Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund

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  

  

811-22658

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

Nuveen Investments

333 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

 

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Gifford R. Zimmerman

Nuveen Investments

333 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

 

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:    (312) 917-7700                        

Date of fiscal year end:    December 31                                

Date of reporting period:    December 31, 2017                   

Form N-CSR is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30e-1). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-CSR in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-CSR, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-CSR unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. ss. 3507.


ITEM 1. REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS.


     LOGO
Closed-End Funds   

 

     Nuveen
     Closed-End Funds

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

Annual Report  December 31, 2017

 

     
           
JRI            
Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund  
           

 


 

 

     

 

           
 

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LOGO


Table

of Contents

 

Chairman’s Letter to Shareholders

     4  

Portfolio Managers’ Comments

     5  

Fund Leverage

     10  

Share Information

     11  

Risk Considerations

     13  

Performance Overview and Holding Summaries

     14  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     16  

Portfolio of Investments

     17  

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

     28  

Statement of Operations

     29  

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

     30  

Statement of Cash Flows

     31  

Financial Highlights

     32  

Notes to Financial Statements

     34  

Additional Fund Information

     48  

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

     49  

Reinvest Automatically, Easily and Conveniently

     51  

Board Members & Officers

     52  

 

NUVEEN     3  


Chairman’s Letter

to Shareholders

 

LOGO

Dear Shareholders,

Financial markets ended 2017 on a high note. Concurrent growth across the world’s major economies, strong corporate profits, low inflation and accommodative central banks provided an optimal environment for rising asset prices with remarkably low volatility. Political risks, which were expected to be a wildcard in 2017, did not materialize. The Trump administration achieved one of its major policy goals with the passage of the Tax cuts and Jobs Act, the European Union (EU) member governments elected EU-friendly leadership, Brexit negotiations moved forward and China’s 19th Party Congress concluded with no major surprises in its economic policy objectives.

Conditions have turned more volatile in 2018, but the positive fundamentals underpinning the markets’ rise over the past year remain intact. In early February, fears of rising inflation, which could prompt more aggressive action by the Federal Reserve, triggered a widespread sell-off across U.S. and global equity markets. Yet, global economies are still expanding and corporate earnings look healthy.

We do believe volatility will feature more prominently in 2018. Interest rates continue to rise and inflation pressures are mounting and investors are uncertain about how markets will react amid tighter financial conditions. After the relative calm of the past few years, it’s anticipated that price fluctuations will begin trending toward a more historically normal range. But we also note that signs foreshadowing recession are lacking at this point.

Maintaining perspective can be difficult with daily headlines focused predominantly on short-term news. Nuveen believes this can be an opportune time to check in with your financial advisor. Strong market appreciation such as that in 2017 may create an imbalance in a diversified portfolio. Your advisor can help you reexamine your investment goals and risk tolerance, and realign your portfolio’s investment mix appropriately. On behalf of the other members of the Nuveen Fund Board, we look forward to continuing to earn your trust in the months and years ahead.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

William J. Schneider

Chairman of the Board

February 23, 2018

 

 

  4     NUVEEN


Portfolio Managers’

Comments

 

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (JRI)

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (JRI) features portfolio management by Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, (NAM) an affiliate of Nuveen, LLC. Jay L. Rosenberg and Jeffrey T. Schmitz, CFA, have been portfolio managers since the Fund’s inception. Brenda A. Langenfeld, CFA, and Tryg T. Sarsland have been portfolio managers since 2015.

The Boards of Trustees and shareholders of Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (JRI) and Diversified Real Asset Income Fund (DRA) approved the reorganization of DRA into JRI. The reorganization is intended to benefit shareholders of each Fund through fee and expense savings as well as enhanced secondary market visibility and liquidity from the combined Fund’s greater outstanding shares, which over time is anticipated to promote increased investor interest and narrower trading discounts relative to net asset value. The reorganization became effective immediately before the open of business on September 11, 2017. JRI was the surviving Fund in the reorganization.

Effective January 26, 2018 (subsequent to the close of this reporting period), the Nuveen Fund Board approved an investment policy change for JRI that allows investment of up to 5% in real assets-related senior loans.

Here the Fund’s portfolio management team discusses economic and market conditions, key investment strategies and the Fund’s performance for the twelve-month reporting period ended December 31, 2017.

What factors affected the U.S. economy and financial markets during the twelve-month reporting period ended December 31, 2017?

The U.S. economy began the year at a sluggish pace but gained momentum mid-year, growing at an annualized rate above 3% in the second and third quarters of 2017. In the final three months of 2017, the economy slowed slightly to 2.6%, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis “advance” estimate of fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP). GDP is the value of goods and services produced by the nation’s economy less the value of the goods and services used up in production, adjusted for price changes.

Although the hurricanes temporarily weakened shopping and dining out activity, consumer spending remained the main driver of demand in the economy, as consumers benefited from employment and wage gains. Business investment, which had been lackluster in the recovery so far, accelerated in 2017, and hiring continued to boost employment. As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate fell to 4.1% in December 2017 from 4.7% in December 2016 and job gains averaged around 171,000 per month for the past twelve months. Higher energy prices, especially gasoline, helped drive a steady increase in inflation over this reporting period. The Consumer Price Index

 

 

This material is not intended to be a recommendation or investment advice, does not constitute a solicitation to buy or sell securities, and is not provided in a fiduciary capacity. The information provided does not take into account the specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on an investor’s objectives and circumstances and in consultation with his or her advisors.

Certain statements in this report are forward-looking statements. Discussions of specific investments are for illustration only and are not intended as recommendations of individual investments. The forward-looking statements and other views expressed herein are those of the portfolio managers as of the date of this report. Actual future results or occurrences may differ significantly from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements and the views expressed herein are subject to change at any time, due to numerous market and other factors. The Fund disclaims any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or views expressed herein.

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s (S&P), Moody’s Investors (Moody’s) Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. (Fitch). This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

Refer to the Glossary of Terms Used in this Report for further definition of the terms used within this section.

 

NUVEEN     5  


Portfolio Managers’ Comments (continued)

 

(CPI) increased 2.1% over the twelve-month reporting period ended December 31, 2017 on a seasonally adjusted basis, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The core CPI (which excludes food and energy) increased 1.8% during the same period, slightly below the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) unofficial longer term inflation objective of 2.0%.

The housing market also continued to improve, with historically low mortgage rates and low inventory driving home prices higher. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, which covers all nine U.S. census divisions, recorded a 6.2% annual gain in November 2017 (most recent data available at the time this report was prepared). The 10-City and 20-City Composites reported year-over-year increases of 6.1% and 6.4, respectively.

With the U.S. economy delivering a sustainable growth rate and employment strengthening, the Fed’s policy making committee raised its main benchmark interest rate in December 2016, March 2017, June 2017 and December 2017. These moves were widely expected by the markets, as were the Fed’s decisions to leave rates unchanged at the July, September and October/November 2017 meetings. (There was no August meeting.) The Fed also announced it would begin reducing its balance sheet in October 2017 by allowing a small amount of maturing Treasury and mortgage securities to roll off without reinvestment. The market expects the pace to remain moderate and predictable, with minimal market disruption.

While the markets remained comfortable with the course of monetary policy during this reporting period, the political environment was frequently a source of uncertainty. Markets were initially highly optimistic about pricing in the new administration’s “pro-growth” fiscal agenda after Donald Trump won the election. After stumbling with health care reform earlier in 2017, legislators passed a major tax overhaul at the end of December, which lowered individual and corporate tax rates. While the new tax law changes are expected to be stimulative to the economy, there are some concerns that it could pose challenges to the Fed’s ability to manage interest rates in the future. Although incoming Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is expected to maintain the course established by outgoing Chair Janet Yellen, after her term expired in February 2018, markets may deem this as another source of uncertainty.

Geopolitical risks were prominent, but some concerns eased by the end of the reporting period. Rhetoric surrounding U.S. trade with China and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was toned down. After an uncertain start, the “Brexit” talks between the U.K. and European Union progressed to the next phase. Closely watched elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany yielded market friendly results. Tensions between the U.S. and North Korea intensified but did not have a lasting impact on the markets.

What key strategies were used to manage the Fund during this twelve-month reporting period ended December 31, 2017?

The Fund has an objective of providing a high level of current income and long-term capital appreciation. In an effort to achieve this objective, the Fund is invested using NAM’s real asset income strategy, which invests in a global portfolio of infrastructure and commercial real estate related securities (i.e. real assets) across the capital structure. The strategy invests primarily in five security types: global infrastructure common stock, real estate investment trust (REIT) common stock, global infrastructure preferred stock and hybrids, REIT preferred stock, and debt securities. The Fund’s primary benchmark is the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index. The Fund’s comparative benchmark is the JRI Blended Index, which is an index we created to represent a model asset allocation for an income oriented-product providing investment exposure to real assets. The Fund’s Custom Blended Benchmark constituents include: 28% S&P Global Infrastructure Index, 21% FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Index, 18% Wells Fargo Hybrid & Preferred Securities REIT Index, 15% Bloomberg Barclays Global Capital Securities Index and 18% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Bond Index. Our strategy attempts to add value versus the comparative benchmark in two ways: by re-allocating among the five main security types when we see pockets of value at differing times and, more importantly, through individual security selection. To a limited extent, the Fund also opportunistically writes call options primarily on securities issued by real asset related companies, seeking to enhance its risk-adjusted total returns over time.

 

  6     NUVEEN


 

During the reporting period, we continued to select securities using an investment process that screens for securities across the real assets markets that provide higher yields. From the group of securities providing significant yields, we focus on owning those securities with the highest total return potential. Our process places a premium on finding securities with revenues that come from tangible assets with long-term concessions, contracts or leases, which are therefore capable of producing steady, predictable and recurring cash flows. We employ a bottom-up, fundamental approach to security selection and portfolio construction. We look for stable companies that demonstrate consistent and growing cash flow, strong balance sheets and histories of being good stewards of shareholder capital.

As is typical with this strategy, we continued to actively manage the Fund’s allocations among the five investment categories to reflect what we believed to be the best opportunities in our investment universe. As the reporting period progressed, we reduced exposure to the infrastructure equity sector based on relative valuations after the space performed very well in 2017. The change in allocation essentially served as a rebalance, trimming areas that had moved significantly higher and adding to those that had lagged. The proceeds from the reduction to infrastructure equities were reallocated to the preferred area where we added to both infrastructure as well as real estate, although more heavily to the infrastructure segment. In light of the recently passed legislation that lowers corporate tax rates, the REIT common equity asset class may be a little less attractive in relative terms because these securities were already exempt from corporate tax and received little benefit as a result. However, the negative impact has been muted somewhat by a late provision added to the bill that allowed for a 20% tax deduction on dividends and distributions for individuals who invest in pass-through vehicles such as REITs. The provision has reduced the effective tax rate on pass-throughs to be more competitive relative to C-corporations. On balance, the Fund’s broader allocation to equities decreased at the margin, while preferreds moved slightly higher. We will continue to make changes within those larger categories where we see the best opportunities, but are currently comfortable with the overall asset mix.

The Fund’s fixed income exposure remained underweight versus the benchmark during the reporting period. Also, the composition of the debt portfolio remained higher in quality relative to historic ranges. Approximately one third of its holdings were rated investment grade, whereas traditionally the exposure has been very heavily weighted to high yield. We continued to find opportunities to invest in a number of attractive bonds with stable cash flows and minimal exposure to volatile commodity prices as well as non-U.S. opportunities, which transformed the Fund’s debt mix into something more akin to the geographic representation of the equity and preferred categories. Utilities, pipelines and technology infrastructure holdings comprised the three largest sectors in the debt portion of the portfolio at the end of the reporting period.

Also during the reporting period, the Fund continued to short U.S. Treasury future contracts to hedge against interest rate risk within the high yield bond portfolio. These futures contracts had a negligible effect on the Fund’s performance during the reporting period. We expanded the hedge program to include selling 10-year, 20-year and 30-year Treasury futures to better match the maturities of bonds within the high yield portfolio.

How did the Fund perform during this twelve-month reporting period ended December 31, 2017?

The table in the Performance Overview and Holding Summaries section of this report provides total return performance for the Fund for the one-year, five-year and since inception periods ended December 31, 2017. For the twelve-month reporting period ended December 31, 2017, the Fund’s total return at net asset value (NAV) outperformed its JRI Blended Index, but underperformed the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index.

Despite episodes of geopolitical turmoil and policy uncertainty during the reporting period, risk appetites in the financial markets remained supported by economic activity and financial conditions. Volatility remained extremely low, while corporate earnings enjoyed a string of seemingly never-ending positive surprises, followed by constant upward earnings revisions. Strong upward momentum for equities continued throughout the reporting period and even accelerated somewhat as the reporting period wound to a close, with several indices repeatedly reaching record levels. Sentiment in

 

NUVEEN     7  


Portfolio Managers’ Comments (continued)

 

the markets remained decidedly positive, while the tax legislation that passed near the end of December 2017 further bolstered equity market optimism for most sectors within the U.S.

All five of the “real asset” categories represented in the JRI Custom Blended Benchmark produced strong absolute returns. The public commercial real estate sector posted an 11.4% return (FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Index) during the reporting period, with global real estate outperforming U.S. real estate returns throughout 2017. Despite these solid results, the real estate sector significantly underperformed the strong gains in both the broader global equity markets, which advanced 23.1% as measured by the MSCI World Index, and the infrastructure sector. REIT investors remained cautious based on the anticipation of global interest rates moving higher and weaker underlying fundamentals within real estate relative to other areas. Global infrastructure equities produced the strongest results among the five real asset categories represented in the Fund. The segment was up a healthy 20.1% (S&P Global Infrastructure Index), outpacing REITs by almost 9%, but falling short of global equities. The improving global economic backdrop favored some of the more cyclically sensitive sectors within infrastructure such as toll roads and airports, along with technology infrastructure, which was the best performing category during the reporting period. Ongoing secular growth trends remained supportive of technology infrastructure stocks, which advanced once again due to the strength of data center and cell tower companies. The high yield sector extended its year-to-date gains, producing a 7.5% return in 2017 as measured by the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index; however, the pace slowed a bit as the year progressed. High yield spreads versus Treasuries continued to compress throughout the year, ending near their tightest level in 10 years. The two preferred indices within the JRI Custom Blended Benchmark both turned in strong results. The Wells Fargo Hybrid & Preferred Securities REIT Index advanced 11.4% and the Bloomberg Barclays Global Capital Securities Index gained 15.4% for the reporting period.

We attempt to add value versus the benchmark in two ways: by re-allocating money among five main security types when we see pockets of value at differing times and, more importantly, through individual security selection. The goal of this Fund is to provide a portfolio of securities with steady income and growth potential, while at the same time dampening risk, especially relative to global equity markets. During the reporting period, the Fund’s outperformance relative to the JRI Blended Index was driven by favorable results from the high yield and REIT common equity segments. The global infrastructure and infrastructure preferred sectors were the primary performance detractors, while the REIT preferred segment had little impact on the Fund’s relative performance. The Fund’s results fell short of the MSCI World Index, which is comprised of a broad array of equity securities, due to its diversified exposure to other sectors that underperformed the strong advance of global equities during the reporting period.

High yield debt contributed the most to the Fund’s relative returns. Overall, the high yield asset class continued its string of strong performance that started in February 2016. The investing backdrop for high yield remained favorable given the strong economic growth trends across the globe. The sector continued to benefit from both solid fundamentals and technicals. Corporate balance sheets continued to strengthen due to the combination of decent topline growth, lack of meaningful inflation to impact operating costs and an exceedingly conducive market for new issuance. Demand for yield from investors, coupled with modestly lower new issuance volumes, also contributed to a very positive technical backdrop for the asset class. Although valuations in terms of spreads to Treasuries ended the reporting period near 10-year lows, the high yield market continued to be supported by the outlook for modest defaults over the next year and investors’ need for current income. As of December 2017, Moody’s Investors Service was estimating a 2% global speculative grade default rate in the next twelve months compared to the 4.5% historical average. In terms of specific contributors, most of our high yield portfolio’s outperformance versus the benchmark resulted from its underweight to certain industrial sectors, which fell short of the broader benchmark return. A structural underweight to industrials is typical for the Fund because most of the companies within that space don’t meet our definition of infrastructure or real estate. Also, as the reporting period progressed and spreads has less room to tighten, our high yield portfolio benefited from its higher yield compared to the benchmark.

 

  8     NUVEEN


 

Real estate common equities also contributed favorably to the Fund’s relative returns. Within the sector, the Fund’s underweight to regional malls as well as favorable security selection within the group led the positive contributors. U.S.-based mall companies remained under pressure during the reporting period as brick-and-mortar retail continued to struggle in the face of e-commerce disruption and elevated retail store closings. The Fund remained largely out of the U.S. mall space in terms of equity exposure, preferring instead to gain limited exposure to the sector through non-U.S. holdings. This worked in our favor because the Fund’s international holdings in this sector generated strongly positive total returns, while the mall sector within the index was also positive over the same period. In the industrial REIT sector, the underlying fundamentals remained strong because of the continued demand for space due in large part to online retailing, the same forces putting downward pressure on the mall category. Given the strong demand, high occupancy and relatively low existing supply of capital stock, industrial REITs generally outperformed the overall real estate sector, gaining nearly 24% as measured by index holdings. The Fund’s holdings in this area generated even higher returns than the index provided, also contributing to our relative outperformance in the real estate common equity space. Also, in the health care REIT area, the Fund benefited from its underweight position in Ventas, Inc., one of the largest index constituents. Within the health care REIT sector, we continued to like the secular trend of outpatient medical care as well as companies focused on medical office space and lab space for the biopharmaceutical industry.

The infrastructure common equity area was the Fund’s primary performance detractor, due in large part to the Fund’s overweight to master limited partnerships (MLPs); however, the index does contain only one MLP holding. Much of the Fund’s underperformance within the group was stock specific because some MLP shares were able to post modest gains during the reporting period due to oil price stabilization. The portfolio’s position in Plains All American Pipeline L.P. caused the bulk of the relative return shortfall after the company held a disastrous earnings call reporting second-quarter results. Management had also previously stated that the company had hedges in place to insulate it from downward oil price movements, yet multiple times, the company guided earnings down due to weak oil prices from previous quarters. Plains also announced it would likely have to cut its dividend, but was unclear as to what level. The weaker earnings, multiple downward revisions to expectations, and uncertainty about the timing and size of a dividend cut put sustained pressure on the stock price. We continue to hold our position in Plains All American Pipeline. Also in the infrastructure common equity area, transportation assets such as airports performed very well because underlying airport volume trends were supportive. Our portfolio was positioned with an underweight to the airport area, not because we don’t like the space, but due to the fact that the Fund’s primary objective is to deliver a high level of income. Within airports, we have a hard time finding common equity opportunities because their dividend yields typically fall below the qualification hurdle for this strategy. As a result, our underweight to the sector contributed to the shortfall in infrastructure common equity.

The infrastructure preferred equity area also hindered performance, due mostly to the Fund’s overweight to preferred securities from midstream energy pipeline companies. Around the world, concerns began to wane about the ongoing supply glut as oil inventories were consistently drawn down, given continued global demand as many economies grew faster than anticipated. Although this resulted in strength in the price of the commodity, many investors remained on the sidelines regarding energy exposure, likely because of the previous volatility and uncertainty in the sector. As a result, midstream energy underperformed, which hurt the portfolio in relative terms because the index has hardly any exposure to pipeline preferreds, whereas it was the Fund’s second largest allocation.

 

NUVEEN     9  


Fund

Leverage

 

IMPACT OF THE FUND’S LEVERAGE STRATEGY ON PERFORMANCE

One important factor impacting the returns of the Fund relative to its benchmarks was the Fund’s use of leverage through the use of bank borrowings. The Fund uses leverage because our research has shown that, over time, leveraging provides opportunities for additional income and total return for shareholders. However, the use of leverage also can expose shareholders to additional volatility. For example, as the prices of securities held by the Fund decline, the negative impact of these valuation changes on NAV and total return is magnified by the use of leverage. Conversely, leverage may enhance returns during periods when the prices of securities held by the Fund generally are rising. The Fund’s use of leverage had a positive impact on performance during this reporting period.

The Fund also continued to utilize forward starting interest rate swap contracts to partially hedge its future interest cost of leverage, which as mentioned previously, is through the use of bank borrowings. The swap contracts had a positive impact on performance during this reporting period.

As of December 31, 2017, the Fund’s percentages of leverage are as shown in the accompanying table.

 

     JRI  

Effective Leverage*

    29.36

Regulatory Leverage*

    29.36
* Effective leverage is a Fund’s effective economic leverage, and includes both regulatory leverage and the leverage effects of certain derivative and other investments in the Fund’s portfolio that increase the Fund’s investment exposure. Regulatory leverage consists of preferred shares issued or borrowings of the Fund. Both of these are part of a Fund’s capital structure. A Fund, however, may from time to time borrow on a typically transient basis in connection with its day-to-day operations, primarily in connection with the need to settle portfolio trades. Such incidental borrowings are excluded from the calculation of a Fund’s effective leverage ratio. Regulatory leverage is subject to asset coverage limits set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

THE FUND’S REGULATORY LEVERAGE

Bank Borrowings

As noted above, the Fund employs leverage through the use of bank borrowings. The Fund’s bank borrowing activities are as shown in the accompanying table.

 

Current Reporting Period             Subsequent to the Close of
the Reporting Period
 
January 1, 2017      Draws*      Paydowns      December 31, 2017      Average
Balance
Outstanding
             Draws      Paydowns      February 28, 2018  
  $73,275,000        $151,950,000        $    —        $225,225,000        $119,990,753                 $    —        $    —        $225,225,000  
* $151,500,000 is in connection with the Fund Reorganization, please refer to Note 9 – Fund Reorganization for further details.

Refer to Notes to Financial Statements, Note 8 – Borrowing Arrangements for further details.

 

  10     NUVEEN


Share

Information

 

DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION

The following information regarding the Fund’s distributions is current as of December 31, 2017, the Fund’s fiscal and tax year-end, and may differ from previously issued distribution notifications.

The Fund has a cash flow-based distribution program. Under this program, the Fund seeks to maintain an attractive and stable regular distribution based on the Fund’s net cash flow received from its portfolio investments. Fund distributions are not intended to include expected portfolio appreciation; however, the Fund invests in securities that make payments which ultimately may be fully or partially treated as gains or return of capital for tax purposes. This tax treatment will generally “flow through” to the Fund’s distributions, but the specific tax treatment is often not known with certainty until after the end of the Fund’s tax year. As a result, regular distributions throughout the year are likely to be re-characterized for tax purposes as either long-term gains (both realized and unrealized), or as a non-taxable return of capital.

The figures in the table below provide the sources (for tax purposes) of the Fund’s distributions as of December 31, 2017. These source include amounts attributable to realized gains and/or returns of capital. The Fund attributes these non-income sources equally to each regular distribution throughout the fiscal year. The information shown below is for the distributions paid on common shares for all prior months in the current fiscal year. These amounts should not be used for tax reporting purposes, and the distribution sources may differ for financial reporting than for tax reporting. The final determination of the tax characteristics of all distributions paid in 2017 will be made in early 2018 and reported to you on Form 1099-DIV. More details about the tax characteristics of the Fund’s distributions are available on www.nuveen.com/CEFdistributions.

Data as of December 31, 2017

 

Fiscal YTD
Percentage of Distribution
        Fiscal YTD
Per Share Amounts
 
Net
Investment
Income
       Realized
Gains
       Return of
Capital
         Distributions        Net
Investment
Income
       Realized
Gains
       Return of
Capital
 
  100.0%          0.0%          0.0%           $1.2830          $1.2830          $0.0000          $0.0000  

The following table provides information regarding Fund distributions and total return performance over various time periods. This information is intended to help you better understand whether Fund returns for the specified time periods were sufficient to meet Fund distributions.

Data as of December 31, 2017

 

              Annualized         Cumulative  

Inception

Date

  Latest
Monthly
Per Share
Distribution
         Current
Distribution on
NAV
       1-Year
Return on
NAV
       5-Year
Return on
NAV
         Fiscal YTD
Distributions on
NAV
       Fiscal
YTD Return
on NAV
 
4/25/2012     $0.1060           6.49%          15.81%          10.27%           6.54%          15.81%  

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

A large portion of the Fund’s portfolio holdings consist of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). For tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally would allow a non-corporate taxpayer a deduction of

 

NUVEEN     11  


Share Information (continued)

 

20% of the investor’s domestic qualified business income received from certain pass-through entities, including REITs. However, Regulated Investment Companies (RICs) such as the Fund are not explicitly given the ability to pass the deduction through to their non-corporate shareholders. Treasury has been approached to provide RICs the ability to report a portion of their distributions as qualified business income eligible for the 20% deduction. However, until such relief is provided, non-corporate investors will not be able to receive the tax benefit that they would otherwise receive investing directly in the individual REIT securities.

SHARE REPURCHASES

During August 2017, the Fund’s Board of Trustees reauthorized an open-market share repurchase program, allowing the Fund to repurchase an aggregate of up to approximately 10% of its outstanding shares.

As of December 31, 2017, and since the inception of the Fund’s repurchase program, the Fund has cumulatively repurchased and retired its outstanding shares as shown in the accompanying table.

 

     JRI  

Shares cumulatively repurchased and retired

    27,600  

Shares authorized for repurchase

    975,000  

During the current reporting period, the Fund did not repurchase any of its outstanding shares.

OTHER SHARE INFORMATION

As of December 31, 2017, and during the current reporting period, the Fund’s share price was trading at a premium/(discount) to its NAV as shown in the accompanying table.

 

     JRI  

NAV

    $19.61  

Share price

    $17.80  

Premium/(Discount) to NAV

    (9.23 )% 

12-month average premium/(discount) to NAV

    (9.02 )% 

 

  12     NUVEEN


Risk

Considerations

 

Fund shares are not guaranteed or endorsed by any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (JRI)

Investing in closed-end funds involves risk; principal loss is possible. There is no guarantee the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. Closed-end fund shares may frequently trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Concentration in specific sectors may involve greater risk and volatility than more diversified investments: real estate investments may suffer due to economic downturns and changes in real estate values, rents, property taxes, interest rates and tax laws; infrastructure-related securities may face adverse economic, regulatory, political, and legal changes. Prices of equity securities may decline significantly over short or extended periods of time. Debt or fixed income securities such as those held by the Fund, are subject to market risk, credit risk, interest rate risk, derivatives risk, liquidity risk, and income risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. Leverage increases return volatility and magnifies the Fund’s potential return and its risks; there is no guarantee a fund’s leverage strategy will be successful. For these and other risks such as foreign investment risk, see the Fund’s web page at www.nuveen.com/JRI.

 

NUVEEN     13  


JRI

 

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund

Performance Overview and Holding Summaries as of December 31, 2017

 

Refer to the Glossary of Terms Used in this Report for further definition of the terms used within this section.

Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2017

 

    Average Annual  
     1-Year        5-Year        Since
Inception
 
JRI at NAV     15.81%          10.27%          11.33%  
JRI at Share Price     21.62%          11.10%          9.56%  
Custom Blended Benchmark     13.77%          7.27%          8.08%  
MSCI World Index     22.40%          11.64%          11.26%  

Since inception returns are from 4/25/12. Past performance is not predictive of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the data shown. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders may have to pay on Fund distributions or upon the sale of Fund shares. Returns at NAV are net of Fund expenses, and assume reinvestment of distributions. Comparative index return information is provided for the Fund’s shares at NAV only. Indexes are not available for direct investment.

Share Price Performance — Weekly Closing Price

 

LOGO

 

  14     NUVEEN


 

This data relates to the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio of investments as of the end of the reporting period. It should not be construed as a measure of performance for the Fund itself. Holdings are subject to change.

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

 

Fund Allocation

(% of net assets)

 

Common Stocks

    53.8%  

$25 Par (or similar) Retail Preferred

    31.3%  

Corporate Bonds

    25.5%  

$1,000 Par (or similar) Institutional Preferred

    14.7%  

Convertible Preferred Securities

    7.9%  

Investment Companies

    1.8%  

Whole Loans

    1.6%  

Convertible Bonds

    1.1%  

Sovereign Debt

    0.7%  

Repurchase Agreements

    1.7%  

Other Assets Less Liabilities

    1.5%  

Net Assets Plus Borrowings

    141.6%  

Borrowings

    (41.6)%  
Net Assets     100%  

Portfolio Composition

(% of total investments)

 

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts

    37.8%  

Electric Utilities

    17.6%  

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

    11.3%  

Multi-Utilities

    6.4%  

Transportation Infrastructure

    3.7%  

Independent Power & Renewable Electricity Producers

    2.9%  

Other

    19.1%  

Repurchase Agreements

    1.2%  
Total     100%  

Portfolio Credit Quality

(% of total fixed-income investments)

 

AA

    0.4%  

A

    2.3%  

BBB

    39.1%  

BB or Lower

    29.0%  
N/R (not rated)     29.2%  
Total     100%  
 

 

Country Allocation

(% of total investments)

 

United States

    57.6%  

Canada

    13.3%  

Singapore

    4.9%  

Australia

    3.1%  

Italy

    2.6%  

France

    2.1%  

Other

    16.4%  
Total     100%  

Top Five Common Stock Holdings

(% of total common stocks)

 

Spark Infrastructure Group

    3.3%  

STAG Industrial Inc.

    3.0%  

Mapletree Logistics Trust

    2.7%  

MGM Growth Properties LLC

    2.2%  

Endesa SA

    1.9%  
 

 

NUVEEN     15  


Report of

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and Board of Trustees of

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund:

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (the “Fund”), including the portfolio of investments, as of December 31, 2017, the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, the statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes (collectively, the “financial statements”) and the financial highlights for each of the years in the four-year period then ended. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of December 31, 2017, the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years in the four-year period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The financial highlights for the year ended December 31, 2013, were audited by other auditors whose report dated February 27, 2014, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial highlights.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. 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, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements and financial highlights, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2017, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or other appropriate auditing procedures. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements and financial highlights. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ KPMG LLP

We have served as the auditor of certain Nuveen investment companies since 2014.

Chicago, Illinois

February 28, 2018

 

  16     NUVEEN


JRI

 

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund

  

Portfolio of Investments

   December 31, 2017

 

Shares          Description (1)                           Value  
   

LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS – 138.4% (98.8% of Total Investments)

 

        
   

COMMON STOCKS – 53.8% (38.4% of Total Investments)

 

        
          Air Freight & Logistics – 0.5%                           
  53,465        

Oesterreichische Post AG, (2)

                             $ 2,401,573  
          Commercial Services & Supplies – 0.2%                           
  66,232        

Covanta Holding Corporation

                               1,119,321  
          Diversified Telecommunication Services – 1.2%                           
  1,498,564      

HKBN Limited

             1,895,059  
  1,546,306      

HKT Trust and HKT Limited

             1,971,266  
  22,087      

Inmarsat PLC, (2)

             146,101  
  3,823,583        

Netlink NBN Trust, (3)

                               2,387,149  
   

Total Diversified Telecommunication Services

                               6,399,575  
          Electric Utilities – 6.2%                           
  2,719,465      

AusNet Services, (2)

             3,821,673  
  455,752      

Contact Energy Limited, (2)

             1,795,218  
  259,595      

Endesa SA, (2), (3)

             5,552,169  
  267,546      

Enersis Chile SA

             1,519,661  
  116,842      

Iberdrola SA, (2)

             904,507  
  759,027      

Infratil Limited, (2)

             1,784,001  
  71,413      

Power Assets Holdings Limited, (2)

             601,934  
  5,022      

Red Electrica Corporacion SA, (2), (3)

             112,730  
  200,778      

Scottish and Southern Energy PLC, (2)

             3,569,390  
  20,617      

Southern Company

             991,472  
  4,875,075      

Spark Infrastructure Group, (2)

             9,529,725  
  515,360        

Transmissora Alianca de Energia Eletrica SA

                               3,315,481  
   

Total Electric Utilities

                               33,497,961  
          Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts – 28.3%                           
  83,558      

AEW UK REIT PLC

             112,252  
  365,410      

American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP

             2,715,139  
  27,642      

Armada Hoffler Properties Inc.

             429,280  
  400,564      

Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust, (2)

             812,964  
  96,465      

Automotive Properties Real Estate Investment Trust

             837,258  
  172,986      

Brixmor Property Group Inc.

             3,227,919  
  4,637      

Centura Industrial REIT

             9,208  
  457,057      

Centuria Metropolitan REIT

             852,319  
  141,546      

Charter Hall Retail REIT, (2)

             458,741  
  30,865      

Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust

             327,803  
  303,858      

City Office REIT, Inc.

             3,953,193  
  18,278      

Cofinimmo, SANV, (2)

             2,406,930  
  40,259      

Community Healthcare Trust Inc.

             1,131,278  
  3,567,725      

Concentradora Fibra Hotelera Mexicana SA de CV

             2,099,356  
  38,229      

Developers Diversified Realty Corporation

             342,532  
  307,139      

Dream Global Real Estate Investment Trust

             2,985,870  
  208,677      

Dream Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust

             1,460,905  
  20,597      

Duke Realty Corporation

             560,444  
  1,148,979      

Empiric Student Property PLC

             1,438,826  
  17,266      

Eurocommercial Properties NV

             752,220  
  1,143,004      

Fibra Uno Administracion SA

             1,691,036  
  14,027      

Fonciere Des Regions, Reg S, (2)

             1,588,003  
  2,836,388      

Fortune REIT

             3,506,980  
  1,708,956      

Frasers Centrepoint Trust

             2,862,209  
  6,036,598      

Frasers Logistics & Industrial Trust

             5,235,675  
  60,566      

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc.

             2,240,942  
  139,228      

Gramercy Property Trust

             3,711,818  

 

NUVEEN     17  


JRI    Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund
   Portfolio of Investments (continued)    December 31, 2017

 

Shares          Description (1)                           Value  
          Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (continued)                           
  153,647      

Growthpoint Properties Australia Limited, (2)

           $ 408,091  
  210,431      

Health Care Property Investors Inc.

             5,488,040  
  28,976      

Hersha Hospitality Trust

             504,182  
  33,524      

ICADE

             3,295,532  
  4,003,936      

IGB Real Estate Investment Trust

             1,780,846  
  191,830      

Immobiliare Grande Distribuzione SIIQ SpA

             221,881  
  81,368      

Independence Realty Trust

             821,003  
  1,071      

Invincible Investment Corporation

             455,775  
  68,254      

Iron Mountain Inc.

             2,575,223  
  1,428,190      

Keppel DC REIT

             1,527,019  
  264,407      

Killam Apartment Real Estate I

             2,991,144  
  6,406      

Kimco Realty Corporation

             116,269  
  134,656      

LaSalle Hotel Properties

             3,779,794  
  49,740      

Lexington Corporate Properties Trust

             479,991  
  2,094,151      

Mapletree Commercial Trust

             2,536,562  
  1,969,019      

Mapletree Greater China Commercial Trust

             1,810,829  
  2,054,451      

Mapletree Industrial Trust

             3,118,274  
  8,017,081      

Mapletree Logistics Trust

             7,912,480  
  233,192      

MedEquities Realty Trust, Inc.

             2,616,414  
  176,498      

Medical Properties Trust Inc.

             2,432,142  
  31,115      

Mercialys, (2)

             688,055  
  215,711      

MGM Growth Properties LLC

             6,287,976  
  88,528      

National Storage REIT, (2)

             105,815  
  867,306      

Nexus Real Estate Investment Trust

             1,393,761  
  571,995      

NorthWest Healthcare Properties REIT

             5,173,893  
  17,968      

NSI NV

             749,495  
  81,662      

Park Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

             2,347,783  
  1,405,094      

Parkway Life Real Estate Investment Trust

             3,141,225  
  107,305      

Physicians Realty Trust

             1,930,417  
  107,403      

Piedmont Office Realty Trust

             2,106,173  
  189,293      

Plaza Retail REIT

             641,518  
  136,825      

Prologis Property Mexico SA de CV

             236,525  
  958,595      

Propertylink Group

             747,944  
  265,868      

Pure Industrial Real Estate Trust

             1,431,922  
  8,058      

RLJ Lodging Trust

             177,034  
  15,456      

Sabra Health Care Real Estate Investment Trust Inc.

             290,109  
  22,068      

Smart Real Estate Investment Trust

             542,659  
  317,468      

STAG Industrial Inc.

             8,676,400  
  904,934      

Summit Industrial Income REIT

             5,291,380  
  25,786      

Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc.

             426,243  
  2,262,248      

TF Administradora Industrial S de RL de CV

             3,429,758  
  42,207      

Ventas Inc.

             2,532,842  
  640,569      

VEREIT, Inc.

             4,990,033  
  478,495      

Viva Energy REIT

             843,762  
  28,813      

Welltower Inc.

             1,837,405  
  17,264      

Wereldhave NV, (2)

             827,671  
  313,443        

WPT Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust

                               3,986,995  
   

Total Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts

                               153,457,384  
          Gas Utilities – 0.6%                           
  9,698      

AmeriGas Partners, LP

             448,339  
  27,910      

APA Group, (2)

             180,981  
  109,611        

Gas Natural SDG S.A, (2)

                               2,529,653  
   

Total Gas Utilities

                               3,158,973  
          Health Care Providers & Services – 0.4%                           
  150,830        

Sienna Senior Living Inc., Subscription

                               2,186,255  
          Household Durables – 0.3%                           
  34,740        

Kaufman and Broad SA, (2)

                               1,648,972  
          Independent Power & Renewable Electricity Producers – 2.3%                       
  156,517      

Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners LP

             5,455,060  

 

  18     NUVEEN


Shares          Description (1)                           Value  
          Independent Power & Renewable Electricity Producers (continued)                       
  705,715      

Meridian Energy Limited

           $ 1,462,910  
  9,325      

NRG Yield, Inc., Class C Shares

             176,243  
  75,482      

Pattern Energy Group Inc.

             1,622,108  
  253,874      

Saeta Yield S.A

             2,988,229  
  82,179        

TransAlta Renewables Inc.

                               875,399  
   

Total Independent Power & Renewable Electricity Producers

                               12,579,949  
          Media – 0.1%                           
  23,857        

Eutelsat Communications, (2)

                               552,350  
          Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts – 3.1%                           
  13,519      

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

             249,426  
  38,366      

Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation

             494,921  
  112,820      

Blackstone Mortgage Trust Inc., Class A

             3,630,548  
  85,758      

Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc.

             1,521,347  
  191,783      

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc.

             3,837,578  
  181,558      

Starwood Property Trust Inc.

             3,876,263  
  176,387        

TPG Re Finance Trust Inc.

                               3,360,172  
   

Total Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts

                               16,970,255  
          Multi-Utilities – 2.0%                           
  196,835      

Engie, (2)

             3,383,888  
  43,578      

National Grid PLC

             2,562,822  
  645,280      

Redes Energeticas Nacionais SA

             1,919,338  
  1,273,450        

Vector Limited, (2)

                               3,128,730  
   

Total Multi-Utilities

                               10,994,778  
          Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels – 3.0%                           
  3,684      

DCP Midstream LP

             133,840  
  100,624      

Enagas, (2)

             2,877,788  
  10,012      

Enbridge Energy Partners LP

             138,266  
  30,273      

Enbridge Income Fund Holdings Inc.

             717,930  
  152,889      

Enterprise Products Partnership LP

             4,053,087  
  11,813      

Magellan Midstream Partners LP

             838,014  
  56,753      

ONEOK, Inc.

             3,033,448  
  10,784      

Pembina Pipeline Corporation

             390,437  
  20,375      

Plains GP Holdings LP, Class A Shares

             447,231  
  621,351      

Snam Rete Gas S.p.A, (2)

             3,043,054  
  11,697        

Williams Partners LP

                               453,610  
   

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                               16,126,705  
          Real Estate Management & Development – 0.7%                           
  178,872      

Atrium European Real Estate Ltd

             890,671  
  89,026      

Brookfield Property Partners

             1,972,816  
  334,588      

Citycon Oyj

             866,340  
  5,609        

Landmark Infrastructure Partners LP

                               101,523  
   

Total Real Estate Management & Development

                               3,831,350  
          Road & Rail – 0.6%                           
  569,188      

Aurizon Holdings Limited, (2)

             2,193,225  
  515,502      

ComfortDelGro Corporation, (2)

             761,650  
  176,908        

Stagocoach Group PLC

                               393,390  
   

Total Road & Rail

                               3,348,265  
          Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment – 0.2%                           
  1,252        

Canadian Solar, Inc.

                               1,074,492  
          Transportation Infrastructure – 3.5%                           
  206,380      

Abertis Infraestructuras S.A, (2)

             4,591,885  
  29,466      

CCR SA, (2)

             143,519  
  222,065      

Enav S.p.A, (2)

             1,201,712  

 

NUVEEN     19  


JRI    Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund
   Portfolio of Investments (continued)    December 31, 2017

 

Shares          Description (1)                           Value  
          Transportation Infrastructure (continued)                           
  6,159,647      

Hopewell Highway Infrastructure Limited, (2)

           $ 3,920,363  
  6,804,038      

Hutchison Port Holdings Trust, (2)

             2,816,817  
  96,225      

Jiangsu Expressway Company Limited, (2)

             146,290  
  48,256      

Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation

             3,098,035  
  115,117      

Sydney Airport, (2)

             631,660  
  249,249      

Transurban Group, (2)

             2,412,244  
  126,157        

Zhejiang Expressway Company Limited

                               138,706  
   

Total Transportation Infrastructure

                               19,101,231  
          Water Utilities – 0.6%                           
  913,051      

Aguas Andinas SA. Class A

             599,403  
  45,275      

Cia de Saneamento do Parana, (3)

             817,573  
  909,655      

Inversiones Aguas Metropolitanas SA

             1,726,482  
  680        

Pennon Group PLC, (2)

                               7,179  
   

Total Water Utilities

                               3,150,637  
   

Total Common Stocks (cost $269,174,166)

                               291,600,026  
Shares          Description (1)   Coupon              Ratings (4)      Value  
   

$25 PAR (OR SIMILAR) RETAIL PREFERRED – 31.3% (22.3% of Total Investments)

 

  
          Electric Utilities – 6.6%                           
  20,255      

APT Pipelines Limited

    6.205%           N/R      $ 1,582,918  
  129,699      

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP

    5.350%           BBB–        2,664,143  
  105,626      

Entergy Arkansas Inc.

    4.875%           A        2,654,381  
  38,270      

Entergy Louisiana LLC

    4.875%           A        949,861  
  23,123      

Entergy New Orleans, LLC

    5.500%           A        591,255  
  19,281      

Entergy Texas Inc.

    5.625%           A        511,139  
  146,947      

Georgia Power Company

    5.000%           A–        3,763,313  
  135,174      

Integrys Energy Group Inc., (2)

    6.000%           Baa1        3,656,457  
  152,893      

NextEra Energy Inc.

    5.250%           BBB        3,909,474  
  55,405      

NextEra Energy Inc.

    5.000%           BBB        1,382,909  
  121,953      

PPL Capital Funding, Inc.

    5.900%           BBB        3,120,777  
  84,895      

SCE Trust VI

    5.000%           Baa1        2,039,178  
  183,580      

Southern Company

    5.250%           BBB        4,718,006  
  166,085        

Southern Company

    5.250%                 BBB        4,226,863  
   

Total Electric Utilities

                               35,770,674  
          Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts – 18.6%                           
  98,852      

American Homes 4 Rent

    6.350%           N/R        2,648,245  
  83,643      

American Homes 4 Rent

    5.875%           BB        2,137,915  
  49,640      

American Homes 4 Rent

    5.500%           N/R        1,412,258  
  40,109      

American Homes 4 Rent

    6.500%           N/R        1,098,184  
  77,186      

American Homes 4 Rent

    5.875%           BB        1,942,772  
  111,715      

CBL & Associates Properties Inc.

    7.375%           BB–        2,442,090  
  7,619      

CBL & Associates Properties Inc.

    6.625%           BB–        167,999  
  27,209      

Cedar Shopping Centers Inc., Series A

    7.250%           N/R        687,299  
  102,181      

Cedar Shopping Centers Inc., Series A

    6.500%           N/R        2,558,612  
  176,329      

City Office REIT, Inc.

    6.625%           N/R        4,439,964  
  44,578      

Colony Northstar, Inc.

    7.500%           N/R        1,121,137  
  8,879      

Colony Northstar, Inc.

    7.150%           N/R        223,573  
  53,087      

Colony Northstar, Inc.

    7.125%           N/R        1,328,768  
  123,243      

Colony Northstar, Inc.

    7.125%           N/R        3,082,307  
  112,781      

DDR Corporation

    6.375%           BB        2,966,140  
  83,342      

Digital Realty Trust Inc.

    5.250%           Baa3        2,091,884  
  91,042      

EPR Properties Inc.

    5.750%           Baa3        2,278,781  
  30,552      

Farmland Partners, Inc.

    6.000%           N/R        787,325  
  69,386      

GGP, Inc.

    6.375%           N/R        1,751,303  
  30,463      

Gladstone Commercial Corporation

    7.000%           N/R        788,992  
  81,597      

Gramercy Property Trust

    7.125%           BB+        2,184,352  
  85,143      

Hersha Hospitality Trust

    6.875%           N/R        2,132,832  
  117,694      

Hersha Hospitality Trust

    6.500%           N/R        2,911,750  

 

  20     NUVEEN


Shares          Description (1)   Coupon              Ratings (4)      Value  
          Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (continued)                           
  194,309      

Hersha Hospitality Trust

    6.500%           N/R      $ 4,791,660  
  138,234      

Investors Real Estate Trust

    6.625%           N/R        3,588,555  
  664      

Kimco Realty Corporation,

    5.500%           Baa2        16,627  
  60,884      

Kimco Realty Corporation,

    5.250%           Baa2        1,518,447  
  589      

Kimco Realty Corporation,

    5.125%           Baa2        14,572  
  2,652      

LaSalle Hotel Properties

    6.375%           N/R        66,565  
  92,915      

LaSalle Hotel Properties

    6.300%           N/R        2,391,632  
  6,521      

Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc.

    8.500%           BBB–        423,930  
  188,349      

Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp

    6.125%           N/R        4,716,259  
  35,879      

National Retail Properties Inc.

    5.200%           Baa2        900,204  
  16,803      

National Storage Affiliates Trust., Preferred Stock

    6.000%           N/R        437,550  
  112,693      

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust

    6.500%           N/R        2,847,752  
  99,126      

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust

    6.375%           N/R        2,549,521  
  57,003      

Penn Real Estate Investment Trust

    6.875%           N/R        1,431,345  
  50,067      

PS Business Parks, Inc.

    5.250%           BBB        1,264,692  
  62,659      

PS Business Parks, Inc.

    5.200%           Baa2        1,572,741  
  56      

Public Storage, Inc.

    5.050%           A3        1,397  
  468      

Public Storage, Inc.

    5.150%           A3        11,709  
  427      

Rexford Industrial Realty Inc.

    5.875%           BB        10,867  
  4,490      

Senior Housing Properties Trust

    6.250%           BBB–        120,601  
  50,480      

STAG Industrial Inc.

    6.875%           BB+        1,321,566  
  97,997      

Summit Hotel Properties Inc.

    7.125%           N/R        2,487,164  
  47,020      

Summit Hotel Properties Inc.

    6.450%           N/R        1,199,010  
  125,971      

Summit Hotel Properties Inc.

    6.250%           N/R        3,233,676  
  36,294      

Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc.

    6.950%           N/R        950,540  
  126,990      

Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc.

    6.450%           N/R        3,189,989  
  29,864      

Taubman Centers Incorporated, Series K

    6.250%           N/R        753,469  
  92,874      

UMH Properties Inc.

    8.000%           N/R        2,533,603  
  133,708      

UMH Properties Inc.

    6.750%           N/R        3,611,453  
  119,421      

Urstadt Biddle Properties

    6.750%           N/R        3,128,830  
  63,786      

Urstadt Biddle Properties

    6.250%           N/R        1,668,004  
  41,809      

Ventas Realty LP

    5.450%           BBB+        1,050,242  
  136,069      

Vornado Realty Trust

    5.250%           BBB–        3,559,565  
  14,883        

Washington Prime Group, Inc.

    6.875%                 Ba1        368,652  
   

Total Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts

                               100,916,871  
          Independent Power & Renewable Electricity Producers – 0.3%                       
  63,257        

Brookfield Renewable Partners, Preferred Equity

    5.750%                 BBB–        1,315,464  
          Multi-Utilities – 3.6%                           
  295,393      

Dominion Resources Inc.

    5.250%           BBB–        7,553,199  
  112,334      

DTE Energy Company

    6.000%           Baa2        3,007,181  
  178,157      

DTE Energy Company

    5.375%           Baa2        4,537,659  
  43,918      

DTE Energy Company

    5.250%           Baa2        1,102,342  
  123,914        

DTE Energy Company

    5.250%                 Baa2        3,184,590  
   

Total Multi-Utilities

                               19,384,971  
          Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels – 1.7%                           
  67,909      

NGL Energy Partner LP

    9.000%           N/R        1,656,980  
  201,653      

Nustar Energy LP

    8.500%           Ba3        5,011,077  
  44,461      

Nustar Energy LP

    7.625%           Ba3        1,007,042  
  63,970      

Pembina Pipeline Corporation

    5.750%           BB+        1,338,943  
  3,500        

Teekay LNG Partners LP

    8.500%                 N/R        85,890  
   

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                               9,099,932  
          Real Estate Management & Development – 0.5%                           
  110,992        

Landmark Infrastructure Partners LP

    8.000%                 N/R        2,825,856  
   

Total $25 Par (or similar) Retail Preferred (cost $164,717,616)

                               169,313,768  

 

NUVEEN     21  


JRI    Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund
   Portfolio of Investments (continued)    December 31, 2017

 

Principal
Amount (000)
    (5)   Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity      Ratings (4)      Value  
   

CORPORATE BONDS – 25.5% (18.2% of Total Investments)

 

        
          Commercial Services & Supplies – 2.0%                           
$ 1,925      

Advanced Disposal Services, Inc., 144A

    5.625%        11/15/24        B      $ 1,968,313  
  2,640      

Covanta Holding Corporation

    5.875%        3/01/24        B1        2,679,600  
  1,280      

Covanta Holding Corporation

    5.875%        7/01/25        B1        1,286,400  
  1,945      

GFL Environmental Corporation, 144A

    5.625%        5/01/22        B–        2,017,938  
  2,325      

Tervita Escrow Corporation, 144A

    7.625%        12/01/21        B        2,330,812  
  315        

Wrangler Buyer Corp., 144A

    6.000%        10/01/25        CCC+        324,450  
   

Total Commercial Services & Supplies

                               10,607,513  
          Construction & Engineering – 1.6%                           
  1,740      

AECOM Technology Corporation

    5.125%        3/15/27        BB        1,772,451  
  8,175     COP  

Fideicomiso P.A. Concesion Ruta al Mar, 144A

    6.750%        2/15/44        Baa3        2,705,078  
  3,000     EUR  

Superstrada Pedemontana Veneta, 144A

    0.000%        6/30/47        N/R        3,572,551  
  355     EUR  

Swissport Financing SARL, 144A, (WI/DD)

    9.750%        12/15/22        Caa1        442,583  
   

Total Construction & Engineering

                               8,492,663  
          Diversified Financial Services – 0.6%                           
  1,530      

Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP/ Ladder Capital Finance Corp., 144A

    5.250%        10/01/25        BB        1,522,350  
  1,645        

Stoneway Capital Corporation, 144A

    10.000%        3/01/27        B        1,749,128  
   

Total Diversified Financial Services

                               3,271,478  
          Electric Utilities – 7.2%                           
  5,550      

ACWA Power Management And Investment One Ltd, 144A

    5.950%        12/15/39        BBB–        5,681,535  
  1,512      

Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogeneration Partners LP, 144A

    7.420%        10/01/20        B+        1,368,175  
  1,370      

Comision Federal de Electricidad of the United States of Mexico, 144A

    6.125%        6/16/45        BBB+        1,519,330  
  5,307      

Crocket Cogeneration LP, 144A

    5.869%        3/30/25        BB+        5,330,285  
  2,975      

DCP Midstream Operating LP, 144A

    5.850%        5/21/43        BB–        2,766,750  
  1,400     GBP  

Electricite de France S.A, Reg S

    5.875%        7/22/64        BBB        1,969,978  
  2,505      

Exelon Corporation

    6.250%        10/01/39        BBB        2,928,324  
  959      

FPL Energy National Wind LLC, 144A

    5.608%        3/10/24        Baa3        965,140  
  1,540     GBP  

Intergen NV, 144A

    7.500%        6/30/21        B1        2,027,251  
  1,734      

Mirant Mid-Atlantic Series C Pass Through Trust

    10.060%        12/30/28        B–        1,742,915  
  4,270      

NextEra Energy Inc.

    4.800%        12/01/77        BBB        4,280,675  
  3,646      

Panoche Energy Center LLC, 144A

    6.885%        7/31/29        Baa3        3,668,014  
  4,265        

Red Oak Power LLC

    9.200%        11/30/29        BB–        4,840,775  
   

Total Electric Utilities

                               39,089,147  
          Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts – 2.9%                           
  2,375      

Care Capital Properties, Inc.

    5.125%        8/15/26        BBB–        2,407,657  
  1,400      

CoreCivic, Inc.

    4.750%        10/15/27        Ba1        1,382,500  
  630      

CTR Partnership LP/CareTrust Capital Corporation

    5.250%        6/01/25        BB–        642,600  
  1,465      

CyrusOne LP Finance, 144A

    5.375%        3/15/27        BB+        1,538,250  
  430      

CyrusOne LP Finance, 144A

    5.375%        3/15/27        BB+        451,500  
  2,765      

Geo Group Inc.

    6.000%        4/15/26        B+        2,841,038  
  1,475      

Iron Mountain Inc., 144A

    5.250%        3/15/28        BB–        1,467,625  
  1,495      

MPT Operating Partnership Finance

    5.000%        10/15/27        BBB–        1,523,031  
  2,195      

SBA Communications Corporation

    4.875%        9/01/24        B+        2,255,363  
  1,160        

Trust F/1401, 144A

    6.950%        1/30/44        Baa2        1,261,500  
   

Total Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts

                               15,771,064  
          Gas Utilities – 1.3%                           
  685      

AmeriGas Partners LP/AmeriGas Finance Corporation

    5.750%        5/20/27        BB        691,850  
  677      

Ferrellgas LP

    6.750%        1/15/22        B–        626,225  
  17,005     MXN  

Gas Natural Mexico SA

    7.670%        7/03/25        N/R        785,106  
  17,500     MXN  

Infraestructura Energetica Nova SAB de CV

    6.300%        2/02/23        Baa1        804,488  
  1,750      

National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, 144A

    6.050%        1/15/36        BBB        1,811,250  
  1,230      

Suburban Propane Partners LP

    5.750%        3/01/25        BB–        1,214,625  

 

  22     NUVEEN


Principal
Amount (000)
    (5)   Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity      Ratings (4)      Value  
          Gas Utilities (continued)                           
$ 1,060        

Suburban Propane Partners LP

    5.875%        3/01/27        BB–      $ 1,036,150  
   

Total Gas Utilities

                               6,969,694  
          Health Care Providers & Services – 0.1%                           
  650        

HCA Inc.

    5.500%        6/15/47        BBB–        648,375  
          Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure – 0.4%                           
  1,245      

Grupo Posadas SAB de CV, 144A

    7.875%        6/30/22        B+        1,285,463  
  1,120        

MGM Growth Properties Operating Partnership LP / MGP Escrow Co-Issuer, Inc., 144A

    4.500%        1/15/28        BB–        1,097,600  
   

Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

                               2,383,063  
          Independent Power & Renewable Electricity Producers – 1.5%                
  2,030      

Azure Power Energy Ltd, 144A

    5.500%        11/03/22        Ba3        2,063,495  
  1,080      

Calpine Corporation, 144A

    5.250%        6/01/26        BB+        1,058,411  
  1,260      

Capex SA, 144A

    6.875%        5/15/24        B+        1,314,785  
  1,185      

Dynegy Inc., 144A

    8.000%        1/15/25        B+        1,282,762  
  385      

Emirates Semb Corp Water & Power, 144A

    4.450%        8/01/35        A2        392,655  
  735      

GenOn Energy Inc., (6)

    9.500%        10/15/18        N/R        584,325  
  1,450        

NRG Energy Inc., 144A

    5.750%        1/15/28        BB–        1,464,500  
   

Total Independent Power & Renewable Electricity Producers

                               8,160,933  
          IT Services – 0.7%                           
  3,625        

Zayo Group LLC / Zayo Capital Inc., 144A

    5.750%        1/15/27        B        3,697,500  
          Marine – 0.1%                           
  5,000     NOK  

FJORD 1 ASA, Reg S

    4.260%        11/22/22        N/R        612,123  
          Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts – 0.3%                           
  1,380        

Starwood Property Trust, 144A

    4.750%        3/15/25        BB–        1,369,650  
          Multi-Utilities – 0.2%                           
  1,045        

Dominion Resources Inc.

    5.750%        10/01/54        BBB–        1,128,600  
          Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels – 3.0%                           
  1,830      

Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline LLC, 144A

    4.600%        11/02/47        AA        1,882,210  
  280      

Calumet Specialty Products

    6.500%        4/15/21        CCC+        278,600  
  2,345      

Calumet Specialty Products

    7.625%        1/15/22        CCC+        2,347,931  
  280      

Delek & Avner Tamar Bond Ltd, 144A

    5.412%        12/30/25        BBB–        281,842  
  1,970      

Genesis Energy LP

    5.625%        6/15/24        BB–        1,920,750  
  1,570     CAD  

Gibson Energy, 144A

    5.250%        7/15/24        BB        1,255,026  
  745      

Global Partners LP/GLP Finance

    6.250%        7/15/22        B+        765,488  
  470      

Global Partners LP/GLP Finance

    7.000%        6/15/23        B+        482,925  
  1,335      

Martin Mid-Stream Partners LP Finance

    7.250%        2/15/21        B–        1,348,350  
  1,035      

NGL Energy Partners LP/Fin Co.

    7.500%        11/01/23        B+        1,071,225  
  2,095      

Par Petroleum LLC / Petroleum Finance Corp., 144A

    7.750%        12/15/25        BB–        2,087,144  
  1,880      

PBF Holding Company LLC

    7.250%        6/15/25        BB        1,976,350  
  11,145     MXN  

Petroleos Mexicanos, 144A

    7.190%        9/12/24        A–        500,639  
   

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                               16,198,480  
          Real Estate Management & Development – 1.0%                           
  2,680      

Hunt Companies Inc., 144A

    9.625%        3/01/21        N/R        2,824,050  
  2,400        

Kennedy-Wilson Holdings Incorporated

    5.875%        4/01/24        BB        2,478,000  
   

Total Real Estate Management & Development

                               5,302,050  
          Software – 0.1%                           
  737        

SixSigma Networks Mexico SA de CV, 144A

    8.250%        11/07/21        B+        779,378  

 

NUVEEN     23  


JRI    Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund
   Portfolio of Investments (continued)    December 31, 2017

 

Principal
Amount (000)
    (5)   Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity      Ratings (4)      Value  
          Transportation Infrastructure – 1.7%                           
$ 920      

Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 SA, 144A

    6.875%        2/01/27        BB–      $ 994,732  
  695      

Aeropuertos Dominicanos SA, 144A

    6.750%        3/30/29        BB–        761,025  
  1,030      

Delhi International Airport Ltd, 144A

    6.125%        10/31/26        BB        1,089,225  
  4,200     MXN  

Grupo Aeroportuario Del Centro Norte, SAB de CV

    6.850%        6/07/21        N/R        201,685  
  1,780      

Mexico City Airport Trust, 144A

    5.500%        7/31/47        BBB+        1,757,750  
  1,490      

Rumo Luxembourg Sarl, 144A

    7.375%        2/09/24        BB–        1,603,389  
  2,462        

Terminales Portuarios, 144A

    8.125%        4/01/37        BB        2,640,939  
   

Total Transportation Infrastructure

                               9,048,745  
          Water Utilities – 0.1%                           
  545        

AEGEA Finance SARL, 144A

    5.750%        10/10/24        Ba2        553,175  
          Wireless Telecommunication Services – 0.7%                           
  2,532      

Inmarsat Finance PLC, 144A

    6.500%        10/01/24        BB+        2,569,980  
  1,400        

ViaSat Inc., 144A

    5.625%        9/15/25        BB–        1,410,500  
   

Total Wireless Telecommunication Services

                               3,980,480  
   

Total Corporate Bonds (cost $136,275,046)

                               138,064,111  
Principal
Amount (000)
         Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity      Ratings (4)      Value  
   

$1,000 PAR (OR SIMILAR) INSTITUTIONAL PREFERRED – 14.7% (10.5% of Total Investments)

 

  
          Diversified Financial Services – 0.4%                           
$ 930      

National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation

    5.250%        4/20/46        A3      $ 998,792  
  1,325        

RKP Overseas Finance 2016 A, Reg S

    7.950%        N/A (7)        B1        1,360,209  
  2,255        

Total Diversified Financial Services

                               2,359,001  
          Electric Utilities – 3.8%                           
  2,265      

AES Gener SA, 144A

    8.375%        12/18/73        BB        2,368,669  
  9,455      

Emera, Inc.

    6.750%        6/15/76        BBB–        10,636,875  
  3,540      

Enel SpA, 144A

    8.750%        9/24/73        BBB–        4,398,450  
  2,595        

Exelon Corporation

    6.350%        3/15/33        Baa2        2,841,525  
  17,855        

Total Electric Utilities

                               20,245,519  
          Energy Equipment & Services – 3.0%                           
  5,395      

Transcanada Trust

    5.875%        8/15/76        BBB        5,840,087  
  5,520      

Transcanada Trust

    5.625%        5/20/75        BBB        5,809,800  
  4,655        

Transcanada Trust

    5.300%        3/15/77        BBB        4,800,469  
  15,570        

Total Energy Equipment & Services

                               16,450,356  
          Multi-Utilities – 0.5%                           
  2,498        

RWE AG, Reg S

    6.625%        7/30/75        BB+        2,839,906  
          Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels – 6.2%                           
  901      

DCP Midstream LP

    7.375%        N/A (7)        BB–        893,792  
  2,879      

Enbridge Energy Partners LP

    5.131%        10/01/37        BB+        2,853,240  
  8,412      

Enbridge Inc.

    6.000%        1/15/77        BBB–        8,748,810  
  9,315      

Enbridge Inc.

    5.500%        7/15/77        BBB–        9,266,655  
  5,425      

Enterprise Products Operating LLP

    5.250%        8/16/77        Baa2        5,370,750  
  901      

Energy Transfer Partners

    6.250%        N/A (7)        BB        875,096  
  775      

Enterprise Products Operating LP

    7.034%        1/15/68        Baa2        775,000  
  3,885      

Plains All American Pipeline L.P

    6.125%        N/A (7)        BB        3,879,173  
  625        

Summit Midstream Partner LP

    9.500%        N/A (7)        B–        632,812  
  33,118        

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                               33,295,328  
          Real Estate Management & Development – 0.8%                           
  4,250        

AT Securities BV, Reg S

    5.250%        N/A (7)        BBB–        4,303,125  
$ 75,546        

Total $1,000 Par (or similar) Institutional Preferred (cost $76,621,148)

 

                       79,493,235  

 

  24     NUVEEN


Shares          Description (1)   Coupon              Ratings (4)      Value  
   

CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED SECURITIES – 7.9% (5.7% of Total Investments)

 

     
          Electric Utilities – 0.9%                           
  85,520        

NextEra Energy Inc.

    6.123%                 BBB      $ 4,806,224  
          Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts – 3.1%                           
  40,974      

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.

    7.000%           Baa3        1,499,648  
  88,807      

Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc.

    5.500%           N/R        1,775,252  
  4,440      

Crown Castle International Corporation

    6.875%           N/R        4,660,180  
  32,290      

EPR Properties Inc.

    9.000%           BB        1,180,200  
  2,802      

EPR Properties Inc.

    5.750%           N/R        75,430  
  37,316      

Equity Commonwealth

    6.500%           Baa3        984,769  
  11,563      

Lexington Corporate Properties Trust, Series B

    6.500%           N/R        588,672  
  103,602      

Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust

    7.250%           N/R        5,967,475  
  11,986        

RLJ Lodging Trust

    1.950%                 B–        323,742  
   

Total Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts

                               17,055,368  
          Multi-Utilities – 2.7%                           
  10,465      

Black Hills Corp

    7.750%           N/R        696,341  
  152,545      

Dominion Resources Inc.

    6.750%           BBB–        7,880,475  
  107,593        

DTE Energy Company

    5.000%                 N/R        5,805,718  
   

Total Multi-Utilities

                               14,382,534  
          Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels – 1.2%                           
  46,711      

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

    7.500%           N/R        1,619,003  
  134,198        

Kinder Morgan Inc., Delaware

    9.750%                 N/R        5,094,156  
   

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                               6,713,159  
   

Total Convertible Preferred Securities (cost $42,580,271)

                               42,957,285  
Shares          Description (1), (8)                           Value  
   

INVESTMENT COMPANIES – 1.8% (1.3% of Total Investments)

 

        
  1,627,779      

John Laing Infrastructure Fund

           $ 2,707,624  
  12,613,740      

Keppel Infrastructure Trust

             5,422,934  
  492,804      

NextEnergy Solar Fund Limited

             751,857  
  679,317        

Starwood European Real Estate Finance Limited

                               1,004,313  
   

Total Investment Companies (cost $9,016,828)

                               9,886,728  
Principal
Amount (000)
         Description (1)   Interest
Rate (9)
     Maturity (9)              Value  
   

WHOLE LOANS – 1.6% (1.1% of Total Investments) (10), (11)

 

        
          Commercial Loans – 1.2%                           
$ 13,980      

NCH Commercial Pool 2, NCH Corporation, (12), (13), (14)

    11.925%        8/01/14         $ 3,390,150  
  4,523        

RealtiCorp Fund III, RIF 301, LLC / RIF 304, LLC, (12), (14)

    4.425%        9/01/17                 3,048,337  
  18,503        

Total Commercial Loans

                               6,438,487  
          Multifamily Loans – 0.4%                           
  4,392        

NCH Multifamily Pool 2, NCH Corporation, (12), (13), (14)

    11.925%        8/01/14                 2,260,271  
$ 22,895        

Total Whole Loans (cost $23,407,195)

                               8,698,758  
Principal
Amount (000)
         Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity      Ratings (4)      Value  
   

CONVERTIBLE BONDS – 1.1% (0.8% of Total Investments)

 

        
          Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels – 0.8%                           
$ 6,375        

Cheniere Energy Inc.

    4.250%        3/15/45        N/R      $ 4,522,266  

 

NUVEEN     25  


JRI    Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund
   Portfolio of Investments (continued)    December 31, 2017

 

Principal
Amount (000)
         Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity      Ratings (4)      Value  
          Real Estate Management & Development – 0.3%                           
$ 1,480        

Tricon Capital Group Inc., 144A

    5.750%        3/31/22        N/R      $ 1,657,600  
$ 7,855        

Total Convertible Bonds (cost $5,947,060)

                               6,179,866  
Principal
Amount (000)
    (5)   Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity      Ratings (4)      Value  
   

SOVEREIGN DEBT – 0.7% (0.5% of Total Investments)

          
          Costa Rica – 0.3%                           
$ 1,515        

Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, 144A

    6.375%        5/15/43        BB      $ 1,396,860  
          India – 0.4%                           
  140,000     INR  

National Highways Authority of India, Reg S

    7.300%        5/18/22        N/R        2,206,939  
   

Total Sovereign Debt (cost $3,529,135)

                               3,603,799  
   

Total Long-Term Investments (cost $731,268,465)

                               749,797,576  
Principal
Amount (000)
         Description (1)   Coupon      Maturity              Value  
          SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS – 1.7% (1.2% of Total Investments)                       
          REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 1.7% (1.2% of Total Investments)                       
$ 8,325      

Repurchase Agreement with Fixed Income Clearing Corporation,
dated 12/29/17, repurchase price $8,325,592,
collateralized by $8,090,000 U.S. Treasury Inflation
Indexed Obligations, 0.125%, due 4/15/19, value $8,491,911

    0.540%        1/02/18         $ 8,325,092  
  855        

Repurchase Agreement with Fixed Income Clearing Corporation,
dated 12/29/17, repurchase price $854,621,
collateralized by $880,000 U.S. Treasury Notes,
1.250%, due 12/31/18, value $875,690

    0.540%        1/02/18                 854,570  
$ 9,180        

Total Short-Term Investments (cost $9,179,662)

                               9,179,662  
   

Total Investments (cost $740,448,127) – 140.1%

                               758,977,238  
   

Borrowings – (41.6)% (15), (16)

                               (225,225,000
   

Other Assets Less Liabilities – 1.5% (17)

                               8,122,808  
   

Net Assets – 100%

                             $ 541,875,046  

Investments in Derivatives

Futures Contracts

 

Description      Contract
Position
       Number of
Contracts
       Expiration
Date
       Notional
Amount
       Value        Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
       Variation Margin
Receivable/
(Payable)
 

U.S. Treasury 5-Year Note

       Short          (65        3/18        $ (7,589,017      $ (7,550,664      $ 38,353        $ (6,094

U.S. Treasury 10-Year Note

       Short          (94        3/18          (11,722,549        (11,660,406        62,143          (19,094

U.S. Treasury Long Bond

       Short          (50        3/18          (7,663,513        (7,650,000        13,513          (14,062

U.S. Treasury Ultra Bond

       Short          (32        3/18          (5,332,151        (5,365,000        (32,849        (14,000
                                        $ (32,307,230      $ (32,226,070      $ 81,160        $ (53,250

 

  26     NUVEEN


Interest Rate Swaps – OTC Uncleared

 

Counterparty   Notional
Amount
    Fund
Pay/Receive
Floating Rate
    Floating Rate Index     Fixed Rate
(Annualized)
    Fixed Rate
Payment
Frequency
    Effective
Date (18)
    Optional
Termination
Date
    Maturity
Date
    Value     Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

Morgan Stanley Capital Securities LLC

  $ 112,400,000       Receive       1-Month LIBOR       1.994     Monthly       6/01/18       7/01/25       7/01/27     $ 1,197,674     $ 1,197,674  

For Fund portfolio compliance purposes, the Fund’s industry classifications refer to any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or ratings group indexes, and/or as defined by Fund management. This definition may not apply for purposes of this report, which may combine industry sub-classifications into sectors for reporting ease.

 

(1) All percentages shown in the Portfolio of Investments are based on net assets unless otherwise noted.

 

(2) For fair value measurement disclosure purposes, investment classified as Level 2. See Notes to Financial Statements, Note 2 – Investment Valuation and Fair Value Measurements for more information.

 

(3) Non-income producing; issuer has not declared a dividend within the past twelve months.

 

(4) For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest of Standard & Poor’s Group (“Standard & Poor’s”), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”) rating. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Ratings below BBB by Standard & Poor’s, Baa by Moody’s or BBB by Fitch are considered to be below investment grade. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by any of these national rating agencies. Ratings are not covered by the report of independent registered public accounting firm.

 

(5) Principal Amount (000) denominated in U.S. Dollars, unless otherwise noted.

 

(6) As of, or subsequent to, the end of the reporting period, this security is non-income producing. Non-income producing, in the case of a fixed income security, generally denotes that the issuer has (1) defaulted on the payment of principal or interest, (2) is under the protection of the Federal Bankruptcy Court or (3) the Fund’s Adviser has concluded that the issue is not likely to meet its future interest payment obligations and has ceased accruing additional income on the Fund’s records.

 

(7) Perpetual security. Maturity date is not applicable.

 

(8) A copy of the most recent financial statements for these investment companies can be obtained directly from the Securities and Exchange Commission on its website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

(9) Represents the interest rate, coupon and maturity in effect as of the end of the reporting period.

 

(10) Interest rates on whole loans are the net coupon rates in effect (after reducing the coupon rate by any mortgage servicing fees paid to mortgage servicers) as of the end of the reporting period.

 

(11) Securities purchased as part of a private placement, which have not been registered with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and which are considered to be illiquid.

 

(12) Interest only – Represents securities that entitle holders to receive only interest payments on the mortgage. Principal balance on the loan is due at maturity. The interest rate disclosed represents the net coupon rate in effect as of the end of the reporting period.

 

(13) Loan is currently default with regards to scheduled interest and/or principal payments.

 

(14) Investments valued at fair value using methods determined in good faith by, or at the discretion of, the Board. For fair value measurement disclosure purposes, investments are classified as Level 3 unless otherwise noted. See Notes to Financial Statements, Note 2 – Investment Valuation and Fair Value Measurements for more information.

 

(15) The Fund segregates 100% of its eligible investments (excluding any investments separately pledged as collateral for specific investments in derivatives) in the Portfolio of Investments as collateral for borrowings.

 

(16) Borrowings as a percentage of Total Investments is 29.7%.

 

(17) Other assets less liabilities includes the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of certain over-the-counter derivatives (“OTC”) as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, when applicable. The unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of OTC cleared and exchange-traded derivatives is recognized as part of the cash collateral at brokers and/or the receivable or payable for variation margin as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, when applicable.

 

(18) Effective date represents the date on which both the Fund and counterparty commence interest payment accruals on each contract.

 

144A Investment is exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These investments may only be resold in transactions exempt from registration, which are normally those transactions with qualified institutional buyers.

 

CAD Canadian Dollar

 

COP Columbian Peso

 

EUR Euro

 

GBP Pound Sterling

 

INR Indian Rupee

 

LIBOR London Inter-Bank Offered Rate

 

MXN Mexican Peso

 

NOK Norwegian Krone

 

Reg S Regulation S allows U.S. companies to sell securities to persons or entities located outside of the United States without registering those securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Specifically, Regulation S provides a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for the offers and sales of securities by both foreign and domestic issuers that are made outside the United States.

 

REIT Real Estate Investment Trust

 

WI/DD Investment or portion of investment purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

NUVEEN     27  


Statement of

Assets and Liabilities

   December 31, 2017

 

 

 

Assets

  

Long-term investments, at value (cost $731,268,465)

   $ 749,797,576  

Short-term investments, at value (cost approximates value)

     9,179,662  

Cash

     33,213  

Cash denominated in foreign currencies (cost $631,362)

     639,081  

Cash collateral at brokers for investments in futures contracts(1)

     405,000  

Unrealized appreciation on interest rate swaps

     1,197,674  

Receivable for:

  

Dividends

     3,138,481  

Interest

     3,883,168  

Investments sold

     4,285,530  

Reclaims

     200,868  

Other assets

     154,735  

Total assets

     772,914,988  

Liabilities

  

Borrowings

     225,225,000  

Payable for:

  

Investments purchased

     4,709,886  

Variation margin on futures contracts

     53,250  

Accrued expenses:

  

Interest on borrowings

     63,376  

Management fees

     617,191  

Trustees fees

     20,377  

Other

     350,862  

Total liabilities

     231,039,942  

Net assets

   $ 541,875,046  

Shares outstanding

     27,632,580  

Net asset value (“NAV”) per share outstanding

   $ 19.61  

Net assets consist of:

        

Shares, $0.01 par value per share

   $ 276,326  

Paid-in surplus

     613,547,121  

Undistributed (Over-distribution of) net investment income

     (5,918,300

Accumulated net realized gain (loss)

     (85,845,731

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

     19,815,630  

Net assets

   $ 541,875,046  

Authorized shares

     Unlimited  
(1) Cash pledged to collateralize the net payment obligations for investments in futures contracts is in addition to the Fund’s securities pledged as collateral as noted in the Portfolio of Investments.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

  28     NUVEEN


Statement of

Operations

   Year Ended December 31, 2017

 

 

 

Investment Income

  

Dividends (net of foreign tax withheld of $546,775)

   $ 17,390,713  

Interest

     7,143,024  

Other

     67,751  

Total investment income

   $ 24,601,488  

Expenses

  

Management fees

     3,953,667  

Interest expense on borrowings

     2,411,013  

Custodian fees

     301,882  

Trustees fees

     71,216  

Professional fees

     153,721  

Shareholder reporting expenses

     66,549  

Shareholder servicing agent fees

     552  

Stock exchange listing fees

     6,958  

Investor relations expenses

     92,557  

Reorganization expenses

     167,411  

Other

     31,374  

Total expenses

     7,256,900  

Net investment income (loss)

     17,344,588  

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

  

Net realized gain (loss) from:

  

Investments and foreign currency

     3,233,313  

Futures contracts

     (27,521

Swaps

     (1,338,973

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of:

  

Investments and foreign currency

     11,469,145  

Futures contracts

     232,442  

Swaps

     2,567,679  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

     16,136,085  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets from operations

   $ 33,480,673  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

NUVEEN     29  


Statement of

Changes in Net Assets

  

 

      Year
Ended
12/31/17
       Year
Ended
12/31/16
 

Operations

       

Net investment income (loss)

   $ 17,344,588        $ 10,904,419  

Net realized gain (loss) from:

       

Investments and foreign currency

     3,233,313          1,136,419  

Futures contracts

     (27,521        18,893  

Swaps

     (1,338,973         

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of:

       

Investments and foreign currency

     11,469,145          9,249,861  

Futures contracts

     232,442          (17,055

Swaps

     2,567,679          (216,596

Net increase (decrease) in net assets from operations

     33,480,673          21,075,941  

Distributions to Shareholders

       

From net investment income

     (18,198,467        (11,067,664

Return of capital

              (2,090,877

Decrease in net assets from distributions to shareholders

     (18,198,467        (13,158,541

Capital Share Transactions

       

Cost of shares repurchased and retired

              (233,002

Shares issued in the Reorganization

     350,153,354           

Net increase (decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

     350,153,354          (233,002

Net increase (decrease) in net assets

     365,435,560          7,684,398  

Net assets at the beginning of period

     176,439,486          168,755,088  

Net assets at the end of period

   $ 541,875,046        $ 176,439,486  

Undistributed (Over-distribution of) net investment income at the end of period

   $ (5,918,300      $ (614,739

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

  30     NUVEEN


Statement of

Cash Flows

   Year Ended December 31, 2017

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:

  

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets from Operations

   $ 33,480,673  

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

  

Purchases of investments

     (417,063,436

Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments

     411,923,295  

Proceeds from (Purchases of) short-term investments, net

     6,314,141  

Proceeds from (Payments for) cash denominated in foreign currencies, net

     (605,204

Proceeds from (Payments for) closed foreign currency spot contracts

     45,504  

Proceeds from (Payments for) swap contracts, net

     (1,338,973

Premiums received (paid) for interest rate swaps

     951,545  

Capital gain and return of capital distributions from investments

     2,112,722  

Amortization (Accretion) of premiums and discounts, net

     22,649  

(Increase) Decrease in:

  

Cash collateral at brokers for investments in futures contracts

     (90,252

Receivable for dividends

     (783,714

Receivable for interest

     (757,915

Receivable for investments sold

     5,722,646  

Receivable for reclaims

     (136,654

Receivable for variation margin on futures contracts

     6,539  

Other assets

     (143,230

Increase (Decrease) in:

  

Payable for investments purchased

     (5,884,699

Payable for variation margin on futures contracts

     43,406  

Accrued interest on borrowings

     53,538  

Accrued management fees

     415,348  

Accrued Trustees fees

     8,713  

Accrued other expenses

     (602,613

Net realized gain (loss) from:

  

Investments and foreign currency

     (3,233,313

Swaps

     1,338,973  

Change in net unrealized (appreciation) of:

  

Investments and foreign currency

     (11,469,145

Swaps

     (2,567,679

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     17,762,865  

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

  

Proceeds from borrowings

     450,000  

Cash distributions paid to shareholders

     (18,198,467

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     (17,748,467

Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash

     14,398  

Cash at the beginning of period

     18,563  

Cash acquired in connection with the Reorganization

     252  

Cash at the end of period

   $ 33,213  
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information(1)        

Cash paid for interest on borrowings (excluding borrowing costs)

   $ 2,238,727  
(1) See Notes to Financial Statements, Note 1 – General Information and Significant Accounting Policies, Fund Reorganizations for more information of the non-cash activities related to the Fund’s Reorganization.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

NUVEEN     31  


Financial

Highlights

 

Selected data for a share outstanding throughout each period:

 

          Investment Operations     Less Distributions                    
     Beginning
NAV
    Net
Investment
Income
(Loss)(a)
    Net
Realized/
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
    Total     From
Net
Investment
Income
    From
Accumulated
Net Realized
Gains
    Return
of
Capital
    Total    

Discount
from
Shares
Repurchased

and Retired

    Ending
NAV
    Ending
Share
Price
 

Year Ended 12/31:

 

2017

  $ 18.09     $ 1.14     $ 1.66     $ 2.80     $ (1.28   $     $     $ (1.28   $     $ 19.61     $ 17.80  

2016

    17.27       1.12       1.04       2.16       (1.14           (0.21     (1.35     0.01       18.09       15.74  

2015

    19.84       1.18       (2.18     (1.00     (1.15     (0.04     (0.38     (1.57       —     17.27       15.24  

2014

    18.84       1.37       2.42       3.79       (1.53     (1.26           (2.79           19.84       18.88  

2013

    20.34       1.53       0.37       1.90       (1.65     (1.75           (3.40           18.84       16.75  

 

    Borrowings at End of Period  
     Aggregate
Amount
Outstanding
(000)
       Asset
Coverage
Per $1,000
 

Year Ended 12/31:

 

2017

  $ 225,225        $ 3,406  

2016

    73,275          3,408  

2015

    74,500          3,265  

2014

    81,500          3,381  

2013

    87,500          3,106  

 

  32     NUVEEN


            Ratios/Supplemental Data  
Total Returns           Ratios to Average Net Assets(c)        
Based
on
NAV(b)
        
Based
on
Share
Price(b)
   

Ending

Net

Assets
(000)

    Expenses     Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
    Portfolio
Turnover
Rate(d)
 
         
  15.81     21.62   $ 541,875       2.47     5.90     100
  12.82       12.37       176,439       2.18       6.19       107  
  (5.39     (11.72     168,755       2.12       6.24       96  
  20.58       30.14       194,041       1.91       6.66       139  
  9.35       7.88       184,249       1.95       7.30       188  

 

(a) Per share Net Investment Income (Loss) is calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Total Return Based on NAV is the combination of changes in NAV, reinvested dividend income at NAV and reinvested capital gains distributions at NAV, if any. The last dividend declared in the period, which is typically paid on the first business day of the following month, is assumed to be reinvested at the ending NAV. The actual reinvest price for the last dividend declared in the period may often be based on the Fund’s market price (and not its NAV), and therefore may be different from the price used in the calculation. Total returns are not annualized.

Total Return Based on Share Price is the combination of changes in the market price per share and the effect of reinvested dividend income and reinvested capital gains distributions, if any, at the average price paid per share at the time of reinvestment. The last dividend declared in the period, which is typically paid on the first business day of the following month, is assumed to be reinvested at the ending market price. The actual reinvestment for the last dividend declared in the period may take place over several days, and in some instances may not be based on the market price, so the actual reinvestment price may be different from the price used in the calculation. Total returns are not annualized.

(c)     • Net Investment Income (Loss) ratios reflect income earned and expenses incurred on assets attributable to borrowings (as described in Note 8 – Borrowing Arrangements).
  Each ratio includes the effect of all interest expense paid and other costs related to borrowings as follows:

 

Ratios of Borrowings Interest Expense
to Average Net Assets
 

Year Ended 12/31:

 

2017

    0.82

2016

    0.56  

2015

    0.52  

2014

    0.37  

2013

    0.40  

 

(d) Portfolio Turnover Rate is calculated based on the lesser of long-term purchases or sales (as disclosed in Note 5 – Investment Transactions) divided by the average long-term market value during the period.
* Rounds to less than $0.01 per share.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

NUVEEN     33  


Notes to

Financial Statements

 

1. General Information and Significant Accounting Policies

General Information

Fund Information

Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (the “Fund”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a diversified closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and trade under the ticker symbol “JRI.” The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on January 10, 2012.

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is December 31, 2017, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 (the “current fiscal period”).

Investment Adviser

The Fund’s investment adviser is Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”), a subsidiary of Nuveen, LLC (“Nuveen”). Nuveen is the investment management arm of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA). The Adviser has overall responsibility for management of the Fund, oversees the management of the Fund’s portfolio, manages the Fund’s business affairs and provides certain clerical, bookkeeping and other administrative services, and, if necessary, asset allocation decisions. The Adviser has entered into a sub-advisory agreement with Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”), a subsidiary of the Adviser, under which the Sub-Adviser manages the investment portfolio of the Fund.

Fund Reorganization

Effective prior to the opening of business on September 11, 2017, Diversified Real Asset Income Fund (DRA) (the “Target Fund”) was reorganized into the Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”) (the “Reorganization”).

For accounting and performance reporting purposes, the Acquiring Fund is the survivor.

Upon the closing of the Reorganization, the Target Fund transferred its assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of the liabilities of the Target Fund. The Target Fund was then liquidated, dissolved and terminated in accordance with their Declaration of Trust. Shareholders of the Target Fund became shareholders of the Acquiring Fund. Holders of common shares of the Target Fund received newly issued common shares of the Acquiring Fund, the aggregate net asset value (“NAV”) of which is equal to the aggregate NAV of the common shares of the Target Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization (including for this purpose fractional Acquiring Fund shares to which shareholders were entitled). Details of the Reorganization are further described in Note 9 – Fund Reorganization.

Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to provide a high level of current income and long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its managed assets (as defined in Note 7 – Management Fees) in equity and debt securities issued by real asset related companies located anywhere in the world. The Fund will not have more than 40% of its managed assets, at the time of purchase, in debt securities. All of the Fund’s debt securities may be rated lower than investment grade quality (BB+/Ba1 or lower); no more than 10% of the Fund’s managed assets may be invested in debt securities rated CCC+/Caa1 or lower at any time. The Fund will invest at least 25% and no more than 75% of its managed assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers through the direct investment in securities of non-U.S. companies and depository receipts. The Fund also employs an option strategy focused on securities issued by real asset related companies that seeks to generate option premiums for the purpose of enhancing the Fund’s risk-adjusted total returns over time. The Fund may write (sell) options with a notional value of options ranging from 0% to 25% of its managed assets.

Significant Accounting Policies

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 946 “Financial Services – Investment Companies.” The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S GAAP “).

Investment Transactions

Investment transactions are recorded on a trade date basis. Realized gains and losses from investment transactions are determined on the specific identification method, which is the same basis used for federal income tax purposes. Investments purchased on a when-issued/delayed delivery basis may

 

  34     NUVEEN


 

have extended settlement periods. Any investments so purchased are subject to market fluctuation during this period. The Fund has earmarked securities in its portfolio with a current value at least equal to the amount of the when-issued/delayed delivery purchase commitments.

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund's outstanding when-issued/delayed delivery purchase commitments were as follows:

 

Outstanding when-issued/delayed delivery purchase commitments

       $451,015  

Investment Income

Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date or, for foreign securities, when information is available. Non-cash dividends in the form of stock, if any, are recognized on the ex-dividend date and recorded at fair value. Interest income, which reflects the amortization of premiums and includes accretion of discounts for financial reporting purposes, is recorded on an accrual basis. Interest income also reflects payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest and paydown gains and losses, if any. PIK interest represents income received in the form of securities in lieu of cash. Other income is comprised of fees earned in connection with the rehypothecation of pledged collateral as further described in Note 8 – Borrowing Arrangements, Rehypothecation.

Professional Fees

Professional fees presented on the Statement of Operations consist of legal fees incurred in the normal course of operations, audit fees, tax consulting fees and, in some cases, workout expenditures. Workout expenditures are incurred in an attempt to protect or enhance an investment or to pursue other claims or legal actions on behalf of Fund shareholders. If a refund is received for workout expenditures paid in a prior reporting period, such amounts will be recognized as “Legal fee refund” on the Statement of Operations.

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders

Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amount and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

The Fund makes monthly cash distributions to shareholders of a stated dollar amount per share. Subject to approval and oversight by the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), the Fund seeks to establish a distribution rate that roughly corresponds to the cash flows from its investment strategies through regular distributions (a “Cash Flow-Based Distribution Program”). The Fund seeks to establish a relatively stable common share distribution rate that roughly corresponds to the Fund’s net cash flows after expense from its investments over an extended period of time. Actual net cash flows the Fund receives may differ from the Fund’s distribution rate over shorter time periods over a specific timeframe. The portion of distributions paid attributed to net unrealized gains, if any, is distributed from the Fund’s assets and is treated by shareholders as a non-taxable distribution (“Return of Capital”) for tax purposes. In the event that total distributions during a calendar year exceed the Fund’s total return on NAV, the difference will reduce NAV per share. If the Fund’s total return on NAV exceeds total distributions during a calendar year, the excess will be reflected as an increase in NAV per share. The final determination of the source and character of all distributions paid by the Fund for the fiscal year are made after the end of the fiscal year and is reflected in the financial statements contained in the annual report as of December 31 each year.

The tax character of Fund distributions for a fiscal year is dependent upon the amount and tax character of distributions received from securities held in the Fund’s portfolio. Distributions received from certain securities in which the Fund invests, most notably REIT securities, may be characterized for tax purposes as ordinary income, long-term capital gain and/or a return of capital. The issuer of a security reports the tax character of its distributions only once per year, generally during the first two months of the calendar year. The distribution is included in the Fund’s ordinary income until such time the Fund is notified by the issuer of the actual tax character. For financial reporting purposes, dividend income, net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) recognized on the Statement of Operations reflect the amounts of income, capital gain, and/or return of capital as reported by the issuers of such securities for distributions during the current fiscal period.

Compensation

The Fund pays no compensation directly to those of its trustees who are affiliated with the Adviser or to its officers, all of whom receive remuneration for their services to the Fund from the Adviser or its affiliates. The Board has adopted a deferred compensation plan for independent trustees that enables trustees to elect to defer receipt of all or a portion of the annual compensation they are entitled to receive from certain Nuveen-advised funds. Under the plan, deferred amounts are treated as though equal dollar amounts had been invested in shares of select Nuveen-advised funds.

Indemnifications

Under the Fund’s organizational documents, its officers and trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Fund. In addition, in the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that provide general indemnifications to other parties. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred. However, the Fund has not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these contracts and expects the risk of loss to be remote.

 

NUVEEN     35  


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

Netting Agreements

In the ordinary course of business, the Fund may enter into transactions subject to enforceable master repurchase agreements, International Swaps and Derivative Association, Inc. (ISDA) master agreements or other similar arrangements (“netting agreements”). Generally, the right to offset in netting agreements allows the Fund to offset certain securities and derivatives with a specific counterparty, when applicable, as well as any collateral received or delivered to that counterparty based on the terms of the agreements. Generally, the Fund manages its cash collateral and securities collateral on a counterparty basis.

The Fund’s investments subject to netting agreements as of the end of the reporting period, if any, are further described in Note 3 – Portfolio Securities and Investments in Derivatives.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. 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 increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the current fiscal period. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

2. Investment Valuation and Fair Value Measurements

The fair valuation input levels as described below are for fair value measurement purposes.

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received upon selling an investment or transferring a liability in an orderly transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market for the investment. A three-tier hierarchy is used to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Observable inputs are based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Unobservable inputs are based on the best information available in the circumstances. The following is a summary of the three-tiered hierarchy of valuation input levels.

 

Level 1 –   Inputs are unadjusted and prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2 –   Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3 –   Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including management’s assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

Common stocks and other equity-type securities are valued at the last sales price on the securities exchange on which such securities are primarily traded and are generally classified as Level 1. Securities primarily traded on the NASDAQ National Market (“NASDAQ”) are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price and are generally classified as Level 1. However, securities traded on a securities exchange or NASDAQ for which there were no transactions on a given day or securities not listed on a securities exchange or NASDAQ are valued at the quoted bid price and are generally classified as Level 2.

Prices of fixed-income securities are provided by an independent pricing service (“pricing service”) approved by the Board. The pricing service establishes a security’s fair value using methods that may include consideration of the following: yields or prices of investments of comparable quality, type of issue, coupon, maturity and rating, market quotes or indications of value from security dealers, evaluations of anticipated cash flows or collateral, general market conditions and other information and analysis, including the obligor’s credit characteristics considered relevant. These securities are generally classified as Level 2. In pricing certain securities, particularly less liquid and lower quality securities, the pricing service may consider information about a security, its issuer or market activity provided by the Adviser. These securities are generally classified as Level 2 or Level 3 depending on the observability of the significant inputs.

Prices of swap contracts are also provided by a pricing service approved by the Board using the same methods as described above, and are generally classified as Level 2.

Investments in investment companies are valued at their respective NAVs on valuation date and are generally classified as Level 1.

Repurchase agreements are valued at contract amount plus accrued interest, which approximates market value. These securities are generally classified as Level 2.

Futures contracts are valued using the closing settlement price or, in the absence of such a price, the last traded price and are generally classified as Level 1.

Investments initially valued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted to the U.S. dollar using exchange rates obtained from a pricing service. As a result, the NAV of the Fund’s shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of securities traded in markets outside the United States or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the NYSE is closed and an investor is not able to purchase, redeem or exchange shares. If significant market events occur between the time of determination of the closing price of a foreign security on an exchange and the time that the Fund’s NAV is determined, or if under the Fund’s procedures, the closing price of a foreign security is not deemed to be reliable, the security would be valued at fair value as determined in accordance with procedures established in good faith by the Board. These securities are generally classified as Level 2 or Level 3 depending on the observability of the significant inputs.

 

  36     NUVEEN


 

Commercial and multifamily whole loans are generally fair valued using a discounted cash flow methodology designed to incorporate, among other things, the present value of the projected stream of cash flows for such investments (the “discounted cash flow” methodology). For commercial and multifamily whole loans, the discounted cash flow methodology takes into account a number of relevant factors, including changes in prevailing interest rates, yield spreads, the borrower’s creditworthiness (i.e. the debt service coverage ratio), lien position, delinquency status, and the projected rate of prepayments. For first lien loans, if the resulting price from the discounted cash flow methodology is lower than the current average loss recovery on commercial mortgage-backed securities (the “price floor”), the loan will be fair valued at the price floor (the “price floor” methodology). In addition, for all loans, if the resulting price from the discounted cash flow methodology is above the loan’s par value plus any prepayment penalty (the “price ceiling”), the loan will be fair valued at the price ceiling (the “anticipated recovery rate” methodology). Newly purchased loans are initially fair valued at their purchase price and subsequently fair valued using the discounted cash flow methodology. Loans with a pending short payoff will be fair valued at the anticipated recovery rate. If the Fund’s Valuation Committee, as described below, concludes that the fundamentals of a loan or its underlying collateral do not support the use of the discounted cash flow, price ceiling or price floor methodologies, a fair value determination may be made that incorporates other relevant factors (e.g., third-party appraisal of loan collateral). Valuations of commercial and multifamily whole loans are determined no less frequently than weekly. Although the Adviser believes the pricing methodologies to be reasonable and appropriate, the actual values that may be realized upon a current sale of commercial and multifamily whole loans can only be determined in negotiations between the Fund and third parties, and may vary significantly from fair value prices used by the Fund.

The significant unobservable inputs used in the determination of fair value using the discounted cash flow methodology for commercial and multifamily whole loans include yield and liquidity spreads and debt service coverage ratios, ceilings, floors and appraisals. Significant increases (decreases) in yield and liquidity spreads would result in lower (higher) fair values. A significant decrease (increase) in the debt service coverage ratio of a loan’s borrower could result in lower (higher) fair values.

Real estate owned properties are valued, whenever possible, using a third-party appraisal or broker’s opinion of value. If a third-party appraisal or broker’s opinion is not available, a property is valued at the current average loss recovery on commercial mortgage-backed securities (the “average recovery rate” methodology). There were no real estate owned properties held by the Fund as of the end of the reporting period.

Certain securities may not be able to be priced by the pre-established pricing methods as described above. Such securities may be valued by the Board and/or its appointee at fair value. These securities generally include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities which may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; debt securities that have gone into default and for which there is no current market quotation; a security whose market price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of the Fund’s NAV (as may be the case in non-U.S. markets on which the security is primarily traded) or make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, is not deemed to reflect the security’s fair value. As a general principle, the fair value of a security would appear to be the amount that the owner might reasonably expect to receive for it in a current sale. A variety of factors may be considered in determining the fair value of such securities, which may include consideration of the following: yields or prices of investments of comparable quality, type of issue, coupon, maturity and rating, market quotes or indications of value from security dealers, evaluations of anticipated cash flows or collateral, general market conditions and other information and analysis including the obligor’s credit characteristics considered relevant. These securities are generally classified as Level 2 or Level 3 depending on the observability of the significant inputs. Regardless of the method employed to value a particular security, all valuations are subject to review by the Board and/or its appointee.

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities. The following is a summary of the Fund’s fair value measurements as of the end of the reporting period:

 

      Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Long-Term Investments*:

           

Common Stocks

   $ 217,912,775      $ 73,687,251 ***     $      $ 291,600,026  

$25 Par (or similar) Retail Preferred

     165,657,311        3,656,457 ***              169,313,768  

Corporate Bonds

            138,064,111               138,064,111  

$1,000 Par (or similar) Institutional Preferred

            79,493,235               79,493,235  

Convertible Preferred Securities

     42,957,285                      42,957,285  

Investment Companies

     9,886,728                      9,886,728  

Whole Loans

                   8,698,758 ***       8,698,758  

Convertible Bonds

            6,179,866               6,179,866  

Sovereign Debt

            3,603,799               3,603,799  

Short-Term Investments:

           

Repurchase Agreements

            9,179,662               9,179,662  

Investments in Derivatives:

           

Futures Contracts**

     81,160                      81,160  

Interest Rate Swaps**

            1,197,674               1,197,674  

Total

   $ 436,495,259      $ 315,062,055      $ 8,698,758      $ 760,256,072  
* Refer to the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments for industry, country classifications and whole loan categories, where applicable.
** Represents net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) as reported in the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
*** Refer to the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments for securities classified as Level 2 and/or Level 3, where applicable.

 

NUVEEN     37  


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

The following is a reconciliation of the Fund’s Level 3 investments held at the beginning and end of the measurement period:

 

     Level 3  
      Whole
Loans
 

Balance at the beginning of period

   $  

Investments acquired in the Reorganization

     12,847,432  

Gains (losses):

  

Net realized gains (losses)

     (8,100,693

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

     7,807,831  

Purchases at cost

      

Sales at proceeds

     (3,855,812

Net discounts (premiums)

      

Transfers into

      

Transfers (out of)

      

Balance at the end of period

   $ 8,698,758  

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) during the period of Level 3 securities held as of the end of the reporting period

   $ (153,774

The valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs used in recurring Level 3 fair value measurements of assets as of the end of the reporting period, were as follows:

 

      Market Value      Techniques    Unobservable Inputs    Range  
Commercial & Multifamily Whole Loans    $ 5,650,421     

Sales Comparison Approach (50% Weighting)

Income Capitalization Approach (50% Weighting)

  

Appraisal Estimate

Appraisal Estimate

    

5.7mm - 7.6mm

4.6mm

 

 

      
3,048,337
 
  

Estimated Recovery Value (Foreclosure Scenario 50% Weighting)

Sales Comparison Approach (50% Weighting)

  

Land Appraisal

Broker Opinion

    

2.6mm - 4.6mm

3.2mm - 3.8mm

 

 

Total    $ 8,698,758                     

The table below presents the transfers in and out of the three valuation levels for the Fund as of the end of the reporting period when compared to the valuation levels as of the end of the previous fiscal year. Changes in valuation inputs or methodologies may result in transfers into or out of an assigned level within the fair value hierarchy. Transfers in or out of levels are generally due to the availability of publicly available information and to the significance or extent the Adviser determines that the valuation inputs or methodologies may impact the valuation of those securities.

 

       Level 1      Level 2      Level 3  
        Transfers In      (Transfers Out)      Transfers In      (Transfers Out)      Transfers In      (Transfers Out)  

Common Stocks

     $ 38,039,655      $      $      $ (38,039,655    $      $  

The Board is responsible for the valuation process and has appointed the oversight of the daily valuation process to the Adviser’s Valuation Committee. The Valuation Committee, pursuant to the valuation policies and procedures adopted by the Board, is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the Fund’s pricing policies and reporting to the Board. The Valuation Committee is aided in its efforts by the Adviser’s dedicated Securities Valuation Team, which is responsible for administering the daily valuation process and applying fair value methodologies as approved by the Valuation Committee. When determining the reliability of independent pricing services for investments owned by the Fund, the Valuation Committee, among other things, conducts due diligence reviews of the pricing services and monitors the quality of security prices received through various testing reports conducted by the Securities Valuation Team.

The Valuation Committee will consider pricing methodologies it deems relevant and appropriate when making a fair value determination, based on the facts and circumstances specific to the portfolio instrument. Fair value determinations generally will be derived as follows, using public or private market information:

 

  (i) If available, fair value determinations shall be derived by extrapolating from recent transactions or quoted prices for identical or comparable securities.

 

  (ii) If such information is not available, an analytical valuation methodology may be used based on other available information including, but not limited to: analyst appraisals, research reports, corporate action information, issuer financial statements and shelf registration statements. Such analytical valuation methodologies may include, but are not limited to: multiple of earnings, discount from market value of a similar freely-traded security, discounted cash flow analysis, book value or a multiple thereof, risk premium/yield analysis, yield to maturity and/or fundamental investment analysis.

The purchase price of a portfolio instrument will be used to fair value the instrument only if no other valuation methodology is available or deemed appropriate, and it is determined that the purchase price fairly reflects the instrument’s current value.

For each portfolio security that has been fair valued pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board, the fair value price is compared against the last available and next available market quotations. The Valuation Committee reviews the results of such testing and fair valuation occurrences are reported to the Board.

 

  38     NUVEEN


 

3. Portfolio Securities and Investments in Derivatives

Portfolio Securities

Foreign Currency Transactions

To the extent that the Fund invests in securities and/or contracts that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, the Fund will be subject to currency risk, which is the risk that an increase in the U.S. dollar relative to the foreign currency will reduce returns or portfolio value. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, the Fund’s investments denominated in that currency will lose value because its currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars; the opposite effect occurs if the U.S. dollar falls in relative value. Investments and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are converted into U.S. dollars on a spot (i.e. cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market at the time of valuation. Purchases and sales of investments and income denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars on the respective dates of such transactions.

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund’s investments in non-U.S. securities were as follows:

 

        Value      % of Total
Investments
 

Country:

       

Canada

     $ 100,809,893        13.3

Singapore

       37,528,970        4.9  

Australia

       23,370,216        3.1  

Italy

       19,509,478        2.6  

France

       16,213,688        2.1  

Other

       124,079,225        16.4  

Total non-U.S. Securities

     $ 321,511,470        42.4

The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Foreign currencies, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Investment transactions, income and expenses are translated on the respective dates of such transactions. Net realized foreign currency gains and losses resulting from changes in exchange rates include foreign currency gains and losses between trade date and settlement date of the transactions, foreign currency transactions, and the difference between the amounts of interest and dividends recorded on the books of the Fund and the amounts actually received.

The realized gains and losses resulting from changes in foreign currency exchange rates and changes in foreign exchange rates associated with (i) foreign currency (ii) investments (iii) investments in derivatives and (iv) other assets less liabilities are recognized as a component of “Net realized gain (loss) from investments and foreign currency,” on the Statement of Operations, when applicable.

The unrealized gains and losses resulting from changes in foreign currency exchange rates and changes in foreign exchange rates associated with (i) investments and (ii) other assets and liabilities are recognized as a component of “Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments and foreign currency,” on the Statement of Operations, when applicable. The unrealized gains and losses resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates associated with investments in derivatives are recognized as a component of the respective derivative’s related “Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)” on the Statement of Operations, when applicable.

Whole Loans

Whole loans and participating mortgages may bear a greater risk of loss arising from a default on the part of the borrower of the underlying loans than do traditional mortgage-backed securities. This is because whole loans and participating mortgages, unlike most mortgage-backed securities, generally are not backed by any government guarantee or private credit enhancement. Such risk may be greater during a period of declining or stagnant real estate values.

The Fund may invest in single family, multi-family and commercial loans. A participating loan is a whole loan that contains provisions for the lender to participate in the income stream provided by the property, including net cash flow and capital proceeds. An outstanding participating loan agreement may provide excess cash flows and certain appreciation rights after the mortgage obligation has been fully paid and before the sale of the property to a third party.

On occasion real estate property may be acquired through foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure on whole loans or similar obligations. The Fund may incur costs and delays or loss in the collection of principal and/or interest to which it is entitled in the event of such foreclosure. Also there is no assurance that the subsequent sale of the foreclosed property will produce an amount equal to the sum of the unpaid principal balance of the loan as of the date the borrower went into default, the accrued unpaid interest, and all of the foreclosure expenses. In such case, the Fund may suffer a loss.

 

NUVEEN     39  


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

The Fund may also receive rental or other income as a result of holding real estate. This income would generally fail to meet the test for “qualifying income” set forth in Section 851 of the Internal Revenue Code and could result in adverse tax consequences to the Fund. In addition; the Fund may incur expenses associated with maintaining or improving any real estate owned. When such events occur, real estate income is recognized on a net basis on the Statement of Operations and capital improvements are recorded as an addition to the cost basis of the property, which will increase any loss at sale.

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund did not own any real estate property.

The delinquency loan profile as to the timely payment of principal and interest of the whole loans in which the Fund was invested as of the end of the reporting period is as follows:

 

    Current     30 Days     60 Days     90 Days     120+ Days     Total  
Whole Loans Category   Value     %*     Value     %*     Value     %*     Value     %*     Value     %*     Value     %*  

Multifamily Loans

  $         $         $         $         $ 2,260,271       26.0   $ 2,260,271       26.0

Commercial Loans

    3,048,337       35.0                                           3,390,150       39.0       6,438,487       74.0  
* As a of percentage of the total value of the whole loan category as of the end of the reporting period.

Repurchase Agreements

In connection with transactions in repurchase agreements, it is the Fund’s policy that its custodian take possession of the underlying collateral securities, the fair value of which exceeds the principal amount of the repurchase transaction, including accrued interest, at all times. If the counterparty defaults, and the fair value of the collateral declines, realization of the collateral may be delayed or limited.

The following table presents the repurchase agreements for the Fund that are subject to netting agreements as of the end of the reporting period, and the collateral delivered related to those repurchase agreements.

 

Counterparty    Short-Term
Investments, at Value
       Collateral
Pledged (From)
Counterparty*
       Net
Exposure
 

Fixed Income Clearing Corporation

   $ 9,179,662        $ (9,179,662      $  —  
* As of the end of the reporting period, the value of the collateral pledged from the counterparty exceeded the value of the repurchase agreements. Refer to the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments for details on the repurchase agreements.

Zero Coupon Securities

A zero coupon security does not pay a regular interest coupon to its holders during the life of the security. Income to the holder of the security comes from accretion of the difference between the original purchase price of the security at issuance and the par value of the security at maturity and is effectively paid at maturity. The market prices of zero coupon securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest periodically.

Investment in Derivatives

The Fund is authorized to invest in certain derivative instruments, such as futures, options and swap contracts. The Fund limits its investments in futures, options on futures and swap contracts to the extent necessary for the Adviser to claim the exclusion from registration by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a commodity pool operator with respect to the Fund. The Fund records derivative instruments at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized on the Statement of Operations, when applicable. Even though the Fund’s investments in derivatives may represent economic hedges, they are not considered to be hedge transactions for financial reporting purposes.

Futures Contracts

Upon execution of a futures contract, the Fund is obligated to deposit cash or eligible securities, also known as “initial margin,” into an account at its clearing broker equal to a specified percentage of the contract amount. Cash held by the broker to cover initial margin requirements on open futures contracts, if any, is recognized as “Cash collateral at brokers for investments in futures contracts” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Investments in futures contracts obligate the Fund and the clearing broker to settle monies on a daily basis representing changes in the prior days “mark-to-market” of the open contracts. If the Fund has unrealized appreciation the clearing broker would credit the Fund’s account with an amount equal to appreciation and conversely if the Fund has unrealized depreciation the clearing broker would debit the Fund’s account with an amount equal to depreciation. These daily cash settlements are also known as “variation margin.” Variation margin is recognized as a receivable and/or payable for “Variation margin on futures contracts” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

During the period the futures contract is open, changes in the value of the contract are recognized as an unrealized gain or loss by “marking-to-market” on a daily basis to reflect the changes in market value of the contract, which is recognized as a component of “Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of futures contracts” on the Statement of Operations. When the contract is closed or expired, a Fund records a realized gain or loss equal

 

  40     NUVEEN


 

to the difference between the value of the contract on the closing date and value of the contract when originally entered into, which is recognized as a component of “Net realized gain (loss) from futures contracts” on the Statement of Operations.

Risks of investments in futures contracts include the possible adverse movement in the price of the securities or indices underlying the contracts, the possibility that there may not be a liquid secondary market for the contracts and/or that a change in the value of the contract may not correlate with a change in the value of the underlying securities or indices.

During the current fiscal period, the Fund shorted short-term U.S. Treasury futures contracts to hedge against potential increases in interest rates.

The average notional amount of futures contracts outstanding during the current fiscal period was as follows:

 

Average notional amount of futures contracts outstanding*

    $(19,166,317)
* The average notional amount is calculated based on the absolute aggregate notional amount of contracts outstanding at the beginning of the current fiscal period and at the end of each quarter within the current fiscal period.

The following table presents the fair value of all futures contracts held by the Fund as of the end of the reporting period, the location of these instruments on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and the primary underlying risk exposure.

 

        

Location on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

Underlying

Risk Exposure

  

Derivative

Instrument

 

Asset Derivatives

         

(Liability) Derivatives

 
     Location    Value            Location    Value  
Interest rate    Futures contracts  

   $       Payable for variation margin on futures contracts*    $ 114,009  
Interest rate    Futures contracts  

                 Payable for variation margin on futures contracts*      (32,849
Total             $                  $ 81,160  
* Value represents unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of futures contracts as reported in the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments and not the asset and/or liability derivative location as described in the table above.

The following table presents the amount of net realized gain (loss) and change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) recognized on futures contracts on the Statement of Operations during the current fiscal period, and the primary underlying risk exposure.

 

Underlying
Risk Exposure
    

Derivative

Instrument

    

Net Realized
Gain (Loss) from

Futures Contracts

       Change in Net Unrealized
Appreciation (Depreciation) of
Futures Contracts
 

Interest rate

    

Futures contracts

     $ (27,521      $ 232,442  

Interest Rate Swap Contracts

Interest rate swap contracts involve the Fund’s agreement with the counterparty to pay or receive a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty receiving or paying a variable rate payment. Forward interest rate swap contracts involve the Fund’s agreement with a counterparty to pay, in the future, a fixed or variable rate payment in exchange for the counterparty paying the Fund a variable or fixed rate payment, the accruals for which would begin at a specified date in the future (the “effective date”).

The amount of the payment obligation for an interest rate swap is based on the notional amount and the termination date of the contract. Interest rate swap contracts do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to the swap counterparty on such transactions is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is to receive.

Interest rate swap contracts are valued daily. Upon entering into an interest rate swap contract (and beginning on the effective date for a forward interest rate swap contract), the Fund accrues the fixed rate payment expected to be paid or received and the variable rate payment expected to be received or paid on the interest rate swap contracts on a daily basis, and recognizes the daily change in the fair value of the Fund’s contractual rights and obligations under the contracts. For an over-the-counter (“OTC”) swap that is not cleared through a clearing house (“OTC Uncleared”), the amount recorded on these transactions is recognized on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as a component of “Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on interest rate swaps.”

Upon the execution of an OTC swap cleared through a clearing house (“OTC Cleared”), the Fund is obligated to deposit cash or eligible securities, also known as “initial margin,” into an account at its clearing broker equal to a specified percentage of the contract amount. Cash deposited by the Fund to cover initial margin requirements on open swap contracts, if any, is recognized as a component of “Cash collateral at brokers for investments in swaps” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Investments in OTC Cleared swaps obligate the Fund and the clearing broker to settle monies on a daily basis representing changes in the prior day’s “mark-to-market” of the swap contract. If the Fund has unrealized appreciation, the clearing broker will credit the Fund’s account with an amount equal to the appreciation. Conversely, if the Fund has unrealized depreciation, the clearing broker will debit the Fund’s account with an amount equal to the depreciation. These daily cash settlements are also known as “variation margin.” Variation margin for OTC Cleared

 

NUVEEN     41  


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

swaps is recognized as a receivable and/or payable for “Variation margin on swap contracts” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Upon the execution of an OTC Uncleared swap, neither the Fund nor the counterparty is required to deposit initial margin as the trades are recorded bilaterally between both parties to the swap contract, and the terms of the variation margin are subject to a predetermined threshold negotiated by the Fund and the counterparty. Variation margin for OTC Uncleared swaps is recognized as a component of “Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on interest rate swaps” as described in the preceding paragraph.

The net amount of periodic payments settled in cash are recognized as a component of “Net realized gain (loss) from swaps” on the Statement of Operations, in addition to the net realized gain or loss recorded upon the termination of the swap contract. For tax purposes, payments expected to be received or paid on the swap contacts are treated as ordinary income or expense, respectively. Changes in the value of the swap contracts during the fiscal period are recognized as a component of “Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of swaps” on the Statement of Operations. In certain instances, payments are made or received upon entering into the swap contract to compensate for differences between the stated terms of the swap agreements and prevailing market conditions (credit spreads, currency exchange rates, interest rates, and other relevant factors). Payments received or made at the beginning of the measurement period, if any, are recognized as “Interest rate swaps premiums paid and/or received” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

During the current fiscal period, the Fund continued to utilize forward starting interest rate swap contracts to partially hedge its future interest cost of leverage, which is through the use of bank borrowings.

The average notional amount of interest rate swap contracts outstanding during the current fiscal period was as follows:

 

Average notional amount of interest rate swap contracts outstanding*

    $102,540,000  
* The average notional amount is calculated based on the outstanding notional at the beginning of the current fiscal period and at the end of each fiscal quarter within the current fiscal period.

The following table presents the fair value of all swap contracts held by the Fund as of the end of the reporting period, the location of these instruments on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and the primary underlying risk exposure.

 

        

Location on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 
Underlying
Risk Exposure
   Derivative
Instrument
 

Asset Derivatives

         

(Liability) Derivatives

 
     Location    Value            Location    Value  
Interest rate    Swaps (OTC Uncleared)   Unrealized appreciation on interest rate swaps    $ 1,197,674            

   $  

The following table presents the swap contracts subject to netting agreements and the collateral delivered related to those swap contracts as of the end of the reporting period.

 

                      Gross Amounts Net Offset
on the Statement of
Assets and Liabilities
 
Counterparty   Gross
Unrealized
Appreciation on
Interest Rate
Swaps**
    Gross
Unrealized
(Depreciation) on
Interest Rate
Swaps**
    Net Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation) on
Interest Rate
Swaps
    Collateral
Pledged
to (from)
Counterparty
    Net
Exposure
 

Morgan Stanley Capital Services LLC

  $ 1,197,674     $     $ 1,197,674     $ (1,197,674   $  
** Represents gross unrealized appreciation (depreciation) for the counterparty as reported in the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.

The following table presents the amount of net realized gain (loss) and change in net unrealized appreciations (depreciation) recognized on swap contracts on the Statement of Operations during the current fiscal period, and the primary underlying risk exposure.

 

Underlying
Risk Exposure
     Derivative
Instrument
     Net Realized
Gain (Loss) from
Swaps
       Change in Net
Unrealized Appreciation
(Depreciation) of
Swaps
 

Interest rate

    

Swaps

     $ (1,338,973      $ 2,567,679  

Market and Counterparty Credit Risk

In the normal course of business the Fund may invest in financial instruments and enter into financial transactions where risk of potential loss exists due to changes in the market (market risk) or failure of the other party to the transaction to perform (counterparty credit risk). The potential loss could exceed the value of the financial assets recorded on the financial statements. Financial assets, which potentially expose the Fund to counterparty credit risk, consist principally of cash due from counterparties on forward, option and swap transactions, when applicable. The extent of the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk in respect to these financial assets approximates their carrying value as recorded on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

  42     NUVEEN


 

The Fund helps manage counterparty credit risk by entering into agreements only with counterparties the Adviser believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by having the Adviser monitor the financial stability of the counterparties. Additionally, counterparties may be required to pledge collateral daily (based on the daily valuation of the financial asset) on behalf of the Fund with a value approximately equal to the amount of any unrealized gain above a pre-determined threshold. Reciprocally, when each Fund has an unrealized loss, the Fund has instructed the custodian to pledge assets of the Fund as collateral with a value approximately equal to the amount of the unrealized loss above a pre-determined threshold. Collateral pledges are monitored and subsequently adjusted if and when the valuations fluctuate, either up or down, by at least the pre-determined threshold amount.

4. Fund Shares

Share Transactions

Transactions in Fund shares during the current and prior fiscal period were as follows:

 

        Year Ended
12/31/17
     Year Ended
12/31/16
 

Shares:

       

Issued in Reorganization

       17,879,930         

Repurchased and retired

              (17,800

Weighted average:

       

Price per share repurchased and retired

     $      $ 13.07  

Discount per share repurchased and retired

              17.34

5. Investment Transactions

Long-term purchases and sales (including maturities but excluding derivative transactions) during the current fiscal period aggregated $417,063,436 and $411,923,295, respectively.

6. Income Tax Information

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment company taxable income to shareholders and to otherwise comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies. In any year when the Fund realizes net capital gains, the Fund may choose to distribute all or a portion of its net capital gains to shareholders, or alternatively, to retain all or a portion of its net capital gains and pay federal corporate income taxes on such retained gains.

For all open tax years and all major taxing jurisdictions, management of the Fund has concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions that would require recognition in the financial statements. Open tax years are those that are open for examination by taxing authorities (i.e., generally the last four tax year ends and the interim tax period since then). Furthermore, management of the Fund is also not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change in the next twelve months.

The following information is presented on an income tax basis. Differences between amounts for financial statement and federal income tax purposes are primarily due to the recognition of premium amortization, and timing differences in recognizing certain gains and losses on investment transactions. To the extent that differences arise that are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts as detailed below. Temporary differences do not require reclassification. Temporary and permanent differences do not impact the NAV of the Fund.

The tables below present the cost and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of the Fund’s investment portfolio, as determined on a federal income tax basis, as of December 31, 2017.

For purposes of this disclosure, derivative tax cost is generally the sum of any upfront fees or premiums exchanged and any amounts unrealized for income statement reporting but realized in income and/or capital gains tax reporting. If a particular derivative category does not disclose any tax unrealized appreciation or depreciation, the change in value of those derivatives have generally been fully realized for tax purposes.

 

Tax cost of investments

     $ 753,825,748  

Gross unrealized:

    

Appreciation

     $ 41,711,256  

Depreciation

       (36,559,766

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments

     $ 5,151,490  
    

Tax cost of futures

     $ 81,160  

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of futures

        

 

NUVEEN     43  


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

 

Tax cost of swaps

     $  

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of swaps

       1,197,674  
Permanent differences, primarily due to bond premium amortization adjustments, REIT adjustments, nondeductible reorganization expenses, reorganization adjustments, complex securities character adjustments, foreign currency transactions, investments in partnerships and investments in passive foreign investment companies, resulted in reclassifications among the Fund’s components of net assets as of December 31, 2017, the Fund’s tax year end, as follows:  

Paid-in surplus

     $ 88,803,136  

Undistributed (Over-distribution of) net investment income

       (4,449,682

Accumulated net realized gain (loss)

       (84,353,454
The tax components of undistributed net ordinary income and net long-term capital gains as of December 31, 2017, the Fund’s tax year end, were as follows:  

Undistributed net ordinary income1

     $ 2,891,320  

Undistributed net long-term capital gains

        

1  Net ordinary income consists of net taxable income derived from dividends, interest, and net short-term capital gains, if any.

    
The tax character of distributions paid during the Fund’s tax years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, was designated for purposes of the dividends paid deduction as follows:  
2017          

Distributions from net ordinary income1

     $ 18,198,467  

Distributions from net long-term capital gains

        

Return of capital

        
2016          

Distributions from net ordinary income1

     $ 11,067,664  

Distributions from net long-term capital gains

        

Return of capital

       2,090,877  

1  Net ordinary income consists of net taxable income derived from dividends, interest, and net short-term capital gains, if any.

    

As of December 31, 2017, the Fund’s tax year end, the Fund had unused capital losses carrying forward available for federal income tax purposes to be applied against future capital gains, if any. The capital losses are not subject to expiration.

 

Capital losses to be carried forward – not subject to expiration2

     $ 81,196,571  

 

2  A portion of the Fund’s capital loss carryforward is subject to an annual limitation under the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations.

7. Management Fees

The Fund’s management fee compensates the Adviser for overall investment advisory and administrative services and general office facilities. The Sub-Adviser is compensated for its services to the Fund from the management fees paid to the Adviser.

The Fund’s management fee consists of two components – a fund-level fee, based only on the amount of assets within the Fund, and a complex-level fee, based on the aggregate amount of all eligible fund assets managed by the Adviser. This pricing structure enables Fund shareholders to benefit from growth in the assets within the Fund as well as from growth in the amount of complex-wide assets managed by the Adviser.

The annual fund-level fee, payable monthly, is calculated according to the following schedule:

 

Average Daily Managed Assets*      Fund-Level Rate  

For the first $500 million

       0.8000

For the next $500 million

       0.7750  

For the next $500 million

       0.7500  

For the next $500 million

       0.7250  

For managed assets over $2 billion

       0.7000  

 

  44     NUVEEN


 

The annual complex-level fee, payable monthly, is calculated by multiplying the current complex-wide fee rate, determined according to the following schedule by the Fund’s daily managed assets:

 

Complex-Level Eligible Asset Breakpoint Level*      Effective Complex-Level Fee Rate at Breakpoint Level  

$55 billion

       0.2000

$56 billion

       0.1996  

$57 billion

       0.1989  

$60 billion

       0.1961  

$63 billion

       0.1931  

$66 billion

       0.1900  

$71 billion

       0.1851  

$76 billion

       0.1806  

$80 billion

       0.1773  

$91 billion

       0.1691  

$125 billion

       0.1599  

$200 billion

       0.1505  

$250 billion

       0.1469  

$300 billion

       0.1445  
* For the complex-level fees, managed assets include closed-end fund assets managed by the Adviser that are attributable to certain types of leverage. For these purposes, leverage includes the funds’ use of preferred stock and borrowings and certain investments in the residual interest certificates (also called inverse floating rate securities) in tender option bond (TOB) trusts, including the portion of assets held by a TOB trust that has been effectively financed by the trust’s issuance of floating rate securities, subject to an agreement by the Adviser as to certain funds to limit the amount of such assets for determining managed assets in certain circumstances. The complex-level fee is calculated based upon the aggregate daily managed assets of all Nuveen open-end and closed-end Funds that constitute “eligible assets.” Eligible assets do not include assets attributable to investments in other Nuveen funds or assets in excess of a determined amount (originally $2 billion) added to the Nuveen fund complex in connection with the Adviser’s assumption of the management of the former First American Funds effective January 1, 2011. As of December 31, 2017 the complex-level fee for the Fund was 0.1595%.

8. Borrowing Arrangements

Borrowings

The Fund has entered into a borrowing arrangement as a means of leverage.

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund has a $231,500,000 (maximum commitment amount) committed financing agreement (“Borrowings”). As of the end of the reporting period, the outstanding balance on these Borrowings was $225,225,000.

For the period January 1, 2017 through July 20, 2017, interest was charged on these Borrowings at 1-Month LIBOR (London Inter-Bank Offered Rate) plus 0.85% per annum on the amount borrowed and 0.50% per annum on the undrawn balance. The Fund was only charged the 0.50% per annum undrawn fee if the undrawn portion of the Borrowings on that day is more than 20% of the maximum commitment amount.

Effective July 21, 2017, interest is charged on these Borrowings at 1-Month LIBOR (London Inter-Bank Offered Rate) plus 0.65% per annum on the amount borrowed and 0.125% per annum on the undrawn balance. The Fund also accrued a one-time upfront fee of 0.10% per annum on the maximum commitment amount.

During the current fiscal period, the average daily balance outstanding and average annual interest rate on these Borrowings were $119,990,753 and 1.88%, respectively.

In order to maintain these Borrowings, the Fund must meet certain collateral, asset coverage and other requirements. Borrowings outstanding are secured by securities in the Fund’s portfolio of investments (“Pledged Collateral”).

Borrowings outstanding are recognized as “Borrowings” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Interest expense and other fees incurred on the drawn amount and undrawn balance are recognized as a component of “Interest expense on borrowings” on the Statement of Operations.

Rehypothecation

The Fund had entered into a Rehypothecation Side Letter (“Side Letter”) with its prime brokerage lender, allowing it to re-register the Pledged Collateral in its own name or in a name other than the Fund’s to pledge, repledge, hypothecate, rehyphothecate, sell, lend or otherwise transfer or use the Pledged Collateral (the “Hypothecated Securities”) with all rights of ownership as described in the Side Letter. Subject to certain conditions, the total value of the outstanding Hypothecated Securities shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 98% of the outstanding balance on the Borrowings to which the Pledged Collateral relates and (ii) 33 13% of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund may designate any Pledged Collateral as ineligible for rehypothecation. The Fund may also recall Hypothecated Securities on demand.

 

NUVEEN     45  


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

The Fund also has the right to apply and set-off an amount equal to one-hundred percent (100%) of the then-current fair market value of such Pledged Collateral against the current Borrowings under the Side Letter in the event that the prime brokerage lender fails to timely return the Pledged Collateral and in certain other circumstances. In such circumstances, however, the Fund may not be able to obtain replacement financing required to purchase replacement securities and, consequently, the Fund’s income generating potential may decrease. Even if the Fund is able to obtain replacement financing, it might not be able to purchase replacement securities at favorable prices.

The Fund will receive a fee in connection with the Hypothecated Securities (“Rehypothecation Fees”) in addition to any principal, interest, dividends and other distributions paid on the Hypothecated Securities.

During the current fiscal period, the Fund earned Rehypothecation Fees of $67,751 which is recognized as “Other income” on the Statement of Operations.

On July 21, 2017, the Fund terminated its Side Letter.

Inter-Fund Borrowing and Lending

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has granted an exemptive order permitting registered open-end and closed-end Nuveen funds to participate in an inter-fund lending facility whereby the Nuveen funds may directly lend to and borrow money from each other for temporary purposes (e.g., to satisfy redemption requests or when a sale of securities “fails,” resulting in an unanticipated cash shortfall) (the “Inter-Fund Program”). The closed-end Nuveen funds, including the Fund covered by this shareholder report, will participate only as lenders, and not as borrowers, in the Inter-Fund Program because such closed-end funds rarely, if ever, need to borrow cash to meet redemptions. The Inter-Fund Program is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other things, the requirements that (1) no fund may borrow or lend money through the Inter-Fund Program unless it receives a more favorable interest rate than is typically available from a bank or other financial institution for a comparable transaction; (2) no fund may borrow on an unsecured basis through the Inter-Fund Program unless the fund’s outstanding borrowings from all sources immediately after the inter-fund borrowing total 10% or less of its total assets; provided that if the borrowing fund has a secured borrowing outstanding from any other lender, including but not limited to another fund, the inter-fund loan must be secured on at least an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to loan value; (3) if a fund’s total outstanding borrowings immediately after an inter-fund borrowing would be greater than 10% of its total assets, the fund may borrow through the inter-fund loan on a secured basis only; (4) no fund may lend money if the loan would cause its aggregate outstanding loans through the Inter-Fund Program to exceed 15% of its net assets at the time of the loan; (5) a fund’s inter-fund loans to any one fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending fund’s net assets; (6) the duration of inter-fund loans will be limited to the time required to receive payment for securities sold, but in no event more than seven days; and (7) each inter-fund loan may be called on one business day’s notice by a lending fund and may be repaid on any day by a borrowing fund. In addition, a Nuveen fund may participate in the Inter-Fund Program only if and to the extent that such participation is consistent with the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Inter-Fund Program.

The limitations detailed above and the other conditions of the SEC exemptive order permitting the Inter-Fund Program are designed to minimize the risks associated with Inter-Fund Program for both the lending fund and the borrowing fund. However, no borrowing or lending activity is without risk. When a fund borrows money from another fund, there is a risk that the loan could be called on one day’s notice or not renewed, in which case the fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher rate or take other actions to payoff such loan if an inter-fund loan is not available from another fund. Any delay in repayment to a lending fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs.

During the current period, the Board approved the Nuveen funds participation in the Inter-Fund Program. During the current reporting period, the Fund did not enter into any inter-fund loan activity.

9. Fund Reorganization

The Reorganization as previously described in Note 1 – General Information and Significant Accounting Policies, Fund Reorganization, was structured to qualify as a tax-free reorganization under the Internal Revenue Code for federal income tax purposes, and the Target Fund’s shareholders recognized no gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result. Prior to the closing of the Reorganization, the Target Fund distributed all of its net investment income and capital gains, if any. Such a distribution may be taxable to the Target Fund’s shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

Investments

The cost, fair value and net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of the investments of the Target Fund as of the date of the Reorganization, was as follows:

 

     DRA  

Cost of investments

  $ 498,112,954  

Fair value of investments

    503,310,120  

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of:

 

Investments

    5,197,166  

Futures

    (148,903

Total net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    5,048,263  

 

  46     NUVEEN


 

For financial reporting purposes, assets received and shares issued by the Acquiring Fund were recorded at fair value; however, the cost basis of the investments received from the Target Fund were carried forward to align ongoing reporting of the Acquiring Fund’s realized and unrealized gains and losses with amounts distributable to shareholders for tax purposes.

Common Shares

The common shares outstanding, net assets applicable to common shares and NAV per common share outstanding immediately before and after the Reorganization was as follows:

 

Target Fund – Prior to Reorganization      DRA  

Common shares outstanding

       17,835,395  

Net assets applicable to common shares

       $350,153,354  

NAV per common share outstanding

       $19.63  
Acquiring Fund – Prior to Reorganization      JRI  

Common shares outstanding

       9,752,650  

Net assets applicable to common shares

       $190,992,363  

NAV per common share outstanding

       $19.58  
Acquiring Fund – Post Reorganization      JRI  

Common shares outstanding

       27,632,580  

Net assets applicable to common shares

       $541,145,717  

NAV per common share outstanding

       $19.58  

Pro Forma Results of Operations (Unaudited)

The beginning of the Target Fund’s current fiscal period was June 1, 2017. Assuming the Reorganization had been completed on January 1, 2017, the beginning of the Acquiring Fund’s current fiscal period, the pro forma results of operations for the current fiscal period, are as follows:

 

Acquiring Fund – Pro Forma Results from Operations   JRI  

Net investment income (loss)

  $ 30,150,982  

Net realized and unrealized gains (losses)

    49,541,139  

Change in net assets resulting from operations

    79,692,121  

Because the combined investment portfolios for the Reorganization have been managed as a single integrated portfolio since the Reorganization was completed, it is not practicable to separate the amounts of revenue and earnings of the Target Fund that have been included in the Statement of Operations for the Acquiring Fund since the Reorganization was consummated.

Cost and Expenses

In connection with the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund incurred certain associated costs and expenses. Such amounts were included as components of “Accrued other expenses” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and “Reorganization expenses” on the Statement of Operations.

10. New Accounting Pronouncements

FASB Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-08 (“ASU 2017-08”) Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities

The FASB has issued ASU 2017-08, which shortens the premium amortization period for purchased non-contingently callable debt securities. ASU 2017-08 specifies that the premium amortization period ends at the earliest call date, for purchased non-contingently callable debt securities. ASU 2017-08 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Management is currently evaluating the implications of ASU 2017-08, if any.

FASB ASU 2016-18: Statement of Cash Flows – Restricted Cash (“ASU 2016-18”)

The FASB has issued ASU 2016-18, which will require entities to include the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the beginning and ending cash balances in the Statement of Cash Flows. The guidance will be applied retrospectively and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those years. Management is currently evaluating the implications of ASU 2016-18, if any.

11. Subsequent Event

Investment Policy Change

Effective January 26, 2018, as approved by the Board, the Fund changed its investment policies related to investments in senior loans. Specifically, the new policy provides that under normal market conditions, the Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in senior loans.

 

NUVEEN     47  


Additional

Fund Information (Unaudited)

 

Board of Trustees
Margo Cook*   Jack B. Evans   William C. Hunter   David J. Kundert**   Albin F. Moschner   John K. Nelson
William J. Schneider   Judith M. Stockdale   Carole E. Stone   Terence J. Toth   Margaret L. Wolff   Robert L. Young

 

*  Interested Board Member.
**  Retired from the Fund’s Board of Trustees effective December 31, 2017.

 

         

Fund Manager

Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC

333 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

 

Custodian

State Street Bank

& Trust Company

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

 

Legal Counsel

Chapman and Cutler LLP

Chicago, IL 60603

 

Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP

200 East Randolph Street

Chicago, IL 60601

 

Transfer Agent and
Shareholder Services

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
250 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02081
(800) 257-8787

 

 

Distribution Information:

The Fund hereby designates its percentage of dividends paid from net ordinary income as dividends qualifying for the 70% dividends received deduction (“DRD”) for corporations and its percentage as qualified dividend income (“QDI”) for individuals under Section 1(h)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code as shown in the accompanying table. The actual qualified dividend income distributions will be reported to shareholders on Form 1099-DIV which will be sent to shareholders shortly after calendar year end.

 

% QDI

    29.9%  

% DRD

    9.1%  

Quarterly Form N-Q Portfolio of Investments Information

The Fund is required to file its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. You may obtain this information directly from the SEC. Visit the SEC on-line at http://www.sec.gov or in person at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Call the SEC toll-free at (800) SEC-0330 for room hours and operation.

 

 

Nuveen Funds’ Proxy Voting Information

You may obtain (i) information regarding how each fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities held during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30, without charge, upon request, by calling Nuveen toll-free at (800) 257-8787 or on Nuveen’s website at www.nuveen.com and (ii) a description of the policies and procedures that each fund used to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities without charge, upon request, by calling Nuveen toll free at (800) 257-8787. You may also obtain this information directly from the SEC. Visit the SEC on-line at http://www.sec.gov.

 

 

CEO Certification Disclosure

The Fund’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has submitted to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) the annual CEO certification as required by Section 303A.12(a) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The Fund has filed with the SEC the certification of its CEO and Chief Financial Officer required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

 

Share Repurchases

The Fund intends to repurchase, through its open-market share repurchase program, shares of its own common stock at such times and in such amounts as is deemed advisable. During the period covered by this report, the Fund repurchased shares of its common stock, as shown in the accompanying table. Any future repurchases will be reported to shareholders in the next annual or semi-annual report.

 

     JRI  

Shares Repurchased

     

FINRA BrokerCheck

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) provides information regarding the disciplinary history of FINRA member firms and associated investment professionals. This information as well as an investor brochure describing FINRA BrokerCheck is available to the public by calling the FINRA BrokerCheck Hotline number at (800) 289-9999 or by visiting www.FINRA.org.

 

 

 

  48     NUVEEN


Glossary of Terms

Used in this Report (Unaudited)

 

  Average Annual Total Return: This is a commonly used method to express an investment’s performance over a particular, usually multi-year time period. It expresses the return that would have been necessary each year to equal the investment’s actual cumulative performance (including change in NAV or market price and reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions, if any) over the time period being considered.

 

  Beta: A measure of the variability of the change in the share price for a fund in relation to a change in the value of the fund’s market benchmark. Securities with betas higher than 1.0 have been, and are expected to be, more volatile than the benchmark; securities with betas lower than 1.0 have been, and are expected to be, less volatile than the benchmark.

 

  Dow Jones Industrial Average: A price-weighted index of the 30 largest, most widely held stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

  Duration: Duration is a measure of the expected period over which a bond’s principal and interest will be paid, and consequently is a measure of the sensitivity of a bond’s or bond fund’s value to changes when market interest rates change. Generally, the longer a bond’s or fund’s duration, the more the price of the bond or fund will change as interest rates change.

 

  Effective Leverage: Effective leverage is a fund’s effective economic leverage, and includes both regulatory leverage (see below) and the leverage effects of certain derivative investments in the fund’s portfolio.

 

  Gross Domestic Product (GDP): The total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country/region in a given year, equal to total consumer, investment and government spending, plus the value of exports, minus the value of imports.

 

  JRI Custom Blended Benchmark: A five index blend comprised of weightings approximating the Fund’s proposed portfolio. The Fund’s proposed portfolio may differ significantly from the blended portfolio and actual returns may be substantially lower. Benchmark returns do not include the effects of any sales charges or management fees.

 

Weighting
Percentage
   Index    Definition
28%    S&P Global Infrastructure Index    An unmanaged index comprised of 75 of the largest publicly listed infrastructure companies that meet specific investability requirements.
21%    Financial Times Stock Exchange - European Public Real Estate Association/National Association of Real Estate Investments Trust
(FTSE EPRA/NAREIT) Developed Index
   An index designed to track the performance of listed real estate companies and REITs worldwide.
18%    Wells Fargo Hybrid & Preferred Securities REIT Index    An Index designed to track the performance of preferred securities issued in the U.S. market by real estate investment trusts (REITs). The index is composed exclusively of preferred shares and depositary shares.
18%    Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Bond Index    An index that covers the U.S. dollar-denominated, non-investment grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bond market.
15%    Bloomberg Barclays Global Capital Securities Index    An index that tracks fixed-rate, investment grade capital securities denominated in USD, EUR and GBP.

 

  Leverage: Leverage is created whenever a fund has investment exposure (both reward and/or risk) equivalent to more than 100% of the investment capital.

 

  Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index: A free-float adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure equity market performance of developed markets. Index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not include the effects of any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

NUVEEN     49  


Glossary of Terms Used in this Report (Unaudited) (continued)

 

 

  MSCI EAFE Index: The MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) EAFE (Europe, Australasia, Far East) Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index designed to measure developed market equity performance, excluding the U.S. and Canada. The index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

  MSCI Emerging Markets Index: The MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) Emerging Markets Index is a free-float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. Index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

  NASDAQ Composite Index: A stock market index of the common stocks and similar securities listed on the NASDAQ stock market. The index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

  Net Asset Value (NAV) Per Share: A fund’s Net Assets is equal to its total assets (securities, cash, accrued earnings and receivables) less its total liabilities. NAV per share is equal to the fund’s Net Assets divided by its number of shares outstanding.

 

  Regulatory Leverage: Regulatory leverage consists of preferred shares issued by or borrowings of the fund. Both of these are part of the fund’s capital structure. Regulatory leverage is subject to asset coverage limits set in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

  Russell 2000® Index: A market-weighted index published by the Frank Russell Company measuring the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 3000® is made up of 3,000 of the largest U.S. stocks and represents approximately 98% of the U.S. equity market. The Russell 2000® serves as a benchmark for small-cap stocks in the U.S. Index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

  Russell Midcap® Index: A market-weighted index measuring the performance of the mid-cap segment of the equity market which includes the smallest 800 securities within the Russell 1000® Index. Index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

  S&P 500® Index: An unmanaged index generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market. Index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

 

  50     NUVEEN


Reinvest Automatically,

Easily and Conveniently

 

Nuveen makes reinvesting easy. A phone call is all it takes to set up your reinvestment account.

 

 

Nuveen Closed-End Funds Automatic Reinvestment Plan

Your Nuveen Closed-End Fund allows you to conveniently reinvest distributions in additional Fund shares.

By choosing to reinvest, you’ll be able to invest money regularly and automatically, and watch your investment grow through the power of compounding. Just like distributions in cash, there may be times when income or capital gains taxes may be payable on distributions that are reinvested.

It is important to note that an automatic reinvestment plan does not ensure a profit, nor does it protect you against loss in a declining market.

Easy and convenient

To make recordkeeping easy and convenient, each quarter you’ll receive a statement showing your total distributions, the date of investment, the shares acquired and the price per share, and the total number of shares you own.

How shares are purchased

The shares you acquire by reinvesting will either be purchased on the open market or newly issued by the Fund. If the shares are trading at or above net asset value at the time of valuation, the Fund will issue new shares at the greater of the net asset value or 95% of the then-current market price. If the shares are trading at less than net asset value, shares for your account will be purchased on the open market. If the Plan Agent begins purchasing Fund shares on the open market while shares are trading below net asset value, but the Fund’s shares subsequently trade at or above their net asset value before the Plan Agent is able to complete its purchases, the Plan Agent may cease open-market purchases and may invest the uninvested portion of the distribution in newly-issued Fund shares at a price equal to the greater of the shares’ net asset value or 95% of the shares’ market value on the last business day immediately prior to the purchase date. Distributions received to purchase shares in the open market will normally be invested shortly after the distribution payment date. No interest will be paid on distributions awaiting reinvestment. Because the market price of the shares may increase before purchases are completed, the average purchase price per share may exceed the market price at the time of valuation, resulting in the acquisition of fewer shares than if the distribution had been paid in shares issued by the Fund. A pro rata portion of any applicable brokerage commissions on open market purchases will be paid by Plan participants. These commissions usually will be lower than those charged on individual transactions.

Flexible

You may change your distribution option or withdraw from the Plan at any time, should your needs or situation change.

You can reinvest whether your shares are registered in your name, or in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee. Ask your investment advisor if his or her firm will participate on your behalf. Participants whose shares are registered in the name of one firm may not be able to transfer the shares to another firm and continue to participate in the Plan.

The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan at any time. Although the Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan to include a service charge payable by the participants, there is no direct service charge to participants in the Plan at this time.

Call today to start reinvesting distributions

For more information on the Nuveen Automatic Reinvestment Plan or to enroll in or withdraw from the Plan, speak with your financial advisor or call us at (800) 257-8787.

 

 

NUVEEN     51  


Board

Members & Officers (Unaudited)

 

The management of the Funds, including general supervision of the duties performed for the Funds by the Adviser, is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees of the Funds. The number of trustees of the Funds is set at eleven. None of the trustees who are not “interested” persons of the Funds (referred to herein as “independent board members”) has ever been a director or employee of, or consultant to, Nuveen or its affiliates. The names and business addresses of the trustees and officers of the Funds, their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years, the number of portfolios each oversees and other directorships they hold are set forth below.

 

                     
Name,
Year of Birth
& Address
   Position(s) Held
with the Funds
  

Year First
Elected or
Appointed
and Term(1)

   Principal
Occupation(s)
Including other
Directorships
During Past 5 Years
   Number
of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Board Member
                     
Independent Board Members:               

  WILLIAM J. SCHNEIDER

         Chairman of Miller-Valentine Partners, a real estate investment company; Board Member of WDPR Public Radio station; formerly, Senior Partner and Chief Operating Officer (retired 2004) of Miller-Valentine Group; formerly, Board member, Business Advisory Council of the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank and University of Dayton Business School Advisory Council; past Chair and Director, Dayton Development Coalition.   

1944

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

   Chairman and Board Member   

1996 Class III

     

174

           

  JACK B. EVANS

         President, The Hall-Perrine Foundation, a private philanthropic corporation (since 1996); Director and Chairman, United Fire Group, a publicly held company; Director, Public Member, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (since 2015); Life Trustee of Coe College and the Iowa College Foundation; formerly, President Pro-Tem of the Board of Regents for the State of Iowa University System; formerly, Director, Alliant Energy and The Gazette Company; formerly, Director, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; formerly, President and Chief Operating Officer, SCI Financial Group, Inc., a regional financial services firm.   

1948

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

1999 Class III

     

174

           

  WILLIAM C. HUNTER

         Dean Emeritus, formerly, Dean, Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa (2006-2012); Director (since 2004) of Xerox Corporation; Director of Wellmark, Inc. (since 2009); past Director (2005-2015), and past President (2010-2014) Beta Gamma Sigma, Inc., The International Business Honor Society; formerly, Dean and Distinguished Professor of Finance, School of Business at the University of Connecticut (2003-2006); previously, Senior Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (1995-2003); formerly, Director (1997-2007), Credit Research Center at Georgetown University.   

1948

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2003 Class I

     

174

           

  ALBIN F. MOSCHNER

         Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Northcroft Partners, LLC, a management consulting firm (since 2012); Director, USA Technologies, Inc., a provider of solutions and services to facilitate electronic payment transactions (since 2012); formerly, Director, Wintrust Financial Corporation (1996-2016); previously, held positions at Leap Wireless International, Inc., including Consultant (2011-2012), Chief Operating Officer (2008-2011), and Chief Marketing Officer (2004-2008); formerly, President, Verizon Card Services division of Verizon Communications, Inc. (2000-2003); formerly, President, One Point Services at One Point Communications (1999-2000); formerly, Vice Chairman of the Board, Diba, Incorporated (1996-1997); formerly, various executive positions with Zenith Electronics Corporation (1991-1996).   

1952

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2016 Class III

     

174

           

 

  52     NUVEEN


 

                     
Name,
Year of Birth
& Address
   Position(s) Held
with the Funds
   Year First
Elected or
Appointed
and Term(1)
   Principal
Occupation(s)
Including other
Directorships
During Past 5 Years
   Number
of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Board Member
                     
Independent Board Members (continued):          

  JOHN K. NELSON

         Member of Board of Directors of Core12 LLC (since 2008), a private firm which develops branding, marketing and communications strategies for clients; Director of The Curran Center for Catholic American Studies (since 2009) and The President’s Council, Fordham University (since 2010); formerly, senior external advisor to the financial services practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP (2012-2014): formerly, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Marian University (2010 as trustee, 2011-2014 as Chairman); formerly, Chief Executive Officer of ABN AMRO N.V. North America, and Global Head of its Financial Markets Division (2007-2008); prior senior positions held at ABN AMRO include Corporate Executive Vice President and Head of Global Markets-the Americas (2006-2007), CEO of Wholesale Banking North America and Global Head of Foreign Exchange and Futures Markets (2001-2006), and Regional Commercial Treasurer and Senior Vice President Trading-North America (1996-2001); formerly, Trustee at St. Edmund Preparatory School in New York City.   

1962

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2013 Class II

     

174

           

  JUDITH M. STOCKDALE

         Board Member, Land Trust Alliance (since 2013) and U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (since 2013); formerly, Executive Director (1994-2012), Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; prior thereto, Executive Director, Great Lakes Protection Fund (1990-1994).   

1947

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

1997 Class I

     

174

  CAROLE E. STONE

         Former Director, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc. (2006-2017); and C2 Options Exchange, Incorporated (2009-2017); Director, CBOE Global Markets, Inc., formerly, CBOE Holdings, Inc. (since 2010); formerly, Commissioner, New York State Commission on Public Authority Reform (2005-2010).   

1947

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2007 Class I

     

174

  TERENCE J. TOTH

         Formerly, a Co-Founding Partner, Promus Capital (2008-2017); Director, Fulcrum IT Service LLC (since 2010) and Quality Control Corporation (since 2012); member: Catalyst Schools of Chicago Board (since 2008) and Mather Foundation Board (since 2012), and chair of its Investment Committee; formerly, Director, Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. (2008-2013); formerly, CEO and President, Northern Trust Global Investments (2004-2007): Executive Vice President, Quantitative Management & Securities Lending (2000-2004); prior thereto, various positions with Northern Trust Company (since 1994); formerly, Member, Northern Trust Mutual Funds Board (2005-2007), Northern Trust Global Investments Board (2004-2007), Northern Trust Japan Board (2004-2007), Northern Trust Securities Inc. Board (2003-2007) and Northern Trust Hong Kong Board (1997-2004).   

1959

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2008 Class II

     

174

           

  MARGARET L. WOLFF

         Formerly, member of the Board of Directors (2013-2017) of Travelers Insurance Company of Canada and The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (each, a part of Travelers Canada, the Canadian operation of The Travelers Companies, Inc.); formerly, Of Counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (Mergers & Acquisitions Group) (2005-2014); Member of the Board of Trustees of New York- Presbyterian Hospital (since 2005); Member (since 2004) and Chair (since 2015) of the Board of Trustees of The John A. Hartford Foundation (a philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults); formerly, Member (2005-2015) and Vice Chair (2011-2015) of the Board of Trustees of Mt. Holyoke College.   

1955

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2016

Class I

     

174

           

 

NUVEEN     53  


Board Members & Officers (continued)

 

 

                     
Name,
Year of Birth
& Address
   Position(s) Held
with the Funds
   Year First
Elected or
Appointed
and Term(1)
   Principal
Occupation(s)
Including other
Directorships
During Past 5 Years
   Number
of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Board Member
                     
Independent Board Members (continued):          

  ROBERT L. YOUNG(2)

         Formerly, Chief Operating Officer and Director, J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (2010-2016); formerly, President and Principal Executive Officer (2013-2016), and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (2005-2010), of J.P. Morgan Funds; formerly, Director and various officer positions for J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (formerly, JPMorgan Funds Management, Inc. and formerly, One Group Administrative Services) and JPMorgan Distribution Services, Inc. (formerly, One Group Dealer Services, Inc.) (1999-2017).   

1963

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2017

Class II

     

172

           
Interested Board Member:     

  MARGO L. COOK(3)(4)

         President (since April 2017), formerly, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Co-President (2016-2017), formerly, Senior Executive Vice President of Nuveen Investments, Inc.; President, Global Products and Solutions (since July 2017), and, Co-Chief Executive Officer (since 2015), formerly, Executive Vice President (2013-2015), of Nuveen Securities, LLC; Executive Vice President (since February 2017) of Nuveen, LLC; President (since August 2017), formerly Co-President (October 2016- August 2017), formerly, Senior Executive Vice President of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC (Executive Vice President since 2011); President (since 2017), Nuveen Alternative Investments, LLC; Chartered Financial Analyst.   

1964

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Board Member

  

2016 Class III

     

174

           
                     
Name,
Year of Birth
& Address
  

Position(s) Held
with the Funds

   Year First
Elected or
Appointed(4)
   Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
   Number
of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Officer
                     
Officers of the Funds:                    

  CEDRIC H. ANTOSIEWICZ

         Senior Managing Director (since January 2017), formerly, Managing Director (2004-2017) of Nuveen Securities, LLC; Senior Managing Director (since February 2017), formerly, Managing Director (2014-2017) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC.   

1962

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

   Chief Administrative Officer   

2007

     

75

  LORNA C. FERGUSON

         Senior Managing Director (since February 2017), formerly, Managing Director (2004-2017) of Nuveen.   

1945

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

  

1998

     

174

  STEPHEN D. FOY

         Managing Director (since 2014), formerly, Senior Vice President (2013- 2014) and Vice President (2005-2013) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director (since 2016) of Nuveen Securities, LLC; Certified Public Accountant.   

1954

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

and Controller

  

1998

     

174

  NATHANIEL T.  JONES

         Managing Director (since January 2017), formerly, Senior Vice President (2016-2017), formerly, Vice President (2011-2016) of Nuveen.; Chartered Financial Analyst.   

1979

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

and Treasurer

  

2016

     

174

  WALTER M.  KELLY

         Managing Director (since January 2017), formerly, Senior Vice President (2008-2017) of Nuveen.   

1970

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Chief Compliance

Officer and

Vice President

  

2003

     

174

 

  54     NUVEEN


 

                     
Name,
Year of Birth
& Address
  

Position(s) Held
with the Funds

   Year First
Elected or
Appointed(4)
   Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
   Number
of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Officer
                     
Officers of the Funds (continued):               

  DAVID J.  LAMB

         Managing Director (since January 2017), formerly, Senior Vice President of Nuveen (since 2006), Vice President prior to 2006.   

1963

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

  

2015

     

75

  TINA M.  LAZAR

         Managing Director (since January 2017), formerly, Senior Vice President (2014-2017) of Nuveen Securities, LLC.   

1961

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

  

2002

     

174

  KEVIN J.  MCCARTHY

         Senior Managing Director (since February 2017) and Secretary and General Counsel (since 2016) of Nuveen Investments, Inc., formerly, Executive Vice President (2016-2017) and Managing Director and Assistant Secretary (2008-2016); Senior Managing Director (since January 2017) and Assistant Secretary (since 2008) of Nuveen Securities, LLC, formerly Executive Vice President (2016-2017) and Managing Director (2008-2016); Senior Managing Director (since February 2017), Secretary (since 2016) and Co-General Counsel (since 2011) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, formerly, Executive Vice President (2016-2017), Managing Director (2008-2016) and Assistant Secretary (2007-2016); Senior Managing Director (since February 2017), Secretary (since 2016) and Associate General Counsel (since 2011) of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, formerly Executive Vice President (2016-2017) and Managing Director and Assistant Secretary (2011-2016); Senior Managing Director (since February 2017) and Secretary (since 2016) of Nuveen Investments Advisers, LLC, formerly Executive Vice President (2016-2017); Vice President (since 2007) and Secretary (since 2016), formerly, Assistant Secretary, of NWQ Investment Management Company, LLC, Symphony Asset Management LLC, Santa Barbara Asset Management, LLC and Winslow Capital Management, LLC (since 2010).   

1966

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

and Assistant

Secretary

  

2007

     

174

           

  MICHAEL A. PERRY

         Executive Vice President since February 2017, previously Managing Director from October 2016), of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC and Nuveen Alternative Investments, LLC; Executive Vice President (since 2017), formerly, Managing Director (2015-2017), of Nuveen Securities, LLC; formerly, Managing Director (2010-2015) of UBS Securities, LLC.   

1967

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

  

2017

     

75

           

  KATHLEEN L.  PRUDHOMME

         Managing Director, Assistant Secretary and Co-General Counsel (since 2011) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director, Assistant Secretary and Associate General Counsel (since 2011) of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; Managing Director and Assistant Secretary (since 2011) of Nuveen Securities, LLC; formerly, Deputy General Counsel, FAF Advisors, Inc. (2004-2010).   

1953

901 Marquette Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55402

   Vice President and Assistant Secretary   

2011

     

174

           

  CHRISTOPHER M.  ROHRBACHER

      Managing Director (since January 2017) of Nuveen Securities, LLC; 2008 Managing Director (since January 2017), formerly, Senior Vice President (2016-2017) and Assistant Secretary (since October 2016) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC.   

1971

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

   Vice President and Assistant Secretary   

2008

     

174

  WILLIAM A. SIFFERMANN

         Managing Director (since February 2017), formerly Senior Vice President (2016-2017) and Vice President (2011-2016) of Nuveen.   

1975

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

  

Vice President

  

2017

     

174

 

NUVEEN     55  


Board Members & Officers (continued)

 

 

                     
Name,
Year of Birth
& Address
   Position(s) Held
with the Funds
   Year First
Elected or
Appointed(4)
   Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
   Number
of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Officer
                     
Officers of the Funds (continued):          

  JOEL T. SLAGER

         Fund Tax Director for Nuveen Funds (since 2013); previously, Vice President of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Inc., Assistant Treasurer of the Morgan Stanley Funds (from 2010 to 2013).   

1978

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

   Vice President and Assistant Secretary   

2013

     

174

  GIFFORD R. ZIMMERMAN

         Managing Director (since 2002), and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Securities, LLC; Managing Director (since 2004) and Assistant Secretary (since 1994) of Nuveen Investments, Inc.; Managing Director (since 2002), Assistant Secretary (since 1997) and Co-General Counsel (since 2011) of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director, Assistant Secretary and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (since 2011); Vice President (since February 2017), formerly, Managing Director (2003-2017) and Assistant Secretary (since 2003) of Symphony Asset Management LLC; Managing Director and Assistant Secretary (since 2002) of Nuveen Investments Advisers, LLC; Vice President and Assistant Secretary of NWQ Investment Management Company, LLC (since 2002), Santa Barbara Asset Management, LLC (since 2006), and of Winslow Capital Management, LLC, (since 2010); Chartered Financial Analyst.   

1956

333 W. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

   Vice President and Secretary   

1988

     

174

           

 

(1) The Board of Trustees is divided into three classes, Class I, Class II, and Class III, with each being elected to serve until the third succeeding annual shareholders’ meeting subsequent to its election or thereafter in each case when its respective successors are duly elected or appointed, except two board members are elected by the holders of Preferred Shares, when applicable, to serve until the next annual shareholders’ meeting subsequent to its election or thereafter in each case when its respective successors are duly elected or appointed. The year first elected or appointed represents the year in which the board member was first elected or appointed to any fund in the Nuveen Complex.
(2) On May 25, 2017, Mr. Young was appointed as a Board Member, effective July 1, 2017. He is a Board Member of each of the Nuveen Funds, except Nuveen Diversified Dividend and Income Fund and Nuveen Real Estate Income Fund.
(3) “Interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act, by reason of her position with Nuveen, LLC. and certain of its subsidiaries, which are affiliates of the Nuveen Funds.
(4) Officers serve one year terms through August of each year. The year first elected or appointed represents the year in which the Officer was first elected or appointed to any fund in the Nuveen Complex.

 

  56     NUVEEN


Notes

 

 

NUVEEN     57  


Notes

 

 

  58     NUVEEN


Notes

 

 

NUVEEN     59  


LOGO

 

    

 

     

 

           
  Nuveen:   
     Serving Investors for Generations      
    

 

     Since 1898, financial advisors and their clients have relied on Nuveen to provide
dependable investment solutions through continued adherence to proven, long-term investing
principles. Today, we offer a range of high quality solutions designed to
be integral components of a well-diversified core portfolio.
  
       

 

       

Focused on meeting investor needs.

 

Nuveen is the investment manager of TIAA. We have grown into one of the world’s premier global asset managers, with specialist knowledge across all major asset classes and particular strength in solutions that provide income for investors and that draw on our expertise in alternatives and responsible investing. Nuveen is driven not only by the independent investment processes across the firm, but also the insights, risk management, analytics and other tools and resources that a truly world-class platform provides. As a global asset manager, our mission is to work in partnership with our clients to create solutions which help them secure their financial future.

  
    

 

        
       

Find out how we can help you.

To learn more about how the products and services of Nuveen
may be able to help you meet your financial goals, talk to your
financial advisor, or call us at (800) 257-8787. Please read the information
provided carefully before you invest. Investors should consider the
investment objective and policies, risk considerations, charges and
expenses of any investment carefully. Where applicable, be sure to obtain a
prospectus, which contains this and other relevant information. To obtain
a prospectus, please contact your securities representative or Nuveen,
333 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606. Please read the
prospectus carefully before you invest or send money.

 

Learn more about Nuveen Funds at: www.nuveen.com/cef

  

 

                 
  Securities offered through Nuveen Securities, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC | 333 West Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606 | www.nuveen.com   

 

EAN-I-1217D        427227-INV-Y-02/19


ITEM 2. CODE OF ETHICS.

As of the end of the period covered by this report, the registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. There were no amendments to or waivers from the Code during the period covered by this report. The registrant has posted the code of ethics on its website at www.nuveen.com/CEF/Shareholder/FundGovernance.aspx. (To view the code, click on Code of Conduct.)

ITEM 3. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

As of the end of the period covered by this report, the registrant’s Board of Directors or Trustees (“Board”) determined that the registrant has at least one “audit committee financial expert” (as defined in Item 3 of Form N-CSR) serving on its Audit Committee. The registrant’s audit committee financial experts are Carole E. Stone and Jack B. Evans, who are “independent” for purposes of Item 3 of Form N-CSR.

Ms. Stone served for five years as Director of the New York State Division of the Budget. As part of her role as Director, Ms. Stone was actively involved in overseeing the development of the State’s operating, local assistance and capital budgets, its financial plan and related documents; overseeing the development of the State’s bond-related disclosure documents and certifying that they fairly presented the State’s financial position; reviewing audits of various State and local agencies and programs; and coordinating the State’s system of internal audit and control. Prior to serving as Director, Ms. Stone worked as a budget analyst/examiner with increasing levels of responsibility over a 30 year period, including approximately five years as Deputy Budget Director. Ms. Stone has also served as Chair of the New York State Racing Association Oversight Board, as Chair of the Public Authorities Control Board, as a Commissioner on the New York State Commission on Public Authority Reform and as a member of the Boards of Directors of several New York State public authorities. These positions have involved overseeing operations and finances of certain entities and assessing the adequacy of project/entity financing and financial reporting. Currently, Ms. Stone is on the Board of Directors of CBOE Holdings, Inc., of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, and of C2 Options Exchange. Ms. Stone’s position on the boards of these entities and as a member of both CBOE Holdings’ Audit Committee and its Finance Committee has involved, among other things, the oversight of audits, audit plans and preparation of financial statements.

Mr. Evans was formerly President and Chief Operating Officer of SCI Financial Group, Inc., a full service registered broker-dealer and registered investment adviser (“SCI”). As part of his role as President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Evans actively supervised the Chief Financial Officer (the “CFO”) and actively supervised the CFO’s preparation of financial statements and other filings with various regulatory authorities. In such capacity, Mr. Evans was actively involved in the preparation of SCI’s financial statements and the resolution of issues raised in connection therewith. Mr. Evans has also served on the audit committee of various reporting companies. At such companies, Mr. Evans was involved in the oversight of audits, audit plans, and the preparation of financial statements. Mr. Evans also formerly chaired the audit committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

The following tables show the amount of fees that KPMG LLP, the Funds’ auditor, billed to the Funds’ during the Funds’ last two full fiscal years. The Audit Committee approved in advance all audit services and non-audit services that KPMG LLP provided to the Funds, except for those non-audit services that were subject to the pre-approval exception under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X (the “pre-approval exception”). The preapproval exception for services provided directly to the Funds waives the pre-approval requirement for services other than audit, review or attest services if: (A) the aggregate amount of all such services provided constitutes no more than 5% of the total amount of revenues paid by the Funds during the fiscal year in which the services are provided; (B) the Funds did not recognize the services as non-audit services at the time of the engagement; and (C) the services are promptly brought to the Audit Committee’s attention, and the Committee (or its delegate) approves the services before the audit is completed.

The Audit Committee has delegated certain pre-approval responsibilities to its Chairman (or, in his absence, any other member of the Audit Committee).

SERVICES THAT THE FUND’S AUDITOR BILLED TO THE FUND

 

Fiscal Year Ended 5

  Audit Fees Billed
to Fund 1
    Audit-Related Fees
Billed to Fund 2
    Tax Fees
Billed to Fund 3
    All Other Fees
Billed to Fund 4
 

December 31, 2017

  $ 32,150     $ 7,000     $ 0     $ 0  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
       

Percentage approved pursuant to pre-approval exception

    0     0     0     0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
       

December 31, 2016

  $ 26,375     $ 0     $ 0     $ 0  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
       

Percentage approved pursuant to pre-approval exception

    0     0     0     0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

1 “Audit Fees” are the aggregate fees billed for professional services for the audit of the Fund’s annual financial statements and services provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

2 “Audit Related Fees” are the aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of financial statements that are not reported under “Audit Fees”. These fees include offerings related to the Fund’s common shares and leverage.

3 “Tax Fees” are the aggregate fees billed for professional services for tax advice, tax compliance, and tax planning. These fees include: all global withholding tax services; excise and state tax reviews; capital gain, tax equalization and taxable basis calculation performed by the principal accountant.

4 “All Other Fees” are the aggregate fees billed for products and services other than “Audit Fees”, “Audit-Related Fees” and “Tax Fees”. These fees represent all “Agreed-Upon Procedures” engagements pertaining to the Fund’s use of leverage.

5 Fund absorbed Diversified Real Asset Income Fund on 09/08/2017

SERVICES THAT THE FUND’S AUDITOR BILLED TO THE

ADVISER AND AFFILIATED FUND SERVICE PROVIDERS

The following tables show the amount of fees billed by KPMG LLP to Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC (formerly Nuveen Fund Advisors, Inc.) (the “Adviser”), and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund (“Affiliated Fund Service Provider”), for engagements directly related to the Fund’s operations and financial reporting, during the Fund’s last two full fiscal years.


The tables also show the percentage of fees subject to the pre-approval exception. The pre-approval exception for services provided to the Adviser and any Affiliated Fund Service Provider (other than audit, review or attest services) waives the pre-approval requirement if: (A) the aggregate amount of all such services provided constitutes no more than 5% of the total amount of revenues paid to KPMG LLP by the Fund, the Adviser and Affiliated Fund Service Providers during the fiscal year in which the services are provided that would have to be pre-approved by the Audit Committee; (B) the Fund did not recognize the services as non-audit services at the time of the engagement; and (C) the services are promptly brought to the Audit Committee’s attention, and the Committee (or its delegate) approves the services before the Fund’s audit is completed.

 

Fiscal Year Ended

  Audit-Related Fees
    Billed to Adviser and    
Affiliated Fund
Service Providers
        Tax Fees Billed to    
Adviser and
Affiliated Fund
Service Providers
    All Other Fees
Billed to Adviser
    and Affiliated Fund    
Service Providers
 

December 31, 2017

  $ 0     $ 0     $ 0  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
     

Percentage approved pursuant to pre-approval exception

    0     0     0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
     

December 31, 2016

  $ 0     $ 0     $ 0  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
     

Percentage approved pursuant to pre-approval exception

    0     0     0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 


NON-AUDIT SERVICES

The following table shows the amount of fees that KPMG LLP billed during the Fund’s last two full fiscal years for non-audit services. The Audit Committee is required to pre-approve non-audit services that KPMG LLP provides to the Adviser and any Affiliated Fund Services Provider, if the engagement related directly to the Fund’s operations and financial reporting (except for those subject to the pre-approval exception described above). The Audit Committee requested and received information from KPMG LLP about any non-audit services that KPMG LLP rendered during the Fund’s last fiscal year to the Adviser and any Affiliated Fund Service Provider. The Committee considered this information in evaluating KPMG LLP’s independence.

 

Fiscal Year Ended

      Total Non-Audit Fees    
Billed to Fund
    Total Non-Audit Fees
billed to Adviser and
Affiliated Fund Service
    Providers (engagements    
related directly to the
operations and financial
reporting of the Fund)
    Total Non-Audit Fees
billed to Adviser and
    Affiliated Fund Service    
Providers (all other
engagements)
            Total          

December 31, 2017

  $ 0     $ 0     $ 0     $ 0  

December 31, 2016

  $ 0     $ 0     $ 0     $ 0  

“Non-Audit Fees billed to Fund” for both fiscal year ends represent “Tax Fees” and “All Other Fees” billed to Fund in their respective amounts from the previous table.

Less than 50 percent of the hours expended on the principal accountant’s engagement to audit the registrant’s financial statements for the most recent fiscal year were attributed to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant’s full-time, permanent employees.

Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures. Generally, the Audit Committee must approve (i) all non-audit services to be performed for the Fund by the Fund’s independent accountants and (ii) all audit and non-audit services to be performed by the Fund’s independent accountants for the Affiliated Fund Service Providers with respect to operations and financial reporting of the Fund. Regarding tax and research projects conducted by the independent accountants for the Fund and Affiliated Fund Service Providers (with respect to operations and financial reports of the Fund) such engagements will be (i) pre-approved by the Audit Committee if they are expected to be for amounts greater than $10,000; (ii) reported to the Audit Committee chairman for his verbal approval prior to engagement if they are expected to be for amounts under $10,000 but greater than $5,000; and (iii) reported to the Audit Committee at the next Audit Committee meeting if they are expected to be for an amount under $5,000.

ITEM 5. AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

The registrant’s Board has a separately designated Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(58)(A)). As of the end of the period covered by this report, the members of the audit committee are Jack B. Evans, David J. Kundert, John K. Nelson, Carole E. Stone and Terence J. Toth.

ITEM 6. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

(a) See Portfolio of Investments in Item 1.

(b) Not applicable.


ITEM 7. DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC is the registrant’s investment adviser (also referred to as the “Adviser”). The Adviser is responsible for the on-going monitoring of the Fund’s investment portfolio, managing the Fund’s business affairs and providing certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services. The Adviser has engaged Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (“Sub-Adviser”) as Sub-Adviser to provide discretionary investment advisory services. As part of these services, the Adviser has delegated to the Sub-Adviser the full responsibility for proxy voting on securities held in the registrant’s portfolio and related duties in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s policies and procedures. The Adviser periodically monitors the Sub-Adviser’s voting to ensure that it is carrying out its duties. The Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures are attached to this filing as an exhibit and incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 8. PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC is the registrant’s investment adviser (also referred to as the “Adviser”). The Adviser is responsible for the selection and on-going monitoring of the Fund’s investment portfolio, managing the Fund’s business affairs and providing certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services. The Adviser has engaged Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (“Nuveen Asset Management” or “Sub-Adviser”) as Sub-Adviser to provide discretionary investment advisory services. The following section provides information on the portfolio manager at the Sub-Adviser:

 

Item 8(a)(1). PORTFOLIO MANAGER BIOGRAPHIES

The following individuals have primary responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of the registrant’s investment strategies:

Jay L. Rosenberg, Managing Director and head of real assets at Nuveen Asset Management, is the lead manager of the Fund. He began working with infrastructure and real estate assets in 1995. In 2005, he joined FAF Advisors, Inc. (“FAF”), which was acquired by Nuveen Investments on January 1, 2011. While at FAF, he was the creator and primary portfolio manager of the Global Infrastructure product and co-lead manager of the Real Estate Securities product.

Jeffrey T. Schmitz, CFA, Senior Vice President at Nuveen Asset Management, is a co-manager of the Fund and the Nuveen Real Asset Income Fund and Nuveen High Income Bond Fund. Mr. Schmitz is a member of the High-Yield Credit and the Emerging Markets Sector Teams. He conducts credit analysis and monitors credit quality for debt securities, focusing on energy, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, technology, and emerging market corporates. He began working in the financial industry in 1987. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Institute, as well as the CFA Society of Minnesota.

Brenda A. Langenfeld, CFA, is a Senior Vice President at Nuveen Asset Management and a portfolio manager for the fund. She started working in the financial services industry with FAF Advisors, Inc. (“FAF”) in 2004. Previously, Ms. Langenfeld was a member of the High Grade Credit Sector Team, responsible for trading corporate bonds, and prior to that, she was a member of the Securitized Debt Sector Team, trading mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities and commercial mortgage-backed securities.

Tryg T. Sarsland is a Senior Vice President at Nuveen Asset Management and a portfolio manager for the fund. He entered the financial services industry in 2000 and joined Nuveen Asset Management as Vice President and Portfolio Manager Associate in 2011. In 2012, he was named Co-Portfolio Manager of the Global Infrastructure strategy and in 2017, he was named Co-Portfolio Manager of the Real Asset Income strategy.


Item 8(a)(2). OTHER ACCOUNTS MANAGED BY PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Type of Account
Managed

   Number of
Accounts
  

Assets*

   Number of
Accounts
with
Performance
Based Fees
     Assets in
Accounts
with
Performance
Based Fees*
 
Brenda    Registered Investment Company    6    $9.05 billion      0        0  
Langenfeld    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles    5    $198 million      0        0  
   Other Accounts    611    $1.96 billion      0        0  
Jay Rosenberg    Registered Investment Company    4    $6.83 billion      0        0  
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles    12    $2.02 billion      0        0  
   Other Accounts    12    $6.06 billion      0        0  
Tryg Sarsland    Registered Investment Company    3    $3.01 billion      0        0  
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles    12    $2.02 billion      0        0  
   Other Accounts    6    $1.66 billion      0        0  
Jeffrey Schmitz    Registered Investment Company    7    $4.66 billion      0        0  
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles    4    $117 million      0        0  
   Other Accounts    4    $1.34 billion      0        0  

 

* Assets are as of December 31, 2017.

POTENTIAL MATERIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one account. More specifically, portfolio managers who manage multiple accounts are presented a number of potential conflicts, including, among others, those discussed below.

The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. Nuveen Asset Management seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most accounts managed by a portfolio manager in a particular investment strategy are managed using the same investment models.

If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity which may be suitable for more than one account, an account may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of filled purchase or sale orders across all eligible accounts. To deal with these situations, Nuveen Asset Management has adopted procedures for allocating limited opportunities across multiple accounts.

With respect to many of its clients’ accounts, Nuveen Asset Management determines which broker to use to execute transaction orders, consistent with its duty to seek best execution of the transaction. However, with respect to certain other accounts, Nuveen Asset Management may be limited by the client with respect to the selection of brokers or may be instructed to direct trades through a particular broker. In these cases, Nuveen Asset Management may place separate, non-simultaneous, transactions for a Fund and other accounts which may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment of the Fund or the other accounts.

Some clients are subject to different regulations. As a consequence of this difference in regulatory requirements, some clients may not be permitted to engage in all the investment techniques or transactions or to engage in these transactions to the same extent as the other accounts managed by the portfolio manager. Finally, the appearance of a conflict of interest may arise where Nuveen Asset Management has an incentive, such as a performance-based management fee, which relates to the management of some accounts, with respect to which a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities.


Nuveen Asset Management has adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts common among investment managers. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.

 

Item8 (a)(3). FUND MANAGER COMPENSATION

Portfolio manager compensation consists primarily of base pay, an annual cash bonus and long term incentive payments.

Base pay. Base pay is determined based upon an analysis of the portfolio manager’s general performance, experience, and market levels of base pay for such position.

Annual cash bonus. The Fund’s portfolio managers are eligible for an annual cash bonus based on investment performance, qualitative evaluation and financial performance of Nuveen Asset Management.

A portion of each portfolio manager’s annual cash bonus is based on the Fund’s pre-tax investment performance, generally measured over the past one- and three or five-year periods unless the portfolio manager’s tenure is shorter. Investment performance for the Fund generally is determined by evaluating the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark(s) and/or Lipper industry peer group.

A portion of the cash bonus is based on a qualitative evaluation made by each portfolio manager’s supervisor taking into consideration a number of factors, including the portfolio manager’s team collaboration, expense management, support of personnel responsible for asset growth, and his or her compliance with Nuveen Asset Management‘s policies and procedures.

The final factor influencing a portfolio manager’s cash bonus is the financial performance of Nuveen Asset Management based on its operating earnings.

Long-term incentive compensation. Certain key employees of Nuveen Asset Management, including certain portfolio managers, have received profits interests in Nuveen Asset Management which entitle their holders to participate in the firm’s growth over time.

There are generally no differences between the methods used to determine compensation with respect to the Fund and the Other Accounts shown in the table above.

 

Item 8(a)(4). OWNERSHIP OF JRI SECURITIES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2017

 

Name of Portfolio

Manager

   None    $1-
$10,000
   $10,001-
$50,000
   $50,001-
$100,000
   $100,001-
$500,000
   $500,001-
$1,000,000
   Over $1,000,000
Brenda Langenfeld    X                  
Jay Rosenberg             X         
Tryg Sarsland    X                  
Jeffrey Schmitz                X      


ITEM 9. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.

Not applicable.

ITEM 10. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board implemented after the registrant last provided disclosure in response to this Item.

ITEM 11. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

  (a) The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) are effective, as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15 (b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15 (b)).

 

  (b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred 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.

File the exhibits listed below as part of this Form.

(a)(1) Any code of ethics, or amendment thereto, that is the subject of the disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the registrant intends to satisfy the Item 2 requirements through filing of an exhibit: Not applicable because the code is posted on registrant’s website at www.nuveen.com/CEF/Shareholder/FundGovernance.aspx and there were no amendments during the period covered by this report. (To view the code, click on Code of Conduct.)

(a)(2) A separate certification for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)) in the exact form set forth below: Ex-99.CERT Attached hereto.

(a)(3) Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.23c-1) sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the registrant to 10 or more persons. Not applicable.

(b) If the report is filed under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, provide the certifications required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-2(b)); Rule 13a-14(b) or Rule 15d-14(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13a-14(b) or 240.15d-14(b)), and Section 1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States Code (18 U.S.C. 1350) as an exhibit. A certification furnished pursuant to this paragraph will not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78r), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section. Such certification will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the registrant specifically incorporates it by reference. Ex-99.906 CERT attached hereto.


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.

(Registrant) Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund

 

By (Signature and Title)   

/s/ Gifford R. Zimmerman

  
   Gifford R. Zimmerman   
   Vice President and Secretary   
Date: March 8, 2018   

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By (Signature and Title)   

/s/ Cedric H. Antosiewicz

  
   Cedric H. Antosiewicz   
   Chief Administrative Officer   
   (principal executive officer)   
Date: March 8, 2018   
By (Signature and Title)   

/s/ Stephen D. Foy

  
   Stephen D. Foy   
   Vice President and Controller   
   (principal financial officer)   
Date: March 8, 2018