Brokerage commissions and mark ups are considered transaction costs and are recorded as an increase to the cost basis of securities purchased and/or a reduction of proceeds on a sale of securities. Such transaction costs are included in the determination of net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from investment securities reported in the Statement of Operations and the Statement of Changes in Net Assets and the net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on securities per share in the Financial Highlights. Transaction costs are included in the calculation of the Trust’s net asset value and, accordingly, they reduce the Trust’s total returns. These transaction costs are not considered operating expenses and are not reflected in net investment income reported in the Statement of Operations and the Statement of Changes in Net Assets, or the net investment income per share and the ratios of expenses and net investment income reported in the Financial Highlights, nor are they limited by any expense limitation arrangements between the Trust and the investment adviser.
C. |
Country Determination – For the purposes of making investment selection decisions and presentation in the Schedule of Investments, the investment adviser may determine the country in which an issuer is located and/or credit risk exposure based on various factors. These factors include the laws of the country under which the issuer is organized, where the issuer maintains a principal office, the country in which the issuer derives 50% or more of its total revenues, the country that has the primary market for the issuer’s securities and its “country of risk” as determined by a third party service provider, as well as other criteria. Among the other criteria that may be evaluated for making this determination are the country in which the issuer maintains 50% or more of its assets, the type of security, financial guarantees and enhancements, the nature of the collateral and the sponsor organization. Country of issuer and/or credit risk exposure has been determined to be the United States of America, unless otherwise noted. |
D. |
Distributions – The Trust declares and pays monthly dividends from net investment income to common shareholders. Distributions from net realized capital gain, if any, are generally declared and paid annually and are distributed on a pro rata basis to common and preferred shareholders. |
E. |
Federal Income Taxes – The Trust intends to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), necessary to qualify as a regulated investment company and to distribute substantially all of the Trust’s taxable earnings to shareholders. As such, the Trust will not be subject to federal income taxes on otherwise taxable income (including net realized capital gain) that is distributed to shareholders. Therefore, no provision for federal income taxes is recorded in the financial statements. |
The Trust recognizes the tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only when the position is more likely than not to be sustained. Management has analyzed the Trust’s uncertain tax positions and concluded that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits should be recorded related to uncertain tax positions. Management is not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will change materially in the next 12 months.
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26 |
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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals |
In addition, the Trust intends to invest in such municipal securities to allow it to qualify to pay shareholders “exempt dividends”, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code.
The Trust files tax returns in the U.S. Federal jurisdiction and certain other jurisdictions. Generally, the Trust is subject to examinations by such taxing authorities for up to three years after the filing of the return for the tax period.
F. |
Interest, Facilities and Maintenance Fees – Interest, Facilities and Maintenance Fees include interest and related borrowing costs such as commitment fees, rating and bank agent fees, administrative expenses and other expenses associated with establishing and maintaining the line of credit and Variable Rate Muni Term Preferred Shares (“VMTP Shares”). In addition, interest and administrative expenses related to establishing and maintaining floating rate note obligations, if any, are included. |
G. |
Accounting Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period including estimates and assumptions related to taxation. Actual results could differ from those estimates by a significant amount. In addition, the Trust monitors for material events or transactions that may occur or become known after the period-end date and before the date the financial statements are released to print. |
H. |
Indemnifications – Under the Trust’s organizational documents, each Trustee, officer, employee or other agent of the Trust is indemnified against certain liabilities that may arise out of the performance of their duties to the Trust. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Trust enters into contracts, including the Trust’s servicing agreements, that contain a variety of indemnification clauses. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Trust that have not yet occurred. The risk of material loss as a result of such indemnification claims is considered remote. |
I. |
Cash and Cash Equivalents – For the purposes of the Statement of Cash Flows, the Trust defines Cash and Cash Equivalents as cash (including foreign currency), restricted cash, money market funds and other investments held in lieu of cash and excludes investments made with cash collateral received. |
J. |
Floating Rate Note Obligations – The Trust invests in inverse floating rate securities, such as Tender Option Bonds (“TOBs”), for investment purposes and to enhance the yield of the Trust. Such securities may be purchased in the secondary market without first owning an underlying bond but generally are created through the sale of fixed rate bonds by the Trust to special purpose trusts established by a broker dealer or by the Trust (“TOB Trusts”) in exchange for cash and residual interests in the TOB Trusts’ assets and cash flows, which are in the form of inverse floating rate securities. The TOB Trusts finance the purchases of the fixed rate bonds by issuing floating rate notes to third parties and allowing the Trust to retain residual interests in the bonds. The floating rate notes issued by the TOB Trusts have interest rates that reset weekly and the floating rate note holders have the option to tender their notes to the TOB Trusts for redemption at par at each reset date. The residual interests held by the Trust (inverse floating rate securities) include the right of the Trust (1) to cause the holders of the floating rate notes to tender their notes at par at the next interest rate reset date, and (2) to transfer the municipal bond from the TOB Trust to the Trust, thereby collapsing the TOB Trust. Inverse floating rate securities tend to underperform the market for fixed rate bonds in a rising interest rate environment, but tend to outperform the market for fixed rate bonds when interest rates decline or remain relatively stable. |
The Trust generally invests in inverse floating rate securities that include embedded leverage, thus exposing the Trust to greater risks and increased costs. The primary risks associated with inverse floating rate securities are varying degrees of liquidity and decreases in the value of such securities in response to changes in interest rates to a greater extent than fixed rate securities having similar credit quality, redemption provisions and maturity, which may cause the Trust’s net asset value to be more volatile than if it had not invested in inverse floating rate securities. In certain instances, the short-term floating rate notes created by the TOB Trust may not be able to be sold to third parties or, in the case of holders tendering (or putting) such notes for repayment of principal, may not be able to be remarketed to third parties. In such cases, the TOB Trust holding the fixed rate bonds may be collapsed with the entity that contributed the fixed rate bonds to the TOB Trust. In the case where a TOB Trust is collapsed with the Trust, the Trust will be required to repay the principal amount of the tendered securities, which may require the Trust to sell other portfolio holdings to raise cash to meet that obligation. The Trust could therefore be required to sell other portfolio holdings at a disadvantageous time or price to raise cash to meet this obligation, which risk will be heightened during times of market volatility, illiquidity or uncertainty. The embedded leverage in the TOB Trust could cause the Trust to lose more money than the value of the asset it has contributed to the TOB Trust and greater levels of leverage create the potential for greater losses. In addition, a Trust may enter into reimbursement agreements with the liquidity provider of certain TOB transactions in connection with certain residuals held by the Trust. These agreements commit a Trust to reimburse the liquidity provider to the extent that the liquidity provider must provide cash to a TOB Trust, including following the termination of a TOB Trust resulting from a mandatory tender event (“liquidity shortfall”). The reimbursement agreement will effectively make the Trust liable for the amount of the negative difference, if any, between the liquidation value of the underlying security and the purchase price of the floating rate notes issued by the TOB Trust.
The Trust accounts for the transfer of fixed rate bonds to the TOB Trusts as secured borrowings, with the securities transferred remaining in the Trust’s investment assets, and the related floating rate notes reflected as Trust liabilities under the caption
Floating rate note obligations
on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The carrying amount of the Trust’s floating rate note obligations as reported on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities approximates its fair value. The Trust records the interest income from the fixed rate bonds under the caption Interest and records the expenses related to floating rate obligations and any administrative expenses of the TOB Trusts as a component of
Interest, facilities and maintenance fees
on the Statement of Operations.
Final rules implementing section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Volcker Rule”) prohibit banking entities and their affiliates from sponsoring and/or providing certain services for existing TOB Trusts, which constitute “covered funds” under the Volcker Rule. As a result of the Volcker Rule, the Trust, as holder of Inverse Floaters, is required to perform certain duties in connection with TOB financing transactions previously performed by banking entities. These duties may alternatively be performed by a
non-bank
third-party service provider. The Trust’s expanded role may increase its operational and regulatory risk.
Further, the SEC and various banking agencies have adopted rules implementing credit risk retention requirements for asset-backed securities (the “Risk Retention Rules”), which apply to TOB financing transactions and TOB Trusts. The Risk Retention Rules require the sponsor of a TOB Trust to retain at least 5% of the credit risk of the underlying security held by the TOB Trust. The Trust has adopted policies intended to comply with the Risk Retention Rules. The Risk Retention Rules may adversely affect the Trust’s ability to engage in TOB financing transactions or increase the costs of such transactions in certain circumstances.
There can be no assurances that TOB financing transactions will continue to be a viable or cost-effective form of leverage. The unavailability of TOB financing transactions or an increase in the cost of financing provided by TOB transactions may adversely affect the Trust’s net asset value, distribution rate and ability to achieve its investment objective.
TOBs are presently classified as private placement securities. Private placement securities are subject to restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), or are otherwise not readily marketable. As a result of the absence of a public trading market for these securities, they may be less liquid than publicly traded securities. Although atypical, these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Trust or less than what may be considered the fair value of such securities.
K. |
Other Risks - The risk of a municipal obligation generally depends on the financial and credit status of the issuer. Constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations, voter initiatives, and the issuer’s regional economic conditions may affect the municipal security’s value, interest payments, repayment of principal and the Trust’s ability to sell the security. Failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax |
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27 |
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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals |
| |
treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of municipal securities. |
Increases in the federal funds and equivalent foreign rates or other changes to monetary policy or regulatory actions may expose fixed income markets to heightened volatility, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree, and to reduced liquidity for certain fixed income investments, particularly those with longer maturities. Such changes and resulting increased volatility may adversely impact the Trust, including its operations, universe of potential investment options, and return potential. It is difficult to predict the impact of interest rate changes on various markets. In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may also potentially lead to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity in the fixed income markets. As a result, the value of the Trust’s investments and share price may decline. Changes in central bank policies and other governmental actions and political events within the U.S. and abroad may also, among other things, affect investor and consumer expectations and confidence in the financial markets. This could result in higher than normal redemptions by shareholders, which could potentially increase the Trust’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs.
The municipal issuers in which the Trust invests may be located in the same geographic area or may pay their interest obligations from revenue of similar projects, such as hospitals, airports, utility systems and housing finance agencies. This may make the Trust’s investments more susceptible to similar social, economic, political or regulatory occurrences, making the Trust more susceptible to experience a drop in its share price than if the Trust had been more diversified across issuers that did not have similar characteristics.
NOTE 2–Advisory Fees and Other Fees Paid to Affiliates
The Trust has entered into a master investment advisory agreement with the Adviser. Under the terms of the investment advisory agreement, the Trust accrues daily and pays monthly an advisory fee to the Adviser based on the annual rate of 0.55% of the Trust’s average daily managed assets. Managed assets for this purpose means the Trust’s net assets, plus assets attributable to outstanding preferred shares and the amount of any borrowings incurred for the purpose of leverage (whether or not such borrowed amounts are reflected in the Trust’s financial statements for purposes of GAAP).
Under the terms of a master
sub-advisory
agreement between the Adviser and each of Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. and Invesco Canada Ltd. (collectively, the “Affiliated
Sub-Advisers”)
the Adviser, not the Trust, will pay 40% of the fees paid to the Adviser to any such Affiliated
Sub-Adviser(s)
that provide(s) discretionary investment management services to the Trust based on the percentage of assets allocated to such Affiliated
Sub-Adviser(s).
The Adviser has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2026, to waive the advisory fee payable by the Trust in an amount equal to 100% of the net advisory fees the Adviser receives from the affiliated investments by the Trust.
For the six months ended August 31, 2024, the Adviser waived advisory fees of $1,513.
The Trust has entered into a master administrative services agreement with Invesco pursuant to which the Trust has agreed to pay Invesco for certain administrative costs incurred in providing accounting services to the Trust. For the six months ended August 31, 2024, expenses incurred under this agreement are shown in the Statement of Operations as
Administrative services fees
. Invesco has entered into a
sub-administration
agreement whereby State Street Bank and Trust Company (“SSB”) serves as fund accountant and provides certain administrative services to the Trust. Pursuant to a custody agreement with the Trust, SSB also serves as the Trust’s custodian.
Certain officers and trustees of the Trust are officers and directors of Invesco.
NOTE 3–Additional Valuation Information
GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, under current market conditions. GAAP establishes a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation methods, giving the highest priority to readily available unadjusted quoted prices in an active market for identical assets (Level 1) and the lowest priority to significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), generally when market prices are not readily available. Based on the valuation inputs, the securities or other investments are tiered into one of three levels. Changes in valuation methods may result in transfers in or out of an investment’s assigned level:
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| |
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Level 1 - |
|
Prices are determined using quoted prices in an active market for identical assets. |
|
|
Level 2 - |
|
Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs. Observable inputs are inputs that other market participants may use in pricing a security. These may include quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, loss severities, default rates, discount rates, volatilities and others. When significant events due to market movements occur, foreign securities may be fair valued utilizing an independent pricing service. |
|
|
Level 3 - |
|
Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs. In situations where quoted prices or observable inputs are unavailable (for example, when there is little or no market activity for an investment at the end of the period), unobservable inputs may be used. Unobservable inputs reflect the Adviser’s assumptions about the factors market participants would use in determining fair value of the securities or instruments and would be based on the best available information. |
The following is a summary of the tiered valuation input levels, as of August 31, 2024. The level assigned to the securities valuations may not be an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with investing in those securities. Because of the inherent uncertainties of valuation, the values reflected in the financial statements may materially differ from the value received upon actual sale of those investments.
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Investments in Securities |
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Municipal Obligations |
|
|
$ – |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$909,347,968 |
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|
|
$1,035,640 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
$910,383,608 |
|
|
|
|
Exchange-Traded Funds |
|
|
800,882 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
800,882 |
|
|
|
|
Total Investments in Securities |
|
|
800,882 |
|
|
|
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|
|
|
909,347,968 |
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|
1,035,640 |
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|
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|
|
|
911,184,490 |
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Other Investments - Assets |
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Investments Matured |
|
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– |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
88 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
– |
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|
|
|
|
|
88 |
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|
|
|
Total Investments |
|
|
$800,882 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
$909,348,056 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
$1,035,640 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
$911,184,578 |
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|
|
NOTE 4–Security Transactions with Affiliated Funds
The Trust is permitted to purchase securities from or sell securities to certain other affiliated funds under specified conditions outlined in procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust. The procedures have been designed to ensure that any purchase or sale of securities by the Trust from or to another fund that is or could be considered an “affiliated person” by virtue of having a common investment adviser (or affiliated investment advisers), common Trustees and/or common officers is made in reliance on Rule
17a-7
of the 1940 Act and, to the extent applicable, related SEC staff positions. Each such transaction is effected at the security’s
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28 |
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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals |
“current market price”, as provided for in these procedures and Rule
17a-7.
Pursuant to these procedures, for the six months ended August 31, 2024, the Trust engaged in securities purchases of $15,640,769 and securities sales of $43,977,622, which resulted in net realized gains (losses) of $(594,358).
NOTE 5–Trustees’ and Officers’ Fees and Benefits
Trustees’ and Officers’ Fees and Benefits
include amounts accrued by the Trust to pay remuneration to certain Trustees and Officers of the Trust. Trustees have the
option to defer compensation payable by the Trust, and
“Trustees’ and Officers’ Fees and Benefits
” includes amounts accrued by the Trust to fund such deferred compensation amounts.
NOTE 6–Cash Balances and Borrowings
The Trust is permitted to temporarily carry a negative or overdrawn balance in its account with SSB, the custodian bank. Such balances, if any at
period-end,
are shown in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities under the payable caption
Amount due custodian
. To compensate the custodian bank for such overdrafts, the overdrawn Trust may either (1) leave funds as a compensating balance in the account so the custodian bank can be compensated by earning the additional interest; or (2) compensate by paying the custodian bank at a rate agreed upon by the custodian bank and Invesco, not to exceed the contractually agreed upon rate.
Inverse floating rate obligations resulting from the transfer of bonds to TOB Trusts are accounted for as secured borrowings. The average floating rate notes outstanding and average annual interest and fee rate related to inverse floating rate note obligations during the six months ended August 31, 2024 were $54,316,429 and 5.51%, respectively.
NOTE 7–Tax Information
The amount and character of income and gains to be distributed are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. Reclassifications are made to the Trust’s capital accounts to reflect income and gains available for distribution (or available capital loss carryforward) under income tax regulations. The tax character of distributions paid during the year and the tax components of net assets will be reported at the Trust’s fiscal
year-end.
Capital loss carryforward is calculated and reported as of a specific date. Results of transactions and other activity after that date may affect the amount of capital loss carryforward actually available for the Trust to utilize. The ability to utilize capital loss carryforward in the future may be limited under the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations based on the results of future transactions.
The Trust had a capital loss carryforward as of February 29, 2024, as follows:
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Capital Loss Carryforward* |
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Not subject to expiration |
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$43,188,983 |
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$44,184,134 |
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$87,373,117 |
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| * |
Capital loss carryforward is reduced for limitations, if any, to the extent required by the Internal Revenue Code and may be further limited depending upon a variety of factors, including the realization of net unrealized gains or losses as of the date of any reorganization. |
NOTE 8–Investment Transactions
The aggregate amount of investment securities (other than short-term securities, U.S. Government obligations and money market funds, if any) purchased and sold by the Trust during the six months ended August 31, 2024 was $52,867,220 and $80,101,383, respectively. As of August 31, 2024, the aggregate cost of investments, including any derivatives, on a tax basis listed below includes the adjustments for financial reporting purposes as of the most recently completed federal income tax reporting
period-end:
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Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investments on a Tax Basis |
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Aggregate unrealized appreciation of investments |
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$ |
28,656,289 |
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Aggregate unrealized (depreciation) of investments |
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(19,100,199 |
) |
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Net unrealized appreciation of investments |
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$ |
9,556,090 |
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Cost of investments for tax purposes is $901,628,488.
NOTE 9–Common Shares of Beneficial Interest
Transactions in common shares of beneficial interest were as follows:
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| |
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Six Months Ended
August 31, |
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Beginning shares |
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54,231,968 |
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54,231,968 |
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Shares issued through dividend reinvestment |
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– |
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|
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– |
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Ending shares |
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54,231,968 |
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54,231,968 |
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The Trust may, when appropriate, purchase shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions at a price not above market value or net asset value, whichever is lower at the time of purchase.
NOTE 10–Variable Rate Muni Term Preferred Shares
The Trust issued Series
2015/6-VGM
VMTP Shares, with a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share, pursuant to an offering exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. As of August 31, 2024, the VMTP Shares outstanding were as follows:
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05/08/2012 |
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2,733 |
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12/01/2024 |
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06/01/2021 |
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VMTP Shares are a variable-rate form of preferred shares with a mandatory redemption date, unless earlier redeemed, repurchased, or extended, and are considered debt for financial reporting purposes. On May 31, 2024, the Trust redeemed 410 Series
2015/6-VGM
VMTP Shares, with a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share to pay holders of record as of May 1, 2024, the redemption price, including accumulated but unpaid dividends, to holders of VMTP Shares called for redemption
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29 |
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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals |
on such date, in connection with the partial redemption. Effective June 1, 2024, the Trust extended the term of the VMTP Shares and is required to redeem all outstanding VMTP Shares on December 1, 2027, unless earlier redeemed, repurchased or extended. VMTP Shares are subject to optional and mandatory redemption in certain circumstances. The redemption price per share is equal to the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends and a redemption premium, if any. Starting six months prior to the term redemption date, the Trust will be required to earmark assets having a value equal to 110% of the redemption amount.
The Trust incurs costs in connection with the issuance and/or the extension of the VMTP Shares. These costs are recorded as a deferred charge and are amortized over the term life of the VMTP Shares. Amortization of these costs is included in
Interest, facilities and maintenance fees
on the Statement of Operations, and the unamortized balance is included in the value of
Variable rate muni term preferred shares
on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Dividends paid on the VMTP Shares (which are treated as interest expense for financial reporting purposes) are declared daily and paid monthly. The initial rate for dividends was equal to the sum of 1.10% per annum plus the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Municipal Swap Index (the “SIFMA” Index). As of August 31, 2024, the dividend rate is equal to the SIFMA Index plus a spread of 1.23%, which is based on the long term preferred share ratings assigned to the VMTP Shares by a ratings agency. The average aggregate liquidation preference outstanding and the average annualized dividend rate of the VMTP Shares during the six months ended August 31, 2024 were $252,577,174 and 4.59%, respectively.
The Trust utilizes the VMTP Shares as leverage in order to enhance the yield of its common shareholders. The primary risk associated with VMTP Shares is exposing the net asset value of the common shares and total return to increased volatility if the value of the Trust decreases while the value of the VMTP Shares remains unchanged. Fluctuations in the dividend rates on the VMTP Shares can also impact the Trust’s yield or its distributions to common shareholders. The Trust is subject to certain restrictions relating to the VMTP Shares, such as maintaining certain asset coverage and leverage ratio requirements. Failure to comply with these restrictions could preclude the Trust from declaring any distributions to common shareholders or purchasing common shares and/or could trigger an increased rate which, if not cured, could cause the mandatory redemption of VMTP Shares at the liquidation preference plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends.
The liquidation preference of VMTP Shares, which approximates fair value, is recorded as a liability under the caption
Variable rate muni term preferred shares
on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The fair value of VMTP Shares is expected to be approximately their liquidation preference so long as the credit rating on the VMTP Shares, and therefore the “spread” on the VMTP Shares (determined in accordance with the VMTP Shares’ governing document) remains unchanged. At
period-end,
the Trust’s Adviser has determined that fair value of VMTP Shares is approximately their liquidation preference. Fair value could vary if market conditions change materially. Unpaid dividends on VMTP Shares are recognized as
Accrued interest expense
on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Dividends paid on VMTP Shares are recognized as a component of
Interest, facilities and maintenance fees
on the Statement of Operations.
NOTE 11–Dividends
The Trust declared the following dividends to common shareholders from net investment income subsequent to August 31, 2024:
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September 3, 2024 |
|
$0.0646 |
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September 17, 2024 |
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September 30, 2024 |
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October 1, 2024 |
|
$0.0646 |
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October 16, 2024 |
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October 31, 2024 |
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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals |
Approval of Investment Advisory and
Sub-Advisory
Contracts
At meetings held on June 12, 2024, the Board of Trustees (the Board or the Trustees) of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals (the Fund) as a whole, and the independent Trustees, who comprise over 75% of the Board, voting separately, approved the continuance of the Fund’s Master Investment Advisory Agreement with Invesco Advisers, Inc. (Invesco Advisers and the investment advisory agreement) and the Master Intergroup
Sub-Advisory
Contract for Mutual Funds with Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. and Invesco Canada Ltd. (collectively, the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
and the
sub-advisory
contracts) for another year, effective July 1, 2024. After evaluating the factors discussed below, among others, the Board approved the renewal of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement and the
sub-advisory
contracts and determined that the compensation payable thereunder by the Fund to Invesco Advisers and by Invesco Advisers to the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
is fair and reasonable.
The Board’s Evaluation Process
The Board has established an Investments Committee, which in turn has established
Sub-Committees,
that meet throughout the year to review the performance of funds advised by Invesco Advisers (the Invesco Funds). The
Sub-Committees
meet regularly with portfolio managers for their assigned Invesco Funds and other members of management to review information about investment performance and portfolio attributes of these funds. The Board has established additional standing and ad hoc committees that meet regularly throughout the year to review matters within their purview, including a working group focused on opportunities to make ongoing and continuous improvements to the annual review process for the Invesco Funds’ investment advisory and
sub-advisory
contracts. The Board took into account evaluations and reports that it received from its committees and
sub-committees,
as well as the information provided to the Board and its committees and
sub-committees
throughout the year, in considering whether to approve each Invesco Fund’s investment advisory agreement and
sub-advisory
contracts.
As part of the contract renewal process, the Board reviews and considers information provided in response to requests for information submitted to management by the independent Trustees with assistance from legal counsel to the independent Trustees and the Senior Officer, an officer of the Invesco Funds who reports directly to the independent Trustees. The Board receives comparative investment performance and fee and expense data regarding the Invesco Funds prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge), an independent mutual fund data provider, as well as information on the composition of the peer groups provided by Broadridge and its methodology for determining peer groups. The Board also receives an independent written evaluation from the Senior Officer. The Senior Officer’s evaluation is prepared as part of his responsibility to manage the process by which the Invesco Funds’ proposed management fees are negotiated during the annual contract renewal
process to ensure they are negotiated in a manner that is at arms’ length and reasonable in accordance with certain negotiated regulatory requirements. In addition to meetings with Invesco Advisers and fund counsel throughout the year and as part of meetings convened on May 7, 2024 and June 12, 2024, the independent Trustees also discussed the continuance of the investment advisory agreement and
sub-advisory
contracts in separate sessions with the Senior Officer and with independent legal counsel. Also, as part of the contract renewal process, the independent Trustees reviewed and considered information provided in response to
follow-up
requests for information submitted by the independent Trustees to management. The independent Trustees met and discussed those
follow-up
responses with legal counsel to the independent Trustees and the Senior Officer.
The discussion below is a summary of the Senior Officer’s independent written evaluation with respect to the Fund’s investment advisory agreement and
sub-advisory
contracts, as well as a discussion of the material factors and related conclusions that formed the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement and
sub-advisory
contracts. The Trustees’ review and conclusions are based on the comprehensive consideration of all information presented to them during the course of the year and in prior years and are not the result of any single determinative factor. Moreover, one Trustee may have weighed a particular piece of information or factor differently than another Trustee. The information received and considered by the Board was current as of various dates prior to the Board’s approval on June 12, 2024.
Factors and Conclusions and Summary of Independent Written Fee Evaluation
A. |
Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided by Invesco Advisers and the Affiliated Sub-Advisers |
The Board reviewed the nature, extent and quality of the advisory services provided to the Fund by Invesco Advisers under the Fund’s investment advisory agreement, and the credentials and experience of the officers and employees of Invesco Advisers who provide these services, including the Fund’s portfolio manager(s). The Board’s review included consideration of Invesco Advisers’ investment process and oversight, credit analysis and research capabilities. The Board considered information regarding Invesco Advisers’ programs for and resources devoted to risk management, including management of investment, enterprise, operational, liquidity, derivatives, valuation and compliance risks, and technology used to manage such risks. The Board received information regarding Invesco’s methodology for compensating its investment professionals and the incentives and accountability it creates, as well as how it impacts Invesco’s ability to attract and retain talent. The Board considered the additional services provided to the Fund due to the fact that the Fund is a
closed-end
fund, including, but not limited to, leverage management and monitoring, evaluating, and, where appropriate, making recommendations with respect to the Fund’s trading discount, share repurchase program, and distribution rates, as well as shareholder relations activities. The Board received a description of, and reports related
to, Invesco Advisers’ global security program and business continuity plans and of its approach to data privacy and cybersecurity, including related testing. The Board also considered
non-advisory
services that Invesco Advisers and its affiliates provide to the Invesco Funds, such as various middle office and back office support functions, third party oversight, internal audit, valuation, portfolio trading and legal and compliance. The Board observed that Invesco Advisers’ systems preparedness and ongoing investment enabled Invesco Advisers to manage, operate and oversee the Invesco Funds with minimal impact or disruption through challenging environments. The Board reviewed and considered the benefits to shareholders of investing in a Fund that is part of the family of funds under the umbrella of Invesco Ltd., Invesco Advisers’ parent company, and noted Invesco Ltd.’s depth and experience in running an investment management business, as well as its commitment of financial and other resources to such business. The Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund by Invesco Advisers are appropriate and satisfactory.
The Board reviewed the services that may be provided to the Fund by the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
under the
sub-advisory
contracts and the credentials and experience of the officers and employees of the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
who provide these services. The Board noted the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers’
expertise with respect to certain asset classes and that the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
have offices and personnel that are located in financial centers around the world. As a result, the Board noted that the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
can provide research and investment analysis on the markets and economies of various countries and territories in which the Fund may invest, make recommendations regarding securities and assist with portfolio trading. The Board concluded that the
sub-advisory
contracts may benefit the Fund and its shareholders by permitting Invesco Advisers to use the resources and talents of the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
in managing the Fund. The Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of the services that may be provided to the Fund by the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
are appropriate and satisfactory.
B. |
Fund Investment Performance |
The Board considered Fund investment performance as a relevant factor in considering whether to approve the investment advisory agreement. The Board did not view Fund investment performance as a relevant factor in considering whether to approve the
sub-advisory
contracts for the Fund, as no Affiliated
Sub-Adviser
currently manages assets of the Fund.
The Board compared the Fund’s investment performance over multiple time periods ending December 31, 2023 to the performance of funds in the Broadridge performance universe and against the S&P Municipal Bond 5+ Year Investment Grade Index (Index). The Board noted that the Fund’s performance was in the second quintile of its performance universe for the one year period, the third quintile for the three year period and the fourth quintile for the five year period (the first quintile being the best performing funds and the fifth quintile being the worst performing funds). The Board noted that the Fund’s performance was above the performance of
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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals |
the Index for the one year period and below the performance of the index for the three and five year periods. The Board recognized that the performance data reflects a snapshot in time as of a particular date and that selecting a different performance period could produce different results. The Board also reviewed more recent Fund performance as well as other performance metrics, which did not change its conclusions. The Board also reviewed supplementally historic premium and discount levels of the Fund as provided to the Board at meetings throughout the year.
C. |
Advisory and Sub-Advisory Fees and Fund Expenses |
The Board compared the Fund’s contractual management fee rate to the contractual management fee rates of funds in the Fund’s Broadridge expense group. The Board noted that the contractual management and actual management fee rates for shares of the Fund were each reasonably comparable to the median contractual management and actual management fee rates of funds in its expense group. The Board noted that the term “contractual management fee” and “actual management fee” for funds in the expense group may include both advisory and certain
non-portfolio
management administrative services fees, but that Broadridge is not able to provide information on a
basis as to what is included. The Board also reviewed the methodology used by Broadridge in calculating expense group information, which includes using each fund’s contractual management fee schedule (including any applicable breakpoints) as reported in the most recent audited annual reports for each fund in the expense group. The Board also considered comparative information regarding the Fund’s total expense ratio and its various components.
The Board noted that Invesco Advisers and the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
do not manage other client accounts with investment strategies comparable to those of the Fund.
The Board also considered the services that may be provided by the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
pursuant to the
sub-advisory
contracts, as well as the fees payable by Invesco Advisers to the Affiliated
Sub-Advisers
pursuant to the
sub-advisory
contracts.
D. |
Economies of Scale and Breakpoints |
The Board noted that most
closed-end
funds do not have fund level breakpoints because
closed-end
funds generally do not experience substantial asset growth after the initial public offering. The Board acknowledged the difficulty in calculating and measuring economies of scale at the individual fund level; noting that only indicative and estimated measures are available at the individual fund level and that such measures are subject to uncertainty. The Board noted that the Fund does not benefit from economies of scale through contractual breakpoints, but does share in economies of scale through Invesco Advisers’ ability to negotiate lower fee arrangements with third party service providers. The Board noted that the Fund may also benefit from economies of scale through initial fee setting, fee waivers and expense reimbursements, as well as Invesco Advisers’ investment in its business, including investments in business infrastructure, technology and cybersecurity.
E. |
Profitability and Financial Resources |
The Board reviewed information from Invesco Advisers concerning the costs of the advisory and other services that Invesco Advisers and its affiliates provide to the Fund and the Invesco Funds and the