November 29, 2021 | Kimberly Flynn
As various access points for institutional-quality alternative investments have evolved in recent years, the closed-end fund (“CEF”) structure has gained visibility as a suitable vehicle for institutional investment strategies. Key elements of CEFs relative to private funds are lower investment minimums, better liquidity through secondary trading and tender offers, increased portfolio transparency, and tax Form 1099s. Many investment managers are familiar with the U.S.-listed CEF structure, but many are less familiar with other types of CEFs that may be a better fit for certain strategies, namely the U.S. interval fund and London-listed investment fund. These marketplaces are growing as demand for alternatives increase due to the persistent all-time low interest rate environment and peak public equity market valuations.
An interval fund is a continuously offered, non-listed U.S. CEF, typically structured with a perpetual life. Like U.S.-listed CEFs, interval funds and tender offer funds can house a spectrum of investment strategies, but, unlike U.S.-listed CEFs, interval funds are not publicly listed, and do provide for daily liquidity. Instead, interval funds offer repurchase opportunities based on a price at NAV at certain ‘intervals,’ generally quarterly, and share repurchases range from 5% to 25% of the total assets within the fund per repurchase period.
Alternative managers may appreciate the interval fund structure because it can provide a pool of long-term capital with limited liquidity requirements, it can be marketed to individual investors, and it typically allows for more sophisticated investment strategies that may have higher fee margins than mutual fund strategies. Some interval funds also include income incentive fees.
Similar to U.S.-listed CEFs, London-listed investment funds are publicly traded closed-end funds that may offer investors daily liquidity in the secondary market without directly impacting the investment portfolio. The structure is well-suited to less liquid or illiquid alternative strategies, and the U.K. institutional investor base is very responsive to new investment trends, particularly sector-based, niche or thematic alternatives and ESG or impact investment strategies.
For more information on permanent or long-term capital vehicles, please see the below resources or contact us at info@xainvestments.com.
To read XAI’s white paper on Interval Funds, please click here.
To read XAI’s white paper on the London-Listed Fund Market, please click here.
Risks
The information in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, investment or other professional advice on any subject matter. Further, the information is not all-inclusive and should not be relied upon as such. An investment in CEFs involves risks, including loss of principal. Performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than performance data quoted. Diversification does not eliminate the risk of experiencing investment losses. You should not use this communication as a substitute for your own judgment, and you should consult professional advisors before making any investment decisions. This information may contain “forward looking” information that is not purely historical in nature, including projections, forecasts, estimates of market returns, and proposed portfolio compositions. There is no guarantee that any forecasts will come to pass. This information does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to sell or buy any specific security offering. Such an offering is made by the applicable prospectus only. A prospectus should be read carefully by an investor before investing. Investors are advised to consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Financial advisors should determine if the risks associated with an investment are consistent with their client’s investment objectives.