REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Pre-Effective Amendment No.
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/ /
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Post-Effective Amendment No.
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/ /
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(Check appropriate box or boxes)
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DELAWARE GROUP EQUITY FUNDS II
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
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(800) 523-1918
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Registrant’s Area Code and Telephone Number
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100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices: Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code)
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David F. Connor, Esq., 100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
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(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
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Please send copies of all communications to:
Jonathan M. Kopcsik, Esq.
Taylor Brody, Esq.
Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young, LLP
2005 Market Street, Suite 2600, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7018
(215) 564-8099
(215) 564-8071
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Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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Title of the securities being registered: Class R6 shares of beneficial interest, no par value, of Delaware Value Fund. No filing fee is due because Registrant is relying on Section 24(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
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It is proposed that the filing will become effective on July 26, 2021 pursuant to Rule 488 under the Securities Act of 1933.
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1.
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Facing Page
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2.
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Contents Page
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3.
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Part A – Prospectus/Proxy Statement
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4.
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Part B – Statement of Additional Information
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5.
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Part C – Other Information
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6.
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Signatures
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7.
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Exhibits
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Acquired Fund
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Acquiring Fund
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio, a series of Delaware Pooled® Trust
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Delaware Value Fund, a series of Delaware Group® Equity Funds II
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THE REORGANIZATION...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
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3
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What am I being asked to vote upon?...............................................................................................................................................................................................
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3
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What is the Board’s recommendation regarding the Reorganization?..............................................................................................................................................
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3
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What will happen if shareholders approve the Plan?........................................................................................................................................................................
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3
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What is the anticipated timing of the Reorganization?.....................................................................................................................................................................
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3
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What happens if a Reorganization is not approved?.........................................................................................................................................................................
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3
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How will shareholder voting be handled?.........................................................................................................................................................................................
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4
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COMPARISON OF INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, RISKS AND INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS...............................................................
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4
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How do the investment objectives, principal strategies, principal risks, and fundamental investment restrictions of the
Acquired Fund compare against those of the Acquiring Fund?...................................................................................................................................................
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4
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What is the historical turnover of each of the Funds?.......................................................................................................................................................................
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8
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS..........................................................................................................................................................................................
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9
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What are the fees and expenses of each Fund and what are the anticipated fees and expenses after the Reorganization?..............................................................
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9
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How can I compare the costs of investing in Acquired Fund shares with the cost of investing in Acquiring Fund shares
of the comparable class?.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. |
9
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What are the general tax consequences of the Reorganization?.......................................................................................................................................................
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10
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Who manages the Funds?..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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10
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How do the performance records of the Funds compare?.................................................................................................................................................................
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11
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Where can I find more financial information about the Funds?.......................................................................................................................................................
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14
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What are other key features of the Funds?........................................................................................................................................................................................
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14
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REASONS FOR THE REORGANIZATION...................................................................................................................................................................................
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31
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE REORGANIZATION AND THE PLAN......................................................................................................................................
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32
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How will the Reorganization be carried out?....................................................................................................................................................................................
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32
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Who will pay the expenses of the Reorganization?..........................................................................................................................................................................
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33
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What are the tax consequences of the Reorganization?....................................................................................................................................................................
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33
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What should I know about shares of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund?...............................................................................................................................
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35
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What are the capitalizations of the Funds and what might the capitalization be after the Reorganization?.....................................................................................
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36
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Do the Trustees and Officers own shares of the Funds?...................................................................................................................................................................
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37
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Who are the control persons and owners of record or beneficially 5% or more of any class of a Fund’s outstanding
equity securities?.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... |
37
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VOTING INFORMATION...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
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39
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How many votes are necessary to approve the Plan?.......................................................................................................................................................................
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39
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How do I ensure my vote is accurately recorded?............................................................................................................................................................................
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40
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May I revoke my proxy?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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41
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What other matters will be voted upon at the Meeting?...................................................................................................................................................................
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41
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Who is entitled to vote?.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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41
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How will proxies be solicited?..........................................................................................................................................................................................................
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41
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Are there dissenters’ rights?..............................................................................................................................................................................................................
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42
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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS.............................................................................................................................................................................
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42
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EXHIBITS TO PROSPECTUS/PROXY STATEMENT..................................................................................................................................................................
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44
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Acquisition of the Assets of:
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MACQUARIE LARGE CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO
(a series of Delaware Pooled® Trust) |
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By and in exchange for shares of:
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DELAWARE VALUE® FUND
(a series of Delaware Group® Equity Funds II) |
Acquired Fund Prospectus
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Acquiring Fund Prospectus
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio – dated
Feb. 26, 2021 (1933 Act File No. 033-40991)
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Delaware Value® Fund – dated March 30, 2021
(1933 Act File No. 002-13017)
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio (Acquired Fund)
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Delaware Value® Fund (Acquiring Fund)
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What is the Fund’s investment objective?
Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.
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What is the Fund’s investment objective?
Delaware Value Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio
(Acquired Fund)
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Delaware Value® Fund
(Acquiring Fund)
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What are the Fund’s principal investment strategies?
The Portfolio invests primarily in securities of large-capitalization companies that the Manager
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What are the Fund’s principal investment strategies?
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings
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believes have long-term capital appreciation potential. The Portfolio currently defines large-capitalization stocks as those with market capitalizations of $5 billion or greater at the time of purchase. The Manager follows a value-oriented
investment philosophy in selecting stocks for the Portfolio using a research-intensive approach that considers factors such as: security prices that reflect a market valuation that is judged to be below the estimated present or future value
of the company; favorable earning prospects and dividend yield; the financial condition of the issuer; and various qualitative factors. Typically, the Manager seeks to select securities that it believes are undervalued in relation to their
intrinsic value as indicated by multiple factors, including the earnings and cash-flow potential or the asset value of the respective issuers. The Manager also considers a company’s plans for future operations on a selective basis.
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Portfolio’s net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, will be invested in equity securities of large-capitalization companies (80% Policy). The Portfolio’s 80% Policy may be
changed without shareholder approval. However, shareholders will be given notice at least 60 days prior to any such change.
The Manager may sell a security if it no longer believes the security will contribute to meeting the investment objective of the Portfolio. In considering whether to sell a security, the Manager may evaluate, among other things, the
factors listed above, the condition of the US economy, the condition of non-US economies, and changes in the condition and outlook in the issuer’s industry sector.
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for investment purposes, in securities of large-capitalization companies (the 80% policy). The Fund invests primarily in securities of large-capitalization companies that the Manager believes have long-term capital appreciation potential.
The Manager currently defines large-capitalization stocks as those with market capitalizations of $5 billion or greater at the time of purchase. Typically, the Manager seeks to select securities that it believes are undervalued in relation to
their intrinsic value, as indicated by multiple factors, including the earnings and cash flow potential or the asset value of the respective issuers. The Manager also considers a company’s plans for future operations on a selective basis. The
Manager may sell a security if it no longer believes the security will contribute to meeting the investment objective of the Fund.
The Manager may permit its affiliates, Macquarie Investment Management Global Limited (MIMGL) and Macquarie Funds Management Hong Kong Limited (MFMHKL), to execute Fund security trades on behalf of the Manager. The Manager may also seek
quantitative support from MIMGL.
The Fund’s 80% policy is nonfundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. Fund shareholders would be given at least 60 days’ notice prior to any change.
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Acquired Fund |
Acquiring Fund
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Market risk |
Market risk |
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Foreign risk |
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Liquidity risk |
Liquidity risk |
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Limited number of securities risk |
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Government and regulatory risk |
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Industry and sector risk |
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IBOR risk |
IBOR risk |
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Active management and selection risk | Active management and selection risk |
Acquired Fund
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Fiscal Year Ended
10/31/20
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Fiscal Year Ended
10/31/19
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Fiscal Year Ended
10/31/18
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Macquarie Large Cap
Value Portfolio
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24%
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23%
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16%
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Acquiring Fund
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Fiscal Year Ended
11/30/20
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Fiscal Year Ended
11/30/19
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Fiscal Year Ended
11/30/18
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Delaware Value® Fund
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25%
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16%
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20%
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Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
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Class
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
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Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
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Management Fees
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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
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Other Expenses
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Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement
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Recoupments
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Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers, Expense Reimbursements and/or Recoupments
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio as of Feb. 26, 2021
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Portfolio Class
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None
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None
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0.55%
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None
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0.29%
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None
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0.84%
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(0.14%)1
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None
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0.70%
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Delaware Value® Fund as of Mar. 30, 2021
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Class R6
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None
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None
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0.52%
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None
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0.06%2
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0.00%
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0.58%
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None
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None
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0.58%
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Pro Forma Delaware Value Fund as of Sep. 17, 2021
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Class R6
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None
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None
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0.52%
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None
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0.06%
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None
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0.58%
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None
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None
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0.58%
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1
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The Acquired Fund’s investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or pay/reimburse expenses (excluding any 12b-1
fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest, short sale dividend and interest expenses, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and nonroutine expenses or costs, including, but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations,
litigation, conducting shareholder meetings, and liquidations) in order to prevent total annual Acquired Fund operating expenses from exceeding 0.70% of the Acquired Fund’s average daily net assets from Feb. 26, 2021 through March 1, 2022.
These waivers and reimbursements may only be terminated by agreement of the Manager and the Acquired Fund.
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2
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“Other expenses” account for Class R6 shares not being subject to certain expenses as described further in the section of the Acquiring Fund’s Prospectus entitled “Choosing a share class.”
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1 Year
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3 Years
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5 Years
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10 Years
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Acquired Fund
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$72
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$254
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$452
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$1,024
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Acquiring Fund – Class R6
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$59
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$186
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$324
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$726
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Pro forma Acquiring Fund – Class R6 (after the Reorganization)
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$59
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$186
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$324
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$726
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Fund
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Aggregate Fee
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio, a series of Delaware Pooled® Trust
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0.41%
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Delaware Value® Fund, a series of Delaware Group® Equity Funds II
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0.52%
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1 year
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5 years
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10 years
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Return before taxes
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0.06%
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8.81%
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11.36%
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Return after taxes on distributions
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-0.41%
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5.24%
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9.03%
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Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Portfolio shares
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0.36%
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6.69%
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9.18%
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Russell 1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
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2.80%
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9.74%
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10.50%
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1 year
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5 years
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10 years or lifetime
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Class A return before taxes
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-5.87%
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7.26%
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10.24%
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Class A return after taxes on distributions
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-6.48%
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6.27%
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9.52%
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Class A return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares
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-3.16%
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5.57%
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8.35%
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Class C return before taxes
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-1.85%
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7.72%
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10.06%
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Class R return before taxes
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-0.36%
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8.26%
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10.61%
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Institutional Class return before taxes
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0.16%
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8.81%
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11.16%
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Class R6 return before taxes (lifetime 5/2/16–12/31/20)
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0.22%
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n/a
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8.30%
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Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
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2.80%
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9.74%
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10.50%
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Acquired Fund
Investment Advisory Fee
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Acquiring Fund
Investment Advisory Fee
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0.55%
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0.65% on the first $500 million
0.60% from $500 million to $1 billion
0.55% from $1 billion to $2.5 billion
0.50% of the average daily net assets in excess of $2.5 billion
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•
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Class R6 shares have no upfront sales charge, so the full amount of your purchase is invested in the Fund. Class R6 shares are not subject to a CDSC.
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•
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Class R6 shares do not assess a 12b-1 fee.
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•
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Class R6 shares do not pay any service fees, sub-accounting fees, and/or subtransfer agency fees to any brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries.
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•
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Class R6 shares are generally available to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, 457 plans, 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, employer-sponsored
benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation plans. In addition, for these employer-sponsored retirement plans, Class R6 shares must be held through plan level or omnibus accounts held on the books of the Fund, and Class R6 shares
are only available for purchase through financial intermediaries who have the appropriate agreement with the Distributor (or its affiliates) related to Class R6.
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•
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Class R6 shares are also available for purchase through certain programs, platforms, or accounts that are maintained or sponsored by financial intermediary firms (including but not limited to, brokers, dealers, banks, trust companies, or
entities performing trading/clearing functions), provided that the financial intermediary firm has entered into an agreement with the Distributor (or its affiliates) related to Class R6 for such programs, platforms or accounts.
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•
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In addition to the foregoing list of eligible investors, Class R6 shares are generally available to certain institutional investors and high net worth individuals who make a minimum initial investment directly in the Fund’s Class R6
shares of $1,000,000 or more and who have completed an application and been approved by the Fund for such investment. These institutional investors and high net worth individuals must retain Class R6 shares directly in their names and will
not be permitted to hold such shares through an omnibus account or other similar arrangements.
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•
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Class R6 shares may not be available through certain financial intermediaries.
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•
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In addition, you may have received Class R6 shares as the result of a merger or reorganization of a predecessor fund.
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•
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By check — Sent to your address of record, provided there has not been an address change in the last 30 days.
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•
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By wire — Sent directly to your bank by wire, if you redeem at least $1,000 of shares. If you request a wire transfer, a bank wire fee may be deducted from your proceeds.
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•
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By ACH — Sent via Automated Clearing House (ACH), subject to a $25 minimum.
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•
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Bank information must be on file before you request a wire or ACH redemption. Your bank may charge a fee for these services.
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•
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The Acquiring Fund and Acquired Fund share identical or similar investment objectives, and similar strategies, risks, and fundamental investment restrictions.
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•
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The Acquiring Fund and Acquired Fund have a high degree of portfolio holding overlap and the same portfolio management teams, which should minimize transaction costs due to the Reorganization;
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•
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The Acquiring Fund’s net expenses will largely remain the same following the Reorganization and the Reorganization will have the effect of reducing the net expense ratio for shareholders of the Acquired Fund.
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•
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The Acquiring Fund’s expense limitation agreements will remain in place for a minimum of twelve months following the Reorganization.
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•
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The reduced number of substantially similar Funds should benefit distribution efforts and shelf space eligibility.
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•
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The Reorganization will be effected on the basis of each Fund’s net asset value per share and will not result in the dilution of the interests of shareholders of any Fund.
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•
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The costs of the Reorganization will be borne equally by the Acquiring Fund, the Acquired Fund, and DMC.
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•
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The Reorganization will be effected on a tax-free basis.
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio
as of October 31, 2020
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Delaware Value® Fund
as of November 30, 2020
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Aggregate Capital Loss Carryovers
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($3,227,660)
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none
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Net Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation) on a Tax Basis
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($217,032)
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$ 2,974,203,535
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Net Assets
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$38,121,688
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$ 10,425,672,251
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Approximate Annual Limitation for Capital Losses*
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$575,637
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n/a
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Acquired Fund/Classes
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Acquiring Fund/Classes
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Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio, a series of Delaware Pooled® Trust
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Delaware Value® Fund, a series of Delaware Group® Equity Funds II
|
Portfolio Shares
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Class R6
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Acquired Fund
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Acquiring Fund
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Pro Forma Adjustments to Capitalization1,2
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Acquiring Fund after Reorganization1
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(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
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(estimated)
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(unaudited)
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Net assets (all classes)
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$51,909,252.33
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$11,280,934,940.19
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$
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$ 11,332,844,192.52
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Total shares outstanding
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2,635,209.21
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452,810,525.07
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(552,173.40)
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454,893,560.87
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Class A net assets
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N/A
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$ 1,689,878,384.79
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$ 1,689,878,384.79
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Class A shares outstanding
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N/A
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67,824,367.16
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67,824,367.16
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Class A net asset value per share
|
N/A
|
$ 24.92
|
|
$ 24.92
|
|
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|
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Class C net assets
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N/A
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$ 306,689,555.48
|
|
$ 306,689,555.48
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Class C shares outstanding
|
N/A
|
12,330,650.46
|
|
12,330,650.46
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Class C net asset value per share
|
N/A
|
$ 24.87
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|
$ 24.87
|
|
|
|
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Class R net assets
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N/A
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$ 56,982,278.97
|
|
$ 56,982,278.97
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Class R shares outstanding
|
N/A
|
2,288,771.32
|
|
2,288,771.32
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Class R net asset value per share
|
N/A
|
$ 24.90
|
|
$ 24.90
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|
|
|
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Class R6 net assets
|
N/A
|
$ 1,281,164,181.10
|
$ 51,909,252.33
|
$ 1,333,073,433.43
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Class R6 shares outstanding
|
N/A
|
51,421,387.79
|
2,083,035.81
|
53,504,423.60
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Class R6 net asset value per share
|
N/A
|
$ 24.92
|
|
$ 24.92
|
|
|
|
|
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Institutional Class net assets
|
$51,909,252.33
|
$ 7,946,220,539.85
|
$ (51,909,252.33)
|
$ 7,946,220,539.85
|
Institutional Class shares outstanding
|
2,635,209.21
|
318,945,348.33
|
(2,635,209.21)
|
318,945,348.33
|
Institutional Class net asset value per share
|
19.7
|
$ 24.91
|
|
$ 24.91
|
1 Reflects the conversion of Acquired Fund shares for Acquiring Fund shares as a result of the Reorganization.
|
||||
2 Adjustments reflect the costs of the Reorganization incurred by each Fund.
|
Fund Name
|
Name and Address of Account
|
Percentage
|
MACQUARIE LARGE CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO
|
WELLS FARGO BANK NA FBO
GMC FUND DEP-LOOMIS PO BOX 1533 MINNEAPOLIS MN 55480-1533 |
86.03%
|
MACQUARIE LARGE CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO
|
WELLS FARGO BANK NA FBO
EDUCATIONQUEST FOUNDATION PO BOX 1533 MINNEAPOLIS MN 55480-1533 |
13.97%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS A
|
MLPF&S FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS
CUSTOMERS ATTENTION: FUND ADMIN SEC 4800 DEER LAKE DRIVE EAST, 2ND FL JACKSONVILLE FL 32246-6484 |
18.77%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS A
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY LLC
FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS 1 NEW YORK PLAZA FL 12 NEW YORK NY 10004-1901 |
6.44%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS A
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC
(FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310 |
5.95%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS A
|
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SVCS LLC
SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
5.26%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
|
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SVCS LLC
SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
17.65%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
|
MLPF&S FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS
CUSTOMERS ATTENTION: FUND ADMIN SEC 4800 DEER LAKE DRIVE EAST, 2ND FL JACKSONVILLE FL 32246-6484 |
16.67%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
|
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY LLC
FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS 1 NEW YORK PLAZA FL 12 NEW YORK NY 10004-1901 |
15.91%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
|
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INVESTMENT SVC
707 2ND AVE SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS MN 55402-2405 |
8.26%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
|
PERSHING LLC
1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399-0002 |
7.16%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC
(FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310 |
7.02%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
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UBS WM USA
SPEC CDY A/C EXL BEN CUSTOMERS OF UBSFSI 1000 HARBOR BLVD WEEHAWKEN, NJ 07086 |
6.26%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
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RAYMOND JAMES
OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS ATTN COURTNEY WALLER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY ST PETERSBURG FL 33739 |
5.90%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS C
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CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC
SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 211 MAIN ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94105 |
5.51%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS I
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC
(FBO) OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPARTMENT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310 |
18.80%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS I
|
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SVCS LLC
SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET ST SAINT LOUIS MO 63103-2523 |
17.41%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS I
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MLPF&S FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS
CUSTOMERS ATTENTION: FUND ADMIN SEC 4800 DEER LAKE DRIVE EAST, 2ND FL JACKSONVILLE FL 32246-6484 |
12.47%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS I
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MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY LLC
FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS 1 NEW YORK PLAZA FL 12 NEW YORK NY 10004-1901 |
11.74%
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DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS R
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STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST TTEE
AND/OR CUSTODIAN (FBO) ADP ACCESS PRODUCT 1 LINCOLN ST BOSTON MA 02111-2901 |
37.47%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS R
|
DCGT AS TTEE AND/OR CUST
FBO PLIC VARIOUS RETIREMENT PLANS O ATTN NPIO TRADE DESK 711 HIGH STREET DES MOINES, IA 50392 |
16.60%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS R
|
RELIANCE TRUST COMPANY FBO
MASSMUTUAL DMF P.O. BOX 48529 ATLANTA GA 30362 |
5.01%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS R6
|
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC
SPEC CUSTODY ACCT FOR THE EXCL BNFT OF CUSTS ATTN MUT FDS 211 MAIN ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94105-1905 |
14.26%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS R6
|
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC
499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY, NJ 07310 |
8.26%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS R6
|
JOHN HANCOCK TRUST COMPANY LLC
690 CANTON ST SUITE 100 WESTWOOD, MA 02090 |
7.75%
|
DELAWARE VALUE FUND CLASS R6
|
MLPF&S FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS
CUSTOMERS ATTENTION: FUND ADMIN SEC 4800 DEER LAKE DRIVE EAST, 2ND FL JACKSONVILLE FL 32246-6484 |
6.64%
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•
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Transfer Agent: Delaware Investments® Fund Services Company (DIFSC), an affiliate of the Manager, is located at 100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354, and
serves as the Funds’ shareholder servicing, dividend disbursing, and transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) pursuant to a Shareholder Services Agreement. The Transfer Agent is an indirect subsidiary of MMHI and, therefore, of Macquarie.
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•
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Subtransfer Agent: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (BNYMIS) provides subtransfer agency services to the Funds.
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•
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Fund Accountants: The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286-0001, provides fund accounting and financial administration services to the Funds. Those
services include performing functions related to calculating the Funds’ NAVs and providing financial reporting information, regulatory compliance testing, and other related accounting services. DIFSC provides fund accounting and financial
administration oversight services to the Funds. Those services include overseeing the Funds’ pricing process, the calculation and payment of fund expenses, and financial reporting in shareholder reports, registration statements, and other
regulatory filings. DIFSC also manages the process for the payment of dividends and distributions and the dissemination of Fund NAVs and performance data.
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•
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Custodian: BNY Mellon is the custodian of each Fund’s securities and cash. As custodian for the Funds, BNY Mellon maintains a separate account or accounts for each Fund; receives, holds, and
releases portfolio securities on account of each Fund; receives and disburses money on behalf of each Fund; and collects and receives income and other payments and distributions on account of each Fund’s portfolio securities.
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•
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Legal Counsel: Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP serves as the Trusts’ legal counsel.
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•
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Independent Registered Public Accountants: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for each Trust.
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•
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Securities Lending Agent: BNY Mellon serves as the Funds’ securities lending agent.
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1.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE REORGANIZATIONS
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(a) The Target Fund shall transfer all of its Assets, as defined and set forth in Section 1.2(b), to the Acquiring Fund, and the Acquiring Fund in exchange therefor shall assume the
Liabilities, as defined and set forth in Section 1.2(c), and deliver to the Target Fund the number of full and fractional Acquiring Fund shares determined in the manner set forth in Section 2.
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(b) The assets of the Target Fund to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund shall consist of all assets and property, including, without limitation, all rights, cash, securities, commodities and futures interests, forwards, swaps and other financial instruments, claims (whether absolute or contingent, known or unknown, accrued or unaccrued and including, without limitation, any interest
in pending or future legal claims in connection with past or present portfolio holdings, whether in the form of class action claims, opt-out or other direct litigation claims, or regulator or government-established investor recovery fund
claims, and any and all resulting recoveries), receivables (including dividends, interest, principal, subscriptions and other receivables), goodwill and other intangible property, and choses in action, copies of all books and records
belonging to the Target Fund (including all books and records required to be maintained under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)), any deferred or prepaid expenses shown as an asset on the books of the
Target Fund as of the Closing Time, and all interests, rights, privileges and powers, other than the Target Fund’s rights under this Agreement on the Closing Date as defined in Section 3.1 (collectively, “Assets”), but excluding any
assets set forth in Schedule 1.2(b) (collectively, “Excluded Assets”). For the avoidance of doubt, any Excluded Assets shall remain the property of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund shall have no rights thereunder.
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(c) The Acquiring Fund shall assume all of the liabilities of the Target Fund, whether accrued or contingent, known or unknown, existing at the
Closing Date, except for the Target Fund’s Excluded Liabilities (as defined below), if any, pursuant to this Agreement (collectively, with respect to each Target Fund separately, “Liabilities”). If prior to the Closing Date the
Acquiring Entity identifies a liability that the Acquiring Entity and the Target Entity mutually agree should not be assumed by the Acquiring Fund, such liability shall be excluded from the definition of Liabilities hereunder and shall be
listed on a Schedule of Excluded Liabilities to be signed by the Acquiring Entity and the Target Entity at Closing and attached to this Agreement as Schedule 1.2(c) (the “Excluded Liabilities”). The Assets minus the Liabilities of a
Target Fund shall be referred to herein as the Target Fund’s “Net Assets.”
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(d) As soon as is reasonably practicable after the Closing, the Target Fund will distribute to its shareholders of record (“Target Fund Shareholders”) the shares of the Acquiring
Fund of the corresponding class received by the Target Fund pursuant to Section 1.2(a), as set forth in Exhibit A, on a pro rata basis within that class, and without further notice the outstanding shares of the Target Fund will be redeemed
and cancelled as permitted by its Governing Documents (as defined in Section 4.1(a)) and applicable law, and the Target Fund will as promptly as practicable completely liquidate and dissolve as permitted by its Governing Documents and
applicable law. Such distribution to the Target Fund Shareholders and liquidation of the Target Fund will be accomplished, with respect to each class of the Target Fund’s shares, by the transfer of
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the Acquiring Fund’s shares of the corresponding class then credited to the account of the Target Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring
Fund in the names of the Target Fund Shareholders of the class. The aggregate net asset value of the Acquiring Fund’s shares to be so credited to the corresponding Target Fund Shareholders shall be equal to the aggregate net asset value of
the corresponding Target Fund’s shares owned by the Target Fund Shareholders on the Closing Date in accordance with the Valuation Time in Section 2.1(a). At the Closing, any outstanding certificates representing shares of a Target Fund will
be cancelled. The Acquiring Fund shall not issue certificates representing shares in connection with such exchange, irrespective of whether Target Fund Shareholders hold their Target Fund shares in certificated form.
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(e) Ownership of the Acquiring Fund’s shares will be shown on its books, as such are maintained by the Acquiring Fund’s transfer agent.
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(f) Any transfer taxes payable upon issuance of the Acquiring Fund’s shares in a name other than the registered holder of the Target Fund’s shares on the books and records of the Target
Fund as of that time shall, as a condition of such issuance and transfer, be paid by the person to whom the Acquiring Fund’s shares are to be issued and transferred.
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(g) Immediately after the Closing Time, the share transfer books relating to the Target Fund shall be closed and no transfer of shares shall thereafter be made on such books.
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(a) The value of the Target Fund’s Assets shall be the value of such Assets computed as of immediately after the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”),
which shall reflect the declaration of any dividends, on the Closing Date using the valuation methodologies set forth in the then-current prospectus for the Target Fund and the valuation procedures established by the Target Entity’s board of
trustees (“Valuation Time”). On the Closing Date, the Target Fund shall record the value of the Assets, as valued pursuant to this Section 2.1(a), on a valuation report (the “Valuation Report”) and deliver a copy of the
Valuation Report to the Acquiring Fund by 7:00 pm (Eastern time) on the Closing Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter.
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(b) The net asset value per share of each class of the Acquiring Fund shares issued in connection with the Reorganization shall be the net asset value per share of such class of the
Acquiring Fund as of the close of business on the Closing Date.
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(c) The number of shares of each class of the Acquiring Fund (including fractional shares, if any, rounded to the nearest thousandth) issued in exchange for the Target Fund’s Net Assets
shall be determined by dividing the value of the Net Assets of the Target Fund attributable to each class of Target Fund shares by the net asset value per share of the corresponding share class of the Acquiring Fund. All Acquiring Fund
shares delivered
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to a Target Fund will be delivered at net asset value without the imposition of a sales load, commission, transaction fee or other similar fee.
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(d) All computations of value shall be made by the Target Fund’s and the Acquiring Fund’s designated recordkeeping agent using the valuation procedures described in this Section 2.
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(a) The Target Fund’s portfolio securities, investments or other assets that are represented by a certificate or other written instrument shall be transferred, presented and delivered by
the Target Fund as of the Closing Time or as soon as practicable thereafter to the Acquiring Fund by directing that the Target Fund’s custodian (the “Custodian”) transfer and deliver them from the account of the Target Fund (the “Target
Account”) to an account of the Acquiring Fund at the Custodian (the “Acquiring Account”) duly endorsed in proper form for transfer and in such condition as to constitute good delivery thereof. The Target Fund shall direct the
Custodian to transfer and deliver to the Acquiring Account as of the Closing Date by book entry, in accordance with the customary practices of the Custodian and any securities depository (as defined in Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act) in which
the Assets are deposited, the Target Fund’s portfolio securities and instruments so held. The cash to be transferred by the Target Fund shall be transferred from the Target Account to the Acquiring Account by wire transfer of federal funds
or other appropriate means on the Closing Date. If the Target Fund is unable to make such delivery on the Closing Date in the manner contemplated by this Section for the reason that any of such securities or other investments purchased prior
to the Closing Date have not yet been delivered to the Target Fund or its broker, then the Acquiring Fund may, in its sole discretion, waive the delivery requirements of this Section with respect to said undelivered securities or other
investments if the Target Fund has, by or on the Closing Date, delivered to the Acquiring Fund or its Custodian executed copies of an agreement of assignment and escrow and due bills executed on behalf of said broker or brokers, together with
such other documents as may be required by the Acquiring Fund or its Custodian, such as brokers’ confirmation slips.
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(b) The Target Entity shall direct the Custodian for the Target Fund to deliver, at the Closing or as soon as practicable thereafter, a certificate of an authorized officer
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stating that (i) except as permitted by Section 3.2(a), the Assets have been delivered in proper form to the Acquiring Fund no later than the Closing Time on the Closing Date, and (ii) all
necessary Taxes (as defined below) in connection with the delivery of the Assets, including all applicable federal, state and foreign stock transfer stamps, if any, have been paid or provision for payment has been made. At the Closing, or as
soon as practicable thereafter, the Acquiring Entity will cause the Custodian to deliver a certificate of an authorized officer acknowledging that the Acquiring Fund has received the Target Fund portfolio securities, cash and any other Assets
as of the final settlement date for such transfers.
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(c) At such time prior to the Closing Date as the parties mutually agree, the Target Fund shall instruct its transfer agent (the “Target Transfer Agent”) to provide instructions and
related information to the Acquiring Fund or its transfer agent with respect to the Target Fund Shareholders, including names, addresses, dividend reinvestment elections, if any, and tax withholding status of the Target Fund Shareholders as
of the date agreed upon (such information to be updated as of the Closing Date, as necessary). The Acquiring Fund and its transfer agent shall have no obligation to inquire as to the validity, propriety or correctness of any such
instruction, information or documentation, but shall, in each case, assume that such instruction, information or documentation is valid, proper, correct and complete.
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(d) The Target Entity shall direct the Target Transfer Agent to deliver to the Acquiring Fund at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that its records, as provided to
the Acquiring Fund, contain the names and addresses of the Target Fund Shareholders and the number of outstanding shares of each class owned by each such shareholder immediately prior to the Closing. At the Closing, each party shall deliver
to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, certificates, if any, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request.
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(e) In the event that on the Closing Date (i) the NYSE or another primary trading market for portfolio securities of the Target Fund (each, an “Exchange”) shall be closed to trading
or trading thereupon shall be restricted, or (ii) trading or the reporting of trading on such Exchange or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that, in the judgment of the board of trustees of the Acquiring Entity or the Target Entity, or the
authorized officers of such entities, accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets of the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund, respectively, is impossible or impracticable, the Closing Date shall be postponed until the first business day
after the day when trading shall have been fully resumed and reporting shall have been restored or such later dates as may be mutually agreed in writing by an authorized officer of each party.
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(a) The Target Entity is a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, validly existing and in good standing and with power under the Target Entity’s governing
documents (including bylaws), as applicable (“Governing Documents”), to own all of its Assets, to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and to enter into this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder, and the Target
Fund is a duly established and designated separate series of the Target Entity;
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(b) The Target Entity is a registered investment company classified as a management company of the open-end type, and its registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and the registration of the shares of the Target Fund under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), are in full force and effect and will be in full force
and effect on the Closing Date, and, to the knowledge of the Target Fund, no action or proceeding to revoke or suspend such registrations is pending, or threatened. All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund have been offered for
sale in conformity in all material respects with applicable federal and state securities laws;
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(c) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) is required for the consummation by
the Target Fund and the Target Entity of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained or will be obtained at or prior to the Closing Date under the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934
Act”), the 1940 Act, and state securities or blue sky laws (which term as used herein shall include the laws of the District of Columbia and of Puerto Rico), each of which, as required, shall have been obtained on or prior to the
Closing Date. No consent of or notice to any other third party or entity is required for the consummation by the Target Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
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(d) Except as disclosed to the Acquiring Entity, the current prospectus and statement of additional information and current shareholder reports of the Target Fund, and, to the knowledge of
the Target Fund, each prospectus and statement of additional information and shareholder reports of the Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) used at all times during the three (3) years prior to the date of this Agreement,
conform or conformed at the time of its use in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and does not or did not at the time of its use
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading;
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(e) The Target Fund is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable investment policies and restrictions set forth in the Target Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional
information;
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(f) Except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted, in writing, by or on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, (i) the Target Fund will as of the Closing Time have good and marketable title to the
Assets and full right, power, and authority to sell, assign, transfer
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and deliver such Assets free of adverse claims, including any liens or other encumbrances, not disclosed and reflected in the value thereof, and (ii) upon delivery and payment for such Assets,
the Acquiring Fund will acquire good and marketable title thereto, subject to only those restrictions on the full transfer thereof when held by the Acquiring Fund as when they were held by the Target Fund (including, without limitation, such
restrictions as might arise under the 1933 Act), free of adverse claims not otherwise disclosed and reflected in the value thereof (including, without limitation, assets that are segregated as collateral for the Target Fund’s derivative
positions, including without limitation as collateral for swap positions and as margin for futures and options positions, subject to such segregation and liens that apply to such Assets);
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(g) Except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted, in writing, by or on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, the Target Fund is not engaged currently, and the execution, delivery and performance
of this Agreement will not result, in (i) a material violation of the Target Entity’s Governing Documents or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Target Fund or the Target Entity is a
party or by which it is bound, or (ii) the acceleration of any obligation, or the imposition of any lien, encumbrance, penalty or additional fee under any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, judgment or decree to which the
Target Fund or Target Entity is a party or by which it is bound;
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(h) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.1(h), no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court, tribunal, arbitrator, governmental body, regulatory agency or
FINRA is presently pending or, to the Target Fund’s knowledge, threatened against the Target Fund or Target Entity, and no such litigation, proceeding or investigation, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect the Target
Fund’s financial condition or the conduct of its business or the Target Fund’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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(i) The financial statements of the Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) for the Target Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year have been audited by an independent
registered public accounting firm identified in the Target Fund’s prospectus or statement of additional information included in the Target Fund’s registration statement on Form N-1A. To the knowledge of the Target Fund (including its
predecessor fund, if any), such statements, as well as the unaudited, semi-annual financial statements for the semi-annual period next succeeding the Target Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, if any, were prepared in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) consistently applied, and such statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Target Fund as of such date in
accordance with GAAP, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Target Fund required to be reflected on a balance sheet (including the notes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as of such date not disclosed therein;
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(j) Since the last day of the Target Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, there has not been any material adverse change in the Target Fund’s financial
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condition, assets, liabilities or business, other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business;
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(k) On the Closing Date, all federal and other material Tax Returns (as defined below) of the Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) required by law to have been filed by such
date (taking into account any extensions) shall have been filed and are or will be true, correct and complete in all material respects, and all Taxes (as defined below) shown as due or claimed to be due by any government entity shall have
been paid or provision has been made for the payment thereof. To the Target Fund’s knowledge, no such Return is currently under audit and no such audit has been threatened by any Federal, state, local or foreign Tax authority; no assessment
has been asserted or proposed with respect to such Tax Returns; there are no levies, liens or other encumbrances on the Target Fund or its assets resulting from the non-payment of any Taxes (other than for Taxes not yet due and payable); no
waivers of the time to assess any such Taxes are outstanding nor are any written requests for such waivers pending (in each case other than waivers as a result of extensions of time to file Tax Returns); and adequate provision has been made
in the financial statements of the Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) for all Taxes in respect of all periods ended on or before the date of such financial statements. To the Target Fund’s knowledge, no claim has ever been
made by a taxing authority in a jurisdiction where the Target Fund does not file a Tax Return that the Target Fund is or may be subject to taxation in that jurisdiction. The Target Fund is in compliance in all material respects with
applicable regulations of the Internal Revenue Service pertaining to the reporting of distributions on and redemptions of its shares of beneficial interest and to withholding in respect of distributions to shareholders, and is not liable for
any material penalties that could be imposed thereunder. As used in this Agreement, “Tax” or “Taxes” means any tax or other like assessment or charge (including, but not limited to, excise tax and withholding on amounts paid to
or by any person), together with any interest, penalty, addition to tax or additional amount imposed by any governmental authority (whether domestic, foreign, federal, state or local) responsible for the imposition of any such tax. “Tax
Return” means reports, returns, information returns, dividend reporting forms, elections, agreements, declarations, or other documents or reports of any nature or kind (including any attached schedules, supplements and additional or
supporting material) filed or required to be filed or furnished or required to be furnished with respect to Taxes, including any claim for refund, amended return or declaration of estimated Taxes (and including any amendments with respect
thereto);
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(l) The Target Fund has elected to be a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code and is a
fund, as defined in Section 851(g)(2) of the Code, that is treated as a separate corporation under Section 851(g)(1) of the Code. The Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) has qualified for treatment as a regulated investment
company for each taxable year since inception that has ended prior to the Closing Date and will have satisfied the requirements of Part I of Subchapter M of the Code to maintain such qualification for the period beginning on the first day of
its current taxable year and ending on the Closing Date. The Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) has been eligible to compute its federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code. The Target Fund (including its predecessor
fund, if any) has paid or made
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provision for the payment of any tax liability under Sections 852 or 4982 of the Code for any period ended on before the Closing Date. The Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any)
has no earnings or profits accumulated with respect to any taxable year in which the provisions of Subchapter M of the Code did not apply to it. The Target Fund does not own any “converted property” (as that term is defined in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.337(d)-7T(a)(2)) that is subject to the rules of Section 1374 of the Code as a consequence of the application of Section 337(d)(1) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. In order to (i) ensure
continued qualification of the Target Fund for treatment as a “regulated investment company” for tax purposes and (ii) eliminate any tax liability of the Target Fund arising by reason of undistributed investment company taxable income or net
capital gain, the Target Fund, will declare on or prior to the Valuation Time on the Closing Date to the shareholders of the Target Fund a dividend or dividends that, together with all previous such dividends, shall have the effect of distributing (i) substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to any deductions for dividends paid) and
substantially all of its net capital gains (after reduction for any capital loss carryover), if any, for the period from the close of its last fiscal year to the Closing Time on the Closing Date; (ii) all of its investment company taxable
income and net capital gains for its taxable year ended prior to the Closing Date to the extent not otherwise already distributed; and (iii) at least 90 percent of the excess, if any, of the Target Fund’s interest income excludible from gross
income under Section 103(a) of the Code over its deductions disallowed under Sections 265 and 171(a)(2) of the Code for its taxable year ended prior to the Closing Date and at least 90 percent of such net tax-exempt income for the period from
the close of its last fiscal year to the Closing Time on the Closing Date;
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(m) All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund are, and on the Closing Date will be, duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable by the Target Entity,
and are not, and on the Closing Date will not be, subject to preemptive or objecting shareholder rights. In every state where offered or sold, such offers and sales by the Target Fund have been in compliance in all material respects with
applicable registration and/or notice requirements of the 1933 Act and state and District of Columbia securities laws;
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(n) The Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, has all requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated herein. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary action, if any, on the part of the board of trustees of the Target Entity and, subject to the approval of
the shareholders of the Target Fund (only with respect to any obligations under this Agreement that are contingent on such shareholder approval) and the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto,
this Agreement will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Target Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;
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(o) The books and records of the Target Fund are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material omissions with respect to information required to be maintained under the
laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Target Fund;
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(p) The Target Entity is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a Title 11 or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Code;
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(q) The Target Fund has no unamortized or unpaid organizational fees or expenses;
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(r) The Target Fund has not changed its taxable year end within the most recent 60-month period ending on the last day of the month immediately preceding the Closing Date of a
Reorganization, and it does not intend to change its taxable year end prior to the Closing Date;
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(s) The Target Fund (including the Acquiring Fund as its successor) will not be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable
income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any (i) change in method of accounting for a taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date (including as a result of the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement); (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii)
installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; or (iv) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date; and
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(t) The Target Fund has no actual or potential material liability for any Tax obligation of any taxpayer other than itself. The Target Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) is
not currently and has never been a member of a group of corporations with which it has filed (or been required to file) consolidated, combined or unitary Tax Returns except as disclosed on Schedule 4.1(t) with respect to certain state Tax
Returns. The Target Fund is not a party to any Tax allocation, sharing, or indemnification agreement (other than agreements the primary purpose of which do not relate to Taxes).
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(a) The Acquiring Fund is duly organized as a series of the Acquiring Entity, which is a statutory trust duly formed, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, each with power under its Governing Documents, to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being, and as it is contemplated to be, conducted, and to enter into this Agreement and perform its
obligations hereunder;
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(b) The Acquiring Entity is a registered investment company classified as a management company of the open-end type, and its registration with the Commission as
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an investment company under the 1940 Act and the registration of the shares of the Acquiring Fund under the 1933 Act are in full force and effect;
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(c) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court, governmental authority or FINRA is required for the consummation by the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated
herein, except such as have been or will be (at or prior to the Closing Date) obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act and state securities laws or blue sky laws (which term as used herein shall include the laws of the District
of Columbia and of Puerto Rico), each of which, as required, shall have been obtained on or prior to the Closing Date. No consent of or notice to any other third party or entity is required for the consummation by the Acquiring Fund of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
|
|
(d) The registration statement on Form N-14 (the “N-14 Registration Statement”) and any other prospectus and/or statement of additional information of the Acquiring Fund to be used
in connection with the Reorganization will conform at the time of their use in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading;
|
|
(e) The Acquiring Fund is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable investment policies and restrictions set forth in the Acquiring Fund’s prospectus and statement of
additional information;
|
|
(f) The Acquiring Fund is not engaged currently, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result, in (i) a material violation of the Acquiring Entity’s
Governing Documents or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Fund or the Acquiring Entity is a party or by which it is bound, or (ii) the acceleration of any obligation, or the
imposition of any lien, encumbrance, penalty, or additional fee under any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, judgment or decree to which the Acquiring Fund or the Acquiring Entity is a party or by which it is bound;
|
|
(g) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.2(g), no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court, tribunal, arbitrator, governmental body, regulatory agency or
FINRA is presently pending or, to the Acquiring Fund’s knowledge, threatened against the Acquiring Fund, and no such litigation, proceeding or investigation, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect the Acquiring Fund’s
financial condition or the conduct of its business or the Acquiring Fund’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
|
|
(h) The financial statements of the Acquiring Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) for the Acquiring Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year have been audited by an independent
registered public accounting firm identified in the Acquiring Fund’s prospectus or statement of additional information included in the Acquiring
|
Fund’s registration statement on Form N-1A. To the knowledge of the Acquiring Fund, such statements, as well as the unaudited, semi-annual financial statements for the semi-annual period next
succeeding the Acquiring Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, if any, were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and such statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Acquiring
Fund as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Acquiring Fund required to be reflected on a balance sheet (including the notes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as of such date not disclosed
therein;
|
|
(i) Since the last day of the Acquiring Fund’s (including its predecessor fund, if any) most recently completed fiscal year, there has not been any material adverse change in the Acquiring
Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business, other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business;
|
|
(j) On the Closing Date, all material Tax Returns of the Acquiring Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) required by law to have been filed by such date (including any extensions)
shall have been filed and are or will be true, correct and complete in all material respects, and all Taxes shown as due or claimed to be due by any government entity shall have been paid or provision has been made for the payment thereof.
To the Acquiring Fund’s knowledge, no such Tax Return is currently under audit by any Federal, state, local or foreign Tax authority; no assessment has been asserted with respect to such Tax Returns; there are no levies, liens or other
encumbrances on the Acquiring Fund or its assets resulting from the non-payment of any Taxes; and no waivers of the time to assess any such Taxes are outstanding nor are any written requests for such waivers pending; and adequate provision
has been made in the financial statements of the Acquiring Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) for all Taxes in respect of all periods ended on or before the date of such financial statements;
|
|
(k) The Acquiring Fund has elected to be a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code and is a fund, as defined in Section 851(g)(2) of the Code, that is treated as a
separate corporation under Section 851(g)(1) of the Code. The Acquiring Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) has qualified for treatment as a regulated investment company for each taxable year since inception that has ended prior to
the Closing Date and has satisfied the requirements of Part I of Subchapter M of the Code to maintain such qualification for the period beginning on the first day of its current taxable year and ending on the Closing Date. The Acquiring Fund
has no earnings or profits accumulated in any taxable year in which the provisions of Subchapter M of the Code did not apply to it;
|
|
(l) All issued and outstanding Acquiring Fund shares are, and on the Closing Date will be, duly authorized and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable by the Acquiring
Entity and, in every state where offered or sold, such offers and sales have been in compliance in all material respects with applicable registration and/or notice requirements of the 1933 Act and state and District of Columbia securities
laws;
|
(m) The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, has all requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will have been duly authorized prior to the Closing Date by all necessary action, if any, on the part of the board of trustees of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and
subject to the approval of shareholders of the Target Fund and the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto, this Agreement will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Fund,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;
|
|
(n) The shares of the Acquiring Fund to be issued and delivered to the Target Fund, for the account of the Target Fund Shareholders, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, have been duly
authorized and, when so issued and delivered, will be duly and validly issued Acquiring Fund shares, and, upon receipt of the Target Fund’s Assets in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be fully paid and non-assessable by the
Acquiring Entity;
|
|
(o) The books and records of the Acquiring Fund are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material omissions with respect to information required to be maintained under
laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the Acquiring Fund;
|
|
(p) The Acquiring Entity is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a Title 11 or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Code;
|
(a) For federal income tax purposes, the fair market value of the Acquiring Fund’s shares that each Target Fund Shareholder receives will be approximately equal to the fair market value of
the Target Fund shares it actually or constructively surrenders in exchange therefor;
|
|
(b) The fair market value of the Assets will equal or exceed the Liabilities to be assumed by the Acquiring Fund and those to which the Assets are subject;
|
|
(c) No expenses incurred by the Target Fund or on its behalf in connection with the Reorganization will be paid or assumed by the Acquiring Fund or any other third party unless those
expenses are solely and directly related to the Reorganization (determined in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Rev. Rul. 73-54, 1973-1 C.B. 187) (“Reorganization Expenses”), and no cash or property other than Acquiring Fund
shares will be transferred to the Target Fund or any of its shareholders with the intention that it be used to pay any expenses (even Reorganization Expenses) thereof.
|
(a) The Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund each: (i) will operate its business in the ordinary course and substantially in accordance with past practices between the date hereof and the
Closing Date for the Reorganization, it being understood that such ordinary course of business may include the declaration and payment of customary dividends and distributions, and any other distribution that may be advisable, and (ii) shall
use its reasonable best efforts to preserve intact its business organization and material assets and maintain the rights, franchises and business and customer relations necessary to conduct the business operations of the Acquiring Fund or the
Target Fund, as appropriate, in the ordinary course in all material respects.
|
|
(b) If required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law, the Target Entity will call a meeting of the shareholders of the Target Fund to be held prior to the Closing Date to consider and
act upon this Agreement and to take all other action necessary to seek to obtain the required shareholder approval of the transactions contemplated herein.
|
|
(c) The Target Fund covenants that the Acquiring Fund’s shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement are not being acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof, other than
to the Target Fund’s shareholders in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
|
|
(d) The Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, will provide the Acquiring Fund with (1) a statement of the respective tax basis and holding period of all investments to be transferred
by the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund, (2) a copy (which may be in electronic form) of the shareholder ledger accounts including, without limitation, the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each shareholder of record, the
number of shares of beneficial interest held by each shareholder, the dividend reinvestment elections applicable to each shareholder, and the backup withholding and nonresident alien withholding certifications, notices or records on file with
the Target Fund with respect to each shareholder, for all of the shareholders of record of the Target Fund as of the close of business on the Closing Date, who are to become holders of the Acquiring Fund as a result of the transfer of Assets
(the “Target Fund Shareholder Documentation”), certified by its transfer agent or its President or Vice-President to the best of their knowledge and belief, (3) the tax books and records of the Target Fund for purposes of preparing any
returns required by law to be filed for tax periods ending after the Closing Date, and (4) all FASB ASC 740-10-25 (formerly FIN 48) workpapers and supporting statements pertaining to the Target Fund (the “FIN 48 Workpapers”). The
foregoing information to be provided within such timeframes as is mutually agreed by the parties.
|
|
(e) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund will each take, or cause to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably
necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
|
(f) As soon as is reasonably practicable after the Closing, the Target Fund will make one or more distributions to its shareholders consisting of all shares of the applicable class of the
Acquiring Fund received at the Closing, as set forth in Section 1.2(d) hereof.
|
|
(g) If reasonably requested by the Acquiring Fund, the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, shall deliver to the Acquiring Fund a statement of the earnings and profits (accumulated
and current) of the Target Fund for federal income tax purposes that will be carried over to the Acquiring Fund as a result of Section 381 of the Code. The information to be provided under this subsection shall be provided within such
timeframes as is mutually agreed by the parties.
|
|
(h) The Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund shall each use their best efforts prior to Closing to fulfill or obtain the fulfillment of the conditions precedent to effect the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
|
|
(i) It is the intention of the parties that each Reorganization will qualify as a reorganization with the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code. None of the parties to a Reorganization
shall take any action or cause any action to be taken (including, without limitation the filing of any Tax Return) that is inconsistent with such treatment or results in the failure of such Reorganization to qualify as a reorganization within
the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code.
|
|
(j) Any reporting responsibility of the Target Fund, including, but not limited to, the responsibility for filing regulatory reports, Tax Returns relating to tax periods ending on or prior
to the Closing Date (whether due before or after the Closing Date), or other documents with the Commission, any state securities commission, and any Federal, state or local tax authorities or any other relevant regulatory authority, is and
shall remain the responsibility of the Target Fund, except as otherwise is mutually agreed by the parties.
|
|
(k) The Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, shall deliver to the Acquiring Fund copies of: (1) the federal, state and local income Tax Returns filed by or on behalf of the Target
Fund (including its predecessor fund, if any) for the prior three (3) taxable years; and (2) any of the following that have been issued to or for the benefit of or that otherwise affect the Target Fund and which have continuing relevance: (a)
rulings, determinations, holdings or opinions issued by any federal, state, local or foreign tax authority and (b) legal or Tax opinions.
|
|
(l) The limited contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) applicable to Class A of the Acquiring Fund issued in connection with the Reorganization will be calculated based on the CDSC
schedule of Class A shares of the Target Fund and, for purposes of calculating the CDSC, recipients of such Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund shall be deemed to have acquired such shares on the date(s) that the corresponding shares of the
Target Fund were acquired by the shareholder.
|
(a) All representations and warranties of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Entity contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof
and, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as of the Closing Time, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Time;
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|
(b) The Acquiring Entity shall have delivered to the Target Fund as of the Closing Time a certificate executed in its name by its President or Vice President and Treasurer, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Target Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of or with respect to the Acquiring Fund made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the
Closing Time, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and
|
|
(c) The Acquiring Entity and the Acquiring Fund shall have performed all of the covenants and complied with all of the provisions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with
by the Acquiring Entity and the Acquiring Fund, on or before the Closing Time.
|
(a) All representations and warranties of the Target Entity and the Target Fund contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and,
except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as of the Closing Time, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Time;
|
|
(b) The Target Entity shall have delivered to the Acquiring Entity on the Closing Date a certificate executed in its name by its President or Vice President and Treasurer, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Entity and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of or with respect to the Target Fund made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of
the Closing Date, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
|
(c) If requested by the Acquiring Fund, the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, shall have delivered to the Acquiring Entity (i) a statement of the Target Fund’s Assets, a list of
portfolio securities of the Target Fund showing the adjusted tax basis of such securities by lot and the holding periods of such securities, as of the Closing Date, certified by the Treasurer of the Target Entity, (ii) the Target Fund
Shareholder Documentation, (iii) the tax books and records of the Target Fund for purposes of preparing any returns required by law to be filed for tax periods ending after the Closing Date (iv) the FIN 48 Workpapers, (v) to the extent
permitted by applicable law, all information pertaining to, or necessary or useful in the calculation or demonstration of, the investment performance of the Target Fund, and/or (vi) a statement of earnings and profits as provided in Section
5.1(f);
|
|
(d) The Target Entity shall have delivered to the Acquiring Entity as of the Closing Time a certificate executed in its name by its President or Vice President and Treasurer, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of or with respect to the Target Fund made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Closing
Time;
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|
(e) The Custodian and the Target Transfer Agent shall have delivered the certificates contemplated by Sections 3.2(b) and 3.2(d) of this Agreement, respectively, each duly executed by an
authorized officer of the Custodian, an authorized officer of the Target Transfer Agent or the Treasurer of the Target Entity, as applicable;
|
|
(f) The Target Entity and the Target Fund shall have performed all of the covenants and complied with all of the provisions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by
the Target Entity and the Target Fund, on or before the Closing Time;
|
|
(g) The Target Fund shall have declared and paid or cause to be paid a distribution or distributions prior to the Closing that, together with all previous distributions, shall have the
effect of distributing to its shareholders (i) substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to any deductions for dividends paid) and substantially all of its net capital gains (after reduction for any
capital loss carryover), if any, for the period from the close of its last fiscal year to the Closing Time on the Closing Date; (ii) all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gains for its taxable year ended prior to the
Closing Date to the extent not otherwise already distributed; and (iii) at least 90 percent of the excess, if any, of the Target Fund’s interest income excludible from gross income under Section 103(a) of the Code over its deductions
disallowed under Sections 265 and 171(a)(2) of the Code for its taxable year ended prior to the Closing Date and at least 90 percent of such net tax-exempt income for the period from the close of its last fiscal year to the Closing Time on
the Closing Date.
|
|
(h) The Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, shall have duly executed and delivered to the Acquiring Entity such bills of sale, assignments, certificates and other instruments of
transfer, including transfer instructions to the Custodian and instructions to the Acquiring Fund’s transfer agent as the Acquiring Entity
|
may reasonably deem necessary or desirable to evidence the transfer to the Acquiring Fund by the Target Fund all of the right, title and interest of the Target Fund in and to the respective
Assets of the Target Fund. In each case, the Assets of the Target Fund shall be accompanied by all necessary state stock transfer stamps or cash for the appropriate purchase price therefor;
|
|
(i) The Acquiring Entity shall have received at the Closing: (i) a certificate of an authorized signatory of the Custodian stating that the Assets of the Target Fund have been delivered to
the Acquiring Fund; and (ii) a certificate of an authorized signatory from the Custodian for the Acquiring Fund stating that the Assets of the Target Fund have been received;
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Delaware Group Equity Funds IV
Delaware Pooled Trust, each on behalf of its respective series identified on Exhibit A hereto By: _________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
Delaware Group Government Funds
Delaware Group Equity Funds II
Delaware Group Income Funds
Delaware Group Limited-Term
Government Funds, each on behalf of its respective series identified on Exhibit A hereto By: _________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
|
With respect to Section 9.1 only, Delaware Management Company, a series of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust
By: _________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
||
TARGET FUND (AND TARGET SHARE CLASSES) AND TARGET ENTITY
|
ACQUIRING FUND (AND SHARE CLASSES) AND ACQUIRING ENTITY
|
CLOSING DATE
|
Delaware Strategic Income II Fund, a series of Delaware Group Equity Funds IV
|
Delaware Strategic Income Fund, a series of Delaware Group Government Funds
|
|
Class A
|
Class A
|
|
Institutional
|
Institutional Class
|
|
Delaware Floating Rate II Fund, a series of Delaware Group Equity Funds IV
|
Delaware Floating Rate Fund, a series of Delaware Group Income Funds
|
|
Class A
|
Class A
|
|
Class R6
|
Class R6
|
|
Institutional
|
Institutional Class
|
|
Delaware Limited Duration Bond Fund, a series of Delaware Group Equity Funds IV
|
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund, a series of Delaware Group Limited-Term Government Funds
|
|
Class A
|
Class A
|
|
Class R6
|
Class R6
|
|
Institutional
|
Institutional Class
|
|
Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio, a series of Delaware Pooled Trust
|
Delaware Value Fund, a series of Delaware Group Equity Funds II
|
|
Portfolio Shares
|
Class R6
|
|
Financial highlights
|
||
Macquarie Large Cap Value Portfolio
|
Portfolio Class shares
|
Six months ended 4/30/211
(Unaudited) |
10/31/20
|
10/31/19
|
10/31/18
|
10/31/17
|
Year ended 10/31/16
|
Net asset value, beginning of period
|
$14.75
|
$24.35
|
$27.03
|
$28.54
|
$26.39
|
$27.30
|
Income (loss) from investment operations:
|
||||||
Net investment income2
|
0.14
|
0.34
|
0.46
|
0.46
|
0.47
|
0.51
|
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
|
4.68
|
(1.67)
|
0.83
|
1.97
|
3.09
|
1.19
|
Total from investment operations
|
4.82
|
(1.33)
|
1.29
|
2.43
|
3.56
|
1.70
|
Less dividends and distributions from:
|
||||||
Net investment income
|
(0.34)
|
(0.73)
|
(0.51)
|
(0.66)
|
(0.51)
|
(0.56)
|
Net realized gain
|
—
|
(7.54)
|
(3.46)
|
(3.28)
|
(0.90)
|
(2.05)
|
Total dividends and distributions
|
(0.34)
|
(8.27)
|
(3.97)
|
(3.94)
|
(1.41)
|
(2.61)
|
Net asset value, end of period
|
$19.23
|
$14.75
|
$24.35
|
$27.03
|
$28.54
|
$26.39
|
Total return3
|
32.96%4
|
(10.30%)4
|
6.70%4
|
9.00%
|
13.83%
|
7.15%
|
Ratios and supplemental data:
|
||||||
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
|
$50,672
|
$38,122
|
$47,833
|
$106,831
|
$168,868
|
$217,128
|
Ratio of expenses to average net assets5
|
0.70%
|
0.70%
|
0.70%
|
0.70%
|
0.66%
|
0.65%
|
Ratio of expenses to average net assets prior to fees waived5
|
0.84%
|
0.84%
|
0.75%
|
0.70%
|
0.66%
|
0.65%
|
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets
|
1.63%
|
2.08%
|
1.93%
|
1.68%
|
1.74%
|
1.97%
|
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets prior to fees waived
|
1.49%
|
1.94%
|
1.88%
|
1.68%
|
1.74%
|
1.97%
|
Portfolio turnover
|
24%
|
24%
|
23%
|
16%
|
23%
|
13%
|
1
|
Ratios have been annualized and total return and portfolio turnover have not been annualized.
|
2
|
The average shares outstanding method has been applied for per share information.
|
3
|
Total return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions at net asset value.
|
4
|
Total return reflects a waiver by the manager. Performance would have been lower had the waiver not been in effect.
|
5
|
Expense ratios do not include expenses of the Underlying Funds in which the Portfolio invests.
|
Financial highlights
|
||
Delaware Value® Fund
|
Class R6 shares
|
11/30/20
|
11/30/19
|
11/30/18
|
Year ended
11/30/17 |
5/2/161 to 11/30/16
|
Net asset value, beginning of period
|
$22.45
|
$22.30
|
$21.64
|
$19.57
|
$18.49
|
Income (loss) from investment operations:
|
|||||
Net investment income2
|
0.45
|
0.44
|
0.39
|
0.36
|
0.22
|
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
|
(0.64)
|
1.01
|
1.19
|
2.23
|
1.04
|
Total from investment operations
|
(0.19)
|
1.45
|
1.58
|
2.59
|
1.26
|
Less dividends and distributions from:
|
|||||
Net investment income
|
(0.45)
|
(0.43)
|
(0.40)
|
(0.36)
|
(0.18)
|
Net realized gain
|
(0.67)
|
(0.87)
|
(0.52)
|
(0.16)
|
—
|
Total dividends and distributions
|
(1.12)
|
(1.30)
|
(0.92)
|
(0.52)
|
(0.18)
|
Net asset value, end of period
|
$21.14
|
$22.45
|
$22.30
|
$21.64
|
$19.57
|
Total return3
|
(0.57%)
|
7.48%
|
7.46%
|
13.45%
|
6.83%
|
Ratios and supplemental data:
|
|||||
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
|
$1,121,302
|
$1,162,129
|
$582,092
|
$276,328
|
$4,650
|
Ratio of expenses to average net assets4
|
0.58%
|
0.58%
|
0.58%
|
0.60%
|
0.62%
|
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets
|
2.28%
|
2.03%
|
1.79%
|
1.78%
|
2.01%
|
Portfolio turnover
|
25%
|
16%
|
20%
|
16%
|
9%5
|
1
|
Date of commencement of operations; ratios have been annualized and total return has not been annualized.
|
2
|
The average shares outstanding method has been applied for per share information.
|
3
|
Total return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions at net asset value.
|
4
|
Expense ratios do not include expenses of the Underlying Funds in which the Fund invests.
|
5
|
Portfolio turnover is representative of the Fund for the entire period.
|
Acquisition of the Assets of:
|
||
MACQUARIE LARGE CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO
(a series of Delaware Pooled® Trust)
|
||
By and in exchange for shares of:
|
||
DELAWARE VALUE FUND
(a series of Delaware Group® Equity Funds II)
|
GENERAL
INFORMATION...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
3
|
||
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.........................................................................................................................................................................
|
3
|
||
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL
INFORMATION......................................................................................................................................................................................
|
6
|
Item 15.
|
Indemnification. Article VII, Section 2 (November 15, 2006) to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 filed March 27, 2008. Article VI of the Amended and Restated By-Laws (April 1, 2015) incorporated
into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 filed March 25, 2016.
|
|||
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to Trustees, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in
the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question
whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
|
||||
Item 16.
|
Exhibits. The following exhibits are incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s previously filed registration statements on Form N-1A indicated below, except as noted:
|
|||
(1)
|
Copies of the charter of the Registrant as now in effect;
|
|||
(a)
|
Executed Agreement and Declaration of Trust (December 17, 1998) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 113 filed November 22, 1999.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Certificate of Amendment (November 15, 2006) to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 filed March 27, 2008.
|
|||
(ii)
|
Executed Certificate of Amendment (February 26, 2009) to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 132 filed January 29, 2010.
|
|||
(iii)
|
Executed Certificate of Amendment (August 18, 2009) to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 132 filed January 29, 2010.
|
|||
(iv)
|
Executed Certificate of Amendment (May 21, 2015) to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 filed March 25, 2016.
|
|||
(b)
|
Executed Certificate of Trust (December 17, 1998) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 filed
November 22, 1999.
|
|||
(2)
|
Copies of the existing By-Laws or corresponding instruments of the Registrant;
|
|||
(a)
|
Amended and Restated By-Laws (April 1, 2015) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 filed March 25, 2016.
|
|||
(3)
|
Copies of any voting trust agreement affecting more than 5 percent of any class of equity securities of the Registrant;
|
|||
Not applicable.
|
||||
(4)
|
Copies of the agreement of acquisition, reorganization, merger, liquidation and any amendments to it;
|
(a)
|
Form of Agreement and Plan of Reorganization is filed herewith as Exhibit A to the Prospectus/Proxy Statement.
|
|||
(5)
|
Copies of all instruments defining the rights of holders of the securities being registered, including copies, where applicable, of the relevant portion of the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Registrant;
|
|||
None other than those contained in Exhibits (1) and (2).
|
||||
(6)
|
Copies of all investment advisory contracts relating to the management of the assets of the Registrant;
|
|||
(a)
|
Executed Investment Management Agreement (January 4, 2010) between Delaware Management Company (a series of Macquarie Investment Management
Business Trust) and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 filed March 28, 2014.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Amendment No. 1 (May 12, 2012) to Exhibit A to the Investment Management Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 138 filed March 28, 2013.
|
|||
(b)
|
Executed Sub-Advisory Agreement (May 30, 2019) between Macquarie Funds Management Hong Kong Limited and Delaware Management Company (a
series of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 filed March 26, 2020.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Amendment No. 1 (December 6, 2019) to Schedule 1 of the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Macquarie Funds Management Hong Kong
Limited and Delaware Management Company (a series of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 filed March 26, 2020.
|
|||
(c)
|
Executed Sub-Advisory Agreement (May 30, 2019) between Macquarie Investment Management Global Limited and Delaware Management Company
(a series of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 filed March 26, 2020.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Amendment No. 1 (December 6, 2019) to Schedule 1 of the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Macquarie Investment Management
Global Limited and Delaware Management Company (a series of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 filed March 26, 2020.
|
|||
(7)
|
Copies of each underwriting or distribution contract between the Registrant and a principal underwriter, and specimens or copies of all agreements between principal underwriters and dealers;
|
|||
(a)
|
Distribution Agreements.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement (February 25, 2016) between Delaware Distributors, L.P. and the Registrant
incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 148 filed January 13, 2017.
|
|||
(b)
|
Form of Dealer's Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 filed March 28, 2019.
|
|||
(c)
|
Form of Registered Investment Advisers Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 filed
March 28, 2019.
|
|||
(d)
|
Form of Bank/Trust Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 filed March 28, 2019.
|
(8)
|
Copies of all bonus, profit sharing, pension or other similar contracts or arrangements wholly or partly for the benefit of directors or officers of the Registrant in their capacity as such. Furnish a reasonably detailed description of any
plan that is not set forth in a formal document;
|
|||
Not applicable.
|
||||
(9)
|
Copies of all custodian agreements and depository contracts under Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), for securities and similar investments of the Registrant, including the schedule of
remuneration;
|
|||
(a)
|
Executed Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement (July 20, 2007) between The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly, Mellon Bank, N.A.) and the
Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 131 filed March 27, 2009.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Amendment (January 1, 2014) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 filed March 30, 2015.
|
|||
(ii)
|
Executed Amendment No. 2 (July 1, 2017) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 165 filed March 29, 2018.
|
|||
(b)
|
Executed Securities Lending Authorization Agreement (July 20, 2007) between The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly, Mellon Bank, N.A.) and the
Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 130 filed March 27, 2008.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Amendment (September 22, 2009) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 134 filed March 30, 2011.
|
|||
(ii)
|
Executed Amendment No. 2 (January 1, 2010) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 133 filed March 30, 2010.
|
|||
(10)
|
Copies of any plan entered into by Registrant pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act and any agreements with any person relating to implementation of the plan, and copies of any plan entered into by Registrant pursuant to Rule 18f-3
under the 1940 Act, any agreement with any person relating to implementation of the plan, any amendment to the plan, and a copy of the portion of the minutes of the meeting of the Registrant’s trustees describing any action taken to revoke
the plan;
|
|||
(a)
|
Plan under Rule 12b-1 for Class A (April 19, 2001) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 118 filed January 31,
2002.
|
|||
(b)
|
Plan under Rule 12b-1 for Class C (April 19, 2001) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 118 filed January 31,
2002.
|
|||
(c)
|
Plan under Rule 12b-1 for Class R (May 15, 2003) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 128 filed March 28, 2006.
|
|||
(d)
|
Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 (November 18, 2020) incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 171 filed March 29, 2021.
|
|||
(11) |
An opinion and consent of counsel as to the legality of the securities being registered, indicating whether they will, when sold, be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable;
|
|||
(a) | Opinion and Consent of Counsel (June 2021) relating to the
Registrant attached as Exhibit EX-99.11.a. |
(12)
|
An opinion, and consent to their use, of counsel or, in lieu of an opinion, a copy of the revenue ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, supporting the tax matters and consequences to shareholders discussed in the prospectus;
|
|||
(a)
|
Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding tax matters to be filed by Amendment.
|
|||
(13)
|
Copies of all material contracts of the Registrant not made in the ordinary course of business which are to be performed in whole or in part on or after the date of filing the registration statement;
|
|||
(a)
|
Executed Shareholder Services Agreement (April 19, 2001) between Delaware Service Company, Inc. and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 118 filed January 31, 2002.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Letter Amendment (August 23, 2002) to the Shareholder Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 122 filed November 24, 2003.
|
|||
(ii)
|
Executed Amendment No. 1 (May 12, 2012) to Schedule A to the Shareholder Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 138 filed March 28, 2013.
|
|||
(iii)
|
Executed Amended and Restated Schedule B (July 1, 2018) to the Shareholder Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 filed March 28, 2019.
|
|||
(iv)
|
Executed Assignment and Assumption Agreement (November 1, 2014) between Delaware Service Company, Inc. and Delaware Investments Fund
Services Company relating to the Shareholder Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 filed March 30, 2015.
|
|||
(b)
|
Executed Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement (January 1, 2014) between The Bank of New York
Mellon and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 filed March 28, 2014.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Amendment No. 1 (July 1, 2017) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement
incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 165 filed March 29, 2018.
|
|||
(c)
|
Executed Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Oversight Agreement (January 1, 2014) between Delaware Service
Company, Inc. and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 filed March 28, 2014.
|
|||
(i)
|
Executed Assignment and Assumption Agreement (November 1, 2014) between Delaware Service Company, Inc. and Delaware Investments Fund Services
Company relating to the Oversight Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 filed March 30, 2015.
|
|||
(ii)
|
Executed Amendment No. 1 (September 1, 2017) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Oversight
Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 165 filed March 29, 2018.
|
|||
(14)
|
Copies of any other opinions, appraisals or rulings, and consents to their use relied on in preparing the registration statement and required by Section 7 of the 1933 Act;
|
|||
(a)
|
||||
(b)
|
(15)
|
All financial statements omitted pursuant to Item 14(a)(1);
|
||
Not applicable.
|
|||
(16)
|
Manually signed copies of any power of attorney pursuant to which the name of any person has been signed to the registration statement; and
|
||
(a)
|
|||
(17)
|
Any additional exhibits which the Registrant may wish to file.
|
||
(a)
|
Code of Ethics for Macquarie Investment Management, Delaware Funds® by Macquarie and Optimum Fund Trust
(September 8, 2020) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 171 filed March 29, 2021.
|
||
(b)
|
Code of Ethics for Macquarie Funds Management Hong Kong Limited (February 2016) incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 filed March 26, 2020.
|
||
(c)
|
Code of Ethics for Macquarie Investment Management Global Limited (June 2016) incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 filed March 26, 2020.
|
||
Item 17.
|
Undertakings.
|
||
(1)
|
The undersigned Registrant agrees that prior to any public reoffering of the securities registered through the use of a prospectus which is a part of this registration statement by any person or party who is deemed to be an underwriter
within the meaning of Rule 145(c) of the Securities Act, the reoffering prospectus will contain the information called for by the applicable registration form for reofferings by persons who may be deemed underwriters, in addition to the
information called for by the other items of the applicable form.
|
||
(2)
|
The undersigned Registrant agrees that every prospectus that is filed under paragraph (1) above will be filed as a part of an amendment to the registration statement and will not be used until the amendment is effective, and that, in
determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement for the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering of them.
|
||
(3)
|
The undersigned Registrant agrees to file by Post-Effective Amendment the opinion and consent of counsel regarding the tax consequences of the proposed reorganization required by Item 16(12) of Form N-14 within a reasonable time after
receipt of such opinion.
|
||
DELAWARE GROUP EQUITY FUNDS II
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Richard Salus
|
Richard Salus
Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer |
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
||
Shawn K. Lytle
|
*
|
President/Chief Executive Officer
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Shawn K. Lytle
|
(Principal Executive Officer) and Trustee
|
|||
Jerome D. Abernathy
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Jerome D. Abernathy
|
||||
Thomas L. Bennett
|
*
|
Chair and Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Thomas L. Bennett
|
||||
Ann D. Borowiec
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Ann D. Borowiec
|
||||
Joseph W. Chow
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Joseph W. Chow
|
||||
John A. Fry
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
John A. Fry
|
||||
Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa
|
||||
Thomas K. Whitford
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Thomas K. Whitford
|
||||
Christianna Wood
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Christianna Wood
|
||||
Janet L. Yeomans
|
*
|
Trustee
|
June 25, 2021
|
|
Janet L. Yeomans
|
||||
/s/ Richard Salus
|
Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer
|
June 25, 2021
|
||
Richard Salus
|
(Principal Financial Officer)
|
Exhibit No.
|
Exhibit
|
EX-99.10.d.i
|
|
EX-99.11.a
|
|
EX-99.14.a
|
|
EX-99.14.b
|
|
EX-99.16.a
|