Annual Report Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc.

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2016 Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. 1

2 Contents BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORT 2 MANAGEMENT REPORT 3 i) ECONOMIC REVIEW 3 ii) FINANCIAL MARKET REVIEW 3 iii) INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE REVIEW 4 iv) FINANCIAL RESULTS REVIEW 4 v) RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS 5 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 6 1

3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORT The Board of Directors (the Directors ) of Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. ( The Fund ) is pleased to present the annual report on the activities and financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 Results The Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund s (the Fund ) net asset value decreased by 9.4% to US$13.8 million at December 31, 2016 from US$15.2 million at December 31, The decrease is attributed to investment performance of US$0.3 million and net sales of -US$1.6 million, offset by distributions of US$0.2 million. The net asset value per share for the Fund s Class A shares increased from US$9.61 at December 31, 2015 to US$9.63 at December 31, The Fund s Class A shares paid a dividend of US$0.12 per share and had a dividend yield of 1.25% in The return of 1.44%, including distributions, for the Fund s Class A shares was primarily due to exposure to investment grade corporate bonds in Canada and the U.S. as credit spreads tightened. Board During the period, the Board of Directors continued to discharge its duties of providing guidance to management and oversight of the Fund s business affairs. As of December 31, 2016, the members of the Board of Directors were as follows: Ms. Sloane Muldoon Mr. Chester Hinkson Ms. Sarah Hobbs Mr. Rhory McNamara Appreciation I would like to thank our valued shareholders for their continued support and confidence. I would also like to thank the members of the Board of Directors, our stakeholders and the entire team at Scotia Asset Management (St. Lucia) Inc. and Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Ltd. for their contributions over the past year. Sarah Hobbs Director 2

4 MANAGEMENT REPORT i) ECONOMIC REVIEW U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased 1.6% in This increase was driven by a strong labor market, improved household finances and higher global oil prices which translated into increased personal consumption and manufacturing activity, as well as lower inventories. GDP growth benefitted from increased government spending but was adversely affected by a widening of the trade balance, due to a stronger U.S. Dollar (USD) and increased imports. The U.S. neared full employment. This was seen through a drop in the unemployment rate to 4.6%; initial employment claims that neared a four-decade low; and an increase in the labor force participation rate. Household finances in the U.S. improved as the household debt-to-gdp ratio decreased 20% from the 2008 financial crisis and the household debt service ratio neared a record low. Growth in household net wealth accelerated at the fastest pace in two years. Indicators of consumer confidence approached their pre-2008 crisis high. Purchases by households and businesses outpaced inventory accumulation for the first time since In particular, retail and wholesale purchases increased over 3% for the first time in two years, which is more than double the pace of current inventory growth. The U.S. Purchasing Managers Index, a leading indicator of manufacturing activity, steadily improved since mid-year and ended 2016 at a buoyant 21 month high. U.S. auto sales climbed for seven consecutive years and reached annual records in both 2015 and Housing activity was a key driver of growth and was buoyed by lower housing inventory, increased participation from first-time buyers, more new housing starts and higher home prices across major markets. Housing affordability remained at better than historical averages despite an increase in prices. ii) FINANCIAL MARKET REVIEW U.S. government and investment grade corporate fixed income markets were volatile in 2016 as they initially moved higher only to reverse course and end the year in negative territory. Following the UK s vote to leave the European Union on June 23, the widely feared fallout from Brexit did not materialize and most fixed income securities moved higher, along with most other global markets, as central bank policies remained accommodative. The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries reached a low of 1.37% for 2016 on July 8. The election of Donald Trump as President was considered to be supportive of U.S. economic growth given his proposed policies of increased fiscal stimulus, tax cuts and deregulation. The yield on 10- year U.S. Treasuries increased from 1.88% on Nov 8, the day of the election, to 2.45% at year end. 3

5 The U.S. Federal Reserve kept overnight interest rates unchanged at its July and September policy meetings. However, they raised interest rates in December for just the second time since the financial crisis in 2008, citing higher inflation expectations and a tightening of the labor market. The yield on U.S. 10-year Treasuries rose from 2.27% to 2.45% in Government and investment grade corporate fixed income markets reversed course during the second half of the year and largely ended up in negative territory. Overall, bonds with a lower quality outperformed those with a higher quality given that BBB corporate bonds outperformed AAA/AA corporate bonds, while government bonds lagged. iii) INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE REVIEW The Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. The Class A shares of the Fund had a total return, including distributions, of 1.44% in The Fund s Class A shares also paid a dividend of US$0.12 per share and had a dividend yield of 1.25% at December 31, The Fund s exposure to investment grade corporate bonds in Canada and the U.S. was the largest contributor to returns as credit spreads tightened. Additional gains were generated from the stable running yield of the portfolio, which increased during the period as interest rates moved higher, and from the credit roll-down of bonds as they neared maturity. Performance was not impacted by changes in foreign currency and interest rates, given that these exposures were fully hedged. The Fund continued to invest primarily in liquid, high quality, short-term investment grade corporate bonds. Securities with maturities of up to 5 years were selected to manage volatility. The duration of the portfolio was less than 1 year. Continued market volatility is expected given the potential for further interest rate increases. The Fund will continue to invest in short-term bonds to reduce volatility. Changes in interest rates by the U.S. Federal Reserve or the Bank of Canada may potentially affect future distribution amounts. The Fund s primary focus remains on selecting securities with high liquidity and issued by companies with strong credit fundamentals, while hedging to reduce interest rate and currency risk. iv) FINANCIAL RESULTS REVIEW Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. Summary of Results The Fund s net asset value decreased by 9.4% to US$13.8 million at December 31, 2016 from US$15.2 million at December 31, The decrease is attributed to investment performance of US$0.3 million and net sales of -US$1.6 million, offset by distributions of US$0.2 million. The investment performance of the Fund includes earned income and expenses which vary year over year due to portfolio activity. The Fund s expenses decreased as compared to the previous period mainly as a result of changes in average net assets and portfolio activity. Income increased as compared to the previous period due to changes in the Fund s income earning investments. The Fund had US$0.3 million in cash at December 31, 2016, which the manager believed was sufficient to manage liquidity. 4

6 Financial Highlights US$ (000 s) US$ (000 s) Total Assets 13,923 15,396 Total Liabilities Net Assets attributable to holders of investment shares 13,791 15,223 Net Income (before distributions / dividends) 306 (139) Net Income (after distributions / dividends) 121 (504) As at December 31, 2016 Class A Class NU Class IU NAV 2,625,245 1,451,291 9,714,918 Shares 272, , ,553 NAV per share As at December 31, 2015 Class A Class NU Class IU NAV 2,706,205 3,035,879 9,481,345 Shares 281, , ,409 NAV per share v) RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS All related party transactions are documented in Other Related Party Transactions in Note 6 of the Notes to Financial Statements 5

7 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. As at December 31,

8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

9 INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTENTS Page 1) INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT 1-6 2) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 7 3) STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) 8 4) STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HOLDERS 9 OF REDEEMABLE INVESTMENT SHARES 5) STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 10 6) NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 11-30

10 Independent auditor s report To the Board of Directors of Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. Report on the audit of the financial statements Our opinion In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. (the Fund ) as at December 31, 2016, and its financial performance and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards. What we have audited Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. s financial statements comprise: the statement of financial position as at December 31, 2016; the statement of comprehensive income (loss) for the year then ended; the statement of changes in net assets attributable to holders of redeemable investment shares for the year then ended; the statement of cash flows for the year then ended; and the notes to the financial statements, which include significant accounting policies. Basis for opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Independence We are independent of the Fund in accordance with the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants ( IESBA Code ). We have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the IESBA Code. PricewaterhouseCoopers, 18 Forum Lane, Camana Bay, P.O. Box 258, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, KY1-1104, T: +1 (345) , F: +1 (345) ,

11 Our audit approach Overview Materiality Overall materiality was determined based on the net assets attributable to holders of redeemable participating shares of the Fund. Scoping The Fund is an open-ended investment company and has appointed Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Ltd. (the Manager ) to manage its affairs and investments subject to the overall supervision and control of the Fund s Board of Directors. Key audit matters Valuation and existence of investments Audit Scope As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risks of material misstatement in the financial statements. In particular, we considered where management made subjective judgments; for example, in respect of significant accounting estimates that involved making assumptions and considering future events that are inherently uncertain. As in all of our audits, we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including among other matters consideration of whether there was evidence of bias that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud. How we tailored the audit scope We tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough work to be able to give an opinion on the financial statements as a whole, taking into account the types of investments within the Fund, the involvement of the Manager and administrator, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which the Fund operates. The Fund s accounting is delegated to the administrator who maintain their own accounting records and controls and report to management. As part of our risk assessment, we assessed the control environment to the extent relevant to our audit. This assessment of the operating and accounting structure included obtaining and reading the relevant control reports issued by the independent auditor of the administrator in accordance with generally accepted assurance standards for such work. We then identified those key controls at the administrator on which we could place reliance to provide audit evidence. Following this assessment, we applied professional judgment to determine the extent of testing required over each balance in the financial statements, including whether we needed to perform additional testing in respect of those key controls to support our substantive work. For the purposes of our audit, we determined that additional testing of controls in place at the administrator was not required because additional substantive testing was performed.

12 Materiality The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. An audit is designed to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. Misstatements may arise due to fraud or error. They are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements. Based on our professional judgment, we determined certain quantitative thresholds for materiality, including the overall materiality for the financial statements as a whole as set out in the table below. These, together with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures and to evaluate the effect of misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a whole. Overall materiality USD 140,000 How we determined it Rationale for the materiality benchmark applied 1% of net assets attributable to holders of redeemable participating shares of the Fund We have applied this benchmark, a generally accepted auditing practice for investment fund audits, in the absence of indicators that an alternative benchmark would be more appropriate and we believe this provides an appropriate and consistent year-on-year basis for our audit. Key audit matters Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

13 Key audit matter Valuation and existence of investments Refer to notes 3, 4 and 9 to the financial statements. The investment portfolio at December 31, 2016 is comprised of corporate bonds (USD 10.8m), corporate commercial paper (USD 2.5m), interest rate swaps (USD 16k) and forward foreign currency contracts (USD 37k). We focused on the valuation and existence of investments because investments represent the principal element of the net asset value as disclosed in the statement of financial position in the financial statements. How our audit addressed the Key audit matter We tested the valuation of the investment portfolio as follows: for corporate bonds and corporate commercial paper we compared the prices used by the Fund to prices provided by third party data vendors; for interest rate swaps and forward foreign currency contracts we compared the prices used by the Fund to prices derived utilizing independent market data and generally accepted industry valuation models. No material misstatements were identified. We tested the existence of the investment portfolio as follows: for corporate bonds and corporate commercial paper we agreed the holdings to custodian confirmations from State Street Bank and Trust Company and for interest rate swaps and forward foreign currency contracts we agreed the holdings to counterparty confirmations from State Street Bank and Trust Company or The Bank of Nova Scotia, as applicable. No material misstatements were identified. Other information Management is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the Board of Directors Report and Management Report (but does not include the financial statements and our auditor s report thereon), which is expected to be made available to us after the date of this auditor s report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we will not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information identified above when it becomes available and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. When we read the Board of Directors Report and Management Report, if we conclude that there is a material misstatement therein, we are required to communicate the matter to those charged with governance.

14 Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for the financial statements Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Fund s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Fund or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so. Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Fund s financial reporting process. Auditor s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also: Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund s internal control. Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management. Conclude on the appropriateness of management s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Fund s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Fund to cease to continue as a going concern. Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

15 We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit. We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards. From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication. Other Matter This report, including the opinion, has been prepared for and only for the Fund in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving this opinion, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing. The engagement leader on the audit resulting in this independent auditor s report is Brian Rando. March 20, 2017

16 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 294,882 $ 936,277 Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss: Debt securities (Cost: $13,514,406; 2015: $14,799,255) (Notes 3, 8 and 9) 13,256,086 14,255,530 Derivatives (Note 4) 53,350 38,324 Cash collateral receivable 223,705 - Interest receivable 90,367 82,378 Receivable from the Manager (Note 5) 4,895 83,523 Subscriptions receivable Total assets 13,923,285 15,396,349 LIABILITIES Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss: Derivatives (Note 4) 28,210 57,343 Accrued expenses 62,345 75,805 Interest payable 37,139 39,672 Management fees (Note 5) 4,037 - Liabilities (excluding net assets attributable to holders of redeemable investment shares) 131, ,820 Governance shares Net assets attributable to holders of redeemable investment shares (Notes 7, 8 and 9) $ 13,791,454 $ 15,223,429 Net asset value per redeemable investment shares (Note 7) Class A $2,625,245/272,569 shares (2015: $2,706,205/281,504 shares) $ 9.63 $ 9.61 Class NU $1,451,291/152,210 shares (2015: $3,035,879/317,747 shares) $ 9.53 $ 9.55 Class IU $9,714,918/992,553 shares (2015: $9,481,345/980,409 shares) $ 9.79 $ 9.67 Approved for issuance on behalf of Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. s Board of Directors by: Sloane Muldoon Sloane Muldoon Director Sarah Hobbs Date : Sarah Hobbs Director March 15, 2017 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

17 STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) YEAR ENDED Income Interest income $ 340,232 $ 303,039 Net realized (loss) gain on financial assets and liabilities at fair through profit or loss, foreign currencies and swap contracts (239,416) 165,369 Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit or loss, foreign currencies 340,433 (442,717) Total net income 441,249 25,691 Expenses Custodian and adminstration fees 74,244 94,962 Management fees (Note 5) 64, ,192 Professional fees 27,238 33,666 Other expenses 25,559 29,925 Total operating expenses 191, ,745 Less: expenses reimbursed (Note 5) (56,792) (121,218) Withholding taxes (750) (796) Operating profit (loss) 306,090 (138,632) Finance costs Distributions to holders of redeemable shares (Notes 2 and 7) 184, ,369 Profit (loss) after distributions 121,362 (504,001) Increase (decrease) in net assets from operations attributable to holders of redeemable investment shares $ 121,362 $ (504,001) The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

18 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HOLDERS OF REDEEMABLE INVESTMENT SHARES YEAR ENDED Total (Decrease) increase in net assets net assets from attributable to operations holders of attributable to redeemable holders of investment redeemable shares Share Share investment (at redemption Capital Premium shares value) Balance as at December 31, 2014 $ 11,612 $ 11,563,135 $ (93,685) $ 11,481,062 Issue of redeemable investment shares 16,874 16,539,794-16,556,668 Redemption of redeemable investment shares (12,689) (12,297,611) - (12,310,300) Decrease in net assets from operations attributable to holders of redeemable investment shares - - (504,001) (504,001) Balance as at December 31, 2015 $ 15,797 $ 15,805,318 $ (597,686) $ 15,223,429 Issue of redeemable investment shares , ,267 Redemption of redeemable investment shares (1,881) (1,800,723) - (1,802,604) Increase in net assets from operations attributable to holders of redeemable investment shares , ,362 Balance as at December 31, 2016 $ 14,173 $ 14,253,605 $ (476,324) $ 13,791,454 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

19 STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS YEAR ENDED Cash flows from operating activities Interest received $ 332,243 $ 304,594 Interest paid (2,533) (36,351) Operating expenses paid (201,377) (283,545) Operating expense paid on behalf of manager (8,812) (95,605) Reimbursements received from manger 144, ,823 Purchase of financial assets and settlement of financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss (2,794,053) (19,323,536) Proceeds from sale of financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss 3,781,319 14,304,595 Net realized (loss) gain on foreign currencies and swap contracts (154,666) 434,081 Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities 1,096,353 (4,461,944) Cash flows from financing activities Distributions paid (141,872) (3,577) Proceeds from subscriptions of redeemable investment shares 206,728 16,194,558 Payments for redemption of redeemable investment shares (1,802,604) (12,310,300) Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities (1,737,748) 3,880,681 Net change in cash and cash equivalents (641,395) (581,263) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year 936,277 1,517,540 Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year $ 294,882 $ 936,277 Supplemental cash flow disclosures: Non-cash - reinvested distributions $ 42,856 $ 361,792 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

20 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 1. Incorporation and Principal Activities Scotiabank Short-Term Income Fund Inc. (the Fund ) was incorporated under the laws of St. Lucia on February 27, On April 22, 2016, the Fund was transferred by way of continuation to the Cayman Islands pursuant to the laws of that jurisdiction and is now validly existing in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. The Fund is registered as an administered mutual fund under the Mutual Funds Law of the Cayman Islands. The registered office of the Fund is located at the offices of Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Ltd., P.O. Box 501, George Town, The Bank of Nova Scotia Building, Cardinall Avenue, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. The Fund seeks to provide income that is consistent with prevailing U.S. bond yields with the potential for capital gains by investing primarily in short-term corporate and government fixed income securities. On April 22, 2016, Scotiabank and Trust (Cayman) Ltd. was appointed as the Manager (the Manager ), and the Fund Administrator (the Fund Administrator ) for the Fund. Prior to April 22, 2016, Scotia Assets Management (St. Lucia) Inc. was the Manager (the Manager ), Fund Administrator Inc. was the Fund Administrators (the Fund Administrator ). On April 29, 2014, the Manager appointed State Street Cayman Trust Company, Ltd. as sub-administrator, (the Sub- Administrator ), State Street Bank and Trust Company as custodian (the Custodian ) and 1832 Asset Management L.P. was appointed as the Portfolio Manager (the Portfolio Manager ) for the Fund. 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. Basis of preparation: The financial statements of the Fund have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ( IFRS ) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the revaluation of financial assets and financial liabilities (including derivative financial instruments) at fair value through profit or loss. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires the Board of Directors to exercise its judgment in the process of applying the Fund s accounting policies. The areas involving a higher degree of judgment or complexity, or areas where assumptions and estimates are significant to the financial statements are disclosed in Note 9. All references to net assets throughout this document refer to net assets attributable to holders of Redeemable Investment Shares unless otherwise stated. Net assets per share information as disclosed in the Statement of Financial Position for each class of investment shares as disclosed in Note 7 has been determined as total assets less total liabilities (excluding net assets attributable to holders of Redeemable Investment Shares) divided by the number of outstanding shares of each class of Redeemable Investment Shares. New standards and amendments to published standards and interpretations: (a) Standards and amendments to existing standards effective January 1, 2016 that are adopted by the Fund. There are no standards, interpretations or amendments to existing standards that are effective for the first time for the financial year beginning January 1, 2016 that would be expected to have a material impact on the Fund

21 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) (b) New standards, amendments and interpretations issued but not effective after January 1, 2016, and have not been early adopted. A number of new standards, amendments to standards, and interpretations are effective for annual periods beginning after January 1, 2016, and have not been applied in preparing these financial statements. None of these are expected to have a material effect on the financial statements of the Fund. Valuation of financial assets at fair value through profit or loss: The Fund s debt and other securities are considered trading securities and consequently categorized as financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit or loss. Financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit or loss are initially recognized at fair value, which is considered the cost basis of the financial assets. The Fund records security transactions on a trade date basis, recognizing the cost or sales proceeds of financial assets sold or purchased on an average cost basis. Financial assets and liabilities are valued on the valuation date at fair value, using data provided by one or more reputable third party pricing vendors which are in turn based upon (1) last traded price on the exchange upon which such financial assets are traded, (2) valuation models using observable market inputs, or (3) prices quoted by the principal market makers for non-exchange traded financial assets and liabilities. Management evaluates the reliability of the pricing data received at each report date. All related realized gains and losses are recognized in the Statement of Comprehensive Loss as income as they occur. The Fund records its derivative activities on a mark-to-market or fair value basis. Market values are determined by using quoted market values when available. Otherwise, fair values are based on industry-accepted models or confirmation with counterparties. Foreign currency forward contracts: The unrealized gain or loss on open foreign currency forward contracts is calculated as the difference between the contracted rate and the rate to close out the contract, i.e. the forward foreign exchange rate at the reporting date. Unrealized gains and losses are recorded in the Statement of Comprehensive Loss. Realized gains or losses include net gains on contracts, which have been settled or offset by other contracts with the same counterparty. Interest rate swaps: Unrealized gains or losses on open interest rate swap contracts are calculated using standard/external pricing models that are widely accepted by marketplace participants using observable inputs based on the terms of the contract, interest rates, prepayment speeds and currency rates obtained from swap counterparties and other market participants. Net realized gains or losses are recorded with respect to interest receipts or payments on interest rate swaps and upon early termination. Functional and presentation currency: The United States Dollar ( USD ) is the currency in which the Fund measures its performance and reports its results, as well as the currency in which the Fund receives the majority of its subscriptions from its investors (the functional currency ). The Fund has adopted USD as its presentation currency. Distribution policy: The Fund will only distribute income and/or capital gains when determined by the Board of Directors of the Fund. It is anticipated that the Fund will distribute a percentage or all of its net earned income, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Fund, at the end of each month. It is anticipated that the Fund will distribute a percentage or all of its realized capital gains by the end of December of each calendar year. Distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Redeemable Investment Shares of the Fund, unless a written election to receive cash payments is received by the Manager or its agent. Distributions are recognized as a finance cost in the Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

22 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) Offsetting financial instruments: Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amount reported in the balance sheet when there is a legally enforceable right to offset the recognized amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or realize the asset and settle the liability simultaneously. The legally enforceable right must not be contingent on future events and must be enforceable in the normal course of business and in the event of default, insolvency or bankruptcy of the Fund or the counterparty. Accounting for investments and investment income: Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Realized gains and losses on sales of financial assets are calculated on an average cost basis. Redeemable investment shares and governance shares: Redeemable investment shares (the Redeemable Investment Shares ) are redeemable at the shareholder s option and are classified as financial liabilities. Any distribution on such Redeemable Investment Shares is recognized in the Statement of Comprehensive Loss as finance costs. The Redeemable Investment Shares can be put back to the Fund by the holder at any dealing day for cash equal to a proportionate share of the respective Fund s net assets. The Redeemable Investment Shares are carried at the redemption amount that would be payable at the dealing day if the shareholder exercised its right to put the share back to the Fund. Governance shares (the Governance Shares ) are not redeemable, and do not participate in the net income or dividends of the Fund as per the Fund s articles of association. Interest income: Interest income on financial assets is accrued on a daily basis. Interest income on financial assets includes interest and discount earned (net of premium), which is the difference between the face value and the original cost, including original issue discount, amortized using the effective yield method over the term of the financial assets. Interest is recognized in the Statement of Comprehensive Loss using the effective yield method and includes discount accreted and premium amortized over the remaining period to maturity of individual assets. Expenses: Expenses directly attributable to the Fund are recorded on an accrual basis. Translation of foreign currency amounts: Assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the USD ( foreign currencies ) are translated at the rates prevailing on the date of valuation and exchange differences are reflected in the Statement of Comprehensive Loss in the period in which they arise. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at prevailing exchange rates at the date of the transaction. The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates on financial assets from the fluctuations arising from changes in market prices of financial assets held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized gain or loss on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss and/or the net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss. Cash and cash equivalents: Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash, fixed term deposits, and short term bonds with original maturity of less than 90 days. Cash collateral receivable: As of December 31, 2016, the fund had cash collateral receivable on swap contracts in the amount of $223,705 included in the Statement of Financial Position. Capital risk management: The capital of the Fund is represented by the net assets attributable to holders of Redeemable Investment Shares. The amount of net asset attributable to holders of Redeemable Investment Shares can change significantly on a daily basis as the Fund is subject to daily subscriptions and redemptions at the discretion of shareholders. The Fund s objective when managing capital is to safeguard the Fund s ability to continue as a going concern in order to provide returns for shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders and to maintain a strong capital base to support the development of the investment activities of the Fund. In order to maintain or adjust the capital structure, the Fund s policy is to perform the following:

23 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) Capital risk management (continued): Monitor the level of daily subscriptions and redemptions relative to the liquid assets and adjusts the amount of distributions the Fund pays to redeemable shareholders. Redeem and issue new shares in accordance with the constitutional documents of the Fund, which include the ability to restrict redemptions and require certain minimum holdings and subscriptions. The Board of Directors and the Portfolio Manager monitor capital on the basis of the value of net assets attributable to Redeemable Investment Shares. 3. Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss At December 31, 2016 and 2015 the financial assets and liabilities comprised the following securities: Assets Amortized Cost Fair Value Amortized Cost Fair Value Corporate Bonds $ 11,051,608 $ 10,802,922 $ 11,820,309 $ 11,357,885 Corporate Commercial Paper 2,462,798 2,453,164 2,978,946 2,897,645 Interest Rate Swaps - 16,077-9,154 Forward Foreign Currency Contracts - 37,273-29,170 $ 13,514,406 $ 13,309,436 $ 14,799,255 $ 14,293,854 Liabilities Interest Rate Swaps $ (22,273) $ (57,343) Forward Foreign Currency Contracts (5,937) - $ (28,210) $ (57,343) $ 13,281,226 $ 14,236,

24 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 3. Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss (continued) The following summarizes the investment portfolio segregated by country of issuer: Financial Assets at fair value Fair Value % of total portfolio Fair Value % of total portfolio Canada $ 4,095, % $ 4,295, % Cayman Islands 250, % 347, % Luxembourg 507, % 500, % United States 8,455, % 9,149, % Total financial assets at fair value through profit or loss $ 13,309, % $ 14,293, % Financial Liabilities at fair value 2016 Canada $ (17,491) -0.13% $ (37,662) -0.26% United States (10,719) -0.08% (19,681) -0.14% Total financial liabilities at fair value $ (28,210) -0.21% $ (57,343) -0.40% through profit or loss Total net financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit or loss $ 13,281, % $ 14,236, % 2015 As at December 31, 2016, the portfolio consists of 56 (2015: 62) positions, primarily located in United States and Canada. The following holdings are individually over 5%: AT&T Inc. and Capital One NA (2015: AT&T Inc., Capital One NA, JPMorgan Chase & Co, and Verizon Communications). The contractual interest rates on bonds and notes range from 1.34% to 5.20% (2015: 0.69% to 5.00%) and maturity dates of the securities range from 2018 to 2026 (2015: 2016 to 2049). The current period yields on bonds and notes range from 1.34% to 7.09% (2015: 0.70% to 6.24%). 4. Derivatives The Fund may enter into derivatives such as options, futures, forwards and swaps to adjust the average duration, to adjust credit risk, to gain or reduce exposure to income producing securities and to hedge against changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. A swap involves the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive cash flow, for instance an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed payments. Swap agreements and similar transactions can be individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease the Fund s exposure to long-term or short-term interest rates, foreign currency values, foreign government bonds, corporate debt or equity securities, or the volatility of an index of one or more securities

25 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 4. Derivatives (continued) At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Fund has the following derivatives outstanding: Type of contract Unrealized Appreciation/ (Depreciation) Unrealized Appreciation/ (Depreciation) Assets USD USD Interest rate swaps 16,077 9,154 Forward foreign currency contracts 37,273 29,170 Total Derivatives - Assets 53,350 38,324 Liabilities Interest rate swaps (22,273) (57,343) Forward foreign currency contracts (5,937) - Total Derivatives - Liabilities (28,210) (57,343) The outstanding amounts of swap contracts are detailed in the following pages. (a) Interest rate swaps ( IRS ) An IRS is a derivative in which one party exchanges a stream of interest payments for another party s stream of cash flows. IRS can be used by the Fund to manage its fixed or floating rate assets and liabilities. The Fund can also use them for trading purposes; for instance, to replicate unfunded bond exposures to profit from changes in interest rates. In an IRS, each counterparty agrees to pay either a fixed or floating rate denominated in a particular currency to the other counterparty. The fixed or floating rate is multiplied by a notional principal amount. This notional amount is generally not exchanged between counterparties, but is used only for calculating the size of cash flows to be exchanged. At the point of initiation of the swap, the swap is priced so that it has a net present value of zero. Thus, the swap requires little or no initial upfront payment from either party. At each valuation date, the present values of each leg of the swap transaction are compared and the resulting fair value is recorded as a financial asset or liability through profit or loss in the Statement of Financial Position. Interest rate receipts and payments are also recognized in the Statement of Comprehensive Loss through the lifetime of the swap as net realized gains or losses

26 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 4. Derivatives (continued) (a) Interest rate swaps (continued) Interest rate swap contracts outstanding as at December 31, 2016: Currency Notional Amount Unrealized Appreciation/ (Depreciation) Assets USD USD Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 1,000,000 4,084 Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 4,000,000 4,786 Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 1,000,000 7,207 Total Interest Rate Swaps - Assets 6,000,000 16,077 Liabilities Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 600,000 (4,452) Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 1,000,000 (6,194) Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 500,000 (6,845) Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 150,000 (682) Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 500,000 (1,317) Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 1,000,000 (2,783) Total Interest Rate Swaps - Liabilities 3,750,000 (22,273) Interest rate swap contracts outstanding as at December 31, 2015: Currency Notional Amount Unrealized Appreciation/ (Depreciation) Assets USD USD Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 1,000,000 4,123 Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 1,000,000 5,031 Total Interest Rate Swaps - Assets 2,000,000 9,154 Liabilities Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 200,000 (1,538) Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 400,000 (3,628) Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 600,000 (8,329) Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 500,000 (11,588) Pay Fixed, CAD receive floating CAD 1,000,000 (12,579) Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 150,000 (1,446) Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 500,000 (3,504) Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 1,000,000 (5,633) Pay Fixed, USD receive floating USD 4,000,000 (9,098) Total Interest Rate Swaps - Liabilities 8,350,000 (57,343)

27 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 4. Derivatives (continued) (b) Forward foreign currency contracts Forwards are a contractual obligation by one party to buy and another party to sell, a financial instrument, equity, commodity or currency at a specific future date. Forwards held by the Fund are forward foreign currency contracts. Forward foreign currency contracts are contracts for the delayed delivery of currency on a specified future date. Forward foreign currency contracts outstanding per currency as at December 31, 2016: Value as at Value as at Unrealized Settlement Currency to be December 31, 2016 Currency to be December 31, 2016 Appreciation Date received $ delivered $ $ January 19, 2017 USD 685, ,040 CAD 895, ,562 17,478 January 19, 2017 USD 30,130 30,130 CAD 40,000 29, January 19, 2017 USD 15,011 15,011 CAD 20,000 14, February 24, 2017 USD 780, ,856 CAD 1,025, ,832 16,024 April 20, 2017 USD 712, ,751 CAD 950, ,368 3,383 37,273 Value as at Value as at Unrealized Settlement Currency to be December 31, 2016 Currency to be December 31, 2016 depreciation Date received $ delivered $ $ March 22, 2017 USD 785, ,276 CAD 1,060, ,213 (5,937) (5,937) Forward foreign currency contracts outstanding per currency as at December 31, 2015: Value as at Value as at Unrealized Settlement Currency to be December 31, 2015 Currency to be December 31, 2015 Appreciation Date received $ delivered $ $ January 20, 2016 USD 2,512,901 2,512,901 CAD 3,450,000 2,483,731 29,170 29,

28 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) 4. Derivatives (continued) (c) Offsetting assets and liabilities The following table presents the Fund s financial assets and liabilities by counterparty, net of amounts available for offset under a master netting agreement, or similar agreement, and net of related collateral received or pledged as of December 31, 2016 and As of December 31, 2016 Offsetting of Derivative Assets Gross Amount Net Amount of Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Offset in the Assets Presented In Statement of Financial Position Net Gross Amount Statement of The Statement of Cash Amount of Recognized Financial Financial Financial Collateral Asset/ Counterparty Assets Position Position Instruments Received (Liability) Bank of Nova Scotia $ 16,077 $ - $ 16,077 $ (16,077) $ - $ - State Street Trust Canada 37,273-37,273 (5,937) - 31,336 Total $ 53,350 $ - $ 53,350 $ (22,014) $ - $ 31,336 Offsetting of Derivative Liabilities Gross Amount Net Amount of Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Offset in the Liabilities Presented In Statement of Financial Position Net Gross Amount Statement of The Statement of Cash Amount of Recognized Financial Financial Financial Collateral (Asset)/ Counterparty Liabilities Position Position Instruments Pledged Liability Bank of Nova Scotia $ 22,273 $ - $ 22,273 $ (16,077) $ (6,196) $ - State Street Trust Canada 5,937-5,937 (5,937) - - Total $ 28,210 $ - $ 28,210 $ (22,014) $ (6,196) $ - As of December 31, 2015 Offsetting of Derivative Assets Gross Amount Net Amount of Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Offset in the Assets Presented In Statement of Financial Position Net Gross Amount Statement of The Statement of Cash Amount of Recognized Financial Financial Financial Collateral Asset/ Counterparty Assets Position Position Instruments Received (Liability) Bank of Nova Scotia $ 9,154 $ - $ 9,154 $ (9,154) $ - $ - State Street Trust Canada 29,170-29, ,170 Total $ 38,324 $ - $ 38,324 $ (9,154) $ - $ 29,170 Offsetting of Derivative Liabilities Gross Amount Net Amount of Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Offset in the Liabilities Presented In Statement of Financial Position Net Gross Amount Statement of The Statement of Cash Amount of Recognized Financial Financial Financial Collateral (Asset)/ Counterparty Liabilities Position Position Instruments Pledged Liability Bank of Nova Scotia $ 52,177 $ - $ 52,177 $ (9,154) $ - $ 43,023 Toronto Dominion Bank 5,166-5, ,166 Total $ 57,343 $ - $ 57,343 $ (9,154) $ - $ 48,