Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
One Federal Street
Boston, MA 02110
August 29, 2019
VIA EDGAR
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Investment Management
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20549
Attention: Ken Ellington
Re: | The Registrants (the Registrants) and Fund (the Funds) Listed in Annex A |
Dear Mr. Ellington:
On behalf of the Registrants,1 we are filing this letter to respond to the comments you delivered by telephone on July 31, 2019 on behalf of the Staff (the Staff) of the Securities and Exchange Commission after the Staffs review of the Funds annual reports to shareholders filed on Form N-CSR, in each case with respect to the fiscal year listed beside the name of the applicable Fund in Annex A hereto. For convenience of reference, summaries of the comments of the Staff have been included herein.
1. Comment: Western Asset SMASh Series M Fund has reported high portfolio turnover in its financial highlights. Please explain if active and frequent trading is part of the Funds principal investment strategy and, if so, why an applicable risk related to portfolio turnover has not been added as a principal risk to the summary prospectus.
Response: The Registrant does not consider frequent trading to be a principal investment strategy of the Fund. However, the Registrant acknowledges that implementation of the Funds investment strategy may result in relatively high portfolio turnover from time to time. Accordingly, the Registrant intends to add disclosure on portfolio turnover risk to the Funds summary prospectus and statutory prospectus.
2. Comment: With regard to each of QS Strategic Real Return Fund and EnTrustPermal Alternative Core Fund (now known as EnTrust Global Alternative Core Fund), in Note 1 to the financial statements (Organization and significant accounting policies), please disclose the percentage of the Fund that is invested in a subsidiary.
1 | When used in the responses below, term Fund refers to the applicable Fund and the term Registrant refers to the Registrant listed beside the name of such Fund in Annex A. |
Response: The Registrant notes that Note 1 to the financial statements of each of QS Strategic Real Return Fund and EnTrustPermal Alternative Core Fund discloses the maximum amount that the Fund may invest in its wholly-owned subsidiary. The Registrant respectfully submits that its current disclosure is in compliance with disclosure requirements and also observes that each Funds prospectus provides information on the Funds target exposure with respect to commodities (or, in the case of EnTrustPermal Alternative Core Fund, alternative investments). As the precise amount to which each Fund invests in commodities changes from time to time, the Registrant does not believe that providing the requested information as of a particular date would be materially helpful to shareholders.
3. Comment: With regard to each of Western Asset Institutional Liquid Reserves and Western Asset Select Tax Free Reserves, please disclose any significant policies relating to redemption gates in the notes to the financial statements.
Response: The Registrant respectfully notes that each of Western Asset Institutional Liquid Reserves and Western Asset Select Tax Free Reserves currently discloses its significant policies relating to redemption gates in the section entitled Notes to the financial statements under note one Organization and significant accounting policies.
4. Comment: With regard to each global Fund, the following sentence relating to the Funds definition of Global Fund currently reads, As a global Fund, the Fund can seek investment opportunities anywhere in the world, and under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest in or have exposure to at least three countries, which may include the United States. Please update this disclosure to reflect recent conversations between the Staff and Fund counsel regarding BrandywineGLOBAL Global Total Return ETF, so that it reads, in pertinent part, The fund normally will hold a portfolio of [insert types of securities] of issuers tied economically to a minimum of three countries and, will invest at least 40% of its assets (or if conditions are deemed to be unfavorable, at least 30% of its assets) in investments tied economically to countries outside of the United States.
Response: The Registrants acknowledge that the prospectus for the above-referenced fund states the minimum percentage of that funds assets that will normally be invested in countries outside of the United States. Nonetheless, the Registrants respectfully note that they believe the current prospectus disclosure of the Funds with names containing the word global is consistent with Rule 35d-1. An Investment Company Institute memorandum to members dated June 4, 2012, which summarized conversations with senior members of the Staff, stated that the 40% policy was not compulsory for global funds. Memorandum from Investment Company Institute to SEC Rules Members No. 47-12 et al. (June 4, 2012). This is consistent with the Commissions statements in the final release adopting Rule 35d-1 that [t]he terms international and
2
global[] connote diversification among investments in a number of different countries throughout the world, and international and global funds will not be subject to the rule. We would expect, however, that investment companies using these terms in their names will invest their assets in investments that are tied economically to a number of countries throughout the world. Accordingly, the disclosure for each global Fund states that under normal circumstances, the Fund invests in at least three countries, which may include the United States.
5. Comment: Under the concentration policy of BrandywineGLOBAL Alternative Credit Fund, as disclosed in the Funds SAI, the Fund states that it does not consider mortgage-related securities or asset-backed securities to represent interests in an industry or group of industries. The Staff believes that the Funds position as currently worded conflicts with Section 8(b)(1)(E) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Act) by allowing the Fund to reserve freedom of action to concentrate. The Staff does not believe that it is consistent with Section 13(a) of the Act to categorically exclude mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities from counting as investments in any industry or group of industries, because concentrated investments in those securities can expose investors to risks common to one industry. The Staff takes the position that every investment other than investments in government securities, domestic bank deposit instruments or tax exempt securities issued by governments or their political subdivisions (excluding private activity municipal debt securities) is an investment in some industry or group of industries.
Accordingly, a Fund must determine which industry classification or classifications reasonably apply with respect to each mortgage-related security or asset-backed security issuance for concentration purposes. Toward this end, the Fund could consider, the nature of an asset-backed securitys underlying receivables (e.g., auto loans, aircraft leases, etc.) to determine its industry classification for purposes of the Funds concentration policy. A Fund could also reasonably choose to classify its non-mortgage related ABS investments in a single industry for concentration purposes.
Please revise this description in the SAI to conform to this position and make any necessary conforming changes to the Principal Strategies section of the Funds prospectus.
Response: The Registrant acknowledges the Staffs comment, but respectfully notes that it believes the Funds disclosure
satisfies Section 8(b)(1) of the 1940 Act as well as Item 16(c)(1)(iv) of Form N-1A, both of which require a Fund to state its policy on concentrating investments in a particular industry or group of
industries and neither of which define what constitutes an industry or group of industries. The Staff has stated that a registrant may select its own industry classifications so long as they are reasonable and not so broad
that the primary economic characteristics of the companies in a single class are materially different. See Former Guide 19 to Form N-1A. The Staff has also stated that
Section 8(b)(1) of the 1940 Act permits a Fund to implement a concentration policy
3
that allows for some degree of discretion. See no-action letters for issued to
BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust (publicly available July 8, 2013) and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust (publicly available July 8, 2013). The Registrant believes the
Funds current SAI disclosure on industry concentration describes the circumstances under which the Fund intends to concentrate its investments. Id.
6. Comment: With regard to ClearBridge Large Cap Value Fund, please include an explanatory footnote in the fee table that briefly explains the terms of the management fee arrangement. The Fund should: (a) disclose the Funds base fee; (b) disclose that the base fee may adjust upwards or downwards according to Fund performance relative to its benchmark index; and (c) identify the Funds benchmark index.
Response: The following disclosure will be added as an explanatory footnote in the fee table for ClearBridge Large Cap Value Fund: The management fee consists of (i) a base fee calculated at a rate that decreases as assets increase and (ii) a possible positive or negative performance adjustment of up to 0.025% per quarter based upon the Funds performance relative to the S&P 500 Index. The management fee shown in the table represents the fee rate paid by the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, which was comprised of a base fee of [0.__%] and a performance adjustment of [0.__%] [(0.__%)].
7. Comment: With regard to ClearBridge Large Cap Value Fund, please consider adding risk disclosure related to the fulcrum fee to explain that the adviser may earn incentive compensation even if the Fund is losing money.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Registrant intends to add the following disclosure to the More on Fund management Management fee.
Under this arrangement, it is possible that the Fund could pay the manager more than the base fee, even though the performance of the Fund is negative, if the Fund outperforms this benchmark.
Please contact the undersigned at 617-951-8267 with any questions or comments you might have regarding the above.
Sincerely, |
/s/ Barry N. Hurwitz |
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Annex A
Registrant |
1940 Act File No. |
Fund |
Series Identifier | Fiscal Year | ||||
LEGG MASON PARTNERS INCOME TRUST |
811-04254 | Western Asset Income Fund | S000008972 | 7/31/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund | S000008976 | 7/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Short Duration High Income Fund | S000008975 | 7/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Short Term Yield Fund | S000032916 | 7/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Short Duration Municipal Income Fund | S000016249 | 2/28/2019 | ||||||
Western Asset Intermediate Maturity California Municipals Fund | S000016650 | 11/30/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Intermediate Maturity New York Municipals Fund | S000016625 | 11/30/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Massachusetts Municipals Fund | S000016629 | 11/30/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Corporate Bond Fund | S000016627 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Global High Yield Bond Fund | S000016648 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Mortgage Backed Securities Fund | S000016649 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Short-Term Bond Fund | S000016639 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
LEGG MASON PARTNERS MONEY MARKET TRUST |
811-04052 | Western Asset Prime Obligations Money Market Fund | S000052041 | 8/31/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Government Reserves | S000016623 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset New York Tax Free Money Market Fund | S000008928 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Tax Free Reserves | S000008929 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset U.S. Treasury Reserves | S000008930 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
LEGG MASON PARTNERS PREMIUM MONEY MARKET TRUST |
811-05812 | Western Asset Premium Liquid Reserves | S000008923 | 8/31/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Premium U.S. Treasury Reserves | S000008924 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
LEGG MASON PARTNERS VARIABLE EQUITY TRUST |
811-21128 | ClearBridge Variable Aggressive Growth Portfolio | S000016933 | 12/31/2018 | ||||
ClearBridge Variable Appreciation Portfolio | S000017013 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Variable Dividend Strategy Portfolio | S000008304 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Variable Large Cap Growth Portfolio | S000016935 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Variable Large Cap Value Portfolio | S000017019 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio | S000016937 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio | S000017007 | 12/31/2018 |
QS Legg Mason Dynamic Multi-Strategy VIT Portfolio | S000034620 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
QS Variable Conservative Growth | S000017009 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
QS Variable Growth | S000017011 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
QS Variable Moderate Growth | S000017010 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
LEGG MASON PARTNERS VARIABLE INCOME TRUST |
811-06310 | Western Asset Core Plus VIT Portfolio | S000016930 | 12/31/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Variable Global High Yield Bond Portfolio | S000017004 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
WESTERN ASSET EMERGING MARKETS DEBT FUND INC. |
811-21343 | Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund Inc. | CEF0000891 | 12/31/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET FUNDS INC. |
811-06110 | Western Asset Macro Opportunities Fund | S000041845 | 10/31/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Core Bond Fund | S000000713 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Core Plus Bond Fund | S000000714 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Inflation Indexed Plus Bond Fund | S000000715 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. |
811-22444 | Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. | CEF0001407 | 8/31/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET HIGH INCOME OPPORTUNITY FUND INC. |
811-07920 | Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc. | CEF0000463 | 9/30/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET VARIABLE RATE STRATEGIC FUND INC. |
811-21609 | Western Asset Variable Rate Strategic Fund Inc. | CEF0001014 | 9/30/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET GLOBAL CORPORATE DEFINED OPPORTUNITY FUND INC. |
811-22334 | Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. | CEF0001347 | 10/31/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET MUNICIPAL HIGH INCOME FUND INC. |
811-05497 | Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund Inc. | CEF0000134 | 10/31/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET INTERMEDIATE MUNI FUND INC. |
811-06506 | Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fund Inc. | CEF0000302 | 11/30/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Investment Grade Defined Opportunity Trust Inc. |
811-22294 | Western Asset Investment Grade Defined Opportunity Trust Inc. | CEF0001329 | 11/30/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Municipal Defined Opportunity Trust Inc. |
811-22265 | Western Asset Municipal Defined Opportunity Trust Inc. | CEF0001309 | 11/30/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET MUNICIPAL PARTNERS FUND INC. |
811-07362 | Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. | CEF0000388 | 11/30/2018 |
WESTERN ASSET INFLATION- LINKED INCOME FUND |
811-21403 | Western Asset Inflation-Linked Income Fund | CEF0000929 | 11/30/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET INFLATION- LINKED OPPORTUNITIES & INCOME FUND |
811-21477 | Western Asset Inflation-Linked Opportunities & Income Fund | CEF0000953 | 11/30/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Investment Grade Income Fund Inc. |
811-02351 | Western Asset Investment Grade Income Fund Inc. | CEF0000022 | 12/31/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Mortgage Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. |
811-22369 | Western Asset Mortgage Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. | CEF0001363 | 12/31/2018 | ||||
WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND |
811-10603 | Western Asset Premier Bond Fund | CEF0000741 | 12/31/2018 | ||||
CLEARBRIDGE AMERICAN ENERGY MLP FUND INC. |
811-22805 | Clearbridge American Energy MLP Fund Inc. | Liquidated | |||||
ClearBridge MLP & Midstream Fund Inc. |
811-22405 | ClearBridge MLP & Midstream Fund Inc. | 11/30/2018 | |||||
ClearBridge Energy Midstream Opportunity Fund Inc. |
811-22546 | ClearBridge Energy Midstream Opportunity Fund Inc. | 11/30/2018 | |||||
ClearBridge MLP & Midstream Total Return Fund Inc. |
811-22693 | ClearBridge MLP & Midstream Total Return Fund Inc. | 11/30/2018 | |||||
Legg Mason ETF Investment Trust |
811-23096 | Legg Mason Developed ex-US Diversified Core ETF | S000051683 | Liquidated | ||||
Legg Mason Emerging Markets Diversified Core ETF | S000051684 | Liquidated | ||||||
Legg Mason International Low Volatility High Dividend ETF | S000054583 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF | S000051686 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
Legg Mason US Diversified Core ETF | S000051685 | Liquidated | ||||||
Legg Mason Funds Trust |
811-23107 | Clearbridge Real Estate Opportuntities Fund | S000053074 | Liquidated | ||||
Legg Mason Global Asset Management Trust |
811-22338 | BrandywineGLOBALGlobal Flexible Income Fund | S000053934 | 12/31/2018 | ||||
QS Global Market Neutral Fund | S000051512 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
RARE Global Infrastructure Value Fund | S000053331 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
BrandywineGLOBALDiversified US Large Cap Value Fund | S000029727 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
BrandywineGLOBALDynamic US Large Cap Value Fund | S000047047 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
Martin Currie Emerging Markets Fund | S000049068 | 9/30/2018 |
QS International Equity Fund | S000036893 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
QS Strategic Real Return Fund | S000027987 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
BrandywineGLOBALAlternative Credit Fund | S000043089 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
BrandywineGLOBALGlobal High Yield Fund | S000037642 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
BrandywineGLOBALGlobal Unconstrained Bond Fund | S000031479 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge International Growth Fund | S000036166 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Small Cap Fund | S000036165 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Value Trust | S000036164 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
BrandywineGLOBALGlobal Opportunities Bond Fund | S000036894 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
BrandywineGLOBALInternational Opportunities Bond Fund | S000027197 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
QS U.S. Small Capitalization Equity Fund | S000036895 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST |
811-06444 | ClearBridge Global Health Care Innovations Fund | S000053237 | Liquidated | ||||
ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund | S000016235 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge All Cap Value Fund | S000016245 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge International Small Cap Fund | S000029827 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Small Cap Value Fund | S000016238 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
QS Global Dividend Fund | S000039864 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
QS International Dividend Fund | S000039863 | Liquidated | ||||||
QS S&P 500 Index Fund | S000004163 | 9/30/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Appreciation Fund | S000016651 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Energy MLP & Infrastructure Fund | S000041698 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge International Value Fund | S000016247 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Large Cap Value Fund | S000016669 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Mid Cap Fund | S000004162 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Mid Cap Growth Fund | S000029718 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Select Fund | S000039065 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Small Cap Growth Fund | S000016663 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Sustainability Leaders Fund | S000048737 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Tactical Dividend Income Fund | S000016241 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
QS Global Equity Fund | S000016668 | 10/31/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Large Cap Growth Fund | S000004161 | 11/30/2018 | ||||||
QS U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund | S000022091 | 11/30/2018 | ||||||
ClearBridge Dividend Strategy Fund | S000016665 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
EnTrust GlobalAlternative Core Fund | S000025317 | 12/31/2018 | ||||||
LEGG MASON PARTNERS INSTITUTIONAL TRUST |
811-06740 | Western Asset Institutional Government Reserves | S000016858 | 8/31/2018 | ||||
Western Asset Institutional Liquid Reserves | S000008908 | 8/31/2018 |
Western Asset Institutional U.S. Treasury Obligations Money Market Fund | S000041891 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves | S000008910 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset Select Tax Free Reserves | S000008909 | 8/31/2018 | ||||||
Western Asset SMASh Series C Fund | S000014682 | 2/28/2019 | ||||||
Western Asset SMASh Series EC Fund | S000014683 | 2/28/2019 | ||||||
Western Asset SMASh Series M Fund | S000014681 | 2/28/2019 |