N-30B-2 1 fp0093804-2_n30b2.htm

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund

Period Ended March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

 

Fund Statistics 

Net Asset Value (NAV) $6.64
Market Price $6.55
Discount -1.4%

 

  1st Quarter 2025
Distribution* $0.17
Market Price Trading Range $6.37 to $7.34
Premium/(Discount) Range 1.2% to -2.5%

 

Performance  
Shares Valued at NAV with Dividends Reinvested -2.13%
Shares Valued at Market Price with Dividends Reinvested -3.46%
Dow Jones Industrial Average -0.87%
Lipper Large-Cap Core Mutual Fund Average -4.17%
NASDAQ Composite Index -10.26%
S&P 500® Index -4.27%
S&P 500® Equal Weight Index -0.61%

 

*Sources of distributions to shareholders may include ordinary dividends, long-term capital gains and return of capital. The final determination of the source of all distributions in 2025 for tax reporting purposes will be made after year end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. Based on current estimates a portion of the distribution consists of a return of capital. Pursuant to Section 852 of the Internal Revenue Code, the taxability of this distribution will be reported on Form 1099-DIV for 2025.

 

Performance returns for the Fund are total returns, which include dividends. Returns are net of management fees and other Fund expenses. The return shown for the Lipper Large-Cap Core Mutual Fund Average is based on open-end mutual funds’ total returns, which include dividends, and are net of fund expenses. Returns for the unmanaged Dow Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ Composite Index and the S&P 500®Indices are total returns, including dividends. A description of the Lipper benchmark and the market indices can be found on page 18.

 

Past performance cannot predict future results. Performance will fluctuate with market conditions. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data shown. Performance information does not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders would pay on Fund distributions or the sale of Fund shares. An investment in the Fund involves risk, including loss of principal. Closed-end funds raise money in an initial public offering and shares are listed and traded on an exchange. Open-end mutual funds continuously issue and redeem shares at net asset value. Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. The price of the Fund’s shares is determined by a number of factors, several of which are beyond the control of the Fund. Therefore, the Fund cannot predict whether its shares will trade at, below or above net asset value.

 

The views expressed in the President’s letter reflect the views of the President as of April 2025 and may not reflect his views on the date this report is first published or anytime thereafter. These views are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict so actual outcomes and results may differ significantly from the views expressed. These views are subject to change at any time based upon economic, market or other conditions and the Fund disclaims any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for the Fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an indication of trading intent.

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund President’s Letter

(Unaudited)

 

Fellow Shareholders: April 2025

 

The first quarter of 2025 was a tale of two markets.

 

Initially, stocks were propelled higher by the same factors behind the steady march of new record highs in 2024: low unemployment and real wage growth, a confident and free spending consumer, good corporate earnings, and a seemingly unstoppable tech sector buoyed by the promise of artificial intelligence. Moreover, investors anticipated that the new administration in Washington would usher in a more business friendly environment. From the market’s opening on January 2 until February 19 the S&P 500® Index gained 4.64 percent, yet another record high.

 

February 20 marked a turning point for the equity markets as the threat of tariffs introduced uncertainty into the markets. Concerns about the durability of the factors underpinning the 2024 market (consumer spending, inflation and earnings growth) surfaced. The damage to consumer and business confidence sparked further concern for the economy’s future. From the high in mid-February to the quarter’s close the S&P 500 fell 8.51 percent.

 

The net result: For the quarter, the S&P 500 returned -4.27 percent. The NASDAQ Composite Index posted a double-digit decline of 10.26 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fared the best of the three, nearly breaking even with a return of -0.87 percent. On April 2 President Trump launched a new tariff policy and its size and scope caught investors off guard, triggering a multi-day selloff in global equity markets. The NASDAQ Composite fell into bear market territory (a decline of 20 percent from an index’s previous high) and the S&P 500 teetered on the brink; the DJIA slipped into a correction (a decline of 10 percent from an index’s previous high). Markets remained volatile through the opening weeks of the second quarter as the tariffs’ long-term impact on the global economy and geopolitical relationships remained unsettled.

 

While the first quarter’s returns were negative, the period showed promise for diversified equity investors. For one, market breadth widened out beyond the extreme concentration experienced in 2023 and 2024. One example: the S&P 500® Equal Weight Index outperformed the S&P 500 (capitalization-weighted) by 3.66 percentage points for the quarter (-0.61 percent versus -4.27 percent, respectively). Another sign of market broadening: Value style stocks outperformed growth stocks; citing the large-cap Russell 1000® indexes, the growth index declined -9.97 percent while the value index was positive with a return of 2.14 percent. The difference of 12.11 percentage points was the largest outperformance of value over growth since the first quarter of 2001. Among the 11 S&P sectors, consumer discretionary, information technology and communication services—which were the top performing sectors the last two calendar years—were the poorest performers for the quarter. Meanwhile, the energy, health care and consumer staples sectors that lagged the last two years were the best performing sectors in Q1.

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund

In this volatile quarter, Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund outperformed its primary benchmark and all relevant indices on a relative basis, save the DJIA and the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index. The Fund returned -2.13 percent when shares are valued at net asset value (NAV) with dividends reinvested and -3.46 percent when shares are valued at market price with dividends reinvested. (Fund returns are net of expenses.) Both measures of Fund return bested the -4.17 percent return of the Fund’s primary benchmark, the Lipper Large-Cap Core Mutual Fund Average. As noted in the market commentary, the returns of the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite (-4.27 percent and -10.26 percent, respectively) trailed Fund returns.

 

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 1

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund President’s Letter

 

(Unaudited)

 

As three of the Fund’s five managers employ the value style, Fund returns benefited from the rotation to value stocks during the quarter. The Fund was also helped by strong stock selection in the consumer discretionary sector, an underweight to information technology, and overweights to the better-performing health care and financials sectors.

 

During the first quarter the discount at which Fund shares traded relative to their underlying NAV widened slightly compared to the preceding quarter but remained in a tight range that extended from a 1.2 percent premium to a -2.5 percent discount.

 

In accordance with the Fund’s distribution policy, the Fund paid a distribution of $0.17 per share in the first quarter. The Fund’s distribution policy has been in place since 1988 and is a major component of the Fund’s total return. The Fund has paid distributions of $31.17 per share for a total of more than $3.9 billion since 1987 (the Fund’s first full calendar year of operations). We continue to emphasize that shareholders should include these distributions when determining the total return on their investment in the Fund.

 

Uncertainty cast a shadow over the financial markets during the first quarter of the year. The second quarter has opened with the volatility that accompanies uncertainty. In the Fund’s history, we have lived through the Crash of October 1987, the bursting of the dot.com bubble, the 2007-2009 financial crisis, and the COVID pandemic. Volatility and uncertainty, while unsettling, are not new to this Fund’s management. Discipline, constant vigilance and adherence to fundamental principles have served the Fund well in the past and we remain committed to them as the surest course for our shareholders.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Mark T. Haley, CFA

President

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund

 

 

2 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

  Table of Distributions,
Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Rights Offerings and Tax Credits

 

(Unaudited)

 

    Rights Offerings  
 
 
Year
 
Per Share
Distributions
 
 
Month Completed
Shares Needed to
Purchase One
Additional Share
 
 
Subscription Price
 
 
Tax Credits1
1987 $1.18        
1988 0.64        
1989 0.95        
1990 0.90        
1991 1.02        
1992 1.07 April 10 $10.05  
1993 1.07 October 15 10.41 $0.18
1994 1.00 September 15 9.14  
1995 1.04        
1996 1.18       0.13
1997 1.33       0.36
1998 1.40 April 20 12.83  
1999 1.39        
2000 1.42        
2001 1.20        
2002 0.88 May 10 8.99  
2003 0.78        
2004 0.89 July 102 8.34  
2005 0.87        
2006 0.88        
2007 0.90 December 10 6.51  
2008 0.65        
20093 0.31        
2010 0.31        
2011 0.34        
2012 0.32        
2013 0.35        
2014 0.39        
20154 0.51        
2016 0.48        
20175 0.56        
2018 0.68        
2019 0.66        
2020 0.63        
2021 0.81 November 102 7.78  
2022 0.69        
2023 0.61        
2024 0.71        
2025 1st Quarter 0.17        
Total $31.17        

 

1 The Fund’s net investment income and net realized capital gains exceeded the amount to be distributed under the Fund’s distribution policy. In each case, the Fund elected to pay taxes on the undistributed income and passed through a proportionate tax credit to shareholders.
2The number of shares offered was increased by an additional 25 percent to cover a portion of the over-subscription requests.
3Effective with the second quarter distribution, the annual distribution rate was changed from 10 percent to 6 percent.
4Effective with the second quarter distribution, the annual distribution rate was changed from 6 percent to 8 percent.
5Effective with the fourth quarter distribution, the annual distribution rate was changed from 8 percent to 10 percent.

 

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 3

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Stock Changes in the Quarter
and Distribution Policy

 

(Unaudited)

 

The following are the largest ($6 million or more) stock changes - both purchases and sales - that were made in the Fund’s portfolio during the first quarter of 2025.

 

  Shares
Security Name Purchases (Sales) Held as of 3/31/25
Purchases    
Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. 29,336 29,336
Alphabet, Inc. 50,592 343,590
Broadcom Inc. 32,723 69,604
Corebridge Financial, Inc. 262,882 262,882
Sales    
Cie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA (414,100) 0
Honeywell International, Inc. (39,000) 0
Micron Technology, Inc. (94,654) 0
MSCI, Inc. (20,423) 0
TJX Cos., Inc. (48,411) 0

 

DISTRIBUTION POLICY

 

The current policy is to pay distributions on its shares totaling approximately 10 percent of its net asset value per year, payable in four quarterly installments of 2.5 percent of the Fund’s net asset value at the close of the New York Stock Exchange on the Friday prior to each quarterly declaration date. Sources of distributions to shareholders may include ordinary dividends, long-term capital gains and return of capital. The final determination of the source of all distributions in 2025 for tax reporting purposes will be made after year end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. If a distribution includes anything other than net investment income, the Fund provides a Section 19(a) notice of the best estimate of its distribution sources at that time. These estimates may not match the final tax characterization (for the full year’s distributions) contained in shareholder 1099-DIV forms after the end of the year. If the Fund’s ordinary dividends and long-term capital gains for any year exceed the amount distributed under the distribution policy, the Fund may, in its discretion, retain and not distribute capital gains and pay income tax thereon to the extent of such excess.

 

 

4 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Top 20 Holdings & Economic Sectors

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

Top 20 Holdings* Percent of Net Assets
Microsoft Corp. 3.87%
NVIDIA Corp. 3.22
Alphabet, Inc. 2.76
Amazon.com, Inc. 2.58
UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2.28
Visa, Inc. 2.01
Meta Platforms, Inc. 1.90
ServiceNow, Inc. 1.62
Capital One Financial Corp. 1.52
Sony Group Corp. 1.50
Fresenius Medical Care AG 1.47
S&P Global, Inc. 1.36
CVS Health Corp. 1.35
Charles Schwab Corp. 1.27
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. 1.22
Baxter International, Inc. 1.19
O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. 1.09
Danaher Corp. 1.07
Booking Holdings, Inc. 1.04
Gartner, Inc. 0.92
  35.24%

 

Economic Sectors* Percent of Net Assets
Information Technology 21.69%
Financials 19.43
Health Care 16.48
Consumer Discretionary 11.45
Industrials 8.63
Communication Services 6.49
Consumer Staples 5.03
Materials 4.43
Energy 2.28
Utilities 1.46
Real Estate 0.32
Other Net Assets 2.31
  100.00%

 

*Because the Fund is actively managed, there can be no guarantee that the Fund will continue to hold securities of the indicated issuers and sectors in the future.

 

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 5

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Investment Managers/
Portfolio Characteristics

 

(Unaudited)

 

THE FUND’S ASSETS ARE APPROXIMATELY EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG THREE
VALUE MANAGERS AND TWO GROWTH MANAGERS:

 

 

MANAGERS’ DIFFERING INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

ARE REFLECTED IN PORTFOLIO CHARACTERISTICS

 

The portfolio characteristics table below is a regular feature of the Fund’s shareholder reports. It serves as a useful tool for understanding the value of a multi-managed portfolio. The characteristics are different for each of the Fund’s five investment managers. These differences are a reflection of the fact that each pursues a different investment style. The shaded column highlights the characteristics of the Fund as a whole, while the final column shows portfolio characteristics for the S&P 500® Index.

 

PORTFOLIO CHARACTERISTICS As of March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

Investment Style Spectrum

 

  Value   Growth    
       
              S&P 500®
  PZENA FIDUCIARY ARISTOTLE SUSTAINABLE TCW TOTAL FUND INDEX
Number of Holdings 32 28 43 27 28 136* 503
Percent of Holdings in Top 10 46% 49% 32% 52% 61% 23% 34%
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (billions) $68 $217 $219 $822 $1,093 $472 $908
Average Five-Year Earnings Per Share Growth 5% 7% 12% 21% 30% 15% 19%
Dividend Yield 2.8% 1.4% 1.9% 0.7% 0.4% 1.5% 1.4%
Price/Earnings Ratio** 15x 19x 18x 33x 38x 21x 26x
Price/Book Value Ratio 1.5x 3.7x 2.6x 7.0x 7.0x 3.0x 4.5x

 

*Certain holdings are held by more than one manager.
**Excludes negative earnings.

 

 

6 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

COMMON STOCKS (97.69%)  SHARES   VALUE 
COMMUNICATION SERVICES (6.49%)          
Diversified Telecommunication Services (0.48%)          
Verizon Communications, Inc.   204,500   $9,276,120 
           
Entertainment (0.46%)          
Netflix, Inc.(a)   9,567    8,921,514 
           
Interactive Media & Services (4.66%)          
Alphabet, Inc., Class A   92,537    14,309,922 
Alphabet, Inc., Class C   251,053    39,222,010 
Meta Platforms, Inc., Class A   63,908    36,834,015 
         90,365,947 
Media (0.89%)          
Charter Communications, Inc., Class A(a)   36,174    13,331,204 
Trade Desk, Inc., Class A(a)   73,555    4,024,930 
         17,356,134 
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY (11.45%)         
Automobile Components (1.20%)          
Lear Corp.   134,405    11,857,209 
Magna International, Inc., Class A   338,513    11,506,057 
         23,363,266 
Broadline Retail (2.58%)         
Amazon.com, Inc.(a)   262,895    50,018,403 
           
Entertainment (1.50%)          
Sony Group Corp.(b)(c)   1,143,500    29,033,465 
           
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure (3.02%)          
Aramark   511,736    17,665,127 
Booking Holdings, Inc.   4,368    20,122,983 
Starbucks Corp.   75,140    7,370,482 
Yum! Brands, Inc.   85,230    13,411,793 
         58,570,385 
Household Durables (0.74%)         
Lennar Corp., Class A   83,500    9,584,130 
Newell Brands, Inc.   783,352    4,856,782 
         14,440,912 
Specialty Retail (2.22%)         
CarMax, Inc.(a)   178,738    13,927,265 
Lowe's Cos., Inc.   34,000    7,929,820 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 7

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

COMMON STOCKS (continued)  SHARES   VALUE 
Specialty Retail (continued)          
O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.(a)   14,825   $21,237,998 
         43,095,083 
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods (0.19%)         
PVH Corp.   56,548    3,655,263 
           
CONSUMER STAPLES (5.03%)          
Beverages (0.72%)          
Coca-Cola Co.   127,300    9,117,226 
Constellation Brands, Inc., Class A   26,700    4,899,984 
         14,017,210 
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail (1.69%)         
Costco Wholesale Corp.   13,678    12,936,379 
Dollar Tree, Inc.(a)   95,685    7,183,073 
SYSCO Corp.   169,234    12,699,319 
         32,818,771 
Food Products (0.57%)         
Tyson Foods, Inc., Class A   172,180    10,986,806 
           
Household Products (0.44%)          
Procter & Gamble Co.   49,400    8,418,748 
           
Multiline Retail (0.88%)          
Dollar General Corp.   194,509    17,103,177 
           
Personal Care Products (0.73%)          
Unilever PLC(b)   238,744    14,217,205 
           
ENERGY (2.28%)          
Energy Equipment & Services (0.82%)          
NOV, Inc.   441,864    6,725,170 
Schlumberger NV   217,488    9,090,999 
         15,816,169 
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (1.46%)         
Coterra Energy, Inc.   320,800    9,271,120 
Shell PLC(b)   145,792    10,683,638 
TotalEnergies SE(b)(c)   129,992    8,409,182 
         28,363,940 
FINANCIALS (19.43%)         
Banks (4.21%)          
Bank of America Corp.   282,564    11,791,396 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

8 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

COMMON STOCKS (continued)  SHARES   VALUE 
Banks (continued)          
Citigroup, Inc.   239,468   $16,999,833 
Commerce Bancshares, Inc.   74,025    4,606,576 
Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc.   50,900    6,372,680 
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.(b)(c)   641,000    8,736,830 
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.   43,800    7,698,726 
U.S. Bancorp   200,300    8,456,666 
Wells Fargo & Co.   237,396    17,042,659 
         81,705,366 
Capital Markets (4.42%)          
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.   28,600    13,845,546 
BlackRock, Inc.   6,007    5,685,505 
Blackstone Group LP   54,700    7,645,966 
Charles Schwab Corp.   315,951    24,732,644 
S&P Global, Inc.   51,859    26,349,558 
UBS Group AG   242,844    7,438,312 
         85,697,531 
Consumer Finance (1.99%)          
American Express Co.   33,718    9,071,828 
Capital One Financial Corp.   164,541    29,502,201 
         38,574,029 
Financial Services (5.93%)          
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B(a)   44,609    23,757,861 
Corebridge Financial, Inc.   262,882    8,299,185 
Equitable Holdings, Inc.   167,106    8,704,551 
Global Payments, Inc.   143,523    14,053,772 
Mastercard, Inc., Class A   25,089    13,751,783 
Visa, Inc., Class A   111,334    39,018,114 
Voya Financial, Inc.   110,585    7,493,240 
         115,078,506 
Insurance (2.88%)          
American International Group, Inc.   112,700    9,798,138 
Aon PLC, Class A   39,156    15,626,768 
MetLife, Inc.   172,133    13,820,559 
Progressive Corp.   58,547    16,569,386 
         55,814,851 
HEALTH CARE (16.48%)          
Biotechnology (0.53%)          
Amgen, Inc.   32,900    10,249,995 
           
Health Care Equipment & Supplies (4.92%)          
Alcon AG   93,800    8,904,434 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 9

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

COMMON STOCKS (continued)  SHARES   VALUE 
Health Care Equipment & Supplies (continued)          
Baxter International, Inc.   674,825   $23,099,260 
Boston Scientific Corp.(a)   99,878    10,075,693 
Dexcom, Inc.(a)   74,009    5,054,074 
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.(a)   20,596    10,200,581 
Koninklijke Philips NV   516,029    13,107,136 
Medtronic PLC   197,786    17,773,050 
Smith & Nephew PLC(b)   254,738    7,226,917 
         95,441,145 
Health Care Providers & Services (6.76%)          
CVS Health Corp.   387,600    26,259,900 
Fresenius Medical Care AG(b)   1,148,292    28,592,471 
Humana, Inc.   66,637    17,632,150 
Quest Diagnostics, Inc.   85,389    14,447,819 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.   84,400    44,204,500 
         131,136,840 
Life Sciences Tools & Services (1.72%)          
Danaher Corp.   100,971    20,699,055 
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.   25,611    12,744,034 
         33,443,089 
Pharmaceuticals (2.55%)          
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.   246,566    15,038,060 
Merck & Co., Inc.   78,500    7,046,160 
Novo Nordisk A/S(b)   171,272    11,893,128 
Pfizer, Inc.   367,153    9,303,657 
Zoetis, Inc.   37,853    6,232,496 
         49,513,501 
INDUSTRIALS (8.63%)          
Aerospace & Defense (0.79%)          
General Dynamics Corp.   28,900    7,877,562 
General Electric Co.   37,529    7,511,429 
         15,388,991 
Building Products (2.33%)          
Allegion PLC   58,808    7,672,092 
Carlisle Cos., Inc.   19,673    6,698,656 
Carrier Global Corp.   250,660    15,891,844 
Masco Corp.   214,129    14,890,531 
         45,153,123 
Commercial Services & Supplies (1.25%)          
Waste Connections, Inc.   41,392    8,079,304 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

10 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

COMMON STOCKS (continued)  SHARES   VALUE 
Commercial Services & Supplies (continued)          
Waste Management, Inc.   69,631   $16,120,273 
         24,199,577 
Ground Transportation (1.39%)          
Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Ltd.   204,468    14,355,698 
CSX Corp.   428,535    12,611,785 
         26,967,483 
Machinery (1.59%)          
Oshkosh Corp.   53,600    5,042,688 
Parker-Hannifin Corp.   28,200    17,141,370 
Xylem, Inc.   72,500    8,660,850 
         30,844,908 
Passenger Airlines (0.39%)          
Delta Air Lines, Inc.   174,364    7,602,271 
           
Trading Companies & Distributors (0.89%)          
Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.   108,087    17,318,780 
           
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (21.69%)          
Electronic Equipment & Instruments (0.37%)          
TE Connectivity Ltd.   51,086    7,219,473 
           
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components (0.86%)          
CDW Corp.   49,050    7,860,753 
Teledyne Technologies, Inc.(a)   17,600    8,759,696 
         16,620,449 
IT Services (2.70%)          
Amdocs, Ltd.   132,812    12,152,298 
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Class A   180,764    13,828,446 
Gartner, Inc.(a)   42,473    17,827,617 
Shopify, Inc., Class A(a)   89,957    8,589,094 
         52,397,455 
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment (5.91%)          
ASML Holding N.V.   11,388    7,546,030 
Broadcom Inc.   69,604    11,653,798 
Microchip Technology, Inc.   305,234    14,776,378 
NVIDIA Corp.   576,586    62,490,391 
QUALCOMM, Inc.   63,800    9,800,318 
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.   128,184    8,284,532 
         114,551,447 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 11

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

COMMON STOCKS (continued)  SHARES   VALUE 
Software (11.29%)        
Adobe, Inc.(a)   35,852   $13,750,318 
ANSYS, Inc.(a)   31,000    9,813,360 
Autodesk, Inc.(a)   27,651    7,239,032 
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.(a)   29,104    7,402,020 
Crowdstrike Holdings, Inc., Class A(a)   29,157    10,280,175 
Intuit, Inc.   27,132    16,658,777 
Microsoft Corp.   200,192    75,150,075 
Palo Alto Networks, Inc.(a)   51,649    8,813,385 
Salesforce, Inc.   34,858    9,354,493 
ServiceNow, Inc.(a)   39,460    31,415,685 
Synopsys, Inc.(a)   30,466    13,065,344 
Tyler Technologies, Inc.(a)   12,375    7,194,701 
Workday, Inc., Class A(a)   38,425    8,973,390 
         219,110,755 
Technology Hardware, Storage & Equipment (0.56%)          
Apple, Inc.   48,764    10,831,947 
           
MATERIALS (4.43%)          
Chemicals (3.11%)          
Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.   29,336    8,651,773 
Corteva, Inc.   205,700    12,944,701 
Dow, Inc.   355,607    12,417,797 
Ecolab, Inc.   68,485    17,362,317 
RPM International, Inc.   77,800    8,999,904 
         60,376,492 
Construction Materials (0.51%)          
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.   20,749    9,920,719 
           
Containers & Packaging (0.81%)          
Avery Dennison Corp.   88,246    15,705,141 
           
REAL ESTATE (0.32%)          
Residential REITs (0.32%)          
Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc.   92,200    6,149,740 
           
UTILITIES (1.46%)          
Electric Utilities (0.43%)          
Xcel Energy, Inc.   118,000    8,353,220 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

12 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

COMMON STOCKS (continued)  SHARES   VALUE 
Gas Utilities (0.57%)          
Atmos Energy Corp.   72,100   $11,145,218 
           
Water Utilities (0.46%)          
American Water Works Co., Inc.   59,900    8,836,448 
           
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS          
(COST OF $1,543,774,228)        1,895,187,008 
           
SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS (4.53%)          
MONEY MARKET FUND (2.31%)          
State Street Institutional US Government Money Market Fund, Premier Class, 4.29%(d)          
(COST OF $44,832,517)   44,832,517    44,832,517 
           
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH COLLATERAL FROM SECURITIES LOANED (2.22%)          
State Street Navigator Securities Lending Government Money Market Portfolio, 4.36%          
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH COLLATERAL FROM SECURITIES LOANED          
(COST OF $42,975,700)   42,975,700    42,975,700 
           
TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS          
(COST OF $87,808,217)        87,808,217 
           
TOTAL INVESTMENTS (102.22%)          
(COST OF $1,631,582,445)        1,982,995,225 
           
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS (-2.22%)        (42,995,311)
           
NET ASSETS (100.00%)       $1,939,999,914 
           
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE          
(292,003,465 SHARES OUTSTANDING)       $6.64 

 

(a)Non-income producing security.
(b)American Depositary Receipt.
(c)Security, or a portion of the security position, is currently on loan. The total market value of securities on loan is $46,168,573.
(d)Rate reflects seven-day effective yield on March 31, 2025.

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 13

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Notes to Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its schedule of investments. The Fund is considered an investment company under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and follows the accounting and reporting guidance applicable to investment companies in the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 Financial Services - Investment Companies. In regards to Financial Accounting Standards Board Update 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280) - Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”), the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) monitors the operating results of the Fund as a whole. ALPS Advisors, Inc. (the "Advisor") is the CODM for the Fund. The Fund’s financial information is used by the CODM to assess each segment’s performance. The CODM has determined that the Fund is a single operating segment as defined by ASU 2023-07 that recognizes revenues and incurs expenses. This is supported by the single investment strategy of the Fund, against which the CODM assesses performance.

 

Security Valuation

Equity securities are valued at the last sale price at the close of the principal exchange on which they trade, except for securities listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”), which are valued at the NASDAQ official closing price. Unlisted securities or listed securities for which there were no sales during the day are valued at the closing bid price on such exchanges or over-the-counter markets.

 

Cash collateral from securities lending activity is reinvested in the State Street Navigator Securities Lending Government Money Market Portfolio (“State Street Navigator”), a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), which operates as a money market fund in compliance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. Shares of registered investment companies are valued daily at that investment company’s net asset value (“NAV”) per share.

 

The Fund’s investments are valued at market value or, in the absence of market value with respect to any portfolio securities, at fair value according to procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"). The Board has designated the Advisor as the Fund’s Valuation Designee. The Valuation Designee is responsible for determining fair value in good faith for all Fund investments, subject to oversight by the Board. When market quotations are not readily available, or in management’s judgment they do not accurately reflect fair value of a security, or an event occurs after the market close but before the Fund is priced that materially affects the value of a security, the security will be valued by the Advisor’s Valuation Committee using fair valuation procedures established by the Valuation Designee. Examples of potentially significant events that could materially impact a Fund’s NAV include, but are not limited to: single issuer events such as corporate actions, reorganizations, mergers, spin-offs, liquidations, acquisitions and buyouts; corporate announcements on earnings or product offerings; regulatory news; and litigation and multiple issuer events such as governmental actions; natural disasters or armed conflicts that affect a country or a region; or significant market fluctuations. Potential significant events are monitored by the Advisor, Sub-Advisers and/or the Valuation Committee through independent reviews of market indicators, general news sources and communications from the Fund’s custodian. As of March 31, 2025, the Fund held no securities that were fair valued.

 

 

14 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Notes to Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

Security Transactions

Security transactions are recorded on trade date. Cost is determined and gains/(losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.

 

Income Recognition

Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Corporate actions and dividend income are recorded on the ex-date.

 

The Fund estimates components of distributions from real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). Distributions received in excess of income are recorded as a reduction of the cost of the related investments. Once the REIT reports annually the tax character of its distributions, the Fund revises its estimates. If the Fund no longer owns the applicable securities, any distributions received in excess of income are recorded as realized gains.

 

Lending of Portfolio Securities

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities only to borrowers that are approved by the Fund’s securities lending agent, State Street Bank & Trust Co. (“SSB”). The Fund will limit such lending to not more than 30% of the value of its total assets. The borrower pledges and maintains with the Fund collateral consisting of cash (U.S. Dollar only), securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, or by irrevocable bank letters of credit issued by a person other than the borrower or an affiliate of the borrower. The initial collateral received by the Fund is required to have a value of no less than 102% of the market value of the loaned securities for securities traded on U.S. exchanges and a value of no less than 105% of the market value for all other securities. The collateral is maintained thereafter, at a market value equal to no less than 100% of the current value of the securities on loan. The market value of the loaned securities is determined at the close of each business day and any additional required collateral is delivered to the Fund on the next business day. During the term of the loan, the Fund is entitled to all distributions made on or in respect of the loaned securities. Loans of securities are terminable at any time and the borrower, after notice, is required to return borrowed securities within the standard time period for settlement of securities transactions.

 

Any cash collateral received is reinvested in State Street Navigator. Non-cash collateral, in the form of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, is not disclosed in the Fund’s Schedule of Investments as it is held by the lending agent on behalf of the Fund, and the Fund does not have the ability to re-hypothecate these securities.

 

The following is a summary of the Fund’s securities lending positions and related cash and non-cash collateral received as of March 31, 2025:

 

Market Value of
Securities on Loan
Cash
Collateral Received
Non-Cash
Collateral Received
Total
Collateral Received
$46,168,573 $42,975,700 $4,242,103 $47,217,803

 

The risks of securities lending include the risk that the borrower may not provide additional collateral when required or may not return the securities when due. To mitigate these risks, the Fund benefits from a borrower default indemnity provided by SSB. SSB’s indemnity allows for full replacement of securities lent wherein SSB will purchase the unreturned loaned securities on the open market by applying the proceeds of the collateral, or to the extent such proceeds are insufficient or the collateral is unavailable, SSB will purchase the unreturned loan securities at SSB’s expense. However, the Fund could suffer a loss if the value of the investments purchased with cash collateral falls below the value of the cash collateral received.

 

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 15

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Notes to Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

Fair Value Measurements

The Fund discloses the classification of its fair value measurements following a three-tier hierarchy based on the inputs used to measure fair value. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on the best information available.

 

Valuation techniques used to value the Fund’s investments by major category are as follows:

 

Equity securities that are valued based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets are categorized as Level 1 in the hierarchy. In the event there were no sales during the day or closing prices are not available, securities are valued at the mean of the most recent quoted bid and ask prices on such day and are generally categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy. Investments in open-end mutual funds are valued at their closing NAV each business day and are categorized as Level 1 in the hierarchy.

 

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments as of the end of the reporting period. When inputs used fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The designated input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with these investments.

 

These inputs are categorized in the following hierarchy under applicable financial accounting standards:

 

Level 1 Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical investments, unrestricted assets or liabilities that a Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date;
   
Level 2 Quoted prices which are not active, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable (either directly or indirectly) for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and
   
Level 3 Significant unobservable prices or inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.

 

 

16 www.all-starfunds.com

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund Notes to Schedule of Investments

 

March 31, 2025 (Unaudited)

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of March 31, 2025:

 

Investments in Securities at  Valuation Inputs     
Value  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total 
Common Stocks*  $1,895,187,008   $   $   $1,895,187,008 
Short Term Investments   87,808,217            87,808,217 
Total  $1,982,995,225   $   $   $1,982,995,225 

 

*See Schedule of Investments for industry classifications.

 

The Fund did not have any securities that used significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) in determining fair value during the period.

 

Indemnification

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties and which provide general indemnities. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims against the Fund. Also, under the Fund’s organizational documents and by contract, the Trustees and Officers of the Fund are indemnified against certain liabilities that may arise out of their duties to the Fund. However, based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss due to these warranties and indemnities to be minimal.

 

 

First Quarter Report (Unaudited) | March 31, 2025 17

 

 

Liberty All-Star® Equity Fund

Description of Lipper Benchmark

and Market Indices

 

(Unaudited)

 

Dow Jones Industrial Average

A price-weighted measure of 30 U.S. blue-chip companies.

 

Lipper Large-Cap Core Mutual Fund Average

The average of funds that, by portfolio practice, invest at least 75% of their equity assets in companies with market capitalizations (on a three-year weighted basis) above Lipper’s U.S. domestic equity large-cap floor. These funds typically have average characteristics compared to the S&P 500® Index.

 

NASDAQ Composite Index

Measures all NASDAQ domestic and international based common type stocks listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market.

 

Russell 1000® Growth Index (Largecap)

Measures the performance of those Russell 1000® companies with lower book-to-price ratios and higher growth values. The Russell 1000® Index measures the performance of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell 3000® Index.

 

Russell 1000® Value Index (Largecap)

Measures the performance of those Russell 1000® companies with higher book-to-price ratios and lower growth values.

 

S&P 500® Index

A large-cap U.S. equities index that includes 500 leading companies and covers approximately 80% of available market capitalization.

 

S&P 500® Equal Weight Index

The equal-weight version of the S&P 500®.

 

An investor cannot invest directly in an index.

 

 

18 www.all-starfunds.com