internal research and development and acquisitions or are unable to successfully grow their business through marketing partnerships, their business may be materially and adversely affected.
Quality is extremely important to healthcare supplies companies and their customers due to the serious and costly consequences of product failure. Quality certifications are critical to the marketing success of their products and services. If a healthcare supplies company fails to meet these standards or fails to adapt to evolving standards, its reputation could be damaged, it could lose customers, and its revenue and results of operations could decline.
Healthcare Facilities Sector Risk. A healthcare facility’s ability to negotiate favorable contracts significantly affects the revenues and operating results of such healthcare facilities. If a healthcare facility is unable to enter into and maintain managed care contractual arrangements on acceptable terms, if it experiences material reductions in the contracted rates received from managed care payers, or if it has difficulty collecting from managed care payers, its results of operations could be adversely affected.
Further changes in the Medicare and Medicaid programs or other government health care programs could have an adverse effect on a healthcare facility’s business. In addition to the changes affected by the ACA, the Medicare and Medicaid programs are subject to other regulatory changes which could materially increase or decrease payments from government programs in the future, as well as affect the cost of providing services to patients and the timing of payments to facilities, which could in turn adversely affect a healthcare facility’s overall business, financial condition, results of operations or cashflows.
Healthcare Equipment Sector Risk. The medical device markets are highly competitive and characterized by rapid change, which may affect a company’s ability to be competitive. They are also rigorously regulated and it is anticipated that governmental authorities will continue to scrutinize this industry closely, and that additional regulation may increase compliance and legal costs, exposure to litigation, and other adverse effects to operations.
Healthcare equipment companies are substantially dependent on patent and other proprietary rights and failing to protect such rights or to be successful in litigation related to such rights may negatively impact the ability of healthcare equipment companies to sell current or future products. Quality problems with the processes, goods and services of a healthcare equipment company could harm the company’s reputation for producing high-quality products and erode its competitive advantage, sales and market share. Quality certifications are critical to the marketing success of goods and services. If a healthcare equipment company fails to meet these standards, its reputation could be damaged, it could lose customers, and its revenue and results of operations could decline.
Healthcare Distributors Sector Risk. Companies in the healthcare distribution sector operate in markets that are highly competitive and in an industry that is highly regulated and often subject to legal proceedings. Due to the nature of the business of healthcare
distribution companies, each of the above may have an adverse impact on the securities prices of companies in the healthcare distribution sector.
Healthcare distribution companies depend on the availability of various components, compounds, raw materials and energy supplied by others for their operations. Any of these supplier relationships could be interrupted due to events beyond the control of such companies, including pandemics, epidemics or natural disasters, or could be terminated. A sustained supply interruption could have an adverse effect on business.
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Valuation Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
n. Valuation Risk:
The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund's valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lower than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund's ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
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Venture Capital Investments Risk [Member] | ||||||||||||||||
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
Risk [Text Block] |
o. Venture Capital Investments Risk:
The Fund may occasionally invest in venture capital opportunities. While these securities offer the opportunity for significant capital gains, such investments also involve a degree of risk that can result in substantial losses. Some of the venture capital opportunities in which the Fund may invest are expected to be companies that are in a “start-up” stage of development, have little or no operating history, operate at a loss or with substantial variations in operating results
from period to period, have limited products, markets, financial resources or management depth, or have the need for substantial additional “follow-on” capital to support expansion or to achieve or maintain a competitive position. Such additional investments may dilute the interests of prior investors, such as the Fund. Some of these companies may be emerging companies at the research and development stage with no marketable or approved products or technology. There can be no assurance that securities of start-up or emerging growth companies will, in the future, yield returns commensurate with their associated risks.
These investments, which are considered Restricted Securities, will be made primarily in convertible preferred stock. The Fund may also purchase non-convertible debt securities in connection with its venture capital investments, and otherwise when the Investment Adviser believes that such investments would be consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. While these debt investments typically will not be rated, the Investment Adviser believes that, in light of the risk characteristics associated with investments in emerging growth companies, if such investments were to be compared with investments rated by S&P or Moody’s, they may be rated as low as “C” in the rating categories established by S&P and Moody’s. Such securities are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered, on balance, as predominantly speculative.
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1 Year abrdn World Healthcare Chart |
1 Month abrdn World Healthcare Chart |
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