UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-Q

 

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

Investment Company Act file number

811-21432

 

 

REAVES UTILITY INCOME FUND

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado

 

80203

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

JoEllen L. Legg

Reaves Utility Income Fund

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(303) 623-2577

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

October 31

 

 

 

 

Date of reporting period:

January 31, 2009

 

 



 

Item 1.  Schedule of Investments.

 



 

REAVES UTILITY INCOME FUND

 

 

 

 

 

STATEMENT of INVESTMENTS

 

 

 

 

 

January 31, 2009 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHARES

 

VALUE

 

COMMON STOCKS 158.72%

 

 

 

 

 

Consumer Staples 8.45%

 

 

 

 

 

Altria Group, Inc.

 

510,300

 

$

8,440,362

 

Philip Morris International, Inc.

 

520,300

 

19,329,145

 

 

 

 

 

27,769,507

 

Consumer Discretionary 0.15%

 

 

 

 

 

Shaw Communications, Inc.

 

30,000

 

484,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electric 72.08%

 

 

 

 

 

Ameren Corp.

 

520,000

 

17,290,000

 

Consolidated Edison, Inc.

 

252,000

 

10,269,000

 

Duke Energy Corp.

 

1,932,400

 

29,275,860

 

Exelon Corp.

 

282,000

 

15,290,040

 

Great Plains Energy, Inc.

 

1,477,869

 

28,182,962

 

Integrys Energy Group, Inc.

 

397,300

 

16,587,275

 

ITC Holdings Corp.

 

40,000

 

1,679,200

 

National Grid PLC-ADR

 

60,000

 

2,799,600

 

National Grid PLC

 

525,000

 

4,930,149

 

NSTAR

 

82,000

 

2,773,240

 

NV Energy, Inc.

 

20,000

 

214,600

 

PPL Corp.

 

1,006,000

 

30,843,960

 

Progress Energy, Inc.

 

490,000

 

18,972,800

 

Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc.

 

440,000

 

13,890,800

 

SCANA Corp.

 

110,000

 

3,771,900

 

Southern Co.

 

30,000

 

1,003,500

 

TECO Energy, Inc.

 

2,331,400

 

28,000,114

 

TransAlta Corp.

 

155,000

 

2,825,650

 

Xcel Energy, Inc.

 

450,000

 

8,307,000

 

 

 

 

 

236,907,650

 

Energy 2.99%

 

 

 

 

 

BP Amoco PLC-ADR

 

60,000

 

2,548,200

 

Diamond Offshore Drilling

 

65,000

 

4,079,400

 

Total - ADR

 

18,000

 

896,040

 

TransCanada Corp.

 

20,000

 

537,900

 

Williams Cos, Inc.

 

105,000

 

1,485,750

 

XTO Energy, Inc.

 

8,000

 

296,720

 

 

 

 

 

9,844,010

 

Financials 3.41%

 

 

 

 

 

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

 

740,000

 

11,203,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food 2.76%

 

 

 

 

 

Kraft Foods, Inc.

 

323,160

 

9,064,638

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas 20.24%

 

 

 

 

 

NiSource, Inc.

 

1,000,000

 

9,680,000

 

ONEOK, Inc.

 

890,000

 

26,005,800

 

Sempra Energy

 

295,000

 

12,932,800

 

Spectra Energy Corp.

 

1,122,500

 

16,287,475

 

Vectren Corp.

 

63,000

 

1,624,770

 

 

 

 

 

66,530,845

 

Industrial 5.08%

 

 

 

 

 

General Electric Co.

 

1,376,000

 

16,690,880

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pharmaceuticals 0.75%

 

 

 

 

 

Pfizer, Inc.

 

170,000

 

2,478,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telephone 39.55%

 

 

 

 

 

AT&T Corp.

 

1,145,965

 

28,213,658

 

BCE, Inc.

 

701,700

 

14,356,782

 

 



 

BT Group PLC-ADR

 

50,000

 

762,000

 

CenturyTel, Inc.

 

140,000

 

3,799,600

 

Embarq Corp.

 

440,000

 

15,716,800

 

Froniter Communications Corp.

 

3,490,065

 

28,304,427

 

Telecom Corp. of New Zealand-ADR

 

230,342

 

1,550,202

 

Verizon Communications

 

530,000

 

15,831,100

 

Vodafone Group PLC-ADR

 

235,000

 

4,368,650

 

Windstream Corp.

 

1,970,000

 

17,099,600

 

 

 

 

 

130,002,819

 

Transportation 0.11%

 

 

 

 

 

General Maritime Corp.

 

33,500

 

355,770

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utilities 1.12%

 

 

 

 

 

Constellation Energy Group, Inc.

 

140,000

 

3,682,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water Utilities 2.03%

 

 

 

 

 

American Water Works Co., Inc.

 

315,000

 

6,671,700

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $610,172,976)

 

 

 

521,686,519

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PREFERRED STOCKS 3.56%

 

 

 

 

 

Consumer Discretionary 0.56%

 

 

 

 

 

Comcast Corp., Sr Notes, 7.000%, 5/15/55

 

80,000

 

1,828,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electric 3.00%

 

 

 

 

 

AES Trust III, 6.750%, 10/15/29

 

131,100

 

4,719,600

 

BGE Capital Trust II, 6.200%, 10/15/43

 

180,000

 

3,182,400

 

Entergy Mississippi, Inc., 4.560%

 

3,520

 

231,550

 

Entergy New Orleans, Inc., 4.360%

 

4,500

 

285,750

 

Public Service Co. of New Mexico, Series 1965, 4.580%

 

11,667

 

980,028

 

Southern Cal Edison, 4.320

 

24,300

 

470,205

 

 

 

 

 

9,869,533

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS
(Cost $14,135,111)

 

 

 

11,697,533

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS 3.74%

 

 

 

 

 

Copano Energy LLC

 

75,000

 

1,158,000

 

Enbridge Energy Partners LP

 

125,000

 

3,962,500

 

ONEOK Partners LP

 

81,000

 

4,131,000

 

Regency Energy Partners LP

 

151,000

 

1,591,540

 

Williams Partners LP

 

40,000

 

659,600

 

Williams Pipeline Partners LP

 

50,000

 

800,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS
(Cost $16,501,214)

 

 

 

12,302,640

 

 

 

 

BOND RATING

 

PRINCIPAL

 

 

 

 

 

MOODY/S&P

 

AMOUNT

 

 

 

CORPORATE BONDS 4.57%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electric 0.21%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calpine Generating Co., 11.500%, 4/1/11(a)(b)

 

WR/NR

 

$

14,000,000

 

700,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas 0.38%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copano Energy LLC, 8.125%, 3/1/16

 

B1/B+

 

1,500,000

 

1,237,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telephone 3.36%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Level 3 Financing, Inc., 9.250%, 11/1/14

 

Caa1/CCC+

 

8,000,000

 

5,840,000

 

Qwest Corp., 7.500%, 6/15/23

 

Ba1/BBB-

 

7,000,000

 

5,215,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11,055,000

 

 



 

Utilities 0.62%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Water Capital Corp., 6.085%, 10/15/17

 

Baa2/BBB+

 

2,000,000

 

1,787,760

 

American Water Capital Corp., 6.593%, 10/15/37

 

Baa2/BBB+

 

310,000

 

237,347

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,025,107

 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS
(Cost $17,486,103)

 

 

 

 

 

15,017,607

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHARES

 

VALUE

 

MUTUAL FUNDS 0.89%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loomis Sayles Institutional High Income Fund(c)

 

 

 

548,386

 

2,928,381

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL MUTUAL FUNDS
(Cost $4,000,000)

 

 

 

 

 

2,928,381

 

SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS 0.82%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goldman Sachs Financial Square Funds Treasury Instruments Fund, 0.241% (7-day yield)(c)

 

 

 

2,699,955

 

2,699,955

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $2,699,955)

 

 

 

 

 

2,699,955

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Investments
(Cost $664,995,359) - 172.30%

 

 

 

 

 

566,332,635

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets in Excess of Liabilities - 0.76%

 

 

 

 

 

2,487,791

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liquidation Preference of Auction Market Preferred Shares — (73.06%) Series M7, F7, W28 (including dividends payable on preferred shares)

 

 

 

 

 

(240,126,299

)

TOTAL NET ASSETS - 100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

$

328,694,127

 

 


(a)

Non Income Producing Security

(b)

Issue is currently in default. See Notes to Quarterly Statement of Investments.

(c)

Investments in other funds are calculated at their respective net asset values as determined by those funds, in accordance with the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

 

ADR

-American Depositary Receipt

 

Ratings:

Moody’s and S&P’s ratings are believed to be the resent as of January 31, 2009.

 

For Fund compliance purposes, the Fund’s industry classifications refer to any one of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes, and/or as defined by the Fund management. This definition may not apply for purposes of this report, which may combine industry sub-classifications for reporting case. Industries are shown as a percent of net assets. These industry classifications are Unaudited.

 

Income Tax Information:

 

 

 

Net unrealized appreciation/depreciation of investments based on federal tax costs were as follows:

 

 

 

As of January 31, 2009

 

 

 

Gross appreciation (excess of value over tax cost)

 

$

36,617,325

 

Gross depreciation (excess of tax cost over value)

 

(136,300,836

)

Net unrealized depreciation

 

(96,683,511

)

Cost of investments for income tax purposes

 

$

666,016,146

 

 

See Notes to Quarterly Statement of Investments.

 



 

NOTES TO QUARTERLY STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS

JANUARY 31, 2009 (Unaudited)

 

1.  Significant Accounting and Operating Policies

Reaves Utility Income Fund is a closed-end management investment company (the “Fund”) that was organized under the laws of the state of Delaware by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated September 15, 2003.  The Fund is a non-diversified series with an investment objective to provide a high level of after-tax income and total return consisting primarily of tax-advantaged dividend income and capital appreciation. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may authorize separate classes of shares of beneficial interest.  The Fund commenced operations on February 24, 2004.  The Fund’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange Arca (the “Exchange”) and trade under the ticker symbol “UTG.”

 

The Fund may have elements of risk, including the risk of loss of principal. There is no assurance that the investment process will consistently lead to successful results. An investment concentrated in sectors and industries may involve greater risk and volatility than a more diversified investment.

 

The following summarizes the significant accounting policies of the Fund.

 

Security Valuation:  The net asset value per Share of the Fund is determined no less frequently than daily, on each day that the Exchange is open for trading, as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time).  Securities held by the Fund for which exchange quotations are readily available are valued at the last sale price, or if no sale price or if traded on the over-the-counter market, at the mean of the bid and asked prices on such day. Debt securities for which the over-the-counter market is the primary market are normally valued on the basis of prices furnished by one or more pricing services at the mean between the latest available bid and asked prices.  As authorized by the Trustees, debt securities (other than short-term obligations) may be valued on the basis of valuations furnished by a pricing service which determines valuations based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of securities.  Short-term obligations maturing within 60 days are valued at amortized cost which approximates market value.  Over-the-counter options are valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by dealers.  Financial futures contracts listed on commodity exchanges and exchange-traded options are valued at closing settlement prices.  Securities for which there is no such quotation or valuation and all other assets are valued at fair value in good faith by or at the direction of the Trustees.  Various factors may be reviewed in order to make a good faith determination of a security’s fair value. These factors may include, but are not limited to, the type and cost of the security; the fundamental analytical data relating to the investment; an evaluation of the forces which influence the market in which the security is sold, including the liquidity and depth of the market; information as to any transactions or offers with respect to the security; price, yield and the extent of public or private trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable companies.  The valuation assigned to fair-valued securities for purposes of calculating the Fund’s NAV may differ from the security’s most recent closing market price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs.

 

The Fund adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“FASB”) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (“FAS 157”), effective November 1, 2008. In accordance with FAS 157, fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. FAS 157 established a three-tier hierarchy to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to

 



 

establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk, for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value including such a pricing model and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad Levels listed below.

 

·                  Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

·                  Level 2 — significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

 

·                  Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)

 

The valuation techniques used by the Fund to measure fair value during the three months ended January 31, 2009 maximized the use of observable inputs and minimized the use of unobservable inputs. The Fund utilized the following fair value techniques: discounted future cash flow models, weighted average of last available trade prices and multi-dimensional relational pricing model.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of January 31, 2009 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at value:

 

Valuation Inputs

 

Investments in
Securities

 

Level 1 - Quoted Prices

 

$

551,315,028

 

Level 2 - Significant Observable Inputs

 

15,017,607

 

Level 3 - Significant Unobservable Inputs

 

 

 

Total

 

$

566,332,635

 

 

Foreign Securities:  The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities. In the event that the Fund executes a foreign security transaction, the Fund will generally enter into a forward foreign currency contract to settle the foreign security transaction. Foreign securities may carry more risk than U.S. securities, such as political, market and currency risks.

 

The accounting records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Prices of securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the closing rates of exchange at period end. Amounts related to the purchase and sale of foreign securities and investment income are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions.

 

There were no outstanding foreign currency contracts for the Fund as of January 31, 2009.

 



 

Options:  In order to hedge against adverse market shifts, the Fund may utilize up to 5% of its total assets to purchase put and call options on securities. When a Fund purchases a call or put option, an amount equal to the premium paid is included in the Fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities, which is included in the Annual and Semi-Annual reports to shareholders, as an investment, and is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current market value of the option. If an option expires on the stipulated expiration date or if the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction, a gain or loss is realized. If the Fund exercises a call, the cost of the security acquired is increased by the premium paid for the call. If the Fund exercises a put option, a gain or loss is realized from the sale of the underlying security, and the proceeds from such a sale are decreased by the premium originally paid.

 

In addition, the Fund may seek to increase its income or may hedge a portion of its portfolio investments through writing (i.e., selling) covered put and call options. When a Fund writes a put or call option, an amount equal to the premium received is included in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, which is included in the Annual and Semi-Annual reports to shareholders, as a liability. The amount of the liability is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current market value of the option. If an option expires on its stipulated expiration date or if the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, a gain or loss is realized. If a written call option is exercised, a gain or loss is realized for the sale of the underlying security and the proceeds from the sale are increased by the premium originally received. If a written put option is exercised, the cost of the security acquired is decreased by the premium originally received. As a writer of an option, a Fund has no control over whether the underlying securities are subsequently sold (call) or purchased (put) and, as a result, bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the security underlying the written option. Written and purchased options are non-income producing securities.

 

The Fund may utilize up to 5% of its total assets to purchase put and call options on domestic stock indices to hedge against risks of market-wide price movements affecting its assets. In addition, the Fund may write covered put and call options on stock indices. Because no underlying security can be delivered, however, the option represents the holder’s right to obtain from the writer, in cash, a fixed multiple of the amount by which the exercise price exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the exercise date.

 



 

There was no activity in the Fund related to written options for the three months ended January 31, 2009.

 

Securities Transactions and Investment Income:  Investment security transactions are accounted for as of trade date.  Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date.  Interest income, which includes amortization of premium and accretion of discount, is accrued as earned.  Realized gains and losses from securities transactions and unrealized appreciation and depreciation of securities are determined using the First In First Out basis for both financial reporting and income tax purposes.

 

2. Other

 

As of January 31, 2009, the Fund held a security which was in default. The security is a corporate bond for Calpine Generating Co., maturing April 2011 with a coupon rate of 11.50%. During the period the Fund held the position in Calpine, the Fair Value Committee met regularly to consider and monitor the daily price being provided by the Fund’s primary pricing service. Subsequent to the date of this report, on February 4, 2009, the Fund sold its entire position of the Calpine bond. The sale transaction was executed at a price consistent with the value of the security being held on the Fund’s books.

 

In February 2008 the market for the Auction Preferred Shares (“AMPS”) became illiquid which resulted in failed auctions for the Fund’s AMPS. This occurrence was widespread through the AMPS market and not specific to the Fund. The auctions continue to fail through the date of this report. There is no impact to the way the AMPS are disclosed or valued on the Fund’s Statement of Investments and the total shares outstanding remain the same and continue to pay dividends.

 



 

Item 2.  Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)                                  The Registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, have evaluated the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) within 90 days of the filing date of this report and have concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of that date.

 

(b)                                 There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the Registrant’s last fiscal quarter covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 3.  Exhibits.

 

Separate certifications for the Registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act, are attached as Exhibit99.CERT.

 

2



 

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.

 

 

 

 

REAVES UTILITY INCOME FUND

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Edmund J. Burke

 

 

 

Edmund J. Burke

 

 

 

President (principal executive
officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

March 31, 2009

 

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/ Edmund J. Burke

 

 

 

Edmund J. Burke

 

 

 

President (principal executive
officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

March 31, 2009

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jeremy O. May

 

 

 

Jeremy O. May

 

 

 

Treasurer (principal financial
officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

March 31, 2009

 

3