N-CSRS 1 d135253dncsrs.htm NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS Northern Institutional Funds

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-CSR

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT

INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number            811-03605                

                                     Northern Institutional Funds                            

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

50 South LaSalle Street

                                 Chicago, IL 60603                                

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

Name and Address of Agent for Service:

Michael D. Mabry

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP

2005 Market Street, Suite 2600

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

  

with a copy to:

Kevin P. O’Rourke

Jose J. Del Real, Esq.

The Northern Trust Company

50 South LaSalle Street

Chicago, Illinois 60603

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (800) 637-1380

Date of fiscal year end: November 30

Date of reporting period: May 31, 2021

 


Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

 

(a)

Copy of the report transmitted to stockholders pursuant to Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”) (17 CFR 270.30e-1).

 


LOGO


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  2    

STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

  3    

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

  4    

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

  6    

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  12    

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS

  12    

TREASURY PORTFOLIO

 

Ticker Symbols:

 

Shares: NITXX

 

Premier: NTPXX

  16    

U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO

 

Ticker Symbols:

 

Shares: BNGXX

 

Service: BGCXX

  20    

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT PORTFOLIO

 

Ticker Symbols:

 

Shares: BGSXX

 

Service: BSCXX

 

Siebert Williams Shank Shares (formerly

 

known as Williams Capital Shares): WCGXX

  25    

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

  33    

FUND EXPENSES

  35    

APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

  40    

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

This report has been prepared for the general information of Northern Institutional Funds shareholders. It is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors unless accompanied or preceded by a current Northern Institutional Funds summary prospectus or prospectus, which contains more complete information about a fund’s investment objectives, risks, fees and expenses. Investors are reminded to read a summary prospectus or prospectus carefully before investing or sending money.

 

 

You could lose money by investing in the Portfolios. Although each Portfolio seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so.

An investment in a Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), any other government agency, or The Northern Trust Company, its affiliates, subsidiaries or any other bank. The Portfolios’ sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Portfolios, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Portfolios at any time.

Northern Institutional Funds are distributed by Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101, not affiliated with Northern Trust.

 

NOT FDIC INSURED

 

 

May lose value / No bank guarantee

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   1   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES    MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

Amounts in thousands, except per share data    TREASURY
PORTFOLIO
     U.S.
GOVERNMENT
PORTFOLIO
     U.S.
GOVERNMENT
SELECT
PORTFOLIO
 

ASSETS:

          

Investments, at value

     $52,193,307        $14,073,370        $27,941,881  

Repurchase agreements, at value

     31,421,739        8,844,767        16,547,090  

Cash and cash equivalents

     1,382,501        761,686        1,108,405  

Interest income receivable

     59,178        11,481        22,561  

Receivable for securities sold

     1,448,594        141,182        297,466  

Receivable for fund shares sold

     678,453        63,317        2  

Receivable from affiliates for expense reimbursements

     10,312        3,721        6,772  

Prepaid and other assets

     232        50        126  

Total Assets

     87,194,316        23,899,574        45,924,303  

LIABILITIES:

          

Payable for securities purchased

     3,040,083        414,972        839,943  

Payable for fund shares redeemed

            676,728        13,577  

Distributions payable to shareholders

     686               1,131  

Payable to affiliates:

          

Management fees

     8,880        4,384        6,849  

Custody fees

     1,338        193        573  

Shareholder servicing fees

     2,490                

Transfer agent fees

     1,912        551        1,071  

Accrued Trustee fees

     42        104        66  

Accrued other liabilities

     96        67        91  

Total Liabilities

     3,055,527        1,096,999        863,301  

Net Assets

     $84,138,789        $22,802,575        $45,061,002  

ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS:

          

Capital stock

     $84,138,416        $22,802,602        $45,060,928  

Distributable earnings (loss)

     373        (27      74  

Net Assets

     $84,138,789        $22,802,575        $45,061,002  

Net Assets:

          

Shares

     $22,942,076        $22,802,574        $37,430,527  

Service Shares

            1        131,231  

Premier Shares

     61,196,713                

Siebert Williams Shank Shares(1)

                   7,499,244  

Total Shares Outstanding (no par value, unlimited shares authorized):

          

Shares

     22,941,719        22,802,567        37,430,415  

Service Shares

            1        131,230  

Premier Shares

     61,196,697                

Siebert Williams Shank Shares(1)

                   7,499,303  

Net Asset Value, Redemption and Offering Price Per Share:

          

Shares

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Service Shares

            1.00        1.00  

Premier Shares

     1.00                

Siebert Williams Shank Shares(1)

                   1.00  

Investments, at cost

     $52,193,307        $14,073,370        $27,941,881  

Repurchase agreements, at cost

     31,421,739        8,844,767        16,547,090  

 

(1)

Formerly known as Williams Capital Shares.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   2   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS    FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

Amounts in thousands    TREASURY
PORTFOLIO
     U.S.
GOVERNMENT
PORTFOLIO
     U.S.
GOVERNMENT
SELECT
PORTFOLIO
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

          

Interest income

     $35,530        $9,618        $20,590  

Total Investment Income

     35,530        9,618        20,590  

EXPENSES:

          

Management fees

     49,147        23,791        36,403  

Custody fees

     2,979        659        1,474  

Transfer agent fees

     5,671        1,552        3,034  

Registration fees

     65        3        15  

Printing fees

     31        8        16  

Professional fees

     184        83        116  

Shareholder servicing fees

     14,199                

Trustee fees

     342        78        167  

Other

     268        71        141  

Total Expenses

     72,886        26,245        41,366  

Less expenses voluntarily reimbursed by investment adviser

     (38,187      (16,398      (24,189

Less expenses contractually reimbursed by investment adviser

     (1,488      (232      (665

Less custodian credits

            (1       

Net Expenses

     33,211        9,614        16,512  

Net Investment Income

     2,319        4        4,078  

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS:

          

Net realized gains on:

          

Investments

     340        20        115  

Net Gains

     340        20        115  

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

     $2,659        $24        $4,193  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   3   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS   

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021, (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 2020

 

    

TREASURY

PORTFOLIO

    

U.S.

GOVERNMENT

PORTFOLIO

    

U.S.

GOVERNMENT

SELECT PORTFOLIO

 
Amounts in thousands    2021      2020      2021      2020      2021      2020  

OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     $2,319        $302,846        $4        $77,948        $4,078        $161,660  

Net realized gains

     340        1,477        20        520        115        1,427  

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

     2,659        304,323        24        78,468        4,193        163,087  

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:(1)

                 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from Shares transactions

     (2,989,712      13,002,563        5,776,299        1,888,335        (2,868,346      14,407,059  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from Service Shares transactions

                          (1,975      (16,386      4,455  

Net increase in net assets resulting from Premier Shares transactions

     6,175,747        16,389,978                              

Net increase in net assets resulting from Siebert Williams Shank Shares transactions(2)

                                 5,935,267        1,108,200  

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Capital Share Transactions

     3,186,035        29,392,541        5,776,299        1,886,360        3,050,535        15,519,714  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHARES SHAREHOLDERS:

                 

Distributable earnings

     (941      (100,024      (525      (78,079      (4,930      (157,637

Total Distributions to Shares Shareholders

     (941      (100,024      (525      (78,079      (4,930      (157,637

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SERVICE SHARES SHAREHOLDERS:

                 

Distributable earnings

                   (3)        (10      (17      (638

Total Distributions to Service Shares Shareholders

                          (10      (17      (638

DISTRIBUTIONS TO PREMIER SHARES SHAREHOLDERS:

                 

Distributable earnings

     (2,850      (203,869                            

Total Distributions to Premier Shares Shareholders

     (2,850      (203,869                            

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SIEBERT WILLIAMS SHANK SHARES(2) SHAREHOLDERS:

                 

Distributable earnings

                                 (559      (3,642

Total Distributions to Siebert Williams Shank Shares(2) Shareholders

                                 (559      (3,642

Total Increase in Net Assets

     3,184,903        29,392,971        5,775,798        1,886,739        3,049,222        15,520,884  

NET ASSETS:

                 

Beginning of period

     80,953,886        51,560,915        17,026,777        15,140,038        42,011,780        26,490,896  

End of period

     $84,138,789        $80,953,886        $22,802,575        $17,026,777        $45,061,002        $42,011,780  

 

(1)

The number of shares approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

(2)

Formerly known as Williams Capital Shares.

(3)

Amounts round to less than $1,000.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   4   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS   

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED NOVEMBER 30,

 

TREASURY PORTFOLIO           SHARES                       
Selected per share data    2021      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (1),(2)        0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01        (2)  

Net realized gains (losses)(2)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

            0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (2)        (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (2)  

From net realized gains

                   (2)        (2)                

Total Distributions Paid

            (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(3)

     0.01 %(4)        0.54 %(5)        2.17      1.63      0.70      0.23

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $22,942,076        $25,932,036        $12,929,215        $4,231,663        $11,867,693        $9,790,988  

Ratio to average net assets of:(6)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.09      0.15      0.15 %(7)        0.15 %(7)        0.15 %(7)        0.15 %(7),(8)  

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.15      0.16      0.16      0.16      0.16      0.20 %(8)  

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.01      0.35      2.09 %(7)        1.46 %(7)        0.71 %(7)        0.22 %(7),(8)  

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.05 )%       0.34      2.08      1.45      0.70      0.17 %(8)  

 

(1)

Net investment income for the period ended was calculated using the average shares outstanding method.

(2)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income and net realized gains were less than $0.01 per share.

(3)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of the investment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(4)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Share class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $5,826,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been -0.03% (see Note 4).

(5)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Share class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $124,000 and had no effect on the Portfolio’s total return.

(6)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(7)

The impact on Net Assets due to any custody credits is less than 0.005%.

(8)

Effective August 1, 2016, the investment adviser reduced the management fees paid by the Portfolio. Effective August 1, 2016, the investment adviser agreed to increase the expense reimbursements it provides the Portfolio by contractually limiting the Portfolio’s total expenses (other than certain excepted expenses noted in the Notes to Financial Statements) to 0.15%. Prior to August 1, 2016, the expense limitation had been 0.20%.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   5   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS   

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED NOVEMBER 30,

 

            PREMIER                       
Selected per share data    2021      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016(1)  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (2),(3)        (3)        0.02        0.02        0.01        (3)  

Net realized gains (losses)(3)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

                   0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (3)        (3)        (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (3)  

From net realized gains

                   (3)        (3)                

Total Distributions Paid

                   (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(4)

     0.00 %(5)        0.50 %(6)        2.12      1.58      0.65      0.07

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $61,196,713        $55,021,850        $38,631,700        $34,048,992        $33,507,259        $24,476,939  

Ratio to average net assets of:(7)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.09      0.20      0.20 %(8)        0.20 %(8)        0.20 %(8)        0.20 %(8)  

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.01      0.41      2.11 %(8)        1.57 %(8)        0.67 %(8)        0.21 %(8)  

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.11 )%       0.40      2.10      1.56      0.66      0.20

 

(1)

For the period August 1, 2016 (commencement of operations) through November 30, 2016.

(2)

Net investment income for the period ended was calculated using the average shares outstanding method.

(3)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income and net realized gains were less than $0.01 per share.

(4)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of the investment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(5)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Premier class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $32,361,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been -0.05% (see Note 4).

(6)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Premier class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $2,734,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been 0.49%.

(7)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(8)

The impact on Net Assets due to any custody credits is less than 0.005%.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   6   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


 

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021, (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED NOVEMBER 30,

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO           SHARES                       
Selected per share data    2021      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (1)        (1),(2)        0.02        0.02        0.01 (2)        (1)  

Net realized gains (losses)(1)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

                   0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (1)        (1)        (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (1)  

Total Distributions Paid

                   (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(3)

     0.00 %(4)        0.49 %(5)        2.09      1.54      0.62      0.11

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $22,802,574        $17,026,776        $15,138,062        $13,197,876        $13,905,729        $4,919,953  

Ratio to average net assets of:(6)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits(7)

     0.09      0.24      0.25      0.25      0.25 %(8)        0.30 %(9)  

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.25      0.26      0.26      0.26      0.30 %(8)        0.37

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits(7)

     %(10)        0.41      2.07      1.53      0.62 %(8)        0.10 %(9)  

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.16 )%       0.39      2.06      1.52      0.57 %(8)        0.03

 

(1)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income were less than $0.01 per share.

(2)

Net investment income for the fiscal year was calculated using the average shares outstanding method.

(3)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of the investment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(4)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Shares class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $16,398,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been -0.07% (see Note 4).

(5)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Shares class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $1,982,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been 0.48%.

(6)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(7)

The impact on Net Assets due to any custody credits is less than 0.005%.

(8)

Effective April 1, 2017, the investment adviser reduced the contractual management fee rate paid by the Portfolio.

(9)

Effective July 1, 2016, the investment adviser agreed to increase the expense reimbursements it provides the Portfolio by contractually limiting the Portfolio’s total expenses (other than certain expenses noted in the Notes to Financial Statements) to 0.25%. Prior to July 1, 2016, the expense limitation had been 0.35%.

(10)

Amount was less than 0.01%.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   7   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS continued

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO   

SERVICE

 
Selected per share data    2021      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (1)        (1),(2)       0.02        0.02        0.01 (2)        (1)  

Net realized gains (losses)(1)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

                   0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (1)        (1)        (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (1)  

Total Distributions Paid

                   (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(3)

     0.00      0.49 %(4)       2.09      1.54      0.62      0.11

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $1        $1        $1,976        $1,293        $1,580        $575  

Ratio to average net assets of:(5)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits(6)

     0.09      0.24      0.25      0.25      0.25 %(7)       0.32 %(8) 

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.25      0.26      0.26      0.26      0.30 %(7)       0.36

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits(6)

     %(9)       0.49      2.03      1.50      0.66 %(7)       0.08 %(8) 

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.16 )%       0.47      2.02      1.49      0.61 %(7)       0.04

 

(1)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income were less than $0.01 per share.

(2)

Net investment income for the fiscal year was calculated using the average shares outstanding method.

(3)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of the investment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(4)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Service class of the Portfolio in the amount of less than $1,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been 0.48%.

(5)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(6)

The impact on Net Assets due to any custody credits is less than 0.005%.

(7)

Effective April 1, 2017, the investment adviser reduced the contractual management fee rate paid by the Portfolio.

(8)

Effective July 1, 2016, the investment adviser agreed to increase the expense reimbursements it provides the Portfolio by contractually limiting the Portfolio’s total expenses (other than certain expenses noted in the Notes to Financial Statements) to 0.25%. Prior to July 1, 2016, the expense limitation had been 0.35%.

(9)

Amount was less than 0.01%.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   8   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


 

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021, (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED NOVEMBER 30,

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT PORTFOLIO           SHARES                       
Selected per share data    2021      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (1)        0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01        (1)  

Net realized gains (losses)(1)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

            0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (1)        (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (1)  

From net realized gains

                   (1)        (1)                

Total Distributions Paid

            (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(2)

     0.01 %(3)        0.53 %(4)        2.13      1.58      0.66      0.20

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $37,430,527        $40,300,072        $25,891,894        $23,961,606        $23,555,556        $23,689,538  

Ratio to average net assets of:(5)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.08      0.18      0.20      0.20 %(6)        0.20 %(6)        0.20 %(6)  

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.20      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.02      0.42      2.10      1.57 %(6)        0.66 %(6)        0.20 %(6)  

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.10 )%       0.39      2.09      1.56      0.65      0.19

 

(1)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income and net realized gains were less than $0.01 per share.

(2)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of the investment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(3)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Shares class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $21,462,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been -0.05% (see Note 4).

(4)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Shares class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $7,812,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been 0.51%.

(5)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(6)

The impact on Net Assets due to any custody credits is less than 0.005%.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   9   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS continued

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT PORTFOLIO           SERVICE                       
Selected per share data    2021      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (1)        0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01        (1)  

Net realized gains (losses)(1)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

            0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (1)        (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (1)  

From net realized gains

                   (1)        (1)                

Total Distributions Paid

            (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(2)

     0.01 %(3)       0.53 %(4)       2.13      1.58      0.66      0.20

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $131,231        $147,620        $143,163        $113,037        $127,777        $172,258  

Ratio to average net assets of:(5)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.08      0.18      0.20      0.20 %(6)        0.20 %(6)        0.20 %(6)  

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.20      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.02      0.51      2.06      1.59 %(6)        0.65 %(6)        0.21 %(6)  

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.10 )%       0.48      2.05      1.58      0.64      0.20

 

(1)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income and net realized gains were less than $0.01 per share.

(2)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of the investment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(3)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Service class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $74,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been -0.05% (see Note 4).

(4)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Service class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $29,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been 0.50%.

(5)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(6)

The impact on Net Assets due to any custody credits is less than 0.005%.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   10   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


 

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021, (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED NOVEMBER 30,

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT PORTFOLIO   

SIEBERT WILLIAMS SHANK(1)

 
Selected per share data    2021(1)      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (2)        0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01        (2)  

Net realized gains (losses)(2)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

            0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (2)        (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (2)  

From net realized gains

                   (2)        (2)                

Total Distributions Paid

            (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(3)

     0.01 %(4)        0.53 %(5)        2.13      1.58      0.66      0.20

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $7,499,244        $1,564,088        $455,839        $216,367        $472,479        $474,161  

Ratio to average net assets of:(6)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.08      0.18      0.20      0.20 %(7)        0.20 %(7)        0.20 %(7)  

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.20      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21      0.21

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.01      0.25      2.06      1.54 %(7)        0.66 %(7)        0.21 %(7)  

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.11 )%       0.22      2.05      1.53      0.65      0.20

 

(1)

Formerly known as Williams Capital Shares.

(2)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income and net realized gains were less than $0.01 per share.

(3)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of the investment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(4)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Siebert Williams Shank class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $2,653,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been -0.05% (see Note 4).

(5)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Siebert Williams Shank (formerly known as Williams Capital) class of the Portfolio in the amount of approximately $324,000. Total return excluding the voluntary reimbursement would have been 0.51%.

(6)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(7)

The impact on Net Assets due to any custody credits is less than 0.005%.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   11   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

TREASURY PORTFOLIO

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
     VALUE
(000s)
 
U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 62.0%  

U.S. Treasury Bills – 36.8%

     

0.01%, 6/1/21 (1)

     $975,000        $975,000  

0.03%, 6/1/21 (1)

     450,000        450,000  

0.04%, 6/1/21 (1)

     628,100        628,100  

0.09%, 6/1/21 (1)

     323,500        323,500  

0.01%, 6/3/21 (1)

     1,165,000        1,164,998  

0.04%, 6/3/21 (1)

     750,000        749,999  

0.06%, 6/3/21 (1)

     499,300        499,299  

0.01%, 6/8/21 (1)

     73,250        73,249  

0.02%, 6/8/21 (1)

     201,680        201,678  

0.10%, 6/8/21 (1)

     220,000        219,998  

0.02%, 6/15/21 (1)

     805,000        804,987  

0.04%, 6/15/21 (1)

     25,000        25,000  

0.09%, 6/15/21 (1)

     405,000        404,993  

0.01%, 6/17/21 (1)

     1,900,600        1,900,592  

0.01%, 6/29/21 (1)

     679,500        679,478  

0.04%, 6/29/21 (1)

     659,350        659,329  

0.09%, 6/29/21 (1)

     334,000        333,989  

0.01%, 7/1/21 (1)

     458,900        458,880  

0.10%, 7/1/21 (1)

     425,000        424,982  

0.01%, 7/6/21 (1)

     595,000        594,972  

0.05%, 7/6/21 (1)

     205,000        204,990  

0.08%, 7/6/21 (1)

     720,000        719,966  

0.01%, 7/8/21 (1)

     319,550        319,546  

0.02%, 7/8/21 (1)

     237,340        237,337  

0.03%, 7/8/21 (1)

     43,495        43,494  

0.01%, 7/13/21 (1)

     560,000        559,980  

0.03%, 7/13/21 (1)

     290,000        289,990  

0.05%, 7/13/21 (1)

     418,950        418,935  

0.06%, 7/13/21 (1)

     380,000        379,986  

0.02%, 7/15/21 (1)

     841,000        840,957  

0.14%, 7/15/21 (1)

     198,200        198,190  

0.01%, 7/20/21 (1)

     1,581,350        1,581,318  

0.05%, 7/20/21 (1)

     400,000        399,992  

0.02%, 7/22/21 (1)

     200,000        199,985  

0.03%, 7/22/21 (1)

     621,500        621,454  

0.10%, 7/22/21 (1)

     550,000        549,959  

0.01%, 7/27/21 (1)

     1,498,000        1,497,988  

0.02%, 7/29/21 (1)

     500,000        499,959  

0.09%, 7/29/21 (1)

     425,000        424,965  

0.02%, 8/5/21 (1)

     1,425,000        1,424,961  

0.01%, 8/12/21 (1)

     200,000        199,983  

0.02%, 8/12/21 (1)

     1,035,000        1,034,910  

0.05%, 8/12/21 (1)

     770,630        770,563  

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
    

VALUE

(000s)

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 62.0% – continued

 

U.S. Treasury Bills – 36.8% – continued

     

0.06%, 8/12/21 (1)

     $100,000        $99,991  

0.14%, 8/12/21 (1)

     255,000        254,978  

0.01%, 8/19/21 (1)

     375,000        374,988  

0.02%, 8/19/21 (1)

     1,006,250        1,006,218  

0.06%, 9/9/21 (1)

     380,000        379,892  

0.14%, 9/9/21 (1)

     259,100        259,026  

0.15%, 9/9/21 (1)

     145,000        144,959  

0.01%, 9/21/21 (1)

     830,000        829,960  

0.02%, 9/21/21 (1)

     200,000        199,990  

0.02%, 9/28/21 (1)

     1,542,200        1,542,095  

0.14%, 10/7/21 (1)

     120,325        120,266  

0.14%, 11/4/21 (1)

     215,000        214,872  

0.11%, 12/2/21 (1)

     335,000        334,805  

0.12%, 12/2/21 (1)

     230,000        229,866  
                30,984,337  

U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes – 14.1%

 

  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.03%),
0.05%, 6/1/21 (2)

     569,800        569,822  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.06%),
0.07%, 6/1/21 (2)

     5,329,700        5,330,001  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.11%),
0.13%, 6/1/21 (2)

     1,946,560        1,947,137  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.15%),
0.17%, 6/1/21 (2)

     1,883,800        1,883,493  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.22%),
0.24%, 6/1/21 (2)

     1,246,250        1,246,201  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.30%),
0.32%, 6/1/21 (2)

     925,000        925,660  
                11,902,314  

U.S. Treasury Notes – 11.1%

     

2.63%, 6/15/21

     669,000        669,652  

1.63%, 6/30/21

     245,500        245,790  

2.13%, 6/30/21

     400,000        400,637  

1.13%, 7/31/21

     825,000        826,355  

2.75%, 8/15/21

     425,000        427,288  

1.13%, 8/31/21

     195,000        195,483  

1.50%, 8/31/21

     200,000        200,687  

2.00%, 8/31/21

     215,000        216,000  

2.75%, 9/15/21

     200,000        201,531  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   12   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
    

VALUE

(000s)

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 62.0% – continued

 

U.S. Treasury Notes – 11.1% – continued

 

2.13%, 9/30/21

     $150,000        $150,987  

2.88%, 10/15/21

     85,000        85,875  

1.25%, 10/31/21

     185,000        185,882  

1.50%, 10/31/21

     170,000        170,987  

2.00%, 10/31/21

     165,000        166,295  

2.00%, 11/15/21

     253,243        255,444  

2.88%, 11/15/21

     575,747        583,011  

1.50%, 11/30/21

     440,000        443,025  

1.75%, 11/30/21

     899,000        906,380  

1.88%, 11/30/21

     260,000        262,274  

2.63%, 12/15/21

     222,000        225,002  

2.50%, 1/15/22

     664,000        673,900  

1.50%, 1/31/22

     318,000        320,955  

1.88%, 1/31/22

     627,507        635,019  

2.50%, 2/15/22

     205,000        208,492  

2.38%, 3/15/22

     207,000        210,699  

0.38%, 3/31/22

     135,000        135,307  

1.75%, 3/31/22

     200,000        202,735  

1.88%, 3/31/22

     99,500        100,964  
                9,306,656  

Total U.S. Government Obligations

                 

(Cost $52,193,307)

              52,193,307  
     

Investments, at Amortized Cost

                 

($52,193,307)

              52,193,307  
     
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 37.4% (3)  

Bank of America Securities LLC, dated 5/19/21, repurchase price $500,003,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     500,000        500,000  

Bank of America Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $350,000,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     350,000        350,000  

Bank of America Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $996,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     996,000        996,000  

Bank of Nova Scotia, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $165,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     165,000        165,000  
               

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
     VALUE
(000s)
 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 37.4% (3) continued  

Barclays Capital, Inc., dated 5/10/21, repurchase price $1,000,008,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     $1,000,000        $1,000,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,750,011,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     1,750,000        1,750,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $750,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     750,000        750,000  

BNP Paribas S.A., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $890,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     890,000        890,000  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, dated 4/28/21, repurchase price $300,007,
0.02%, 6/4/21

     300,000        300,000  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,000,004,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     1,000,000        1,000,000  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $200,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     200,000        200,000  

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $705,739,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     705,739        705,739  

Credit Agricole S.A., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,500,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     1,500,000        1,500,000  

Deutsche Bank A.G., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $600,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     600,000        600,000  

Federal Reserve Bank of New York, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,200,000,
0.00%, 6/1/21

     1,200,000        1,200,000  

Fixed Income Clearing Corp., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,280,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     1,280,000        1,280,000  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   13   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

TREASURY PORTFOLIO continued

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
     VALUE
(000s)
 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 37.4% (3) continued  

HSBC Securities (U.S.A), Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $650,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     $650,000        $650,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $2,000,016,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     2,000,000        2,000,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $3,795,002,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     3,795,000        3,795,000  

NatWest Markets PLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,265,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     1,265,000        1,265,000  

Nomura Securities International, Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,825,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     1,825,000        1,825,000  

RBC Dominion Securities, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,250,009, 0.01%, 6/4/21

     1,250,000        1,250,000  

RBC Dominion Securities, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $3,150,002,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     3,150,000        3,150,000  

Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto Branch, dated 5/10/21, repurchase price $500,004,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     500,000        500,000  

Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto Branch, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $300,002, 0.01%, 6/4/21

     300,000        300,000  

Societe Generale S.A., dated 5/25/21, repurchase price $300,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     300,000        300,000  

Societe Generale, New York Branch, dated 5/25/21, repurchase price $2,000,002,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     2,000,000        2,000,000  

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
    

VALUE

(000s)

 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 37.4% (3) continued  

Societe Generale, New York Branch, dated 5/26/21, repurchase price $750,001,
0.01%, 6/2/21

     $750,000        $750,000  

TD Securities (U.S.A) LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $450,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     450,000        450,000  
         31,421,739  

Total Repurchase Agreements

                 

(Cost $31,421,739)

 

     31,421,739  
     

Total Investments – 99.4%

                 

(Cost $83,615,046)

 

     83,615,046  

Other Assets less Liabilities – 0.6%

 

     523,743  

NET ASSETS – 100.0%

 

     $84,138,789  

 

(1)

Discount rate at the time of purchase.

(2)

Variable or floating rate security. Rate as of May 31, 2021 is disclosed. Maturity date represents the next interest reset date. The security’s legal final maturity date is longer than the reset date. Securities with longer maturity dates have a greater sensitivity to changes in liquidity, interest rate risk and/or credit risk.

(3)

The nature and terms of the collateral received for the repurchase agreements are as follows:

 

NAME  

FAIR

VALUE

(000s)

    COUPON
RATES
    MATURITY
DATES
 

U.S. Treasury Bills

    $1,988,734       0.00%       6/1/21 – 5/19/22  

U.S. Treasury Bonds

    $7,235,192       0.00% – 8.00%       11/15/21 – 5/15/51  

U.S. Treasury Notes

    $22,821,683       0.00% – 3.13%       5/31/21 – 5/15/31  

Total

    $32,045,609                  

EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED THROUGHOUT THE SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS:

3M – 3 Month

A.G. – Aktiengesellschaft (German: Stock Corporation)

LLC – Limited Liability Company

MMY – Money Market Yield

PLC – Public Limited Company

S.A. – Société Anonyme (French: Public Limited Company)

Percentages shown are based on Net Assets.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   14   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

At May 31, 2021, the security types for the Portfolio were:

 

SECURITY TYPE (1)    % OF NET ASSETS  

U.S. Government Obligations

     62.0%  
Repurchase Agreements      37.4%  

 

(1)

Figures in the above table may not sum to 100% due to the exclusion of other assets and liabilities.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Portfolio’s investments.

These inputs are summarized in three levels listed below:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical securities on the measurement date.

Level 2 – Other observable inputs (e.g., quoted prices in active markets for similar securities, securities valuations based on commonly quoted benchmark interest rates and yield curves, maturities, ratings and/or securities indices).

Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs (e.g., information about assumptions, including risk, market participants would use in pricing a security).

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities and other financial instruments, if any. The following table summarizes the valuations of the Portfolio’s investments, which are carried at amortized cost, or at cost for repurchase agreements, which approximates fair value, by the above fair value hierarchy as of May 31, 2021:

 

   

LEVEL 1

(000S)

   

LEVEL 2

(000S)

   

LEVEL 3

(000S)

   

TOTAL

(000S)

 

Investments held by Treasury
Portfolio (1)

    $–       $83,615,046       $–       $83,615,046  

 

(1)

Classifications as defined in the Schedule of Investments.

    

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   15   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000S)
     VALUE
(000S)
 
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES – 26.6% (1)  

Federal Farm Credit Bank – 5.7%

     

FFCB Bonds,
0.07%, 1/26/22

     $65,000        $64,985  

FFCB Discount Notes,
0.14%, 7/21/21 (2)

     10,000        9,998  

0.14%, 7/28/21 (2)

     40,000        39,991  

0.05%, 7/30/21 (2)

     50,000        49,996  

0.15%, 8/10/21 (2)

     12,000        11,996  

0.13%, 8/11/21 (2)

     4,600        4,599  

0.13%, 8/17/21 (2)

     33,000        32,991  

0.10%, 9/22/21 (2)

     35,000        34,989  

0.14%, 9/27/21 (2)

     3,215        3,213  

0.11%, 9/30/21 (2)

     2,500        2,499  

0.12%, 10/13/21 (2)

     7,500        7,497  

0.10%, 10/14/21 (2)

     45,000        44,983  

0.10%, 10/26/21 (2)

     40,000        39,984  

0.10%, 11/29/21 (2)

     16,000        15,992  

0.08%, 12/14/21 (2)

     35,000        34,985  

0.10%, 1/6/22 (2)

     30,000        29,982  

FFCB Notes,
(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.06%),
    0.07%, 6/1/21 (3)

     155,000        155,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.07%),
0.08%, 6/1/21 (3)

     20,000        20,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     52,275        52,275  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.05%), 0.11%, 6/1/21 (3)

     15,000        14,998  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.06%), 0.12%, 6/1/21 (3)

     30,000        29,997  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.14%),
0.15%, 6/1/21 (3)

     30,000        30,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.10%), 0.16%, 6/1/21 (3)

     110,000        109,999  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.15%) ,
0.16%, 6/1/21 (3)

     35,000        35,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.18%),
0.19%, 6/1/21 (3)

     115,000        114,995  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.19%),
0.20%, 6/1/21 (3)

     34,000        34,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.20%) ,
0.21%, 6/1/21 (3)

     110,000        110,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.22%), 0.28%, 6/1/21 (3)

     25,000        25,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.32%),
0.33%, 6/1/21 (3)

     65,000        65,000  

 

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000S)
    

VALUE

(000S)

 
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES – 26.6% (1) continued  

Federal Farm Credit Bank – 5.7% – continued

 

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.35%),
0.36%, 6/1/2 1(3)

     $45,000        $45,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.40%), 0.46%, 6/1/21 (3)

     20,000        20,000  
                1,289,944  

Federal Home Loan Bank – 17.0%

 

FHLB Bonds,
0.05%, 8/2/21

     50,000        49,999  

0.05%, 8/4/21

     75,000        74,999  

0.02%, 8/5/21

     210,000        210,001  

0.03%, 8/12/21

     90,000        89,999  

0.05%, 8/12/21

     205,000        204,998  

0.05%, 8/16/21

     250,000        250,000  

0.05%, 8/25/21

     130,000        129,998  

0.02%, 9/21/21

     140,000        140,000  

0.10%, 10/21/21

     35,000        35,000  

0.07%, 11/9/21

     121,385        121,385  

FHLB Discount Notes,
0.04%, 6/7/21 (2)

     100,000        99,999  

0.04%, 6/10/21 (2)

     100,000        99,999  

0.02%, 6/25/21 (2)

     230,000        229,996  

0.03%, 7/2/21 (2)

     12,660        12,660  

0.02%, 7/7/21 (2)

     100,000        99,998  

0.02%, 7/22/21 (2)

     250,000        249,993  

0.08%, 7/28/21 (2)

     195,000        194,974  

0.02%, 8/4/21 (2)

     205,000        204,993  

0.03%, 8/4/21 (2)

     60,000        59,997  

0.02%, 8/5/21 (2)

     240,000        239,991  

0.03%, 8/6/21 (2)

     110,000        109,995  

0.01%, 8/13/21 (2)

     140,000        139,996  

0.01%, 8/16/21 (2)

     105,000        104,997  

0.01%, 8/17/21 (2)

     290,000        289,991  

0.01%, 8/23/21 (2)

     50,000        49,998  

0.06%, 8/27/21 (2)

     45,000        44,993  

FHLB Notes,
(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
    0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     60,000        60,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%), 0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     55,000        55,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.15%), 0.16%, 6/1/21 (3)

     75,000        75,000  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   16   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000S)
    

VALUE

(000S)

 
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES – 26.6% (1) continued  

Federal Home Loan Bank – 17.0% – continued

 

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.16%),
0.17%, 6/1/21 (3)

     $85,000        $85,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.27%),
0.28%, 6/1/21 (3)

     50,000        50,000  
                3,863,949  

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation – 0.8%

 

FHLMC Notes,
(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.10%) ,
    0.11%, 6/1/21 (3)

     100,000        100,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.14%), 0.15%, 6/1/21 (3)

     90,000        90,000  
                190,000  

Federal National Mortgage Association – 3.1%

 

FNMA Notes,
(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.19%),
    0.20%, 6/1/21 (3)

     75,000        75,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.19%),
0.20%, 6/1/21 (3)

     90,000        90,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.23%) ,
0.24%, 6/1/21 (3)

     150,000        150,042  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.31%),
0.32%, 6/1/21 (3)

     85,000        85,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.32%),
0.33%, 6/1/21 (3)

     85,000        85,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.32%),
0.33%, 6/1/21 (3)

     50,000        50,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.35%),
0.36%, 6/1/21 (3)

     85,000        85,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.39%),
0.40%, 6/1/21 (3)

     95,000        95,000  
                715,042  

Total U.S. Government Agencies

                 

(Cost $6,058,935)

              6,058,935  
     
U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 35.1%  

U.S. Treasury Bills – 20.6%

     

0.04%, 6/1/21 (2)

     250,000        250,000  

0.09%, 6/1/21 (2)

     73,500        73,500  

0.04%, 6/3/21 (2)

     80,000        80,000  

0.08%, 6/3/21 (2)

     40,000        40,000  

0.02%, 6/8/21 (2)

     59,155        59,155  

0.10%, 6/8/21 (2)

     45,000        44,999  

0.02%, 6/15/21 (2)

     90,000        89,999  

0.09%, 6/15/21 (2)

     95,000        94,997  

 

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000S)
    

VALUE

(000S)

 
U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 35.1% – continued  

U.S. Treasury Bills – 20.6% – continued

 

0.02%, 6/22/21 (2)

     $145,000        $144,998  

0.01%, 7/1/21 (2)

     130,000        129,999  

0.10%, 7/1/21 (2)

     100,000        99,992  

0.01%, 7/6/21 (2)

     185,000        184,998  

0.05%, 7/6/21 (2)

     60,000        59,997  

0.08%, 7/6/21 (2)

     190,000        189,985  

0.01%, 7/8/21 (2)

     85,000        84,999  

0.02%, 7/8/21 (2)

     173,125        173,121  

0.01%, 7/13/21 (2)

     135,000        134,998  

0.03%, 7/13/21 (2)

     75,000        75,000  

0.05%, 7/13/21 (2)

     120,000        119,993  

0.06%, 7/13/21 (2)

     100,000        99,993  

0.02%, 7/15/21 (2)

     250,000        249,994  

0.14%, 7/15/21 (2)

     75,000        74,988  

0.01%, 7/20/21 (2)

     150,000        149,999  

0.05%, 7/20/21 (2)

     270,000        269,980  

0.08%, 7/29/21 (2)

     145,000        144,981  

0.02%, 8/12/21 (2)

     210,000        209,992  

0.05%, 8/12/21 (2)

     230,000        229,977  

0.14%, 8/12/21 (2)

     165,000        164,954  

0.06%, 9/9/21 (2)

     115,000        114,981  

0.14%, 9/9/21 (2)

     50,000        49,981  

0.15%, 9/9/21 (2)

     35,000        34,985  

0.01%, 9/21/21 (2)

     115,000        114,995  

0.02%, 9/21/21 (2)

     45,000        44,997  

0.02%, 9/28/21 (2)

     415,000        414,972  

0.14%, 10/7/21 (2)

     25,000        24,988  

0.14%, 11/4/21 (2)

     45,000        44,973  

0.11%, 12/2/21 (2)

     70,000        69,960  

0.12%, 12/2/21 (2)

     50,000        49,970  
                4,690,390  

U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes – 5.6%

 

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.03%), 0.05%, 6/1/21 (3)

     155,000        155,006  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.06%), 0.07%, 6/1/21 (3)

     587,695        587,957  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   17   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO continued

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000S)
    

VALUE

(000S)

 
U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 35.1% – continued  

U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes – 5.6% – continued

 

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.11%),
0.13%, 6/1/21 (3)

     $282,770        $283,034  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.22%),
0.24%, 6/1/21 (3)

     260,000        259,993  
                1,285,990  

U.S. Treasury Notes – 8.9%

 

2.63%, 6/15/21

     95,000        95,094  

1.13%, 6/30/21

     320,000        320,265  

2.13%, 8/15/21

     125,000        125,513  

1.13%, 8/31/21

     150,000        150,371  

2.00%, 8/31/21

     155,000        155,721  

1.13%, 9/30/21

     50,000        50,163  

2.88%, 10/15/21

     20,000        20,206  

1.25%, 10/31/21

     50,000        50,238  

1.50%, 10/31/21

     40,000        40,232  

2.00%, 10/31/21

     40,000        40,314  

2.00%, 11/15/21

     25,000        25,216  

2.88%, 11/15/21

     105,000        106,323  

1.50%, 11/30/21

     95,000        95,653  

1.75%, 11/30/21

     210,000        211,724  

1.88%, 11/30/21

     60,000        60,525  

1.38%, 1/31/22

     35,000        35,296  

1.50%, 1/31/22

     80,000        80,744  

1.88%, 1/31/22

     175,000        177,070  

2.50%, 2/15/22

     60,000        61,022  

0.38%, 3/31/22

     45,000        45,102  

1.75%, 3/31/22

     60,000        60,821  

1.88%, 3/31/22

     30,000        30,442  
                2,038,055  

Total U.S. Government Obligations

                 

(Cost $8,014,435)

              8,014,435  
     

Investments, at Amortized Cost

                 

($14,073,370)

              14,073,370  
     
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 38.8% (4)  

Bank of America N.A., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $90,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     90,000        90,000  

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000S)
    

VALUE

(000S)

 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 38.8% (4) continued  

Bank of America Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,590,002,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     $1,590,000        $1,590,000  

Bank of Nova Scotia, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $630,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     630,000        630,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $500,004,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     500,000        500,000  

BNP Paribas S.A., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $480,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     480,000        480,000  

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $534,767,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     534,767        534,767  

Fixed Income Clearing Corp., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $300,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     300,000        300,000  

Goldman Sachs & Co., dated 5/27/21, repurchase price $100,000,
0.01%, 6/3/21

     100,000        100,000  

Goldman Sachs & Co., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $840,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     840,000        840,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $150,007,
0.06%, 8/31/21

     150,000        150,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $980,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     980,000        980,000  

Royal Bank of Canada, New York Branch, dated 5/25/21, repurchase price $850,002,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     850,000        850,000  

Royal Bank of Canada, New York Branch, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $1,000,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     1,000,000        1,000,000  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   18   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000S)
     VALUE (000S)  
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 38.8% (4) continued  

Societe Generale S.A., dated 5/25/21, repurchase price $250,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     $250,000        $250,000  

Societe Generale, New York Branch, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $550,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     550,000        550,000  
                8,844,767  

Total Repurchase Agreements

                 

(Cost $8,844,767)

              8,844,767  
     

Total Investments – 100.5%

                 

(Cost $22,918,137)

              22,918,137  

Liabilities less Other Assets – (0.5%)

              (115,562

NET ASSETS – 100.0%

              $22,802,575  

 

(1)

The obligations of certain U.S. government-sponsored entities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the United States Treasury.

(2)

Discount rate at the time of purchase.

(3)

Variable or floating rate security. Rate as of May 31, 2021 is disclosed. Maturity date represents the next interest reset date. The security’s legal final maturity date is longer than the reset date. Securities with longer maturity dates have a greater sensitivity to changes in liquidity, interest rate risk and/or credit risk.

(4)

The nature and terms of the collateral received for the repurchase agreements are as follows:

 

NAME  

FAIR

VALUE

  (000S)  

      COUPON  
RATES
      MATURITY  
DATES
 

FHLB

    $35,886       0.00% – 5.13%       8/27/21 – 6/30/45  
FHLMC     $1,304,363       1.50% – 6.00%       6/1/25 – 6/1/51  
FNMA     $2,194,471       0.75% – 6.63%       1/19/23 – 5/1/51  
GNMA     $1,444,210       1.50% – 7.50%       11/20/23 – 4/15/62  
U.S. Treasury Bills     $277,865       0.00%       6/3/21 – 1/27/22  
U.S. Treasury Bonds     $1,526,469       0.00% – 8.00%       11/15/21 – 5/15/51  
U.S. Treasury Notes     $2,291,676       0.06% – 3.13%       7/15/21 – 5/15/31  

Total

    $9,074,940                  

 

EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED THROUGHOUT THE SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS:

3M – 3 Month

FFCB – Federal Farm Credit Bank

FHLB – Federal Home Loan Bank

FHLMC – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

FNMA – Federal National Mortgage Association

GNMA – Government National Mortgage Association

LLC – Limited Liability Company

MMY – Money Market Yield

S.A. – Société Anonyme (French: Public Limited Company)

SOFR – Secured Overnight Financing Rate

Percentages shown are based on Net Assets.

At May 31, 2021, the security types for the Portfolio were:

 

SECURITY TYPE (1)    % OF NET ASSETS  

U.S. Government Agencies

     26.6%  
U.S. Government Obligations      35.1%  
Repurchase Agreements      38.8%  

 

(1)

Figures in the above table may not sum to 100% due to the exclusion of other assets and liabilities.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Portfolio’s investments.

These inputs are summarized in three levels listed below:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical securities on the measurement date.

Level 2 – Other observable inputs (e.g., quoted prices in active markets for similar securities, securities valuations based on commonly quoted benchmark interest rates and yield curves, maturities, ratings and/or securities indices).

Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs (e.g., information about assumptions, including risk, market participants would use in pricing a security).

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities and other financial instruments, if any. The following table summarizes the valuations of the Portfolio’s investments, which are carried at amortized cost, or at cost for repurchase agreements, which approximates fair value, by the above fair value hierarchy as of May 31, 2021:

 

   

LEVEL 1

(000S)

   

LEVEL 2

(000S)

    LEVEL 3
(000S)
   

TOTAL

(000S)

 

Investments held by U.S. Government
Portfolio (1)

    $–       $22,918,137       $–       $22,918,137  

 

(1)

Classifications as defined in the Schedule of Investments.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   19   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT PORTFOLIO

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
     VALUE
(000s)
 
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES – 26.5% (1)  

Federal Farm Credit Bank – 8.4%

     

FFCB Bonds,
0.07%, 1/26/22

     $125,000        $124,971  

FFCB Discount Notes,
0.01%, 6/1/21 (2)

     50,000        50,000  

0.01%, 6/2/21 (2)

     6,000        6,000  

0.09%, 6/4/21 (2)

     15,000        15,000  

0.12%, 6/8/21 (2)

     10,000        10,000  

0.09%, 6/10/21 (2)

     12,000        12,000  

0.09%, 6/14/21 (2)

     3,000        3,000  

0.14%, 6/15/21 (2)

     30,000        29,998  

0.01%, 6/16/21 (2)

     7,000        7,000  

0.09%, 6/18/21 (2)

     22,500        22,499  

0.09%, 6/21/21 (2)

     25,000        24,999  

0.09%, 6/28/21 (2)

     25,000        24,998  

0.09%, 7/9/21 (2)

     9,000        8,999  

0.01%, 7/15/21 (2)

     3,000        3,000  

0.13%, 7/16/21 (2)

     50,000        49,992  

0.14%, 7/21/21 (2)

     30,000        29,994  

0.02%, 8/6/21 (2)

     13,000        12,999  

0.06%, 8/6/21 (2)

     19,000        18,998  

0.15%, 8/10/21 (2)

     29,000        28,992  

0.13%, 8/11/21 (2)

     10,400        10,397  

0.13%, 8/17/21 (2)

     15,000        14,996  

0.06%, 8/18/21 (2)

     18,000        17,998  

0.10%, 8/19/21 (2)

     45,000        44,990  

0.06%, 8/23/21 (2)

     15,000        14,998  

0.02%, 8/26/21 (2)

     10,000        10,000  

0.10%, 8/27/21 (2)

     55,000        54,987  

0.10%, 8/30/21 (2)

     50,000        49,987  

0.02%, 8/31/21 (2)

     5,000        5,000  

0.13%, 9/8/21 (2)

     25,000        24,991  

0.10%, 9/22/21 (2)

     70,000        69,978  

0.14%, 9/27/21 (2)

     7,325        7,322  

0.11%, 9/30/21 (2)

     8,000        7,997  

0.12%, 10/13/21 (2)

     20,000        19,991  

0.11%, 10/25/21 (2)

     20,000        19,991  

0.11%, 10/28/21 (2)

     25,000        24,989  

0.10%, 10/29/21 (2)

     40,000        39,983  

0.11%, 11/1/21 (2)

     6,000        5,997  

0.10%, 11/29/21 (2)

     29,000        28,985  

0.12%, 12/6/21 (2)

     17,000        16,989  

FFCB Notes,
(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.06%),
0.07%, 6/1/21(3)

     217,000        217,000  

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
    

VALUE

(000s)

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES – 26.5% (1) continued

 

Federal Farm Credit Bank – 8.4% – continued

 

  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.07%),
0.08%, 6/1/21 (3)

     $35,000        $35,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     242,660        242,660  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.09%),
0.10%, 6/1/21 (3)

     219,000        218,997  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.05%),
0.11%, 6/1/21 (3)

     25,000        24,996  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.07%) ,
0.13%, 6/1/21 (3)

     135,000        134,994  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.14%),
0.15%, 6/1/21 (3)

     50,000        50,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.10%),
0.16%, 6/1/21 (3)

     170,000        169,998  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.15%) ,
0.16%, 6/1/21 (3)

     66,500        66,500  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.18%),
0.19%, 6/1/21 (3)

     228,000        227,990  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.19%),
0.20%, 6/1/21 (3)

     229,500        229,500  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.20%) ,
0.21%, 6/1/21 (3)

     224,000        224,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.22%),
0.28%, 6/1/21 (3)

     131,200        131,197  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.32%),
0.33%, 6/1/21 (3)

     140,000        140,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.35%),
0.36%, 6/1/21 (3)

     445,000        445,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.38%),
0.39%, 6/1/21 (3)

     200,000        200,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds + 0.40%),
0.46%, 6/1/21 (3)

     40,000        40,000  
                3,771,837  

Federal Home Loan Bank – 18.1%

     

FHLB Bonds,
0.02%, 6/22/21

     128,000        128,000  

0.02%, 7/22/21

     250,000        249,998  

0.05%, 8/2/21

     95,000        94,998  

0.05%, 8/4/21

     129,000        128,999  

0.02%, 8/5/21

     386,000        386,001  

0.05%, 8/11/21

     250,000        249,997  

0.02%, 8/12/21

     180,000        179,999  

0.03%, 8/12/21

     170,000        169,998  

0.05%, 8/12/21

     165,000        164,998  

0.01%, 8/19/21

     80,000        79,999  

0.03%, 8/19/21

     65,000        64,999  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   20   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

    

PRINCIPAL

AMOUNT

(000s)

    

VALUE

(000s)

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES – 26.5% (1) continued

 

Federal Home Loan Bank – 18.1% – continued

 

0.05%, 8/25/21

     $225,000        $224,997  

0.02%, 9/21/21

     280,000        279,999  

0.10%, 10/21/21

     75,000        75,000  

0.07%, 11/9/21

     235,220        235,220  

2.50%, 3/11/22

     21,000        21,390  

FHLB Discount Notes,
0.04%, 6/7/21 (2)

     180,000        179,999  

0.04%, 6/10/21 (2)

     180,000        179,998  

0.10%, 6/16/21 (2)

     22,500        22,499  

0.09%, 6/23/21 (2)

     50,000        49,997  

0.02%, 6/25/21 (2)

     372,000        371,994  

0.03%, 7/2/21 (2)

     23,670        23,670  

0.02%, 7/7/21 (2)

     195,000        194,995  

0.02%, 7/21/21 (2)

     450,000        449,986  

0.03%, 7/21/21 (2)

     359,000        358,989  

0.02%, 8/4/21 (2)

     370,000        369,986  

0.03%, 8/4/21 (2)

     120,000        119,995  

0.02%, 8/5/21 (2)

     477,500        477,483  

0.03%, 8/6/21 (2)

     205,000        204,991  

0.01%, 8/13/21 (2)

     275,000        274,992  

0.01%, 8/16/21 (2)

     205,000        204,994  

0.01%, 8/17/21 (2)

     90,000        89,997  

0.01%, 8/18/21 (2)

     500,000        499,984  

0.01%, 8/23/21 (2)

     100,000        99,997  

0.06%, 8/27/21 (2)

     82,000        81,988  

FHLB Notes,
(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
    0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     205,000        205,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.09%) ,
0.10%, 6/1/21 (3)

     150,000        150,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.15%),
0.16%, 6/1/21 (3)

     160,000        160,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.16%),
0.17%, 6/1/21 (3)

     160,000        160,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.17%),
0.18%, 6/1/21 (3)

     320,000        320,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.19%),
0.20%, 6/1/21 (3)

     150,000        150,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.27%),
0.28%, 6/1/21 (3)

     50,000        50,000  
                8,186,126  

Total U.S. Government Agencies

                 

(Cost $11,957,963)

              11,957,963  

 

    

PRINCIPAL

AMOUNT

(000s)

    

VALUE

(000s)

 
U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 35.5%  

U.S. Treasury Bills – 20.8%

 

  

0.01%, 6/1/21 (2)

     $125,000        $125,000  

0.03%, 6/1/21 (2)

     150,000        150,000  

0.09%, 6/1/21 (2)

     172,000        172,000  

0.04%, 6/3/21 (2)

     140,000        140,000  

0.08%, 6/3/21 (2)

     60,000        60,000  

0.01%, 6/8/21 (2)

     5,000        5,000  

0.02%, 6/8/21 (2)

     113,940        113,939  

0.10%, 6/8/21 (2)

     105,000        104,999  

0.02%, 6/15/21 (2)

     165,000        164,999  

0.02%, 6/22/21 (2)

     282,500        282,497  

0.01%, 7/1/21 (2)

     250,000        249,989  

0.10%, 7/1/21 (2)

     225,000        224,991  

0.01%, 7/6/21 (2)

     299,750        299,736  

0.05%, 7/6/21 (2)

     110,000        109,995  

0.08%, 7/6/21 (2)

     340,000        339,984  

0.01%, 7/8/21 (2)

     175,000        174,997  

0.02%, 7/8/21 (2)

     308,770        308,765  

0.03%, 7/8/21 (2)

     25,055        25,055  

0.01%, 7/13/21 (2)

     290,000        289,990  

0.03%, 7/13/21 (2)

     155,000        154,994  

0.05%, 7/13/21 (2)

     215,000        214,992  

0.06%, 7/13/21 (2)

     190,000        189,993  

0.02%, 7/15/21 (2)

     475,000        474,972  

0.14%, 7/15/21 (2)

     150,000        149,991  

0.01%, 7/20/21 (2)

     805,000        804,971  

0.05%, 7/20/21 (2)

     622,000        621,977  

0.02%, 8/12/21 (2)

     435,000        434,947  

0.05%, 8/12/21 (2)

     400,000        399,951  

0.06%, 8/12/21 (2)

     175,000        174,979  

0.14%, 8/12/21 (2)

     300,000        299,963  

0.06%, 9/9/21 (2)

     205,000        204,943  

0.14%, 9/9/21 (2)

     115,000        114,968  

0.15%, 9/9/21 (2)

     75,000        74,979  

0.01%, 9/21/21 (2)

     311,000        310,985  

0.02%, 9/21/21 (2)

     100,000        99,995  

0.02%, 9/28/21 (2)

     840,000        839,943  

0.14%, 10/7/21 (2)

     55,000        54,973  

0.14%, 11/4/21 (2)

     100,000        99,940  

0.11%, 12/2/21 (2)

     170,000        169,901  

0.12%, 12/2/21 (2)

     115,000        114,933  
                9,349,226  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   21   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT PORTFOLIO continued

 

    

PRINCIPAL

AMOUNT

(000s)

    

VALUE

(000s)

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 35.5% – continued

 

U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes – 5.5%

 

  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.03%),
0.05%, 6/1/21 (3)

     $305,000        $305,012  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.06%),
0.07%, 6/1/21 (3)

     1,079,220        1,079,713  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.11%),
0.13%, 6/1/21 (3)

     442,140        442,551  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.15%),
0.17%, 6/1/21 (3)

     180,000        179,971  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.22%),
0.24%, 6/1/21 (3)

     415,000        414,988  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M Bill MMY + 0.30%),
0.32%, 6/1/21 (3)

     67,000        67,045  
                2,489,280  

U.S. Treasury Notes – 9.2%

     

2.63%, 6/15/21

     187,878        188,063  

1.13%, 6/30/21

     650,000        650,536  

1.75%, 7/31/21

     122,000        122,342  

2.13%, 8/15/21

     250,000        251,026  

1.13%, 8/31/21

     310,000        310,768  

2.00%, 8/31/21

     20,000        20,093  

1.13%, 9/30/21

     34,868        34,983  

1.50%, 9/30/21

     100,000        100,449  

2.13%, 9/30/21

     156,000        157,023  

2.88%, 10/15/21

     45,000        45,463  

1.50%, 10/31/21

     90,000        90,523  

2.00%, 10/31/21

     212,710        214,380  

2.00%, 11/15/21

     55,000        55,475  

2.88%, 11/15/21

     260,000        263,277  

1.50%, 11/30/21

     380,000        382,619  

1.75%, 11/30/21

     150,000        151,231  

1.88%, 11/30/21

     140,000        141,224  

1.38%, 1/31/22

     80,000        80,677  

1.50%, 1/31/22

     95,000        95,884  

1.88%, 1/31/22

     430,000        435,080  

2.50%, 2/15/22

     110,000        111,874  

0.38%, 3/31/22

     80,000        80,182  

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
    

VALUE

(000s)

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 35.5% – continued

 

U.S. Treasury Notes – 9.2% – continued

 

  

1.75%, 3/31/22

     $110,000        $111,504  

1.88%, 3/31/22

     50,000        50,736  
                4,145,412  

Total U.S. Government Obligations

                 

(Cost $15,983,918)

              15,983,918  
     

Investments, at Amortized Cost

                 

($27,941,881)

              27,941,881  
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 36.7% (4)  

Bank of America Securities LLC,
dated 5/19/21, repurchase price
$500,003,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     500,000        500,000  

Bank of America Securities LLC,
dated 5/28/21, repurchase price
$999,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     999,000        999,000  

Bank of Nova Scotia,
dated 5/28/21, repurchase price
$245,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     245,000        245,000  

Bank of Nova Scotia,
dated 5/28/21, repurchase price
$585,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     585,000        585,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc.,
dated 5/25/21, repurchase price
$500,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     500,000        500,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc.,
dated 5/26/21, repurchase price
$300,001,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     300,000        300,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc.,
dated 5/28/21, repurchase price
$500,004,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     500,000        500,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc.,
dated 5/28/21, repurchase price
$650,005,
0.01%, 6/4/21

     650,000        650,000  

BNP Paribas S.A.,
dated 5/28/21, repurchase price
$240,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     240,000        240,000  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   22   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

    

PRINCIPAL

AMOUNT

(000s)

    

VALUE

(000s)

 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 36.7% (4) continued  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $500,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     $500,000        $500,000  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $750,011,
0.02%, 6/4/21

     750,000        750,000  

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $458,091,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     458,090        458,090  

Credit Agricole S.A., dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $500,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     500,000        500,000  

Federal Reserve Bank of New York, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $1,600,000,
0.00%, 6/1/21

     1,600,000        1,600,000  

Fixed Income Clearing Corp., dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $350,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     350,000        350,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $1,500,036,
0.03%, 6/4/21

     1,500,000        1,500,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $625,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     625,000        625,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $945,001,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     945,000        945,000  

Royal Bank of Canada, New York Branch, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $3,000,003, 0.01%, 6/1/21

     3,000,000        3,000,000  

Societe Generale S.A., dated 5/26/21,
repurchase price $500,000,
0.01%, 6/2/21

     500,000        500,000  

 

    

PRINCIPAL

AMOUNT

(000s)

    

VALUE

(000s)

 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 36.7% (4) continued  

Societe Generale, New York Branch, dated 5/26/21,
repurchase price $1,000,001,
0.01%, 6/2/21

     $1,000,000        $1,000,000  

Societe Generale, New York Branch, dated 5/28/21,
repurchase price $300,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     300,000        300,000  
                16,547,090  

Total Repurchase Agreements

                 

(Cost $16,547,090)

              16,547,090  
     

Total Investments – 98.7%

                 

(Cost $44,488,971)

              44,488,971  

Other Assets less Liabilities – 1.3%

              572,031  

NET ASSETS – 100.0%

              $45,061,002  

 

(1)

The obligations of certain U.S. government-sponsored entities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the United States Treasury.

(2)

Discount rate at the time of purchase.

(3)

Variable or floating rate security. Rate as of May 31, 2021 is disclosed. Maturity date represents the next interest reset date. The security’s legal final maturity date is longer than the reset date. Securities with longer maturity dates have a greater sensitivity to changes in liquidity, interest rate risk and/or credit risk.

(4)

The nature and terms of the collateral received for the repurchase agreements are as follows:

 

NAME  

FAIR

VALUE

  (000s)  

      COUPON  
RATES
      MATURITY  
DATES
 

FHLB

    $46,162       2.00% – 4.00%       4/10/28 – 3/23/40  
FHLMC     $985,247       0.00% – 5.50%       11/6/23 – 5/1/51  
FNMA     $3,515,670       0.00% – 7.00%       11/1/22 – 8/1/59  
GNMA     $3,262,732       1.50% – 9.50%       4/20/26 – 3/20/65  
U.S. Treasury Bills     $557,333       0.00%       6/1/21 – 5/19/22  
U.S. Treasury Bonds     $1,405,390       0.00% –  8.00%       11/15/21 – 5/15/51  
U.S. Treasury Notes     $7,148,407       0.05% –  3.13%       5/31/21 – 8/15/30  

Total

    $16,920,941                  

EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED THROUGHOUT THE SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS:

3M – 3 Month

FFCB – Federal Farm Credit Bank

FHLB – Federal Home Loan Bank

FHLMC – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   23   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT PORTFOLIO continued

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

FNMA – Federal National Mortgage Association

GNMA – Government National Mortgage Association

LLC – Limited Liability Company

MMY – Money Market Yield

S.A. – Société Anonyme (French: Public Limited Company)

SOFR – Secured Overnight Financing Rate

Percentages shown are based on Net Assets.

At May 31, 2021, the security types for the Portfolio were:

 

SECURITY TYPE (1)    % OF NET ASSETS  

U.S. Government Agencies

     26.5%  
U.S. Government Obligations      35.5%  
Repurchase Agreements      36.7%  

 

(1)

Figures in the above table may not sum to 100% due to the exclusion of other assets and liabilities.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Portfolio’s investments. These inputs are summarized in three levels listed below:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical securities on the measurement date.

Level 2 – Other observable inputs (e.g., quoted prices in active markets for similar securities, securities valuations based on commonly quoted benchmark interest rates and yield curves, maturities, ratings and/or securities indices).

Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs (e.g., information about assumptions, including risk, market participants would use in pricing a security).

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities and other financial instruments, if any. The following table summarizes the valuations of the Portfolio’s investments, which are carried at amortized cost, or at cost for repurchase agreements, which approximates fair value, by the above fair value hierarchy as of May 31, 2021:

 

   

LEVEL 1

(000s)

   

LEVEL 2

(000s)

   

LEVEL 3

(000s)

   

TOTAL

(000s)

 

Investments held by U.S. Government Select Portfolio (1)

    $–       $44,488,971       $–       $44,488,971  

 

(1)

Classifications as defined in the Schedule of Investments.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   24   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

1. ORGANIZATION

Northern Institutional Funds (the “Trust”) is a Delaware statutory trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Trust includes 5 portfolios as of May 31, 2021, each with its own investment objective (e.g., income consistent with preservation of capital).

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. (“NTI”), an indirect subsidiary of Northern Trust Corporation, serves as the investment adviser for all of the portfolios. The Northern Trust Company (“Northern Trust”), an affiliate of NTI, serves as transfer agent, custodian and sub-administrator to the portfolios. Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, not an affiliate of NTI, is the Trust’s distributor.

Presented herein are the financial statements for the following three money market portfolios: Treasury Portfolio, U.S. Government Portfolio and U.S. Government Select Portfolio (each a “Portfolio” and collectively, the “Portfolios”). Each of these diversified Portfolios is authorized to issue the following three classes of shares: Shares, Service Shares and Premier Shares. The U.S. Government Select Portfolio is authorized to issue a fourth class of shares: Siebert Williams Shank Shares (formerly known as Williams Capital Shares). Each class is distinguished by the level of administrative and liaison services provided. At May 31, 2021, each of the Portfolios had Shares outstanding; the U.S. Government Portfolio and U.S. Government Select Portfolio had Service Shares outstanding; the Treasury Portfolio had Premier Shares outstanding; and the U.S. Government Select Portfolio had Siebert Williams Shank Shares outstanding. Premier Shares are currently only offered for the Treasury Portfolio.

Each Portfolio operates as a “government money market fund” under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act.

2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Trust, which is an investment company, follows accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services-Investment Companies.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Portfolios in the preparation of their financial statements. These policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

A) VALUATION OF SECURITIES Investments held by the Portfolios are currently valued at amortized cost, which generally approximates fair value. Under this method, investments purchased at a discount or premium are valued by accreting or amortizing the difference between the original purchase price and maturity value of the issue over the period to effective maturity. If NTI has determined that amortized cost does not approximate fair value, such securities are fair valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by, and subject to oversight of, the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”).

The use of fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Portfolios to price their investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other unaffiliated investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

B) CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash and cash equivalents may include cash and cash held in an interest-bearing deposit account at Northern Trust.

C) REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS The Portfolios may enter into repurchase agreements under the terms of a master repurchase agreement by which the Portfolios purchase securities for cash from a seller and agree to resell those securities to the same seller at a specific price within a specified time or with an indefinite life and liquidity feature, which allows the Portfolios to resell the securities quarterly. The interest rate on such repurchase agreements resets daily. During the term of a repurchase agreement, the fair value of the underlying collateral, including accrued interest, is required to equal or exceed the fair value of the repurchase agreement. The underlying collateral for tri-party repurchase agreements is held in accounts for Northern Trust or NTI (and is not reflected in the assets of the Portfolios) as agent of the Portfolios, at The Bank of New York Mellon, State Street Bank and Trust Company or JPMorgan Chase which, in turn, holds securities through the book-entry system at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The underlying collateral for other repurchase agreements is held in a customer-only account for Northern Trust, as custodian for the Portfolios, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The Portfolios are subject to credit risk on repurchase agreements to the extent that the counterparty fails to perform under the agreement and the value of the collateral received falls below the agreed repurchase price. If the seller defaults and the value of the collateral declines or if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of collateral by the Portfolios may be delayed or limited. Certain Portfolios have entered into such repurchase agreements, as reflected in their accompanying Schedules of Investments, as of May 31, 2021.

Pursuant to exemptive relief granted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Treasury Portfolio, U.S. Government Portfolio and certain other money market portfolios advised by NTI and Northern Trust may enter into joint repurchase agreements with non-affiliated counterparties through a master repurchase agreement. NTI administers and manages

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   25   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

 

these joint repurchase agreements in accordance with and as part of its duties under its management agreement with the Portfolios and does not collect any additional fees from the Portfolios for such services. The Treasury Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio entered into such joint repurchase agreements during the period. There were no outstanding joint repurchase agreements at May 31, 2021.

The Portfolios may enter into transactions subject to enforceable netting arrangements (“Netting Arrangements”) under a repurchase agreement. Generally, Netting Arrangements allow the Portfolios to offset any exposure to a specific counterparty with any collateral received from or delivered to that counterparty. In addition, Netting Arrangements provide the right for the non-defaulting party to liquidate the collateral and calculate the net exposure to the defaulting party or request additional collateral. Generally, the Portfolios manage their cash collateral and securities collateral on a counterparty basis. As of May 31, 2021, the Portfolios were not invested in any portfolio securities other than the repurchase agreements described below, with gross exposures on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities, that could be netted subject to Netting Arrangements.

The following table presents the repurchase agreements, which are subject to Netting Arrangements, as well as the collateral delivered related to those repurchase agreements.

 

                    GROSS AMOUNTS NOT OFFSET IN THE
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
 
Amounts in thousands    COUNTERPARTY    GROSS AMOUNTS OF ASSETS
PRESENTED IN STATEMENTS OF
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
     FINANCIAL
INSTRUMENTS
    

NET

AMOUNT*

 

Treasury

   Bank of America      $ 1,846,000        $(1,846,000)        $–  
   Bank of Nova Scotia      165,000        (165,000)         
   Barclays      3,500,000        (3,500,000)         
   BNP Paribas      890,000        (890,000)         
   Canadian Imperial Bank      1,500,000        (1,500,000)         
   Citigroup      705,739        (705,739)         
   Credit Agricole      1,500,000        (1,500,000)         
   Deutsche Bank      600,000        (600,000)         
   Federal Reserve Bank of New York      1,200,000        (1,200,000)         
   Fixed Income Clearing Corp.      1,280,000        (1,280,000)         
   HSBC      650,000        (650,000)         
   JPMorgan      5,795,000        (5,795,000)         
   NatWest Markets      1,265,000        (1,265,000)         
   Nomura      1,825,000        (1,825,000)         
   RBC Dominion      4,400,000        (4,400,000)         
   Royal Bank of Canada      800,000        (800,000)         
   Societe Generale      3,050,000        (3,050,000)         
   TD      450,000        (450,000)         
     Total      $31,421,739        $(31,421,739)        $–  

U.S. Government

   Bank of America      $ 1,680,000       
$(1,680,000)
 
     $–  
   Bank of Nova Scotia      630,000        (630,000)         
   Barclays      500,000        (500,000)         
   BNP Paribas      480,000        (480,000)         
   Citigroup      534,767        (534,767)         
   Fixed Income Clearing Corp.      300,000        (300,000)         
   Goldman Sachs      940,000        (940,000)         
   JPMorgan      1,130,000        (1,130,000)         
   Royal Bank of Canada      1,850,000        (1,850,000)         
     Societe Generale      800,000        (800,000)         

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   26   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

 

                    GROSS AMOUNTS NOT OFFSET IN THE
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND  LIABILITIES
 
Amounts in thousands    COUNTERPARTY    GROSS AMOUNTS OF ASSETS
PRESENTED IN STATEMENTS OF
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
     FINANCIAL
INSTRUMENTS
   

NET

AMOUNT*

 
     Total      $8,844,767        $(8,844,767)       $–  

U.S. Government Select

   Bank of America      $1,499,000     

 

$(1,499,000)

 

    $–  
   Bank of Nova Scotia      830,000        (830,000)        
   Barclays      1,950,000        (1,950,000)        
   BNP Paribas      240,000        (240,000)        
   Canadian Imperial Bank      1,250,000        (1,250,000)        
   Citigroup      458,090        (458,090)        
   Credit Agricole      500,000        (500,000)        
   Federal Reserve Bank of New York      1,600,000        (1,600,000)        
   Fixed Income Clearing Corp.      350,000        (350,000)        
   JPMorgan      3,070,000        (3,070,000)        
   Royal Bank of Canada      3,000,000        (3,000,000)        
   Societe Generale      1,800,000        (1,800,000      
     Total      $16,547,090        $(16,547,090)       $–  

 

*

Collateral received is reflected up to the fair value of the repurchase agreement. Refer to the Schedules of Investments.

 

D) INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS AND INCOME Investment transactions are recorded as of the trade date. The Portfolios determine the gain or loss realized from investment transactions by using an identified cost basis method. Interest income, if any, is recognized on an accrual basis and includes amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. Certain Portfolios may receive dividend income from investment companies. Dividend income, if any, is recognized on the ex-dividend date.

E) EXPENSES Each Portfolio is charged for those expenses that are directly attributable to the Portfolio. Certain expenses arising in connection with a class of shares are charged to that class of shares. Expenses incurred that do not specifically relate to an individual Portfolio generally are allocated among all the portfolios in the Trust in proportion to each portfolio’s relative net assets. Expenses are recognized on an accrual basis.

F) DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS Distribution of dividends from net investment income are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually. Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

The timing and character of distributions determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations may differ from financial statement amounts determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP due to differences in the treatment and recognition of investment income and realized gains and losses. These differences are primarily related to the capital loss carryforwards. Inherent differences in the recognition of income and capital gains for federal income tax purposes, which are permanent, may result in periodic reclassifications in the Portfolios’ capital accounts. These reclassifications may relate to net operating losses and distribution reclassifications. These reclassifications have no impact on the net assets or the NAVs per share of the Portfolios.

At November 30, 2020, the following reclassifications were recorded:

 

Amounts in thousands   UNDISTRIBUTED
NET INVESTMENT
INCOME (LOSS)
    ACCUMULATED
UNDISTRIBUTED
NET REALIZED
GAINS (LOSSES)
        

Treasury

    $1,047       $(1,047  

U.S. Government

    144       (144  

U.S. Government Select

    257       (257        

G) FEDERAL INCOME TAXES No provision for federal income taxes has been made since each Portfolio’s policy is to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute, each year, substantially all of its taxable income and tax-exempt income to its shareholders.

The Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “Act”) allows capital losses to be carried forward for an unlimited period and to retain their character as either short-term or long-term. The Portfolios’ ability to utilize capital loss carryforwards in the future may be limited under the Code and related regulations based on the results of future transactions.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   27   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

 

There were no unused capital loss carryforwards in the Portfolios as of November 30, 2020.

At November 30, 2020, the tax components of undistributed net investment income and realized gains, including amounts declared but not yet paid for federal income tax purposes, were as follows:

 

    UNDISTRIBUTED        
Amounts in thousands  

ORDINARY
INCOME

(LOSS)*

    LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
(LOSSES)
        

Treasury

    $2,197       $–    

U.S. Government

    576          

U.S. Government Select

    1,847                

 

*

Ordinary income includes taxable market discount income and short-term capital gains, if any.

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2020, was as follows:

 

    DISTRIBUTIONS FROM        
Amounts in thousands   ORDINARY
INCOME
(LOSS)*
    LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
(LOSSES)
        

Treasury

    $370,222       $–    

U.S. Government

    96,959          

U.S. Government Select

    196,566                

 

*

Ordinary income includes taxable market discount income and short-term capital gains, if any.

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019, was as follows:

 

    DISTRIBUTIONS FROM        
Amounts in thousands   ORDINARY
INCOME
(LOSS)*
    LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
(LOSSES)
        

Treasury

    $943,338       $142    

U.S. Government

    302,834          

U.S. Government Select

    542,858       70          

 

*

Ordinary income includes taxable market discount income and short-term capital gains, if any.

As of November 30, 2020, no Portfolio had uncertain tax positions that would require financial statement recognition or disclosure. The Portfolios’ federal tax returns remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for three years after they are filed. Any interest or penalties incurred, if any, on future unknown, uncertain tax positions taken by the Portfolios will be recorded as Interest expense and Other expenses, respectively, on the Statements of Operations.

3. BANK BORROWINGS

The Trust and the Northern Funds, a registered investment company also advised by NTI, jointly entered into a $250,000,000 senior unsecured revolving credit facility on November 16, 2020, which is administered by Citibank, N.A., for liquidity and other purposes (the “Credit Facility”). The interest rate charged under the Credit Facility is equal to the sum of (i) the Federal Funds Rate plus (ii) if the one month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) on the date of borrowing exceeded such Federal Funds Rate, the amount by which it so exceeded, plus (iii) 1.25 percent. In addition, there is an annual commitment fee of 0.15 percent on the unused portion of the credit line under the Credit Facility, payable quarterly in arrears, which is included in Other expenses on the Statements of Operations. The Credit Facility will expire on November 15, 2021, unless renewed.

The Portfolios did not have any borrowings or incur any interest expense for the six months ended May 31, 2021. There were no outstanding loan amounts at May 31, 2021.

4. MANAGEMENT AND OTHER AGREEMENTS

As compensation for advisory and administration services and the assumption of related expenses, NTI is entitled to a management fee, computed daily and payable monthly, at the annual rates set forth in the table below (expressed as a percentage of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets).

NTI has contractually agreed to reimburse a portion of the operating expenses of each Portfolio (other than certain excepted expenses, i.e., acquired fund fees and expenses, service fees, the compensation paid to each independent Trustee of the Trust, expenses of third-party consultants engaged by the Board, membership dues paid to the Investment Company Institute and Mutual Fund Directors Forum, expenses in connection with the negotiation and renewal of the revolving credit facility, extraordinary expenses and interest) as shown on the accompanying Statements of Operations, to the extent the total annual portfolio operating expenses exceed the expense limitations set forth below. The total annual portfolio operating expenses after expense reimbursement for each Portfolio may be higher than the contractual limitation as a result of certain excepted expenses that are not reimbursed. The amount of the reimbursement is included in Less expenses reimbursed by investment adviser as a reduction to Total Expenses in the Statements of Operations. The contractual expense reimbursement receivables at May 31, 2021 were approximately $129,000, $15,000 and $37,000 for the Treasury, U.S. Government and U.S. Government Select Portfolios, respectively, and are shown as part of Receivable from affiliates for expense reimbursements in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Any such reimbursement is paid monthly to the Portfolios by NTI.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   28   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

At May 31, 2021, the annual management fees and contractual expense limitations for the Portfolios were based on the following annual rates as set forth in the table below.

 

    CONTRACTUAL        
     ANNUAL
MANAGEMENT FEES
    EXPENSE
LIMITATIONS
        

Treasury

    0.13     0.15  

U.S. Government

    0.23     0.25  

U.S. Government Select

    0.18     0.20        

The contractual expense reimbursement arrangements described above are expected to continue until at least April 1, 2022. The contractual expense reimbursement arrangements will continue automatically for periods of one-year (each such one-year period, a “Renewal Year”). The arrangements may be terminated, as to any succeeding Renewal Year, by NTI or a Portfolio upon 60 days’ written notice prior to the end of the current Renewal Year. The Board may terminate the contractual arrangements at any time with respect to a Portfolio if it determines that it is in the best interest of the Portfolio and its shareholders.

In addition, during the six months ended May 31, 2021, NTI reimbursed certain additional expenses that may be excepted expenses.

NTI may reimburse additional expenses or waive all or a portion of the management fees of the Portfolios from time to time, including to avoid a negative yield. Any such additional expense reimbursement or waiver would be voluntary and could be implemented, increased or decreased or discontinued at any time. There is no guarantee that a Portfolio will be able to avoid a negative yield. During the six months ended May 31, 2021, NTI reimbursed additional expenses in order to avoid a negative yield for the Portfolios. Portfolio level expenses reimbursed by NTI were allocated among the share classes in proportion to the relative net assets of each class. The amounts reimbursed by NTI are shown as Less expenses voluntarily reimbursed by investment adviser in the Statements of Operations. The voluntary expense reimbursement receivables at May 31, 2021 were approximately $10,183,000, $3,706,000 and $6,735,000 for the Treasury, U.S. Government and U.S. Government Select Portfolios, respectively, and are included as part of Receivable from affiliates for expense reimbursements in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Any such reimbursement is paid monthly to the Portfolios by NTI.

As compensation for services rendered as transfer agent, including the assumption by Northern Trust of the expenses related thereto, Northern Trust receives a fee, accrued daily and payable monthly, at an annual rate of 0.015 percent of the average daily net assets for all share classes of each Portfolio.

NTI has entered into a sub-administration agreement with Northern Trust, pursuant to which Northern Trust performs certain administrative services for the Portfolios. NTI pays Northern Trust for its sub-administration services out of NTI’s management fees.

For compensation as custodian, Northern Trust receives an amount based on a pre-determined schedule of charges approved by the Board. The Portfolios have entered into an expense offset arrangement with the custodian whereby credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances are used to reduce a portion of the Portfolios’ custodian expenses, unless such uninvested cash balances receive a separate type of return. Custodian credits, if any, are shown as Less custodian credits in the Portfolios’ Statements of Operations.

Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, the distributor for the Portfolios, received no compensation from the Portfolios under its distribution agreement. However, it received compensation from NTI for its services as distributor pursuant to a separate letter agreement between it and NTI.

Under the Service Plan for Premier Shares, the Trust has entered into a servicing agreement with Northern Trust under which Northern Trust has agreed to provide certain shareholder account, administrative and other service functions to the shareholders of the Premier Shares of the Treasury Portfolio. In exchange for these services, Northern Trust, as servicing agent, receives a fee, accrued daily and payable monthly, at an annual rate of 0.05 percent of the average daily net assets of the Premier Shares of the Treasury Portfolio.

Certain officers of the Trust are also officers of Northern Trust and NTI. All officers serve without compensation from the Portfolios. The Trust provided a deferred compensation plan for its Trustees who are not officers of Northern Trust or NTI. Prior to August 22, 2013, under the deferred compensation plan, Trustees may have elected to defer all or a portion of their compensation. Effective August 22, 2013, the Trustees may no longer defer their compensation. Any amounts deferred and invested under the plan shall remain invested pursuant to the terms of the plan. Each Trustee’s account shall be deemed to be invested in shares of the U.S. Government Portfolio of the Trust and/or the Global Tactical Asset Allocation Fund of Northern Funds and/or at the discretion of the Trust, another money market fund selected by the Trust that complies with the provisions of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act or one or more short-term fixed income instruments selected by the Trust that are “eligible securities” as defined by that rule. The net investment income, gains and losses achieved by such deemed investment shall be credited to the Trustee’s account as provided in the plan.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   29   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

 

5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Portfolios are permitted to purchase and sell securities from or to certain affiliated funds or portfolios under specified conditions outlined in Rule 17a-7 Procedures adopted by the Board. The procedures have been designed to ensure that any purchase or sale of securities by a Portfolio from or to another fund or portfolio that is or could be considered an affiliate by virtue of having a common investment adviser (or affiliated investment advisers), common trustees and/or common officers complies with Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act. Further, as defined under these procedures, each transaction is effected at the current market price as defined in the Rule 17a-7 Procedures. For the six months ended May 31, 2021, the Portfolios did not have any purchases and/or sales of securities from an affiliated entity.

Certain uninvested cash balances of the Portfolios may receive a return from Northern Trust based on a market return it receives less an administrative fee. These amounts, if any, are shown on the Portfolios’ Statements of Operations as Income from affiliates.

6. INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS

At May 31, 2021, for federal income tax purposes, gross unrealized appreciation, gross unrealized depreciation, net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments and the cost basis of investments were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands

  UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
    UNREALIZED
DEPRECIATION
    NET
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
    COST
BASIS OF
INVESTMENTS
 

Treasury

    $–       $–       $–       $83,615,046  

U.S. Government

                      22,918,137  

U.S. Government Select

                      44,488,971  

7. CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

Transactions in Shares for the six months ended May 31, 2021, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

  PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
   

REINVESTMENTS
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
   

NET INCREASE

(DECREASE)

IN NET ASSETS

 

Treasury

    $50,244,622       $686       $(53,235,020     $(2,989,712

U.S. Government

    129,692,082       3       (123,915,786     5,776,299  

U.S. Government Select

    172,083,930       266       (174,952,542     (2,868,346

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

Transactions in Shares for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2020, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

 

PROCEEDS
FROM

SHARES SOLD

   

REINVESTMENTS
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
(DECREASE)
IN NET ASSETS
 

Treasury

    $175,425,747       $44,942       $(162,468,126)       $13,002,563  

U.S. Government

    250,265,201       726       (248,377,592)       1,888,335  

U.S. Government Select

    327,646,061       5,831       (313,244,833)       14,407,059  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

Transactions in Service Shares for the six months ended May 31, 2021, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

  PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
   

REINVESTMENT
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
DECREASE
IN NET ASSETS
 

U.S. Government Select

    $121,379       $–       $(137,765     $(16,386

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

Transactions in Service Shares for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2020, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

  PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
   

REINVESTMENT
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
DECREASE
IN NET ASSETS
 

U.S. Government

    $1,184       $– **      $(3,159     $(1,975

U.S. Government Select

    288,460             (284,005     4,455  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

**

Amount rounds to less than one thousand.

Transactions in Premier Shares for the six months ended May 31, 2021, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

  PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
   

REINVESTMENT
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
(DECREASE)
IN NET ASSETS
 

Treasury

    $296,998,441       $–       $(290,822,694)       $6,175,747  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   30   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

Transactions in Premier Shares for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2020, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

  PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
   

REINVESTMENT
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
(DECREASE)
IN NET ASSETS
 

Treasury

    $511,238,054       $–       $(494,848,076)       $16,389,978  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

Transactions in Siebert Williams Shank Shares (formerly Williams Capital Shares) for the six months ended May 31, 2021, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

  PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
   

REINVESTMENT
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
(DECREASE)
IN NET ASSETS
 

U.S. Government Select

    $17,208,190       $118       $(11,273,041)       $5,935,267  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

Transactions in Siebert Williams Shank Shares (formerly Williams Capital Shares) for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2020, were as follows:

 

Amounts in

thousands*

  PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
   

REINVESTMENT
OF

DIVIDENDS

    PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
   

NET INCREASE

(DECREASE)

IN NET ASSETS

 

U.S. Government Select

    $13,410,206       $703       $(12,302,709)       $1,108,200  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

8. INDEMNIFICATIONS AND WARRANTIES

In the ordinary course of their business, the Portfolios may enter into contracts or agreements that contain indemnifications or warranties. Future events could occur that lead to the execution of these provisions against the Portfolios. The maximum exposure to the Portfolios under these provisions is unknown, as this would involve future claims that have not yet occurred. However, the Portfolios have not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these contracts and believe the risk of loss to be remote.

9. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) “Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting” (“ASU 2020-04”), which provides optional temporary financial reporting relief from the effect of certain types of contract modifications due to the planned discontinuation of the LIBOR and other interbank-offered based reference rates as of the end of 2021. The new guidance is effective for certain reference rate-related contract modifications that occur during the period March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022, and the adoption of ASU 2020-04 is elective. Management does not believe this update has a material impact on the Portfolios’ financial statements and disclosures.

10. LIBOR TRANSITION

Certain of the Portfolios’ investments, payment obligations and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as LIBOR, Euro Interbank Offered Rate and other similar types of reference rates (each, a “Reference Rate”). On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade nor compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR and certain other Reference Rates after 2021. The FCA and ICE Benchmark Administrator have since announced that most LIBOR settings will no longer be published after December 31, 2021 and a majority of U.S. dollar LIBOR settings will cease publication after June 30, 2023. The U.S. Federal Reserve, based on the recommendations of the New York Federal Reserve’s Alternative Reference Rate Committee (comprised of major derivative market participants and their regulators), has begun publishing SOFR that is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR. Proposals for alternative reference rates for other currencies have also been announced or have already begun publication. Uncertainty related to the liquidity impact of the change in rates, and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition, poses risks for the Portfolios. The effect of any changes to, or discontinuation of, LIBOR on the Portfolios will depend on, among other things, (1) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and (2) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts. The expected discontinuation of LIBOR could have a significant impact on the financial markets in general and may also present heightened risk to market participants, including public companies, investment advisers, investment companies, and broker-dealers. The risks associated with this discontinuation and transition will be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the transition away from LIBOR on the Portfolios until new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts are commercially accepted and market practices become settled.

11. CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC

An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus was first detected in December 2019 and has spread internationally. The outbreak and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in closing borders and quarantines, restricting international and domestic travel, enhanced health screenings, cancelations, disrupted supply chains and customer activity, responses by businesses (including changes to operations and

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   31   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

reducing staff), and have produced general concern and uncertainty. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future could adversely affect national and global economies, individual companies and the market in general in a manner and for a period of time that cannot be foreseen at the present time and may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities. In the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Portfolios and their service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of the Portfolios’ service providers to perform essential services. Certain economic and market conditions arising out of a pandemic or outbreak could result in a Portfolio’s inability to achieve its investment objectives, cause the postponement of reconstitution or rebalance dates for benchmark indices, adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which a Portfolio invests, negatively impact a Portfolio’s performance, and cause losses on your investment in a Portfolio. Management is monitoring the development of the pandemic, which was ongoing as of the date of the financial statements, and is evaluating its impact on the financial position and operating results of the Portfolios.

12. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management has evaluated subsequent events for the Portfolios through the date the financial statements were issued, and has concluded that there are no recognized or non-recognized subsequent events relevant for financial statement disclosure.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   32   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

FUND EXPENSES    MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

As a shareholder of the Portfolios, you incur ongoing costs, including management fees and other fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Portfolios and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period, December 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021.

ACTUAL EXPENSES

The first line of the tables below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled Expenses Paid 12/1/2020 - 5/31/2021 to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

The second line in the tables below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Portfolios’ actual expense ratios and an assumed rate of return of 5 percent per year before expenses, which is not the Portfolios’ actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Portfolios and other funds. To do so, compare this 5 percent hypothetical example with the 5 percent hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the tables are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges (loads), redemption fees, or exchange fees, but shareholders of other funds may incur such costs. Therefore, the hypothetical information is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds.

TREASURY

 

SHARES    EXPENSE
RATIO
     BEGINNING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
12/1/2020
     ENDING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
5/31/2021
     EXPENSES
PAID*
12/1/2020-
5/31/2021
 

Actual

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.10      $ 0.45  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.48      $ 0.45  

PREMIER SHARES

                                   

Actual

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.00      $ 0.45  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.48      $ 0.45  

U.S. GOVERNMENT

 

SHARES    EXPENSE
RATIO
     BEGINNING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
12/1/2020
    

ENDING

ACCOUNT
VALUE
5/31/2021

    

EXPENSES

PAID*
12/1/2020-
5/31/2021

 

Actual

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.00      $ 0.45  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.48      $ 0.45  

SERVICE SHARES

                                   

Actual

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.00      $ 0.45  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.09%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.48      $ 0.45  

 

*

Expenses are calculated using the Portfolios’ annualized expense ratios, which represent ongoing expenses as a percentage of net assets for the six months ended May 31, 2021. Expenses are equal to the Portfolios’ annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/365 (to reflect the one-half year period).

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   33   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

FUND EXPENSES continued

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT SELECT

 

SHARES    EXPENSE
RATIO
     BEGINNING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
12/1/2020
     ENDING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
5/31/2021
     EXPENSES
PAID*
12/1/2020-
5/31/2021
 

Actual

     0.08%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.10      $ 0.40  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.08%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.53      $ 0.40  

SERVICE SHARES

                                   

Actual

     0.08%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.10      $ 0.40  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.08%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.53      $ 0.40  

SIEBERT WILLIAMS SHANK SHARES(1)

                                   

Actual

     0.08%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.10      $ 0.40  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.08%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.53      $ 0.40  

 

*

Expenses are calculated using the Portfolios’ annualized expense ratios, which represent ongoing expenses as a percentage of net assets for the six months ended May 31, 2021. Expenses are equal to the Portfolios’ annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/365 (to reflect the one-half year period).

(1)

Formerly known as Williams Capital Shares.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   34   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT     MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

The Board of Trustees (the “Board” or the “Trustees”) of Northern Institutional Funds (the “Trust”) oversees the management of the Trust, including review of the investment performance and expenses of the investment portfolios covered by this Report (the “Portfolios”), at regularly scheduled meetings. In addition, the Trustees determine annually whether to approve and continue the Trust’s management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) for the Portfolios with Northern Trust Investments, Inc. (“Northern”).

The Management Agreement was re-approved with respect to all of the Portfolios by the Board, including all of the Trustees who are not parties to the Management Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) of any party thereto (the “Independent Trustees”) voting separately, at the annual contract renewal meeting held on May 19-20, 2021 (the “Annual Contract Meeting”).(1)

In advance of, and at the Annual Contract Meeting, the Trustees received, considered and discussed a variety of information relating to the Management Agreement and Northern and its affiliates. This information included written materials and verbal presentations at Board meetings held via videoconference and telephonically on February 10-11, 2021 and April 8, 2021 (the “February and April Board meetings”) and at the Annual Contract Meeting. At the Annual Contract Meeting, the Trustees considered these reports and presentations and discussed the information that had been provided. Throughout the process, the Trustees also asked questions of and requested additional information from management. In connection with their deliberations, the Independent Trustees met separately with and were advised by their independent legal counsel and received a memorandum from their independent legal counsel regarding their responsibilities under applicable law. They also met in executive sessions at the Annual Contract Meeting, and each of the other Board meetings, with their independent legal counsel without employees of Northern present.

In evaluating the Management Agreement, the Trustees discussed with counsel Northern’s reports, presentations and other information that had been provided to them at the February and April Board meetings and at the Annual Contract Meeting, as well as their interactions with Northern throughout the year and in past years at various meetings. The Trustees noted that the evaluation process with respect to Northern and the Management Agreement was an on-going one throughout the year.

The materials reviewed by the Board included, without limitation: (i) information on the investment performance of the Portfolios in comparison to other mutual funds and performance benchmarks; (ii) compliance reports; (iii) information about Northern’s and its affiliates’ risk management processes, stress testing, credit research, business continuity and cyber-security programs; (iv)fees charged to and expenses borne by the Portfolios; (v) Northern’s profitability and costs and compensation paid to affiliates of Northern; (vi) the qualifications of Northern and its affiliates to provide services to the Portfolios; (vii) information regarding purchases and redemptions of each Portfolio’s shares; (viii) policies adopted by Northern regarding brokerage, including soft dollars, trade allocations and other matters; and (ix) the nature of the Portfolios’ shareholders. The Trustees also considered the nature, quality and extent of non-advisory services provided to the Portfolios by Northern and its affiliates.

More specifically, the Trustees reviewed, among other things, information relating to: (i) the terms of the Management Agreement; (ii) the Portfolios’ investment performance over different time periods in comparison to the investment performance of mutual fund peer groups and categories selected by an independent third-party provider of mutual fund data; (iii) the contractual and net management fees and total expenses (after expense reimbursements and fee waivers) of the Portfolios in comparison to those borne by mutual fund peer expense groups and categories selected by the independent third-party provider of mutual fund data; (iv) the management fees charged to the Portfolios compared to the management fees charged by Northern to its other comparable institutional accounts; (v) Northern’s staffing for the Portfolios and the experience of the portfolio managers, credit research and other personnel; (vi) Northern’s financial resources and its ability to attract and retain portfolio management talent; (vii) Northern’s investments in technology to benefit the Portfolios; (viii) the fees paid by the Portfolios to Northern and its affiliates for services, and the expenses incurred by them in connection with the provision of those services; and (ix) the benefits received by Northern and its affiliates from their service relationships with the Portfolios. The Trustees were provided with a description of the methodology the third-party data provider used to determine the similarity of the Portfolios with the funds included in their respective peer expense groups and peer expense and performance universes. The Trustees also considered the Portfolios’ relationship to other mutual funds advised and offered by Northern and other factors (including conditions and trends prevailing generally in the economy, the securities markets, and the industry). In evaluating the Management Agreement for each of the Portfolios, the Trustees gave weight to various factors including those discussed below, but did not identify any single factor as controlling their decision, and each Trustee may have attributed different weight to different factors.

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services

The Trustees considered, as part of their review, the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Northern. In this regard, they considered both the investment advisory services, and separately the administrative and other non-advisory services that are provided to the Portfolios by Northern and its affiliates. These services include acting as the Portfolios’ administrator and sub-administrator, custodian and transfer agent and providing other services necessary for the operation of the Portfolios and the

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   35   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT continued

 

Trust. The Trustees understood that the Management Agreement encompassed both the advisory and administrative functions being rendered by Northern and its affiliates. They considered the quality of Northern’s communications with and services to shareholders, as well as the expenditures made by Northern and its affiliates to improve the quality and scope of their services to the Portfolios. The Trustees considered the strength of Northern’s and its affiliates’ risk management processes, including with respect to the Portfolios’ regular reporting on stress testing. The Trustees also reviewed the compliance and administrative services provided to the Portfolios by Northern and its affiliates, including its oversight of the Portfolios’ day-to-day operations and fund accounting. The Trustees also noted that on a regular basis they received and reviewed information from the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer regarding the Portfolios’ compliance policies and procedures pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. They also considered the quality of Northern’s compliance oversight program with respect to all of the Portfolios’ service providers and the continued involvement of Northern’s internal audit group in reviewing operations that support the Portfolios, as well as Northern’s responses to any compliance or operational issue raised during the year. The Trustees also took into account that the scope of services provided by Northern, and the undertakings required of Northern in connection with those services, including maintaining and monitoring its own and the Portfolios’ compliance programs, had expanded over time as a result of regulatory, market and other developments. In this regard, the Trustees also noted Northern’s initiatives undertaken in the past few years with respect to the Portfolios and their shareholders, including to address additional regulatory and reporting requirements. The Trustees took into account that each of the U.S. Government, U.S. Government Select and Treasury Portfolios had maintained a stable net asset value.

The Trustees also considered the qualifications, background and responsibilities of Northern’s senior management and investment personnel. They also noted Northern’s recruitment and retention plans for attracting high quality investment professionals, as well as its portfolio management compensation structure, and the consistency of investment approach with respect to the Portfolios. The Trustees also considered Northern’s and its affiliates’ strong financial position and stability.

The Trustees concluded that Northern was able to commit, and had committed, substantial financial and other resources to the operations of the Portfolios and was able to continue to provide quality services to the Portfolios.

Performance

The Trustees considered the investment performance of each Portfolio, including whether it had operated within its respective investment objectives, as well as its compliance with its investment restrictions. The Trustees also took into account the low interest rate environment in which the Portfolios had been and were operating and any actions taken by Northern with respect to the

Portfolios to prevent negative yields this year and in past years. The Trustees received information on the Portfolios’ investment performance for one, two, three, four, five and ten years, as well as performance for the most recent quarter and year-to-date. They compared the investment performance of the Portfolios to the performance of other registered funds and to rankings issued by the third-party mutual fund data provider. The Portfolios were ranked by the data provider in quintiles, ranging from first to fifth, where first is the most desirable quintile position and fifth is the least desirable. The Trustees also reviewed the Portfolios’ performance relative to their performance benchmarks and the Portfolios’ three-year performance and net expenses as calculated by the third-party mutual fund data provider.

The Trustees noted the following regarding each Portfolio’s performance relative to its performance universe:

 

 

Performance of the Treasury Portfolio (Shares and Premier) was in the first quintile for the one- and three-year periods ended January 31, 2021; and the performance of the Treasury Portfolio (Shares) was in the first quintile for the five-year period ended January 31, 2021.

 

 

Performance of the U.S. Government Select Portfolio was in the first quintile for the one-year period and in the second quintile for the three- and five-year periods ended January 31, 2021.

 

 

Performance of the U.S. Government Portfolio was in the second quintile for the one-, three- and five-year periods ended January 31, 2021.

The Trustees also noted that the Treasury and U.S. Government Select Portfolios had performed in-line with or outperformed its respective benchmark, and that the U.S. Government Portfolio slightly underperformed its benchmark, for the same periods.

They also considered that the U.S. Government and U.S. Government Select Portfolios were in the least desirable less return, more expenses portion of the performance and expenses comparison. They took into account that the two Portfolios had performance in the first or second quintiles relative to their respective performance universe for the one- and three-year time periods.

The Trustees took into account senior management’s and portfolio manager’s discussion of the Portfolios’ performance and explanation for differences in investment parameters of certain Portfolios and their peers. They also considered the Portfolios’ investment performance relative to the investor base the Portfolios are intended to serve. The Trustees noted the potential impact on performance of the relative risk parameters of the different Portfolios. Specifically, they took into consideration Northern’s investment strategies. In addition, the Trustees reviewed the consistency of Northern’s investment approach for the Portfolios and processes to address performance issues, if any.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   36   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

The Trustees concluded, based on the information received, that the Portfolios’ performance was satisfactory.

Fee Rates, Costs of Services and Profitability

The Trustees also evaluated the Portfolios’ contractual and net (after expense reimbursements) management fee rates; the Portfolios’ total operating expense ratios; Northern’s contractual commitments to continue expense reimbursements for at least one year with respect to the Portfolios; and whether a consistent methodology was in place for determining the fees and expenses of the Portfolios. They noted that beginning in 2019 and through the date of the Annual Contract Meeting, Northern had been voluntarily waiving two basis points of fees for the U.S. Government Select Portfolio and that Northern had voluntarily waived expenses for each of the Portfolios in the past year to avoid negative yield. In addition, the Trustees considered actions taken in past years to reduce Portfolio expenses, such as other voluntary expense reimbursements, service provider fee reductions, and reductions in the contractual expense limitations for the U.S. Government and Treasury Portfolios.

The Trustees reviewed information on the fee rates paid by the Portfolios under the Management Agreement and the Portfolios’ total operating expense ratios compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by unaffiliated investment management firms, as prepared by the third-party mutual fund data provider. The third-party report compared the expenses of each Portfolio against its respective peer expense group and expense universe as determined by the third-party data provider. In comparing the Portfolios’ contractual and net management fees to those of comparable funds, the Trustees noted that the Portfolios’ management fees include both advisory and administrative costs. Among other data, the Trustees considered that for all of the Portfolios, the total operating expense ratios after reimbursement of expenses were at or below their respective peer expense universe medians. The Trustees also noted the following:

 

 

The Treasury Portfolio’s net management fee for all classes was below its peer expense group and expense universe medians, and its total expense ratio, after reimbursement of expenses, was in the first quintile of its peer expense group with respect to the Shares class. The total expense ratio, after reimbursement of expenses, of the Premier Shares class was in the fifth quintile of its peer expense group.

 

 

The U.S. Government Portfolio’s net management fee was above its peer expense group and expense universe medians, and its total expense ratio, after reimbursement of expenses, was in the fifth quintile of its peer expense group.

 

 

The U.S. Government Select Portfolio’s net management fee was above its peer expense group median and even with its peer expense universe median, and its total expense ratio, after reimbursement of expenses, was in the fifth quintile of its peer expense group.

The Trustees took into account Northern’s discussion of the Portfolios’ expenses and that Northern had reimbursed expenses and/or waived fees for each of the Portfolios. They also reviewed information comparing the Portfolios’ fee rates to the fee rates charged by Northern to similarly managed, private institutional accounts. The Trustees considered the difference in, and level of complexity of, services provided by Northern with regard to the private institutional accounts, as well as regulatory, operational and compliance differences, board and committee support provided by Northern to the Portfolios and other differences. The Trustees considered the fee comparisons in light of the differences in management of these different kinds of accounts. These comparisons assisted the Trustees in evaluating the reasonableness of the management fees paid by the Portfolios.

In addition, the Trustees considered the amount of assets in the Portfolios; the information provided by Northern relating to the costs of the services provided by it and its affiliates; and the profits realized by them through their relationship on a Portfolio-by-Portfolio basis and on an overall Trust basis and both before and after distribution and certain non-distribution costs. The Trustees considered Northern’s assumptions and methodology for allocating costs to each Portfolio, recognizing that cost allocation methodologies are inherently subjective and not audited.

The Trustees also discussed information provided by the third-party provider of mutual fund data with respect to Northern’s profitability compared to other publicly-traded advisers. They considered that comparisons of advisory agreement profitability across fund families are difficult because of numerous factors, including the types of funds managed, business mix, cost allocation methodologies and other factors. The Trustees also considered Northern’s expense reimbursements during the year. They also took into account the nature of the Portfolios and the high quality of the services provided by Northern. The Trustees understood that Northern should be entitled to earn a reasonable level of profit in exchange for the level of services it provides to the Portfolios. The Trustees concluded that Northern’s profitability was not unreasonable based on the services and benefits provided and the costs assumed by Northern and its affiliates. They also noted that Northern appeared to have the resources necessary to fulfill its obligations under its management and other agreements with the Portfolios.

Economies of Scale

The Trustees considered the extent to which economies of scale would be realized as the Portfolios grow and whether fee levels reflected these economies of scale for the benefit of shareholders. The Trustees noted that the management fee of each Portfolio did not have breakpoints. They took into account management’s discussion of the Portfolios’ management fee structure and considered Northern’s view that the Portfolios were sharing in economies of scale through the level at which the Portfolios’ management fees are set and through Northern’s contractual expense reimbursements that limit the expenses for the Portfolios

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   37   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT continued

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

to specific levels. They agreed that breakpoints were not necessary with respect to the Portfolios at this time based on the level of management fees and the contractual expense reimbursements. The Trustees also considered the voluntary fee waivers and expense reimbursements made by Northern to the Portfolios to prevent negative yields this year and in past years.

The Trustees determined, on the basis of the foregoing, that the Portfolios’ current management fee structures were reasonable.

Other Benefits to Northern

The Trustees also reviewed other benefits accruing to Northern and its affiliates as a result of their relationship with the Portfolios. Those benefits included fees received by the affiliates for transfer agency, custodial and sub-administrative functions, as well as shareholder servicing fees from the Premier Shares of the Treasury Portfolio. The Trustees also considered that many of the Portfolios’ shareholders had other client relationships with Northern’s affiliates. In addition, the Trustees considered that the scale of the Portfolios provided opportunities to Northern to obtain securities trading advantages for its other advisory clients and that Northern and its affiliates benefit from their ability to leverage resources over a larger asset base.

After deliberation, the Trustees concluded with respect to each of the Portfolios that the management fees paid by the Portfolios were reasonable in light of the services provided by Northern, its costs and the Portfolios’ asset levels, and other factors including those discussed above and that renewal of the Management Agreement should be approved.

 

(1)

Pursuant to relief granted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in light of the COVID-19 pandemic (“Order”) and a determination by the Board that reliance on the Order was appropriate due to circumstances related to the current or potential effects of COVID-19, the Annual Contract meeting was held through videoconference and telephonically.

    

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   38  

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

 

 

 

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

 

 

 

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   39   MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS


MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION   

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

Northern Institutional Funds files detailed month-end portfolio holdings information on Form N-MFP with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) each month and posts a complete schedule of portfolio holdings on its website (northerntrust.com/institutional) as of the last business day of each month for the previous six months. The Portfolios’ Forms N-MFP are available electronically on the SEC’s website (sec.gov).

PROXY VOTING

Northern Institutional Funds’ Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and each Portfolio’s portfolio securities voting record for the 12-month period ended June 30 are available upon request and without charge by visiting Northern Institutional Funds’ web site at northerntrust.com/institutional or the SEC’s web site at sec.gov or by calling the Northern Institutional Funds Center at 800-637-1380.

 

MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIOS   40   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


50 SOUTH LASALLE STREET

P.O. BOX 75986

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60675-5986

800-637-1380

NORTHERNTRUST.COM/INSTITUTIONAL

 

 

 

 

LOGO


LOGO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  2    

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

  3    

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

  4    

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

  5    

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  6    

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

  6    

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

  9    

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

  15    

FUND EXPENSES

  16    

APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

  20    

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

This report has been prepared for the general information of Northern Institutional Funds Liquid Assets Portfolio shareholders. It is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors unless accompanied or preceded by a current Northern Institutional Funds Liquid Assets Portfolio prospectus, which contains more complete information about the Northern Institutional Funds Liquid Assets Portfolio’s investment objectives, risks, fees and expenses. Investors are reminded to read a summary prospectus or prospectus carefully before investing or sending money.

 

 

You could lose money by investing in the Portfolio. Although the Portfolio seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, the Portfolio cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), any other government agency, or The Northern Trust Company, its affiliates, subsidiaries or any other bank. The Portfolio’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Portfolio, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Portfolio at any time.

Northern Institutional Funds are distributed by Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101, not affiliated with Northern Trust.

 

NOT FDIC INSURED

 

 

May lose value / No bank guarantee

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   1   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES    MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

Amounts in thousands, except per share data    LIQUID
ASSETS
PORTFOLIO
 

ASSETS:

  

Investments, at amortized cost, which approximates fair value

     $319,491  

Repurchase agreements, at cost, which approximates fair value

     675,053  

Cash and cash equivalents

     79,449  

Interest income receivable

     379  

Receivable from affiliates for expense reimbursements

     98  

Prepaid and other assets

     9  

Total Assets

     1,074,479  

LIABILITIES:

  

Payable for fund shares redeemed

     90,358  

Distributions payable to shareholders

     1  

Payable to affiliates:

  

Management fees

     94  

Custody fees

     4  

Transfer agent fees

     27  

Accrued Trustee fees

     12  

Accrued other liabilities

     25  

Total Liabilities

     90,521  

Net Assets

     $983,958  

ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS:

  

Capital stock

     $983,955  

Distributable earnings

     3  

Net Assets

     $983,958  

Total Shares Outstanding (no par value, unlimited shares authorized)

     983,954  

Net Asset Value, Redemption and Offering Price Per Share

     $1.00  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO   2   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS    FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

Amounts in thousands    LIQUID
ASSETS
PORTFOLIO
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

  

Interest income

     $290  

Total Investment Income

     290  

EXPENSES:

  

Management fees

     444  

Custody fees

     28  

Transfer agent fees

     67  

Printing fees

     7  

Audit fees

     8  

Legal fees

     47  

Trustee fees

     6  

Other

     11  

Total Expenses

     618  

Less expenses contractually reimbursed by investment adviser

     (476

Net Expenses

     142  

Net Investment Income

     148  

NET REALIZED GAINS:

  

Net realized gains on:

  

Investments

     2  

Net Gains

     2  

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

     $150  

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   3   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS   

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021, (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 2020

 

    

LIQUID

ASSETS

PORTFOLIO

 
Amounts in thousands    2021     2020  

OPERATIONS:

    

Net investment income

   $ 148     $ 5,293  

Net realized gains

     2       2  

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

     150       5,295  

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:(1)

    

Net increase in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

     176,115       11,644  

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Capital Share Transactions

     176,115       11,644  

DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

    

Distributable earnings

     (150     (5,293

Total Distributions Paid

     (150     (5,293

TotalIncreaseinNet Assets

     176,115       11,646  

NET ASSETS:

    

Beginning of period

     807,843       796,197  

End of period

   $ 983,958     $ 807,843  

 

(1)

The number of shares approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO   4   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS   

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

OR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED NOVEMBER 30,

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO                                          
Selected per share data    2021      2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income

     (1)        0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01        (1)  

Net realized gains (losses)(1)

                                         

Total from Investment Operations

            0.01        0.02        0.02        0.01         

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS PAID:

                 

From net investment income

     (1)        (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01      (1)  

From net realized gains

                                 (2)         

Total Distributions Paid

            (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.01       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

     $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00        $1.00  

Total Return(3)

     0.02 %(4)       0.65      2.27      1.78      0.85      0.46

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

                 

Net assets, in thousands, end of period

     $983,958        $807,843        $796,197        $769,479        $1,305,022        $3,011,970  

Ratio to average net assets of:(5)

                 

Expenses, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.03      0.03      0.03      0.03      0.03      0.03

Expenses, before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.14      0.14      0.15      0.14      0.14      0.13

Net investment income, net of waivers, reimbursements and credits

     0.03      0.70      2.28      1.72      0.80      0.46

Net investment income (loss), before waivers, reimbursements and credits

     (0.08 )%       0.59      2.16      1.61      0.69      0.36

 

(1)

Per share amounts from net investment income, net realized gains (losses) and distributions paid from net investment income were less than $0.01 per share.

(2)

Per share amount from distributions paid from net realized gains was less than $0.01 per share.

(3)

Assumes investment at net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, and a complete redemption of theinvestment at net asset value at the end of the period. The total return is not annualized for periods less than one year.

(4)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. voluntarily reimbursed expenses of the Share class of the Portfolio in the amount of less than $1,000 and had no effectonthe Portfolio’s total return. (see Note 4)

(5)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   5   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
     VALUE
(000s)
 
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES – 8.6% (1)  

Federal Farm Credit Bank – 3.4%

     

FFCB Discount Notes,

     

0.13%, 8/11/21 (2)

     $200        $200  

FFCB Notes,

     

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.06%),
0.07%, 6/1/21 (3)

     5,000        5,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     640        640  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     1,000        1,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds +
0.06%), 0.12%, 6/1/21 (3)

     10,000        9,999  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.18%),
0.19%, 6/1/21 (3)

     1,000        1,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.19%),
0.20%, 6/1/21 (3)

     2,000        2,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.19%),
0.20%, 6/1/21 (3)

     7,000        7,000  

(Floating, U.S. Federal Funds +
0.20%), 0.26%, 6/1/21 (3)

     7,000        7,000  
                33,839  

Federal Home Loan Bank – 5.2%

     

FHLB Bonds,
0.07%, 11/9/21

     7,000        7,000  

FHLB Notes,

     

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.06%),
0.07%, 6/1/21 (3)

     15,000        15,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     10,000        10,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     5,000        5,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.08%),
0.09%, 6/1/21 (3)

     4,000        4,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.15%),
0.16%, 6/1/21 (3)

     5,000        5,000  

(Floating, U.S. SOFR + 0.16%),
0.17%, 6/1/21 (3)

     5,000        5,000  
                51,000  

Total U.S. Government Agencies

                 

(Cost $84,839)

              84,839  
     
U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 23.9%  

U.S. Treasury Bills – 4.6%

 

0.09%, 6/3/21 (2)

     10,000        10,000  

0.06%, 7/13/21 (2)

     15,000        14,999  

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
     VALUE
(000s)
 

U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS – 23.9% – continued

 

U.S. Treasury Bills – 4.6% – continued

     

0.14%, 11/4/21 (2)

     $10,000        $9,994  

0.12%, 12/2/21 (2)

     10,000        9,994  
                44,987  

U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes – 14.5%

 

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M
Bill MMY + 0.03%), 0.05%, 6/1/21 (3)

     22,000        22,001  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M
Bill MMY + 0.05%), 0.06%, 6/1/21 (3)

     7,000        7,003  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M
Bill MMY + 0.06%), 0.07%, 6/1/21 (3)

     55,000        55,020  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M
Bill MMY + 0.11%), 0.13%, 6/1/21 (3)

     47,095        47,136  

(Floating, U.S. Treasury 3M
Bill MMY + 0.22%), 0.24%, 6/1/21 (3)

     11,000        11,000  
                142,160  

U.S. Treasury Notes – 4.8%

 

2.63%, 6/15/21

     10,000        10,010  

2.63%, 12/15/21

     10,000        10,135  

1.13%, 2/28/22

     12,000        12,092  

2.38%, 3/15/22

     15,000        15,268  
                47,505  

Total U.S. Government Obligations

                 

(Cost $234,652)

              234,652  
     

Investments, at Amortized Cost

                 

($319,491)

              319,491  
     
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 68.6% (4)  

Bank of America N.A., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $160,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     160,000        160,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc., dated 5/6/21, repurchase price $100,001,
0.01%, 6/7/21

     100,000        100,000  

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $45,053,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     45,053        45,053  
               

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO   6   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

     PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000s)
     VALUE
(000s)
 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS – 68.6% (4) continued  

Fixed Income Clearing Corp., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $25,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     $25,000        $25,000  

Goldman Sachs & Co., dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $160,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     160,000        160,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $15,001,
0.06%, 8/31/21

     15,000        15,000  

JPMorgan Securities LLC, dated 5/28/21, repurchase price $170,000,
0.01%, 6/1/21

     170,000        170,000  
                675,053  

Total Repurchase Agreements

                 

(Cost $675,053)

              675,053  
     

Total Investments – 101.1%

                 

(Cost $994,544)

              994,544  

Liabilities less Other Assets – (1.1%)

              (10,586

NET ASSETS – 100.0%

              $983,958  

 

(1)

The obligations of certain U.S. government-sponsored entities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the United States Treasury.

(2)

Discount rate at the time of purchase.

(3)

Variable or floating rate security. Rate as of May 31, 2021 is disclosed. Maturity date represents the next interest reset date. The security’s legal final maturity date is longer than the reset date. Securities with longer maturity dates have a greater sensitivity to changes in liquidity, interest rate risk and/or credit risk.

(4)

The nature and terms of the collateral received for the repurchase agreements are as follows:

 

NAME   FAIR VALUE
(000S)
    COUPON
RATES
    MATURITY
DATES

FHLB

    $14,181       4.10%     10/24/33

FHLMC

    $42,746       0.00% – 5.00%     3/15/31 – 8/1/50

FNMA

    $74,311       0.00% –  5.00%     2/6/37 –  5/1/51

GNMA

    $415,143       2.50% –  5.50%     8/20/33 – 5/20/51

TVA

    $535       2.88%     2/1/27

U.S. Treasury Bills

    $34,617       0.00%     7/27/21

U.S. Treasury Bonds

    $25,500       2.00%     2/15/50

U.S. Treasury Notes

    $86,591       0.13% – 2.75%     11/15/23 –  12/31/25

Total

    $693,624              

EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED THROUGHOUT THE SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS:

3M – 3 Month

FFCB – Federal Farm Credit Bank

FHLB – Federal Home Loan Bank

FHLMC – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

FNMA – Federal National Mortgage Association

GNMA – Government National Mortgage Association

LLC – Limited Liability Company

MMY – Money Market Yield

SOFR – Secured Overnight Financing Rate

TVA – Tennessee Valley Authority

Percentages shown are based on Net Assets.

At May 31, 2021, the security types for the Portfolio were:

 

SECURITY TYPE (1)    % OF NET ASSETS  

U.S. Government Agencies

     8.6%  
U.S. Government Obligations      23.9%  
Repurchase Agreements      68.6%  

 

(1)

Figures in the above table may not sum to 100% due to the exclusion of other assets and liabilities.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   7  

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO continued

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Portfolio’s investments. These inputs are summarized in three levels listed below:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical securities on the measurement date.

Level 2 – Other observable inputs (e.g., quoted prices in active markets for similar securities, securities valuations based on commonly quoted benchmark interest rates and yield curves, maturities, ratings and/or securities indices).

Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs (e.g., information about assumptions, including risk, market participants would use in pricing a security).

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities and other financial instruments, if any. The following table summarizes the valuations of the Portfolio’s investments, which are carried at amortized cost, or at cost for repurchase agreements, which approximates fair value, by the above fair value hierarchy as of May 31, 2021:

 

    LEVEL 1
(000s)
    LEVEL 2 (000s)     LEVEL 3
(000s)
   

TOTAL

(000s)

 

Investments held by Liquid Assets Portfolio (1)

    $–       $994,544       $–       $994,544  

 

(1)

Classifications as defined in the Schedule of Investments.

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

 

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO   8   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

1. ORGANIZATION

Northern Institutional Funds (the “Trust”) is a Delaware statutory trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Trust includes 5 portfolios as of May 31, 2021, each with its own investment objective (e.g., income consistent with preservation of capital).

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. (“NTI”), an indirect subsidiary of Northern Trust Corporation, serves as the investment adviser for the Liquid Assets Portfolio (the “Portfolio”). The Northern Trust Company (“Northern Trust”), an affiliate of NTI, serves as transfer agent, custodian and sub-administrator to the Portfolio. Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, not an affiliate of NTI, is the Trust’s distributor.

The Portfolio operates as a “government money market fund” as defined under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act.

2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Trust, which is an investment company, follows accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services-Investment Companies.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Portfolio in the preparation of its financial statements. These policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

A) VALUATION OF SECURITIES The investments held by the Portfolio are valued at amortized cost, which generally approximates fair value. Under this method, investments purchased at a discount or premium are valued by accreting or amortizing the difference between the original purchase price and maturity value of the issue over the period to effective maturity. If NTI has determined that amortized cost does not approximate fair value, such securities are fair valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by, and subject to oversight of, the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”).

The use of fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Portfolio to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other unaffiliated investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

B) CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash and cash equivalents may include cash and cash held in an interest-bearing deposit account at Northern Trust.

C) REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS The Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements under the terms of a master repurchase agreement by which the Portfolio purchases securities for cash from a seller and agrees to resell those securities to the same seller at a specific price within a specified time or with an indefinite life and liquidity feature, which allows the Portfolio to resell the securities quarterly. The interest rate on such repurchase agreements resets daily. During the term of a repurchase agreement, the fair value of the underlying collateral, including accrued interest, is required to equal or exceed the fair value of the repurchase agreement. The underlying collateral for tri-party repurchase agreements is held in accounts for Northern Trust or NTI (and is not reflected in the assets of the Portfolio) as agent of the Portfolio, at The Bank of New York Mellon, State Street Bank and Trust Company or JPMorgan Chase which, in turn, holds securities through the book-entry system at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The underlying collateral for other repurchase agreements is held in a customer-only account for Northern Trust, as custodian for the Portfolio, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The Portfolio is subject to credit risk on repurchase agreements to the extent that the counterparty fails to perform under the agreement and the value of the collateral received falls below the agreed repurchase price. If the seller defaults and the value of the collateral declines or if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of collateral by the Portfolio may be delayed or limited. The Portfolio has entered into such repurchase agreements, as reflected in its accompanying Schedule of Investments, as of May 31, 2021.

Pursuant to exemptive relief granted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Portfolio and certain other money market portfolios advised by NTI and Northern Trust may enter into joint repurchase agreements with non-affiliated counterparties through a master repurchase agreement. NTI administers and manages these joint repurchase agreements in accordance with and as part of its duties under its management agreement with the Portfolio and does not collect any additional fees from the Portfolio for such services. The Portfolio has entered into such joint repurchase agreements, during the period. There were no outstanding joint repurchase agreements at May 31, 2021.

The Portfolio may enter into transactions subject to enforceable netting arrangements (“Netting Arrangements”) under a repurchase agreement. Generally, Netting Arrangements allow the Portfolio to offset any exposure to a specific counterparty with any collateral received from or delivered to that counterparty. In addition, Netting Arrangements provide the right for the non-defaulting party to liquidate the collateral and calculate the net exposure to the defaulting party or request additional collateral. Generally, the Portfolio manages its cash collateral and securities collateral on a counterparty basis. As of May 31, 2021, the Portfolio was not invested in any portfolio securities other than the repurchase agreements described below, with gross exposures on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, that could be netted subject to Netting Arrangements.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   9   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

 

The following table presents the repurchase agreements, which are subject to Netting Arrangements, as well as the collateral delivered related to those repurchase agreements.

 

                    GROSS AMOUNTS NOT OFFSET IN THE
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
 

Amounts in thousands

   COUNTERPARTY   

GROSS AMOUNTS OF ASSETS
PRESENTED IN STATEMENT

OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

     FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS      NET
AMOUNT*
 

Liquid Assets

   Bank of America    $ 160,000      $ (160,000)      $  
   Barclays Capital      100,000        (100,000)         
   Citigroup      45,053        (45,053)         
  

Fixed Income Clearing Corp.

     25,000        (25,000)         
   Goldman Sachs      160,000        (160,000)         
   JPMorgan      185,000        (185,000)         
     Total    $ 675,053      $ (675,053)      $  

 

*

Collateral received is reflected up to the fair value of the repurchase agreement. Refer to the Schedule of Investments.

 

D) INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS AND INCOME Investment transactions are recorded as of the trade date. The Portfolio determines the gain or loss realized from investment transactions by using an identified cost basis method. Interest income, if any, is recognized on an accrual basis and includes amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts.

E) EXPENSES The Portfolio is charged for those expenses that are directly attributable to the Portfolio. Expenses incurred that do not specifically relate to an individual Portfolio generally are allocated among all the portfolios in the Trust in proportion to each portfolio’s relative net assets. Expenses are recognized on an accrual basis.

F) DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS Distribution of dividends from net investment income are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually. Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

The timing and character of distributions determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations may differ from financial statement amounts determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP due to differences in the treatment and recognition of investment income and realized gains and losses. These differences are primarily related to the capital loss carryforwards. Inherent differences in the recognition of income and capital gains for federal income tax purposes, which are permanent, may result in periodic reclassifications in the Portfolio’s capital accounts. These reclassifications may relate to net operating losses and distribution reclassifications. These reclassifications have no impact on the net assets or the net asset value (“NAV”) per share of the Portfolio.

At November 30, 2020, the following reclassifications were recorded:

 

Amounts in thousands

  UNDISTRIBUTED
NET INVESTMENT
INCOME (LOSS)
    ACCUMULATED
UNDISTRIBUTED
NET REALIZED
GAINS (LOSSES)
 

Liquid Assets

    $–     $–*  

* Amounts round to less than $1,000.

G) FEDERAL INCOME TAXES No provision for federal income taxes has been made since the Portfolio’s policy is to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute, each year, substantially all of its taxable income and tax-exempt income to its shareholders.

The Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “Act”) allows capital losses to be carried forward for an unlimited period and to retain their character as either short-term or long-term. The Portfolio’s ability to utilize capital loss carryforwards in the future may be limited under the Code and related regulations based on the results of future transactions.

There were no unused capital loss carryforwards in the Portfolio as of November 30, 2020.

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

  10  

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

 

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

At November 30, 2020, the tax component of undistributed net investment income and realized gains, including amounts declared but not yet paid for federal income tax purposes, was as follows:

 

    UNDISTRIBUTED  
Amounts in thousands   ORDINARY
INCOME
(LOSS)*
    LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
(LOSSES)
 

Liquid Assets

    $63       $–  

 

*  Ordinary income includes taxable market discount income and short-term capital gains, if any.

 

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2020, was as follows:

 

   

 

    DISTRIBUTIONS FROM  
Amounts in thousands   ORDINARY
INCOME
(LOSS)*
    LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
(LOSSES)
 

Liquid Assets

    $6,171       $–  

 

*

Ordinary income includes taxable market discount income and short-term capital gains, if any.

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019, was as follows:

 

    DISTRIBUTIONS FROM  
Amounts in thousands   ORDINARY
INCOME
(LOSS)*
    LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
(LOSSES)
 

Liquid Assets

    $18,791       $–  

 

*

Ordinary income includes taxable market discount income and short-term capital gains, if any.

As of November 30, 2020, the Portfolio had no uncertain tax positions that would require financial statement recognition or disclosure. The Portfolio’s federal tax returns remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for three years after they are filed. Any interest or penalties incurred, if any, on future unknown, uncertain tax positions taken by the Portfolio will be recorded as Interest expense and Other expenses, respectively, on the Statement of Operations.

3. BANK BORROWINGS

The Trust and the Northern Funds, a registered investment company also advised by NTI, jointly entered into a $250,000,000 senior unsecured revolving credit facility on November 16, 2020, which is administered by Citibank, N.A., for liquidity and other purposes (the “Credit Facility”). The interest rate charged under the Credit Facility is equal to the sum of (i) the Federal Funds Rate plus (ii) if the one month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) on the date of borrowing exceeded such Federal Funds Rate, the amount by which it so exceeded, plus (iii) 1.25 percent. In addition, there is an annual commitment fee of 0.15 percent on the unused portion of the credit line under the Credit Facility, payable quarterly in arrears, which is included in Other expenses on the Statement of Operations. The Credit Facility will expire on November 15, 2021, unless renewed.

The Portfolio did not have any borrowings or incur any interest expense for the six months ended May 31, 2021. There were no outstanding loan amounts at May 31, 2021.

4. MANAGEMENT AND OTHER AGREEMENTS

As compensation for advisory and administration services and the assumption of related expenses, NTI is entitled to a management fee, computed daily and payable monthly, at the annual rate of 0.10 percent of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets.

NTI has contractually agreed to reimburse a portion of the operating expenses of the Portfolio (other than certain excepted expenses, i.e., acquired fund fees and expenses, the compensation paid to each independent Trustee of the Trust, expenses of third-party consultants engaged by the Board, membership dues paid to the Investment Company Institute and Mutual Fund Directors Forum, expenses in connection with the negotiation and renewal of the revolving credit facility, extraordinary expenses and interest) as shown on the accompanying Statement of Operations, to the extent the total annual portfolio operating expenses of the Portfolio exceed 0.03 percent of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets. The total annual portfolio operating expenses after expense reimbursement for the Portfolio may be higher than the contractual limitation as a result of certain excepted expenses that are not reimbursed. The amount of the reimbursement is included in Less expenses reimbursed by investment adviser as a reduction to Total Expenses in the Statement of Operations. The contractual expense reimbursement receivable at May 31, 2021 is shown as Receivable from affiliates for expense reimbursements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Any such reimbursement is paid monthly to the Portfolio by NTI.

The contractual expense reimbursement arrangement described above is expected to continue until at least April 1, 2022. The contractual expense reimbursement arrangement will continue automatically for periods of one-year (each such one-year period, a “Renewal Year”). The arrangement may be terminated, as to any succeeding Renewal Year, by NTI or the Portfolio upon 60 days’ written notice prior to the end of the current Renewal Year. The Board may terminate the contractual arrangement at any time with respect to the Portfolio if it determines that it is in the best interest of the Portfolio and its shareholders.

In addition during the six months ended May 31, 2021, NTI reimbursed certain additional expenses that may be excepted expenses.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   11   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

 

NTI may reimburse additional expenses or waive all or a portion of the management fees of the Portfolio from time to time, including to avoid a negative yield. Any such additional expense reimbursement or waiver would be voluntary and could be implemented, increased or decreased or discontinued at any time. There is no guarantee that the Portfolio will be able to avoid a negative yield. Any such reimbursement is paid monthly to the Portfolio by NTI.

During the six months ended May 31, 2021, NTI voluntarily reimbursed additional expenses that were less than $1,000.

As compensation for services rendered as transfer agent, including the assumption by Northern Trust of the expenses related thereto, Northern Trust receives a fee, accrued daily and payable monthly, at an annual rate of 0.015 percent of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio.

NTI has entered into a sub-administration agreement with Northern Trust, pursuant to which Northern Trust performs certain administrative services for the Portfolio. NTI pays Northern Trust for its sub-administration services out of NTI’s management fees.

For compensation as custodian, Northern Trust receives an amount based on a pre-determined schedule of charges approved by the Board. The Portfolio has entered into an expense offset arrangement with the custodian whereby credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances are used to reduce a portion of the Portfolio’s custodian expenses, unless such uninvested cash balances receive a separate type of return. Custodian credits, if any, are shown as Less custodian credits in the Portfolio’s Statement of Operations.

Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, the placement agent for the Portfolio, received no compensation from the Portfolio under the placement agency agreement. However, it received compensation from NTI for its services as placement agent pursuant to a separate letter agreement between it and NTI.

Certain officers of the Trust are also officers of Northern Trust and NTI. All officers serve without compensation from the Portfolio. The Trust provided a deferred compensation plan for its Trustees who are not officers of Northern Trust or NTI. Prior to August 22, 2013, under the deferred compensation plan, Trustees may have elected to defer all or a portion of their compensation. Effective August 22, 2013, the Trustees may no longer defer their compensation. Any amounts deferred and invested under the plan shall remain invested pursuant to the terms of the plan. Each Trustee’s account shall be deemed to be invested in shares of the U.S. Government Portfolio of the Trust and/or the Global Tactical Asset Allocation Fund of Northern Funds and/or at the discretion of the Trust, another money market fund selected by the Trust that complies with the provisions of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act or one or more short-term fixed-income instruments selected by the Trust that are “eligible securities” as defined by that rule. The net investment income, gains and losses achieved by such deemed investment shall be credited to the Trustee’s account as provided in the plan.

5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Portfolio is permitted to purchase and sell securities from or to certain affiliated funds or portfolios under specified conditions outlined in Rule 17a-7 Procedures adopted by the Board. The procedures have been designed to ensure that any purchase or sale of securities by the Portfolio from or to another fund or portfolio that is or could be considered an affiliate by virtue of having a common investment adviser (or affiliated investment advisers), common trustees and/or common officers complies with Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act. Further, as defined under these procedures, each transaction is effected at the current market price as defined in the Rule 17a-7 Procedures. For the six months ended May 31, 2021, the Portfolio did not have any purchases and/or sales of securities from an affiliated entity.

Certain uninvested cash balances of the Portfolio may receive a return from Northern Trust based on a market return it receives less an administrative fee. These amounts (if any) are shown on the Portfolio’s Statement of Operations as Income from affiliates.

6. INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS

At May 31, 2021, for federal income tax purposes, gross unrealized appreciation, gross unrealized depreciation, net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments and the cost basis of investments were as follows:

 

Amounts in
thousands
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
     UNREALIZED
DEPRECIATION
     NET
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
     COST
BASIS OF
INVESTMENTS
 

Liquid Assets

   $   –      $   –      $   –      $ 994,544  

7. CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

Transactions in capital shares for the six months ended May 31, 2021, were as follows:

 

Amounts in
thousands*
   PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
    

REINVESTMENTS
OF

DIVIDENDS

     PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
(DECREASE)
IN NET ASSETS
 

Liquid Assets

   $ 6,502,113      $   –      $ (6,325,998   $ 176,115  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO   12   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

 

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

Transactions in capital shares for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2020, were as follows:

 

Amounts in
thousands*
   PROCEEDS
FROM
SHARES SOLD
    

REINVESTMENTS
OF

DIVIDENDS

     PAYMENTS
FOR SHARES
REDEEMED
    NET INCREASE
(DECREASE)
IN NET ASSETS
 

Liquid Assets

   $ 11,866,154      $   –      $ (11,854,510   $ 11,644  

 

*

The number of shares sold, reinvested and redeemed approximates the dollar amount of transactions.

8. INDEMNIFICATIONS AND WARRANTIES

In the ordinary course of its business, the Portfolio may enter into contracts or agreements that contain indemnifications or warranties. Future events could occur that lead to the execution of these provisions against the Portfolio. The maximum exposure to the Portfolio under these provisions is unknown, as this would involve future claims that have not yet occurred. However, the Portfolio has not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these contracts and believes the risk of loss to be remote.

9. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) “Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting” (“ASU 2020-04”), which provides optional temporary financial reporting relief from the effect of certain types of contract modifications due to the planned discontinuation of the LIBOR and other interbank-offered based reference rates as of the end of 2021. The new guidance is effective for certain reference rate-related contract modifications that occur during the period March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022, and the adoption of ASU 2020-04 is elective. Management does not believe this update has a material impact on the Portfolio’s financial statements and disclosures.

10. LIBOR TRANSITION

Certain of the Portfolio’s investments, payment obligations and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as LIBOR, Euro Interbank Offered Rate and other similar types of reference rates (each, a “Reference Rate”). On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade nor compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR and certain other Reference Rates after 2021. The FCA and ICE Benchmark Administrator have since announced that most LIBOR settings will no longer be published after December 31, 2021 and a majority of U.S. dollar LIBOR settings will cease publication after June 30, 2023. The U.S. Federal Reserve, based on the recommendations of the New York Federal Reserve’s Alternative Reference Rate Committee (comprised of major derivative market participants and their regulators), has begun publishing SOFR that is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR.

Proposals for alternative reference rates for other currencies have also been announced or have already begun publication. Uncertainty related to the liquidity impact of the change in rates, and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition, poses risks for the Portfolio. The effect of any changes to, or discontinuation of, LIBOR on the Portfolio will depend on, among other things, (1) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and (2) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts. The expected discontinuation of LIBOR could have a significant impact on the financial markets in general and may also present heightened risk to market participants, including public companies, investment advisers, investment companies, and broker-dealers. The risks associated with this discontinuation and transition will be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the transition away from LIBOR on the Portfolio until new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts are commercially accepted and market practices become settled.

11. CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC

An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus was first detected in December 2019 and has spread internationally. The outbreak and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in closing borders and quarantines, restricting international and domestic travel, enhanced health screenings, cancelations, disrupted supply chains and customer activity, responses by businesses (including changes to operations and reducing staff), and have produced general concern and uncertainty. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future could adversely affect national and global economies, individual companies and the market in general in a manner and for a period of time that cannot be foreseen at the present time and may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities. In the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Portfolio and its service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of the Portfolio’s service providers to perform essential services. Certain economic and market conditions arising out of a pandemic or outbreak could result in the Portfolio’s inability to achieve its investment objectives, cause the postponement of reconstitution or rebalance dates for benchmark indices, adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests, negatively impact the Portfolio’s performance, and cause losses on your investment in the Portfolio. Management is monitoring the development of the pandemic, which was ongoing as of the date of the financial statements, and is evaluating its impact on the financial position and operating results of the Portfolio.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   13   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

12. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management has evaluated subsequent events for the Portfolio through the date the financial statements were issued, and has concluded that there are no recognized or non-recognized subsequent events relevant for financial statement disclosure.

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO   14   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

FUND EXPENSES

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

As a shareholder of the Portfolio, you incur ongoing costs, including management fees and other fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Portfolio and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period, December 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021.

ACTUAL EXPENSES

The first line of the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled Expenses Paid 12/1/2020 - 5/31/2021 to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

The second line in the table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Portfolio’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5 percent per year before expenses, which is not the Portfolio’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Portfolio and other funds. To do so, compare this 5 percent hypothetical example with the 5 percent hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges (loads), redemption fees, or exchange fees, but shareholders of other funds may incur such costs. Therefore, the hypothetical information is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds.

 

LIQUID ASSETS

 

SHARES    EXPENSE
RATIO
     BEGINNING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
12/1/2020
    

ENDING
ACCOUNT

VALUE

5/31/2021

     EXPENSES
PAID*
12/1/2020-
5/31/2021
 

Actual

     0.03%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,000.20      $ 0.15  

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

     0.03%      $ 1,000.00      $ 1,024.78      $ 0.15  

 

*

Expenses are calculated using the Portfolio’s annualized expense ratios, which represent ongoing expenses as a percentage of net assets for the six months ended May 31, 2021. Expenses are equal to the Portfolio’s annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/365 (to reflect the one-half year period).

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   15   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

 

The Board of Trustees (the “Board” or the “Trustees”) of Northern Institutional Funds (the “Trust”) oversees the management of the Trust, including review of the investment performance and expenses of the Liquid Assets Portfolio (the “Portfolio”), at regularly scheduled meetings. In addition, the Trustees determine annually whether to approve and continue the Trust’s management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) for the Portfolio with Northern Trust Investments, Inc. (“Northern”).

The Management Agreement was re-approved with respect the Portfolio by the Board, including all of the Trustees who are not parties to the Management Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) of any party thereto (the “Independent Trustees”) voting separately, at the annual contract renewal meeting held on May 19-20, 2021 (the “Annual Contract Meeting”).(1)

In advance of, and at the Annual Contract Meeting, the Trustees received, considered and discussed a variety of information relating to the Management Agreement and Northern and its affiliates. This information included written materials and verbal presentations at Board meetings held via videoconference and telephonically on February 10-11, 2021 and April 8, 2021 (the “February and April Board meetings”) and at the Annual Contract Meeting. At the Annual Contract Meeting, the Trustees considered these reports and presentations and discussed the information that had been provided. Throughout the process, the Trustees also asked questions of and requested additional information from management. In connection with their deliberations, the Independent Trustees met separately with and were advised by their independent legal counsel and received a memorandum from their independent legal counsel regarding their responsibilities under applicable law. They also met in executive sessions at the Annual Contract Meeting, and each of the other Board meetings, with their independent legal counsel without employees of Northern present.

In evaluating the Management Agreement, the Trustees discussed with counsel Northern’s reports, presentations and other information that had been provided to them at the February and April Board meetings and at the Annual Contract Meeting, as well as their interactions with Northern throughout the year and in past years at various meetings. The Trustees noted that the evaluation process with respect to Northern and the Management Agreement was an on-going one throughout the year.

The materials reviewed by the Board included, without limitation: (i) information on the investment performance of the Portfolio in comparison to other mutual funds and performance benchmarks; (ii) compliance reports; (iii) information about Northern’s and its affiliates’ risk management processes, stress testing, credit research, business continuity and cyber-security programs; (iv) fees charged to and expenses borne by the Portfolio; (v) Northern’s profitability and costs and compensation paid to affiliates of Northern; (vi) the qualifications of Northern and its affiliates to provide services to the Portfolio; (vii) information regarding purchases and redemptions of Portfolio shares; (viii) policies adopted by Northern regarding brokerage, including soft dollars, trade allocations and other matters; and (ix) the nature of the Portfolio’s shareholders. The Trustees also considered the nature, quality and extent of non-advisory services provided to the Portfolio by Northern and its affiliates.

More specifically, the Trustees reviewed, among other things, information relating to: (i) the terms of the Management Agreement; (ii) the Portfolio’s investment performance over different time periods in comparison to the investment performance of mutual fund peer groups and categories selected by an independent third-party provider of mutual fund data; (iii) the contractual and net management fees and total expenses (after expense reimbursements and fee waivers) of the Portfolio in comparison to those borne by mutual fund peer expense groups and categories selected by the independent third-party provider of mutual fund data; (iv) the management fees charged to the Portfolio compared to the management fees charged by Northern to its other comparable institutional accounts; (v) Northern’s staffing for the Portfolio and the experience of the portfolio managers, credit research and other personnel; (vi) Northern’s financial resources and its ability to attract and retain portfolio management talent; (vii) Northern’s investments in technology to benefit the Portfolio; (viii) the fees paid by the Portfolio to Northern and its affiliates for services, and the expenses incurred by them in connection with the provision of those services; and (ix) the benefits received by Northern and its affiliates from their service relationships with the Portfolio. The Trustees were provided with a description of the methodology the third-party data provider used to determine the similarity of the Portfolio with the funds included in its peer expense group and peer expense and performance universe. The Trustees also considered other factors (including conditions and trends prevailing generally in the economy, the securities markets, and the industry). In evaluating the Management Agreement for the Portfolio, the Trustees gave weight to various factors including those discussed below, but did not identify any single factor as controlling their decision, and each Trustee may have attributed different weight to different factors.

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services

The Trustees considered, as part of their review, the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Northern. In this regard, they considered both the investment advisory services, and separately the administrative and other non-advisory services that are provided to the Portfolio by Northern and its affiliates. These services include acting as the Portfolio’s administrator and sub-administrator, custodian and transfer agent and providing other services necessary for the operation of the Portfolio and the Trust. The Trustees understood that the Management Agreement encompassed both the advisory and administrative functions being rendered by Northern and its affiliates. They considered the quality of Northern’s communications with and services to shareholders, as well as the expenditures made by Northern and

 

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LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

 

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

its affiliates to improve the quality and scope of their services to the Portfolio. The Trustees considered the strength of Northern’s and its affiliates’ risk management processes, including with respect to the Portfolio’s regular reporting on stress testing. The Trustees also reviewed the compliance and administrative services provided to the Portfolio by Northern and its affiliates, including its oversight of the Portfolio’s day-to-day operations and fund accounting. The Trustees also noted that on a regular basis they received and reviewed information from the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer regarding the Portfolio’s compliance policies and procedures pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. They also considered the quality of Northern’s compliance oversight program with respect to all of the Portfolio’s service providers and the continued involvement of Northern’s internal audit group in reviewing operations that support the Portfolio, as well as Northern’s responses to any compliance or operational issues raised during the year. The Trustees also took into account that the scope of services provided by Northern, and the undertakings required of Northern in connection with those services, including maintaining and monitoring its own and the Portfolio’s compliance programs, had expanded over time as a result of regulatory, market and other developments. In this regard, the Trustees also noted Northern’s initiatives undertaken in the past few years with respect to the Portfolio and its shareholders, including to address additional regulatory and reporting requirements. The Trustees took into account that the Portfolio had maintained a stable net asset value.

The Trustees also considered the qualifications, background and responsibilities of Northern’s senior management and investment personnel. They also noted Northern’s recruitment and retention plans for attracting high quality investment professionals, as well as its portfolio management compensation structure, and the consistency of investment approach with respect to the Portfolio. The Trustees also considered Northern’s and its affiliates’ strong financial position and stability.

The Trustees concluded that Northern was able to commit, and had committed, substantial financial and other resources to the operations of the Portfolio and was able to continue to provide quality services to the Portfolio.

Performance

The Trustees considered the investment performance of the Portfolio, including whether it had operated within its investment objective, as well as its compliance with its investment restrictions. The Trustees also took into account the low interest rate environment in which the Portfolio had been and was operating and any actions taken by Northern with respect to the Portfolio to prevent negative yields this year and in past years. The Trustees received information on the Portfolio’s investment performance for one, two, three, four, five and ten years, as well as performance for the most recent quarter and year-to-date. They compared the investment performance of the Portfolio to the performance of other Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)-registered funds and to rankings issued by the third-party mutual fund data provider. The Portfolio was ranked by the data provider in quintiles, ranging from first to fifth, where first is the most desirable quintile position and fifth is the least desirable. The Trustees also reviewed the Portfolio’s performance relative to its performance benchmark and the Portfolio’s three-year performance versus net expenses as calculated by the third-party mutual fund data provider. The Trustees noted that the performance of the Portfolio was in the first quintile for the one-, three- and five-year periods ended January 31, 2021 and had outperformed its benchmark for the same periods.

The Trustees took into account senior management’s and portfolio manager’s discussion of the Portfolio’s performance and explanation for differences in investment parameters of the Portfolio and its peers. They also considered the Portfolio’s investment performance relative to the investor base the Portfolio is intended to serve. The Trustees noted the potential impact on performance of the relative risk parameters of the Portfolio. Specifically, they took into consideration Northern’s investment strategies. In addition, the Trustees reviewed the consistency of Northern’s investment approach for the Portfolio and processes to address performance issues, if any.

The Trustees concluded, based on the information received, that the Portfolio’s performance was satisfactory.

Fee Rates, Costs of Services and Profitability

The Trustees also evaluated the Portfolio’s contractual and net (after expense reimbursements) management fee rates; the Portfolio’s total operating expense ratio; Northern’s contractual commitments to continue expense reimbursements for at least one year with respect to the Portfolio; and whether a consistent methodology was in place for determining the fees and expenses of the Portfolio. In addition, the Trustees considered actions taken in past years to reduce the Portfolio’s expenses, such as service provider fee reductions.

The Trustees reviewed information on the fee rates paid by the Portfolio under the Management Agreement and the Portfolio’s total operating expense ratio compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by unaffiliated investment management firms, as prepared by the third-party mutual fund data provider. The third-party report compared the expenses of the Portfolio against its peer expense group and expense universe as determined by the third-party data provider. In comparing the Portfolio’s contractual and net management fees to those of comparable funds, the Trustees noted that the Portfolio’s management fee includes both advisory and administrative costs. Among other data, the Trustees considered that the Portfolio’s total operating expense ratio after reimbursement of expenses was below its peer expense universe median and was in the first quintile of its peer expense group.

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   17   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT continued

MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)

 

The Trustees took into account Northern’s discussion of the Portfolio’s expenses and that Northern had reimbursed expenses and/or waived fees for the Portfolio. They also reviewed information comparing the Portfolio’s fee rate to the fee rates charged by Northern to similarly managed, private institutional accounts. The Trustees considered the difference in, and level of complexity of, services provided by Northern with regard to the private institutional accounts, as well as regulatory, operational and compliance differences, board and committee support provided by Northern to the Portfolio and other differences. The Trustees considered the fee comparisons in light of the differences in management of these different kinds of accounts. These comparisons assisted the Trustees in evaluating the reasonableness of the management fees paid by the Portfolio.

In addition, the Trustees considered the amount of assets in the Portfolio; the information provided by Northern relating to the costs of the services provided by it and its affiliates; and the profits realized by them through their relationship on a portfolio-by-portfolio basis and on an overall Trust basis and both before and after distribution and certain non-distribution costs. The Trustees considered Northern’s assumptions and methodology for allocating costs to the Portfolio, recognizing that cost allocation methodologies are inherently subjective and not audited.

The Trustees also discussed information provided by the third-party provider of mutual fund data with respect to Northern’s profitability compared to other publicly-traded advisers. They considered that comparisons of advisory agreement profitability across fund families are difficult because of numerous factors, including the types of funds managed, business mix, cost allocation methodologies and other factors. The Trustees also considered Northern’s expense reimbursements during the year. They also took into account the nature of the Portfolio and the high quality of the services provided by Northern. The Trustees understood that Northern should be entitled to earn a reasonable level of profit in exchange for the level of services it provides to the Portfolio. The Trustees concluded that Northern’s profitability was not unreasonable based on the services and benefits provided and the costs assumed by Northern and its affiliates. They also noted that Northern appeared to have the resources necessary to fulfill its obligations under its management and other agreements with the Portfolio.

Economies of Scale

The Trustees considered the extent to which economies of scale would be realized as the Portfolio grows and whether fee levels reflected these economies of scale for the benefit of shareholders. The Trustees noted that the management fee of the Portfolio did not have breakpoints. They took into account management’s discussion of the Portfolio’s management fee structure and considered Northern’s view that the Portfolio is sharing in economies of scale through the level at which the Portfolio’s management fees are set and through Northern’s contractual expense reimbursements that limit the expenses for the Portfolio to a specific level. They agreed that breakpoints were not necessary with respect to the Portfolio at this time based on the level of management fees and the contractual expense reimbursements.

 

The Trustees determined, on the basis of the foregoing, that the Portfolio’s current management fee structure was reasonable.

Other Benefits to Northern

The Trustees also reviewed other benefits accruing to Northern and its affiliates as a result of their relationship with the Portfolio. Those benefits included fees received by the affiliates for transfer agency, custodial and sub-administrative functions. The Trustees also considered that many of the Portfolio’s shareholders had other client relationships with Northern’s affiliates. In addition, the Trustees considered that the scale of the Portfolio provided opportunities to Northern to obtain securities trading advantages for its other advisory clients and that Northern and its affiliates benefit from their ability to leverage resources over a larger asset base.

After deliberation, the Trustees concluded with respect to the Portfolio that the management fee paid by the Portfolio was reasonable in light of the services provided by Northern, its costs and the Portfolio’s asset levels, and other factors including those discussed above and that renewal of the Management Agreement should be approved.

 

(1)

Pursuant to relief granted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in light of the COVID-19 pandemic (“Order”) and a determination by the Board that reliance on the Order was appropriate due to circumstances related to the current or potential effects of COVID-19, the Annual Contract meeting was held through video conference and telephonically.

 

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LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

 

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THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

 

 

 

 

NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT   19   LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO


LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

Northern Institutional Funds files detailed month-end portfolio holdings information on Form N-MFP with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) each month and posts a complete schedule of portfolio holdings on its website (northerntrust.com/liquid-assets-portfolio) as of the last business day of each month for the previous six months. The Portfolio’s Forms N-MFP are available electronically on the SEC’s website (sec.gov).

PROXY VOTING

Northern Institutional Funds’ Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and the Portfolio’s portfolio securities voting record for the 12-month period ended June 30 are available upon request and without charge by visiting Northern Institutional Funds’ web site at northerntrust.com/institutional or the SEC’s web site at sec.gov or by calling the Northern Institutional Funds Center at 800-637-1380.

 

LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO   20   NORTHERN INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT


LOGO


(b)

Copy of notice transmitted to stockholders in reliance on Rule 30e-3 under the Act (17 CFR 270.30e-3) that contains disclosures specified by paragraph (c)(3) of that rule.

Not applicable.

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

Not applicable for the reporting period.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

Not applicable for the reporting period.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

Not applicable for the reporting period.

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Investments.

 

(a)

The registrant has elected to include the schedule of investments in securities of unaffiliated issuers as part of the reports to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this report on Form N-CSR.

 

(b)

Not applicable.

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.


Not applicable.

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board of Trustees that would require disclosure herein.

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)

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

 

(b)

There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

Item 13. Exhibits.

 

(a)(1)

Not applicable.

 

(a)(2)

Exhibit 99.CERT: Certifications pursuant to Section  302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

(a)(3)

Not applicable.

 

(a)(4)

There has been no change to the registrant’s independent public accountant during the reporting period.

 

(b)

Exhibit 99.906 CERT: Certifications pursuant to Section  906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Northern Institutional Funds

 

By:

/s/ Peter K. Ewing        

Peter K. Ewing, President

(Principal Executive Officer)

Date: August 4, 2021

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

 

By:

/s/ Peter K. Ewing        

Peter K. Ewing, President

(Principal Executive Officer)

Date: August 4, 2021

 

By:

/s/ Randal E. Rein        

Randal E. Rein, Treasurer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

Date: August 4, 2021