Clough Global Allocation Fund N-CSR
Table of Contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-CSR

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number: 811-21583

Clough Global Allocation Fund

(exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Abigail J. Murray, Secretary

Clough Global Allocation Fund

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 303-623-2577

Date of fiscal year end:    October 31

Date of reporting period: November 1, 2014 – October 31, 2015


Table of Contents

Item 1.   Reports to Stockholders.


Table of Contents

LOGO


Table of Contents

 

 SECTION 19(B) DISCLOSURE

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, and Clough Global Opportunities Fund (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), acting pursuant to a Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) exemptive order and with the approval of each Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), have adopted a plan, consistent with each Fund’s investment objectives and policies to support a level distribution of income, capital gains and/or return of capital (the “Plan”). In accordance with the Plan, Clough Global Allocation Fund distributes $0.120 per share on a monthly basis, Clough Global Equity Fund distributes $0.115 per share on a monthly basis and Clough Global Opportunities Fund distributes $0.100 per share on a monthly basis.

The fixed amount distributed per share is subject to change at the discretion of each Fund’s Board. Under the Plan, each Fund will distribute all available investment income to its shareholders, consistent with each Fund’s primary investment objectives and as required by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). If sufficient investment income is not available on a monthly basis, each Fund will distribute long-term capital gains and/or return of capital to shareholders in order to maintain a level distribution. Each monthly distribution to shareholders is expected to be at the fixed amount established by the Board, except for extraordinary distributions and potential distribution rate increases or decreases to enable each Fund to comply with the distribution requirements imposed by the Code.

Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about each Fund’s investment performance from the amount of these distributions or from the terms of the Plan. Each Fund’s total return performance on net asset value is presented in its financial highlights table.

The Board may amend, suspend or terminate each Fund’s Plan without prior notice if it deems such action to be in the best interest of either the Fund or its shareholders. The suspension or termination of the Plan could have the effect of creating a trading discount (if a Fund’s stock is trading at or above net asset value) or widening an existing trading discount. Each Fund is subject to risks that could have an adverse impact on its ability to maintain level distributions. Examples of potential risks include, but are not limited to, economic downturns impacting the markets, increased market volatility, companies suspending or decreasing corporate dividend distributions and changes in the Code. Please refer to each Fund’s prospectus for a more complete description of its risks.

Please refer to Additional Information for a cumulative summary of the Section 19(a) notices for each Fund’s current fiscal period. Section 19(a) notices for each Fund, as applicable, are available on the Clough Global Closed-End Funds website www.cloughglobal.com.


Table of Contents
Clough Global Funds    Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

Shareholder Letter

     2   

Portfolio Allocation

  

Global Allocation Fund

     5   

Global Equity Fund

     6   

Global Opportunities Fund

     7   

Statement of Investments

  

Global Allocation Fund

     8   

Global Equity Fund

     14   

Global Opportunities Fund

     20   

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

     27   

Statements of Operations

     28   

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

     29   

Statements of Cash Flows

     32   

Financial Highlights

  

Global Allocation Fund

     33   

Global Equity Fund

     34   

Global Opportunities Fund

     35   

Notes to Financial Statements

     36   

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     54   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     55   

Additional Information

  

Fund Proxy Voting Policies & Procedures

     56   

Portfolio Holdings

     56   

Notice

     56   

Shareholder Meeting

     56   

Section 19(A) Notices

     56   

Tax Designations

     57   

Trustees & Officers

     58   

Privacy Policy

     62   
 


Table of Contents
Clough Global Funds    Shareholder Letter
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

To Our Investors:

Clough Global Allocation Fund (GLV)

During the twelve months ended October 31, 2015, the Clough Global Allocation Fund’s total return, assuming reinvestment of all distributions, was 1.61% based on the net asset value and 2.57% based on the market price of the Fund. The S&P 500 and the MSCI World Index returned 5.20% and 2.43% respectively over the same period. During the twelve months ended October 31, 2015, the Fund paid $1.41 per share in distributions. As of October 31st, the Fund had an annualized dividend distribution rate on the market price of 10.37%.

Clough Global Equity Fund (GLQ)

During the twelve months ended October 31, 2015, the Clough Global Equity Fund’s total return, assuming reinvestment of all distributions, was 0.76% based on the net asset value and -0.98% based on the market price of the Fund. The S&P 500 and the MSCI World Index returned 5.20% and 2.43% respectively over the same period. During the twelve months ended October 31, 2015, the Fund paid $1.36 per share in distributions. As of October 31st, the Fund had an annualized dividend distribution rate on the market price of 10.53%.

Clough Global Opportunities Fund (GLO)

During the twelve months ended October 31, 2015, the Clough Global Opportunities Fund’s total return, assuming reinvestment of all distributions, was 1.13% based on the net asset value and 1.93% based on the market price of the Fund. The S&P 500 and the MSCI World Index returned 5.20% and 2.43% respectively over the same period. During the twelve months ended October 31, 2015, the Fund paid $1.19 per share in distributions. As of October 31st, the Fund had an annualized dividend distribution rate on the market price of 10.58%.

For the year ending October 31, 2015, the Global Allocation Fund finished up 1.61%, the Global Equity Fund finished up 0.76%, and the Global Opportunities Fund finished up 1.13%.

The Consumer Discretionary sector was the largest contributor to performance. Homebuilders such as DR Horton, jewelry retailer Signet, and theater operator IMAX were top contributors within the consumer sector. The Information Technology sector was also a significant help to performance including names like Salesforce.com and Facebook.

Our investments in some homebuilders have been profitable, but nowhere near the extent had we thought likely at this point in the cycle. They were up modestly in a strong tape this month. Disappointing pending home sales were reported for September, but that was due to supply shortages. Fundamentals at some companies in the field are strong, with major firms reporting double digit order

and backlog growth, and we still think pent up demand is likely to cause a breakout in single family housing activity in 2016 and 2017.

Detractors to performance were in the Energy and Financial sectors. Two holdings on the long side in Lumber Liquidators and Calpine also hurt performance. The Funds no longer hold the former but are sticking with the latter as we believe the fundamentals and cash flow generation are strong.

The short book was strong in the first half of 2015 as positions designed to benefit from a strong dollar and collapsing commodities markets outperformed. These positions became a drag in the last quarter when a sharp “snap back” rally in energy equipment suppliers and industrial commodity producers took back earlier profits. We believe these rallies won’t last. For one, the renewed raise in the dollar’s foreign exchange value only aggravates the deflationary world in which commodity producers exist. Industrial and precious metal prices have already reversed in a weak rally and many have declined to new lows. Profits for many of these companies are in secular decline.

Free cash flow is becoming a powerful stock selection tool on both the long and short sides. There are companies that generate excess free cash flow after funding dividends and capital spending requirements and there are those that do not. Those that do we call “compounders” – companies which can grow shareholder value year in and year out. We have seen any number of instances where companies facing fundamental decline have aggravated the destruction of shareholder value by leveraging to purchase shares at prices higher than what their stock sells for today. Many of the former, companies generating sufficient free cash flow to fund necessary capex and add to cash holdings, performed well. Interestingly, free cash flow is negative for the corporate sector as a whole so far in 2015, and companies which are taking on debt to support buybacks and dividends are typically moving onto our short/hedge list. The more the leveraged loan market comes under stress, the greater the short side opportunity becomes.

The comparable to free cash flow in the financial sector is excess capital and one holding in which we see that accreting is Citigroup Inc. The company is in a unique position of building excess capital while being able to buy back stock at a discount to its tangible book value. It also faces a market share opportunity as weaker competitive global banks shrink operations. Such examples include Standard Charter and Credit Suisse, both of whom recently announced capital raises and business restructuring. Deutsche Bank and Unicredit also announced staff and asset reductions.

Broadly speaking, our current short book is focused on industries in which we believe earnings will likely suffer from chronic industry overinvestment. Examples include energy, suppliers to smartphone manufacturers, and excess capacity in the European airline industry.

According to a Simmons & Co. analyst, dividend and capital spending by the major oil companies will exceed cash flow by $90 billion in 2015 even after all announced capital spending cuts. The most

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Funds    Shareholder Letter
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

vulnerable service companies we see are the deep water drillers. The companies must take delivery of excess rigs ordered during the period of higher oil prices but now face few new contract opportunities.

Finally, we still hold firm in our belief that we are in a low interest rate environment, regardless of the possible upcoming Fed rate hike in December. We are long duration in the form of 30 year US treasuries and will continue to build this position when temporary rise in yields provide an attractive entry point.

If you have any questions about your investment, please call
1-877-256-8445.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Charles I. Clough, Jr.

 

LOGO

Robert M. Zdunczyk

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

This letter is provided for informational purposes only and is not an offer to purchase or sell shares. Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Opportunities Fund are closed-end funds, which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange AMEX, and does not continuously issue shares for sale as open-end mutual funds do. The market price of a closed end Fund is based on the market’s value.

The information in this letter represents the opinions of the individual Portfolio Managers and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, or investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Tangible Book Value: Computed by deducting intangible assets, start-up expenses, and deferred financing costs from the firm’s normal book value (BV).

MSCI World Index: a stock market index of world stocks. It is maintained by MSCI Inc. and is often used as a common benchmark for world or global stock funds. The index includes a collection of stocks of all the developed markets in the world as defined by MSCI.

S&P 500 Index: Broad-based measurement of changes in stock market conditions based on the average performance of 500 widely held common stocks commonly known as the Standard & Poor’s 500® or S&P 500® .

It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

The net asset value (NAV) of a closed-end fund is the market price of the underlying investments (i.e., stocks and bonds) in the fund’s portfolio, minus liabilities, divided by the total number of fund shares outstanding. However, the fund also has a market price; the value of which it trades on an exchange. This market price can be more or less than its NAV.

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Shareholder Letter
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

CLOUGH GLOBAL ALLOCATION FUND

 

Top 10 Equity Holdings*    % of Total Portfolio

1. Citigroup, Inc.

   5.61%

2. Bank of America Corp.

   4.48%

3. Liberty Ventures - Series A

   3.37%

4. Lennar Corp. - Class A

   3.23%

5. DR Horton, Inc.

   2.93%

6. American International Group, Inc.

   2.85%

7. Calpine Corp.

   2.57%

8. Starbucks Corp.

   2.54%

9. Roper Technologies, Inc.

   2.46%

10. Facebook, Inc. - Class A

   2.38%

CLOUGH GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

Top 10 Equity Holdings*    % of Total Portfolio

1. Citigroup, Inc.

   5.83%

2. Bank of America Corp.

   4.68%

3. Liberty Ventures - Series A

   4.05%

4. Lennar Corp. - Class A

   3.36%

5. American International Group, Inc.

   3.23%

6. DR Horton, Inc.

   3.05%

7. Calpine Corp.

   2.65%

8. Starbucks Corp.

   2.63%

9. Roper Technologies, Inc.

   2.56%

10. W.R. Grace & Co.

   2.53%

CLOUGH GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND

 

Top 10 Equity Holdings*    % of Total Portfolio

1. Citigroup, Inc.

   5.68%

2. Bank of America Corp.

   4.48%

3. Liberty Ventures - Series A

   3.41%

4. Lennar Corp. - Class A

   3.24%

5. American International Group, Inc.

   3.21%

6. DR Horton, Inc.

   2.94%

7. Calpine Corp.

   2.55%

8. Starbucks Corp.

   2.54%

9. W.R. Grace & Co.

   2.44%

10. Roper Technologies, Inc.

   2.44%

Holdings are subject to change.

*Only long positions are listed.

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Portfolio Allocation
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

Asset Allocation*     

 

Common Stock - US

   73.61%

Closed-End Funds

   3.46%

Common Stock - Foreign

   2.22%

Preferred Stock

   -0.48%

Exchange Traded Funds

   -16.79%

 

Total Equities

   62.02%

 

 

Government L/T

   12.97%

Corporate Debt

   7.22%

Asset/Mortgage Backed

   4.14%

Participation Notes

   2.87%

 

Total Fixed Income

   27.20%

 

 

Short-Term Investments

   9.90%

Other (Foreign Cash)

   1.02%

Warrant

   0.01%

Future

   0.01%

Total Return Swap Contracts

   -0.16%

 

Total Other

   10.78%

 

 

    

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

   100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

* 

Percentages are based on total investments, including securities sold short. Holdings are subject to change.

^ 

Includes securities sold short and foreign cash balances.

 

US Multinational Corporations – has more than 50% of revenues derived outside of the U.S.

Global Securities Holdings^     

 

United States

   84.78%

China

   10.49%

U.S. Multinationals

   9.70%

Japan

   4.22%

Canada

   2.58%

United Kingdom

   2.24%

Hong Kong

   1.24%

Denmark

   0.16%

Other

   -15.41%

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

   100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Portfolio Allocation
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

Asset Allocation*     

 

Common Stock - US

   82.81%

Common Stock - Foreign

   3.97%

Preferred Stock

   -0.50%

Exchange Traded Funds

   -20.03%

 

Total Equities

   66.25%

 

 

Government L/T

   10.21%

Participation Notes

   2.97%

Corporate Debt

   1.89%

Asset/Mortgage Backed

   0.57%

 

Total Fixed Income

   15.64%

 

 

Short-Term Investments

   16.84%

Other (Foreign Cash)

   1.50%

Warrant

   0.01%

Future

   0.01%

Total Return Swap Contracts

   -0.25%

 

Total Other

   18.11%

 

 

    

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

   100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

* 

Percentages are based on total investments, including securities sold short. Holdings are subject to change.

^ 

Includes securities sold short and foreign cash balances.

 

US Multinational Corporations – has more than 50% of revenues derived outside of the U.S.

Global Securities Holdings^     

 

United States

   85.26%

China

   11.37%

U.S. Multinationals

   9.85%

Japan

   4.91%

Canada

   3.30%

United Kingdom

   2.31%

Hong Kong

   1.73%

Denmark

   0.16%

Other

   -18.89%

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

   100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Portfolio Allocation
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

Asset Allocation*     

 

Common Stock - US

   72.90%

Common Stock - Foreign

   2.19%

Preferred Stock

   -0.48%

Exchange Traded Funds

   -16.85%

 

Total Equities

   57.76%

 

 

Government L/T

   13.49%

Corporate Debt

   7.22%

Asset/Mortgage Backed

   4.49%

Participation Notes

   2.84%

 

Total Fixed Income

   28.04%

 

 

Short-Term Investments

   13.09%

Other (Foreign Cash)

   1.25%

Warrant

   0.01%

Future

   0.01%

Total Return Swap Contracts

   -0.16%

 

Total Other

   14.20%

 

 

    

  

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

   100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

* 

Percentages are based on total investments, including securities sold short. Holdings are subject to change.

^

Includes securities sold short and foreign cash balances.

 

US Multinational Corporations – has more than 50% of revenues derived outside of the U.S.

Global Securities Holdings^     

 

United States

   84.23%

China

   10.38%

U.S. Multinationals

   10.11%

Japan

   4.19%

Canada

   2.56%

United Kingdom

   2.22%

Hong Kong

   1.46%

Denmark

   0.16%

Australia

   -0.05%

Other

   -15.26%

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

   100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

 

    Shares     Value  

 

 

COMMON STOCKS 108.89%

   

Consumer Discretionary 28.06%

   

Diversified Consumer Services 3.10%

   

Service Corp. International(a)(b)

    45,700            $1,291,482   

Starbucks Corp.(a)(b)

    59,900        3,747,943   
   

 

 

 
      5,039,425   
   

 

 

 

Household Durables 5.59%

   

DR Horton, Inc.(a)

    146,926        4,325,502   

Lennar Corp. - Class A(a)

    95,200        4,766,664   
   

 

 

 
      9,092,166   
   

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail 6.56%

   

JD.com, Inc. - ADR(a)(c)

    57,700        1,593,674   

Liberty Ventures - Series A(a)(b)(c)

    114,072        4,970,117   

NetFlix, Inc.(a)(c)

    5,100        552,738   

Priceline Group, Inc.(a)(c)

    1,764        2,565,279   

Rakuten, Inc.

    70,900        991,496   
   

 

 

 
      10,673,304   
   

 

 

 

Media 9.90%

   

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. - Class A(a)

    63,300        1,732,521   

Comcast Corp. - Class A(a)(b)

    55,000        3,444,100   

IMAX Corp.(a)(b)(c)

    69,500        2,668,105   

Liberty Broadband Corp. -
Class A(a)(b)(c)

    12,528        683,528   

Liberty Broadband Corp. -
Class C(a)(b)(c)

    47,848        2,572,787   

Liberty Media Corp. - Class A(a)(b)(c)

    50,112        2,042,565   

Liberty Media Corp. - Class C(a)(b)(c)

    48,424        1,895,799   

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.(a)

    27,400        1,067,778   
   

 

 

 
      16,107,183   
   

 

 

 

Specialty Retail 2.06%

   

Signet Jewelers, Ltd.(a)(b)

    22,150        3,343,321   
   

 

 

 

Textiles 0.85%

   

Carter’s, Inc.(a)

    11,700        1,063,296   

Samsonite International S.A.

    106,500        315,353   
   

 

 

 
      1,378,649   
   

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

      45,634,048   
   

 

 

 

Consumer Staples 0.34%

   

CVS Health Corp.(a)

    5,600        553,168   
   

 

 

 

Energy 4.85%

   

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.(a)

    19,800        1,324,224   

Concho Resources, Inc.(a)(c)

    12,500        1,448,875   

 

    Shares     Value  

 

 

Energy (continued)

   

Devon Energy Corp.(a)

    26,300            $1,102,759   

EOG Resources, Inc.(a)

    11,300        970,105   

Fairway Energy Partners LLC(c)(d)(e)

    130,700        1,323,337   

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.(a)

    12,500        1,714,250   
   

 

 

 
      7,883,550   
   

 

 

 

Financials 28.75%

   

Business Development Corporations 1.74%

   

Ares Capital Corp.(a)

    118,300        1,801,709   

Golub Capital BDC, Inc.(a)

    63,100        1,032,947   
   

 

 

 
      2,834,656   
   

 

 

 

Capital Markets 3.72%

   

Atlas Mara, Ltd.(c)(e)

    183,658        1,101,948   

Daiwa Securities Group, Inc.

    48,000        330,992   

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.(a)(b)

    9,800        1,837,500   

Morgan Stanley(a)(b)

    84,487        2,785,536   
   

 

 

 
      6,055,976   
   

 

 

 

Commercial Banks 1.48%

   

First Republic Bank(a)

    14,900        973,119   

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.

    86,800        568,692   

Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

    271,100        562,330   

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Ltd.

    7,600        306,091   
   

 

 

 
      2,410,232   
   

 

 

 

Diversified Financials 9.88%

   

Bank of America Corp.(a)(b)

    393,991        6,611,169   

Citigroup, Inc.(a)(b)

    155,730        8,280,164   

JPMorgan Chase & Co.(a)

    18,200        1,169,350   
   

 

 

 
      16,060,683   
   

 

 

 

Insurance 3.02%

   

American International Group, Inc.(a)(b)

    66,700        4,206,102   

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd. - Class H

    126,000        709,609   
   

 

 

 
      4,915,711   
   

 

 

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts 5.14%

   

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. - Class A(a)

    51,500        1,354,965   

Ladder Capital Corp.(a)

    50,204        715,909   

PennyMac Mortgage Investment
Trust(a)

    106,414        1,555,773   

Starwood Property Trust, Inc.(a)(b)

    154,400        3,101,896   

Two Harbors Investment Corp.(a)

    191,791        1,622,552   
   

 

 

 
      8,351,095   
   

 

 

 
 

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

    Shares     Value  

 

 

Financials (continued)

   

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance 3.77%

   

MGIC Investment
Corp.(a)(b)(c)

    363,734            $3,419,100   

Radian Group, Inc.(a)(b)

    187,500        2,713,125   
   

 

 

 
      6,132,225   
   

 

 

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

      46,760,578   
   

 

 

 

Health Care 13.87%

   

3SBio, Inc.(c)(e)

    3,500        3,969   

Acceleron Pharma,
Inc.(a)(c)

    14,200        443,182   

Akorn, Inc.(a)(c)

    40,400        1,080,296   

Albany Molecular Research,
Inc.(a)(c)

    45,500        820,820   

Allergan PLC(c)

    3,100        956,257   

AstraZeneca PLC - Sponsored ADR(a)

    15,436        492,254   

Bristol-Meyers Squibb
Co.(a)(b)

    10,087        665,238   

Cardiome Pharma
Corp.(a)(c)

    139,500        1,139,715   

Cerner Corp.(a)(b)(c)

    11,600        768,964   

Cigna Corp.(a)

    10,800        1,447,632   

Community Health Systems, Inc.(c)

    6,200        173,848   

Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc.(a)(c)

    139,800        447,360   

Dynavax Technologies Corp.(a)(c)

    18,300        415,593   

Forward Pharma A/S - ADR(a)(c)

    23,700        596,292   

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

    1,700        183,821   

GW Pharmaceuticals PLC -
ADR(a)(b)(c)

    17,400        1,376,166   

HCA Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    10,377        713,834   

Healthways, Inc.(a)(c)

    159,449        1,876,715   

Hologic, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    20,000        777,200   

Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.(a)(c)

    25,500        1,220,175   

Intrexon Corp.(a)(c)

    14,004        470,534   

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC(a)(b)(c)

    4,737        650,295   

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)(c)

    132,900        595,392   

Perrigo Co. PLC(a)

    4,360        687,746   

Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. - Class H

    237,600        984,048   

Team Health Holdings, Inc.(a)(c)

    6,100        363,987   

Veracyte, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    107,956        702,794   

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    17,200        2,145,528   

Zeltiq Aesthetics, Inc.(c)

    10,600        357,644   
   

 

 

 
      22,557,299   
   

 

 

 

Industrials 12.50%

   

Air China, Ltd. - Class H

    340,000        328,568   

Allison Transmission Holdings,
Inc.(a)(e)

    81,441        2,337,357   

Armstrong World Industries, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    31,100        1,543,182   
    Shares     Value  

 

 

Industrials (continued)

   

China Railway Construction Corp., Ltd. - Class H

    541,000        $813,880   

Kansas City Southern(a)(b)

    33,300        2,755,908   

Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

    73,000        906,828   

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

    124,000        631,047   

Roper Technologies, Inc.(a)(b)

    19,500        3,633,825   

Seibu Holdings, Inc.

    55,500        1,131,893   

TransDigm Group, Inc.(a)(c)

    15,400        3,385,690   

Viasat, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    37,649        2,483,328   

Wesco Aircraft Holdings,
Inc.(a)(c)

    5,200        64,792   

Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. - Class H

    172,400        325,199   
   

 

 

 
          20,341,497   
   

 

 

 

Information Technology 10.73%

   

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. - Sponsored ADR(a)(c)

    19,200        1,609,536   

Alphabet, Inc. - Class A(a)(c)

    2,470        1,821,353   

Alphabet, Inc. - Class C(a)(c)

    2,337        1,661,163   

Baidu, Inc. - Sponsored
ADR(c)

    2,200        412,434   

Facebook, Inc. -
Class A(a)(b)(c)

    34,400        3,507,768   

Fujifilm Holdings Corp.

    14,100        566,945   

Lam Research Corp.(a)

    30,200        2,313,018   

Microsoft Corp.(a)

    17,100        900,144   

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

    4,200        678,014   

Pandora Media, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    75,400        867,854   

Salesforce.com, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

    40,000        3,108,400   
   

 

 

 
      17,446,629   
   

 

 

 

Materials 3.40%

   

Axalta Coating Systems,
Ltd.(a)(b)(c)

    79,000        2,182,770   

W.R. Grace & Co.(a)(b)(c)

    33,400        3,350,020   
   

 

 

 
      5,532,790   
   

 

 

 

Telecommunication Services 4.06%

  

 

AT&T, Inc.(a)(b)

    69,900        2,342,349   

China Mobile, Ltd.

    193,500        2,316,827   

China Unicom Hong
Kong, Ltd.

    1,004,000        1,239,682   

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.

    19,000        706,340   
   

 

 

 
      6,605,198   
   

 

 

 
 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

9


Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Shares      Value  

 

 

Utilities 2.33%

  

  

Calpine Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     244,700         $3,795,297   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Cost $175,881,665)

          177,110,054   
     

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 3.59%

  

  

iShares® China Large Cap ETF(a)

     45,100         1,725,977   

iShares® MSCI Japan Index ETF

     73,200         901,824   

PowerShares® Deutsche Bank U.S. Dollar Index Bullish Fund(a)(b)(c)

     16,700         421,675   

Utilities Select Sector SPDR®
ETF(a)(b)

     63,900         2,795,625   
     

 

 

 
        5,845,101   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

(Cost $5,927,161)

  

  

     5,845,101   
     

 

 

 

CLOSED-END FUNDS 3.14%

  

  

Gabelli Equity Trust, Inc.(a)

     171,400         976,980   

Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income Fund(a)

     65,800         507,976   

Liberty All-Star Equity Fund(a)

     311,800         1,674,366   

Nuveen Real Estate Income Fund(a)

     96,500         1,055,710   

Tekla Healthcare Opportunities Fund(a)

     50,636         886,637   
     

 

 

 
        5,101,669   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CLOSED-END FUNDS

(Cost $5,523,418)

        5,101,669   
     

 

 

 

PARTICIPATION NOTES 2.60%

  

  

Consumer Staples 1.37%

     

Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 12/09/2015(c)

     43,490         1,472,223   

Shanghai Jahwa United Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 01/29/2016(c)(d)

     138,300         754,384   
     

 

 

 
        2,226,607   
     

 

 

 
     Shares      Value  

 

 

Industrials 1.23%

     

Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 11/18/2015(c)

     579,550             $2,010,880   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL PARTICIPATION NOTES

(Cost $4,288,231)

  

  

     4,237,487   
     

 

 

 

WARRANTS 0.01%(c)

     

Atlas Mara, Ltd., Strike price $11.50, Expires 12/17/2017(e)

     116,958         14,620   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL WARRANTS

(Cost $1,170)

        14,620   
     

 

 

 
Description and    Principal         
Maturity Date    Amount      Value  

 

 

CORPORATE BONDS 6.55%

     

American Express Co.

     

Series C, Perpetual Maturity, 4.900%(a)(f)(g)

     $500,000         485,625   

Bank of America Corp.

     

Series AA, Perpetual Maturity, 6.100%(a)(f)(g)

     1,200,000         1,215,000   

Bank of New York Mellon Corp.

     

Series D, Perpetual Maturity, 4.500%(a)(f)(g)

     700,000         652,750   

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co.

     

11/15/2018, 2.000% (a)

     1,000,000         1,001,868   

Citigroup, Inc.

     

Series N, Perpetual Maturity, 5.800%(a)(f)(g)

     1,300,000         1,293,500   

Series P, Perpetual Maturity, 5.950%(a)(f)(g)

     1,400,000         1,352,750   

Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

     

Perpetual Maturity, 5.500% (a)(e)(f)(g)

     950,000         935,750   

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

     

Series M, Perpetual Maturity, 5.375%(a)(f)(g)

     1,000,000         991,250   

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

     

Series Z, Perpetual Maturity, 5.300%(a)(f)(g)

     1,300,000         1,307,150   

Textron Financial Corp.

     

02/15/2067, 6.000% (a)(e)(f)

     1,910,000         1,418,175   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS

(Cost $11,008,195)

        10,653,818   
     

 

 

 
 

 

 

10

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

Description and    Principal         
Maturity Date    Amount      Value  

 

 

ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES 3.75%

  

Federal National Mortgage Association

  

  

Series AM8004, 02/01/2027, 2.720%

     $814,403         $798,844   

Government National Mortgage Association

     

Series 2014-155, Class VA, 03/16/2037, 3.000%

     964,044         993,308   

Series 2014-86, Class A, 11/16/2040, 2.650%

     705,843         720,236   

Series 2015-75, Class A, 02/16/2044, 3.000%(a)

     992,190         1,025,918   

Series 2015-22, Class A, 08/16/2047, 2.400%

     935,984         945,063   

Series 2015-2, Class VA, 12/16/2049, 2.500%

     1,352,869         1,349,374   

Small Business Administration Participation Certificates

     

Series 2008-20L, Class 1, 12/01/2028, 6.220%

     234,826         268,454   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES

(Cost $6,111,949)

        6,101,197   
     

 

 

 
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS 11.77%   

U.S. Treasury Bonds

     

08/15/2040, 3.875% (a)

     5,200,000         6,162,645   

02/15/2042, 3.125% (a)

     2,000,000         2,097,644   

08/15/2042, 2.750% (a)

     4,000,000         3,881,040   

U.S. Treasury Notes

     

09/15/2017, 1.000% (a)

     2,000,000         2,010,468   

09/30/2017, 0.625% (a)

     5,000,000         4,990,380   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS

(Cost $19,241,512)

   

  

     19,142,177   
     

 

 

 
     Shares      Value  

 

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 8.98%

  

Money Market Fund 8.98%

  

  

BlackRock Liquidity Funds,
T-Fund Portfolio - Institutional Class (0.010% 7-day yield)

     14,606,754         14,606,754   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

(Cost $14,606,754)

        14,606,754   
     

 

 

 

Total Investments - 149.28%

(Cost $242,590,055)

        242,812,877   

Liabilities in Excess of Other
Assets - (49.28%)(h)

        (80,161,970)   
     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS - 100.00%

        $162,650,907   
     

 

 

 
SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES SOLD         
SHORT (c)    Shares      Value  

 

 

COMMON STOCKS (40.13%)

  

  

Consumer Discretionary (1.92%)

  

  

Hotels (0.70%)

     

MGM Resorts International

     (19,100)         $(442,929)   

Wynn Resorts, Ltd.

     (9,800)         (685,510)   
     

 

 

 
        (1,128,439)   
     

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail (1.22%)

 

Expedia, Inc.

     (14,600)         (1,989,980)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

        (3,118,419)   
     

 

 

 

Consumer Staples (0.22%)

  

  

Carlsberg A/S - Class B

     (4,443)         (364,226)   
     

 

 

 

Energy (6.35%)

     

Cheniere Energy, Inc.

     (8,000)         (396,160)   

Core Laboratories NV

     (8,200)         (953,906)   

Ensco PLC - Class A

     (104,900)         (1,744,487)   

Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

     (18,000)         (1,012,860)   

Nabors Industries, Ltd.

     (61,500)         (617,460)   

National Oilwell Varco, Inc.

     (12,200)         (459,208)   

Oil States International, Inc.

     (29,100)         (873,291)   

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

     (44,300)         (659,627)   

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (328,300)         (1,602,104)   

Rowan Cos., PLC - A Shares

     (35,800)         (704,544)   

Transocean, Ltd.

     (82,100)         (1,299,643)   
     

 

 

 
        (10,323,290)   
     

 

 

 

Financials (9.11%)

     

Commercial Banks (6.67%)

 

  

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (155,400)         (1,339,548)   

Banco Santander S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (199,600)         (1,105,784)   

BNP Paribas S.A.

     (31,517)         (1,915,184)   

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA

     (526,819)         (1,835,275)   

Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. - Class H, Sponsored Preferred ADR

     (264,200)         (1,809,770)   

Seven Bank, Ltd.

     (204,100)         (937,030)   

UniCredit SpA

     (176,444)         (1,140,877)   

United Overseas Bank, Ltd.

     (53,000)         (769,141)   
     

 

 

 
          (10,852,609)   
     

 

 

 

Consumer Finance (1.92%)

 

Ally Financial, Inc.

     (26,800)         (533,856)   

American Express Co.

     (35,400)         (2,593,404)   
     

 

 

 
        (3,127,260)   
     

 

 

 

Real Estate Management &
Development (0.52%)

   

  

China Resources Land, Ltd.

     (322,000)         (841,289)   
     

 

 

 
 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

11


Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES SOLD         
SHORT (c) (continued)   Shares      Value  

 

 

Financials (continued)

    

TOTAL FINANCIALS

         $(14,821,158)   
    

 

 

 

Health Care (6.24%)

    

AbbVie, Inc.

    (11,200)         (666,960)   

Aetna, Inc.

    (3,500)         (401,730)   

AmerisourceBergen Corp.

    (6,400)         (617,664)   

ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

    (33,500)         (1,401,640)   

Bruker Corp.

    (52,900)         (971,773)   

Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

    (13,600)         (866,456)   

Express Scripts Holding Co.

    (11,100)         (958,818)   

Horizon Pharma PLC

    (12,100)         (190,212)   

Lannett Co., Inc.

    (6,800)         (304,436)   

Mallinckrodt PLC

    (9,000)         (591,030)   

Merck & Co., Inc.

    (10,700)         (584,862)   

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

    (4,700)         (234,765)   

Teligent, Inc.

    (57,400)         (417,298)   

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

    (10,500)         (1,236,690)   

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

    (8,900)         (698,917)   
    

 

 

 
       (10,143,251)   
    

 

 

 

Industrials (13.06%)

    

American Airlines Group, Inc.

    (27,500)         (1,271,050)   

Caterpillar, Inc.

    (38,200)         (2,788,218)   

Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. NV

    (63,200)         (2,835,784)   

Deutsche Lufthansa AG

    (70,645)         (1,043,307)   

easyJet PLC

    (42,535)         (1,147,510)   

Emerson Electric Co., Inc.

    (19,100)         (902,093)   

Flowserve Corp.

    (51,000)         (2,364,360)   

International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A.

    (109,554)         (983,776)   

Keppel Corp., Ltd.

    (138,500)         (699,964)   

Kone OYJ, B Shares

    (21,232)         (907,295)   

Kuehne + Nagel International AG

    (7,000)         (970,914)   

Metso OYJ

    (35,099)         (859,547)   

Pentair PLC

    (15,700)         (877,944)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings Entitlement - C Shares(d)

    (371)         (1)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC

    (4)         (42)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings Preference - C Shares(d)

    (302)         (1)   

Sandvik AB

    (138,169)         (1,292,168)   

Triumph Group, Inc.

    (11,100)         (517,038)   

WW Grainger, Inc.

    (8,500)         (1,785,000)   
    

 

 

 
       (21,246,012)   
    

 

 

 

Information Technology (3.23%)

 

  

Corning, Inc.

    (48,200)         (896,520)   

International Business Machines Corp.

    (11,700)         (1,638,936)   

Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.

    (183,000)         (905,370)   
SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES SOLD         
SHORT (c) (continued)    Shares      Value  

 

 

Information Technology (continued)

  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Sponsored ADR

     (83,000)         $(1,822,680)   
     

 

 

 
        (5,263,506)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Proceeds $62,027,603)

        (65,279,862)   
     

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (18.82%)

 

Health Care Select Sector SPDR® Fund

     (36,500)         (2,603,910)   

iShares® MSCI Brazil Capped ETF

     (72,800)         (1,664,936)   

iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

     (81,343)         (2,836,430)   

iShares® MSCI South Korea Capped ETF

     (16,600)         (902,708)   

iShares® Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF

     (3,762)         (1,224,381)   

iShares® Russell 2000® ETF

     (58,500)         (6,747,390)   

Market Vectors® Oil Service ETF

     (60,300)         (1,843,371)   

Market Vectors® Semiconductor ETF

     (16,800)         (910,728)   

SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust

     (57,100)         (11,872,803)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

(Proceeds $28,973,304)

  

  

     (30,606,657)   
     

 

 

 

PREFERRED STOCKS (0.44%)

  

  

Financials (0.44%)

     

Commercial Banks (0.44%)

  

  

Banco Bradesco S.A. - ADR

     (130,400)         (709,376)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS

(Proceeds $734,471)

  

  

     (709,376)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT

(Proceeds $91,735,378)

  

  

     $(96,595,895)   
     

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Pledged security; a portion or all of the security is pledged as collateral for securities sold short or borrowings. As of October 31, 2015, the aggregate market value of those securities was $188,496,799 representing 115.89% of net assets. (See Note 1 and Note 6)

(b) 

Loaned security; a portion or all of the security is on loan as of October 31, 2015.

(c)

Non-income producing security.

(d) 

Fair valued security; valued by management in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. As of October 31, 2015, these securities had an aggregate market value of $2,077,719 or 1.28% of total net assets.

 

 

 

12

 

 

www.cloughglobal.com


Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

(e) 

Security exempt from registration of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration under Rule 144A, normally to qualified institutional buyers. As of October 31, 2015, these securities had an aggregate market value of $7,135,156 or 4.39% of net assets.

(f)

Floating or variable rate security - rate disclosed as of October 31, 2015.

(g) 

This security has no contractual maturity date, is not redeemable and contractually pays an indefinite stream of interest.

(h) 

Includes cash which is being held as collateral for total return swap contracts or futures contracts.

 

 

FUTURES CONTRACTS

 

Description    Position    Contracts    Expiration
Date
     Underlying Face
Amount at Value
     Unrealized
Appreciation
 

 

 

Foreign Currency Contracts

              

Japanese Yen Currency Future

   Short    52      12/15/2015        $ (5,387,200)       $ 10,225       
           

 

 

 
             $ (5,387,200)       $ 10,225       
           

 

 

 

TOTAL RETURN SWAP CONTRACTS

 

Counter Party   

Reference

Entity/Obligation

   Notional
Amount
     Floating Rate
Paid by the Fund
  

Floating

Rate Index

  

Termination

Date

    

Net Unrealized

Appreciation

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley

   Bharti Infratel, Ltd.    $ 547,621       30 bps + 1D FEDEF    1 D FEDEF      12/27/2016       $ 176,143       

Morgan Stanley

   Housing Development Finance Corp.      670,284       30 bps + 1D FEDEF    1 D FEDEF      12/27/2016         35,780       

Morgan Stanley

   LG Electronics, Inc.      (697,005)       50 bps - 1D FEDEF    1 D FEDEF      10/30/2017         3,605       

Morgan Stanley

   Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd.      108,978       55 bps + 1D FEDEF    1 D FEDEF      01/05/2017         12,809       

 

 
      $ 629,878                $     228,337       

 

 
     Reference    Notional      Floating Rate    Floating    Termination      Net Unrealized  
Counter Party    Entity/Obligation    Amount      Paid by the Fund    Rate Index    Date      Depreciation  

 

 

Credit Suisse

   Bharti Airtel, Ltd.    $ 849,948       75 bps + 1M LIBOR    1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017       $ (56,980)       

Morgan Stanley

   Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.      (465,991)       50 bps - 1D FEDEF    1 D FEDEF      05/04/2017         (16,447)       

Credit Suisse

   Larsen & Toubro, Ltd.      628,131       75 bps + 1M LIBOR    1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017         (131,578)       

Credit Suisse

   Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.      188,355       75 bps + 1M LIBOR    1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017         (2,822)       

Morgan Stanley

   Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.      781,871       30 bps + 1D FEDEF    1 D FEDEF      12/27/2016         (102,630)       

Credit Suisse

   Shriram Transport Finance Co., Ltd.      890,059       75 bps + 1M LIBOR    1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017         (126,356)       

Credit Suisse

   Ultratech Cement, Ltd.      1,024,119       75 bps + 1M LIBOR    1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017         (32,921)       

 

 
      $ 3,896,492                $ (469,734)       

 

 
      $     4,526,370                $ (241,397)       

 

 

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

13


Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Shares      Value  

 

 

COMMON STOCKS 118.31%

  

  

Consumer Discretionary 31.04%

  

  

Diversified Consumer Services 3.15%

  

  

Service Corp. International(a)(b)

     76,500             $2,161,890   

Starbucks Corp.(a)(b)

     99,800         6,244,486   
     

 

 

 
        8,406,376   
     

 

 

 

Household Durables 5.71%

  

  

DR Horton, Inc.(a)(b)

     246,221         7,248,746   

Lennar Corp. -
Class A(a)(b)

     159,400         7,981,158   
     

 

 

 
        15,229,904   
     

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail 7.17%

  

  

JD.com, Inc. - ADR(a)(c)

     95,700         2,643,234   

Liberty Ventures - Series A(a)(b)(c)

     220,703         9,616,030   

NetFlix, Inc.(a)(c)

     8,600         932,068   

Priceline Group, Inc.(a)(c)

     2,944         4,281,282   

Rakuten, Inc.

     118,100         1,651,560   
     

 

 

 
        19,124,174   
     

 

 

 

Media 10.96%

     

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. -
Class A(a)(b)

     105,500         2,887,535   

Comcast Corp. -
Class A(a)(b)

     91,700         5,742,254   

IMAX Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     154,495         5,931,063   

Liberty Broadband Corp. -
Class A(a)(b)(c)

     22,092         1,205,340   

Liberty Broadband Corp. -
Class C(a)(b)(c)

     83,866         4,509,475   

Liberty Media Corp. -
Class A(a)(b)(c)

     88,368         3,601,880   

Liberty Media Corp. -
Class C(a)(b)(c)

     90,936         3,560,144   

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.(a)

     45,400         1,769,238   
     

 

 

 
        29,206,929   
     

 

 

 

Specialty Retail 2.08%

     

Signet Jewelers, Ltd.(a)(b)

     36,746         5,546,441   
     

 

 

 

Textiles 1.97%

     

Carter’s, Inc.(a)

     51,900         4,716,672   

Samsonite International S.A.

     177,000         524,108   
     

 

 

 
        5,240,780   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

        82,754,604   
     

 

 

 

Consumer Staples 0.34%

  

  

CVS Health Corp.(a)

     9,300         918,654   
     

 

 

 

Energy 4.99%

     

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.(a)

     32,900         2,200,352   

Concho Resources,
Inc.(a)(c)

     20,800         2,410,928   
     Shares      Value  

 

 

Energy (continued)

  

  

Devon Energy Corp.(a)

     43,900         $1,840,727   

EOG Resources, Inc.(a)

     18,800         1,613,980   

Fairway Energy Partners
LLC(c)(d)(e)

     217,600         2,203,200   

Pacific Coast Oil Trust(a)(e)

     95,800         190,642   

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.(a)

     20,700         2,838,798   
     

 

 

 
            13,298,627   
     

 

 

 

Financials 31.12%

     

Capital Markets 4.69%

     

Atlas Mara, Ltd.(c)(e)

     306,320         1,837,920   

Daiwa Securities Group, Inc.

     79,000         544,758   

Goldman Sachs BDC(a)

     53,000         1,060,530   

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.(a)

     16,300         3,056,250   

Monex Group, Inc.

     485,300         1,375,425   

Morgan Stanley(a)(b)

     140,396         4,628,856   
     

 

 

 
        12,503,739   
     

 

 

 

Commercial Banks 1.50%

  

  

First Republic Bank(a)

     24,700         1,613,157   

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.

     144,300         945,418   

Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

     450,000         933,413   

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Ltd.

     12,400         499,412   
     

 

 

 
        3,991,400   
     

 

 

 

Diversified Financials 10.10%

  

  

Bank of America Corp.(a)

     662,905         11,123,546   

Citigroup, Inc.(a)(b)

     260,719         13,862,429   

JPMorgan Chase &
Co.(a)

     30,300         1,946,775   
     

 

 

 
        26,932,750   
     

 

 

 

Insurance 3.32%

     

American International Group, Inc.(a)(b)

     121,600         7,668,096   

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd. - Class H

     211,000         1,188,314   
     

 

 

 
        8,856,410   
     

 

 

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts 5.41%

  

  

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. -
Class A(a)

     85,800         2,257,398   

Ladder Capital Corp.(a)

     118,800         1,694,088   

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust(a)

     177,788         2,599,261   

Starwood Property Trust, Inc.(a)(b)

     257,400         5,171,166   

Two Harbors Investment Corp.(a)

     318,757         2,696,684   
     

 

 

 
        14,418,597   
     

 

 

 

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance 6.10%

  

  

Essent Group, Ltd.(a)(b)(c)

     196,200         4,728,420   
 

 

 

14

 

 

www.cloughglobal.com


Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Shares      Value  

 

 

Financials (continued)

     

MGIC Investment Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     602,565         $5,664,111   

NMI Holdings, Inc. - Class A(a)(c)

     177,200         1,332,544   

Radian Group, Inc.(a)(b)

     312,900         4,527,663   
     

 

 

 
        16,252,738   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

            82,955,634   
     

 

 

 

Health Care 15.03%

     

3SBio, Inc.(c)(e)

     1,033,000         1,171,531   

Acceleron Pharma, Inc.(a)(c)

     23,200         724,072   

Akorn, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     78,000         2,085,720   

Albany Molecular Research,
Inc.(a)(c)

     75,600         1,363,824   

Allergan PLC(a)(c)

     5,200         1,604,044   

AstraZeneca PLC - Sponsored ADR(a)

     25,629         817,309   

Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co.(a)

     16,916         1,115,610   

Cardiome Pharma Corp.(a)(c)

     234,100         1,912,597   

Cerner Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     19,300         1,279,397   

Cigna Corp.(a)

     18,000         2,412,720   

Community Health Systems,
Inc.(a)(c)

     10,500         294,420   

Corindus Vascular Robotics,
Inc.(a)(c)

     233,200         746,240   

Dynavax Technologies Corp.(a)(c)

     30,400         690,384   

Forward Pharma A/S - ADR(a)(c)

     39,400         991,304   

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

     2,900         313,577   

GW Pharmaceuticals PLC - ADR(a)(b)(c)

     29,300         2,317,337   

HCA Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     17,215         1,184,220   

Healthways, Inc.(a)(c)

     265,711         3,127,418   

Hologic, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     33,300         1,294,038   

Intra-Cellular Therapies,
Inc.(a)(c)

     42,300         2,024,055   

Intrexon Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     23,559         791,582   

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC(a)(b)(c)

     7,934         1,089,180   

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals,
Inc.(a)(c)

     222,800         998,144   

MedEquities Realty Trust,
Inc.(d)(e)

     51,100         830,375   

Perrigo Co. PLC(a)

     7,250         1,143,615   

Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. - Class H

     394,400         1,633,453   

Team Health Holdings, Inc.(a)(c)

     10,200         608,634   

Veracyte, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     203,535         1,325,013   

Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     28,700         3,580,038   

Zeltiq Aesthetics, Inc.(c)

     17,700         597,198   
     

 

 

 
        40,067,049   
     

 

 

 

Industrials 12.88%

     

Air China, Ltd. - Class H

     568,000         548,902   

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.(a)(e)

     135,277         3,882,450   
     Shares      Value  

 

 

Industrials (continued)

     

Armstrong World Industries,
Inc.(a)(c)

     51,400         $2,550,468   

China Railway Construction Corp., Ltd. - Class H

     903,000         1,358,473   

Kansas City Southern(a)(b)

     55,600         4,601,456   

Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

     122,000         1,515,522   

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

     205,000         1,043,263   

Roper Technologies, Inc.(a)(b)

     32,600         6,075,010   

Seibu Holdings, Inc.

     92,600         1,888,527   

TransDigm Group, Inc.(a)(c)

     25,700         5,650,145   

Viasat, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     69,242         4,567,202   

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc.(a)(c)

     8,600         107,156   

Xinjiang Goldwind Science &

     

Technology Co., Ltd. - Class H

     288,800         544,765   
     

 

 

 
            34,333,339   
     

 

 

 

Information Technology 12.54%

  

  

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. - Sponsored ADR(a)(c)

     32,000         2,682,560   

Alphabet, Inc. - Class A(a)(c)

     4,083         3,010,763   

Alphabet, Inc. - Class C(a)(c)

     3,866         2,747,992   

Baidu, Inc. - Sponsored ADR(c)

     3,700         693,639   

Electronics For Imaging,
Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     55,100         2,558,844   

Facebook, Inc. - Class A(a)(b)(c)

     58,000         5,914,260   

Fujifilm Holdings Corp.

     23,000         924,803   

Lam Research Corp.(a)(b)

     55,300         4,235,427   

Microsoft Corp.(a)

     28,800         1,516,032   

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

     6,800         1,097,738   

Pandora Media, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     252,400         2,905,124   

Salesforce.com, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     66,200         5,144,402   
     

 

 

 
        33,431,584   
     

 

 

 

Materials 3.85%

     

Axalta Coating Systems,
Ltd.(a)(b)(c)

     153,800         4,249,494   

W.R. Grace & Co.(a)(b)(c)

     60,000         6,018,000   
     

 

 

 
        10,267,494   
     

 

 

 

Telecommunication Services 4.15%

  

  

AT&T, Inc.(a)(b)

     116,700         3,910,617   

China Mobile, Ltd.

     323,000         3,867,365   

China Unicom Hong Kong, Ltd.

     1,692,000         2,089,185   

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.

     31,800         1,182,190   
     

 

 

 
        11,049,357   
     

 

 

 
 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

15


Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Shares      Value  

 

 

Utilities 2.37%

  

  

Calpine Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     406,800         $6,309,468   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Cost $310,567,712)

        315,385,810   
     

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 3.68%

  

  

iShares® China Large Cap
ETF(a) 

     76,500         2,927,655   

iShares® MSCI Japan Index
ETF(a)

     123,100         1,516,592   

PowerShares® Deutsche Bank U.S. Dollar Index Bullish Fund(a)(b)(c)

     27,900         704,475   

Utilities Select Sector SPDR® ETF(a)

     106,700         4,668,125   
     

 

 

 
        9,816,847   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

(Cost $9,954,943)

  

  

     9,816,847   
     

 

 

 

PARTICIPATION NOTES 2.65%

  

  

Consumer Staples 1.39%

     

Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 12/09/2015(c)

     72,590         2,457,317   

Shanghai Jahwa United Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 01/29/2016(c)(d)

     230,300         1,256,215   
     

 

 

 
        3,713,532   
     

 

 

 

Industrials 1.26%

     

Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 11/18/2015(c)

     965,500         3,350,021   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL PARTICIPATION NOTES

(Cost $7,147,310)

  

  

     7,063,553   
     

 

 

 
     Shares      Value  

 

 

WARRANTS 0.01%(c)

  

  

Atlas Mara, Ltd., Strike price $11.50, Expires 12/17/2017(e)

     195,720         $24,465   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL WARRANTS

(Cost $1,957)

  

  

     24,465   
     

 

 

 

Description and

Maturity Date

   Principal
Amount
     Value  

 

 

CORPORATE BONDS 1.68%

  

  

Citigroup, Inc.

     

Series N, Perpetual Maturity, 5.800%(a)(f)(g)

     $1,900,000         1,890,500   

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

     

Series M, Perpetual Maturity, 5.375%(a)(f)(g)

     700,000         693,875   

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

     

Series Z, Perpetual Maturity, 5.300%(a)(f)(g)

     1,900,000         1,910,450   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS

(Cost $4,512,164)

  

  

     4,494,825   
     

 

 

 

ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES 0.51%

  

Federal National Mortgage Association

     

Series AM8004, 02/01/2027, 2.720%

     1,382,018         1,355,615   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES

(Cost $1,376,835)

        1,355,615   
     

 

 

 

GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS 9.10%

  

U.S. Treasury Bonds

     

08/15/2040, 3.875% (a)

     8,800,000         10,429,091   

08/15/2042, 2.750% (a)

     6,000,000         5,821,560   

U.S. Treasury Notes

     

09/15/2017, 1.000% (a)

     3,000,000         3,015,702   

09/30/2017, 0.625% (a)

     5,000,000         4,990,380   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS

(Cost $24,342,001)

   

  

     24,256,733   
     

 

 

 
 

 

 

16

 

 

www.cloughglobal.com


Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

 

    

    

Shares

     Value  

 

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 15.02%

  

  

Money Market Fund 15.02%

  

  

BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund Portfolio - Institutional Class (0.010% 7-day yield)

     40,031,659         $40,031,659   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

(Cost $40,031,659)

  

  

     40,031,659   
     

 

 

 

Total Investments - 150.96%

(Cost $ 397,934,581)

  

  

     402,429,507   

Liabilities in Excess of Other
Assets - (50.96%)(h)

   

     (135,853,860)   
     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS - 100.00%

  

     $266,575,647   
     

 

 

 
SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES
SOLD SHORT (c)
   Shares      Value  

 

 

COMMON STOCKS (40.94%)

 

  

Consumer Discretionary (2.05%)

 

  

Hotels (0.70%)

     

MGM Resorts International

     (31,800)         $(737,442)   

Wynn Resorts, Ltd.

     (16,100)         (1,126,195)   
     

 

 

 
        (1,863,637)   
     

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail (1.35%)

 

  

Expedia, Inc.

     (26,400)         (3,598,320)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

   

     (5,461,957)   
     

 

 

 

Consumer Staples (0.23%)

  

  

Carlsberg A/S -
Class B

     (7,480)         (613,191)   
     

 

 

 

Energy (6.45%)

     

Cheniere Energy, Inc.

     (13,400)         (663,568)   

Core Laboratories NV

     (13,700)         (1,593,721)   

Ensco PLC - Class A

     (175,100)         (2,911,913)   

Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

     (29,400)         (1,654,338)   

Nabors Industries, Ltd.

     (102,600)         (1,030,104)   

National Oilwell Varco, Inc.

     (20,300)         (764,092)   

Oil States International, Inc.

     (48,500)         (1,455,485)   

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

     (73,900)         (1,100,371)   

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (547,000)         (2,669,360)   

Rowan Cos., PLC - A Shares

     (59,700)         (1,174,896)   

Transocean, Ltd.

     (137,000)         (2,168,710)   
     

 

 

 
        (17,186,558)   
     

 

 

 

Financials (9.25%)

     

Commercial Banks (6.77%)

 

  

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (258,400)         (2,227,408)   
SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES SOLD
SHORT (c) (continued)
   Shares      Value  

 

 

Financials (continued)

  

  

Banco Santander S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (331,600)         $(1,837,064)   

BNP Paribas S.A.

     (52,418)         (3,185,268)   

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA

     (876,174)         (3,052,320)   

Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. - Class H, Sponsored Preferred ADR

     (440,600)         (3,018,110)   

Seven Bank, Ltd.

     (340,000)         (1,560,951)   

UniCredit SpA

     (293,451)         (1,897,438)   

United Overseas Bank, Ltd.

     (87,000)         (1,262,553)   
     

 

 

 
        (18,041,112)   
     

 

 

 

Consumer Finance (1.95%)

 

  

Ally Financial, Inc.

     (44,900)         (894,408)   

American Express Co.

     (58,900)         (4,315,014)   
     

 

 

 
        (5,209,422)   
     

 

 

 

Real Estate Management &
Development (0.53%)

   

  

China Resources Land, Ltd.

     (542,000)         (1,416,084)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

  

     (24,666,618)   
     

 

 

 

Health Care (6.37%)

     

AbbVie, Inc.

     (19,000)         (1,131,450)   

Aetna, Inc.

     (5,900)         (677,202)   

AmerisourceBergen Corp.

     (10,800)         (1,042,308)   

ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

     (56,000)         (2,343,040)   

Bruker Corp.

     (87,900)         (1,614,723)   

Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

     (22,900)         (1,458,959)   

Express Scripts Holding Co.

     (18,100)         (1,563,478)   

Horizon Pharma PLC

     (20,500)         (322,260)   

Lannett Co., Inc.

     (11,500)         (514,855)   

Mallinckrodt PLC

     (15,200)         (998,184)   

Merck & Co., Inc.

     (17,800)         (972,948)   

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

     (8,000)         (399,600)   

Teligent, Inc.

     (97,100)         (705,917)   

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

     (17,500)         (2,061,150)   

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

     (14,800)         (1,162,244)   
     

 

 

 
        (16,968,318)   
     

 

 

 

Industrials (13.30%)

     

American Airlines Group, Inc.

     (45,917)         (2,122,284)   

Caterpillar, Inc.

     (64,000)         (4,671,360)   

Chicago Bridge & Iron Co.

     (105,900)         (4,751,733)   

Deutsche Lufthansa AG

     (117,348)         (1,733,031)   

easyJet PLC

     (70,640)         (1,905,728)   

Emerson Electric Co., Inc.

     (32,100)         (1,516,083)   

Flowserve Corp.

     (84,600)         (3,922,056)   

International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A.

     (181,984)         (1,634,185)   

Keppel Corp., Ltd.

     (232,100)         (1,173,009)   

Kone OYJ, B Shares

     (35,708)         (1,525,889)   

Kuehne + Nagel International AG

     (11,700)         (1,622,813)   
 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

17


Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES

SOLD SHORT (c) (continued)

   Shares      Value  

 

 

Industrials (continued)

  

  

Metso OYJ

     (58,353)         $(1,429,019)   

Pentair PLC

     (26,500)         (1,481,880)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings Entitlement - C Shares(d)

     (649)         (1)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC

     (7)         (74)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings Preference - C Shares(d)

     (508)         (1)   

Sandvik AB

     (229,734)         (2,148,492)   

Triumph Group, Inc.

     (18,400)         (857,072)   

WW Grainger, Inc.

     (14,100)         (2,961,000)   
     

 

 

 
        (35,455,710)   
     

 

 

 

Information Technology (3.29%)

 

  

Corning, Inc.

     (80,800)         (1,502,880)   

International Business Machines Corp.

     (19,510)         (2,732,961)   

Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.

     (305,000)         (1,508,950)   

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Sponsored ADR

     (138,300)         (3,037,068)   
     

 

 

 
        (8,781,859)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Proceeds $103,284,713)

  

  

     (109,134,211)   
     

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (21.55%)

 

  

Health Care Select Sector SPDR® Fund

     (60,500)         (4,316,070)   

iShares® MSCI Brazil Capped ETF

     (421,700)         (9,644,279)   

iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

     (135,651)         (4,730,150)   

iShares® MSCI South Korea Capped ETF

     (27,700)         (1,506,326)   

iShares® Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF

     (6,378)         (2,075,784)   

iShares® Russell 2000® ETF

     (98,600)         (11,372,524)   

Market Vectors® Oil Service ETF

     (100,700)         (3,078,399)   

Market Vectors® Semiconductor ETF

     (28,200)         (1,528,722)   

SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust

     (92,250)         (19,181,543)   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

(Proceeds $55,729,917)

  

  

     (57,433,797)   
     

 

 

 
SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES
SOLD SHORT (c) (continued)
   Shares      Value  

 

 

PREFERRED STOCKS (0.45%)

  

  

Financials (0.45%)

     

Commercial Banks (0.45%)

  

  

Banco Bradesco S.A. - ADR

     (219,100)         (1,191,904)     
     

 

 

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS

(Proceeds $ 1,234,180)

  

  

     $(1,191,904)     
     

 

 

 

TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT

(Proceeds $ 160,248,810)

  

  

     $(167,759,912)     
     

 

 

 

 

(a)

Pledged security; a portion or all of the security is pledged as collateral for securities sold short or borrowings. As of October 31, 2015, the aggregate market value of those securities was $315,265,121 representing 118.26% of net assets. (See Note 1 and Note 6)

(b) 

Loaned security; a portion or all of the security is on loan as of October 31, 2015.

(c)

Non-income producing security.

(d)

Fair valued security; valued by management in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. As of October 31, 2015, these securities had an aggregate market value of $4,289,788 or 1.61% of total net assets.

(e) 

Security exempt from registration of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration under Rule 144A, normally to qualified institutional buyers. As of October 31, 2015, these securities had an aggregate market value of $10,140,583 or 3.80% of net assets.

(f) 

Floating or variable rate security - rate disclosed as of October 31, 2015.

(g) 

This security has no contractual maturity date, is not redeemable and contractually pays an indefinite stream of interest.

(h)

Includes cash which is being held as collateral for total return swap contracts or futures contracts.

 

 

 

18

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

FUTURES CONTRACTS

 

Description    Position    Contracts   

Expiration

Date

     Underlying Face
Amount at Value
    

Unrealized    

Appreciation    

 

 

 

Foreign Currency Contracts

              

Japanese Yen Currency Future

   Short    87      12/15/2015       $ (9,013,200)       $ 17,108       
           

 

 

 
            $ (9,013,200)       $ 17,108       
           

 

 

 

TOTAL RETURN SWAP CONTRACTS

 

Counter Party   

Reference

Entity/Obligation

  Notional
Amount
    Floating Rate
Paid by the Fund
 

Floating

Rate Index

 

Termination

Date

   

Net Unrealized    

Appreciation    

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley

   Bharti Infratel, Ltd.   $ 875,103      30 bps + 1D FEDEF   1 D FEDEF     12/27/2016      $ 276,521       

Morgan Stanley

   Housing Development Finance Corp.     1,102,791      30 bps + 1D FEDEF   1 D FEDEF     12/27/2016        60,292       

Morgan Stanley

   LG Electronics, Inc.     (1,168,889)      50 bps - 1D FEDEF   1 D FEDEF     10/30/2017        6,046       

Morgan Stanley

   Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd.     182,252      55 bps + 1D FEDEF   1 D FEDEF     01/05/2017        21,421       

 

 
     $ 991,257            $ 364,280       

 

 
Counter Party   

Reference

Entity/Obligation

  Notional
Amount
    Floating Rate
Paid by the Fund
  Floating
Rate Index
 

Termination

Date

   

Net Unrealized    

Depreciation    

 

 

 

Credit Suisse

   Adani Ports   $ 1,596,390      75 bps + 1M LIBOR   1 M LIBOR     11/30/2017      $ (179,273)       

Credit Suisse

   Bharti Airtel, Ltd.     1,408,630      75 bps + 1M LIBOR   1 M LIBOR     11/30/2017        (94,435)       

Morgan Stanley

   Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.     (773,927)      50 bps - 1D FEDEF   1 D FEDEF     05/04/2017        (27,290)       

Credit Suisse

   Larsen & Toubro, Ltd.     1,024,076      75 bps + 1M LIBOR   1 M LIBOR     11/30/2017        (214,478)       

Credit Suisse

   Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.     314,221      75 bps + 1M LIBOR   1 M LIBOR     11/30/2017        (4,850)       

Morgan Stanley

   Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.     1,291,778      30 bps + 1D FEDEF   1 D FEDEF     12/27/2016        (169,745)       

Credit Suisse

   Shriram Transport Finance Co., Ltd.     1,477,744      75 bps + 1M LIBOR   1 M LIBOR     11/30/2017        (208,895)       

Credit Suisse

   Ultratech Cement, Ltd.     1,703,882      75 bps + 1M LIBOR   1 M LIBOR     11/30/2017        (54,991)       

 

 
     $ 8,042,794            $ (953,957)       

 

 
     $ 9,034,051            $ (589,677)       

 

 

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

19


Table of Contents
Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Shares      Value  

 

 

COMMON STOCKS 109.91%

  

  

Consumer Discretionary 28.55%

  

  

Diversified Consumer Services 3.17%

  

  

Service Corp. International(a)

     193,700         $5,473,962   

Starbucks Corp.(a)(b)

     249,700         15,623,729   
     

 

 

 
        21,097,691   
     

 

 

 

Household Durables 5.70%

  

  

DR Horton, Inc.(a)(b)

     613,462         18,060,321   

Lennar Corp. - Class A(a)(b)

     397,700         19,912,839   
     

 

 

 
        37,973,160   
     

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail 6.68%

  

  

JD.com, Inc. - ADR(a)(c)

     237,900         6,570,798   

Liberty Ventures -
Series A(a)(b)(c)

     481,471         20,977,692   

NetFlix, Inc.(a)(c)

     21,200         2,297,656   

Priceline Group, Inc.(a)(c)

     7,289         10,599,955   

Rakuten, Inc.

     293,500         4,104,427   
     

 

 

 
        44,550,528   
     

 

 

 

Media 10.08%

  

  

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. - Class A(a)

     266,600         7,296,842   

Comcast Corp. - Class A(a)(b)

     229,000         14,339,980   

IMAX Corp.(a)(c)

     286,900         11,014,091   

Liberty Broadband Corp. -
Class A(a)(b)(c)

     52,014         2,837,884   

Liberty Broadband Corp. -
Class C(a)(b)(c)

     203,467         10,940,421   

Liberty Media Corp. - Class A(a)(b)(c)

     208,056         8,480,362   

Liberty Media Corp. - Class C(a)(b)(c)

     201,912         7,904,855   

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.(a)(b)

     113,100         4,407,507   
     

 

 

 
        67,221,942   
     

 

 

 

Specialty Retail 2.07%

  

  

Signet Jewelers, Ltd.(a)(b)

     91,446         13,802,859   
     

 

 

 

Textiles 0.85%

  

  

Carter’s, Inc.(a)

     48,100         4,371,328   

Samsonite International S.A.

     440,400         1,304,052   
     

 

 

 
        5,675,380   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

  

     190,321,560   
     

 

 

 

Consumer Staples 0.35%

  

  

CVS Health Corp.(a)

     23,300         2,301,574   
     

 

 

 
     Shares      Value  

 

 

Energy 4.88%

  

  

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.(a)(b)

     82,000         $5,484,160   

Concho Resources,
Inc.(a)(c)

     51,600         5,980,956   

Devon Energy Corp.(a)(b)

     109,200         4,578,756   

EOG Resources, Inc.(a)

     46,800         4,017,780   

Fairway Energy Partners LLC(c)(d)(e)

     536,000         5,427,000   

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.

     51,230         7,025,682   
     

 

 

 
        32,514,334   
     

 

 

 

Financials 28.29%

     

Business Development Corporations 0.54%

   

  

Golub Capital BDC,
Inc.(a)

     220,900         3,616,133   
     

 

 

 

Capital Markets 3.78%

  

  

Atlas Mara, Ltd.(c)(e)

     764,522         4,587,132   

Daiwa Securities Group, Inc.

     195,000         1,344,655   

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.(a)

     40,700         7,631,250   

Morgan Stanley(a)(b)

     353,213         11,645,433   
     

 

 

 
        25,208,470   
     

 

 

 

Commercial Banks 1.48%

  

  

First Republic Bank(a)

     61,300         4,003,503   

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.

     356,100         2,333,079   

Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

     1,110,600         2,303,664   

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial

     

Group, Ltd.

     31,100         1,252,557   
     

 

 

 
        9,892,803   
     

 

 

 

Diversified Financials 10.10%

  

  

Bank of America
Corp.(a)(b)

     1,641,710         27,547,894   

Citigroup, Inc.(a)(b)

     657,125         34,939,336   

JPMorgan Chase &
Co.(a)

     75,200         4,831,600   
     

 

 

 
        67,318,830   
     

 

 

 

Insurance 3.40%

     

American International Group, Inc.(a)(b)

     313,000         19,737,780   

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd. - Class H

     521,000         2,934,179   
     

 

 

 
        22,671,959   
     

 

 

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts 5.19%

  

  

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. -
Class A(a)

     212,600         5,593,506   

Ladder Capital Corp.(a)

     208,196         2,968,875   

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust(a)

     442,791         6,473,605   

Starwood Property Trust, Inc.(a)

     638,000         12,817,420   
 

 

 

20

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Shares      Value  

 

 

Financials (continued)

  

  

Two Harbors Investment Corp.(a)

     792,822         $6,707,274   
     

 

 

 
        34,560,680   
     

 

 

 

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance 3.80%

  

  

MGIC Investment
Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     1,503,731         14,135,071   

Radian Group, Inc.(a)(b)

     772,400         11,176,628   
     

 

 

 
        25,311,699   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

  

     188,580,574   
     

 

 

 

Health Care 14.02%

     

3SBio, Inc.(c)(e)

     14,500         16,445   

Acceleron Pharma,
Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     57,496         1,794,450   

Akorn, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     169,600         4,535,104   

Albany Molecular Research,
Inc.(a)(c)

     189,700         3,422,188   

Allergan PLC(c)

     12,700         3,917,569   

AstraZeneca PLC - Sponsored ADR(a)

     63,824         2,035,347   

Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co.(a)

     41,700         2,750,115   

Cardiome Pharma
Corp.(a)(c)

     576,400         4,709,188   

Cerner Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     48,000         3,181,920   

Cigna Corp.(a)

     44,600         5,978,184   

Community Health Systems,
Inc.(a)(c)

     25,500         715,020   

Corindus Vascular Robotics,
Inc.(a)(c)

     577,300         1,847,360   

Dynavax Technologies Corp.(a)(c)

     75,799         1,721,395   

Forward Pharma A/S - ADR(a)(b)(c)

     98,100         2,468,196   

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

     6,900         746,097   

GW Pharmaceuticals PLC - ADR(a)(b)(c)

     72,400         5,726,116   

HCA Holdings,
Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     42,847         2,947,445   

Healthways,
Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     669,633         7,881,581   

Hologic, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     83,100         3,229,266   

Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.(a)(c)

     105,300         5,038,605   

Intrexon Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     59,372         1,994,899   

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC(a)(b)(c)

     19,823         2,721,302   

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals,
Inc.(a)(c)

     549,800         2,463,104   

Perrigo Co. PLC(a)

     17,914         2,825,754   

Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. -
Class H

     972,800         4,028,963   

Team Health Holdings,
Inc.(a)(c)

     25,100         1,497,717   

Veracyte, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     449,326         2,925,112   

Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.(a)(c)

     71,200         8,881,488   

Zeltiq Aesthetics,
Inc.(c)

     43,800         1,477,812   
     

 

 

 
        93,477,742   
     

 

 

 

Industrials 12.66%

     

Air China, Ltd. - Class H

     1,402,000         1,354,860   
     Shares      Value  

 

 

Industrials (continued)

  

  

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.(a)(e)

     337,510         $9,686,537   

Armstrong World Industries,
Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     128,900         6,396,018   

China Railway Construction Corp., Ltd. - Class H

     2,236,000         3,363,838   

Kansas City Southern(a)(b)

     137,400         11,371,224   

Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

     302,000         3,751,537   

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

     527,000         2,681,948   

Roper Technologies, Inc.(a)(b)

     80,500         15,001,175   

Seibu Holdings, Inc.

     229,700         4,684,608   

TransDigm Group, Inc.(a)(c)

     63,900         14,048,415   

Viasat, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     158,435         10,450,373   

Wesco Aircraft Holdings,
Inc.(a)(c)

     21,700         270,382   

Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. -
Class H

     713,000         1,344,936   
     

 

 

 
        84,405,851   
     

 

 

 

Information Technology 10.86%

  

  

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. - Sponsored ADR(a)(b)(c)

     79,100         6,630,953   

Alphabet, Inc. - Class A(a)(b)(c)

     10,677         7,873,113   

Alphabet, Inc. - Class C(a)(b)(c)

     9,563         6,797,476   

Baidu, Inc. - Sponsored
ADR(a)(c)

     9,000         1,687,230   

Facebook, Inc. -
Class A(a)(b)(c)

     142,270         14,507,272   

Fujifilm Holdings Corp.

     57,200         2,299,945   

Lam Research Corp.(a)(b)

     125,700         9,627,363   

Microsoft Corp.(a)

     69,800         3,674,272   

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

     17,400         2,808,917   

Pandora Media, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     310,100         3,569,251   

Salesforce.com, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

     166,000         12,899,860   
     

 

 

 
        72,375,652   
     

 

 

 

Materials 3.85%

     

Axalta Coating Systems,
Ltd.(a)(b)(c)

     384,800         10,632,024   

W.R. Grace & Co.(a)(b)(c)

     149,700         15,014,910   
     

 

 

 
        25,646,934   
     

 

 

 

Telecommunication Services 4.10%

  

  

AT&T, Inc.(a)(b)

     289,100         9,687,741   

China Mobile, Ltd.

     798,000         9,554,667   

China Unicom Hong Kong, Ltd.

     4,152,000         5,126,653   
 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

21


Table of Contents
Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Shares      Value  

 

 

Telecommunication Services (continued)

  

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.

     80,200         $2,981,497   
     

 

 

 
        27,350,558   
     

 

 

 

Utilities 2.35%

  

  

Calpine Corp.(a)(b)(c)

     1,010,000         15,665,100   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Cost $741,498,899)

  

  

     732,639,879   
     

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 3.64%

  

iShares® China Large Cap ETF(a)

     188,808         7,225,682   

iShares® MSCI Japan Index ETF(a)

     299,300         3,687,376   

PowerShares® Deutsche Bank U.S. Dollar Index Bullish Fund(a)(b)(c)

     69,304         1,749,926   

Utilities Select Sector SPDR® ETF(a)(b)

     264,500         11,571,875   
     

 

 

 
        24,234,859   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

(Cost $24,572,410)

  

  

     24,234,859   
     

 

 

 

PARTICIPATION NOTES 2.62%

  

  

Consumer Staples 1.38%

  

  

Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 12/09/2015(c)

     179,210         6,066,617   

Shanghai Jahwa United Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 01/29/2016(c)(d)

     571,400         3,116,809   
     

 

 

 
        9,183,426   
     

 

 

 

Industrials 1.24%

     

Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd. - Class A (Loan Participation Notes issued by Morgan Stanley Asia Products), expiring 11/18/2015(c)

     2,385,611         8,277,419   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL PARTICIPATION NOTES

(Cost $17,665,889)

  

  

     17,460,845   
     

 

 

 
     Shares      Value  

 

 

WARRANTS 0.01%(c)

  

  

Atlas Mara, Ltd., Strike price $11.50, Expires 12/17/2017(e)

     487,322         $60,916   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL WARRANTS

(Cost $4,873)

  

  

     60,916   
     

 

 

 

Description and

Maturity Date

   Principal
Amount
     Value  

 

 

CORPORATE BONDS 6.67%

  

  

American Express Co.

     

Series C, Perpetual Maturity, 4.900%(a)(f)(g)

   $ 3,700,000         3,593,625   

Bank of America Corp.

     

Series AA, Perpetual Maturity, 6.100%(a)(f)(g)

     4,800,000         4,860,000   

Bank of New York Mellon Corp.

     

Series D, Perpetual Maturity, 4.500%(a)(f)(g)

     2,800,000         2,611,000   

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co.

     

11/15/2018, 2.000% (a)

     4,000,000         4,007,472   

Citigroup, Inc.

     

Series N, Perpetual Maturity, 5.800%(a)(f)(g)

     4,800,000         4,776,000   

Series P, Perpetual Maturity, 5.950%(a)(f)(g)

     5,600,000         5,411,000   

Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

     

Perpetual Maturity,
5.500%(a)(e)(f)(g)

     3,825,000         3,767,625   

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

     

Series M, Perpetual Maturity, 5.375%(a)(f)(g)

     4,600,000         4,559,750   

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

     

Series Z, Perpetual Maturity, 5.300%(a)(f)(g)

     4,800,000         4,826,400   

Textron Financial Corp.

     

02/15/2067, 6.000% (a)(e)(f)

     8,200,000         6,088,500   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS

(Cost $46,044,546)

  

  

     44,501,372   
     

 

 

 

ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES 4.14%

  

Federal National Mortgage Association

     

Series AM8004, 02/01/2027, 2.720%

     3,455,045         3,389,036   

Government National Mortgage Association

     

Series 2014-155, Class VA, 03/16/2037, 3.000%(a)

     3,856,177         3,973,231   
 

 

 

22

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

Description and

Maturity Date

   Principal
Amount
    Value  

 

 

ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED
SECURITIES (continued)

   

Series 2012-19, Class AC, 03/16/2039, 2.274%(a)

     $4,000,000        $4,045,702   

Series 2014-86, Class A, 11/16/2040, 2.650%(a)

     2,827,292        2,884,943   

Series 2015-75, Class A, 02/16/2044, 3.000%(a)

     3,968,760        4,103,674   

Series 2015-22, Class A, 08/16/2047, 2.400%

     3,743,934        3,780,252   

Series 2015-2, Class VA, 12/16/2049, 2.500%

     5,411,474        5,397,497   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSET/MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES

(Cost $27,753,468)

   

  

    27,574,335   
    

 

 

 

GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS 12.45%

  

U.S. Treasury Bonds

    

08/15/2040, 3.875% (a)

     22,000,000        26,072,728   

02/15/2042, 3.125% (a)

     8,000,000        8,390,576   

08/15/2042, 2.750% (a)

     16,000,000        15,524,160   

U.S. Treasury Notes

    

09/15/2017, 1.000% (a)

     8,000,000        8,041,872   

09/30/2017, 0.625% (a)

     25,000,000        24,951,900   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS

(Cost $83,360,494)

   

  

    82,981,236   
    

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  

 

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 12.08%

  

Money Market Fund 12.08%

  

 

BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund Portfolio - Institutional Class (0.010% 7-day yield)

     80,547,764        80,547,764   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

(Cost $80,547,764)

  

  

    80,547,764   
    

 

 

 

Total Investments - 151.52%

(Cost $1,021,448,343)

  

  

    1,010,001,206   

Liabilities in Excess of Other
Assets - (51.52%)(h)

   

    (343,412,851
    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS - 100.00%

       $666,588,355   
    

 

 

 
SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES
SOLD SHORT (c)
   Shares     Value  

 

 

COMMON STOCKS (40.60%)

 

 

Consumer Discretionary (1.97%)

 

Hotels (0.71%)

    

MGM Resorts International

     (79,322     $(1,839,477

SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES

SOLD SHORT (c) (continued)

   Shares     Value  

 

 

Consumer Discretionary (continued)

  

Wynn Resorts, Ltd.

     (40,800     $(2,853,960)   
    

 

 

 
       (4,693,437)   
    

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail (1.26%)

 

Expedia, Inc.

     (61,700     (8,409,710)   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

  

    (13,103,147)   
    

 

 

 

Consumer Staples (0.23%)

  

 

Carlsberg A/S - Class B

     (18,345     (1,503,877)   
    

 

 

 

Energy (6.45%)

    

Cheniere Energy, Inc.

     (33,100     (1,639,112)   

Core Laboratories NV

     (34,300     (3,990,119)   

Ensco PLC - Class A

     (438,100     (7,285,603)   

Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

     (75,500     (4,248,385)   

Nabors Industries, Ltd.

     (257,800     (2,588,312)   

National Oilwell Varco, Inc.

     (50,300     (1,893,292)   

Oil States International, Inc.

     (121,400     (3,643,214)   

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

     (185,600     (2,763,584)   

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (1,357,100     (6,622,648)   

Rowan Cos., PLC - A Shares

     (148,202     (2,916,615)   

Transocean, Ltd.

     (341,300     (5,402,779)   
    

 

 

 
       (42,993,663)   
    

 

 

 

Financials (9.20%)

 

 

Commercial Banks (6.73%)

 

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (642,295     (5,536,583)   

Banco Santander S.A. - Sponsored ADR

     (824,900     (4,569,946)   

BNP Paribas S.A.

     (130,317     (7,918,931)   

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA

     (2,178,293     (7,588,502)   

Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. - Class H, Sponsored Preferred ADR

     (1,092,060     (7,480,611)   

Seven Bank, Ltd.

     (849,600     (3,900,542)   

UniCredit SpA

     (729,562     (4,717,307)   

United Overseas Bank, Ltd.

     (217,000     (3,149,125)   
    

 

 

 
       (44,861,547)   
    

 

 

 

Consumer Finance (1.95%)

 

Ally Financial, Inc.

     (111,000     (2,211,120)   

American Express Co.

     (147,134     (10,779,037)   
    

 

 

 
       (12,990,157)   
    

 

 

 

Real Estate Management & Development (0.52%)

  

China Resources Land, Ltd.

     (1,332,000     (3,480,118)   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

       (61,331,822)   
    

 

 

 
 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES

SOLD SHORT (c) (continued)

   Shares     Value  

 

 

Health Care (6.29%)

    

AbbVie, Inc.

     (46,000     $(2,739,300)   

Aetna, Inc.

     (14,814     (1,700,351)   

AmerisourceBergen Corp.

     (26,800     (2,586,468)   

ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

     (138,600     (5,799,024)   

Bruker Corp.

     (218,900     (4,021,193)   

Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

     (56,100     (3,574,131)   

Express Scripts Holding Co.

     (45,200     (3,904,376)   

Horizon Pharma PLC

     (50,100     (787,572)   

Lannett Co., Inc.

     (28,100     (1,258,037)   

Mallinckrodt PLC

     (37,100     (2,436,357)   

Merck & Co., Inc.

     (44,500     (2,432,370)   

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

     (19,400     (969,030)   

Teligent, Inc.

     (235,200     (1,709,904)   

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

     (43,500     (5,123,430)   

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

     (36,900     (2,897,757)   
    

 

 

 
       (41,939,300)   
    

 

 

 

Industrials (13.20%)

    

American Airlines Group, Inc.

     (114,580     (5,295,888)   

Caterpillar, Inc.

     (158,000     (11,532,420)   

Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. NV

     (263,300     (11,814,271)   

Deutsche Lufthansa AG

     (292,237     (4,315,845)   

easyJet PLC

     (176,523     (4,762,243)   

Emerson Electric Co., Inc.

     (78,800     (3,721,724)   

Flowserve Corp.

     (210,900     (9,777,324)   

International Consolidated

    

Airlines Group S.A.

     (453,177     (4,069,452)   

Keppel Corp., Ltd.

     (573,000     (2,895,881)   

Kone OYJ, B Shares

     (86,816     (3,709,857)   

Kuehne + Nagel International AG

     (29,100     (4,036,228)   

Metso OYJ

     (144,970     (3,550,201)   

Pentair PLC

     (64,900     (3,629,208)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings Entitlement - C Shares(d)

     (1,761     (3)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC

     (19     (201)   

Rolls-Royce Holdings Preference - C Shares(d)

     (1,258     (2)   

Sandvik AB

     (570,868     (5,338,806)   

Triumph Group, Inc.

     (45,800     (2,133,364)   

WW Grainger, Inc.

     (35,200     (7,392,000)   
    

 

 

 
       (87,974,918)   
    

 

 

 

Information Technology (3.26%)

 

Corning, Inc.

     (199,400     (3,708,840)   

International Business Machines Corp.

     (48,340     (6,771,467)   

Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.

     (758,000     (3,750,112)   

SCHEDULE OF SECURITIES

SOLD SHORT (c) (continued)

   Shares     Value  

 

 

Information Technology (continued)

  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Sponsored ADR

     (342,400     $(7,519,104)   
    

 

 

 
       (21,749,523)   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Proceeds $257,021,647)

  

  

    (270,596,250)   
    

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (19.19%)

 

Health Care Select Sector SPDR® Fund

     (151,600     (10,815,144)   

iShares® MSCI Brazil Capped ETF

     (314,100     (7,183,467)   

iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

     (336,865     (11,746,483)   

iShares® MSCI South Korea Capped ETF

     (68,700     (3,735,906)   

iShares® Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF

     (15,708     (5,112,326)   

iShares® Russell 2000® ETF

     (242,300     (27,946,882)   

Market Vectors® Oil Service ETF

     (249,100     (7,614,987)   

Market Vectors® Semiconductor ETF

     (69,600     (3,773,016)   

SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust

     (240,550     (50,017,561)   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

(Proceeds $121,147,155)

  

  

    (127,945,772)   
    

 

 

 

PREFERRED STOCKS (0.44%)

  

Financials (0.44%)

    

Commercial Banks (0.44%)

  

 

Banco Bradesco S.A. - ADR

     (539,100     (2,932,704)   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS

(Proceeds $3,036,400)

  

  

    (2,932,704)   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT

(Proceeds $381,205,202)

  

  

    $(401,474,726)   
    

 

 

 

 

(a)

Pledged security; a portion or all of the security is pledged as collateral for securities sold short or borrowings. As of October 31, 2015, the aggregate market value of those securities was $782,851,931 representing 117.44% of net assets. (See Note 1 and Note 6)

(b)

Loaned security; a portion or all of the security is on loan as of October 31, 2015.

(c)

Non-income producing security.

(d)

Fair valued security; valued by management in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. As of October 31, 2015, these securities had an aggregate market value of $8,543,804 or 1.28% of total net assets.

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

(e)

Security exempt from registration of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration under Rule 144A, normally to qualified institutional buyers. As of October 31, 2015, these securities had an aggregate market value of $29,634,155 or 4.45% of net assets.

(f) 

Floating or variable rate security - rate disclosed as of October 31, 2015.

(g)

This security has no contractual maturity date, is not redeemable and contractually pays an indefinite stream of interest.

(h)

Includes cash which is being held as collateral for total return swap contracts or futures contracts.

 

 

 

FUTURES CONTRACTS

 

Description    Position    Contracts    Expiration
Date
   Underlying Face
Amount at Value
    Unrealized  
Appreciation  
 

Foreign Currency Contracts

             

Japanese Yen Currency Future

   Short    221    12/15/2015    $ (22,895,600   $ 43,457       
           

 

 

 
            $ (22,895,600   $ 43,457       
           

 

 

 

TOTAL RETURN SWAP CONTRACTS

 

Counter Party  

Reference

Entity/Obligation

  Notional
Amount
   

Floating Rate

Paid by the Fund

    Floating
Rate Index
    Termination
Date
 

Net Unrealized  

Appreciation  

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley

  Bharti Infratel, Ltd.   $ 2,303,178        30 bps + 1D FEDEF        1 D FEDEF      12/27/2016   $ 746,762     

Morgan Stanley

  Housing Development Finance Corp.     2,767,835        30 bps + 1D FEDEF        1 D FEDEF      12/27/2016     153,147     

Morgan Stanley

  LG Electronics, Inc.     (2,878,931)        50 bps - 1D FEDEF        1 D FEDEF      10/30/2017     14,890     

Morgan Stanley

  Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd.     450,817        55 bps + 1D FEDEF        1 D FEDEF      01/05/2017     52,987     

 

 
    $ 2,642,899            $ 967,786     

 

 
Counter Party  

Reference

Entity/Obligation

  Notional
Amount
   

Floating Rate

Paid by the Fund

    Floating
Rate Index
    Termination
Date
  Net Unrealized  
Depreciation  
 

 

 

Credit Suisse

  Bharti Airtel, Ltd.   $ 3,515,155        75 bps + 1M LIBOR        1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017   $ (235,655 )   

Morgan Stanley

  Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.     (1,944,975)        50 bps - 1D FEDEF        1 D FEDEF      05/04/2017     (68,138 )   

Credit Suisse

  Larsen & Toubro, Ltd.     2,538,839        75 bps + 1M LIBOR        1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017     (531,038 )   

Credit Suisse

  Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.     779,669        75 bps + 1M LIBOR        1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017     (11,710 )   

Morgan Stanley

  Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.     3,220,781        30 bps + 1D FEDEF        1 D FEDEF      12/27/2016     (423,268 )   

Credit Suisse

  Shriram Transport Finance Co., Ltd.     3,670,385        75 bps + 1M LIBOR        1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017     (520,510 )   

Credit Suisse

  Ultratech Cement, Ltd.     4,196,269        75 bps + 1M LIBOR        1 M LIBOR      11/30/2017     (136,252 )   

 

 
    $ 15,976,123            $ (1,926,571 )   

 

 
    $   18,619,022            $ (958,785 )   

 

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Funds    Statement of Investments
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

Abbreviations:

1D FEDEF - Federal Funds Effective Rate (Daily)

AB - Aktiebolag is the Swedish equivalent of the term corporation

ADR - American Depositary Receipt

AG - Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e., owned by shareholders

A/S - Aktieselskab, Joint Stock Company in Denmark

bps - Basis Points

ETF - Exchange Traded Fund

1M LIBOR - London Interbank Offered Rate (Monthly)

LLC - Limited Liability Corporation

Ltd. - Limited

MSCI - Morgan Stanley Capital International

NV - Naamloze Vennootschap (Dutch: Limited Liability Company)

OYJ - Osakeyhtio is the Finnish equivalent of a public limited company.

PLC - Public Limited Company

S.A. - Generally designates corporations in various countries, mostly those employing the civil law.

SpA - Societa` Per Azioni is an Italian shared company

S&P - Standard & Poor’s

SPDR - Standard & Poor’s Depositary Receipt

For Fund compliance purposes, each Fund’s industry classifications refer to any one of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes, and/or as defined by each Fund’s management. This definition may not apply for purposes of this report, which may combine industry sub-classifications for reporting ease. Industries are shown as a percent of net assets. These industry classifications are unaudited.

 

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Funds    Statements of Assets and Liabilities
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

     Clough Global      Clough Global      Clough Global  
      Allocation Fund      Equity Fund      Opportunities Fund  

ASSETS:

        

Investments, at value (Cost - see below)*

   $ 242,812,877         $ 402,429,507       $ 1,010,001,206     

Cash

     2,135,812           2,179,946         7,306,397     

Foreign Currency, at value (Cost $735,617, $2,273,674 and $4,493,539)

     736,717           2,275,506         4,497,966     

Deposit with broker for futures contracts

     156,000           261,000         663,000     

Deposit with broker for securities sold short

     97,542,826           169,253,415         400,761,504     

Deposit with brokers for total return swap contracts

     6,003,637           10,555,207         24,821,450     

Unrealized appreciation on total return swap contracts

     228,337           364,280         967,786     

Dividends receivable

     170,071           243,540         538,716     

Interest receivable

     307,204           241,677         1,238,432     

Receivable for investments sold

     12,462,834           19,634,107         49,626,961     

Total Assets

     362,556,315           607,438,185         1,500,423,418     

LIABILITIES:

        

Loan payable

     93,300,000           156,000,000         388,900,000     

Interest due on loan payable

     8,026           13,421         33,457     

Variation margin payable

     18,525           30,994         78,731     

Securities sold short (Proceeds $91,735,378, $160,248,810 and $381,205,202)

     96,595,895           167,759,912         401,474,726     

Payable for investments purchased

     9,068,716           15,158,016         39,162,001     

Unrealized depreciation on total return swap contracts

     469,734           953,957         1,926,571     

Dividends payable - short sales

     79,573           132,416         329,722     

Interest payable - margin account

     61,735           119,026         255,094     

Accrued investment advisory fee

     215,032           464,340         1,268,286     

Accrued administration fee

     87,549           165,099         405,852     

Accrued trustees fee

     148           148         148     

Other payables and accrued expenses

     475           65,209         475     

Total Liabilities

     199,905,408           340,862,538         833,835,063     

Net Assets

   $ 162,650,907         $ 266,575,647       $ 666,588,355     
   

Cost of Investments

   $   242,590,055         $   397,934,581       $   1,021,448,343     
   

COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS:

        

Paid-in capital

   $ 165,478,928         $ 263,692,992       $ 712,547,900     

Overdistributed net investment income

     (2,560,125)           (7,253,121)         (16,052,685)     

Accumulated net realized gain on investment securities, futures contracts, securities sold short, written options, total return swap contracts and foreign currency transactions

     4,602,204           13,726,815         2,730,657     

Net unrealized depreciation in value of investment securities, futures contracts, securities sold short, total return swap contracts and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency

     (4,870,100)           (3,591,039)         (32,637,517)     

Net Assets

   $ 162,650,907         $ 266,575,647       $ 666,588,355     
   

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

     10,392,606           17,653,305         51,574,059     
   

Net asset value per share

   $ 15.65         $ 15.10       $ 12.92     
   

*    Securities Loaned, at value

   $ 68,044,493         $ 131,860,627       $ 317,940,874     

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

27


Table of Contents
Clough Global Funds    Statements of Operations
  

 

For the year ended October 31, 2015

 

 

     Clough Global      Clough Global      Clough Global  
      Allocation Fund      Equity Fund      Opportunities Fund  

INVESTMENT INCOME:

        

Dividends (net of foreign withholding taxes of $50,121, $87,866 and $206,972)

   $ 3,043,514         $ 4,629,388       $ 10,885,209     

Interest on investment securities

     1,082,166           613,000         4,403,414     

Hypothecated securities income (See Note 6)

     53,372           95,262         248,613     

Total Income

     4,179,052           5,337,650         15,537,236     

EXPENSES:

        

Investment advisory fee

     2,549,983           5,449,290         15,061,787     

Administration fee

     1,038,208           1,937,525         4,819,772     

Interest on loan

     927,395           1,550,628         3,865,636     

Interest expense - margin account

     484,792           823,911         2,010,536     

Trustees fee

     154,795           173,695         154,795     

Dividend expense - short sales

     1,719,699           2,866,504         7,133,944     

Other expenses

     85,186           503,178         345,042     

Total Expenses

     6,960,058           13,304,731         33,391,512     

Net Investment Loss

     (2,781,006)           (7,967,081)         (17,854,276)     

NET REALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) ON:

        

Investment securities

     15,967,179           25,881,488         73,407,994     

Futures contracts

     (230,550)           (365,111)         (943,537)     

Securities sold short

     875,223           510,269         3,220,497     

Written options

     (64,853)           (89,508)         (273,567)     

Total return swap contracts

     492,704           809,544         2,052,697     

Foreign currency transactions

     (171,689)           (309,402)         (796,416)     

Long-term capital gains distributions from other investment companies

     134,798                   6,811     

NET CHANGE IN UNREALIZED APPRECIATION/(DEPRECIATION) ON:

        

Investment securities

     (12,030,047)           (17,087,295)         (53,855,662)     

Futures contracts

     10,225           17,108         43,457     

Securities sold short

     (672,541)           (666,023)         (2,637,957)     

Written options

     24,188           30,195         106,238     

Total return swap contracts

     (587,780)           (1,152,988)         (2,415,201)     

Translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

     22,010           47,769         121,062     

Net gain on investment securities, futures contracts, securities sold short, written options, total return swap contracts and foreign currency transactions

     3,768,867           7,626,046         18,036,416     

Net Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets Attributable to Common Shares from Operations

   $ 987,861         $ (341,035)       $ 182,140     
   

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

28

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Statements of Changes in Net Assets
  

 

 

     For the      For the Period      For the  
     Year Ended      Ended October 31,      Year Ended  
      October 31, 2015      2014 (1)      March 31, 2014  

COMMON SHAREHOLDERS OPERATIONS:

        

Net investment loss

   $ (2,781,006)         $ (1,211,780)       $ (2,700,749)     

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

        

Investment securities

     15,967,179           9,263,719         33,757,575     

Futures contracts

     (230,550)                   –     

Securities sold short

     875,223           (4,048,850)         (11,724,746)     

Written options

     (64,853)           1,626,786         1,157,134     

Total return swap contracts

     492,704           127,759         (397,065)     

Foreign currency transactions

     (171,689)           (1,107,584)         (1,364,844)     

Long-term capital gains distributions from other investment companies

     134,798                   –     

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

        

Investment securities

     (12,030,047)           (3,767,515)         1,545,066     

Futures contracts

     10,225                   –     

Securities sold short

     (672,541)           776,488         (3,663,378)     

Written options

     24,188           (262,076)         237,888     

Total return swap contracts

     (587,780)           527,780         387,137     

Translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

     22,010           (23,378)         1,667     

Net Increase in Net Assets From Operations

     987,861           1,901,349         17,235,685     

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS:

        

Net investment income

     (678,815)           (1,428,310)         (2,508,129)     

Net realized gains

     (14,017,538)           (6,241,125)         (13,300,299)     

Net Decrease in Net Assets from Distributions

     (14,696,353)           (7,669,435)         (15,808,428)     

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

        

Repurchase of fund shares

     (609,034)                   –     

Net Decrease in Net Assets From Share Transactions

     (609,034)                   –     
                            

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

     (14,317,526)           (5,768,086)         1,427,257     

NET ASSETS ATTRIBUABLE TO COMMON SHARES:

        

Beginning of period

     176,968,433           182,736,519         181,309,262     

End of period*

   $ 162,650,907         $ 176,968,433       $ 182,736,519     
   

*Includes Overdistributed Net Investment Income of:

   $ (2,560,125)         $ (421,661)       $ (25,714)     

 

(1)

The Board announced, on September 12, 2014, approval to change the fiscal year-end of the Fund from March 31 to October 31 (See Note 1).

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

29


Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Statements of Changes in Net Assets
  

 

 

     For the      For the Period      For the  
     Year Ended      Ended October 31,      Year Ended  
      October 31, 2015      2014 (1)      March 31, 2014  

COMMON SHAREHOLDERS OPERATIONS:

        

Net investment loss

   $ (7,967,081)         $ (2,960,128)         $ (5,959,391)     

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

        

Investment securities

     25,881,488           21,552,419           59,677,261     

Futures contracts

     (365,111)           –           –     

Securities sold short

     510,269           (6,922,240)           (19,377,471)     

Written options

     (89,508)           2,711,856           2,132,270     

Total return swap contracts

     809,544           208,335           (778,872)     

Foreign currency transactions

     (309,402)           (1,873,544)           (2,282,452)     

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

        

Investment securities

     (17,087,295)           (13,626,546)           7,138,315     

Futures contracts

     17,108           –           –     

Securities sold short

     (666,023)           1,519,793           (6,297,210)     

Written options

     30,195           (426,675)           396,480     

Total return swap contracts

     (1,152,988)           850,925           912,341     

Translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

     47,769           (49,915)           2,278     

Net Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets From Operations

     (341,035)           984,280           35,563,549     

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS:

        

Net investment income

     (728,765)           (1,468,195)           (6,725,986)     

Net realized gains

     (23,457,129)           (11,644,723)           (19,589,053)     

Net Decrease in Net Assets from Distributions

     (24,185,894)           (13,112,918)           (26,315,039)     

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

        

Repurchase of fund shares

     (2,726,913)           –           –     

Net Decrease in Net Assets From Share Transactions

     (2,726,913)           –           –     
                            

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

     (27,253,842)           (12,128,638)           9,248,510     

NET ASSETS ATTRIBUABLE TO COMMON SHARES:

        

Beginning of period

     293,829,489           305,958,127           296,709,617     

End of period*

   $ 266,575,647         $ 293,829,489         $ 305,958,127     
   

* Includes Overdistributed Net Investment Income of:

   $ (7,253,121)         $ (689,161)         $ (58,333)     

 

(1)

The Board announced, on September 12, 2014, approval to change the fiscal year-end of the Fund from March 31 to October 31 (See Note 1).

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Statements of Changes in Net Assets
  

 

 

 

     For the      For the Period      For the  
     Year Ended      Ended October 31,      Year Ended  
      October 31, 2015      2014 (1)      March 31, 2014  

COMMON SHAREHOLDERS OPERATIONS:

        

Net investment loss

   $ (17,854,276)         $ (7,695,986)         $ (16,433,509)     

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

        

Investment securities

     73,407,994           56,231,878           154,280,979     

Futures contracts

     (943,537)           –           –     

Securities sold short

     3,220,497           (16,856,654)           (49,230,469)     

Written options

     (273,567)           6,494,088           2,518,366     

Total return swap contracts

     2,052,697           536,860           (1,681,206)     

Foreign currency transactions

     (796,416)           (4,657,276)           (5,764,401)     

Long-term capital gains distributions from other investment companies

     6,811           –           –     

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

        

Investment securities

     (53,855,662)           (33,118,469)           1,301,682     

Futures contracts

     43,457           –           –     

Securities sold short

     (2,637,957)           3,202,670           (15,331,017)     

Written options

     106,238           (1,057,790)           951,552     

Total return swap contracts

     (2,415,201)           2,223,549           1,634,232     

Translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

     121,062           (126,915)           6,869     

Net Increase in Net Assets From Operations

     182,140           5,175,955           72,253,078     

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS:

        

Net investment income

     –           –           (5,714,309)     

Net realized gains

     (61,512,262)           (34,405,011)           (64,906,503)     

Net Decrease in Net Assets from Distributions

     (61,512,262)           (34,405,011)           (70,620,812)     

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

        

Repurchase of fund shares

     (1,936,592)           –           –     

Net Decrease in Net Assets From Share Transactions

     (1,936,592)           –           –     
                            

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

     (63,266,714)           (29,229,056)           1,632,266     

NET ASSETS ATTRIBUABLE TO COMMON SHARES:

        

Beginning of period

     729,855,069           759,084,125           757,451,859     

End of period*

   $ 666,588,355         $ 729,855,069         $     759,084,125     
   

* Includes Overdistributed Net Investment Income of:

   $ (16,052,685)         $ (4,172,614)         $ (4,669,930)     

 

(1)

The Board announced, on September 12, 2014, approval to change the fiscal year-end of the Fund from March 31 to October 31 (See Note 1).

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

31


Table of Contents
Clough Global Funds    Statements of Cash Flows
  

 

For the year ended October 31, 2015

 

 

     Clough Global      Clough Global      Clough Global  
      Allocation Fund      Equity Fund      Opportunities Fund  

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

        

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations

   $ 987,861         $ (341,035)         $ 182,140     

Adjustments to reconcile net increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations to net cash provided by operating activities:

        

Purchase of investment securities

     (416,870,159)               (605,413,825)           (1,736,378,453)     

Proceeds from disposition of investment securities

     449,355,685           670,601,636           1,879,040,992     

Proceeds from securities sold short transactions

     340,776,731           575,332,980           1,437,746,626     

Cover securities sold short transactions

     (309,444,074)           (516,280,362)           (1,308,278,363)     

Premiums received from written options transactions

     167,503           298,701           698,430     

Premiums paid on closing written options transactions

     (251,161)           (420,739)           (1,052,872)     

Purchased options transactions

     (37,679)           (63,100)           (157,298)     

Other cost adjustments

     31,690           52,614           131,234     

Net purchases of short-term investment securities

     (11,106,856)           (32,531,823)           (64,548,176)     

Net realized gain from investment securities

     (15,967,179)           (25,881,488)           (73,407,994)     

Net realized gain on securities sold short

     (875,223)           (510,269)           (3,220,497)     

Net realized loss on written options

     64,853           89,508           273,567     

Net realized gain/(loss) on foreign currency transactions

     25           (5)           140     

Net realized gain on long-term capital gains distributions from other investment companies

     (134,798)           –           (6,811)     

Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment securities

     12,030,047           17,087,295           53,855,662     

Net change in unrealized depreciation on securities sold short

     672,541           666,023           2,637,957     

Net change in unrealized appreciation on written options

     (24,188)           (30,195)           (106,238)     

Net change in unrealized depreciation on total return swap contracts

     587,780           1,152,988           2,415,201     

Net change in unrealized appreciation on translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

     (22,010)           (47,769)           (121,062)     

Net amortization/(accretion) of premiums/discounts

     19,330           28,393           82,268     

Increase in deposits with broker for futures contracts

     (156,000)           (261,000)           (663,000)     

Increase in deposits with broker for securities sold short

     (32,283,087)           (60,198,557)           (128,936,241)     

Increase in deposits with brokers for total return swap contracts

     (4,054,280)           (7,395,052)           (16,619,097)     

Increase/(Decrease) in dividends receivable

     (32,985)           (3,269)           35,098     

Decrease in interest receivable

     93,233           208,931           302,559     

Increase in interest due on loan payable

     3,194           5,342           13,316     

Increase in variation margin payable

     18,525           30,994           78,731     

Increase in dividends payable - short sales

     76,061           126,549           315,098     

Increase in interest payable - margin account

     34,760           74,187           142,775     

Increase in accrued investment advisory fee

     9,417           25,414           49,887     

Increase in accrued administration fee

     3,834           9,036           15,964     

Decrease in accrued trustees fee

     (14,404)           (14,404)           (14,404)     

Increase in other payables and accrued expenses

     311           65,019           310     

Net cash provided by operating activities

     13,659,298           16,462,718           44,507,449     

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

        

Repurchase of fund shares

     (609,034)           (2,726,913)           (1,936,592)     

Cash distributions paid

     (14,696,353)           (24,185,894)           (61,512,262)     

Net cash used in financing activities

     (15,305,387)           (26,912,807)           (63,448,854)     

Effect of exchange rates on cash

     22,010           47,769           121,062     

Net Change in Cash and Foreign Rates on Cash and Foreign Currency

     (1,624,079)           (10,402,320)           (18,820,343)     

Cash and foreign currency, beginning of period

   $ 4,496,608         $ 14,857,772         $ 30,624,706     

Cash and foreign currency, end of period

   $ 2,872,529         $ 4,455,452         $ 11,804,363     
   

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

        

Cash paid during the period for interest from bank borrowing:

   $ 924,201         $ 1,545,286         $ 3,852,320     

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

32

 

 

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Table of Contents
Clough Global Allocation Fund    Financial Highlights
  

 

For a share outstanding throughout the period/years indicated

 

 

    For the     For the Period     For the     For the     For the     For the  
    Year Ended     Ended October     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    October 31, 2015     31, 2014(1)     March 31, 2014     March 31, 2013     March 31, 2012     March 31, 2011  

 

 

PER COMMON SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE:

  

Net asset value - beginning of period

    $16.96        $17.51        $17.38        $16.30        $18.35        $16.90   

 

 

Income from investment operations:

           

Net investment income/(loss)*

    (0.27)        (0.12)        (0.26)        (0.01)        0.26        0.38   

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    0.38        0.31        1.90        2.29        (1.11)        2.27   

 

 

Total Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations

    0.11        0.19        1.64        2.28        (0.85)        2.65   

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

  

Net investment income

    (0.07)        (0.14)        (0.24)        (0.90)        (1.20)        (1.20)   

Net realized gains

    (1.34)        (0.60)        (1.27)        (0.30)                 

 

 

Total Distributions to Common Shareholders

    (1.41)        (0.74)        (1.51)        (1.20)        (1.20)        (1.20)   

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

  

Dilutive impact of capital share transactions*

    (0.01)                                      

Total Capital Share Transactions

    (0.01)                                      

Net asset value - end of period

    $15.65        $16.96        $17.51        $17.38        $16.30        $18.35   
   

Market price - end of period

    $13.60        $14.60        $15.18        $15.07        $13.94        $16.24   
   

Total Investment Return - Net Asset Value:(2)

    1.61%        1.68%        11.14%        16.19%        (3.48)%        17.30%   

Total Investment Return-Market Price:(2)

    2.57%        0.97%        11.12%        17.81%        (6.73)%        10.20%   

RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:

  

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

    $162,651        $176,968        $182,737        $181,309        $170,120        $191,502   

Ratios to average net assets attributable to common shareholders:

           

Total expenses

    3.95%        3.25% (3)      3.34%        3.24%        3.05%        2.87%   

Total expenses excluding interest expense and dividends on short sales expense

    2.17%        2.00% (3)      1.94%        1.93%        1.80%        1.74%   

Net investment income/(loss)

    (1.58)        (1.15) (3)      (1.47)        (0.04)        1.61        2.28   

Portfolio turnover rate(4)

    172%        110%        179%        250%        192%        172%   

Borrowings at End of Period

  

Aggregate Amount Outstanding (000s)

    $93,300        $93,300        $93,300        $89,800        $89,800        $89,800   

Asset Coverage Per $1,000 (000s)

    $2,743        $2,897        $2,959        $3,019        $2,894        $3,133   

 

* 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(1)

The Board announced, on September 12, 2014, approval to change the fiscal year-end of the Fund from March 31 to October 31 (See Note 1).

(2)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of a common share at the opening on the first day and a sale at the closing on the last day of each period reported. Dividends and distributions, if any, are assumed for purposes of this calculation to be reinvested at price obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment returns do not reflect brokerage commissions on the purchase or sale of the Fund’s common shares. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Total returns for the period indicated are not annualized.

(3)

Annualized.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate for periods less than one full year have not been annualized.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

33


Table of Contents
Clough Global Equity Fund    Financial Highlights
  

 

For a share outstanding throughout the period/years indicated

 

 

 

    For the     For the Period     For the     For the     For the     For the  
    Year Ended     Ended October     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
     October 31, 2015     31, 2014(1)     March 31, 2014     March 31, 2013     March 31, 2012     March 31, 2011  

PER COMMON SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE:

  

Net asset value - beginning of period

    $16.47        $17.15        $16.63        $15.53        $17.62        $16.29   

Income from investment operations:

           

Net investment income/(loss)*

    (0.45)        (0.17)        (0.33)        (0.06)        0.21        0.30   

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    0.46        0.23        2.33        2.32        (1.14)        2.19   

Total Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations

    0.01        0.06        2.00        2.26        (0.93)        2.49   

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

  

Net investment income

    (0.04)        (0.08)        (0.38)        (0.87)        (1.14)        (1.16)   

Net realized gains

    (1.32)        (0.66)        (1.10)        (0.29)                 

Tax return of capital

                                (0.02)          

 

 

Total Distributions to Common Shareholders

    (1.36)        (0.74)        (1.48)        (1.16)        (1.16)        (1.16)   

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

  

Dilutive impact of capital share transactions*

    (0.02)                                      

Total Capital Share Transactions

    (0.02)                                      

Net asset value - end of period

    $15.10        $16.47        $17.15        $16.63        $15.53        $17.62   
   

Market price - end of period

    $12.92        $14.34        $15.42        $14.70        $13.09        $15.37   
   

Total Investment Return - Net Asset Value:(2)

    0.76%        0.86%        13.57%        16.90%        (4.08)%        17.05%   

Total Investment Return - Market Price:(2)

    (0.98)%        (2.33)%        15.52%        22.60%        (7.32)%        16.07%   

RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:

  

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

    $266,576        $293,829        $305,958        $296,710        $277,061        $314,355   

Ratios to average net assets attributable to common shareholders:

           

Total expenses

    4.56%        3.68%(3)        3.76%        3.67%        3.43%        3.23%   

Total expenses excluding interest expense and dividends on short sales expense

    2.77%        2.42%(3)        2.36%        2.35%        2.18%        2.10%   

Net investment income/(loss)

    (2.73)%        (1.68)%(3)        (1.95)%        (0.37)%        1.34%        1.87%   

Portfolio turnover rate(4)

    154%        102%        166%        250%        183%        173%   

 

 

Borrowings at End of Period

  

Aggregate Amount Outstanding (000s)

    $156,000        $156,000        $156,000        $147,000        $147,000        $147,000   

Asset Coverage Per $1,000 (000s)

    $2,709        $2,884        $2,961        $3,018        $2,885        $3,138   

 

* 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(1)

The Board announced, on September 12, 2014, approval to change the fiscal year-end of the Fund from March 31 to October 31 (See Note 1).

(2)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of a common share at the opening on the first day and a sale at the closing on the last day of each period reported. Dividends and distributions, if any, are assumed for purposes of this calculation to be reinvested at price obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment returns do not reflect brokerage commissions on the purchase or sale of the Fund’s common shares. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Total returns for the period indicated are not annualized.

(3)

Annualized.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate for periods less than one full year have not been annualized.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

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Clough Global Opportunities Fund    Financial Highlights
  

 

For a share outstanding throughout the period/years indicated

 

 

    For the     For the Period     For the     For the     For the     For the  
    Year Ended     Ended October     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
     October 31, 2015     31, 2014(1)     March 31, 2014     March 31, 2013     March 31, 2012     March 31, 2011  

PER COMMON SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE:

  

     

Net asset value - beginning of period

    $14.11        $14.67        $14.64        $13.84        $15.72        $14.68   

 

 

Income from investment operations:

           

Net investment income/(loss)*

    (0.35)        (0.15)        (0.32)        (0.09)        0.14        0.25   

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    0.36        0.26        1.72        1.97        (0.94)        1.87   

 

 

Total Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations

    0.01        0.11        1.40        1.88        (0.80)        2.12   

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

  

     

Net investment income

                  (0.11)        (1.08)        (1.05)        (1.08)   

Net realized gains

    (1.19)        (0.67)        (1.26)                        

Tax return of capital

                                (0.03)          

Total Distributions to Common Shareholders

    (1.19)        (0.67)        (1.37)        (1.08)        (1.08)        (1.08)   

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

  

     

Dilutive impact of capital share transactions*

    (0.01)                                      

Total Capital Share Transactions

    (0.01)                                      

Net asset value - end of period

    $12.92        $14.11        $14.67        $14.64        $13.84        $15.72   
   

Market price - end of period

    $11.25        $12.18        $12.75        $12.87        $11.78        $13.85   
   

Total Investment Return - Net Asset Value:(2)

    1.13%        1.39%        11.26%        15.87%        (3.88)%        16.21%   

Total Investment Return - Market Price:(2)

    1.93%        0.70%        9.99%        19.67%        (7.14)%        15.27%   

RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:

  

     

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

    $666,588        $729,855        $759,084        $757,452        $716,213        $813,178   

Ratios to average net assets attributable to common shareholders:

           

Total expenses

    4.62%        3.86%(3)        3.97%        3.86%        3.61%        3.40%   

Total expenses excluding interest expense and dividends on short sales expense

    2.82%        2.60%(3)        2.55%        2.52%        2.35%        2.25%   

Net investment income/(loss)

    (2.47)%        (1.76)%(3)        (2.15)%        (0.64)%        1.04%        1.74%   

Portfolio turnover rate(4)

    176%        111%        178%        241%        193%        171%   

Borrowings at End of Period

  

     

Aggregate Amount Outstanding (000s)

    $388,900        $388,900        $388,900        $388,900        $388,900        $388,900   

Asset Coverage Per $1,000 (000s)

    $2,714        $2,877        $2,952        $2,948        $2,842        $3,091   

 

*

Based on average shares outstanding.

(1)

The Board announced, on September 12, 2014, approval to change the fiscal year-end of the Fund from March 31 to October 31 (See Note 1).

(2)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of a common share at the opening on the first day and a sale at the closing on the last day of each period reported. Dividends and distributions, if any, are assumed for purposes of this calculation to be reinvested at price obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment returns do not reflect brokerage commissions on the purchase or sale of the Fund’s common shares. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Total returns for the period indicated are not annualized.

(3)

Annualized.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate for periods less than one full year have not been annualized.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING AND OPERATING POLICIES

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, and Clough Global Opportunities Fund, are closed-end management investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). The Funds were organized under the laws of the state of Delaware by an Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated April 27, 2004 and January 25, 2005, respectively for Clough Global Allocation Fund and Clough Global Equity Fund, and an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 12, 2006, for Clough Global Opportunities Fund. The Funds were previously registered as non-diversified investment companies. As a result of ongoing operations, each of the Funds became a diversified company. The Funds may not resume operating in a non-diversified manner without first obtaining shareholder approval. Each Fund’s investment objective is to provide a high level of total return. Each Declaration of Trust provides that the Board of Trustees may authorize separate classes of shares of beneficial interest. The common shares of Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, and Clough Global Opportunities Fund are listed on the NYSE MKT and trade under the ticker symbols “GLV”, “GLQ” and “GLO” respectively. The Board of Trustees of each Fund announced, on September 12, 2014, that it had approved a change to the Funds’ fiscal year-end from March 31 to October 31.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Funds. These policies are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements during the reporting period. Management believes the estimates and security valuations are appropriate; however, actual results may differ from those estimates, and the security valuations reflected in the financial statements may differ from the value the Funds ultimately realize upon sale of the securities. Each Fund is considered an investment company for financial reporting purposes under GAAP.

The net asset value per share of each Fund is determined no less frequently than daily, on each day that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE” or the “Exchange”) is open for trading, as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time). Trading may take place in foreign issues held by the Fund at times when a Fund is not open for business. As a result, each Fund’s net asset value may change at times when it is not possible to purchase or sell shares of a Fund.

Investment Valuation: Securities, including futures contracts, held by each Fund for which exchange quotations are readily available are valued at the last sale price, or if no sale price or if traded on the over-the-counter market, at the mean of the bid and asked prices on such day. Most securities listed on a foreign exchange are valued at the last sale price at the close of the exchange on which the security is primarily traded. In certain countries market maker prices are used since they are the most representative of the daily trading activity. Market maker prices are usually the mean between the bid and ask prices. Certain markets are not closed at the time that the Funds price their portfolio securities. In these situations, snapshot prices are provided by the individual pricing services or other alternate sources at the close of the NYSE as appropriate. Securities not traded on a particular day are valued at the mean between the last reported bid and the asked quotes, or the last sale price when appropriate; otherwise fair value will be determined by the board-appointed fair valuation committee. Debt securities for which the over-the-counter market is the primary market are normally valued on the basis of prices furnished by one or more pricing services or dealers at the mean between the latest available bid and asked prices. As authorized by the Board of Trustees, debt securities (including short-term obligations that will mature in 60 days or less) may be valued on the basis of valuations furnished by a pricing service which determines valuations based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of securities or a matrix method which considers yield or price of comparable bonds provided by a pricing service. Over-the-counter options are valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by dealers. Exchange-traded options are valued at closing settlement prices. Total return swaps are priced based on valuations provided by a Board approved independent third party pricing agent. If a total return swap price cannot be obtained from an independent third party pricing agent the Fund shall seek to obtain a bid price from at least one independent and/or executing broker.

If the price of a security is unavailable in accordance with the aforementioned pricing procedures, or the price of a security is unreliable, e.g., due to the occurrence of a significant event, the security may be valued at its fair value determined by management pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. For this purpose, fair value is the price that a Fund reasonably expects to receive on a current sale of the security. Due to the number of variables affecting the price of a security, however; it is possible that the fair value of a security may not accurately reflect the price that a Fund could actually receive on a sale of the security.

A three-tier hierarchy has been established to classify fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on the best information available.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

Various inputs are used in determining the value of each Fund’s investments as of the reporting period end. These inputs are categorized in the following hierarchy under applicable financial accounting standards:

 

Level 1 –

 

Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities that a Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date;

Level 2 –

 

Quoted prices which are not active, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable (either directly or indirectly) for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and

Level 3 –

 

Significant unobservable prices or inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of October 31, 2015, in valuing each Fund’s investments carried at value. The Funds recognize transfers between the levels as of the end of the period in which the transfer occurred. There were no transfers between Levels 1 and 2 during the year ended October 31, 2015.

Clough Global Allocation Fund

 

Investments in Securities at Value*        Level 1              Level 2                 Level 3                  Total      

 

 

Common Stocks

       

Consumer Discretionary

   $ 45,634,048       $      $       $ 45,634,048       

Consumer Staples

     553,168                        553,168       

Energy

     6,560,213         1,323,337                7,883,550       

Financials

     46,760,578                        46,760,578       

Health Care

     22,557,299                        22,557,299       

Industrials

     20,341,497                        20,341,497       

Information Technology

     17,446,629                        17,446,629       

Materials

     5,532,790                        5,532,790       

Telecommunication Services

     6,605,198                        6,605,198       

Utilities

     3,795,297                        3,795,297       

Exchange Traded Funds

     5,845,101                        5,845,101       

Closed-End Funds

     5,101,669                        5,101,669       

Participation Notes

             4,237,487                4,237,487       

Warrants

     14,620                        14,620       

Corporate Bonds

             10,653,818                10,653,818       

Asset/Mortgage Backed Securities

             6,101,197                6,101,197       

Government & Agency Obligations

             19,142,177                19,142,177       

Short-Term Investments

       

Money Market Fund

     14,606,754                        14,606,754       

 

 

TOTAL

   $     201,354,861       $     41,458,016      $       $     242,812,877       

 

 

 

 
Other Financial Instruments                    

 

 

Assets

       

Futures Contracts**

   $ 10,225       $      $       $ 10,225       

Total Return Swap Contracts**

             228,337                228,337       

Liabilities

       

Securities Sold Short*

       

Common Stocks

       

Consumer Discretionary

     (3,118,419)                        (3,118,419)      

Consumer Staples

     (364,226)                        (364,226)      

Energy

     (10,323,290)                        (10,323,290)      

Financials

     (14,821,158)                        (14,821,158)      

Health Care

     (10,143,251)                        (10,143,251)      

Industrials

     (21,246,010)         (2             (21,246,012)      

Information Technology

     (5,263,506)                        (5,263,506)      

Exchange Traded Funds

     (30,606,657)                        (30,606,657)      

Preferred Stocks

     (709,376)                        (709,376)      

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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October 31, 2015

 

 

 

Other Financial Instruments

           

 

 

Total Return Swap Contracts**

             (469,734)                 (469,734)      

 

 

TOTAL

   $ (96,585,668)       $ (241,399)       $       $ (96,827,067)      

 

 

 

 

Clough Global Equity Fund

           
Investments in Securities at Value*        Level 1              Level 2                  Level 3                  Total      

Common Stocks

           

Consumer Discretionary

   $ 82,754,604       $       $       $ 82,754,604       

Consumer Staples

     918,654                         918,654       

Energy

     11,095,427         2,203,200                 13,298,627       

Financials

     82,955,634                         82,955,634       

Health Care

     39,236,674         830,375                 40,067,049       

Industrials

     34,333,339                         34,333,339       

Information Technology

     33,431,584                         33,431,584       

Materials

     10,267,494                         10,267,494       

Telecommunication Services

     11,049,357                         11,049,357       

Utilities

     6,309,468                         6,309,468       

Exchange Traded Funds

     9,816,847                         9,816,847       

Participation Notes

             7,063,553                 7,063,553       

Warrants

     24,465                         24,465       

Corporate Bonds

             4,494,825                 4,494,825       

Asset/Mortgage Backed Securities

             1,355,615                 1,355,615       

Government & Agency Obligations

             24,256,733                 24,256,733       

Short-Term Investments

           

Money Market Fund

     40,031,659                         40,031,659       

 

 

TOTAL

   $     362,225,206       $     40,204,301       $       $     402,429,507       

 

 

 

 

Other Financial Instruments

           

 

 

Assets

           

Futures Contracts**

   $ 17,108       $       $       $ 17,108       

Total Return Swap Contracts**

             364,280                 364,280       
Liabilities                            

Securities Sold Short*

           

Common Stocks

           

Consumer Discretionary

     (5,461,957)                         (5,461,957)      

Consumer Staples

     (613,191)                         (613,191)      

Energy

     (17,186,558)                         (17,186,558)      

Financials

     (24,666,618)                         (24,666,618)      

Health Care

     (16,968,318)                         (16,968,318)      

Industrials

     (35,455,708)         (2)                 (35,455,710)      

Information Technology

     (8,781,859)                         (8,781,859)      

Exchange Traded Funds

     (57,433,797)                         (57,433,797)      

Preferred Stocks

     (1,191,904)                         (1,191,904)      

Total Return Swap Contracts**

             (953,957)                 (953,957)      

 

 

TOTAL

   $ (167,742,802)       $ (589,679)       $       $ (168,332,481)      

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

           
Investments in Securities at Value*        Level 1              Level 2                  Level 3                  Total      

 

 

Common Stocks

           

Consumer Discretionary

   $ 190,321,560       $       $       $ 190,321,560       

Consumer Staples

     2,301,574                         2,301,574       

Energy

     27,087,334         5,427,000                 32,514,334       

Financials

     188,580,574                         188,580,574       

Health Care

     93,477,742                         93,477,742       

Industrials

     84,405,851                         84,405,851       

Information Technology

     72,375,652                         72,375,652       

Materials

     25,646,934                         25,646,934       

Telecommunication Services

     27,350,558                         27,350,558       

Utilities

     15,665,100                         15,665,100       

Exchange Traded Funds

     24,234,859                         24,234,859       

Participation Notes

             17,460,845                 17,460,845       

Warrants

     60,916                         60,916       

Corporate Bonds

             44,501,372                 44,501,372       

Asset/Mortgage Backed Securities

             27,574,335                 27,574,335       

Government & Agency Obligations

             82,981,236                 82,981,236       

Short-Term Investments

           

Money Market Fund

     80,547,764                         80,547,764       

 

 

TOTAL

   $     832,056,418       $     177,944,788       $       $     1,010,001,206       

 

 

 

 

Other Financial Instruments

           

 

 

Assets

           

Futures Contracts**

   $ 43,457       $       $       $ 43,457       

Total Return Swap Contracts**

             967,786                 967,786       
Liabilities                            

Securities Sold Short*

           

Common Stocks

           

Consumer Discretionary

     (13,103,147)                         (13,103,147)      

Consumer Staples

     (1,503,877)                         (1,503,877)      

Energy

     (42,993,663)                         (42,993,663)      

Financials

     (61,331,822)                         (61,331,822)      

Health Care

     (41,939,300)                         (41,939,300)      

Industrials

     (87,974,913)         (5)                 (87,974,918)      

Information Technology

     (21,749,523)                         (21,749,523)      

Exchange Traded Funds

     (127,945,772)                         (127,945,772)      

Preferred Stocks

     (2,932,704)                         (2,932,704)      

Total Return Swap Contracts**

             (1,926,571)                 (1,926,571)      

 

 

TOTAL

   $ (401,431,264)       $ (958,790)       $       $ (402,390,054)      

 

 

 

 

 

*

For detailed industry descriptions, see the accompanying Statement of Investments.

**

Swap contracts and futures contracts are reported at their unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) at measurement date, which represents the change in the contract’s value from trade date.

In the event a Board approved independent pricing service is unable to provide an evaluated price for a security or Clough Capital Partners L.P. (the “Adviser” or “Clough”) believes the price provided is not reliable, securities of each Fund may be valued at fair value as described above. In these instances the Adviser may seek to find an alternative independent source, such as a broker/dealer to provide a price quote, or by using evaluated pricing models similar to the techniques and models used by the independent pricing service. These fair value measurement techniques may utilize unobservable inputs (Level 3).

On a monthly basis, the Fair Value Committee of each Fund meets and discusses securities that have been fair valued during the preceding month in accordance with the Funds’ Fair Value Procedures and reports quarterly to the Board of Trustees on the results of those meetings.

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

For the year ended October 31, 2015, the Funds did not have significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) used in determining fair value. Therefore, a reconciliation of assets in which significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) were used in determining fair value is not applicable.

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

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

The effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on investments is reported with investment securities realized and unrealized gains and losses in the Funds’ Statements of Operations.

A foreign currency spot contract is a commitment to purchase or sell a foreign currency at a future date, at a negotiated rate. Each Fund may enter into foreign currency spot contracts to settle specific purchases or sales of securities denominated in a foreign currency and for protection from adverse exchange rate fluctuation. Risks to a Fund include the potential inability of the counterparty to meet the terms of the contract.

The net U.S. dollar value of foreign currency underlying all contractual commitments held by a Fund and the resulting unrealized appreciation or depreciation are determined using prevailing forward foreign currency exchange rates. Unrealized appreciation and depreciation on foreign currency spot contracts are reported in the Funds’ Statements of Assets and Liabilities as a receivable or a payable and in the Funds’ Statements of Operations with the change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies. These spot contracts are used by the broker to settle investments denominated in foreign currencies.

A Fund may realize a gain or loss upon the closing or settlement of the foreign transactions, excluding investment securities. Such realized gains and losses are reported with all other foreign currency gains and losses in the Statements of Operations.

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

Each Fund’s obligation to replace the borrowed security will be secured by collateral deposited with the broker-dealer, usually cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities. Each Fund will also be required to designate on its books and records similar collateral with its custodian to the extent, if any, necessary so that the aggregate collateral value is at all times at least equal to the current market value of the security sold short. The cash amount is reported on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Deposit with broker for securities sold short which is held with one counterparty. Each Fund is obligated to pay interest to the broker for any debit balance of the margin account relating to short sales. The interest incurred by the Funds is reported on the Statements of Operations as Interest expense – margin account. Interest amounts payable are reported on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Interest payable – margin account.

Each Fund may also sell a security short if it owns at least an equal amount of the security sold short or another security convertible or exchangeable for an equal amount of the security sold short without payment of further compensation (a short sale against-the-box). In a short sale against-the-box, the short seller is exposed to the risk of being forced to deliver stock that it holds to close the position if the borrowed stock is called in by the lender, which would cause gain or loss to be recognized on the delivered stock. Each Fund expects normally to close its short sales against-the-box by delivering newly acquired stock. Since the Funds intend to hold securities sold short for the short term, these securities are excluded from the purchases and sales of investment securities in Note 4 and the Fund’s Portfolio Turnover in the Financial Highlights.

Derivatives Instruments and Hedging Activities: The following discloses the Funds’ use of derivative instruments and hedging activities.

The Funds’ investment objectives not only permit the Funds to purchase investment securities, they also allow the Funds to enter into various types of derivative contracts, including, but not limited to, purchased and written options, swaps, futures and warrants. In doing so, the Funds will employ strategies in differing combinations to permit them to increase, decrease, or change the level or types of exposure to market factors. Central to those strategies are features inherent to derivatives that make them more attractive for this purpose than equity securities; they require little or no initial cash investment, they can focus exposure on only certain selected risk factors, and they may not require the ultimate receipt or delivery of the underlying security (or securities) to the contract. This may allow the Funds to pursue their objectives more quickly and efficiently than if they were to make direct purchases or sales of securities capable of affecting a similar response to market factors.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

Risk of Investing in Derivatives: The Funds’ use of derivatives can result in losses due to unanticipated changes in the market risk factors and the overall market. In instances where the Funds are using derivatives to decrease or hedge exposures to market risk factors for securities held by the Funds, there are also risks that those derivatives may not perform as expected, resulting in losses for the combined or hedged positions.

Derivatives may have little or no initial cash investment relative to their market value exposure and therefore can produce significant gains or losses in excess of their cost. This use of embedded leverage allows the Funds to increase their market value exposure relative to their net assets and can substantially increase the volatility of the Funds’ performance.

Additional associated risks from investing in derivatives also exist and potentially could have significant effects on the valuation of the derivative and the Funds. Typically, the associated risks are not the risks that the Funds are attempting to increase or decrease exposure to, per their investment objectives, but are the additional risks from investing in derivatives.

Examples of these associated risks are liquidity risk, which is the risk that the Funds will not be able to sell the derivative in the open market in a timely manner, and counterparty credit risk, which is the risk that the counterparty will not fulfill its obligation to the Funds. Associated risks can be different for each type of derivative and are discussed by each derivative type in the notes that follow.

Each Fund may acquire put and call options and options on stock indices and enter into stock index futures contracts, certain credit derivatives transactions and short sales in connection with its equity investments. In connection with a Fund’s investments in debt securities, it may enter into related derivatives transactions such as interest rate futures, swaps and options thereon and certain credit derivatives transactions. Derivatives transactions of the types described above subject a Fund to increased risk of principal loss due to imperfect correlation or unexpected price or interest rate movements. Each Fund also will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to the derivatives contracts purchased by a Fund. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivatives contract due to financial difficulties, each Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivatives contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. Each Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances.

Market Risk Factors: In addition, in pursuit of their investment objectives, certain Funds may seek to use derivatives, which may increase or decrease exposure to the following market risk factors:

Equity Risk: Equity risk relates to the change in value of equity securities as they relate to increases or decreases in the general market.

Foreign Exchange Rate Risk: Foreign exchange rate risk relates to the change in the U.S. dollar value of a security held that is denominated in a foreign currency. The value of a foreign currency denominated security will decrease as the dollar appreciates against the currency, while the value of the foreign currency denominated security will increase as the dollar depreciates against the currency.

Option Writing/Purchasing: Each Fund may purchase or write (sell) put and call options. One of the risks associated with purchasing an option among others, is that a Fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised. Additionally, a Fund bears the risk of loss of premium and change in market value should the counterparty not perform under the contract. The cost of securities acquired through the exercise of call options is increased by premiums paid. The proceeds from securities sold through the exercise of put options are decreased by the premiums paid. Each Fund is obligated to pay interest to the broker for any debit balance of the margin account relating to options. Each Fund pledges cash or liquid assets as collateral to satisfy the current obligations with respect to written options. The interest incurred on the Funds is reported on the Statements of Operations as Interest expense – margin account. Interest amounts payable by the Funds are reported on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Interest payable – margin account.

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

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

Written option activity for the year ended October 31, 2015, was as follows:

    

Clough Global Allocation Fund

                
     Written Call Options  

 

 
     Contracts                         Premiums              

 

 

Outstanding, October 31, 2014

     (282   $ 34,512       

Positions opened

     (580     167,503       

Closed

     796        (186,309)      

Exercised

     66        (15,706)      

Expired

            –       

 

 

Outstanding, October 31, 2015

          $ –       

 

 

Market Value, October 31, 2015

     $ –       

 

 

Clough Global Equity Fund

                
     Written Call Options  

 

 
     Contracts                 Premiums              

 

 

Outstanding, October 31, 2014

     (605   $ 74,170       

Positions opened

     (1,192     298,701       

Closed

     1,512        (331,231)      

Exercised

     285        (41,640)      

Expired

            –       

 

 

Outstanding, October 31, 2015

          $ –       

 

 

Market Value, October 31, 2015

     $ –       

 

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

                
     Written Call Options  

 

 
     Contracts                 Premiums              

 

 

Outstanding, October 31, 2014

     (1,208   $ 148,937       

Positions opened

     (2,412     698,430       

Closed

     3,291        (643,946)      

Exercised

     329        (203,421)      

Expired

            –       

 

 

Outstanding, October 31, 2015

          $ –       

 

 

Market Value, October 31, 2015

     $ –       

 

 

Futures Contracts: Each Fund may enter into futures contracts. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a security or currency (or to deliver a final cash settlement price in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract) for a set price at a future date. If a Fund buys a security futures contract, the Fund enters into a contract to purchase the underlying security and is said to be “long” under the contract. If a Fund sells a security futures contact, the Fund enters into a contract to sell the underlying security and is said to be “short” under the contract. The price at which the contract trades (the “contract price”) is determined by relative buying and selling interest on a regulated exchange. Futures contracts are marked to market daily and an appropriate payable or receivable for the change in value (“variation margin”) is recorded by the Fund. Such payables or receivables are recorded for financial statement purposes as variation margin payable or variation margin receivable by each Fund. Each Fund pledges cash or liquid assets as collateral to satisfy the current obligations with respect to futures contracts. The cash amount is reported on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Deposit with broker for futures contracts which is held with one counterparty.

The Funds enter into such transactions for hedging and other appropriate risk-management purposes or to increase return. While a Fund may enter into futures contracts for hedging purposes, the use of futures contracts might result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in any such transactions. If, for example, the Fund had insufficient cash, it might have to sell a portion of its underlying portfolio of securities in order to meet daily variation margin requirements on its futures contracts or options on futures contracts at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so. There may be an imperfect correlation between the Funds’ portfolio holdings and futures contracts entered into by the Fund, which may prevent the Fund from achieving the intended hedge or expose the Fund to risk of loss.

Futures contract transactions may result in losses substantially in excess of the variation margin. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the portfolio securities being hedged. An incorrect correlation could result in a loss on both the hedged securities in a Fund and the hedging vehicle so that the portfolio return might have been greater had hedging not been

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

attempted. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures contract. Lack of a liquid market for any reason may prevent a Fund from liquidating an unfavorable position, and the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, the Fund could be exposed to risk if the counterparties to the contracts are unable to meet the terms of their contracts. With exchange-traded futures contracts, there is minimal counterparty credit risk to the Funds since futures contracts are exchange-traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as counterparty to all exchange-traded futures contracts, guarantees the futures contracts against default.

Swaps: During the year each Fund engaged in total return swaps. A swap is an agreement that obligates two parties to exchange a series of cash flows at specified intervals based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or rates for a specified amount of an underlying asset. Each Fund may utilize swap agreements as a means to gain exposure to certain assets and/or to “hedge” or protect the Fund from adverse movements in securities prices or interest rates. Each Fund is subject to equity risk and interest rate risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective through investments in swap contracts. Swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligation to a Fund. If the other party to a swap defaults, a Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. If each Fund utilizes a swap at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, the swap may result in a loss to the Fund and reduce the Fund’s total return.

Total return swaps involve an exchange by two parties in which one party makes payments based on a set rate, either fixed or variable, while the other party makes payments based on the return of an underlying asset, which includes both the income it generates and any capital gains over the payment period. A Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty risk or credit risk is the discounted value of the payments to be received from/paid to the counterparty over the contract’s remaining life, to the extent that the amount is positive. The risk is mitigated by having a netting arrangement between a Fund and the counterparty and by the posting of collateral to a Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty. Each Fund pledges cash or liquid assets as collateral to satisfy the current obligations with respect to swap contracts. The cash amount is reported on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Deposit with brokers for total return swap contracts which is held with two counterparties.

International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreements (““ISDA Master Agreements”) govern OTC financial derivative transactions entered into by a Fund and those counterparties. The ISDA Master Agreements maintain provisions for general obligations, representations, agreements, collateral and events of default or termination. Events of termination include conditions that may entitle counterparties to elect to terminate early and cause settlement of all outstanding transactions under the applicable ISDA Master Agreement. Any election to early terminate could be material to the financial statements.

During the year ended October 31, 2015, the Funds invested in swap agreements consistent with the Funds’ investment strategies to gain exposure to certain markets or indices.

Warrants/Rights: Each Fund may purchase or otherwise receive warrants or rights. Warrants and rights generally give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise, a security of the issuer at a set price. Funds typically use warrants and rights in a manner similar to their use of purchased options on securities, as described in options above. Risks associated with the use of warrants and rights are generally similar to risks associated with the use of purchased options. However, warrants and rights often do not have standardized terms, and may have longer maturities and may be less liquid than exchange-traded options. In addition, the terms of warrants or rights may limit each Fund’s ability to exercise the warrants or rights at such times and in such quantities as each Fund would otherwise wish. Each Fund held no rights at the end of the year.

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

 

The effect of derivatives instruments on each Fund’s Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2015:  
     Asset Derivatives       

 

 
Risk Exposure    Statements of Assets and Liabilities Location          Fair Value        

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

     

Equity Contracts (Total Return Swap Contracts)

   Unrealized appreciation on total return swap contracts    $ 228,337        

Equity Contracts (Warrants)

   Investments, at value      14,620        

 

 

Total

      $ 242,957        

 

 

Clough Global Equity Fund

     

Equity Contracts (Total Return Swap Contracts)

   Unrealized appreciation on total return swap contracts    $ 364,280        

Equity Contracts (Warrants)

   Investments, at value      24,465        

 

 

Total

      $ 388,745        

 

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

     

Equity Contracts (Total Return Swap Contracts)

   Unrealized appreciation on total return swap contracts    $ 967,786        

Equity Contracts (Warrants)

   Investments, at value      60,916        

 

 

Total

      $ 1,028,702        

 

 
     Liability Derivatives       

 

 
Risk Exposure    Statements of Assets and Liabilities Location    Fair Value  

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

     

Foreign Currency Contracts (Futures Contracts)

   Variation margin payable    $ (18,525)(a)     

Equity Contracts (Total Return Swap Contracts)

   Unrealized depreciation on total return swap contracts      (469,734)        

 

 

Total

      $ (488,259)        

 

 

Clough Global Equity Fund

     

Foreign Currency Contracts (Futures Contracts)

   Variation margin payable    $ (30,994)(a)     

Equity Contracts (Total Return Swap Contracts)

   Unrealized depreciation on total return swap contracts      (953,957)        

 

 

Total

      $ (984,951)        

 

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

     

Foreign Currency Contracts (Futures Contracts)

   Variation margin payable    $ (78,731)(a)     

Equity Contracts (Total Return Swap Contracts)

   Unrealized depreciation on total return swap contracts      (1,926,571)        

 

 

Total

      $ (2,005,302)        

 

 

 

(a)

Includes cumulative appreciation of futures contracts as reported in the Statement of Investments. Only the current day’s net variation margin is reported within the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

The effect of derivatives instruments on each Fund’s Statements of Operations for the year ended October 31, 2015:

 

Risk Exposure    Statements of Operations Location   

Realized

Gain/(Loss)
on Derivatives
        Recognized        
in Income

    

Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

on Derivatives
        Recognized        

in Income

 

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

        

Foreign Currency Contracts
(Futures Contracts)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on futures contracts/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on futures contracts

   $ (230,550)       $ 10,225     

Equity Contracts
(Written Options)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on written options/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on written options

     (64,853)         24,188     

Equity Contracts
(Total Return Swap Contracts)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on total return swap contracts/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on total return swap contracts

     492,704         (587,780)     

Equity Contracts
(Purchased Options)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on investment securities/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investment securities

     (37,679)         –      

Equity Contracts
(Warrants)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on investment securities/ Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investment securities

     604         (34,994)     

Total

      $ 160,226       $ (588,361)     
   

Clough Global Equity Fund

        

Foreign Currency Contracts
(Futures Contracts)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on futures contracts/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on futures contracts

   $ (365,111)       $ 17,108     

Equity Contracts
(Written Options)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on written options/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on written options

     (89,508)         30,195     

Equity Contracts
(Total Return Swap Contracts)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on total return swap contracts/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on total return swap contracts

     809,544         (1,152,988)     

Equity Contracts
(Purchased Options)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on investment securities/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investment securities

     (63,100)         –      

Equity Contracts
(Warrants)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on investment securities/ Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investment securities

     973         (58,465)     

Total

      $ 292,798       $ (1,164,150)     
   

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

 

Risk Exposure    Statements of Operations Location   

Realized

Gain/(Loss)
        on Derivatives        
Recognized

in Income

    

Change in

Unrealized

Appreciation/

(Depreciation)

on Derivatives

        Recognized in        

Income

 

 

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

        

Foreign Currency Contracts
(Futures Contracts)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on futures contracts/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on futures contracts

   $ (943,537)       $ 43,457   

Equity Contracts
(Written Options)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on written options/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on written options

     (273,567)         106,238   

Equity Contracts
(Total Return Swap Contracts)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on total return swap contracts/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on total return swap contracts

     2,052,697         (2,415,201)   

Equity Contracts
(Purchased Options)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on investment securities/Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investment securities

     (327,502)         102,830   

Equity Contracts
(Warrants)

  

Net realized gain/(loss) on investment securities/ Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investment securities

     2,627         (146,213)   

 

 

Total

      $ 510,718       $ (2,308,889)   

 

 

The average purchased and written option contracts volume during the year ended October 31, 2015, is noted below for each of the Funds.

 

Fund    Average Purchased Option Contract Volume    Average Written Option Contract Volume

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

   122    89

Clough Global Equity Fund

   204    168

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

   566    373

 

The average total return swap contracts notional amount during the year ended October 31, 2015, is noted below for each of the Funds.

 

Fund    Average Swap Contract Notional Amount              

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

     $        5,309,720                                

Clough Global Equity Fund

     9,203,171                               

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

     21,952,539                               

 

 

The average warrant market value during the year ended October 31, 2015, is noted below for each of the Funds.

 

Fund    Average Warrant Market Value              

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

     $        36,006                                

Clough Global Equity Fund

     60,247                               

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

     150,052                               

 

 

The average futures contracts volume during the year ended October 31, 2015, is noted below for each of the Funds.

 

Fund    Average Futures Contract Volume              

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

     44                               

Clough Global Equity Fund

     78                               

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

     186                               

 

 

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

Certain derivative contracts are executed under either standardized netting agreements or, for exchange-traded derivatives, the relevant contracts for a particular exchange which contain enforceable netting provisions. A derivative netting arrangement creates an enforceable right of set-off that becomes effective, and affects the realization of settlement on individual assets, liabilities and collateral amounts, only following a specified event of default or early termination. Default events may include the failure to make payments or deliver securities timely, material adverse changes in financial condition or insolvency, the breach of minimum regulatory capital requirements, or loss of license, charter or other legal authorization necessary to perform under the contract.

The following tables present derivative financial instruments that are subject to enforceable netting arrangements as of October 31, 2015.

 

Offsetting of Derivatives Assets                          

 

 
                      Gross Amounts Not
Offset in the
Statements of
Assets and
Liabilities
 
Description   Gross Amounts of
Recognized Assets
   

Gross Amounts
Offset in the

Statements of
Assets and
Liabilities

    Net Amounts
Presented in the
Statements of
Assets and
Liabilities
    Financial
Instruments (a)
    Cash Collateral
Received(a)
    Net Amount        

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

           

Total Return Swap Contracts

  $ 228,337      $      $ 228,337      $ (119,077   $      $ 109,260         

 

 

Total

  $ 228,337      $      $ 228,337      $ (119,077   $      $ 109,260         

 

 

Clough Global Equity Fund

           

Total Return Swap Contracts

  $ 364,280      $      $ 364,280      $ (197,035   $      $ 167,245         

 

 

Total

  $ 364,280      $      $ 364,280      $ (197,035   $      $ 167,245         

 

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

           

Total Return Swap Contracts

  $ 967,786      $      $ 967,786      $ (491,406   $      $ 476,380         

 

 

Total

  $ 967,786      $      $ 967,786      $ (491,406   $      $ 476,380         

 

 

 

 

Annual Report  |  October 31, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

Offsetting of Derivatives Liabilities

        

 

 
                      Gross Amounts Not
Offset in the
Statements of
Assets and
Liabilities
 
Description   Gross Amounts of
Recognized
Liabilities
    Gross Amounts
Offset in the
Statements of
Assets and
Liabilities
    Net Amounts
Presented in the
Statements of
Assets and
Liabilities
    Financial
Instruments (a)
    Cash Collateral
Pledged(a)
        Net Amount      

 

 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

           

Total Return Swap Contracts

  $ 469,734      $      $ 469,734      $ (119,077   $ (350,657   $ –       

 

 

Total

  $ 469,734      $      $ 469,734      $ (119,077   $ (350,657   $ –       

 

 

Clough Global Equity Fund

           

Total Return Swap Contracts

  $ 953,957      $      $ 953,957      $ (197,035   $ (756,922   $ –       

 

 

Total

  $ 953,957      $      $ 953,957      $ (197,035   $ (756,922   $ –       

 

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

           

Total Return Swap Contracts

  $ 1,926,571      $      $ 1,926,571      $ (491,406   $ (1,435,165   $ –       

 

 

Total

  $ 1,926,571      $      $ 1,926,571      $ (491,406   $ (1,435,165   $ –       

 

 

 

(a)

These amounts are limited to the derivative asset balance and, accordingly, do not include excess collateral received/pledged.

Income Taxes: Each Fund’s policy is to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required. As of and during the year ended October 31, 2015, the Funds did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefits. The Funds file U.S. federal, state, and local tax returns as required. The Funds’ tax returns are subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is generally three years after the filing of the tax return but which can be extended to six years in certain circumstances. Tax returns for open years have incorporated no uncertain tax positions that require a provision for income taxes.

Distributions to Shareholders: Each Fund intends to make a level dividend distribution each month to Common Shareholders after payment of interest on any outstanding borrowings. The level dividend rate may be modified by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Any net capital gains earned by a Fund are distributed at least annually to the extent necessary to avoid federal income and excise taxes. Distributions to shareholders are recorded by each Fund on the ex-dividend date. Each Fund has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) for exemption from Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act, and Rule 19b-1 there under permitting each Fund to make periodic distributions of long-term capital gains, provided that the distribution policy of a Fund with respect to its Common Shares calls for periodic (e.g. quarterly/monthly) distributions in an amount equal to a fixed percentage of each Fund’s average net asset value over a specified period of time or market price per common share at or about the time of distributions or pay-out of a level dollar amount.

Securities Transactions and Investment Income: Investment security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Dividend income and Dividend expense-short sales are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Certain dividend income from foreign securities will be recorded, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, as soon as a Fund is informed of the dividend if such information is obtained subsequent to the ex-dividend date and may be subject to withholding taxes in these jurisdictions. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends are paid (a portion of which may be reclaimable) or provided for in accordance with the applicable country’s tax rules and rates and are disclosed in the Statements of Operations. Interest income, which includes amortization of premium and accretion of discount, is recorded on the accrual basis. Realized gains and losses from securities transactions and unrealized appreciation and depreciation of securities are determined using the identified cost basis for both financial reporting and income tax purposes.

Counterparty Risk: Each of the Funds run the risk that the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, the counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract, a borrower of each Fund’s securities or the obligor of an obligation underlying an asset-backed security will be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest, or settlement payments or otherwise honor its obligations. In addition, to the extent that each of the

 

 

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Funds use over-the-counter derivatives, and/or has significant exposure to a single counterparty, this risk will be particularly pronounced for each of the Funds.

Other Risk Factors: Investing in the Funds may involve certain risks including, but not limited to, the following:

Unforeseen developments in market conditions may result in the decline of prices of, and the income generated by, the securities held by the Funds. These events may have adverse effects on the Funds such as a decline in the value and liquidity of many securities held by the Funds, and a decrease in net asset value. Such unforeseen developments may limit or preclude the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objective.

Investing in stocks may involve larger price fluctuation and greater potential for loss than other types of investments. This may cause the securities held by the Funds to be subject to larger short-term declines in value.

The Funds may have elements of risk due to concentrated investments in foreign issuers located in a specific country. Such concentrations may subject the Funds to additional risks resulting from future political or economic conditions and/or possible impositions of adverse foreign governmental laws or currency exchange restrictions. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers have unique risks not present in securities of U.S. issuers, such as greater price volatility and less liquidity.

Fixed income securities are subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that a security could have its credit rating downgraded or that the issuer of the security could fail to make timely payments or default on payments of interest or principal. Additionally, fixed income securities are subject to interest rate risk, meaning the decline in the price of debt securities that accompanies a rise in interest rates. Bonds with longer maturities are subject to greater price fluctuations than bonds with shorter maturities.

The Funds invest in bonds which are rated below investment grade. These high yield bonds may be more susceptible than higher grade bonds to real or perceived adverse economic or industry conditions. The secondary market, on which high yield bonds are traded, may also be less liquid than the market for higher grade bonds.

2. TAXES

 

 

Classification of Distributions: Net investment income/(loss) and net realized gain/(loss) may differ for financial statement and tax purposes. The character of distributions made during the year from net investment income or net realized gains may differ from its ultimate characterization for federal income tax purposes. Also, due to the timing of dividend distributions, the fiscal year in which amounts are distributed may differ from the fiscal year in which the income or realized gain was recorded by the Funds.

The tax character of the distributions paid by the Funds during the year ended October 31, 2015, period ended October 31, 2014, and year ended March 31, 2014, were as follows:

 

      Ordinary income     

Long-Term Capital

Gains

     Total      

Clough Global Allocation Fund

        

October 31, 2015

   $ 1,688,646       $ 13,007,707       $ 14,696,353       

October 31, 2014

     1,428,310         6,241,125         7,669,435       

March 31, 2014

     2,508,129         13,300,299         15,808,428       

Clough Global Equity Fund

        

October 31, 2015

   $     1,958,287       $     22,227,607       $         24,185,894       

October 31, 2014

     1,468,195         11,644,723         13,112,918       

March 31, 2014

     6,725,986         19,589,053         26,315,039       

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

        

October 31, 2015

   $ 6,132,133       $ 55,380,129       $ 61,512,262       

October 31, 2014

             34,405,011         34,405,011       

March 31, 2014

     5,714,309         64,906,503         70,620,812       

Components of Earnings: Tax components of distributable earnings are determined in accordance with income tax regulations which may differ from composition of net assets reported under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Accordingly, for the year ended October 31, 2015, certain differences were reclassified. These differences relate primarily to the differing tax treatment of commodities, passive foreign investment companies (PFICs), foreign currencies and other investments.

 

 

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October 31, 2015

 

 

The reclassifications were as follows:

 

                                                                                                                       
      Undistributed Ordinary
Income
     Accumulated Capital
Gain/(Loss)
     Paid-in Capital      

Clough Global Allocation Fund

   $ 1,321,357           $ (1,321,357)           $ –       

Clough Global Equity Fund

     2,131,886             (2,131,888)             2       

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

     5,974,205             (5,974,205)             –       

Capital Losses: As of October 31, 2015, the Funds had no capital loss carryforwards.

The Funds elect to defer to the year ending October 31, 2016, late year ordinary losses in the amounts of:

 

Fund        Amount      

Clough Global Allocation Fund

   $ 2,387,714       

Clough Global Equity Fund

     6,979,096       

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

             15,338,950       

Tax Basis of Distributable Earnings: Tax components of distributable earnings are determined in accordance with income tax regulations which may differ from composition of net assets reported under GAAP.

As of October 31, 2015, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

                                                                                                                       
      Clough Global
Allocation Fund
     Clough Global Equity
Fund
     Clough Global
Opportunities Fund
 

Accumulated net realized gain on investments

   $ 6,159,918           $ 15,868,789           $ 9,287,743       

Net unrealized depreciation on investments

     (6,473,070)             (5,808,908)             (39,354,508)       

Other accumulated losses

     (2,514,869)             (7,177,226)             (15,892,780)       
   

Total

   $ (2,828,021)           $ 2,882,655           $ (45,959,545)       
   

Tax Basis of Investments: Net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments based on federal tax cost as of October 31, 2015, were as follows:

 

      Clough Global
Allocation Fund
     Clough Global Equity
Fund
     Clough Global
Opportunities Fund
 

Gross appreciation (excess of value over tax cost)

   $ 11,869,206       $ 25,590,003           $ 40,112,399       

Gross depreciation (excess of tax cost over value)

     (13,249,354)         (23,312,946)             (58,276,527)       

Net depreciation (excess of tax cost over value) of foreign currency, derivatives, and securities sold short

     (5,092,922)         (8,085,965)             (21,190,380)       
   

Net unrealized depreciation

   $ (6,473,070)       $ (5,808,908)           $ (39,354,508)       
   

Cost of investments for income tax purposes

   $ 244,193,025       $ 400,152,450           $ 1,028,165,334       
   

The difference between book and tax basis unrealized depreciation is attributable primarily to wash sales and tax treatment of certain other investments.

3. CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS

 

 

Common Shares: There are an unlimited number of no par value common shares of beneficial interest authorized for each Fund.

The Board of Trustees of each Fund announced, on April 20, 2015, that it had approved a share repurchase program in accordance with Section 23(c) of the 1940 Act. Under the share repurchase program, each Fund may purchase up to 5% of its outstanding common shares as of April 9, 2015, in the open market, through the Funds’ fiscal year end of October 31, 2015. The Board of Trustees of each Fund approved, in October 2015, to extend the share repurchase program through the Funds’ fiscal year end of October 31, 2016.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Notes to Financial Statements
  

 

October 31, 2015

 

 

Transactions in common shares were as follows:

 

     Clough Global Allocation Fund  
      For the
Year Ended
October 31, 2015
     For the Period
Ended October 31,
2014
    

For the  

Year Ended  

March 31, 2014  

 

Common Shares Outstanding - beginning of period

     10,434,606             10,434,606             10,434,606       

Repurchase of Fund Shares

     (42,000)             –             –       
   

Common Shares Outstanding - end of period

     10,392,606             10,434,606             10,434,606       
   

 

Transactions in common shares were as follows:

 

  

  
     Clough Global Equity Fund  
     

For the

Year Ended
October 31, 2015

     For the Period
Ended October 31,
2014
     For the  
Year Ended  
March 31, 2014  
 

Common Shares Outstanding - beginning of period

     17,840,705             17,840,705             17,840,705       

Repurchase of Fund Shares

     (187,400)             –             –       
   

Common Shares Outstanding - end of period

     17,653,305             17,840,705             17,840,705       
   

 

Transactions in common shares were as follows:

 

  

  
     Clough Global Opportunities Fund  
     

For the

Year Ended
October 31, 2015

     For the Period
Ended October 31,
2014
     For the Year
Ended March
31, 2014
 

Common Shares Outstanding - beginning of period

     51,736,859             51,736,859             51,736,859       

Repurchase of Fund Shares

     (162,800)             –             –       
   

Common Shares Outstanding - end of period

     51,574,059             51,736,859             51,736,859       
   

During the year ended October 31, 2015, 42,000, 187,400 and 162,800 shares of common stock were repurchased at a total purchase price of $609,034, $2,726,913 and $1,936,592 for Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund, respectively. These transactions reflect a weighted average discount from net asset value per share of 13.45%, 11.45% and 14.19% for Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund, respectively.

4. PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

 

 

Purchases and sales of investment securities, excluding securities sold short intended to be held for less than one year and short-term securities, for the year ended October 31, 2015, are listed in the table below.

 

Fund   Cost of Investments
Purchased
    Proceeds From
Investments Sold
    Purchases of Long-Term
U.S. Government
Obligations
    Proceeds from Sales of
Long-Term U.S.
Government Obligations
 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

  $ 387,900,576      $ 413,550,210      $ 31,334,098        $ 27,981,826       

Clough Global Equity Fund

    572,314,549        624,766,100        37,120,367          35,856,942       

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

    1,611,886,538        1,739,411,494        131,573,636          110,195,607       

5. INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENTS

 

 

Clough serves as each Fund’s investment adviser pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (each an “Advisory Agreement” and collectively, the “Advisory Agreements”) with each Fund. As compensation for its services to the Fund, Clough receives an annual investment advisory fee of 0.70%, 0.90% and 1.00% based on Clough Global Allocation Fund’s, Clough Global Equity Fund’s and Clough Global Opportunities Fund’s, respectively, average daily total assets, computed daily and payable monthly. ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (“ALPS”) serves as each Fund’s administrator pursuant to an Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement with each Fund. As compensation for its services to each Fund, ALPS receives an annual administration fee based on each Fund’s average daily total assets, computed daily and payable monthly. ALPS will pay all

 

 

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October 31, 2015

 

 

expenses incurred by each Fund, with the exception of advisory fees, trustees’ fees, portfolio transaction expenses, litigation expenses, taxes, expenses of conducting repurchase offers for the purpose of repurchasing fund shares, costs of preferred shares, and extraordinary expenses.

Both Clough and ALPS are considered to be “affiliates” of the Funds as defined in the 1940 Act.

6. COMMITTED FACILITY AGREEMENT AND LENDING AGREEMENT

 

Each Fund entered into a financing package that includes a Committed Facility Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated January 16, 2009, as amended, between each Fund and BNP Paribas Prime Brokerage, Inc. (“BNP”) that allows each Fund to borrow funds from BNP. Each Fund is currently borrowing the maximum commitment covered by the agreement. Borrowings under the Agreement are secured by assets of each Fund that are held by a Fund’s custodian in a separate account (the “pledged collateral”) valued at $145,573,881, $243,320,284 and $604,724,221 for Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund, respectively. Each Fund may, with 30 days notice, reduce the Maximum Commitment Financing (Initial Limit amount plus the increased borrowing amount in excess of the Initial Limit) to a lesser amount if drawing on the full amount would result in a violation of the applicable asset coverage requirement of Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Interest is charged at the three month LIBOR (London Inter-bank Offered Rate) plus 0.70% on the amount borrowed and 0.65% on the undrawn balance. Each Fund also pays a one-time arrangement fee of 0.25% on (i) the Initial Limit and (ii) any increased borrowing amount in the excess of the Initial Limit, paid in monthly installments for the six months immediately following the date on which borrowings were drawn by the Fund.

The Agreement was amended on December 31, 2013, to increase the Maximum Commitment Financing to $93,300,000 for the Clough Global Allocation Fund and $156,000,000 for the Clough Global Equity Fund. For the year ended October 31, 2015, the average borrowings outstanding for Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund under the agreement were $93,300,000, $156,000,000 and $388,900,000, respectively, and the average interest rate for the borrowings was 0.98%. As of October 31, 2015, the outstanding borrowings for Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund were $93,300,000, $156,000,000 and $388,900,000, respectively. The interest rate applicable to the borrowings of Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund on October 31, 2015, was 1.03%.

The Lending Agreement is a separate side-agreement between each Fund and BNP pursuant to which BNP may borrow a portion of the pledged collateral (the “Lent Securities”) in an amount not to exceed the outstanding borrowings owed by a Fund to BNP under the Agreement. The Lending Agreement is intended to permit each Fund to significantly reduce the cost of its borrowings under the Agreement. BNP has the ability to reregister the Lent Securities in its own name or in another name other than the Fund to pledge, re-pledge, sell, lend or otherwise transfer or use the collateral with all attendant rights of ownership. (It is each Fund’s understanding that BNP will perform due diligence to determine the creditworthiness of any party that borrows Lent Securities from BNP.) Each Fund may designate any security within the pledged collateral as ineligible to be a Lent Security, provided there are eligible securities within the pledged collateral in an amount equal to the outstanding borrowing owed by a Fund. During the year in which the Lent Securities are outstanding, BNP must remit payment to each Fund equal to the amount of all dividends, interest or other distributions earned or made by the Lent Securities.

Under the terms of the Lending Agreement, the Lent Securities are marked to market daily, and if the value of the Lent Securities exceeds the value of the then-outstanding borrowings owed by a Fund to BNP under the Agreement (the “Current Borrowings”), BNP must, on that day, either (1) return Lent Securities to each Fund’s custodian in an amount sufficient to cause the value of the outstanding Lent Securities to equal the Current Borrowings; or (2) post cash collateral with each Fund’s custodian equal to the difference between the value of the Lent Securities and the value of the Current Borrowings. If BNP fails to perform either of these actions as required, each Fund will recall securities, as discussed below, in an amount sufficient to cause the value of the outstanding Lent Securities to equal the Current Borrowings. Each Fund can recall any of the Lent Securities and BNP shall, to the extent commercially possible, return such security or equivalent security to each Fund’s custodian no later than three business days after such request. If a Fund recalls a Lent Security pursuant to the Lending Agreement, and BNP fails to return the Lent Securities or equivalent securities in a timely fashion, BNP shall remain liable for the ultimate delivery to each Fund’s custodian of such Lent Securities, or equivalent securities, and for any buy-in costs that the executing broker for the sales transaction may impose with respect to the failure to deliver. Under the terms of the Lending Agreement, each Fund shall have the right to apply and set-off an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the then current fair market value of such Lent Securities against the Current Borrowings. As of October 31, 2015, the market value of the Lent Securities for Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund were $68,044,493, $131,860,627 and $317,940,874, respectively.

The Board of Trustees has approved each Agreement and the Lending Agreement. No violations of the Agreement or the Lending Agreement have occurred during the year ended October 31, 2015.

Each Fund receives income from BNP based on the value of the Lent Securities. This income is recorded as Hypothecated securities income on the Statements of Operations. The interest incurred on borrowed amounts is recorded as Interest on loan in the Statements of Operations, a part of Total Expenses.

 

 

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October 31, 2015

 

 

7. OTHER

 

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

8. SUBSEQUENT EVENT

 

Effective November 1, 2015, the Independent Trustees determined to change the additional per-meeting fees for each telephonic board meeting attended to the following: (i) $500 for each Independent Trustee; (ii) $600 for the Chairman; and (iii) $550 for the Chairman of the Audit Committee. The Independent Trustees will continue to not receive any additional fees for in-person or telephonic committee meetings.

 

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

 

To the Shareholders and Board of Trustees of

Clough Global Allocation Fund,

Clough Global Equity Fund, and

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the statements of investments, of Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, and Clough Global Opportunities Fund (each a “Fund”, collectively the “Funds”) as of October 31, 2015, and the related statements of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for the year ended October 31, 2015, the seven months ended October 31, 2014, and the year ended March 31, 2014, and the financial highlights for each of the last five periods in the period ended October 31, 2015. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits. The financial highlights for the year ended March 31, 2011, were audited by another independent registered public accounting firm whose report, dated May 18, 2011, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial highlights.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of October 31, 2015, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers or counterparties were not received. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, and Clough Global Opportunities Fund as of October 31, 2015, the results of their operations and cash flows for the year then ended, and the changes in their net assets and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

COHEN FUND AUDIT SERVICES, LTD.

Cleveland, Ohio

December 23, 2015

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Dividend Reinvestment Plan
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

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

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

The Plan Administrator maintains all shareholders’ accounts in the Plan and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by shareholders for tax records. Common Shares in the account of each Plan participant will be held by the Plan Administrator on behalf of the Plan participant, and each shareholder proxy will include those shares purchased or received pursuant to the Plan. The Plan Administrator will forward all proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for shares held under the Plan in accordance with the instructions of the participants.

In the case of Common Shareholders such as banks, brokers or nominees which hold shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Plan Administrator will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of Common Shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners who participate in the Plan.

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

Each Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan. There is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases in the Plan; however, each Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan to include a service charge payable by the participants.

All correspondence or questions concerning the Plan should be directed to the Plan Administrator, DST Systems, Inc., 333 West 11th Street, 5th Floor, Kansas City, Missouri 64105.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Additional Information
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

FUND PROXY VOTING POLICIES & PROCEDURES

 

 

Each Fund’s policies and procedures used in determining how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities are available on the Funds’ website at http://www.cloughglobal.com. Information regarding how each Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities held by each Fund for the period ended June 30, are available without charge, upon request, by contacting the Funds at 1-877-256-8445 and on the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

 

 

The Funds file their complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Commission for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N–Q within 60 days after the end of the period. Copies of the Funds’ Form N–Q are available without a charge, upon request, by contacting the Funds at 1–877–256–8445 and on the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may also review and copy Form N–Q at the Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. For more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room, please call the Commission at 1–800–SEC–0330.

NOTICE

 

 

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

SHAREHOLDER MEETING

 

On July 28, 2015, the Funds held their annual meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of voting on a proposal to re-elect Trustees of the Funds. The results of the proposal for each Fund were as follows:

Clough Global Allocation Fund

Proposal: To re-elect the following trustees to the Clough Global Allocation Fund Board.

 

     Robert L. Butler      James E. Canty      Richard C. Rantzow              

For

     9,412,543.692         9,416,552.242         9,414,252.131                 

Withheld

     173,426.518         169,417.968         171,718.079                 

 

Clough Global Equity Fund

 

Proposal: To re-elect the following trustees to the Clough Global Equity Fund Board.

 

  

  

     Adam D. Crescenzi      Jerry G. Rutledge      Vincent W. Versaci              

For

     16,981,118.388         17,006,580.186         17,006,654.217                 

Withheld

     302,107.278         276,645.480         276,571.449                 

Proposal: The Shareholder proposal as described in the proxy statement.

 

For

     3,743,565.063   

Against

     5,340,285.395   

Abstain

     138,016.159   

Broker Non-Votes

     8,061,359.049   

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

Proposal: To re-elect the following trustees to the Clough Global Opportunities Fund Board.

 

       Edmund J. Burke      John F. Mee              

For

       48,083,532.024         48,048,650.659                 

Withheld

       637,494.716         672,376.081                 

SECTION 19(A) NOTICES

 

 

The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted there under. Each Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) current and prior fiscal year net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Additional Information
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source as a percentage of the total distribution amount. These percentages are disclosed for the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for each Fund.

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in these 19(a) notices are only estimates and not for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

 

    Total Cumulative Distributions for the year
ended October 31, 2015
    % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions
for the year ended October 31, 2015
 
     Net
Investment
Income
    Net
Realized
Capital
Gains
    Return of
Capital
    Total Per
Common
Share
    Net
Investment
Income
  Net
Realized
Capital
Gains
    Return of
Capital
    Total Per
Common
Share
 

Clough Global Allocation Fund

  $   0.00000      $   1.30800      $   0.10200      $   1.41000      0.00%     92.77%          7.23%          100.00%     

Clough Global Equity Fund

  $   0.00000      $   1.25500      $   0.10500      $   1.36000      0.00%     92.28%          7.93%          100.00%     

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

  $   0.00000      $   0.70643      $   0.48357      $   1.19000      0.00%     59.36%          40.64%          100.00%     

Each Fund’s dividend policy is to distribute all or a portion of its net investment income to its shareholders on a monthly basis. In order to provide shareholders with a more stable level of dividend distributions, each Fund may at times pay out less than the entire amount of net investment income earned in any particular month and may at times in any particular month pay out such accumulated but undistributed income in addition to net investment income earned in that month. As a result, the dividends paid by each Fund for any particular month may be more or less than the amount of net investment income earned by the Fund during such month. Each Fund’s current accumulated but undistributed net investment income, if any, is disclosed in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities, which comprises part of the financial information included in this report.

TAX DESIGNATIONS

 

 

Pursuant to Section 852(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, and Clough Global Opportunities Fund designate $13,007,707, $22,227,607 and $55,380,129 respectively as a long-term capital gain distribution.

The Funds hereby designate the following as a percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions, or up to the maximum amount allowable, for the calendar year ended December 31, 2014:

 

    Clough Global Allocation Fund       Clough Global Equity Fund       Clough Global Opportunities Fund

Corporate Dividends Received Deduction

  6.48%   6.46%   5.96%

Qualified Dividend Income

  8.40%   8.81%   7.95%

Please consult a tax advisor if you have questions about federal or state income tax laws, or how to prepare your tax returns.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Trustees & Officers
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Name, Address1
and Year of Birth
  Position(s) Held
with the Funds
 

Term of office

and length of
service with
GLV2, GLQ3 &
GLO4

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee5
  Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past
Five Years

Non-Interested Trustees/Nominees

           

Robert L. Butler

1941

 

Chairman of the

Board and

Trustee

 

Trustee since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2018

GLQ: 2016

GLO: 2017

  Since 2001, Mr. Butler has been an independent consultant for businesses. Mr. Butler has over 45 years experience in the investment business, including 17 years as a senior executive with a global investment management/natural resources company and 20 years with a securities industry regulation organization, neither of which Mr. Butler has been employed by since 2001.   3   None

Adam D. Crescenzi

1942

  Trustee  

Trustee since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2017

GLQ: 2018

GLO: 2016

  Mr. Crescenzi has served as the Founding Partner of Simply Tuscan Imports LLC since 2007. He has been a founder and investor of several start-up technology and service firms. . He currently serves as an Associate Trustee of Dean College and previously served as a Trustee from 2003 to 2015. He also serves as a Director of two non-profit organizations and as a member of the Board of Governors for the Naples Botanical Gardens and the Club Pelican Bay. He retired from CSC Index as Executive Vice-President of Management Consulting Services.   3   None

John F. Mee

1943

  Trustee  

Trustee since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2016

GLQ: 2017

GLO: 2018

  Mr. Mee is an attorney practicing commercial law, family law, product liability and criminal law. Mr. Mee is currently a member of the Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He serves on the Board of Directors of The College of the Holy Cross Alumni Association and Concord Carlisle Scholarship Fund, a Charitable Trust. Mr. Mee was from 1990 to 2009 an Advisor at the Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy Workshop.   3   None

Richard C.

Rantzow

1938

 

Vice Chairman

of the Board

and Trustee

 

Trustee since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2018

GLQ: 2016

GLO: 2017

  Mr. Rantzow has over 40 years experience in the financial industry. His professional experience includes serving as an audit partner with Ernst & Young which specifically involved auditing financial institutions. Mr. Rantzow has also served in several executive positions in both financial and non-financial industries. Mr. Rantzow’s educational background is in accounting and he is a Certified Public Accountant who has continued to serve on several audit committees of various financial organizations.   3   Mr. Rantzow is a Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Liberty All-Star Equity Fund and Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Trustees & Officers
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Name, Address1
and Year of Birth
  Position(s) Held
with the Funds
 

Term of office

and length of
service with
GLV2, GLQ3 &
GLO4

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee5
  Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past
Five Years

Non-Interested Trustees/Nominees

           
Jerry G. Rutledge 1944   Trustee  

Trustee since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2017

GLQ: 2018

GLO: 2016

  Mr. Rutledge is the President and owner of Rutledge’s Inc., a retail clothing business. Mr. Rutledge was from 1994 to 2007 a Regent of the University of Colorado. In addition, Mr. Rutledge is currently serving as a Director of the University of Colorado Hospital. Mr. Rutledge also served as a Director of the American National Bank from 1985 to 2009.   4   Mr. Rutledge is currently a Trustee of the Financial Investors Trust and the Principal Real Estate Income Fund.

Hon. Vincent W.

Versaci 1971

  Trustee  

Trustee since:

GLV: 2013

GLQ: 2013

GLO: 2013

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2017

GLQ: 2018

GLO: 2016

  Judge Versaci has served as a Judge in the New York State Courts since January 2003. Currently, Judge Versaci is assigned as an Acting Supreme Court Justice and also presides over the Surrogate’s Court for Schenectady County, New York. Previously, Judge Versaci has served as an Adjunct Professor at Schenectady County Community College and a practicing attorney with an emphasis on civil and criminal litigation primarily in New York State Courts.   3   None

Interested Trustees6 / Nominees

       

Edmund J. Burke7

1961

 

Trustee and

President

 

Trustee since:

GLV: 2006

GLQ: 2006

GLO: 2006

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2016

GLQ: 2017

GLO: 2018

 

President

since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

  Mr. Burke joined ALPS in 1991 and is currently the Chief Executive Officer and President of ALPS Holdings, Inc. (a wholly- owned subsidiary of DST), and a Director of ALPS Advisors, Inc., ALPS Distributors, Inc., ALPS Fund Services, Inc., and ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. Mr. Burke is also Director of Boston Financial Data Services. Mr. Burke is deemed an affiliate of each Fund as defined under the 1940 Act.   5   Mr. Burke is also Trustee, Chairman and President of Financial Investors Trust. Mr. Burke is a Trustee and Vice President of the Liberty All-Star Equity Fund and is a Director and Vice President of the Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc.

James E. Canty8

1962

 

Clough Capital Partners, LP

One Post Office Square

40th Floor Boston,

MA 02109

  Trustee  

Trustee since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

 

Term expires:

GLV: 2018

GLQ: 2016

GLO: 2017

  Mr. Canty is a founding partner, President and Portfolio Manager for Clough. Mr. Canty is deemed an affiliate of each Fund as defined under the 1940 Act. Mr. Canty is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Clough Offshore Fund, Ltd. and Clough Offshore Fund (QP), Ltd. Mr. Canty is also currently a Trustee of St. Bonaventure University, Blacklight Power, Inc. and Razia’s Ray of Hope. Mr. Canty is a Certified Public Accountant.   4   None

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Trustees & Officers
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Name, Address1
and Year of Birth
  Position(s) Held
with the Funds
 

Term of office

and length of
service with
GLV2, GLQ3 &
GLO4

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee5
  Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past
Five Years

Officers9

           

Jeremy O. May

1970

  Treasurer  

Officer since:

GLV: 2004

GLQ: 2005

GLO: 2006

  Mr. May joined ALPS in 1995 and is currently President of ALPS and ALPS Distributors, Inc., and Executive Vice President and Director of ALPS Advisors, Inc. and ALPS Holdings, Inc. Mr. May is also Director of ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. Mr. May is deemed to be an affiliate of each Fund as defined under the 1940 Act. Mr. May is also President, Chairman and Trustee of the ALPS Series Trust. Mr. May is also President, Chairman and Trustee of the Reaves Utility Income Fund. Mr. May is currently on the Board of Directors of the University of Colorado Foundation.   N/A   N/A

Abigail J. Murray

1975

  Secretary  

Officer since:

GLV: 2015

GLQ: 2015

GLO: 2015

  Ms. Murray joined ALPS in April 2015. She is currently Vice President and Senior Counsel of ALPS. Prior to joining ALPS, Ms. Murray was an Attorney and Managing Member at Murray & Rouvina PLC from 2014 to 2015 and an Associate with Vedder Price P.C. from 2007 to 2014. Ms. Murray is also the Secretary of ALPS ETF Trust, Clough Funds Trust, and The Caldwell & Orkin Funds, Inc. Ms. Murray is deemed to be an affiliate of each Fund as defined under the 1940 Act.   N/A   N/A

Jennifer Welsh

1977

  Chief Compliance Officer  

Officer since:

GLV: 2015

GLQ: 2015

GLO: 2015

  Ms. Welsh joined ALPS in March 2013 and currently serves as Vice President, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to August 2015, Ms. Welsh served as Vice President, Senior Counsel at ALPS. Prior to joining ALPS, from June 2010 to November 2012, Ms. Welsh served as Chief Compliance Officer and Associate Counsel of three investment advisers and four closed-end funds within the Boulder Funds’ investment complex. From January 2007 through May 2010, Ms. Welsh was Associate Counsel in the Corporate Finance and Acquisitions group at Davis, Graham & Stubbs LLP. Because of her position with ALPS, Ms. Welsh is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act.   N/A   N/A

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Trustees & Officers
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Name, Address1
and Year of Birth
  Position(s) Held
with the Funds
 

Term of office

and length of
service with
GLV2, GLQ3 &
GLO4

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee5
  Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past
Five Years

Officers

           

Jill Kerschen

1975

 

Assistant

Treasurer

 

Officer since:

GLV: 2013

GLQ: 2013

GLO: 2013

  Ms. Kerschen joined ALPS in July 2013 and is currently a Fund Controller at ALPS. Ms. Kerschen is deemed to be an affiliate of each Fund as defined under the 1940 Act. Ms. Kerschen also serves as Treasurer of Reaves Utility Income Fund and Assistant Treasurer of Clough Funds Trust, the Westcore Funds and the Macquarie Global Infrastructure Total Return Fund. Prior to joining ALPS, Ms. Kerschen was Senior Manager, Financial & Tax Reporting at Great-West Financial from 2007 to 2013.   N/A   N/A

 

1 

Address: 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203, unless otherwise noted.

2 

GLV commenced operations on July 28, 2004.

3 

GLQ commenced operations on April 27, 2005.

4 

GLO commenced operations on April 25, 2006.

5 

The Fund Complex for all Trustees, except Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Burke and Mr. Canty, consists of the Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund. The Fund Complex for Mr. Rutledge consists of Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, Clough Global Opportunities Fund and the Clough China Fund, a series of the Financial Investors Trust. The Fund Complex for Mr. Burke consists of Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, Clough Global Opportunities Fund, the Clough China Fund, a series of the Financial Investors Trust, and the Clough Long/Short Fund, a series of the Clough Funds Trust. The Fund Complex for Mr. Canty consists of Clough Global Allocation Fund, Clough Global Equity Fund, Clough Global Opportunities Fund and the Clough Long/Short Fund, a series of the Clough Funds Trust.

6 

“Interested Trustees” refers to those Trustees who constitute “interested persons” of a Fund as defined in the 1940 Act.

7 

Mr. Burke is considered to be an “Interested Trustee” because he is President of each Fund.

8 

Mr. Canty is considered to be an “Interested Trustee” because of his affiliation with Clough Capital Partners L.P., which acts as each Fund’s investment adviser.

9

Officers are elected annually and each officer will hold such office until a successor has been elected by the Board.

The Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about the Fund’s Trustees and is available, without a charge, upon request, by contacting the Fund at 1 - 877 - 256 - 8445.

 

 

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Clough Global Funds    Privacy Policy
  

 

October 31, 2015 (Unaudited)

 

 

The Funds are committed to ensuring your financial privacy. This notice is being sent to comply with privacy regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The following policy is in effect with respect to nonpublic personal information about Fund customers:

 

 

Only such information received from you, through application forms or otherwise, and information about your Fund transactions will be collected.

 

 

None of such information about you (or former customers) will be disclosed to anyone, except as permitted by law (which includes disclosure to employees necessary to service your account).

 

 

Policies and procedures (including physical, electronic and procedural safeguards) are in place that are designed to protect the confidentiality of such information.

 

 

The Funds do not currently obtain consumer information. If the Funds were to obtain consumer information at any time in the future, appropriate procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to protect against unauthorized access to and properly dispose of consumer information would be employed.

For more information about the Funds’ privacy policies call (877) 256-8445 (toll-free).

 

 

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Item 2.  Code of Ethics.

 

  (a) The Registrant, as of the end of the period covered by the report, has adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to the Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer or Controller or any persons performing similar functions on behalf of the Registrant.

 

  (b) Not Applicable.

 

  (c) During the period covered, by this report, no amendments were made to the provisions of the Code of Ethics adopted in 2 (a) above.

 

  (d) During the period covered by this report, no implicit or explicit waivers to the provision of the Code of Ethics adopted in 2 (a) above were granted.

 

  (e) Not Applicable.

 

  (f) The Registrant’s Code of Ethics is attached as Exhibit 12.A.1 hereto.

Item 3.   Audit Committee Financial Expert.

The Registrant’s Board of Trustees has determined that the registrant has as least one audit committee financial expert serving on its Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has designated Richard C. Rantzow as the Registrant’s “audit committee financial expert.” Mr. Rantzow is “independent” as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of Item 3 to Form N-CSR.

Item 4.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services.

The following table sets forth the aggregate audit and non-audit fees billed to the registrant for each of the last three fiscal periods for professional services rendered by the registrant’s principal accountant, Cohen Fund Audit Services, Ltd. (“Cohen”).

 

    

Fiscal year ended

October 31, 2015

    

Fiscal period ended

October 31, 2014 (1)

    

Fiscal year ended

March 31, 2014

 

(a) Audit Fees (2)

     $20,500         $20,500         $20,500   

(b) Audit-Related Fees (3)

     0         0         0   


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(c ) Tax Fees (4)

     3,000         3,000         3,000   

(d) All Other Fees (5)

     0         0         0   

(g) Aggregate Non-Audit Fees (6)

     3,000         3,000         3,000   

 

  (1) In 2014, the registrant changed its fiscal year end to October 31, so this fiscal period consists of the seven months ended October 31, 2014.
  (2) Audit Fees are fees billed for professional services rendered by Cohen for the audit of the registrant’s annual financial statements and for the services that are normally provided by Cohen in connection with the statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.
  (3) Audit-Related Fees are fees billed for assurance and related services by Cohen that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under the caption “Audit Fees”.
  (4) Tax Fees are fees billed for professional services rendered by Cohen for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. In all periods shown in the table, such services consisted of preparation of the registrant’s annual tax returns, excise tax returns, and review of dividend distribution calculation fees.
  (5) All Other Fees are fees billed for products and services provided by Cohen, other than the services reported under the captions “Audit Fees”, “Audit-Related Fees” and “Tax Fees”.
  (6) Aggregate Non-Audit Fees are non-audit fees billed by Cohen for services rendered to the registrant, the registrant’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant (collectively, the “Covered Entities”). The Aggregate Non-Audit Fee includes the Tax Fees disclosed pursuant to Footnote 4 above. During all periods shown in the table, no portion of such fees related to services rendered by Cohen to the Adviser or any other Covered Entity.

 

  (e)(1) Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures: All services to be performed by the Registrant’s principal auditors must be pre-approved by the Registrant’s Audit Committee.

 

  (e)(2) No services described in paragraphs (b) through (d) were approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

 

  (f) Not applicable.

Item 5.  Audit Committee of Listed Registrant.

The registrant has a separately designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3 (a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act and is comprised of the following members:

Robert L. Butler

Adam D. Crescenzi

John F. Mee

Richard C. Rantzow, Committee Chairman

Jerry G. Rutledge

Hon. Vincent W. Versaci


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Item 6.  Schedule of Investments.

 

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

 

(b) Not applicable.

 

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

Attached, as Exhibit Ex. 99. Item 7, is a copy of the policies and procedures of Clough Capital Partners L.P. (“Clough”), the investment adviser of the Registrant.

Item 8.  Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies, October 31, 2015

 

Portfolio Managers

Name

   Title   

Length of

Service

   Business Experience: 5 Years
Charles I. Clough, Jr.    CEO, Partner and Portfolio Manager    Since Inception    Founding Partner Clough Capital Partners L.P. Portfolio Manager for pooled investment accounts, separately managed accounts, and investment companies for over ten years.
Eric A. Brock   

Partner and

Portfolio Manager

   Since Inception    Founding Partner Clough Capital Partners L.P. Portfolio Manager for pooled investment accounts, separately managed accounts, and investment companies for over ten years.
James E. Canty    President, Partner and Portfolio Manager    Since Inception    Founding Partner of Clough Capital L.P. Portfolio Manager, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel for pooled investment accounts, separately managed accounts, and investment companies for over ten years. Mr. Canty is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Clough Offshore Fund, Ltd and Clough Offshore Fund (QP), Ltd. and Board of Trustees of Clough Global Equity Fund and Clough Global Opportunities Fund. Because of his affiliation with Clough, Mr.


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               Canty is an ‘‘interested’’ Trustee of the Registrant.
Robert Zdunczyk    Portfolio Manager
& Fixed Income Analyst
   Since 12/21/11    Mr. Zdunczyk has over 18 years of industry experience which includes analysis of fixed income securities, fixed income trading, equity research, portfolio management, and accounting. He has been an Analyst at Clough Capital Partners L.P. since 2005, where he has been managing fixed income portfolios, specialty finance equity research and fixed income trading.

(a)(2) As of October 31, 2015, the Portfolio Managers listed above are also responsible for the day-to-day management of the following:

 

Portfolio

Managers

Name

   Registered
Investment
Companies
  

Other Pooled

Investment

Vehicles (1)

   Other
Accounts(2)
  

Material

Conflicts

If Any

Charles I. Clough, Jr.   

3 Accounts

$2,123.9 million Total Assets

  

5 Accounts

$1,159.0 million

Total Assets

 

  

2 Accounts

$339.3 million Total Assets

   See below (3)
Eric A. Brock   

4 Accounts

$2,201.1 million Total Assets

  

5 Accounts

$1,159.0 million

Total Assets

 

  

2 Accounts

$339.3 million Total Assets

   See below (3)
James E. Canty   

3 Accounts

$2,153.8 million Total Assets

  

5 Accounts

$1,159.0 million

Total Assets

 

  

2 Accounts

$339.3 million Total Assets

   See below (3)
Robert Zdunczyk   

1 Account

$1,477.9 million Total Assets

 

   N/A    N/A    See below (3)

 

  (1)  The advisory fees are based in part on the performance for each account.
  (2)  The advisory fee is based in part on the performance for two accounts totaling $308.2 million in assets.
  (3)  Material Conflicts:


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Material conflicts of interest may arise as a result of the fact that the Portfolio Managers also have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to both the Registrant and the various accounts listed above (collectively with the Registrant, the “Accounts”). These potential conflicts include:

Limited Resources. The Portfolio Managers cannot devote their full time and attention to the management of each of the Accounts. Accordingly, the Portfolio Managers may be limited in their ability to identify investment opportunities for each of the Accounts that are as attractive as might be the case if the Portfolio Managers were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single Account. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where the Accounts have different investment strategies.

Limited Investment Opportunities. If the Portfolio Managers identify a limited investment opportunity that may be appropriate for more than one Account, the investment opportunity may be allocated among several Accounts. This could limit any single Account’s ability to take full advantage of an investment opportunity that might not be limited if the Portfolio Managers did not provide investment advice to other Accounts.

Different Investment Strategies. The Accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers have differing investment strategies. If the Portfolio Managers determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the Accounts or decide that certain of the Accounts should take different positions with respect to a particular security, the Portfolio Managers may effect transactions for one or more Accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other Accounts.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where Clough or Clough Associates, LLC, as applicable, is compensated differently by the Accounts that are managed by the Portfolio Managers. If certain Accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based incentive fees, the Portfolio Managers might be motivated to prefer certain Accounts over others. The Portfolio Managers might also be motivated to favor Accounts in which they have a greater ownership interest or Accounts that are more likely to enhance the Portfolio Managers’ performance record or to otherwise benefit the Portfolio Managers.

Selection of Brokers. The Portfolio Managers select the brokers that execute securities transactions for the Accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers provide the Portfolio Managers with research and other services which may require the payment of higher brokerage fees than might otherwise be available. The Portfolio Managers’ decision as to the selection of brokers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the Accounts that they manage, since the research and other services provided by brokers may be more beneficial to some Accounts than to others.

(a)(3) Portfolio Manager Compensation as of October 31, 2015.


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The Portfolio Managers Charles Clough, James Canty and Eric Brock own 100% of Clough. They each receive a fixed base salary determined based on market factors. Additionally, Clough distributes substantially all of its annual net profits to those three Portfolio Managers, with Mr. Clough receiving a majority share and the remainder being divided between Mr. Brock and Mr. Canty, with an additional smaller share allocated to four income partners. Mr. Zdunczyk receives a fixed base salary and an annual bonus based on his individual performance and the overall profitability of the firm.

(a)(4) Dollar Range of Securities Owned as of October 31, 2015.

 

     Dollar Range of the Registrant’s Securities
Owned by the Portfolio Managers
Portfolio Managers     

Charles I. Clough, Jr.

   $100,001 - $500,000

Eric A. Brock

   $50,000 - $100,000

James E. Canty

   $100,001 - $500,000

Robert Zdunczyk

   $10,001 - $50,000

 

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

 

         
Period   

(a) Total Number  

of Shares (or  

Units) Purchased  

  

(b) Average Price  
Paid per Share (or

Unit)  

  

(c) Total Number

of Shares (or
  Units) Purchased  

as Part of Publicly
Announced Plans

or Programs

  

(d) Maximum
Number (or
Approximate
Dollar Value) of

Shares (or Units)

that May Yet Be

Purchased Under

the Plans or

Programs

         

4/1/15 - 4/30/15

   -      $                      -      -      521,730
         

5/1/15 - 5/31/15

   8,900    $                15.04    8,900    512,830
         

6/1/15 - 6/30/15

   6,000    $                15.15    6,000    506,830
         

7/1/15 - 7/31/15

   4,000    $                14.76    4,000    502,830
         

8/1/15 - 8/31/15

   7,700    $                14.81    7,700    495,130
         

9/1/15 - 9/30/15

   14,400    $                13.70    14,400    480,730
         

10/1/15 - 10/31/15

   1,000    $                13.11    1,000    479,730


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Repurchase program announced on April 20, 2015.
Approved the Fund to purchase up to 5% of its outstanding common shares, in the open market, through October 31, 2015.

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

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

Item 11.  Controls and Procedures.

 

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

 

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

Item 12.  Exhibits.

(a)(1) The Code of Ethics that applies to the Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer is attached hereto as Exhibit 12.A.1.

(a)(2) The certifications required by Rule 30a-2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto as Ex-99.Cert.

(a)(3) Not applicable.

(b) A certification for the Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as required by Rule 30a-2(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto as Ex-99.906Cert.

(c) The Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are attached hereto as Ex99. Item 7.

(d) Pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Order granting relief from Section 19(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 dated September 21, 2009, the form of 19(a) Notices to Beneficial Owners are attached hereto as Exhibit 12(d).


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SIGNATURES

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

CLOUGH GLOBAL ALLOCATION FUND

 

By:  

/s/Edmund J. Burke

  Edmund J. Burke
  President/Principal Executive Officer
Date:   January 8, 2016

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

CLOUGH GLOBAL ALLOCATION FUND

 

By:  

/s/Edmund J. Burke

  Edmund J. Burke
  President/Principal Executive Officer
Date:   January 8, 2016
By:  

/s/Jeremy O. May

  Treasurer/Principal Financial Officer
Date:   January 8, 2016