POS AMI 1 d92157dposami.htm STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS State Street Master Funds
Table of Contents

As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 29, 2016

1940 Act File No. 811-09599

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

Form N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

   THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940   x

Amendment No. 21

 

 

STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS

(formerly STATE STREET MASTER TRUST)

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

P.O. Box 5049, Boston, Massachusetts 02206

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(617) 664-7037

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

Joshua A. Weinberg, Esq.

Vice President and Managing Counsel

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copy to:

Timothy W. Diggins, Esq.

Ropes & Gray LLP

800 Boylston Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02199-3600

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been filed by the State Street Master Funds (the “Trust”) pursuant to Section 8(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). However, beneficial interests in the Trust are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) because such interests are issued solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act. Investments in the Trust may only be made by domestic investment companies, institutional client separate accounts, 401(k) plan assets, common or commingled trust funds or collective investment trusts or similar organizations or entities that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Regulation D under the 1933 Act. This Registration Statement does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, within the meaning of the 1933 Act, any beneficial interests in the Trust.

 

 

 


Table of Contents
Part A
State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio
April 29, 2016
Because the State Street Master Funds (the “Trust”) is only registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), responses to Items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 13 of Form N-1A have been omitted. Item 8 is omitted because it is not applicable.
Introduction
The Trust is an open-end management investment company organized as a business trust under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts on July 27, 1999.
The Trust offers beneficial interests solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Only investment companies, institutional client separate accounts, 401(k) plan assets, common or commingled trust funds or collective investment trusts or similar organizations or entities that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Regulation D under the 1933 Act may invest in the Trust. This Registration Statement does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any “security” within the meaning of the 1933 Act.
Item 5. Management
SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (“SSGA FM” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser.
Item 6. Purchase and Sale of Portfolio Interests
The minimum initial investment in the Portfolio is $50 million, although the Portfolio may waive the minimum in its discretion. There is no minimum subsequent investment.
Interests in the Portfolio (“Portfolio Interests”) are offered solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. An investor may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at the NAV next determined after it submits a redemption request, in proper form, to the Portfolio.
Item 7. Tax Information
The Portfolio is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. ​As a partnership, the Portfolio generally is not itself subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, in computing its income tax liability, each investor in the Portfolio will be required to take into account its distributive share of items of Portfolio income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, and tax preference for each taxable year substantially as though such items had been realized directly by the investor and without regard to whether the Portfolio has distributed or will distribute any amount to its investors. In general, cash distributions by the Portfolio to its investors will be treated as a nontaxable return of capital to investors to the extent of the investor's adjusted tax basis in its Portfolio Interest, and any amounts distributed in excess of basis will generally be treated as capital gain. Investors that intend to be treated as “regulated investment companies” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), may be required to redeem Portfolio Interests in order to obtain sufficient cash to meet distribution requirements to qualify and be eligible for such treatment and to avoid an entity-level tax.
Item 8. Financial Intermediary Compensation
Not applicable to the registrant.
Item 9. Investment Objective, Principal Investment Strategies, Related Risks, and Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The investment objective, principal strategies, risks and portfolio holdings disclosure policy of the State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio (the “Equity 500 Index Portfolio” or the “Portfolio”) are described below. See the Part B for a description of certain fundamental investment restrictions for the Portfolio. The Portfolio's investment adviser is SSGA FM.
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State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio
Investment Objective
The investment objective of the State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio (the “Equity 500 Index Portfolio” or sometimes referred to in context as the “Portfolio”) is to replicate as closely as possible, before expenses, the performance of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (the “S&P 500” or sometimes referred to in context as the “Index”).
Principal Investment Strategies
The Portfolio uses a passive management strategy designed to track the performance of the S&P 500 Index (“S&P 500” or “Index”). The Index is a well-known stock market index that includes common stocks of 500 companies from a number of sectors representing a significant portion of the market value of all stocks publicly traded in the United States. As of February 29, 2016, a significant portion of the Index comprised companies in the technology and financial sectors, although this may change from time to time.
The Portfolio is not managed according to traditional methods of “active” investment management, which involve the buying and selling of securities based upon economic, financial and market analysis and investment judgment. Instead, the Portfolio, using a “passive” or “indexing” investment approach, attempts to replicate, before expenses, the performance of the S&P 500.
Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio will not invest less than 80% of its total assets in stocks in the Index. The Portfolio attempts to replicate the investment performance of the S&P 500 and generally intends to invest, via the Portfolio, in all stocks comprising the S&P 500 in approximate proportion to their weightings in the Index. However, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all stocks of the S&P 500 in those weightings. When it is not possible or practicable to purchase all stocks of the S&P 500 in those weightings, the Portfolio may purchase a sample of the stocks listed in the S&P 500 in proportions expected by the Adviser to match generally the performance of the Index as a whole. In addition, from time to time stocks are added to or removed from the Index. The Portfolio may sell securities that are represented in the Index, or purchase securities that are not yet represented in the Index, in anticipation of their removal from or addition to the Index. Investors will receive sixty (60) days' notice prior to a change in the 80% investment policy.
In addition to common stocks in the S&P 500, the Portfolio may at times purchase or sell futures contracts on the Index, or options on those futures, in lieu of investing directly in the stocks making up the Index. The Portfolio might do so, for example, in order to increase its investment exposure pending investment of cash in the stocks comprising the Index. Alternatively, the Portfolio might use futures or options on futures to reduce its investment exposure in situations where it intends to sell a portion of the stocks in its portfolio but the sale has not yet been completed. The Portfolio may also enter into other derivatives transactions, including the use of options or swap transactions, to assist in attempting to replicate the performance of the Index. The Portfolio may also, to the extent permitted by applicable law, invest in shares of other mutual funds whose investment objectives and policies are similar to those of the Portfolio.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Equity 500 Index Portfolio
You could lose money by investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal, is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Portfolio may not achieve its investment objective. General risks associated with the Portfolio's investment policies and investment strategies are discussed below. The Portfolio is not intended to be a complete investment program, but rather is intended for investment as part of a diversified investment portfolio. Investors should consult their own advisers as to the role of the Portfolio in their overall investment programs.
In addition, the Portfolio is subject to the following risks:
Counterparty Risk. The Portfolio will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties with which the Portfolio enters into derivatives contracts and other transactions such as repurchase agreements or reverse repurchase agreements. The Portfolio's ability to profit from these types of investments and transactions will depend on the willingness and ability of its counterparty to perform its obligations. If a counterparty fails to meet its contractual obligations, the Portfolio may be unable to terminate or realize any gain on the investment or transaction, resulting in a loss to the Portfolio. The Portfolio may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in an insolvency, bankruptcy, or other reorganization proceeding involving its counterparty (including recovery of any collateral posted by it) and may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. If the Portfolio holds collateral posted by its counterparty, it may be delayed or prevented from realizing on the collateral in the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding relating to the counterparty. Contractual provisions and applicable law may prevent or delay the Portfolio from
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exercising its rights to terminate an investment or transaction with a financial institution experiencing financial difficulties, or to realize on collateral, and another institution may be substituted for that financial institution without the consent of the Portfolio. If the credit rating of a derivatives counterparty declines, the Portfolio may nonetheless choose or be required to keep existing transactions in place with the counterparty, in which event the Portfolio would be subject to any increased credit risk associated with those transactions.
Derivatives Risk. A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, or index. Derivative transactions typically involve leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a derivative transaction will result in a loss greater than the principal amount invested, and the Portfolio may not be able to close out a derivative transaction at a favorable time or price. Risks associated with derivative instruments include potential changes in value in response to interest rate changes or other market developments or as a result of the counterparty's credit quality; the potential for the derivative transaction not to have the effect the Adviser anticipated or a different or less favorable effect than the Adviser anticipated; the failure of the counterparty to the derivative transaction to perform its obligations under the transaction or to settle a trade; possible mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative instrument; imperfect correlation in the value of a derivative with the asset, rate, or index underlying the derivative; the risk that the Portfolio may be required to post collateral or margin with its counterparty, and will not be able to recover the collateral or margin in the event of the counterparty's insolvency or bankruptcy; the risk that the Portfolio will experience losses on its derivatives investments and on its other portfolio investments, even when the derivatives investments may be intended in part or entirely to hedge those portfolio investments; the risks specific to the asset underlying the derivative instrument; lack of liquidity for the derivative instrument, including without limitation absence of a secondary trading market; the potential for reduced returns to the Portfolio due to losses on the transaction and an increase in volatility; the potential for the derivative transaction to have the effect of accelerating the recognition of gain; and legal risks arising from the documentation relating to the derivative transaction.
Equity Investing Risk. The market prices of equity securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, non-compliance with regulatory requirements, and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services. The values of equity securities also may decline due to general industry or market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles, which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.
Financial Sector Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments affecting real estate could have a major effect on the value of real estate securities (which include real estate investment trusts (“REITs”)). Declining real estate values could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Index Tracking Risk. While the Adviser seeks to track the performance of the Index (i.e., achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index), the Portfolio's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the return on the sample of securities purchased by the Portfolio (or the return on securities not included in the Index), to replicate the performance of the Index may not correlate precisely with the return of the Index. The Portfolio incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities. In addition, the Portfolio may not be fully invested at times, either as a result of cash flows into or out of the Portfolio or reserves of cash held by the Portfolio to meet redemptions. Changes in the composition of the Index and regulatory requirements also may impact the Portfolio's ability to match the return of the Index. The Adviser
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may apply one or more “screens” or investment techniques to refine or limit the number or types of issuers included in the Index in which the Portfolio may invest. Application of such screens or techniques may result in investment performance below that of the Index and may not produce results expected by the Adviser. Index tracking risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions.
Large-Capitalization Securities Risk. Securities issued by large-capitalization companies may present risks not present in smaller companies. For example, larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized companies, especially during strong economic periods. Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies.
Large Shareholder Risk. To the extent a large proportion of the interests of the Portfolio are highly concentrated or held by a small number of investors (or a single investor), including funds or accounts over which the Adviser has investment discretion, the Portfolio is subject to the risk that these investors will purchase or redeem Portfolio interests in large amounts rapidly or unexpectedly, including as a result of an asset allocation decision made by the Adviser. These transactions could adversely affect the ability of the Portfolio to conduct its investment program. For example, they could require the Portfolio to sell portfolio securities or purchase portfolio securities unexpectedly and incur substantial transaction costs and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and/or gains to investors, or the Portfolio may be required to sell its more liquid portfolio investments to meet a large redemption, in which case the Portfolio's remaining assets may be less liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price. The Portfolio may hold a relatively large proportion of its assets in cash in anticipation of large redemptions, diluting its investment returns.
Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that the Portfolio may not be able to dispose of securities or close out derivatives transactions readily at a favorable time or prices (or at all) or at prices approximating those at which the Portfolio currently values them. For example, certain investments may be subject to restrictions on resale, may trade in the over-the-counter market or in limited volume, or may not have an active trading market. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. It may be difficult for the Portfolio to value illiquid securities accurately. The market for certain investments may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Disposal of illiquid securities may entail registration expenses and other transaction costs that are higher than those for liquid securities. The Portfolio may seek to borrow money to meet its obligations (including among other things redemption obligations) if it is unable to dispose of illiquid investments, resulting in borrowing expenses and possible leveraging of the Portfolio. In some cases, due to unanticipated levels of illiquidity the Portfolio may choose to meet its redemption obligations wholly or in part by distributions of assets in-kind.
Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk. The Portfolio is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. War, terrorism, and related geopolitical events have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Likewise, natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations may be highly disruptive to economies and markets. Those events as well as other changes in foreign and domestic economic and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Portfolio's investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any partial or complete dissolution of the European Monetary Union, or any increased uncertainty as to its status, could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Portfolio's investments. Securities and financial markets may be susceptible to market manipulation or other fraudulent trade practices, which could disrupt the orderly functioning of these markets or adversely affect the values of investments traded in these markets, including investments held by the Portfolio. To the extent the Portfolio has focused its investments in the market or index of a particular region, adverse geopolitical and other events could have a disproportionate impact on the Portfolio.
Market Risk. Market prices of investments held by the Portfolio will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The Portfolio's investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers and general market liquidity. Even if general economic conditions do not change, the value of an investment in the Portfolio could decline if the particular industries, sectors or companies in which the Portfolio invests do not perform well or are adversely affected by events. Further, legal, political, regulatory and tax changes also may cause fluctuations in markets and securities prices.
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Market Volatility; Government Intervention Risk. Market dislocations and other external events, such as the failures or near failures of significant financial institutions, dislocations in investment or currency markets, corporate or governmental defaults or credit downgrades, or poor collateral performance, may subject the Portfolio to significant risk of substantial volatility and loss. Governmental and regulatory authorities have taken, and may in the future take, actions to provide or arrange credit supports to financial institutions whose operations have been compromised by credit market dislocations and to restore liquidity and stability to financial systems in their jurisdictions; the implementation of such governmental interventions and their impact on both the markets generally and the Portfolio's investment program in particular can be uncertain. In recent periods, governmental and non-governmental issuers have defaulted on, or have been forced to restructure, their debts, and many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit. These market conditions may continue, worsen or spread, including, without limitation, in Europe or Asia. Defaults or restructurings by governments or others of their debts could have substantial adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world. In recent periods, financial regulators, including the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, have taken steps to maintain historically low interest rates, such as by purchasing bonds. Some governmental authorities have taken steps to devalue their currencies substantially or have taken other steps to counter actual or anticipated market or other developments. Steps by those regulators to implement, or to curtail or taper, such activities could have substantial negative effects on financial markets. The withdrawal of support, failure of efforts in response to a financial crisis, or investor perception that these efforts are not succeeding could negatively affect financial markets generally as well as the values and liquidity of certain securities.
Passive Strategy/Index Risk. The Portfolio is managed with a passive investment strategy, attempting to track the performance of an unmanaged index of securities. The Portfolio will seek to replicate Index returns regardless of the current or projected performance of the Index or of the actual securities comprising the Index. This differs from an actively-managed fund, which typically seeks to outperform a benchmark index. The Portfolio generally will buy and will not sell a security included in the Index as long as the security is part of the Index regardless of any sudden or material decline in value or foreseeable material decline in value of the security, even though the Adviser may make a different investment decision for other actively managed accounts or portfolios that hold the security. As a result, the Portfolio's performance may be less favorable than that of a portfolio managed using an active investment strategy. The structure and composition of the Index will affect the performance, volatility, and risk of the Index (in absolute terms and by comparison with other indices) and, consequently, the performance, volatility, and risk of the Portfolio.
Risk of Investment in Other Pools. If the Portfolio invests in another pooled investment vehicle, it is exposed to the risk that the other pool will not perform as expected. The Portfolio is exposed indirectly to all of the risks applicable to an investment in such other pool. In addition, lack of liquidity in the underlying pool could result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities, and may limit the ability of the Portfolio to sell or redeem its interest in the pool at a time or at a price it might consider desirable. The investment policies and limitations of the other pool may not be the same as those of the Portfolio; as a result, the Portfolio may be subject to additional or different risks, or may achieve a reduced investment return, as a result of its investment in another pool. If a pool is an exchange-traded fund or other product traded on a securities exchange or otherwise actively traded, its shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV, an effect that might be more pronounced in less liquid markets. The Portfolio bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of any pool in which it invests. The Adviser or an affiliate may serve as investment adviser to a pool in which the Portfolio may invest, leading to potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may receive fees based on the amount of assets invested in the pool. Investment by the Portfolio in the pool may be beneficial to the Adviser or an affiliate in the management of the pool, by helping to achieve economies of scale or enhancing cash flows. Due to this and other factors, the Adviser may have an incentive to invest the Portfolio's assets in a pool sponsored or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates in lieu of investments by the Portfolio directly in portfolio securities, or may have an incentive to invest in the pool over a pool sponsored or managed by others. Similarly, the Adviser may have an incentive to delay or decide against the sale of interests held by the Portfolio in a pool sponsored or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. It is possible that other clients of the Adviser or its affiliates will purchase or sell interests in a pool sponsored or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates at prices and at times more favorable than those at which the Portfolio does so.
Technology Sector Risk. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a major effect on the value of the Portfolio's investments. The value of stocks of technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability. Additionally, companies in the technology sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel.
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Unconstrained Sector Risk. The Portfolio may invest a substantial portion of its assets within one or more economic sectors or industries, which may change from time to time. When the Portfolio focuses its investments in a particular industry or sector, financial, economic, business, and other developments affecting issuers in that industry, market, or economic sector will have a greater effect on the Portfolio than if it had not focused its assets in that industry, market, or economic sector, which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio. Any such investment focus may also limit the liquidity of the Portfolio. In addition, investors may buy or sell substantial amounts of the Portfolio's shares in response to factors affecting or expected to affect an industry, market, or economic sector in which the Portfolio focuses its investments, resulting in extreme inflows or outflows of cash into and out of the Portfolio. Such extreme cash inflows or outflows might affect management of the Portfolio adversely.
Other Investment Considerations and Risks
Changes in Policies. The Trust's Board of Trustees may change the Equity 500 Index Portfolio's investment strategies and other policies without investor approval, except as otherwise indicated. The Board of Trustees will not materially change the Portfolio's investment objective without investor approval.
The S&P 500. The S&P 500 is a well-known stock market index that includes common stocks of 500 companies from a number of sectors representing a significant portion of the market value of all common stocks publicly traded in the United States, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “NYSE”). Stocks in the S&P 500 are weighted according to their float adjusted market capitalizations (i.e., the number of shares outstanding multiplied by the stock's current price). The companies selected for inclusion in the S&P 500 are those of large publicly held companies which generally have the largest market values within their respective industries. The composition of the S&P 500 is determined by Standard & Poor's and is based on such factors as the market capitalization and trading activity of each stock and its adequacy as a representation of stocks in a particular industry group, and may be changed from time to time. “Standard & Poor's,” “S&P” and “S&P 500” are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services, LLC (“S&P”) and have been licensed for use by the Portfolio. The Portfolio is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P, and S&P makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the Portfolio. It is not possible to invest directly in the S&P 500.
Comparison Index. The S&P 500 is a capitalization-weighted index comprised of the stocks of 500 industry-leading companies and is widely regarded to be representative of the stock market in general. The S&P 500 is unmanaged and does not reflect the actual cost of investing in the instruments that compose the Index. Additionally, the returns of the S&P 500 do not reflect the effect of fees, expenses and taxes.
Conflicts of Interest Risk. An investment in the Portfolio may be subject to a number of actual or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may provide services to the Portfolio, such as securities lending agency services, custodial, administrative, bookkeeping, and accounting services, transfer agency and investor servicing, securities brokerage services, and other services for which the Portfolio would compensate the Adviser and/or such affiliates. The Portfolio may invest in other pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed, or otherwise affiliated with the Adviser. There is no assurance that the rates at which the Portfolio pays fees or expenses to the Adviser or its affiliates, or the terms on which it enters into transactions with the Adviser or its affiliates will be the most favorable available in the market generally or as favorable as the rates the Adviser makes available to other clients. Because of its financial interest, the Adviser may have an incentive to enter into transactions or arrangements on behalf of the Portfolio with itself or its affiliates in circumstances where it might not have done so in the absence of that interest.
The Adviser and its affiliates serve as investment adviser to other clients and may make investment decisions that may be different from those that will be made by the Adviser on behalf of the Portfolio. For example, the Adviser may provide asset allocation advice to some clients that may include a recommendation to invest in or redeem from particular issuers while not providing that same recommendation to all clients invested in the same or similar issuers. The Adviser may (subject to applicable law) be simultaneously seeking to purchase (or sell) investments for the Portfolio and to sell (or purchase) the same investment for accounts, funds, or structured products for which it serves as asset manager, or for other clients or affiliates. The Adviser and its affiliates may invest for clients in various securities that are senior, pari passu or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by the Portfolio. The Adviser or its affiliates, in connection with its other business activities, may acquire material non-public confidential information that may restrict the Adviser from purchasing securities or selling securities for itself or its clients (including the Portfolio) or otherwise using such information for the benefit of its clients or itself.
The foregoing does not purport to be a comprehensive list or complete explanation of all potential conflicts of interests which may affect the Portfolio. The Portfolio may encounter circumstances, or enter into transactions, in which conflicts of interest that are not listed or discussed above may arise.
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Cybersecurity Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform business and operational functions, funds (such as the Portfolio) and their service providers (including the Adviser) may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and causing operational disruption. Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, the Portfolio, the Adviser, or a custodian, transfer agent, or other affiliated or third-party service provider may adversely affect the Portfolio or its investors. For instance, cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may interfere with the processing of investor or other transactions, affect the Portfolio's ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private investor information or confidential Portfolio information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject the Portfolio to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may render records of Portfolio assets and transactions, investor ownership of Portfolio Interests, and other data integral to the functioning of the Portfolio inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. The Portfolio may also incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management in order to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Portfolio and its investors could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and systems designed to minimize the risk of cyber-attacks through the use of technology, processes and controls, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified given the evolving nature of this threat. The Portfolio relies on third-party service providers for many of its day-to-day operations, and will be subject to the risk that the protections and protocols implemented by those service providers will be ineffective to protect the Portfolio from cyber-attack. Similar types of cybersecurity risks or technical malfunctions also are present for issuers of securities in which the Portfolio invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Portfolio's investment in such securities to lose value.
Index Construction Risk. A security included in the Index may not exhibit the characteristic or provide the specific exposure for which it was selected and consequently the Portfolio's holdings may not exhibit returns consistent with that characteristic or exposure.
Index Futures Contracts and Related Options. The Portfolio may buy and sell futures contracts and options on those futures contracts. An “index futures” contract is a contract to buy or sell units of an index at an agreed price on a specified future date. Depending on the change in value of the Index between the time when the Portfolio enters into and closes out an index future or option transaction, the Portfolio realizes a gain or loss. Options and futures transactions involve risks. For example, it is possible that changes in the prices of futures contracts will not correlate precisely with changes in the value of the Index. In those cases, use of futures contracts and related options might decrease the correlation between the return of the Portfolio and the return of the Index. In addition, the Portfolio incurs transaction costs in entering into, and closing out, positions in futures contracts and related options. Funds that enter into contracts with counterparties run the risk that the counterparty will be unwilling or unable to make timely settlement payments or otherwise honor its obligations. This risk is typically less for exchange-traded derivatives, such as those the Portfolio may invest in.
These costs typically have the effect of reducing the correlation between the return of the Portfolio and the return of the Index. Because the secondary market for futures contracts and options may be illiquid, the Portfolio may have to hold a contract or option when the Adviser would otherwise have sold it, or it may only be able to sell at a price lower than what the Adviser believes is the fair value of the contract or option, thereby potentially reducing the return of the Portfolio.
Index Licensing Risk. It is possible that the license under which the Adviser or the Portfolio is permitted to replicate or otherwise use the Index will be terminated or may be disputed, impaired or cease to remain in effect. In such a case, the Adviser may be required to replace the Index with another index which it considers to be appropriate in light of the investment strategy of the Portfolio. The use of any such substitute index may have an adverse impact on the Portfolio's performance. In the event that the Adviser is unable to identify a suitable replacement for the relevant Index, it may determine to terminate the Portfolio.
Money Market Risk. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Although a money market fund generally seeks to preserve the value of its shares at $1.00 per share, there can be no assurance that it will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund. A major or unexpected increase in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause a money market fund's share price to fall below $1.00. It is possible that a money market fund will issue and redeem shares at $1.00 per share at times when the fair value of the money market fund's portfolio per share is more or less than $1.00. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of such funds. A money market fund may be permitted or required to impose redemption fees or to impose limitations on redemptions during periods of high illi-
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quidity in the markets for the investments held by it. None of State Street Corporation, State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), State Street Global Advisors (“SSGA”), SSGA FM or their affiliates (“State Street Entities”) guarantee the value of an investment in a money market fund at $1.00 per share. Investors should have no expectation of capital support to a money market fund from State Street Entities.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Portfolio may engage in frequent trading of its portfolio securities. Portfolio turnover generally involves a number of direct and indirect costs and expenses to the Portfolio, including, for example, brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and bid/asked spreads, and transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The costs related to increased portfolio turnover have the effect of reducing the Portfolio's investment return, and the sale of securities by the Portfolio may result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains.
Securities Lending Risk. The Portfolio may lend portfolio securities with a value of up to 25% of its total assets. For these purposes, total assets shall include the value of all assets received as collateral for the loan. Such loans may be terminated at any time, and the Portfolio will receive cash or other obligations as collateral. Any such loans must be continuously secured by collateral in cash or cash equivalents maintained on a current basis in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned by the Portfolio. In a loan transaction, as compensation for lending its securities, the Portfolio will receive a portion of the dividends or interest accrued on the securities held as collateral or, in the case of cash collateral, a portion of the income from the investment of such cash. In addition, the Portfolio will receive the amount of all dividends, interest and other distributions on the loaned securities. However, the borrower has the right to vote the loaned securities. The Portfolio will call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the investment is to be voted upon. Should the borrower of the securities fail financially, the Portfolio may experience delays in recovering the securities or exercising its rights in the collateral. Loans are made only to borrowers that are deemed by the securities lending agent to be of good financial standing. In a loan transaction, the Portfolio will also bear the risk of any decline in value of securities acquired with cash collateral. The Portfolio will attempt to minimize this risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high quality instruments of short maturity.
Temporary Defensive Positions. In response to actual or perceived adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Portfolio may (but will not necessarily), without notice, depart from its principal investment strategies by temporarily investing for defensive purposes. Temporary defensive positions may include, but are not limited to, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities, money market funds, and high-quality debt investments. If the Portfolio invests for defensive purposes, it may not achieve its investment objective. In addition, the defensive strategy may not work as intended. In general, as an index fund, the Equity 500 Index Portfolio seeks to track the performance of an index regardless of market conditions and does not take defensive positions.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
The Portfolio's portfolio holdings disclosure policy is described in the Part B.
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Item 10. Management, Organization and Capital Structure
The Portfolio
The Portfolio is a separate, diversified series of the State Street Master Funds.
The Adviser
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Portfolio and, subject to the supervision of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Portfolio. The Adviser provides an investment management program for the Portfolio and manages the investment of the Portfolio's assets. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser and certain other affiliates of State Street Corporation make up SSGA. SSGA is one of the world's largest institutional money managers and the investment management arm of State Street Corporation. As of December 31, 2015, the Adviser managed approximately $384.95 billion in assets and SSGA managed approximately $2.24 trillion in assets. The Adviser's principal business address is State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
A discussion regarding the Board's consideration of the Portfolio's Investment Advisory Agreement is provided in the Trust's Semi-Annual Report to Investors for the period ended June 30, 2015.
The Adviser manages the Portfolio using a team of investment professionals. The team approach is used to create an environment that encourages the flow of investment ideas. The portfolio managers within each team work together in a cohesive manner to develop and enhance techniques that drive the investment process for the respective investment strategy. This approach requires portfolio managers to share a variety of responsibilities including investment strategy and analysis while retaining responsibility for the implementation of the strategy within any particular portfolio. The approach also enables the team to draw upon the resources of other groups within SSGA. The portfolio management team is overseen by the SSGA Investment Committee.
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio are John Tucker, Karl Schneider and Mike Feehily.
John Tucker, CFA, is a Senior Managing Director of SSGA and the Adviser and Co-Head of Passive Equity Strategies in North America in GEBS. He joined the firm in 1988 and is responsible for overseeing the management of all passive equity index strategies and Exchange Traded Funds managed in North America. He is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Previously, Mr. Tucker was head of the Structured Products Group in SSGA's London office where he was responsible for the management of all index strategies in SSGA's second largest investment center. Mr. Tucker received a BA in Economics from Trinity College and an MS in Finance from Boston College. Mr. Tucker has also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society and the CFA Institute. In addition, Mr. Tucker is a member of the Russell Index Client Advisory Board and on the S&P U.S. Index Advisory Panel.
Karl Schneider, CAIA, is a Vice President of SSGA and the Adviser, and Head of U.S. Equity Strategies for GEBS, where in addition to overseeing the management of the U.S. equity index strategies, he also serves as a portfolio manager for a number of the group's passive equity portfolios. Previously within GEBS, he served as a portfolio manager and product specialist for synthetic beta strategies, including commodities, buy/write, and hedge fund replication. Prior to joining GEBS, Mr. Schneider worked as a portfolio manager in SSGA's Currency Management Group, managing both active currency selection and traditional passive hedging overlay portfolios. He joined SSGA in 1996. Mr. Schneider holds a BS in finance and investments from Babson College and an MS in finance from Boston College. He has earned the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation. Mr. Schneider is a member of the CAIA Association.
Mike Feehily, CFA, is a Senior Managing Director of SSGA and the Adviser and Co-Head of Passive Equity Strategies in North America in the Global Equity Beta Solutions Group (“GEBS”). He is also a member of the Senior Leadership Team and sits on the firm's North America Product Committee and Trade Management Oversight Committee. Mr. Feehily rejoined SSGA in 2010 after spending four years at State Street Global Markets LLC, where he helped to build the Exposure Solutions business. This group created and managed portfolios that were designed to meet the short-term market exposure needs of institutional clients. Prior to this, Mr. Feehily had been Head of the U.S. Passive Equity Team within SSGA. He joined SSGA in 1997. Mr. Feehily received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Babson College in Finance, Investments, and Economics. He received an MBA in Finance from Bentley College and also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society and the CFA Institute. Mr. Feehily is also a former member of the Russell Index Client Advisory Board.
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Additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers' ownership of the Portfolio is available in the Part B.
The Administrator, Sub-Administrator, Custodian, Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent
The Adviser serves as administrator of the Portfolio. State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), a subsidiary of State Street Corporation, serves as sub-administrator, custodian, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent (the “Transfer Agent”) for the Portfolio. The Portfolio pays an annual fee that is accrued daily and payable monthly for the administration, sub-administration, custody and transfer agency services SSGA FM and State Street provide.
Additional Information
The Trustees of the Trust oversee generally the operations of the Portfolio and the Trust. The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others the Portfolio's investment adviser, custodian, transfer agent, and accountants, who provide services to the Portfolio. Investors are not parties to any such contractual arrangements or intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any investor any right to enforce them directly against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them directly against the service providers.
This Prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the Portfolio that you should consider in determining whether to purchase interests of the Portfolio. Neither this Prospectus, nor the related Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), is intended, or should be read, to be or to give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Portfolio and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any investor or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.
Advisory Fee
As compensation for the Adviser's services to the Portfolio as investment adviser and State Street's services as administrator, custodian and transfer agent (and for assuming certain ordinary operating expenses), the Portfolio is obligated to pay a fee, as shown in the table below, as a percentage of the Portfolio's average daily net assets.
Equity 500 Index Portfolio 0.045%
Item 11. Investor Information
Determination of Net Asset Value
The Portfolio's net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated on each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for trading, at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The NAV is based on the market value of the securities held in the Portfolio. The Portfolio may invest in securities listed on foreign exchanges, or otherwise traded in a foreign market, and those securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Portfolio does not price Portfolio Interests. Consequently, the NAV of Portfolio Interests may change on days when investors are not able to purchase or redeem Portfolio Interests. The Portfolio values each security pursuant to guidelines established by the Board. Securities may be valued at fair value, as determined in good faith and pursuant to procedures approved by the Board, under certain circumstances. For example, fair value pricing may be used when market quotations are not readily available or reliable, such as when (i) trading for a security is restricted; or (ii) a significant event, as determined by the Valuation Committee, that may affect the value of one or more securities held by the Portfolio occurs after the close of a related exchange but before the determination of the Portfolio's NAV. Attempts to determine the fair value of securities introduce an element of subjectivity to the pricing of securities. As a result, the price of a security determined through fair valuation techniques may differ from the price quoted or published by other sources and may not accurately reflect the price the Portfolio would have received had it sold the investment. To the extent that the Portfolio invest in the shares of other registered open-end investment companies that are not traded on an exchange (i.e. mutual funds), such shares are valued at their published net asset values per share as reported by the funds. The prospectuses of these funds explain the circumstances under which the funds will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing. Debt obligation securities maturing within 60 days of the valuation date may be valued at amortized cost.
Purchasing Beneficial Interests
The Portfolio issues beneficial interests solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. Investment companies, institutional client separate accounts, 401(k) plan assets, common and commingled trust funds or collective investment trusts or similar organizations that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Regulation D of the 1933 Act are the only investors currently permitted to invest in the Portfolio.
Investors do not pay a sales load to invest in the Portfolio. The price for Portfolio beneficial interests is the NAV next calculated after the purchase order is accepted by the Portfolio.
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The minimum initial investment in the Portfolio is $50 million, although the Portfolio may waive the minimum in its discretion. There is no minimum subsequent investment. The Portfolio intends to be as fully invested as is practicable; therefore, investments must be made either in securities (“in-kind”) acceptable to the Adviser or Federal Funds (i.e., monies credited to the account of the Portfolio's custodian bank by a Federal Reserve Bank). (Please consult your tax adviser regarding in-kind transactions.) The Portfolio reserves the right to cease accepting investments at any time or to reject any purchase order.
In accordance with certain federal regulations, the Trust is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each entity that applies to open an account. For this reason, when you open (or change ownership of) an account, the Trust will request certain information, including your name, address and taxpayer identification number, which will be used to verify your identity. If you are unable to provide sufficient information to verify your identity, the Trust will not open an account for you. As required by law, the Trust may employ various procedures, such as comparing your information to fraud databases or requesting additional information and documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct. If the Trust believes that it has uncovered criminal activity, the Trust may close your account and take any action they deem reasonable or required by law. The Trust reserves the right to reject any purchase order for any reason, including failure to provide the Trust with information necessary to confirm your identity as required by law.
Redeeming Beneficial Interests
An investor may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at the NAV next determined after it submits a redemption request, in proper form, to the Portfolio. The Portfolio will pay the proceeds of the redemption either in Federal Funds or portfolio securities at the discretion of the Adviser, normally on the next Portfolio business day after the redemption, but in any event no more than seven days after the redemption. (Please consult your tax adviser regarding in-kind transactions.) Investments in the Portfolio may not be transferred. The right of any investor to receive payment with respect to any redemption may be suspended or the payment of the redemption proceeds postponed during any period in which the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or trading on the NYSE is restricted or, to the extent otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, if an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Portfolio of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio fairly to determine the value of its net assets. In addition, the SEC may by order permit suspension of redemptions for the protection of investors of the Portfolio.
Distributions
The Portfolio makes a daily allocation of its net investment income and realized and unrealized gains and losses from securities, futures and foreign currency transactions to its investors in proportion to their investment in the Portfolio. The Portfolio is not required, and generally does not expect, to make distributions (other than distributions in redemption of Portfolio Interests) to their investors.
Policies to Prevent Market Timing
Frequent purchases and redemptions of Portfolio Interests may present risks for other investors of the Portfolio, which may include, among other things, interference in the efficient management of the Portfolio, dilution in the value of Portfolio Interests held by long-term investors, increased brokerage and administrative costs and forcing the Portfolio to hold excess levels of cash.
The Portfolio is intended as a long-term investment. Therefore, the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures designed to detect and prevent inappropriate short-term trading activity that is harmful to the Portfolio. Because most of the interests in the Portfolio are held by other investment companies and similar organizations the shares of which are in turn owned by investors indirectly through one or more financial intermediaries, the Portfolio does not generally have information about the identity of those investors or about transactions effected by those investors. Rather, the Trust and its service providers periodically review cash inflows and outflows from and to those intermediaries in an attempt to detect inappropriate trading activity by investors holding interests through those intermediaries. The Trust may seek to obtain underlying account trading activity information from financial intermediaries when, in the Adviser's judgment, the trading activity suggests possible market timing that may be harmful to the Portfolio or its investors.
The Portfolio reserves the right in their discretion to reject any purchase, in whole or in part including, without limitation, by an investor whose trading activity in Portfolio interests the Adviser believes could be harmful to the Portfolio. The Portfolio may decide to restrict purchase activity in their interests based on various factors, including, without limitation, whether frequent purchase and sale activity will disrupt portfolio management strategies and adversely affect performance. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio, the Adviser or State Street Bank will identify all frequent purchase and sale activity affecting the Portfolio.
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Tax Considerations
It is intended that the Portfolio operate and be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not as an “association taxable as a corporation” or a “publicly traded partnership” (as defined in Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code) taxable as a corporation. As a result, the Portfolio generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax; instead, each investor in the Portfolio is required to take into account in determining its U.S. federal income tax liability its allocable share (as determined in accordance with the governing instruments of the Trust and Subchapter K of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder) of the Portfolio's income, gain, loss, deductions, credits and tax preference items for any taxable year of the Portfolio ending with or within the taxable year of such investor, without regard to whether the investor has received or will receive any cash or property distributions from the Portfolio.
The Portfolio expects to manage its assets and income in such a way that if a “feeder” fund investing all or substantially all of its assets in the Portfolio were treated as holding its pro rata portion of the Portfolio's assets, and recognizing its pro rata portion of the Portfolio's income, directly, it would meet the requirements with respect to sources of income and diversification of assets for qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. Investors that intend to be treated as regulated investment companies under the Code may be required to redeem Portfolio interests in order to obtain sufficient cash to meet distribution requirements to qualify and be eligible for such treatment and to avoid an entity-level tax.
This discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Portfolio is for general information only; it is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the specific U.S. federal tax consequences of investing in the Portfolio, as well as the effects of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.
Item 12. Distribution Arrangements
Investments in thePortfolio are not subject to any sales load or redemption fee. Assets of thePortfolio are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee.
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Table of Contents
Part A
State Street Money Market Portfolio
State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio
State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio
State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio
April 29, 2016
Because the State Street Master Funds (the “Trust”) is only registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), responses to Items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 13 of Form N-1A have been omitted. Item 8 is omitted because it is not applicable.
Introduction
The Trust is an open-end management investment company organized as a business trust under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts on July 27, 1999.
The Trust offers beneficial interests solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Only investment companies, institutional client separate accounts, 401(k) plan assets, common or commingled trust funds or collective investment trusts or similar organizations or entities that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Regulation D under the 1933 Act may invest in the Trust. This Registration Statement does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any “security” within the meaning of the 1933 Act.
Item 5. Management
SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (“SSGA FM” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser.
Item 6. Purchase and Sale of Portfolio Interests
The minimum initial investment in each Portfolio is $50 million, although each Portfolio may waive the minimum in its discretion. There is no minimum subsequent investment.
Interests in each Portfolio (“Portfolio Interests”) are offered solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. An investor may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at the NAV next determined after it submits a redemption request, in proper form, to the Portfolio.
Item 7. Tax Information
The Portfolios are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. ​As a partnership, each Portfolio generally is not itself subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, in computing its income tax liability, each investor in a Portfolio will be required to take into account its distributive share of items of Portfolio income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, and tax preference for each taxable year substantially as though such items had been realized directly by the investor and without regard to whether the Portfolio has distributed or will distribute any amount to its investors. In general, cash distributions by a Portfolio to its investors will be treated as a nontaxable return of capital to investors to the extent of the investor's adjusted tax basis in its Portfolio Interest, and any amounts distributed in excess of basis will generally be treated as capital gain. Investors that intend to be treated as “regulated investment companies” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), may be required to redeem Portfolio Interests in order to obtain sufficient cash to meet distribution requirements to qualify and be eligible for such treatment and to avoid an entity-level tax.
Item 8. Financial Intermediary Compensation
Not applicable to the registrant.
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Item 9. Investment Objective, Principal Investment Strategies, Related Risks, and Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The investment objective, principal strategies, risks and portfolio holdings disclosure policy of the State Street Money Market Portfolio (the “Money Market Portfolio”), State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio (the “U.S. Government Portfolio”), the State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio (the “Treasury Portfolio”) and the State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio (the “Treasury Plus Portfolio”) (each may be referred to in context as a “Portfolio” and collectively, the “Portfolios”) are described below. See the Part B for a description of certain fundamental investment restrictions for each Portfolio. The Portfolios' investment adviser is SSGA FM.
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State Street Money Market Portfolio
Investment Objective
The Money Market Portfolio's investment objective is to seek to maximize current income, to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share net asset value (“NAV”), by investing in U.S. dollar-denominated money market securities.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Money Market Portfolio follows a disciplined investment process in which SSGA FM, the investment adviser to the Portfolio, bases its decisions on the relative attractiveness of different money market instruments. In the Adviser's opinion, the attractiveness of an instrument may vary depending on the general level of interest rates, as well as imbalances of supply and demand in the market. The Portfolio invests in accordance with regulatory requirements applicable to money market funds, which require, among other things, the Portfolio to invest only in short-term, high quality debt obligations (generally, securities that have remaining maturities of 397 calendar days or less and either have been rated in one of the two highest short-term rating categories or are considered by the Portfolio to be of comparable quality), to maintain a maximum dollar-weighted average maturity of sixty (60) days or less, and to meet requirements as to portfolio diversification and liquidity.
The Portfolio attempts to meet its investment objective by investing in a broad range of money market instruments. These may include among other things: U.S. government securities, including U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and/or interest, as applicable, by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposits and time deposits of U.S. and foreign banks (including ECDs, ETDs and YCDs (as defined below); commercial paper and other high quality obligations of U.S. or foreign companies; asset-backed securities, including asset-backed commercial paper; mortgage-related securities; and repurchase agreements. These instruments may bear fixed, variable or floating rates of interest or may be zero-coupon securities. The Portfolio also may invest in shares of other money market funds, including funds advised by the Adviser. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio intends to invest more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations. A substantial portion of the Portfolio may be invested in securities that are issued or traded pursuant to exemptions from registration under the federal securities laws.
European Certificates of Deposit (“ECDs”) are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by a bank outside of the United States. European Time Deposits (“ETDs”) are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign banks. Yankee Certificates of Deposit (“YCDs”) are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks. These instruments have different risks than those associated with the obligations of U.S. banks operating in the United States.
State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio
Investment Objective
The investment objective of State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio (the “U.S. Government Portfolio” or sometimes referred to in context as the “Portfolio”) is to maximize current income, to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share net asset value (“NAV”).
Principal Investment Strategies
The U.S. Government Portfolio invests only in obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and/or interest, as applicable, by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as repurchase agreements secured by such instruments.
The Portfolio follows a disciplined investment process that attempts to provide stability of principal, liquidity and current income, by investing in U.S. government securities. Among other things, SSGA FM, the investment adviser to the Portfolio, conducts its own credit analyses of potential investments and portfolio holdings, and relies substantially on a dedicated short-term credit research team. The Portfolio invests in accordance with regulatory requirements applicable to money market funds. Regulations require, among other things, a money market fund to invest only in short-term, high quality debt obligations (generally, securities that have remaining maturities of 397 calendar days or less and either have been rated in one of the two highest short-term rating categories or are considered by the Portfolio to be of comparable quality), to maintain a maximum dollar-weighted average maturity of sixty (60) days or less, and to meet requirements as to portfolio diversification and liquidity. All securities held by the Portfolio are U.S. dollar-denominated, and they may have fixed, variable or floating interest rates.
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The Portfolio attempts to meet its investment objective by investing in:
Obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and/or interest, as applicable, by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities, such as U.S. Treasury securities and securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States;
Obligations issued or guaranteed by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal National Mortgage Association, and U.S. government-sponsored entities such as the Federal Home Loan Bank, which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States; and
Repurchase agreements with respect to U.S. government securities.
State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio
Investment Objective
The investment objective of State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio (the “Treasury Portfolio” or sometimes referred to in context as the “Portfolio”) is to seek a high level of current income consistent with preserving principal and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share net asset value (“NAV”).
Principal Investment Strategies
The Treasury Portfolio attempts to meet its investment objective by investing only in U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds (which are direct obligations of the U.S. government).
The Portfolio invests in accordance with regulatory requirements applicable to money market funds, which require, among other things, the Portfolio to invest only in short-term securities (generally, securities that have remaining maturities of 397 calendar days or less), to maintain a maximum dollar-weighted average maturity of sixty (60) days or less, and to meet requirements as to portfolio diversification and liquidity.
State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio
Investment Objective
The investment objective of State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio (the “Treasury Plus Portfolio” or sometimes referred to in context as the “Portfolio”) is to seek a high level of current income consistent with preserving principal and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share net asset value (“NAV”).
Principal Investment Strategies
The Treasury Plus Portfolio attempts to meet its investment objective by investing only in U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds (which are direct obligations of the U.S. government) and repurchase agreements collateralized by these obligations.
The Portfolio invests in accordance with regulatory requirements applicable to money market funds, which require, among other things, the Portfolio to invest only in short-term securities (generally, securities that have remaining maturities of 397 calendar days or less), to maintain a maximum dollar-weighted average maturity of sixty (60) days or less, and to meet requirements as to portfolio diversification and liquidity.
Principal Risks of Investing In The Portfolios
Please see the section entitled “Principal Investment Strategies” for each Portfolio, for a complete discussion of each Portfolio's investment strategies. The investment objective of each Portfolio may be changed without investor approval.
Additional information about risks associated with some of the Portfolios' investment policies and investment strategies is provided below. Risk information is applicable to all Portfolios unless otherwise noted.
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An investment in the Portfolios is subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal, is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the Portfolios seek to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Portfolios. 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 a Portfolio at any time.
Call/Prepayment Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio). Call/prepayment risk is the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by a Portfolio earlier than expected or required. This may occur, for example, when there is a decline in interest rates, and an issuer of bonds or preferred stock redeems the bonds or stock in order to replace them with obligations on which it is required to pay a lower interest or dividend rate. It may also occur when there is an unanticipated increase in the rate at which mortgages or other receivables underlying mortgage- or asset-backed securities held by a Portfolio are prepaid. In any such case, a Portfolio may be forced to invest the prepaid amounts in lower-yielding investments, resulting in a decline in the Portfolio's income.
Counterparty Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio, U.S. Government Portfolio and Treasury Plus Portfolio). A Portfolio will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties with which a Portfolio enters into repurchase agreements and other transactions. If a counterparty fails to meet its contractual obligations, a Portfolio may be unable to terminate the transaction, and it may be delayed or prevented from realizing on any collateral in the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding relating to the counterparty.
Credit Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio, U.S. Government Portfolio and Treasury Plus Portfolio). Credit risk is the risk that an issuer, guarantor or liquidity provider of a fixed-income security held by a Portfolio may be unable or unwilling, or may be perceived (whether by market participants, ratings agencies, pricing services or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. It includes the risk that the security will be downgraded by a credit rating agency; generally, lower credit quality issuers present higher credit risks. An actual or perceived decline in creditworthiness of an issuer of a fixed-income security held by a Portfolio may result in a decrease in the value of the security. It is possible that the ability of an issuer to meet its obligations will decline substantially during the period when a Portfolio owns securities of the issuer or that the issuer will default on its obligations or that the obligations of the issuer will be limited or restructured.
The credit rating assigned to any particular investment does not necessarily reflect the issuer's current financial condition and does not reflect an assessment of an investment's volatility or liquidity. Securities rated in the lowest category of investment grade are considered to have speculative characteristics. If a security held by a Portfolio loses its rating or its rating is downgraded, a Portfolio may nonetheless continue to hold the security in the discretion of the Adviser. In the case of asset-backed or mortgage-related securities, changes in the actual or perceived ability of the obligors on the underlying assets or mortgages to make payments of interest and/or principal may affect the values of those securities.
Debt Securities Risk. The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, increases in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments or illiquidity in debt securities markets; the risk of low rates of return due to reinvestment of securities during periods of falling interest rates or repayment by issuers with higher coupon or interest rates; and/or the risk of low income due to falling interest rates. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. The U.S. is experiencing historically low interest rate levels. However, economic recovery and the tapering of the Federal Reserve Board's quantitative easing program increase the likelihood that interest rates will rise in the future. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of a Portfolio's fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of a Portfolio's fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by a Portfolio may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Extension Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio). During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of certain types of securities may be extended because of slower-than-expected principal payments. This may increase the period of time during which an investment earns a below-market interest rate, increase the security's duration and reduce the value of the security. Extension risk may be heightened during periods of adverse economic conditions generally, as payment rates decline due to higher unemployment levels and other factors.
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Financial Institutions Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio). Some instruments are issued or guaranteed by financial institutions, such as banks and brokers, or are collateralized by securities issued or guaranteed by financial institutions. Changes in the creditworthiness of any of these institutions may adversely affect the values of instruments of issuers in financial industries. Financial institutions may be particularly sensitive to certain economic factors such as interest rate changes, adverse developments in the real estate market, fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles. Adverse developments in banking and other financial industries may cause a Portfolio to underperform relative to other funds that invest more broadly across different industries or have a smaller exposure to financial institutions. Changes in governmental regulation and oversight of financial institutions may have an adverse effect on the financial condition or the earnings or operations of a financial institution and on the types and amounts of businesses in which a financial institution may engage. An investor may be delayed or prevented from exercising certain remedies against a financial institution. The amount of a Portfolio's assets that may be invested in any financial institution, or financial institutions generally, may be limited by applicable law.
Income Risk. A Portfolio's income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by a Portfolio may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Portfolio would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by a Portfolio is prepaid, the Portfolio may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates. A reduction in the income earned by a Portfolio may limit the Portfolio's ability to achieve its objective.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that the securities held by a Portfolio will decline in value because of increases in market interest rates. Debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. For example, the value of a security with a duration of five years would be expected to decrease by 5% for every 1% increase in interest rates. Falling interest rates also create the potential for a decline in a Portfolio's income and yield. Interest-only and principal-only securities are especially sensitive to interest rate changes, which can affect not only their prices but can also change the income flows and repayment assumptions about those investments. Variable and floating rate securities also generally increase or decrease in value in response to changes in interest rates, although generally to a lesser degree than fixed-rate securities. A substantial increase in interest rates may also have an adverse impact on the liquidity of a security, especially those with longer durations. The U.S. is experiencing historically low interest rate levels. However, economic recovery and the tapering of the Federal Reserve Board's quantitative easing program increase the likelihood that interest rates will rise in the future. Changes in governmental policy, including changes in central bank monetary policy, could cause interest rates to rise rapidly, or cause investors to expect a rapid rise in interest rates. This could lead to heightened levels of interest rate, volatility and liquidity risks for the fixed income markets generally and could have a substantial and immediate effect on the values of a Portfolio's investments.
Large Shareholder Risk. To the extent a large proportion of the interests of a Portfolio are highly concentrated or held by a small number of investors (or a single investor), including funds or accounts over which the Adviser has investment discretion, a Portfolio is subject to the risk that these investors will purchase or redeem Portfolio interests in large amounts rapidly or unexpectedly, including as a result of an asset allocation decision made by the Adviser. These transactions could adversely affect the ability of a Portfolio to conduct its investment program. For example, they could require a Portfolio to sell portfolio securities or purchase portfolio securities unexpectedly and incur substantial transaction costs and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and/or gains to investors, or a Portfolio may be required to sell its more liquid portfolio investments to meet a large redemption, in which case a Portfolio's remaining assets may be less liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price. A Portfolio may hold a relatively large proportion of its assets in cash in anticipation of large redemptions, diluting its investment returns.
Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that a Portfolio may not be able to dispose of securities or close out derivatives transactions readily at a favorable time or prices (or at all) or at prices approximating those at which a Portfolio currently values them. For example, certain investments may be subject to restrictions on resale, may trade in the over-the-counter market or in limited volume, or may not have an active trading market. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. It may be difficult for a Portfolio to value illiquid securities accurately. The market for certain investments may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Disposal of illiquid securities may entail registration expenses and other transaction costs that are higher than those for liquid securities. A Portfolio may seek to borrow money to meet its obligations (including among other things redemption obligations) if it is unable to dispose of illiquid investments, resulting in borrowing expenses and possible leveraging of the Portfolio. In some cases, due to unanticipated levels of illiquidity a Portfolio may choose to meet its redemption obligations wholly or in part by distributions of assets in-kind.
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Low Short-Term Interest Rate Risk. At the date of this Prospectus, short-term interest rates are at historically low levels, and so the Portfolio's yield is very low. It is possible that a Portfolio will generate an insufficient amount of income to pay its expenses, and that it will not be able to pay a daily dividend and may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). It is possible that a Portfolio will maintain a substantial portion of its assets in cash, on which it would earn little, if any, income.
Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk. A Portfolio is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. War, terrorism, and related geopolitical events have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Likewise, natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations may be highly disruptive to economies and markets. Those events as well as other changes in foreign and domestic economic and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Portfolio's investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any partial or complete dissolution of the European Monetary Union, or any increased uncertainty as to its status, could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of a Portfolio's investments. Securities and financial markets may be susceptible to market manipulation or other fraudulent trade practices, which could disrupt the orderly functioning of these markets or adversely affect the values of investments traded in these markets, including investments held by a Portfolio. To the extent a Portfolio has focused its investments in the market or index of a particular region, adverse geopolitical and other events could have a disproportionate impact on the Portfolio.
Market Risk. Market prices of investments held by a Portfolio will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The Portfolio's investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers and general market liquidity. Even if general economic conditions do not change, the value of an investment in a Portfolio could decline if the particular industries, sectors or companies in which the Portfolio invests do not perform well or are adversely affected by events. Further, legal, political, regulatory and tax changes also may cause fluctuations in markets and securities prices.
Market Volatility; Government Intervention Risk. Market dislocations and other external events, such as the failures or near failures of significant financial institutions, dislocations in investment or currency markets, corporate or governmental defaults or credit downgrades, or poor collateral performance, may subject a Portfolio to significant risk of substantial volatility and loss. Governmental and regulatory authorities have taken, and may in the future take, actions to provide or arrange credit supports to financial institutions whose operations have been compromised by credit market dislocations and to restore liquidity and stability to financial systems in their jurisdictions; the implementation of such governmental interventions and their impact on both the markets generally and a Portfolio's investment program in particular can be uncertain. In recent periods, governmental and non-governmental issuers have defaulted on, or have been forced to restructure, their debts, and many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit. These market conditions may continue, worsen or spread, including, without limitation, in Europe or Asia. Defaults or restructurings by governments or others of their debts could have substantial adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world. In recent periods, financial regulators, including the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, have taken steps to maintain historically low interest rates, such as by purchasing bonds. Some governmental authorities have taken steps to devalue their currencies substantially or have taken other steps to counter actual or anticipated market or other developments. Steps by those regulators to implement, or to curtail or taper, such activities could have substantial negative effects on financial markets. The withdrawal of support, failure of efforts in response to a financial crisis, or investor perception that these efforts are not succeeding could negatively affect financial markets generally as well as the values and liquidity of certain securities.
Money Market Risk. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Although a money market fund generally seeks to preserve the value of its shares at $1.00 per share, there can be no assurance that it will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund. A major or unexpected increase in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause a money market fund's share price to fall below $1.00. It is possible that a money market fund will issue and redeem shares at $1.00 per share at times when the fair value of the money market fund's portfolio per share is more or less than $1.00. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of such funds. A money market fund may be permitted or required to impose redemption fees or to impose limitations on redemptions during periods of high illiquidity in the markets for the investments held by it. None of State Street Corporation, State Street, State Street Global Advisors (“SSGA”), SSGA FM or their affiliates (“State Street Entities”) guarantee the value of an investment in a money market fund at $1.00 per share. Investors should have no expectation of capital support to a money market fund from State Street Entities.
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Money Market Fund Regulatory Risk. In July 2014, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted regulatory changes that will affect the structure and operation of money market funds. The revised regulations impose new liquidity requirements on money market funds, permit (and in some cases require) money market funds to impose “liquidity fees” on redemptions, and permit money market funds to impose “gates” restricting redemptions from the funds. Institutional money market funds will be required to have a floating NAV. (U.S. government money market funds are exempt from a number of the new regulations.) There are a number of other changes under the revised regulations that relate to diversification, disclosure, reporting and stress testing requirements. These changes and other proposed amendments to the regulations governing money market funds could significantly affect the money market fund industry generally.
Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio). Investments in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities are subject to the risk of significant credit downgrades, illiquidity, and defaults to a greater extent than many other types of fixed income investments. Mortgage-related securities represent a participation in, or are secured by, mortgage loans. Other asset-backed securities are typically structured like mortgage-related securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include, for example, items such as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases on various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements. During periods of falling interest rates, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, which typically provide the issuer with the right to prepay the security prior to maturity, may be prepaid, which may result in a Portfolio having to reinvest the proceeds in other investments at lower interest rates. During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities may extend because of slower-than expected principal payments. This may lock in a below market interest rate, increase the security's duration and interest rate sensitivity, and reduce the value of the security. As a result, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other debt securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market values during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayment rates are difficult to predict and the potential impact of prepayments on the value of a mortgage-related or other asset-backed security depends on the terms of the instrument and can result in significant volatility. The price of a mortgage-related or other asset-backed security also depends on the credit quality and adequacy of the underlying assets or collateral. Defaults on the underlying assets, if any, may impair the value of a mortgage-related or other asset-backed security. For some asset-backed securities in which a Portfolio invest, such as those backed by credit card receivables, the underlying cash flows may not be supported by a security interest in a related asset. Moreover, the values of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools, and are therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence or malfeasance by their servicers and to the credit risk of their servicers. In certain situations, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of securities holders in and to the underlying collateral. There may be legal and practical limitations on the enforceability of any security interest granted with respect to underlying assets, or the value of the underlying assets, if any, may be insufficient if the issuer defaults.
In a “forward roll” transaction, a Portfolio will sell a mortgage-related security to a bank or other permitted entity and simultaneously agree to purchase a similar security from the institution at a later date at an agreed upon price. The mortgage securities that are purchased will bear the same interest rate as those sold, but generally will be collateralized by different pools of mortgages with different prepayment histories than those sold. The values of such transactions will be affected by many of the same factors that affect the values of mortgage-related securities generally. In addition, forward roll transactions may have the effect of creating investment leverage in the Portfolio.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio). Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) entail risks not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. issuers. Similar risks may apply to securities traded on a U.S. securities exchange that are issued by entities with significant exposure to non-U.S. countries. In certain countries, legal remedies available to investors may be more limited than those available with regard to U.S. investments. Income and gains with respect to investments in certain countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. entity than about a U.S. entity, and many non-U.S. entities are not subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, regulatory framework and practices comparable to those in the United States. The securities of some non-U.S. entities are less liquid and at times more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. entities, and could become subject to sanctions or embargoes that adversely affect a Portfolio's investment. Non-U.S. transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and custody costs may be higher than in the U.S. In addition, there may be a possibility of nationalization or expropriation of assets, imposition of currency exchange controls, confiscatory taxation, and diplomatic developments that could adversely affect the values of a Portfolio's investments in certain non-U.S. countries. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers also are subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events (civil unrest, national elections, changes in political conditions and foreign relations, imposition of exchange controls and repatriation restrictions), social and economic events (labor strikes, rising inflation) and natural disasters occurring in a country where a Portfolio invests could cause the Portfolio's investments in that country to experience gains or losses.
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Rapid Changes in Interest Rates. The values of most instruments held by a Portfolio are adversely affected by changes in interest rates generally, especially increases in interest rates. Rapid changes in interest rates may cause significant requests to redeem Portfolio interests, and possibly cause a Portfolio to sell portfolio securities at a loss to satisfy those requests. Significant losses could impair a Portfolio's ability to maintain a stable share price of $1.00.
Reinvestment Risk(principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio). Income from a Portfolio's portfolio may decline when the Portfolio invests the proceeds from investment income, sales of portfolio securities or matured, traded or called debt obligations. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, an issuer of debt obligations may exercise an option to redeem securities prior to maturity, forcing a Portfolio to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding securities. A decline in income received by a Portfolio from its investments is likely to have a negative effect on the yield and total return of the Portfolio Interests.
Repurchase Agreement Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio, U.S. Government Portfolio and Treasury Plus Portfolio). A repurchase agreement is an agreement to buy a security from a seller at one price and a simultaneous agreement to sell it back to the original seller at an agreed-upon price, typically representing the purchase price plus interest. Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by a Portfolio which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. A Portfolio's investment return on such transactions will depend on the counterparty's willingness and ability to perform its obligations under a repurchase agreement. If a Portfolio's counterparty should default on its obligations and a Portfolio is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, a Portfolio may realize a loss.
Risk of Investment in Other Pools. If a Portfolio invests in another pooled investment vehicle, it is exposed to the risk that the other pool will not perform as expected. A Portfolio is exposed indirectly to all of the risks applicable to an investment in such other pool. In addition, lack of liquidity in the underlying pool could result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities, and may limit the ability of a Portfolio to sell or redeem its interest in the pool at a time or at a price it might consider desirable. The investment policies and limitations of the other pool may not be the same as those of the Portfolio; as a result, the Portfolio may be subject to additional or different risks, or may achieve a reduced investment return, as a result of its investment in another pool. If a pool is an exchange-traded fund or other product traded on a securities exchange or otherwise actively traded, its shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV, an effect that might be more pronounced in less liquid markets. A Portfolio bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of any pool in which it invests. The Adviser or an affiliate may serve as investment adviser to a pool in which the Portfolio may invest, leading to potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may receive fees based on the amount of assets invested in the pool. Investment by a Portfolio in the pool may be beneficial to the Adviser or an affiliate in the management of the pool, by helping to achieve economies of scale or enhancing cash flows. Due to this and other factors, the Adviser may have an incentive to invest a Portfolio's assets in a pool sponsored or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates in lieu of investments by the Portfolio directly in portfolio securities, or may have an incentive to invest in the pool over a pool sponsored or managed by others. Similarly, the Adviser may have an incentive to delay or decide against the sale of interests held by a Portfolio in a pool sponsored or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. It is possible that other clients of the Adviser or its affiliates will purchase or sell interests in a pool sponsored or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates at prices and at times more favorable than those at which a Portfolio does so.
Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper and Rule 144A Securities Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio). A Portfolio may invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). This commercial paper is commonly called “Section 4(a)(2) paper.” A Portfolio may also invest in securities that may be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act (“Rule 144A securities”).
Section 4(a)(2) paper is sold to institutional investors who must agree to purchase the paper for investment and not with a view to public distribution. Any resale by the purchaser must be in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. Section 4(a)(2) paper normally is resold to other institutional investors like a Portfolio through or with the assistance of the issuer or investment dealers that make a market in Section 4(a)(2) paper. As a result it suffers from liquidity risk, the risk that the securities may be difficult to value because of the absence of an active market and the risk that it may be sold only after considerable expense and delay, if at all. Rule 144A securities generally must be sold only to other qualified institutional buyers.
Section 4(a)(2) paper and Rule 144A securities will not be considered illiquid for purposes of a Portfolio's limitation on illiquid securities if the Adviser (pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board) determines that a liquid trading market exists for the securities in question. There can be no assurance that a liquid trading market will exist at any time for any particular Section 4(a)(2) paper or Rule 144A securities. The Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) addresses the Portfolio's limitation on illiquid securities.
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Settlement Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio). Markets in different countries have different clearance and settlement procedures and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of transactions. Delays in settlement may increase credit risk to a Portfolio, limit the ability of a Portfolio to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, hinder the ability of a Portfolio to lend its portfolio securities, and potentially subject a Portfolio to penalties for its failure to deliver to on-purchasers of securities whose delivery to a Portfolio was delayed. Delays in the settlement of securities purchased by a Portfolio may limit the ability of a Portfolio to sell those securities at times and prices it considers desirable, and may subject a Portfolio to losses and costs due to its own inability to settle with subsequent purchasers of the securities from it. A Portfolio may be required to borrow monies it had otherwise expected to receive in connection with the settlement of securities sold by it, in order to meet its obligations to others.
Significant Exposure to U.S. Government Agencies or Instrumentalities Risk (principal risk for the U.S. Government Portfolio). To the extent a Portfolio focuses its investments in securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities, any market movements, regulatory changes or changes in political or economic conditions that affect the U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities in which the Portfolio invests may have a significant impact on a Portfolio's performance. Events that would adversely affect the market prices of securities issued or guaranteed by one government agency or instrumentality may adversely affect the market price of securities issued or guaranteed by other government agencies or instrumentalities.
Stable Share Price Risk. If the market value of one or more of the Portfolio's investments changes substantially, the Portfolio may not be able to maintain a stable share price of $1.00. This risk typically is higher during periods of rapidly changing interest rates or when issuer credit quality generally is falling, and is made worse when the Portfolio experiences significant redemption requests.
U.S. Government Securities Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio). U.S. Government securities, such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds and mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency's obligations; and still others are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality, or enterprise. Although U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) may be chartered or sponsored by Congress, they are not funded by Congressional appropriations, and their securities are not issued by the U.S. Treasury nor supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. There is no assurance that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies and instrumentalities if not required to do so. In addition, certain governmental entities have been subject to regulatory scrutiny regarding their accounting policies and practices and other concerns that may result in legislation, changes in regulatory oversight and/or other consequences that could adversely affect the credit quality, availability, or investment character of securities issued by these entities. The value and liquidity of U.S. Government securities may be affected adversely by changes in the ratings of those securities. Securities issued by the U.S. Treasury historically have been considered to present minimal credit risk. The downgrade in the long-term U.S. credit rating by at least one major rating agency has introduced greater uncertainty about the ability of the U.S. to repay its obligations. A further credit rating downgrade or a U.S. credit default could decrease the value and increase the volatility of a Portfolio's investments.
U.S. Treasury Obligations Risk  (principal risk for the Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Plus Portfolio). U.S. Treasury obligations may differ from other securities in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Similar to other issuers, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of a Portfolio's U.S. Treasury obligations to decline. The total public debt of the United States as a percent of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the recent financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt level may increase market pressures to meet government funding needs, which may drive debt cost higher and cause a country to sell additional debt, thereby increasing refinancing risk. A high national debt also raises concerns that a government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. In the worst case, unsustainable debt levels can cause a decline in the value of the dollar (which may lead to inflation), and can prevent the U.S. government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy in economic downturns. On August 5, 2011, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services downgraded U.S. Treasury securities from AAA rating to AA+ rating. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services stated that its decision was prompted by its view on the rising public debt burden and its perception of greater policymaking uncertainty. A downgrade of the ratings of U.S. government debt obligations, which are often used as a benchmark for other borrowing arrangements, could result in higher interest rates for individual and corporate borrowers, cause disruptions in the international bond markets and have a substantial negative effect on the U.S. economy. A downgrade of U.S. Treasury securities from another ratings agency or a further downgrade below AA+ rating by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services may cause the value of a Portfolio's U.S. Treasury obligations to decline.
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Variable and Floating Rate Securities (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio). Variable or floating rate securities are debt securities with variable or floating interest rates payments. Variable or floating rate securities bear rates of interest that are adjusted periodically according to formulae intended generally to reflect market rates of interest and allow a Portfolio to participate (determined in accordance with the terms of the securities) in increases in interest rates through upward adjustments of the coupon rates on the securities. However, during periods of increasing interest rates, changes in the coupon rates may lag behind the changes in market rates or may have limits on the maximum increases in coupon rates. Alternatively, during periods of declining interest rates, the coupon rates on such securities will typically readjust downward resulting in a lower yield. A Portfolio may also invest in variable or floating rate equity securities, whose dividend payments vary based on changes in market rates of interest or other factors.
Zero-Coupon Bond Risk (principal risk for the Money Market Portfolio). Zero-coupon bonds are debt obligations that are generally issued at a discount and payable in full at maturity, and that do not provide for current payments of interest prior to maturity. Zero-coupon bonds usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par values and are subject to greater market value fluctuations from changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities that make current distributions of interest. When interest rates rise, the values of zero-coupon bonds fall more rapidly than securities paying interest on a current basis, because the Portfolio is unable to reinvest interest payments at the higher rates.
Additional Information About Non-Principal Investment Strategies and Risks
The investments described below reflect the Portfolios' current practices. In addition to the principal risks described above, other risks are described in some of the descriptions of the investments below:
Conflicts of Interest Risk. An investment in a Portfolio may be subject to a number of actual or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may provide services to a Portfolio, such as securities lending agency services, custodial, administrative, bookkeeping, and accounting services, transfer agency and investor servicing, securities brokerage services, and other services for which the Portfolio would compensate the Adviser and/or such affiliates. The Portfolios may invest in other pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed, or otherwise affiliated with the Adviser. There is no assurance that the rates at which a Portfolio pays fees or expenses to the Adviser or its affiliates, or the terms on which it enters into transactions with the Adviser or its affiliates will be the most favorable available in the market generally or as favorable as the rates the Adviser makes available to other clients. Because of its financial interest, the Adviser may have an incentive to enter into transactions or arrangements on behalf of a Portfolio with itself or its affiliates in circumstances where it might not have done so in the absence of that interest.
The Adviser and its affiliates serve as investment adviser to other clients and may make investment decisions that may be different from those that will be made by the Adviser on behalf of the Portfolios. For example, the Adviser may provide asset allocation advice to some clients that may include a recommendation to invest in or redeem from particular issuers while not providing that same recommendation to all clients invested in the same or similar issuers. The Adviser may (subject to applicable law) be simultaneously seeking to purchase (or sell) investments for a Portfolio and to sell (or purchase) the same investment for accounts, funds, or structured products for which it serves as asset manager, or for other clients or affiliates. The Adviser and its affiliates may invest for clients in various securities that are senior, pari passu or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by a Portfolio. The Adviser or its affiliates, in connection with its other business activities, may acquire material non-public confidential information that may restrict the Adviser from purchasing securities or selling securities for itself or its clients (including the Portfolios) or otherwise using such information for the benefit of its clients or itself.
The foregoing does not purport to be a comprehensive list or complete explanation of all potential conflicts of interests which may affect a Portfolio. A Portfolio may encounter circumstances, or enter into transactions, in which conflicts of interest that are not listed or discussed above may arise.
Cybersecurity Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform business and operational functions, funds (such as the Portfolios) and their service providers (including the Adviser) may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and causing operational disruption. Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, a Portfolio, the Adviser, or a custodian, transfer agent, or other affiliated or third-party service provider may adversely affect a Portfolio or its investors. For instance, cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may interfere with the processing of investor or other transactions, affect a Portfolio's ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private investor information or confidential Portfolio information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject a Portfolio to regulatory fines, penalties or financial
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losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may render records of Portfolio assets and transactions, investor ownership of Portfolio Interests, and other data integral to the functioning of the Portfolio inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. A Portfolio may also incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management in order to prevent cyber incidents in the future. A Portfolio and its investors could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser have established business continuity plans and systems designed to minimize the risk of cyber-attacks through the use of technology, processes and controls, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified given the evolving nature of this threat. The Portfolio relies on third-party service providers for many of its day-to-day operations, and will be subject to the risk that the protections and protocols implemented by those service providers will be ineffective to protect the Portfolio from cyber-attack. Similar types of cybersecurity risks or technical malfunctions also are present for issuers of securities in which each Portfolio invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Portfolio's investment in such securities to lose value.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
The Portfolios' portfolio holdings disclosure policy is described in the Part B.
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Item 10. Management, Organization and Capital Structure
The Portfolios
Each Portfolio is a separate, diversified series of the State Street Master Funds.
The Adviser
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to each Portfolio and, subject to the supervision of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of each Portfolio. The Adviser provides an investment management program for each Portfolio and manages the investment of the Portfolios' assets. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser and certain other affiliates of State Street Corporation make up SSGA. SSGA is one of the world's largest institutional money managers and the investment management arm of State Street Corporation. As of December 31, 2015, the Adviser managed approximately $384.95 billion in assets and SSGA managed approximately $2.24 trillion in assets. The Adviser's principal business address is State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
A discussion regarding the Board's consideration of the Portfolios' Investment Advisory Agreement is provided in the Trust's Semi-Annual Report to Investors for the period ended June 30, 2015.
The Administrator, Sub-Administrator, Custodian, Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent
The Adviser serves as administrator of each Portfolio. State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), a subsidiary of State Street Corporation, serves as sub-administrator, custodian, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent (the “Transfer Agent”) for the Portfolios. Each Portfolio pays an annual fee that is accrued daily and payable monthly for the administration, sub-administration, custody and transfer agency services SSGA FM and State Street provide. For its role in providing administrative services to each Portfolio, the Adviser receives a portion of such fee paid by each Portfolio at the annual rate of 0.0003%.
Additional Information
The Trustees of the Trust oversee generally the operations of the  Portfolios and the Trust. The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others the Portfolios' investment adviser, custodian, transfer agent, and accountants, who provide services to the  Portfolios. Investors are not parties to any such contractual arrangements or intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any investor any right to enforce them directly against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them directly against the service providers.
This Prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the  Portfolios that you should consider in determining whether to purchase interests of the  Portfolios. Neither this Prospectus, nor the related SAI, is intended, or should be read, to be or to give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the  Portfolios and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any investor or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.
Advisory Fee
As compensation for the Adviser's services to the Portfolios, each Portfolio is obligated to pay a fee of 0.05% of the respective Portfolio's average daily net assets. In addition to any contractual expense limitation for a Portfolio, the Adviser also may voluntarily reduce all or a portion of its fees and/or reimburse expenses for a Portfolio to the extent necessary to avoid negative yield which may vary from time to time and from Portfolio to Portfolio in the Adviser's sole discretion. Under an agreement with the Adviser relating to the Voluntary Reduction, the Portfolios have agreed to reimburse the Adviser for the full dollar amount of any Voluntary Reduction beginning on October 1, 2012, subject to certain limitations. A Portfolio will not be obligated to reimburse the Adviser:
more than three years after the end of the fiscal year for the Portfolio in which the Adviser provided a Voluntary Reduction;
in respect of any business day for which the net annualized one-day yield is less than 0.00%;
to the extent that the amount of the reimbursement to the Adviser on any day exceeds fifty percent of the yield (net of all expenses, exclusive of the reimbursement) of a Portfolio on that day;
to the extent that the amount of such reimbursement would cause the Portfolio's net yield to fall below the Portfolio's minimum net yield as determined by the Adviser in its sole discretion; or
in respect of any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements that are necessary to maintain a Portfolio's contractual total expense limit which is effective at the time of such fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.
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A reimbursement to the Adviser would increase fund expenses and negatively impact a Portfolio's future yield. There is no guarantee that the Voluntary Reduction will be in effect at any given time or that a Portfolio will be able to avoid a negative yield. Reimbursement payments by a Portfolio to the Adviser in connection with the Voluntary Reduction are considered “extraordinary expenses” and are not subject to any contractual expense limitation agreement in effect for the Portfolio at the time of such payment. The Adviser may, in its sole discretion, irrevocably waive receipt of any or all reimbursement amounts due from a Portfolio.
Item 11. Investor Information
The Treasury Portfolio determines its NAV per share once each business day at 2:30 p.m. ET or the close of the NYSE, whichever is earlier. Each of the other Portfolios determines its NAV per share once each business day at 5:00 p.m. ET except for days when the NYSE closes earlier than its regular closing time, in which event those Portfolios will determine their NAVs at the earlier closing time (the time when a Portfolio determines its NAV per share is referred to herein as the “Valuation Time”). Pricing does not occur on NYSE holidays.
A business day is one on which the NYSE is open for regular trading. The Federal Reserve is closed on certain holidays on which the NYSE is open. These holidays are Columbus Day and Veterans Day. On these holidays, you will not be able to purchase shares by wiring Federal Funds because Federal Funds wiring does not occur on days when the Federal Reserve is closed. The Portfolios reserve the right to accept orders to purchase or redeem shares, or to continue to accept such orders following the close of the NYSE, on any day that is not a business day or any day on which the NYSE closes early, provided the Federal Reserve remains open. As noted in this Part A, certain Portfolios may invest in securities listed on foreign exchanges, or otherwise traded in a foreign market, and those securities may trade on weekends or other days when a Portfolio does not price its shares. Consequently, the NAV of a Portfolio's shares may change on days when investors are not able to purchase or redeem the Portfolio's shares. The Portfolios also may establish special hours on those days to determine each Portfolio's NAV. In the event that the Portfolios invoke the right to accept orders to purchase or redeem shares on any day that is not a business day or adopt special hours of operation, the Portfolios will post advance notice of these events at www.ssga.com/cash. Each of the Portfolios seeks to maintain a $1.00 per share NAV and, accordingly, uses the amortized cost valuation method, in compliance with the risk limiting conditions of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), to value its portfolio instruments. The amortized cost valuation method initially prices an instrument at its cost and thereafter assumes a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, regardless of the impact of fluctuating interest rates on the market value of the instrument.
Purchasing Beneficial Interests
Each Portfolio issues beneficial interests solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. Investment companies, institutional client separate accounts, 401(k) plan assets, common and commingled trust funds or collective investment trusts or similar organizations that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Regulation D of the 1933 Act are the only investors currently permitted to invest in the Portfolios.
Investors do not pay a sales load to invest in the Portfolios. The price for Portfolio beneficial interests is the NAV next calculated after the purchase order is accepted by a Portfolio.
The minimum initial investment in each Portfolio is $50 million, although a Portfolio may waive the minimum in its discretion. There is no minimum subsequent investment. The Portfolios intend to be as fully invested as is practicable; therefore, investments must be made either in securities (“in-kind”) acceptable to the Adviser or Federal Funds (i.e., monies credited to the account of the Portfolios' custodian bank by a Federal Reserve Bank). (Please consult your tax adviser regarding in-kind transactions.) Payment for Portfolio interests must be in Federal Funds (or converted to Federal Funds by the transfer agent) by 4 p.m. ET before a purchase order can be accepted. The Federal Reserve is closed on certain holidays on which the NYSE is open. These holidays are Columbus Day and Veterans Day. On these holidays, you will not be able to purchase interests by wiring Federal Funds because Federal Funds wiring does not occur on those days. The  Portfolios reserve the right to cease accepting investments at any time or to reject any purchase order.
In accordance with certain federal regulations, the Trust is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each entity that applies to open an account. For this reason, when you open (or change ownership of) an account, the Trust will request certain information, including your name, residential/business address, date of birth (for individuals) and taxpayer identification number, which will be used to verify your identity. If you are unable to provide sufficient information to verify your identity, the Trust will not open an account for you. As required by law, the Trust may employ various procedures, such as comparing your information to fraud databases or requesting additional information and documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct. If the Trust believes that it has uncovered criminal activity, the Trust may close your account and take any action they deem
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reasonable or required by law. The Trust reserves the right to reject any purchase order for any reason, including failure to provide the Trust with information necessary to confirm your identity as required by law. In addition, the Money Market Portfolio, U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio, and Treasury Plus Portfolio may limit the amount of a purchase order received after 3:00 p.m. ET. The Treasury Portfolio may limit the amount of a purchase order received after 12:00 noon ET.
Redeeming Beneficial Interests
An investor may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at the NAV next determined after it submits a redemption request, in proper form, to the Portfolios. A Portfolio will pay the proceeds of the redemption either in Federal Funds or portfolio securities at the discretion of the Adviser, normally on the next Portfolio business day after the redemption, but in any event no more than seven days after the redemption. (Please consult your tax adviser regarding in-kind transactions.) Investments in the Portfolios may not be transferred. The right of any investor to receive payment with respect to any redemption may be suspended or the payment of the redemption proceeds postponed during any period in which the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or trading on the NYSE is restricted or, to the extent otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, if an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Portfolio of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio fairly to determine the value of its net assets. In addition, the SEC may by order permit suspension of redemptions for the protection of investors of the Portfolios.
Distributions
Each Portfolio makes a daily allocation of its net investment income and realized and unrealized gains and losses from securities, futures and foreign currency transactions to its investors in proportion to their investment in the Portfolios. The Portfolios are not required, and generally does not expect, to make distributions (other than distributions in redemption of Portfolio Interests) to their investors.
Excessive Trading
Because the Portfolios are money market portfolios, the Portfolios' Board of Trustees has not adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Portfolio interests by Portfolio investors. Nonetheless, the Portfolios may take any reasonable action that they deem necessary or appropriate to prevent excessive trading in Portfolio interests without providing prior notification to the account holder. Such action may include rejecting any purchase, in whole or part, including, without limitation, by a person whose trading activity in Portfolio interests may be deemed harmful to the Portfolio. While the Portfolios attempt to discourage such excessive trading, there can be no guarantee that they will be able to identify investors who are engaging in excessive trading or limit their trading practices. Additionally, frequent trades of small amounts may not be detected. The Portfolios recognize that they may not always be able to detect or prevent excessive trading or other activity that may disadvantage the Portfolios or their investors.
Tax Considerations
It is intended that each Portfolio operate and be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not as an “association taxable as a corporation” or a “publicly traded partnership” (as defined in Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code) taxable as a corporation. As a result, the Portfolios generally are not subject to U.S. federal income tax; instead, each investor in a Portfolio is required to take into account in determining its U.S. federal income tax liability its allocable share (as determined in accordance with the governing instruments of the Trust and Subchapter K of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder) of the Portfolio's income, gain, loss, deductions, credits and tax preference items for any taxable year of the Portfolio ending with or within the taxable year of such investor, without regard to whether the investor has received or will receive any cash or property distributions from the Portfolio.
The Portfolios expect to manage their assets and income in such a way that if a “feeder” fund investing all or substantially all of its assets in a Portfolio were treated as holding its pro rata portion of the Portfolio's assets, and recognizing its pro rata portion of the Portfolio's income, directly, it would meet the requirements with respect to sources of income and diversification of assets for qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. Investors that intend to be treated as regulated investment companies under the Code may be required to redeem Portfolio interests in order to obtain sufficient cash to meet distribution requirements to qualify and be eligible for such treatment and to avoid an entity-level tax.
This discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in a Portfolio is for general information only; it is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the specific U.S. federal tax consequences of investing in a Portfolio, as well as the effects of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.
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Item 12. Distribution Arrangements
Investments in the Portfolios are not subject to any sales load or redemption fee. Assets of the Portfolios are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee.
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PART B

STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS

(THE “TRUST”)

P.O. BOX 5049

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02206

(877) 521-4083

April 29, 2016

ITEM 14. COVER PAGE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS

This Part B of the Registration Statement (the “Part B”) relates to the Parts A of the Registration Statement dated April 29, 2016, as amended from time to time thereafter (the “Parts A”) for the State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio, State Street Money Market Portfolio, State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio, State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio and State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio.

The Part B is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Parts A, which may be obtained by telephoning or writing the Trust at the number or address above.

The Trust’s financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, including the independent registered public accounting firm reports thereon, are included in the Trust’s annual reports and are incorporated into this Part B by reference. Copies of the Trust’s annual reports are available, without charge, upon request, by calling (877) 521-4083 or by written request to the Trust at the address above.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     PAGE  

General

     3   

Description of the Portfolios and their Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks

     3   

Additional Investments and Risks

     3   

Management of the Trust

     16   

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities

     24   

Investment Advisory and Other Services

     25   

Portfolio Managers

     28   

Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices

     29   

Declaration of Trust, Capital Stock and Other Securities

     30   

Pricing of Beneficial Interests

     30   

Taxation of the Portfolios

     31   

Underwriters

     36   

Financial Statements

     36   

Appendix A—Ratings of Debt Instruments

     A-1   

Appendix B—Trust’s Proxy Voting Procedures

     B-1   

Appendix C—Adviser’s Proxy Voting Procedures

     C-1   

 

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ITEM 15. GENERAL

The Trust was organized as a business trust under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts on July 27, 1999. The Trust contains the following diversified series:

 

    State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio (the “Equity 500 Index Portfolio”);

 

    State Street Money Market Portfolio (the “Money Market Portfolio”);

 

    State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio (the “Treasury Portfolio”);

 

    State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio (the “Treasury Plus Portfolio”); and

 

    State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio (the “U.S. Government Portfolio”);

 

    State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio.

The Equity 500 Index Portfolio is referred to in this Part B as the “Index Portfolio.” The Money Market Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Treasury Plus Portfolio and U.S. Government Portfolio are referred to in this Part B as the “Money Portfolios” or “Money Market Portfolios.” The Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Plus Portfolio are referred to in this Part B as the “Treasury Portfolios.” All Portfolios together are referred to in this Part B as the “Portfolios” and each Portfolio may be referred to in context as the “Portfolio” as appropriate.

ITEM 16. DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTFOLIOS AND THEIR INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS

Each Portfolio’s Part A contains information about the investment objective and policies of that respective Portfolio. This Part B should only be read in conjunction with the Part A of the Portfolio or Portfolios in which you intend to invest. In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of a Portfolio described in Part A, a Portfolio may employ other investment practices and may be subject to additional risks, which are described below.

Additional Information Concerning the S&P 500

The Equity 500 Index Portfolio is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Standard & Poor’s®, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”). S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of interests of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Portfolio particularly or the ability of the S&P 500 to track general stock market performance. S&P’s only relationship to the Equity 500 Index Portfolio is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of S&P and of the S&P 500, which is determined, composed and calculated by S&P without regard to the Portfolio. S&P has no obligation to take the needs of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio or the owners of interests of the Portfolio into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P 500. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the price and number of interests of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio or the timing of the issuance or sale of interests of the Portfolio, or calculation of the equation by which interests of the Portfolio are redeemable for cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of interests of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio.

S&P does not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of the S&P 500 or any data included therein and S&P shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. S&P makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Equity 500 Index Portfolio, owners of interests of the Portfolio or any other person or entity from the use of the S&P 500 or any data included therein. S&P makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the S&P 500 or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall S&P have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS AND RISKS

To the extent consistent with its investment objective and restrictions, each Portfolio may invest in the following instruments and use the following techniques, and is subject to the following additional risks.

 

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Asset Segregation and Coverage

A Portfolio may be required to earmark or otherwise segregate liquid assets in respect of its obligations under derivatives transactions that involve contractual obligations to pay in the future, or a Portfolio may engage in other measures to “cover” its obligations with respect to such transactions. The amounts that are earmarked or otherwise segregated may be based on the notional value of the derivative or on the daily mark-to-market obligation under the derivatives contract and may be reduced by amounts on deposit with the applicable broker or counterparty to the derivatives transaction. In certain circumstances, a Portfolio may enter into an offsetting position rather than earmarking or segregating liquid assets. A Portfolio may modify its asset segregation and coverage policies from time to time. Although earmarking or segregating may in certain cases have the effect of limiting a Portfolio’s ability to engage in derivatives transactions, the extent of any such limitation will depend on a variety of factors, including the method by which the Portfolio determines the nature and amount of assets to be earmarked or segregated.

Auction Rate Securities.

Auction rate municipal securities permit the holder to sell the securities in an auction at par value at specified intervals. The dividend or interest is typically reset by “Dutch” auction in which bids are made by broker-dealers and other institutions for a certain amount of securities at a specified minimum yield. The rate set by the auction is the lowest interest or dividend rate that covers all securities offered for sale. While this process is designed to permit auction rate securities to be traded at par value, there is the risk that an auction will fail due to insufficient demand for the securities. A Portfolio will take the time remaining until the next scheduled auction date into account for purposes of determining the securities’ duration.

Cash Reserves

The Portfolios may hold portions of its assets in short-term debt instruments with remaining maturities of 397 days or less pending investment or to meet anticipated redemptions and day-to-day operating expenses. Short-term debt instruments consist of: (i) short-term obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, authorities or political subdivisions; (ii) other short-term debt securities rated at the time of purchase Aa or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or AA or higher by Standard & Poor’s Rating Group (“S&P”) or, if unrated, of comparable quality in the opinion of SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the “Adviser” or “SSGA FM”); (iii) commercial paper; (iv) bank obligations, including negotiable certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances; and (v) repurchase agreements. At the time the Index Portfolio invests in commercial paper, bank obligations or repurchase agreements, the issuer or the issuer’s parent must have outstanding debt rated Aa or higher by Moody’s or AA or higher by S&P or outstanding commercial paper or bank obligations rated Prime-1 by Moody’s or A-1 by S&P; or, if no such ratings are available, the instrument must be of comparable quality in the opinion of the Adviser. To the extent that the Index Portfolio holds the foregoing instruments its ability to track its corresponding Index may be adversely affected. See Appendix A for more information on the ratings of debt instruments.

Cleared Derivatives Transactions

Under recently adopted rules and regulations, transactions in some types of swaps are required to be centrally cleared. In a cleared derivatives transaction, a Portfolio’s counterparty to the transaction is a central derivatives clearing organization, or clearing house, rather than a bank or broker. Because the Portfolios are not members of a clearing house, and only members of a clearing house can participate directly in the clearing house, the Portfolios hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members. In cleared derivatives transactions, a Portfolio will make payments (including margin payments) to and receive payments from a clearing house through its accounts at clearing members. Clearing members guarantee performance of their clients’ obligations to the clearing house. Centrally cleared derivative arrangements may be less favorable to a Portfolio than bilateral (non-cleared) arrangements. For example, a Portfolio may be required to provide greater amounts of margin for cleared derivatives transactions than for bilateral derivatives transactions. Also, in contrast to bilateral derivatives transactions, in some cases following a period of notice to a Portfolio, a clearing member generally can require termination of existing cleared derivatives transactions at any time or an increase in margin requirements above the margin that the clearing member required at the beginning of a transaction. Clearing houses also have broad rights to increase margin requirements for existing transactions or to terminate transactions at any time. A Portfolio is subject to risk if it enters into a derivatives transaction that is required to be cleared (or which the Adviser expects to be cleared), and no clearing member is willing or able to clear the transaction on a Portfolio’s behalf. In that case, the transaction might have to be terminated, and a Portfolio could lose some or all of the benefit of the transaction, including loss of an increase in the value of the transaction and loss of hedging protection. In addition, the documentation governing the relationship between a Portfolio and clearing members is drafted by the clearing members and generally is less favorable to a Portfolio than typical bilateral derivatives documentation.

These clearing rules and other new rules and regulations could, among other things, restrict a Portfolio’s ability to engage in, or increase the cost to a Portfolio of, derivatives transactions, for example, by making some types of derivatives no longer available to the Portfolio, increasing margin or capital requirements, or otherwise limiting liquidity or increasing transaction costs. These regulations are new and evolving, so their potential impact on the Portfolios and the financial system are not yet known.

 

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Custodial Risk

There are risks involved in dealing with the custodians or brokers who hold a Portfolio’s investments or settle a Portfolio’s trades. It is possible that, in the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of a custodian or broker, a Portfolio would be delayed or prevented from recovering its assets from the custodian or broker, or its estate, and may have only a general unsecured claim against the custodian or broker for those assets. In recent insolvencies of brokers or other financial institutions, the ability of certain customers to recover their assets from the insolvent’s estate has been delayed, limited, or prevented, often unpredictably, and there is no assurance that any assets held by a Portfolio with a custodian or broker will be readily recoverable by the Portfolio. In addition, there may be limited recourse against non-U.S. sub-custodians in those situations in which a Portfolio invests in markets where custodial and/or settlement systems and regulations are not fully developed, including emerging markets, and the assets of the Portfolio have been entrusted to such sub-custodians. SSGA FM or an affiliate may serve as the custodian of the Portfolios.

Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit (“ECDs”), Eurodollar Time Deposits (“ETDs”) and Yankee Certificates of Deposit (“YCDs”)

The Money Market Portfolio and the U.S. Government Portfolio may invest in ECDs, ETDs and YCDs. ECDs and ETDs are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by foreign branches of domestic banks and foreign banks. YCDs are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks.

Different risks than those associated with the obligations of domestic banks may exist for ECDs, ETDs and YCDs because the banks issuing these instruments, or their domestic or foreign branches, are not necessarily subject to the same regulatory requirements that apply to domestic banks, such as loan limitations, examinations and reserve, accounting, auditing, recordkeeping and public reporting requirements. Obligations of foreign issuers also involve risks such as future unfavorable political and economic developments, withholding or other tax, seizures of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, and other governmental restrictions that might affect repayment of principal or payment of interest, or the ability to honor a credit commitment.

Forward Commitments

The Money Market Portfolios may enter into contracts to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time (“forward commitments”), consistent with the Portfolio’s ability to manage its investment portfolio, meet redemption requests, and for each Money Market Portfolio, maintain a stable net asset value. Forward commitments may be considered securities in themselves, and involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date, which risk is in addition to the risk of decline in the value of the Portfolio’s other assets. Where such purchases are made through dealers, the Portfolio relies on the dealer to consummate the sale. The dealer’s failure to do so may result in the loss to the Portfolio of an advantageous yield or price.

Although a Portfolio will generally enter into forward commitments with the intention of acquiring securities for its portfolio or for delivery pursuant to options contracts it has entered into, a Portfolio may dispose of a commitment prior to settlement if the Adviser deems it appropriate to do so. A Portfolio may realize short-term profits or losses upon the sale of forward commitments. When effecting such transactions, cash or other liquid assets (such as liquid high quality debt obligations) held by the Portfolio of a dollar amount sufficient to make payment for the portfolio securities to be purchased will be segregated on the Portfolio’s records at the trade date and maintained until the transaction is settled. Such segregated assets will be marked to market on a daily basis, and if the market value of such assets declines, additional cash or assets will be segregated so that the market value of the segregated assets will equal the amount of such the Portfolio’s obligations. Forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date, or if the other party fails to complete the transaction.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures

The Equity 500 Index Portfolio may enter into futures contracts on securities in which it may invest or on indices comprised of such securities and may purchase and write call and put options on such contracts.

Futures contracts. A financial futures contract is a contract to buy or sell a specified quantity of financial instruments such as U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds at a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made. An index futures contract is a contract to buy or sell specified units of an index at a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made. The value of a unit is based on the current value of the index. Under such contracts no delivery of the actual securities making up the index takes place. Rather, upon expiration of the contract, settlement is made by exchanging cash in an amount equal to the difference between the contract price and the closing price of the index at expiration, net of variation margin previously paid. Futures contracts are traded in the United States only on commodity exchanges or boards of trade—known as “contract markets”—approved for such trading by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”), and must be executed through a futures commission merchant or brokerage firm which is a member of the relevant contract market.

 

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Although many futures contracts by their terms call for actual delivery or acceptance of commodities or securities, in most cases the contracts are closed out before the settlement date without the making or taking of delivery, but rather by entering into an offsetting contract (a “closing transaction”). Upon entering into a futures contract, an Index Portfolio is required to deposit an initial margin with the futures broker. The initial margin serves as a “good faith” deposit that an Index Portfolio will honor its futures commitments. Subsequent payments (called “variation margin” or “maintenance margin”) to and from the broker are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying security or commodity fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking to the market.” Futures contracts also involve brokerage costs. If the Portfolio is unable to enter into a closing transaction, the amount of the Portfolio’s potential loss may be unlimited.

The Equity 500 Index Portfolio will not commit more than 5% of the market value of its total assets to initial margin deposits on futures and premiums paid for options on futures.

Registration under the Commodity Exchange Act. The State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”), and therefore, is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the CEA. As a result, the Portfolio is limited in its ability to trade instruments subject to the CFTC’s jurisdiction, including commodity futures (which include futures on broad-based securities indexes, interest rate futures and currency futures), options on commodity futures, certain swaps or other investments (whether directly or indirectly through investments in other investment vehicles).

Under this exclusion, the Portfolio must satisfy one of the following two trading limitations whenever it enters into a new commodity trading position: (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Portfolio’s positions in CFTC-regulated instruments may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Portfolio’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Portfolio’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). The Portfolio would not be required to consider its exposure to such instruments if they were held for “bona fide hedging” purposes, as such term is defined in the rules of the CFTC. In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the Portfolio may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the markets for CFTC-regulated instruments.

Options on futures contracts. In return for the premium paid, options on futures contracts give the purchaser the right to assume a position in a futures contract at the specified option exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Options on futures are similar to options on securities except that options on futures give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to its expiration date, the settlement will be made entirely in cash. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.

As with options on securities, the holder or writer of an option may terminate his position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected.

Government Mortgage-Related Securities

GNMA is the principal federal government guarantor of mortgage-related securities. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It guarantees, with the full faith and credit of the United States, full and timely payment of all monthly principal and interest on its mortgage-related securities. GNMA pass-through securities are considered to have a relatively low risk of default in that (1) the underlying mortgage loan portfolio is comprised entirely of government-backed loans and (2) the timely payment of both principal and interest on the securities is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, regardless of whether they have been collected. GNMA pass-through securities are, however, subject to the same interest rate risk as comparable privately issued mortgage-related securities. Therefore, the effective maturity and market value of a fund’s GNMA securities can be expected to fluctuate in response to changes in interest rate levels.

Residential mortgage loans are also pooled by FHLMC, a corporate instrumentality of the U.S. Government. The mortgage loans in FHLMC’s portfolio are not government backed; FHLMC, not the U.S. Government, guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal on FHLMC securities. FHLMC also issues guaranteed mortgage certificates, on which it guarantees semiannual interest payments and a specified minimum annual payment of principal.

 

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FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers, which include savings and loan associations, savings banks, commercial banks, credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest only by FNMA, not the U.S. Government.

Illiquid Securities

Each Portfolio, except for the Treasury Portfolio, may invest in illiquid securities. The Equity 500 Index Portfolio will invest no more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities or securities that are not readily marketable, including repurchase agreements and time deposits of more than seven days’ duration. The absence of a regular trading market for illiquid securities imposes additional risks on investments in these securities. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value and may often be disposed of only after considerable expense and delay. Each Money Market Portfolio is managed in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As a result, each Money Market Portfolio has adopted the following liquidity policies (except as noted):

 

  1. The Portfolio may not purchase an illiquid security if, immediately after purchase, the Portfolio/Fund would have invested more than 5% of its total assets in illiquid securities (securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the market value ascribed to them by the Portfolio);

 

  2. The Portfolio may not purchase a security other than a security offering daily liquidity if, immediately after purchase, the Portfolio/Fund would have invested less than 10% of its total assets in securities offering daily liquidity (includes securities that mature or are subject to demand within one business day, cash or direct U.S. Government obligations); and

 

  3. The Portfolio may not purchase a security other than a security offering weekly liquidity if, immediately after purchase, the Portfolio would have invested less than 30% of its total assets in securities offering weekly liquidity (includes securities that mature or are subject to demand within five business days, cash, direct U.S. Government obligations and Government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less).

Industrial Development and Private Activity Bonds.

Industrial development bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects including: electric, gas, water and sewer systems; ports and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. The principal security for these bonds is generally the net revenues derived from a particular facility, group of facilities, or in some cases, the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue sources. Although the principal security behind these bonds may vary, many provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund whose money may be used to make principal and interest payments on the issuer’s obligations. Some authorities provide further security in the form of a state’s ability without obligation to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund.

Private activity bonds are considered municipal securities if the interest paid thereon is exempt from federal income tax and they are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to raise money to finance various privately operated facilities for business and manufacturing, housing, sports, and pollution control. These bonds are also used to finance public facilities such as airports, mass transit systems, ports and parking. The payment of the principal and interest on such bonds is dependent solely on the ability of the facility’s user to meet its financial obligations and the value of any real or personal property pledged as security for such payment. Interest income on these bonds may be an item of tax preference subject to federal alternative minimum tax for individuals and corporations.

Insured Municipal Securities.

Insured municipal securities are those for which scheduled payments of interest and principal are guaranteed by a private (non-governmental) insurance company. The insurance entitles a fund to receive only the face or par value of the securities held by the fund, but the ability to be paid is limited to the claims paying ability of the insurer. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the municipal securities or the net asset value of a Portfolio’s interests. Insurers are selected based upon the diversification of its portfolio and the strength of the management team which contributes to the claims paying ability of the entity. However, the Adviser selects securities based upon the underlying credit with bond insurance viewed as an enhancement only. The Adviser’s objective is to have an enhancement that provides additional liquidity to insulate against volatility in changing markets.

Interest Rate Environment Risk

In the wake of the financial crisis that began in 2007, the Federal Reserve System attempted to stabilize the U.S. economy and support the U.S. economic recovery by keeping the federal funds rate at or near zero percent. In addition, the Federal Reserve has purchased large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market (the “quantitative easing program”). As a result, the United States is experiencing historically low interest rate levels. A low interest rate environment may have an adverse impact on the Portfolio’s ability to provide a positive yield to its investors and pay expenses out of Portfolio assets because of the low yields from the Portfolio’s portfolio investments.

 

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However, continued economic recovery and the cessation of the quantitative easing program increase the risk that interest rates will rise in the near future and that the Portfolios will face a heightened level of interest rate risk. Federal Reserve policy changes may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Portfolio investments, which could cause the value of a Portfolio’s investments and a Portfolio’s interest price to decline or create difficulties for the Portfolio in disposing of investments. A Portfolio that invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income markets may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a Portfolio that does not invest in derivatives. The Portfolio could also be forced to liquidate its investments at disadvantageous times or prices, thereby adversely affecting the Portfolio. To the extent a Portfolio experiences high redemptions because of these policy changes, a Portfolio may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs that a Portfolio incurs and lower a Portfolio’s performance.

Investment-Grade Bonds

The Money Market Portfolio may invest in corporate notes and bonds that are rated investment-grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) (and, in the case of the Money Market Portfolio, rated in one of the two short-term highest rating categories by at least two NRSROs or by one NRSRO if only one NRSRO has rated the security) or, if unrated, are of comparable quality to the rated securities described above, as determined by the Adviser, in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees. Investment-grade securities include securities rated Baa by Moody’s or BBB- by S&P (and securities of comparable quality); securities rated Baa or BBB may have speculative characteristics.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

The Equity 500 Index Portfolio may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations in amounts up to 25% of the total value of its assets. Any such loan must be continuously secured by collateral in cash or cash equivalents maintained on a current basis in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned by the Index Portfolio. The Index Portfolio would continue to receive the equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, and would receive an additional return that may be in the form of a fixed fee or a percentage of the collateral. The Index Portfolio would have the right to call the loan and obtain the securities loaned at any time on notice of not more than five business days. In the event of bankruptcy or other default of the borrower, the Index Portfolio could experience both delays in liquidating the loan collateral or recovering the loaned securities and losses including (a) possible decline in the value of collateral or in the value of the securities loaned during the period while the Portfolio seeks to enforce its rights thereto, (b) possible sub-normal levels of income and lack of access to income during this period, and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights. A Portfolio’s securities lending agent may be an affiliate of the Adviser, and would be compensated by the Portfolio for its services.

Mortgage-Related Securities

The Money Market Portfolio and the U.S. Government Portfolio may invest in mortgage-related securities. Mortgage-related securities represent an interest in a pool of, or are secured by, mortgage loans. Mortgage-related securities may be issued or guaranteed by (i) US Government agencies or instrumentalities such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) (also known as Ginnie Mae), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) (also known as Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) (also known as Freddie Mac) or (ii) other issuers, including private companies.

Many mortgage-related securities provide regular payments which consist of interest and, in most cases, principal. In contrast, other forms of debt securities normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. In effect, payments on many mortgage-related securities are a “pass-through” of the payments made by the individual borrowers on their mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities.

Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, repayments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans. If property owners make unscheduled prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will typically result in early payment of the applicable mortgage-related securities. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by a variety of factors including the level of interest rates, general economic conditions, the location and age of the mortgage, and other social and demographic conditions. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-related securities. During periods of rising interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments usually decreases, thereby tending to increase the life of mortgage-related securities.

 

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Because of the possibility of prepayments (and due to scheduled repayments of principal), mortgage-related securities are less effective than other types of securities as a means of “locking in” attractive long-term interest rates. Prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Portfolios.

Collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) may be issued by a U.S. Government agency or instrumentality or by a private issuer. CMOs are typically structured with classes or series that have different maturities and are generally retired in sequence. Each class of obligations receives periodic interest payments according to its terms. However, monthly principal payments and any prepayments from the collateral pool are generally paid first to the holders of the most senior class. Thereafter, payments of principal are generally allocated to the next most senior class of obligations until that class of obligations has been fully repaid. Any or all classes of obligations of a CMO may be paid off sooner than expected because of an increase in the payoff speed of the pool. Changes in prepayment rates may have significant effects on the values and the volatility of the various classes and series of a CMO. Payment of interest or principal on some classes or series of a CMO may be subject to contingencies or some classes or series may bear some or all of the risk of default on the underlying mortgages.

Stripped mortgage-related securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different portions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage loans. The yield to maturity on an interest only or “IO” class of stripped mortgage-related securities is extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying assets. A rapid rate of principal prepayments may have a measurable adverse effect on a Portfolio’s yield to maturity to the extent it invests in IOs. If the assets underlying the IO experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Portfolio may fail to recoup fully, or at all, its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, principal only securities or “POs” tend to increase in value if prepayments are greater than anticipated and decline if prepayments are slower than anticipated. The secondary market for stripped mortgage-related securities may be more volatile and less liquid than that for other mortgage-related securities, potentially limiting a Portfolio’s ability to buy or sell those securities at any particular time.

Other Asset-Backed Securities

The Money Market Portfolio may invest in asset-backed securities that are not mortgage-related. Asset-backed securities other than mortgage-related securities represent undivided fractional interests in pools of instruments, such as consumer loans, and are typically similar in structure to mortgage-related pass-through securities. Payments of principal and interest are passed through to holders of the securities and are typically supported by some form of credit enhancement, such as a letter of credit, surety bond, limited guarantee by another entity, or by priority to certain of the borrower’s other securities. The degree of credit-enhancement varies, applying only until exhausted and generally covering only a fraction of the security’s par value.

The value of such asset-backed securities is affected by changes in the market’s perception of the asset backing the security, changes in the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the instrument pool, the originator of the instruments, or the financial institution providing any credit enhancement and the expenditure of any portion of any credit enhancement. The risks of investing in asset-backed securities are ultimately dependent upon payment of the underlying instruments by the obligors, and the Portfolio would generally have no recourse against the obligee of the instruments in the event of default by an obligor. The underlying instruments are subject to prepayments which shorten the duration of asset-backed securities and may lower their return, in generally the same manner as described above for prepayments of pools of mortgage loans underlying mortgage-related securities.

Options on Securities and Securities Indices

The Equity 500 Index Portfolio may purchase or sell options on securities in which it may invest and on indices that are comprised of securities in which it may invest, subject to the limitations set forth above and provided such options are traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities except there is no transfer of a security and settlement is in cash. A call option on a securities index grants the purchaser of the call, for a premium paid to the seller, the right to receive in cash an amount equal to the difference between the closing value of the index and the exercise price of the option times a multiplier established by the exchange upon which the option is traded. Typically, a call option will be profitable to the holder of the option if the value of the security or the index increases during the term of the option; a put option will be valuable if the value of the security or the index decreases during the term of the option. The Equity 500 Index Portfolio may also invest in warrants, which entitle the holder to buy equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time.

 

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Pre-Refunded Municipal Securities.

The interest and principal payments on pre-refunded municipal securities are typically paid from the cash flow generated from an escrow fund consisting of U.S. Government securities. These payments have been “pre-refunded” using the escrow fund.

Purchase of Other Investment Company Shares

Each Portfolio may, (except the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Plus Portfolio) to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and exemptive rules and orders thereunder, invest in shares of other investment companies, which include Funds managed by SSGA FM, which invest exclusively in money market instruments or in investment companies with investment policies and objectives which are substantially similar to the Portfolio’s. These investments may be made temporarily, for example, to invest uncommitted cash balances or, in limited circumstances, to assist in meeting investor redemptions.

Repurchase Agreements

Each Portfolio, except for the Treasury Portfolio, may enter into repurchase agreements with banks and other financial institutions, such as broker-dealers. Under a repurchase agreement, the Portfolio purchases securities from a financial institution that agrees to repurchase the securities at the Portfolio’s original purchase price plus interest within a specified time (normally one business day). The Portfolio will limit repurchase transactions to those member banks of the Federal Reserve System and broker-dealers whose creditworthiness the Adviser considers satisfactory. Should the counterparty to a transaction fail financially, the Portfolio may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to sell the securities, or may be prevented from realizing on the securities. Further, the amount realized upon the sale of the securities may be less than that necessary to fully compensate the Portfolio.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Money Market Portfolio and the U.S. Government Portfolio may enter into reverse repurchase agreements under the circumstances described in “Investment Restrictions.” Under a reverse repurchase agreement, a Portfolio sells portfolio securities to a financial institution in return for cash in an amount equal to a percentage of the portfolio securities’ market value and agrees to repurchase the securities at a future date at a prescribed repurchase price equal to the amount of cash originally received plus interest on such amount. A Portfolio retains the right to receive interest and principal payments with respect to the securities while it is in the possession of the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements may create investment leverage and involve the risk that the market value of securities sold by a Portfolio may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements also involve a risk of default by the counterparty, which may adversely affect a Portfolio’s ability to reacquire the underlying securities.

Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper/Rule 144A Securities

Each Portfolio, other than the Treasury Portfolios, may also invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”) (“Section 4(a)(2) paper”) or in securities that that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act (“Rule 144A securities”). The U.S. Government Portfolio may invest in Rule 144A securities, but not Section 4(a)(2) paper.

Section 4(a)(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws and generally is sold to institutional investors that agree that they are purchasing the paper for investment and not with a view to public distribution. Any resale by the purchaser must be a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. Section 4(a)(2) paper normally is resold to other institutional investors like the Portfolios through or with the assistance of the issuer or investment dealers that make a market in Section 4(a)(2) paper. Rule 144A securities generally must be sold only to other institutional investors.

Section 4(a)(2) paper and Rule 144A securities will not be considered illiquid for purposes of each Portfolio’s percentage limitations on illiquid securities when the Adviser (pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees ) determines that a liquid trading market exists for the securities in question. There can be no assurance that a liquid trading market will exist at any time for any particular Section 4(a)(2) paper or Rule 144A securities.

Temporary Defensive Positions.

From time to time, a Portfolio may take temporary defensive positions in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic or other conditions. Temporary defensive positions may be taken, for example, to preserve capital or if the Portfolio is unable to pursue its investment strategies or acquire the types of securities in which it normally invests. Temporary defensive positions will be in high-quality fixed income securities, cash or cash equivalents. These positions include, but are not limited to: (1) obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (2) commercial paper, bank certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits; (3) repurchase agreements; or (4) uninvested cash, some or all of which may be held in a non-interest bearing demand deposit account at the Portfolio’s affiliated custodian. The Adviser has discretion in determining: (i) whether taking a temporary defensive position is appropriate for a Portfolio at a particular time, and (ii) the types of instruments that a Portfolio will hold in taking a temporary defensive position.

 

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When taking a temporary defensive position, a Portfolio may not achieve its investment objective.

Tender Option Bonds.

A tender option is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term tax exempt rates, that has been coupled with the agreement of a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which such institution grants the security holders the option, at periodic intervals, to tender their securities to the institution and receive the face value thereof. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the municipal obligation’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent at or near the commencement of such period, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax exempt rate. Subject to applicable regulatory requirements, a Portfolio may buy tender option bonds if the agreement gives the Portfolio the right to tender the bond to its sponsor no less frequently than once every 397 days. The Adviser will consider on an ongoing basis the creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying obligation, any custodian and the third party provider of the tender option. In certain instances and for certain tender option bonds, the option may be terminable in the event of a default in payment of principal or interest on the underlying municipal obligation and for other reasons.

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities

The Money Portfolios except for the Treasury Portfolios may invest in Inflation-Protection Securities (“IPSs”), a type of inflation-indexed Treasury security. IPSs typically provide for semiannual payments of interest and a payment of principal at maturity. In general, each payment will be adjusted to take into account any inflation or deflation that occurs between the issue date of the security and the payment date based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”).

Each semiannual payment of interest will be determined by multiplying a single fixed rate of interest by the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the security for the date of the interest payment. Thus, although the interest rate will be fixed, the amount of each interest payment will vary with changes in the principal of the security as adjusted for inflation and deflation.

IPSs also provide for an additional payment (a “minimum guarantee payment”) at maturity if the security’s inflation-adjusted principal amount for the maturity date is less than the security’s principal amount at issuance. The amount of the additional payment will equal the excess of the security’s principal amount at issuance over the security’s inflation-adjusted principal amount for the maturity date.

U.S. Government Securities

Each Portfolio may purchase U.S. Government securities. With respect to U.S. Government securities, the Treasury Portfolio will invest exclusively in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, such as U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds maturing within 397 days, and other mutual funds, subject to regulatory limitations, that invest exclusively in such obligations. The Treasury Plus Portfolio will invest only in direct obligations of the U.S. Government (U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds) and repurchase agreements collateralized by these obligations. The types of U.S. Government obligations in which each other Portfolio may at times invest include: (1) U.S. Treasury obligations and (2) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities which are supported by any of the following: (a) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, (b) the right of the issuer to borrow an amount limited to a specific line of credit from the U.S. Treasury, (c) discretionary authority of the U.S. Government agency or instrumentality, or (d) the credit of the instrumentality (examples of agencies and instrumentalities are: Federal Land Banks, Federal Housing Administration, Federal Farm Credit Bank, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Home Loan Banks, General Services Administration, Maritime Administration, Tennessee Development Bank, Asian-American Development Bank, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Federal National Mortgage Association). No assurance can be given that in the future the U.S. Government will provide financial support to U.S. Government securities it is not obligated to support.

The Money Portfolios may purchase U.S. Government obligations on a forward commitment basis.

 

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Variable Amount Master Demand Notes

The Money Market Portfolio and the U.S. Government Portfolio may invest in variable amount master demand notes which are unsecured obligations that are redeemable upon demand and are typically unrated. These instruments are issued pursuant to written agreements between their issuers and holders. The agreements permit the holders to increase (subject to an agreed maximum) and the holders and issuers to decrease the principal amount of the notes, and specify that the rate of interest payable on the principal fluctuates according to an agreed formula. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of these securities than on the market value of comparable fixed income obligations. Thus, investing in these securities generally allows less opportunity for capital appreciation and depreciation than investing in comparable fixed income securities. There may be no active secondary market with respect to a particular variable rate instrument.

Variable and Floating Rate Securities

The Money Market Portfolio and the U.S. Government Portfolio may invest in variable and floating rate securities. Variable rate securities are instruments issued or guaranteed by entities such as (1) U.S. Government, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, (2) corporations, (3) financial institutions, (4) insurance companies or (5) trusts that have a rate of interest subject to adjustment at regular intervals. A variable rate security provides for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. Interest rates on these securities are ordinarily tied to, and are a percentage of, a widely recognized interest rate, such as the yield on 90-day U.S. Treasury bills or the prime rate of a specified bank. These rates may change as often as twice daily. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of variable and floating rate securities than on the market value of comparable fixed income obligations. Thus, investing in variable and floating rate securities generally allows less opportunity for capital appreciation and depreciation than investing in comparable fixed income securities. Variable rate obligations will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate.

When-Issued Securities

Each Portfolio may purchase securities on a when-issued basis. Delivery of and payment for these securities may take place as long as a month or more after the date of the purchase commitment. The value of these securities is subject to market fluctuation during this period, and no income accrues to the Portfolio until settlement takes place. The Portfolio segregates liquid securities in an amount at least equal to these commitments. For the purpose of determining the adequacy of these securities, the segregated securities will be valued at market. If the market value of such securities declines, additional cash or securities will be segregated on the Portfolio’s records on a daily basis so that the market value of the account will equal the amount of such commitments by the Portfolio. When entering into a when-issued transaction, the Portfolio will rely on the other party to consummate the transaction; if the other party fails to do so, the Portfolio may be disadvantaged. The Money Portfolios will not invest more than 25% of their respective net assets in when-issued securities.

Securities purchased on a when-issued basis and held by a Portfolio are subject to changes in market value based upon actual or perceived changes in the level of interest rates. Generally, the value of such securities will fluctuate inversely to changes in interest rates — i.e., they will appreciate in value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Therefore, if, in order to achieve higher interest income, a Portfolio remains substantially fully invested at the same time that it has purchased securities on a “when-issued” basis, there will be a greater possibility of fluctuation in the Portfolio’s net asset value (“NAV”).

Zero Coupon Securities

The Money Market Portfolio and the U.S. Government Portfolio may invest in zero coupon securities. Zero coupon securities are notes, bonds and debentures that: (1) do not pay current interest and are issued at a substantial discount from par value; (2) have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons and receipts; or (3) pay no interest until a stated date one or more years into the future. These securities also include certificates representing interests in such stripped coupons and receipts. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a greater impact on the market value of a zero coupon security than on the market value of the comparable securities that pay interest periodically during the life of the instrument. The Portfolios will not receive cash payments on a current basis from the issuer in respect of accrued original issue discount (“OID”), but investors will be required to accrue OID for U.S. federal income tax purposes. An investor intending to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) , such investor may be required to redeem a portion of its interest in a Portfolio in order to obtain sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions to maintain its qualification for treatment as a RIC. The Portfolio in turn may be required to sell investments in order to meet such redemption requests, including at a time when it may not be advantageous to do so.

The Money Portfolio and the U.S. Government Portfolio may invest no more than 25% of their respective total assets in stripped securities that have been stripped by their holder, typically a custodian bank or investment brokerage firm. A number of securities firms and banks have stripped the interest coupons and resold them in custodian receipt programs with different names such as Treasury Income Growth Receipts (“TIGRS”) and Certificates of Accrual on Treasuries (“CATS”). Privately-issued stripped securities such as TIGRS and CATS are not themselves guaranteed by the U.S. Government, but the future payment of principal or interest on U.S. Treasury obligations which they represent is so guaranteed.

 

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Fundamental Investment Restrictions

The Trust has adopted the following restrictions applicable to the Portfolios, which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities” of a Portfolio, which is defined in the 1940 Act to mean the affirmative vote of the lesser of (1) more than 50% of the outstanding interests of the Portfolio and (2) 67% or more of the interests present at a meeting if more than 50% of the outstanding interests are present at the meeting in person or by proxy.

 

  1. A Portfolio may borrow money and issue senior securities to the extent consistent with applicable law from time to time.

 

  2. A Portfolio may make loans, including to affiliated investment companies, to the extent consistent with applicable law from time to time.

 

  3. A Portfolio may purchase or sell commodities to the extent consistent with applicable law from time to time.

 

  4. A Portfolio may purchase, sell or hold real estate to the extent consistent with applicable law from time to time.

 

  5. A Portfolio may underwrite securities to the extent consistent with applicable law from time to time.

For the State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio:

 

  6. The Portfolio may not purchase any security if, as a result, 25% or more of the Portfolio’s total assets (taken at current value) would be invested in a particular industry (for purposes of this restriction, investment companies are not considered to constitute a particular industry or group of industries), except as is consistent with applicable law from time to time and as follows: the Portfolio is permitted to invest without limit in “government securities” (as defined in the 1940 Act) and tax-exempt securities issued by a U.S. territory or possession, a state or local government, or a political subdivision of any of the foregoing. The Portfolio may concentrate its investments in securities of issuers in the same industry as may be necessary to approximate the composition of the Portfolio’s underlying Index.

For the State Street Money Market Portfolio, State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio, State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio and State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio (collectively, the “Money Market Portfolios”):

 

  6. A Portfolio may not purchase any security if, as a result, 25% or more of the Portfolio’s total assets (taken at current value) would be invested in a particular industry (for purposes of this restriction, investment companies are not considered to constitute a particular industry or group of industries), except as is consistent with applicable law from time to time and as follows: each Portfolio is permitted to invest without limit in “government securities” (as defined in the 1940 Act), tax-exempt securities issued by a U.S. territory or possession, a state or local government, or a political subdivision of any of the foregoing and bankers’ acceptances, certificates of deposit and similar instruments issued by: (i) U.S. banks, (ii) U.S. branches of foreign banks (in circumstances in which the Adviser determines that the U.S. branches of foreign banks are subject to the same regulation as U.S. banks), (iii) foreign branches of U.S. banks (in circumstances in which the Adviser determines that the Portfolio will have recourse to the U.S. bank for the obligations of the foreign branch), and (iv) foreign branches of foreign banks (to the extent that the Adviser determines that the foreign branches of foreign banks are subject to the same or substantially similar regulations as U.S. banks).

With respect to the Money Market Portfolios’ investment policy on concentration (#6 above), a Portfolio may concentrate in bankers’ acceptances, certificates of deposit and similar instruments when, in the opinion of the Adviser, the yield, marketability and availability of investments meeting the Portfolio’s quality standards in the banking industry justify any additional risks associated with the concentration of the Portfolio’s assets in such industry.

For purposes of the above investment limitation number 6, in the case of a tax-exempt bond issued by a non-governmental user, where the tax-exempt bond is backed only by the assets and revenues of the non-governmental user, then such non-governmental user would be deemed to be the sole issuer. For each Portfolio, all percentage limitations (except the limitation to borrowings) on investments will apply at the time of the making of an investment and shall not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of such investment. Except for the investment restrictions expressly identified as fundamental, or to the extent designated as such in the Part A with respect to a Portfolio, the other investment policies described in this Part B or in the Part A are not fundamental and may be changed by approval of the Trustees without investor approval.

Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions

In addition, it is contrary to the Equity 500 Index Portfolio’s present policies, which may be changed without investor approval, to invest in (a) securities which are not readily marketable, (b) securities restricted as to resale (excluding securities determined by the Trustees of the Trust (or the person designated by the Trustees of the Trust to make such determinations) to be readily marketable), and (c) repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, if, as a result, more than 15% of the Portfolio’s net assets (taken at current value) would be invested in securities described in (a), (b) and (c) above.

 

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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

Introduction

The policies set forth below to be followed by the State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) and SSGA FM (collectively, the “Service Providers”) for the disclosure of information about the portfolio holdings of the SSGA Funds, State Street Master Funds, and State Street Institutional Investment Trust (each, a “Trust”). These disclosure policies are intended to ensure compliance by the Service Providers and the Trust with applicable regulations of the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Board of Trustees of the Trust must approve all material amendments to the policy.

General Policy

It is the policy of the Service Providers to protect the confidentiality of client holdings and prevent the selective disclosure of non-public information concerning the Trust.

Exception

No information concerning the portfolio holdings of the Trust may be disclosed to any party (including investors) except as provided below.

Publicly Available Information. Any party may disclose portfolio holdings information after the holdings are publicly available.

Disclosure of the complete holdings of each series of the Trust (each, a “Fund”) is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of the Fund’s fiscal quarter in the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund investors and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q (filed after the first and third fiscal quarters). These reports are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Each Fund will also make complete portfolio holdings available generally no later than 60 calendar days after the end of such Fund’s fiscal quarter or subsequent to periodic portfolio holdings disclosure in the Fund’s filings with the SEC or on their website. Each money market fund generally will post on its website (or, in the case of a Portfolio, on the corresponding Fund’s website) a full list of its portfolio holdings each Friday reflecting the portfolio holdings of the fund on the immediately preceding Wednesday. Each money market fund will also post a full list of its portfolio holdings on its website (or, in the case of a master fund, on the corresponding feeder fund’s website) no later than the fifth business day of each month reflecting its portfolio holdings as of the last business day of the previous month. Such monthly posting shall contain such information as required by Rule 2a-7(c)(12) under the 1940 Act and remain posted on the website for not less than six months.

Information about each Portfolio’s 10 largest holdings generally is posted on its corresponding feeder fund’s website at ssgafunds.com within 30 days following the end of each month.

Press Interviews Brokers and Other Discussions

Portfolio managers and other senior officers or spokespersons of the Service Providers or the Trust may disclose or confirm the ownership of any individual portfolio holding position to reporters, brokers, investors, consultants or other interested persons only if such information has been previously publicly disclosed in accordance with these disclosure policies. For example, a portfolio manager discussing the Trust may indicate that he owns XYZ Company for the Trust only if the Trust’s ownership of such company has previously been publicly disclosed.

Trading Desk Reports

State Street Global Advisors’ trading desk may periodically distribute lists of investments held by its clients (including the Trust) for general analytical research purposes. In no case may such lists identify individual clients or individual client position sizes. Furthermore, in the case of equity securities, such lists shall not show aggregate client position sizes.

Miscellaneous

Confidentiality Agreement. No non-public disclosure of the Trust’s portfolio holdings will be made to any party unless such party has signed a written Confidentiality Agreement. For purposes of the disclosure policies, any Confidentiality Agreement must be in a form and substance acceptable to, and approved by, the Trust’s officers.

 

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Evaluation Service Providers. There are numerous mutual fund evaluation services (Morningstar and Lipper) and due diligence departments of broker-dealers and wirehouses that regularly analyze the portfolio holdings of mutual funds in order to monitor and report on various attributes. These services and departments then distribute the results of their analysis to the public, paid subscribers and/or in-house brokers. In order to facilitate the review of the Trust by these services and departments, the Trust may distribute (or authorize the Service Providers and the Trust’s custodian or fund accountants to distribute) month-end portfolio holdings to such services and departments only if such entity has executed a confidentiality agreement.

Additional Restrictions. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trust’s Board of Trustees, State Street and SSGA FM may, on a case-by-case basis, impose additional restrictions on the dissemination of portfolio information beyond those found in these disclosure policies.

Waivers of Restrictions. These disclosure policies may not be waived, or exceptions made, without the consent of the Trust’s officers. All waivers and exceptions involving the Trust will be disclosed to the Board of Trustees of the Trust no later than its next regularly scheduled quarterly meeting.

Disclosures Required by Law. Nothing contained herein is intended to prevent the disclosure of portfolio holdings information as may be required by applicable law. For example, SSGA FM, State Street, the Trust or any of its affiliates or service providers may file any report required by applicable law (such as Schedules 13D, 13G and 13F or Form N-MFP), respond to requests from regulators and comply with valid subpoenas.

 

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ITEM 17. MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

The Trustees are responsible for generally overseeing the Trust’s business. The following table provides information with respect to each Trustee, including those Trustees who are not considered to be “interested” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”), and each officer of the Trust.

 

NAME, ADDRESS,

AND YEAR OF BIRTH

  

POSITION(S)

HELD WITH

TRUST

  

TERM OF

OFFICE AND

LENGTH OF

TIME SERVED

  

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION

DURING PAST FIVE YEARS

AND RELEVANT

EXPERIENCE

  

NUMBER OF

FUNDS IN

FUND

COMPLEX

OVERSEEN

BY TRUSTEE

  

OTHER

DIRECTORSHIPS

HELD BY TRUSTEE

DURING PAST FIVE

YEARS

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES

           

Michael F. Holland

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1944

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Board   

Term:

Indefinite

Elected: 7/99

  

Chairman, Holland & Company L.L.C.

(investment adviser)

(1995- present).

   75    Director, the Holland Series Fund, Inc.; Director, The China Fund, Inc.; Director, The Taiwan Fund, Inc.; Director, Reaves Utility Income Fund, Inc.; and Director, Blackstone/GSO Loan Funds.

Patrick J. Riley

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1948

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Board   

Term:

Indefinite

Elected:1/14

   2002 to May 2010, Associate Justice of the Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; 1985 to 2002, Partner, Riley, Burke & Donahue, L.L.P. (law firm); 1998 to Present, Independent Director, State Street Global Advisers Ireland, Ltd. (investment company); 1998 to Present, Independent Director, SSGA Liquidity plc (formerly, SSGA Cash Management Fund plc); January 2009 to Present, Independent Director, SSGA Fixed Income plc; and January 2009 to Present, Independent Director, SSGA Qualified Funds PLC.    75    Board Director and Chairman, SPDR Europe 1PLC Board (2011-Present); Board Director and Chairman, SPDR Europe II, PLC (2013- Present).

William L. Boyan

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1937

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Valuation Committee    Term: Indefinite Elected: 7/99    President and Chief Operations Officer, John Hancock Financial Services (1959 – 1999). Mr. Boyan retired in 1999. Chairman Emeritus, Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA (1984 – 2011); Former Trustee of Old Mutual South Africa Master Trust (investments) (1995 – 2008); Former Chairman, Boston Plan For Excellence, Boston Public Schools (1995 – 2010); Member of Advisory Board of Florida Atlantic University Lifelong Learning Society.    75    Former Trustee of Old Mutual South Africa Master Trust.

 

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William L. Marshall

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1942

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Audit Committee   

Term:

Indefinite

Elected: 1/14

   April 2011 to Present, Chairman (until April 2011, Chief Executive Officer and President), Wm. L. Marshall Associates, Inc., Wm. L. Marshall Companies, Inc. and the Marshall Financial Group, Inc. (a registered investment adviser and provider of financial and related consulting services); Certified Financial Planner; Member, Financial Planners Association; 2015 to present, Board member, The Doylestown Health Foundation Board.    75    Director, Marshall Financial Group, Inc.

Richard D. Shirk

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1945

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Qualified Legal and Compliance Committee   

Term:

Indefinite

Elected: 1/14

   March 2001 to April 2002, Chairman (1996 to March 2001, President and Chief Executive Officer), Cerulean Companies, Inc. (holding company) (Retired); 1992 to March 2001, President and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (health insurer, managed healthcare); 1998 to December 2008, Chairman, Board Member and December 2008 to Present, Investment Committee Member, Healthcare Georgia Foundation (private foundation); September 2002 to 2012, Lead Director and Board Member, Amerigroup Corp. (managed health care); 1999 to 2013, Board Member and (since 2001) Investment Committee Member, Woodruff Arts Center; and 2003 to 2009, Trustee, Gettysburg College.    75    Board member, AeroCare Holdings (privately held healthcare services company) (February 2003-Present); Board member, Regenesis Biomedical (health care services) (April 2012-Present), Chairman, (January 2014 – present).

Rina K. Spence

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1948

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Qualified Legal and Compliance Committee and Co-Chairman of the Governance Committee    Term: Indefinite Elected: 7/99    President of SpenceCare International LLC (international healthcare consulting) (1999 – present); Chief Executive Officer, IEmily.com (health internet company) (2000 – 2001); Chief Executive Officer of Consensus Pharmaceutical, Inc. (1998 – 1999); Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spence Center for Women’s Health (1994 – 1998); President and CEO, Emerson Hospital (1984 – 1994); Trustee, Eastern Enterprise (utilities) (1988 – 2000); Director, Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America (1993 – 2009); Honorary Consul for Monaco in Boston (2015 – present)    75   

 

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Bruce D. Taber

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1943

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Valuation Committee and Co-Chairman of the Governance Committee   

Term:

Indefinite

Elected: 1/14

   1999 to Present, Partner, Zenergy LLC (a technology company providing Computer Modeling and System Analysis to the General Electric Power Generation Division); Until December 2008, Independent Director, SSGA Cash Management Fund plc; Until December 2008, Independent Director, State Street Global Advisers Ireland, Ltd. (investment companies); and Until August 1994, President, Alonzo B. Reed, Inc., (a Boston architect-engineering firm).    75   

Douglas T. Williams

c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue,

CPH 0326

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1940

   Trustee and Co-Chairman of the Audit Committee    Term: Indefinite Elected: 7/99   

President, Oakmont Homeowners Association; President, Mariner Sands Chapel; Executive Vice President and member of Executive Committee, Chase Manhattan Bank (1987 -1999); President, Boston Stock Exchange Depository Trust Company, 1981-1982; Treasurer, Nantucket Educational Trust,

(2002-2007).

   75   
INTERESTED TRUSTEE(1)      

James E. Ross

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111-2900

YOB: 1965

   Trustee   

Term:

Indefinite

Elected

Trustee: 2/07

  

Chairman and Director, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (2012 – present); President, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (2005 – 2012); Senior Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors (2006 – present); and Principal, State Street Global Advisors

(2006 – present).

   306    Trustee, SPDR Series Trust; Trustee, SPDR Index Shares Funds; Trustee, Select Sector SPDR Trust; Trustee, SSGA Active ETF Trust; and Trustee, SSGA Master Trust.

 

(1)  Mr. Ross is an interested Trustee because of his employment by SSGA Funds Management, Inc., an affiliate of the Trust.

 

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NAME, ADDRESS,

AND YEAR OF BIRTH

  

POSITION(S)

HELD WITH

TRUST

  

TERM OF

OFFICE AND

LENGTH OF

TIME SERVED

  

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION

DURING PAST FIVE YEARS

OFFICERS:         

Ellen M. Needham

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111-2900

YOB: 1967

   President    Term: Indefinite Elected: 10/12    President and Director, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (June 2012 – present); Chief Operating Officer, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (May 2010 – June 2012); Senior Managing Director, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (1992 –2012) and Senior Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors (1992 – present).*

Ann M. Carpenter

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111-2900

YOB: 1966

  

Vice President and Deputy Treasurer

  

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 10/12

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 2/16

   Chief Operating Officer, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (April 2014 – present); Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (2005 –present).*

Chad C. Hallett

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

YOB: 1969

   Deputy Treasurer   

Term: Indefinite

Elected:

2/16

   Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (November 2014 – present); Vice President, State Street Bank and Trust Company (2001 – November 2014).*

Bruce S. Rosenberg

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

YOB: 1961

   Treasurer    Term: Indefinite Elected: 2/16    Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (July 2015 – present); Director, Credit Suisse (April 2008 – July 2015).

Sujata Upreti

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

YOB: 1974

   Assistant Treasurer   

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 2/16

   Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (May 2015 – present); Assistant Director, Cambridge Associates, LLC (July 2014 – January 2015); Vice President, Bank of New York Mellon (July 2012 – August 2013); Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (September 2003 – July 2012).

Daniel Foley

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

YOB: 1972

   Assistant Treasurer   

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 2/16

   Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (April 2014 – present); Principal, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (April 2007 – April 2014).

Trevor Swanberg

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

YOB: 1979

   Code of Ethics Compliance Officer   

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 8/15

   Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (January 2015 – Present); Senior Manager-Mutual Fund Compliance, ICMA-Retirement Corporation (December 2011 – January 2015); Assistant Vice President, J.P. Morgan (September 2007 – December 2011).

 

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NAME, ADDRESS,

AND YEAR OF BIRTH

  

POSITION(S)

HELD WITH

TRUST

  

TERM OF

OFFICE AND

LENGTH OF

TIME SERVED

  

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION

DURING PAST FIVE YEARS

Brian Harris

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

YOB: 1973

   Chief Compliance Officer   

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 11/13

   Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (2016 - Present); Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (June 2013 – 2016); Senior Vice President and Global Head of Investment Compliance, BofA Global Capital Management (September 2010 – May 2013); Director of Compliance, AARP Financial Inc. (July 2008 – August 2010).

Joshua A. Weinberg

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111-2900

YOB: 1978

   Chief Legal Officer   

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 2/15

   Vice President and Managing Counsel, State Street Global Advisors (2011 – present); Clerk, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (2013 – present); Associate, Financial Services Group, Dechert LLP (2006 – 2011).

David K. James

State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue, 3rd Floor

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1970

   Secretary   

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 4/13

   Managing Director and Managing Counsel, State Street Bank and Trust Company (2009 – present); Vice President and Counsel, PNC Global Investment Servicing (US), Inc. (2006 –2009).

Kristin Schantz

State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Huntington Avenue, 3rd Floor

Boston, MA 02116

YOB: 1979

   Assistant Secretary   

Term: Indefinite

Elected: 2/14

   Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street Bank and Trust Company (2013 – present); Vice President, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (2008 – 2013).

 

* Served in various capacities and/or with various affiliated entities during noted time period.

The By-Laws of the Trust provide that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is or was a Trustee of the Trust against all expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any proceedings if the person in good faith and reasonably believes that his or her conduct was in the Trust’s best interest. The Trust, at its expense, provides liability insurance for the benefit of its Trustees and officers.

Summary of Trustees’ Qualifications

Following is a summary of the experience, attributes and skills which qualify each Trustee to serve on the Trust’s Board.

Michael F. Holland: Mr. Holland is an experienced business executive with over 45 years of experience in the financial services industry including 20 years as a portfolio manager of another registered mutual fund; his experience includes service as a trustee, director or officer of various investment companies. He has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of State Street Institutional Investment Trust and State Street Master Funds for 16 years (since the Trusts’ inception) and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of those Trusts.

William L. Boyan: Mr. Boyan is an experienced business executive with over 43 years of experience in the insurance industry; his experience includes prior service as a trustee, director or officer of various investment companies and charities and an executive position with a major insurance company. He has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust and the State Street Master Funds for 16 years (since the Trusts’ inception) and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of those Trusts.

 

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Rina K. Spence: Ms. Spence is an experienced business executive with over 35 years of experience in the health care industry; her experience includes service as a trustee, director or officer of various investment companies, charities and utility companies and chief executive positions for various health care companies. She has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust and the State Street Master Funds for 16 years (since the Trusts’ inception) and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of those Trusts.

Douglas T. Williams: Mr. Williams is an experienced business executive with over 42 years of experience in the banking industry; his experience includes service as a trustee or director of various investment companies and charities and senior executive positions of major bank organizations. He has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust and the State Street Master Funds for 16 years (since the Trusts’ inception) and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of those Trusts.

James E. Ross: Mr. Ross is an experienced business executive with over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry; his experience includes service as a trustee, director or officer of various investment companies. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust and the State Street Master Funds for 8 years and as President of the trusts for 9 years and possesses significant experience regarding the Trusts’ operations and history. Mr. Ross is also a senior executive officer of State Street Global Advisors.

William L. Marshall: Mr. Marshall is an experienced business executive with over 46 years of experience in the financial services industry; his experience includes service as an advisor trustee or officer of various investment companies and charities. He has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of SSGA Funds for 27 years and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of the Trust.

Patrick J. Riley: Mr. Riley is an experienced business executive with over 40 years of experience in the legal and financial services industries; his experience includes service as a trustee or director of various investment companies and Associate Justice of the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of SSGA Funds for 27 years and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of the Trust.

Richard D. Shirk: Mr. Shirk is an experienced business executive with over 47 years of experience in the health care and insurance industries and with investment matters; his experience includes service as a trustee, director or officer of various health care companies and nonprofit organizations. He has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of SSGA Funds for 27 years and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of the Trust.

Bruce D. Taber: Mr. Taber is an experienced business executive with over 42 years of experience in the power generation, technology and engineering industries; his experience includes service as a trustee or director of various investment companies. He has served on the Board of Trustees and related Committees of SSGA Funds for 24 years and possesses significant experience regarding the operations and history of the Trust.

References to the experience, attributes and skills of Trustees above are pursuant to requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), do not constitute holding out of the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.

Standing Committees

The Board of Trustees has established various committees to facilitate the timely and efficient consideration of various matters of importance to Independent Trustees, the Trust, and the Trust’s investors and to facilitate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Currently, the Board has created an Audit Committee, Governance Committee, Valuation Committee and Qualified Legal and Compliance Committee.

The Audit Committee is composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee meets twice a year, or more often as required, in conjunction with meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Audit Committee oversees and monitors the Trust’s internal accounting and control structure, its auditing function and its financial reporting process. The Audit Committee is responsible for selecting and retaining the independent accountants for the Trust. The Audit Committee is responsible for approving the audit plans, fees and other material arrangements in respect of the engagement of the independent accountants, including non-audit services performed. The Audit Committee reviews the qualifications of the independent accountant’s key personnel involved in the foregoing activities and monitors the independent accountant’s independence. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Audit Committee held four meetings.

The Governance Committee is composed of all the Independent Trustees. The primary functions of the Governance Committee, including the Nominating Committee (a sub-committee of the Governance Committee), is to review and evaluate the composition and performance of the Board; make nominations for membership on the Board and committees; review the responsibilities of each

 

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committee; and review governance procedures, and compensation of Independent Trustees. The Nominating Committee will consider nominees to the Board recommended by investors. Recommendations should be submitted in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Nominating Committee Charter and should be submitted in writing to the Trust, to the attention of the Trust’s Secretary, at the address of the principal executive offices of the Trust. Investor recommendations must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Trust not less than sixty (60) calendar days nor more than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the date of the Board or investor meeting at which the nominee candidate would be considered for election. The Governance Committee performs an annual Board self-evaluation. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Governance Committee held two meetings.

The Valuation Committee is composed of all the Independent Trustees. The Valuation Committee’s primary purpose is to review the actions and recommendations of the Adviser’s Oversight Committee. The Trust has established procedures and guidelines for valuing portfolio securities and making fair value determinations from time to time. The Valuation Committee is responsible for overseeing the Funds’ valuation determinations, with the assistance of the Oversight Committee, State Street and SSGA FM. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Valuation Committee held four meetings.

The Qualified Legal and Compliance Committee (the “QLCC”) is composed of all the Independent Trustees. The primary functions of the QLCC are to receive quarterly reports from the Trust’s chief compliance officer (the “Chief Compliance Officer”); to oversee generally the Trust’s responses to regulatory inquiries; and to investigate matters referred to it by the Chief Legal Officer and make recommendations to the Board regarding the implementation of an appropriate response to evidence of a material violation of the securities laws or breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by the Trust, its officers or the Trustees. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Qualified Legal and Compliance Committee held four meetings.

Leadership Structure and Risk Management Oversight

The Board has chosen to select different individuals as Co-Chairpersons of the Board of the Trust and as President of the Trust. Currently, Mr. Holland and Mr. Riley, both Independent Trustees, serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Board. Mr. Marshall and Mr. Williams serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Audit Committee, Mr. Shirk and Ms. Spence serve as Co-Chairpersons of the QLCC, Mr. Boyan and Mr. Taber serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Valuation Committee and Mr. Taber and Ms. Spence serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Governance Committee.

Mr. Ross, who is also an employee of the Adviser, serves as Trustee of the Trust and Ellen Needham, who is also an employee of the Adviser, serves as President of the Trust. The Board believes that this leadership structure is appropriate, since Mr. Ross and Ms. Needham provide the Board with insight regarding the Trust’s day-to-day management, while Mr. Holland and Mr. Riley provide an independent perspective on the Trust’s overall operation and Mr. Marshall and Mr. Williams provide a specialized perspective on audit matters.

The Board has delegated management of the Trust to service providers who are responsible for the day-to-day management of risks applicable to the Trust. The Board oversees risk management for the Trust in several ways. The Board receives regular reports from both the Chief Compliance Officer and administrator for the Trust, detailing the results of the Trust’s compliance with its Board-adopted policies and procedures, the investment policies and limitations of the Portfolios, and applicable provisions of the federal securities laws and the Code. As needed, the Adviser discusses management issues respecting the Trust with the Board, soliciting the Board’s input on many aspects of management, including potential risks to the Portfolio. The Board’s Audit Committee also receives reports on various aspects of risk that might affect the Trust and offers advice to management, as appropriate. The Trustees also meet in executive session with the independent counsel to the Independent Trustees, the independent registered public accounting firm, counsel to the Trust, the chief compliance officer and representatives of management, as needed. Through these regular reports and interactions, the Board oversees the risk management parameters for the Trust, which are effected on a day-to-day basis by service providers to the Trust.

Trustee Ownership of Securities of the Trust and Adviser

As of December 31, 2015 none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members had any ownership of securities of the Adviser, or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser.

 

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The following table sets forth information describing the dollar range of the Trust’s equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee as of December 31, 2015.

 

Name of Independent Trustee

   Dollar Range Of
Equity Securities In
the Portfolios
     Aggregate Dollar Range Of Equity
Securities In All Registered
Investment

Companies Overseen By Trustees In
Family of Investment Companies

William L. Boyan

     None       None

Michael F. Holland

     None       None

William L. Marshall

     None       Over $100,000

Patrick J. Riley

     None       Over $100,000

Richard D. Shirk

     None       Over $100,000

Rina K. Spence

     None       None

Bruce D. Taber

     None       Over $100,000

Douglas T. Williams

     None       None

Name of Interested Trustee

     

Name of Interested Trustee

           

James E. Ross

     None       Over $100,000

 

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Trustee Compensation

Each Independent Trustee receives for his or her services to the State Street Master Funds, State Street Institutional Investment Trust and SSGA Funds, a $141,500 annual base retainer in addition to $18,000 for each in-person meeting and $2,000 for each telephonic meeting from the Trust. The Trust pays a fixed allocation of $15,000 per Fund. The Co-Chairmen receive an additional $44,000 annual retainer. The Independent Trustees are reimbursed for travel and other out-of pocket expenses in connection with meeting attendance. As of the date of this annual report, the Trustees were not paid pension or retirement benefits as part of the Trust’s expenses.

The Trust’s officers are compensated by the Adviser and its affiliates.

The following table sets forth the total remuneration of Trustees and officers of the Trust for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015:

 

    AGGREGATE
COMPENSATION
FROM THE
TRUST
    PENSION OR
RETIREMENT
BENEFITS
ACCRUED AS PART
OF TRUST
EXPENSES
    ESTIMATED
ANNUAL
BENEFITS UPON
RETIREMENT
    TOTAL
COMPENSATION
FROM TRUST &
FUND COMPLEX
PAID TO
TRUSTEES
 

NAME OF INDEPENDENT TRUSTEE

       

William L. Boyan, Trustee

  $ 175,788      $ 0      $ 0      $ 222,000   

Michael F. Holland, Trustee

  $ 211,387      $ 0      $ 0      $ 266,000   

William L. Marshall, Trustee

  $ 169,297      $ 0      $ 0      $ 222,000   

Patrick J. Riley, Trustee

  $ 202,548      $ 0      $ 0      $ 266,000   

Richard D. Shirk, Trustee

  $ 169,297      $ 0      $ 0      $ 222,000   

Rina K. Spence, Trustee

  $ 175,788      $ 0      $ 0      $ 222,000   

Bruce D. Taber, Trustee

  $ 169,297      $ 0      $ 0      $ 222,000   

Douglas T. Williams, Trustee

  $ 175,788      $ 0      $ 0      $ 222,000   

NAME OF INTERESTED TRUSTEE

       

James E. Ross, Trustee

  $ 0      $ 0      $ 0      $ 0   

Gregory A. Ehret1

  $ 0      $ 0      $ 0      $ 0   

Scott F. Powers2

  $ 0      $ 0      $ 0      $ 0   

 

1  Mr. Ehret served as a Trustee from August 2015 until December 2015.
2  Mr. Powers served as a Trustee until May 2015.

Codes of Ethics

The Trust and the Adviser have each adopted a code of ethics (together, the “Codes of Ethics”) as required by applicable law, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust and the Adviser from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds (which may also be held by persons subject to the Codes of Ethics). The Codes of Ethics permit personnel, subject to the Codes of Ethics and their provisions, to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Trust, Adviser and State Street.

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

The Trust has adopted proxy voting procedures pursuant to which the Trust delegates the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Portfolios to the Adviser as part of the Adviser’s general management of the Portfolios, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. A copy of the Trust’s proxy voting procedures is located in Appendix B and a copy of the Adviser’s proxy voting procedures is located in Appendix C.

Investors may receive information regarding how the Portfolios voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12- month period ending June 30 (i) by calling (877) 521-4083 or (ii) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

ITEM 18. CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

As of April 1, 2016, the Trustees and officers of the Trust owned in the aggregate less than 1% of the interests of each Portfolio of the Trust.

 

 

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Persons or organizations owning 25% or more of the outstanding interests of a Portfolio may be presumed to “control” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) a Portfolio. As a result, these persons or organizations could have the ability to approve or reject those matters submitted to the investors of such Portfolio for their approval.

As of April 1, 2016, to the knowledge of the Trust, the following persons held of record or beneficially through one or more accounts 25% or more of the outstanding interests of the Portfolios.

 

Name and Address

   Percentage  

State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio

  

SSGA S&P 500 Index Fund

  

One Lincoln Street

  

Boston, MA 02111

     100

State Street Money Market Portfolio

  

State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund

  

One Lincoln Street

  

Boston, MA 02111

     99.09

State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio

  

State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund

  

One Lincoln Street

  

Boston, MA 02111

     94.06

State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio

  

State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund

  

One Lincoln Street

  

Boston, MA 02111

     100

State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio

  

State Street U.S. Government Money Market Fund

  

One Lincoln Street

  

Boston, MA 02111

     94.99

As of April 1, 2016, to the knowledge of the Trust, the following persons held of record or beneficially through one or more accounts 5% or more of the outstanding interests of the Portfolios.

 

Name and Address

   Percentage  

State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio

  

SSGA Cash Series Treasury Fund

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

     5.94

State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio

  

SSGA Cash Series U.S. Government Fund

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

     5.00

ITEM 19. INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

Investment Advisory Agreement

The Adviser is responsible for the investment management of the Portfolios pursuant to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 17, 2015, as amended from time to time (the “Advisory Agreement”), by and between the Adviser and the Trust. The Adviser and State Street are wholly-owned subsidiaries of State Street Corporation, a publicly held bank holding company.

In addition to any contractual expense limitation for a Money Market Portfolio, the Adviser also may voluntarily reduce all or a portion of its fees and/or reimburse expenses for a Money Market Portfolio to the extent necessary to avoid negative yield (the “Voluntary Reduction”), or a yield below a specified level, which may vary from time to time and from Portfolio to Portfolio in the Adviser’s sole discretion. Under an agreement with the Adviser relating to the Voluntary Reduction, the Money Market Portfolios have agreed to reimburse the Adviser for the full dollar amount of any Voluntary Reduction beginning on October 1, 2012, subject to certain limitations. A Portfolio will not be obligated to reimburse the Adviser: more than three years after the end of the fiscal year for the Portfolio in which the Adviser provided a Voluntary Reduction; in respect of any business day for which the net annualized one-day yield is less than 0.00%; to the extent that the amount of the reimbursement to the Adviser on any day exceeds fifty percent of the yield (net of all expenses, exclusive of the reimbursement) of the Portfolio on that day; to the extent that the amount of such reimbursement would cause the Portfolio’s net yield to fall below the Portfolio’s minimum net yield; or in respect of any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements that are necessary to maintain a Portfolio’s contractual total expense limit which is effective at the time of such fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. A reimbursement to the Adviser could negatively impact a Portfolio’s future yield. There is no guarantee that a Portfolio will be able to avoid a negative yield. The Adviser may, in its sole discretion, irrevocably waive receipt of any or all reimbursement amounts due from a Portfolio, without limitation.

Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, directs each Portfolio’s investments in accordance with its respective investment objective, policies and limitations. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser will bear the cost of providing administration, custody and transfer agency services to the Equity 500 Index Portfolio. As consideration for SSGA FM’s services as adviser, and State Street’s services as administrator, transfer agent and custodian to the Equity 500 Index Portfolio (and for assuming ordinary operating expenses of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio, including ordinary legal and audit expenses), SSGA FM receives from the Equity 500 Index Portfolio an annual fee, accrued daily at the rate of 1/365th of the applicable fee rate and payable monthly on the first business day of each month, of the following annual percentages of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio’s average daily net assets during the month:

 

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INDEX PORTFOLIO

   ANNUAL PERCENTAGE OF
AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
 

Equity 500 Index Portfolio

     0.045

As consideration for SSGA FM’s services as investment adviser to the Money Portfolios, SSGA FM receives from each Money Portfolio an annual fee, accrued daily at the rate of 1/365th of the applicable fee rate and payable monthly on the first business day of each month, of the following annual percentages of each Money Portfolio’s average daily net assets during the month:

 

MONEY PORTFOLIOS

   ANNUAL PERCENTAGE OF
AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
 

Money Market Portfolio

     0.05

U.S. Government Portfolio

     0.05

Treasury Portfolio

     0.05

Treasury Plus Portfolio

     0.05

The advisory fees accrued for the last three fiscal years are set forth in the table below.

 

PORTFOLIO

   FISCAL YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2013
     FISCAL YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2014
     FISCAL YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2015
 

Equity 500 Index Portfolio

   $ 1,079,996       $ 1,246,586       $ 1,219,468   

Money Market Portfolio

   $ 16,660,533       $ 19,958,835       $ 20,608,762   

U.S. Government Portfolio

   $ 4,432,142       $ 5,464,519       $ 6,773,799   

Treasury Portfolio

   $ 6,655,829       $ 5,865,639       $ 5,725,045   

Treasury Plus Portfolio

   $ 1,048,833       $ 1,308,611       $ 896,030   

The Advisory Agreement will continue from year to year provided that a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees or a majority of the investors of the Trust approve its continuance. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Adviser or the Trust without penalty upon sixty days’ notice and will terminate automatically upon its assignment.

The Adviser and its affiliates may have deposit, loan and other commercial banking relationships with the issuers of obligations that may be purchased on behalf of one or more Portfolios of the Trust, including outstanding loans to such issuers, which could be repaid in whole or in part with the proceeds of securities so purchased. Such affiliates deal, trade and invest for their own accounts in such obligations and are among the leading dealers of various types of such obligations. The Adviser has informed the Trust that, in making its investment decisions, it does not obtain or use material non-public information in its possession or in the possession of any of its affiliates. In making investment recommendations for any Portfolio, the Adviser will not inquire or take into consideration whether an issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale by the Portfolio is a customer of the Adviser, its parent or its subsidiaries or affiliates and, in dealing with its customers, the Adviser, its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates will not inquire or take into consideration whether securities of such customers are held by any portfolio managed by the Adviser or any such affiliate.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable for a Portfolio as well as for one or more of the Adviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the Trust and for the Adviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Portfolio is concerned. However, it is believed that the ability of each Portfolio to participate in volume transactions will produce better executions for the Portfolios.

Administrator, Sub-Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent

SSGA FM serves as the administrator for the Portfolios pursuant to an Amended and Restated Administration Agreement. Under the Amended and Restated Administration Agreement, SSGA FM is obligated to continuously provide business management services to the Trust and the Portfolios and will generally, subject to the general oversight of the Trustees and except as otherwise provided in the Amended and Restated Administration Agreement, manage all of the business and affairs of the Trust. Prior to June 1, 2015, State Street served as the administrator for each Portfolio in this Part B pursuant to an Administration Agreement between the Trust and State Street.

 

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State Street serves as the sub-administrator to each series of the Trust, pursuant to a Sub-Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 (the “Sub-Administration Agreement”). Under the Sub-Administration Agreement, State Street is obligated to provide certain sub-administrative services to the Trust and the Portfolios. State Street is a wholly owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation, a publicly held bank holding company, and is affiliated with the Adviser. State Street’s mailing address is State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900.

State Street serves as custodian and fund accountant for the Portfolios pursuant to a Custody Agreement and holds the Portfolios’ assets.

State Street serves as Transfer Agent to the Portfolios.

With respect to the Equity 500 Index Portfolio, the Trust has contracted with State Street to provide custody, sub-administration and transfer agent services to the Portfolio. In compensation for SSGA FM’s services as investment adviser and administrator and for State Street’s services as sub-administrator, custodian and transfer agent (and for assuming ordinary operating expenses of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio, including ordinary legal, audit and trustees expense), State Street receives a unitary fee, calculated daily, at the annual rate of 0.045% of the Equity 500 Index Portfolio’s average daily net assets.

With respect to the Money Market Portfolios, a fee is paid by each Portfolio for the administration, sub-administration, custody and transfer agency services SSGA FM and State Street provide. The annual fee is accrued daily and payable monthly at the following fee rate:

 

PORTFOLIOS

   ANNUAL PERCENTAGE OF
AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
 

Average Assets Break Point:

  

First $400 Million

     0.03

Next $15 billion

     0.02

Thereafter

     0.01

Minimum per Portfolio

   $ 150,000   

The minimum fee will be calculated by multiplying the minimum per fund fee by the number of portfolios within the Trust to arrive at the total minimum fee. The greater of the asset based fee or the minimum fee will be charged to the portfolios. SSGA FM and State Street each receive a portion of the fee.

The administration fees paid to SSGA FM as the Administrator are set forth in the table below:

 

PORTFOLIO

   FISCAL YEAR
ENDED
DECEMBER 31,
2015
 

Money Market Portfolio

   $ 73,503   

Treasury Portfolio

   $ 20,786   

Treasury Plus Portfolio

   $ 2,644   

U.S. Government Portfolio

   $ 24,218   

Equity 500 Index Portfolio

     N/A   

The administration fees paid by the State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio has been omitted because the Portfolio had not commenced investment operations as of December 31, 2015.

Counsel and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Ropes & Gray LLP serves as counsel to the Trust. The principal business address of Ropes & Gray LLP is 800 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02199. Joseph P. Barri. LLC, located at 259 Robbins Street, Milton, Massachusetts 02186, serves as independent counsel to the Independent Trustees.

Ernst & Young LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust and provides (i) audit services and (ii) tax services. In connection with the audit of the 2015 financial statements, the Trust entered into an engagement agreement with Ernst & Young LLP that sets forth the terms of Ernst & Young LLP’s audit engagement. The principal business address of Ernst & Young LLP is 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.

 

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ITEM 20. PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The following persons serve as the portfolio managers of the Equity 500 Portfolio as of the date of this Part B. The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each individual and assets under management in those accounts as of December 31, 2015:

 

PORTFOLIO

MANAGER

 

PORTFOLIO

  REGISTERED
INVESTMENT
COMPANY
ACCOUNTS
    ASSETS
MANAGED
($ BILLIONS)*
    OTHER
POOLED
INVESTMENT
VEHICLE
ACCOUNTS
    ASSETS
MANAGED
($ BILLIONS)*
    OTHER
ACCOUNTS
    ASSETS
MANAGED
($ BILLIONS)*
    TOTAL
ASSETS
MANAGED
($ BILLIONS)*
 

John A. Tucker

  Equity 500 Index Portfolio     152        184.26        453        483.94        348        213.09        881.29   

Karl Schneider

  Equity 500 Index Portfolio     152        184.26        453        483.94        348        213.09        881.29   

Michael Feehily

  Equity 500 Index Portfolio     152        184.26        453        483.94        348        213.09        881.29   

 

* There are no performance fees associated with the Equity 500 Portfolio.

As indicated in the table above, portfolio managers at the Adviser may manage numerous accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include registered investment companies (which include exchange-traded funds), other types of pooled accounts (e.g., collective investment funds), and separate accounts (i.e., accounts managed on behalf of individuals or public or private institutions). Portfolio managers make investment decisions for each account based on the investment objectives and policies and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that portfolio. The portfolio managers do not beneficially own any interests of any Portfolio as of December 31, 2015.

When a portfolio manager has responsibility for managing more than one account, potential conflicts of interest may arise. Those conflicts may arise out of: (a) the portfolio manager’s execution of different investment strategies for various accounts; or (b) the allocation of resources or investment opportunities.

A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio managers’ responsibility for multiple accounts with similar investment guidelines. Under these circumstances, a potential investment may be suitable for more than one of the portfolio manager’s accounts, but the quantity of the investment available for purchase is less than the aggregate amount the accounts would ideally devote to the opportunity. Similar conflicts may arise when multiple accounts seek to dispose of the same investment. The portfolio manager may also manage accounts whose objectives and policies differ from that of the respective Portfolio. These differences may be such that under certain circumstances, trading activity appropriate for one account managed by the portfolio manager may have adverse consequences for another account managed by the portfolio manager. For example, an account may sell a significant position in a security, which could cause the market price of that security to decrease, while the Portfolio maintained its position in that security.

A potential conflict may arise when the portfolio manager is responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees. The difference in fees could create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to investment opportunities. This conflict may be heightened if an account is subject to a performance-based fee. Another potential conflict may arise when the portfolio manager has an investment in one or more accounts that participates in transactions with other accounts. His or her investment(s) may create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to address these potential material conflicts. For instance, portfolio managers within the Adviser are normally responsible for all accounts within a certain investment discipline and do not, absent special circumstances, differentiate among the various accounts when allocating resources. Additionally, the Adviser and its advisory affiliates have processes and procedures for allocating investment opportunities among portfolios that are designed to be fair and equitable.

The compensation of SSGA FM’s investment professionals is based on a number of factors, including external benchmarking data and market trends, State Street Corporation performance, SSGA performance, and individual performance. Each year State Street Corporation’s Global Human Resources department participates in compensation surveys in order to provide SSGA with critical, market-based compensation information that helps support individual pay decisions. Additionally, subject to State Street Corporation and SSGA business results, State Street Corporation allocates an incentive pool to SSGA to reward its employees. Because the size of the incentive pool is based on the firm’s overall profitability and performance against risk-related goals, each staff member is motivated to contribute both as an individual and as a team member.

The incentive pool is allocated to the various functions within SSGA. The discretionary determination of the allocation amounts to business units is influenced by market-based compensation data, as well as the overall performance of the group. Individual compensation decisions are made by the employee’s manager, in conjunction with the senior management of the employee’s business unit. These decisions are based on the performance of the employee and, as mentioned above, on the performance of the firm and business unit.

 

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ITEM 21. BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

All portfolio transactions are placed on behalf of the Portfolios by the Adviser. Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. Ordinarily commissions are not charged on over the counter orders (including, for example, debt securities and money market investments) because a Portfolio pays a spread which is included in the cost of the security, and is the difference between the dealer’s cost and the cost to a Portfolio. When a Portfolio executes an over the counter order with an electronic communications network, an alternative trading system or a non-market maker, a commission is charged because there is no spread on the trade. Securities may be purchased from underwriters at prices that include underwriting fees. The Money Portfolios and the Treasury Portfolios normally do not pay a stated brokerage commission on transactions.

Each Portfolio’s investment advisory agreement authorizes the Adviser to place, in the name of the Portfolio, orders for the execution of the securities transactions in which the Portfolio is authorized to invest, provided the Adviser, and as applicable, the sub-adviser seeks the best overall terms for the transaction. In selecting brokers or dealers (including affiliates of the Adviser, and as applicable, the sub-adviser), the Adviser, and as applicable, the sub-adviser chooses the broker-dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution (the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances). The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, brokerage and research services, underwriting, and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending on the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker-dealers. The Adviser, and as applicable, the Sub-Adviser does not currently use any Portfolio’s assets for soft-dollar arrangements. The Adviser, and as applicable, the sub-adviser does not presently participate in any soft dollar arrangements. It may aggregate trades with clients of State Street Global Advisors whose commission dollars are used to generate soft dollar credits for State Street Global Advisors. Although the Adviser’s clients’ commissions are not used for soft dollars, the Adviser and State Street Global Advisors’ clients may benefit from the soft dollar products/services received by State Street Global Advisors.

The brokerage commissions paid by the Portfolios for the last three fiscal years are as follows:

 

PORTFOLIO

   FISCAL YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2013
     FISCAL YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2014
     FISCAL YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2015
 

Equity 500 Index Portfolio

   $ 46,374.78       $ 59,449.35       $ 60,823.22   

Of the amounts set forth in the table above, for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015, the Equity 500 Index Portfolio paid $0, $0 and $0, respectively, in commissions to State Street Global Markets LLC, an affiliated broker of the Adviser.

The Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Trust for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities.

 

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ITEM 22. DECLARATION OF TRUST, CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER INFORMATION

Capitalization

Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees are authorized to issue an unlimited number of interests of each Portfolio. Upon liquidation or dissolution of a Portfolio, investors are entitled to share pro rata in the Portfolio’s net assets available for distribution to its investors. Investments in a Portfolio have no preference, preemptive, conversion or similar rights, except as determined by the Trustees or as set forth in the Bylaws, and are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below.

Declaration of Trust

The Declaration of Trust of the Trust provides that a Trust may redeem interests of a Portfolio at the redemption price that would apply if the interest redemption were initiated by an investor. It is the policy of the Trust that, except upon such conditions as may from time to time be set forth in the then current prospectus of a Portfolio or to facilitate the Trust’s or a Portfolio’s compliance with applicable law or regulation, the Trust would not initiate a redemption of interests unless it were to determine that failing to do so may have a substantial adverse consequence for a Portfolio or the Trust.

The Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee who is not an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust will be deemed independent and disinterested with respect to any demand made in connection with a derivative action or proceeding. It is the policy of the Trust that it will not assert that provision to preclude an investor from claiming that a Trustee is not independent or disinterested with respect to any demand made in connection with a derivative action or proceeding; provided, however, that the foregoing policy will not prevent the Trust from asserting applicable law (including Section 2B of Chapter 182 of the Massachusetts General Laws) to preclude an investor from claiming that a Trustee is not independent or disinterested with respect to any demand made in connection with a derivative action or proceeding.

The Trust will not deviate from the foregoing policies in a manner that adversely affects the rights of investors of a Portfolio without the approval of “a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of such Portfolio.

Voting

Each investor is entitled to a vote in proportion to the number of Portfolio interests it owns. Interests do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of Trustees, and investors holding more than 50% of the aggregate outstanding interests in the Trust may elect all of the Trustees if they choose to do so. The Trust is not required and has no current intention to hold annual meetings of investors but the Trust will hold special meetings of investors when in the judgment of the Trustees it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for an investor vote.

Massachusetts Business Trust

Under Massachusetts law, investors in a Massachusetts business trust could, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the trust. However, the Declaration of Trust disclaims investor liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and provides for indemnification out of the property of the applicable series of the Trust for any loss to which the investor may become subject by reason of being or having been an investor of that series and for reimbursement of the investor for all expense arising from such liability. Thus the risk of an investor incurring financial loss on account of investor liability should be limited to circumstances in which the series would be unable to meet its obligations.

ITEM 23. PRICING OF BENEFICIAL INTERESTS

Beneficial interests of the Portfolio are issued solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any “public offering” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. See “Purchasing Beneficial Interests” and “Redeeming Beneficial Interests” in Part A.

Pricing of interests of the Portfolios does not occur on New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) holidays. Each Portfolio determines the NAV on each day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for trading (“Business Day”). This determination is made each Business Day at the close of regular trading on the NYSE (the “Valuation Time”) based on the market value of the securities held in each Portfolio. The NYSE is open for trading every weekday except for: (a) the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday (the third Monday in February), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas; and (b) the preceding Friday or the subsequent Monday when one of the calendar-determined holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Purchases and withdrawals will be effected at the time of determination of NAV next following the receipt of any purchase or withdrawal order which is determined to be in good order.

 

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The Money Portfolios seek to maintain a constant price per interest of $1.00 for purposes of sales and redemptions of interests by using the amortized cost valuation method to value their respective portfolio instruments in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. There can be no assurance that the $1.00 NAV per interest will be maintained. The amortized cost method involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, even though the portfolio security may increase or decrease in market value generally in response to changes in interest rates. This method may result in periods during which value, as determined by amortized cost, is higher or lower than the price the Money Portfolios would receive if they sold the instrument.

For example, in periods of declining interest rates, the daily yield on each of the Money Portfolios’ interests computed by dividing the annualized daily income on the Portfolio’s portfolio by the NAV based upon the amortized cost valuation technique may tend to be higher than a similar computation made by using a method of valuation based upon market prices and estimates thereof. In periods of rising interest rates, the daily yield on each Money Portfolios’ interests computed the same way may tend to be lower than a similar computation made by using a method of calculation based upon market prices and estimates.

The Trustees have established procedures reasonably designed to stabilize the Money Portfolios’ price per interest at $1.00. These procedures include: (1) the determination of the deviation from $1.00, if any, of either of the Money Portfolios’ s respective NAVs using market values; (2) periodic review by the Trustees of the amount of and the methods used to calculate the deviation; and (3) maintenance of records of such determination. The Trustees will promptly consider what action, if any, should be taken if such deviation exceeds 1/2 of one percent.

The Portfolios’ securities will be valued pursuant to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. Generally, each Portfolio’s investments are valued each business day by independent pricing services. Equity securities for which market quotations are available are valued at the last sale price or official closing price (closing bid price if no sale has occurred) on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. Investments in other mutual funds are valued at the net asset value per share. Fixed-income securities and options are valued on the basis of the closing bid price. Futures contracts are valued on the basis of the last sale price. Money market instruments maturing within 60 days of the valuation date are valued at amortized cost, a method by which each money market instrument is initially valued at cost, and thereafter a constant accretion or amortization of any discount or premium is recorded until maturity of the security. The Portfolios may value securities for which market quotations are not readily available at “fair value”, as determined in good faith pursuant to procedures established by the Board of Trustees.

ITEM 24. TAXATION OF THE PORTFOLIOS

The following discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences of investment in the Portfolios is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority, as of the date of this Registration Statement. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Portfolios. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular investors. Investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding their particular situation and the possible application of foreign, state and local tax laws.

The Trust is organized as a business trust under Massachusetts law. It is intended that each Portfolio operate and be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not as an association taxable as a corporation or a “publicly traded partnership” (as defined in Section 7704 of the Code) taxable as a corporation. As a result, the Portfolios generally are not expected to be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, each investor in a Portfolio is required to take into account in determining its U.S. federal income tax liability its allocable share (as determined in accordance with the governing instruments of the Trust and Subchapter K of the Code and related Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder) of the Portfolio’s income, gain, loss, deductions, credits and tax preference items for any taxable year of the Portfolio ending with or within the taxable year of such investor, without regard to whether the investor has received or will receive any cash or property distributions from the Portfolio. Although the Trust is generally not subject to federal income tax, it will file appropriate income tax returns.

A Portfolio may modify its allocations to investors to comply with applicable tax regulations, including, without limitation, the income tax regulations under Sections 704, 706, 708, 734, 743, 754, and 755 of the Code. It also may make special allocations of specific tax items, including gross income, gain, deduction, or loss. These modified or special allocations could result in an investor receiving more or less of items of income, gain, deduction, or loss (and/or income, gain, deduction, or loss of a different character) than it would in the absence of such modified or special allocations.

 

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The amount of tax due, if any, with respect to gains and income of a Portfolio is determined separately for each investor. Each Portfolio will be required to file an information return on IRS Form 1065 and, following the close of the Portfolio’s taxable year, to provide each investor with a Schedule K-l indicating the investor’s allocable share of the Portfolio’s income, gains, losses, deductions, credits, and items of tax preference. Each investor, however, is responsible for keeping its own records for determining its tax basis in its Portfolio interests and calculating and reporting any gain or loss resulting from a Portfolio distribution or redemption or other disposition of Portfolio interests.

Investors who contribute assets in kind to a Portfolio in exchange for Portfolio interests (to the extent such investors do not recognize gains at the time of the contribution) generally will, at the time of disposition by the Portfolio of the investors’ contributed assets, be specially allocated gains or losses from such assets up to the amount of built-in gain or built-in loss, respectively, at the time of contribution. There are circumstances in which investors who contribute appreciated assets to the Portfolio in kind could recognize income up to the built-in gain in such assets at the time of contribution even in advance of a disposition of such assets. The IRS may successfully challenge any of the Portfolio’s allocations, elections or determinations, in which case an investor may be allocated more or less of any tax item.

The Portfolios expect to manage their assets and income in such a way that if a “feeder” fund investing exclusively or substantially all of its assets in a Portfolio were treated as holding its pro rata portion of the Portfolio’s assets, and recognizing its pro rata portion of the Portfolio’s income, directly, it would meet the requirements with respect to diversification of assets and sources of income for qualification as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. Investors that intend to meet the 90% distribution requirement for treatment as a RIC could be required to redeem a portion of their interests in a Portfolio in order to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the annual 90% distribution requirement with respect to such income and to otherwise avoid entity-level U.S. federal income and excise taxes. The Portfolio, in turn, may sell portfolio holdings in order to meet such redemption requests, including at a time when it may not be advantageous to do so. Investors in the Portfolio may realize more taxable gains from such sales than they would in the absence of such transactions.

In general, an investor’s adjusted basis in its interest in a Portfolio will initially equal the amount of cash and, if any, the adjusted basis in other property the investor has contributed for the interest and will be increased by the investor’s proportionate share of Portfolio income and gains and decreased (but not below zero) by the amount of cash distributions and the adjusted basis of any property distributed from the Portfolio to the investor and such investor’s distributive share of certain Portfolio expenses and losses. In addition, (1) an investor’s basis includes the investor’s share of a Portfolio’s liabilities, and (2) decreases in the investor’s share of liabilities are treated as cash distributions.

In general, an investor that receives cash in connection with the investor’s complete withdrawal from a Portfolio will recognize capital gain or loss to the extent of the difference between the proceeds received by such investor and such investor’s adjusted tax basis in its Portfolio interest immediately before the distribution. Gain or loss recognized as a result of a complete withdrawal from a Portfolio generally will be short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on the investor’s holding period for its interests in the Portfolio, except that an investor generally will recognize ordinary income (regardless of whether there would be net gain on the transaction and possibly in excess of net gain otherwise recognized) to the extent that the investor receives a cash distribution for the investor’s allocable share of (i) previously untaxed “unrealized receivables” (including any accrued but untaxed market discount) and (ii) substantially appreciated inventory, if any. The basis attributable to any unrealized receivables or substantially appreciated inventory might also affect the calculation of gain or loss from the other assets held by the Portfolio. An investor’s receipt of a non-liquidating cash distribution from a Portfolio generally will result in recognized gain (but not loss) only to the extent that the amount of the distribution exceeds such investor’s adjusted basis in its Portfolio interest before the distribution. If an investor acquired portions of its interest at different times or acquired its entire interest in a single transaction subject to different holding periods, the investor’s interest generally will have a divided holding period, which could cause the investor to recognize more or less short-term or long-term capital gain than it would have with a single holding period.

An investor generally will not recognize gain or loss on an in-kind distribution of property from a Portfolio. If the distribution does not represent a complete liquidation of the investor’s Portfolio interest, the investor’s basis in the distributed property generally will equal the Portfolio’s adjusted tax basis in the property, or, if less, the investor’s basis in its Portfolio interest before the distribution. If the distribution is made in complete liquidation of the investor’s Portfolio interest, the investor generally will take the assets with a tax basis equal to its adjusted tax basis in its interest. Special rules apply to the distribution of property to an investor who contributed other property to a Portfolio and to the distribution of such contributed property to another investor. The tax law generally requires a partner in a partnership to recognize gain on a distribution by the partnership of marketable securities, to the extent that the value of such securities exceeds the partner’s adjusted basis in its partnership interest. This requirement does not apply, however, to distributions to “eligible partners” of an “investment partnership,” as those terms are defined in the Code. It is intended that each Portfolio be operated so as to qualify as an “investment partnership,” although there can be no assurance that it will so qualify. If a Portfolio qualifies as an investment partnership, each investor should qualify as an “eligible partner,” provided that such investor contributes only cash and certain other liquid property to that Portfolio.

 

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An investor cannot deduct losses from a Portfolio in an amount greater than such investor’s adjusted tax basis in its Portfolio interest as of the end of that Portfolio’s tax year. An investor may be able to deduct such excess losses in subsequent tax years to the extent that the investor’s adjusted tax basis for its interest exceeds zero in such years.

There can be no assurance that Portfolio losses will produce a tax benefit in the year incurred or that such losses will be available to offset an investor’s share of income in subsequent years.

Taxation of Portfolio Income

For federal income tax purposes, investment income other than tax-exempt interest generally is treated as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The treatment of capital gains generally is determined by how long the Portfolio owned (or is deemed to have owned) the investments that generated them (rather than by how long an investor has held its interest in the Portfolio). Net gains from the sale of investments that a Portfolio owned (or is deemed to have owned) for one year or less generally are treated as short-term capital gains; net gains from the sale of investments that a Portfolio owned (or is deemed to have owned) for more than one year are generally treated as long-term capital gains. The Money Portfolios do not expect to realize long-term capital gains. Dividends received from domestic corporations or certain foreign corporations will be “qualified dividend income,” taxed in the hands of individuals at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements described below are met. The Money Portfolios do not expect to earn income that will qualify as “qualified dividend income” when allocated to investors.

In order for some portion of the dividends that a Portfolio allocates to its investors to qualify as “qualified dividend income,” the Portfolio must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the underlying securities generating such dividend income. A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income by the Portfolio (a) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held by the Portfolio for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date), (b) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, (c) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest, or (d) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is (i) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States) or (ii) treated as a passive foreign investment company.

In general, dividends of net investment income received by corporate investors of the Portfolio will qualify for the 70% dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations only to the extent of qualifying dividends received by a Portfolio from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend will not be treated as a dividend eligible for the dividends-received deduction (a) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Portfolio has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 91-day period beginning on the date which is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date in the case of certain preferred stock) or (b) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Moreover, the dividends-received deduction may otherwise be disallowed or reduced (x) if the corporate investor fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its interests of the Portfolio or (y) by application of various provisions of the Code (for instance, the dividends-received deduction is reduced in the case of a dividend received on debt-financed stock (generally, stock acquired with borrowed funds)).

To the extent that a Portfolio receives income that is (i) in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction or (ii) dividend income on securities the Portfolio temporarily purchased from a counterparty pursuant to a repurchase agreement that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a loan by the Portfolio, such distribution will not constitute qualified dividend income and may not be eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction for corporate investors. Similarly, any income received by a Portfolio in lieu of tax-exempt interest with respect to securities on loan or tax-exempt interest received by a Portfolio on tax-exempt securities it temporarily purchased from a counterparty pursuant to a repurchase agreement that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a loan by the Portfolio will not qualify for tax-exempt treatment when allocated to Portfolio investors.

 

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Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions

A Portfolio’s transactions in derivative instruments (e.g., options, futures, forward contracts, swap agreements), as well as any of its hedging, short sale, securities loan or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contract, straddle, constructive sale, wash sale and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Portfolio are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to a Portfolio and its investors, defer losses, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of a Portfolio’s securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of income, gains, losses and other tax items that are allocable to investors and could cause investors to be taxed on amounts not representing economic income. Because the tax rules applicable to these types of transactions are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may cause changes in an investor’s allocation of any tax item, possibly for prior years. Thus, in the case of investors that are RICs under the Code, these changes may affect whether such an investor has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements, to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid a tax at corporate level.

Investments in Regulated Investment Companies

In certain cases, the amount of income and gains realized by a Portfolio from its investments in shares of underlying RICs (“underlying funds”) may be greater (or less) than such amounts would have been had the Portfolio invested directly in securities held by the underlying funds. For similar reasons, the tax attributes of such income and gains (e.g., long-term capital gain, eligibility for the dividends-received deduction, etc.) may not be the same as it would have been had the Portfolio invested directly in the securities held by the underlying funds.

Foreign Income

Income, proceeds and gains received by a Portfolio from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. It is not feasible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of a Portfolio’s assets to be invested in various countries (if any) will vary.

Securities Purchased at a Discount

A Portfolio’s investment in securities issued at a discount and certain other obligations will require the Portfolio to accrue, and allocate to investors, income not yet received. Some debt obligations that are acquired by a Portfolio, including all zero coupon debt obligations, with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance will be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount (“OID”) is treated as interest income and is allocated to investors over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures.

In addition, some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance that are acquired in the secondary market by a Portfolio may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. Elections applicable to debt obligations having market discount may affect the character and timing of recognition of income by investors.

Furthermore, some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance that are acquired by a Portfolio may be treated as having OID or, in certain cases, “acquisition discount” (very generally, the excess of the stated redemption price over the purchase price). Generally, the Portfolio’s investors will be required to include the acquisition discount or OID in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures.

Securities Purchased at a Premium

Very generally, where a Portfolio purchases a bond at a price that exceeds the redemption price at maturity – that is, at a premium – the premium is amortizable over the remaining term of the bond. In the case of a taxable bond, if a Portfolio makes an election applicable to all such bonds it purchases, which election is irrevocable without consent of the IRS, the Portfolio reduces the current taxable income from the bond by the amortized premium and reduces its tax basis in the bond by the amount of such offset; upon the disposition or maturity of such bonds acquired on or after January 4, 2013, the Portfolio is permitted to deduct any remaining premium allocable to a prior period.

 

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Investments – Mortgage Pooling Vehicles

A Portfolio may invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) (including by investing in residual interests in collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) with respect to which an election to be treated as a REMIC is in effect) or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools (“TMPs”). Under a notice issued by the IRS in October 2006 and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of a Portfolio’s income (including income allocated to the Portfolio from certain pass-through entities) that is attributable to a residual interest in a REMIC or an equity interest in a TMP (referred to in the Code as an “excess inclusion”) will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a partnership, such as a Portfolio, will be allocated to partners in the partnership consistent with the allocation of other items of income, with the same consequences as if the investors held the related interest directly.

In general, excess inclusion income allocated to investors (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on UBTI that invest in RIC to which the Portfolio allocates excess inclusion income, thereby potentially requiring an entity to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income, and (iii) in the case of a foreign investor that invests in a RIC to which the Portfolio allocates excess inclusion income, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax.

As described above, certain investments of a Portfolio can cause timing differences between income recognition for tax purposes and actual cash distributions on the investments. More generally, investors that intend to meet the 90% distribution requirement for treatment as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code could be required to redeem a portion of their interest in a Portfolio in order to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement with respect to such income and to otherwise avoid entity-level U.S. federal income and excise taxes. The Portfolio in turn may sell portfolio holdings in order to meet such redemption requests, including at a time when it may not be advantageous to do so. Investors in a Portfolio may realize more taxable capital gains from such sales than they would in the absence of such transactions.

Tax Shelter Reporting

A Portfolio may engage in transactions or make investments that would subject the Portfolio, its investors and/or its “material advisors,” as defined in Treas. Reg. Sec. 301.6112-1(c)(1), to special rules requiring such transactions or investments by that Portfolio or investments in the Portfolio to be reported and/or otherwise disclosed to the IRS, including to the IRS’s Office of Tax Shelter Analysis (the “Tax Shelter Rules”). A transaction may be subject to reporting or disclosure if it is described in any of several categories of transactions, which include, among others, transactions that result in the incurrence of a loss or losses exceeding certain thresholds or that are offered under conditions of confidentiality.

Although each Portfolio does not expect to engage in transactions solely or principally for the purpose of achieving a particular tax consequence, there can be no assurance that a Portfolio will not engage in transactions that trigger the Tax Shelter Rules. In addition, an investor may have disclosure obligations with respect to its interest in a Portfolio if the investor (or the Portfolio in certain cases) participates in a reportable transaction.

Investors should consult their own tax advisors about their obligation to report or disclose to the IRS information about their investment in a Portfolio and participation in a Portfolio’s income, gain, loss, deduction or credit with respect to transactions or investments subject to these rules. In addition, pursuant to these rules, a Portfolio may provide to its material advisors identifying information about the Portfolio’s investors and their participation in the Portfolio and the Portfolio’s income, gain, loss, deduction or credit from those transactions or investments, and the Portfolio or its material advisors may disclose this information to the IRS upon its request. Significant penalties apply for failure to comply with these rules.

Investor Reporting Obligations With Respect To Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts

Investors that are U.S. persons and own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of a Portfolio could be required to report annually their “financial interest” in the Portfolio’s “foreign financial accounts,” if any, on FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

 

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Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements

Sections 1471-1474 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury and IRS guidance issued thereunder (collectively, “FATCA”) generally require a Portfolio to obtain information sufficient to identify the status of each of its investors under FATCA or under an applicable intergovernmental agreement (an “IGA”) between the United States and a foreign government. If an investor fails to provide the requested information or otherwise fails to comply with FATCA or an IGA, the Portfolio may be required to withhold under FATCA at a rate of 30% with respect to that investor on certain types of income, including interest, dividends or gross proceeds realized on the sale or other disposition of any property which can produce U.S. source interest or dividends it distributes or allocates to that investor. The Portfolio may also be required to withhold under FATCA on the payment of gross proceeds to an investor in redemption of that investor’s interest in the Portfolio. Withholding on gross proceeds will be effective with respect to payments made on or after January 1, 2017 (which date, under recent Treasury guidance, is expected to be delayed until on or after January 1, 2019).

Each prospective investor is urged to consult its tax adviser regarding the applicability of FATCA and any other reporting requirements with respect to the prospective investor’s own situation, including investments through an intermediary.

General Considerations

The U.S. federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the specific U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in a Portfolio, as well as the effects of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under the current U.S. federal income tax law of an investment in the Portfolios. It is for general information only and not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in a Portfolio including in-kind transactions under all applicable tax laws and any proposed tax law changes.

Special tax considerations apply to investors in a Portfolio that intend to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs under Subchapter M of the Code. The foregoing discussion does not attempt to address the special tax consequences to those investors or to their shareholders; shareholders of a RIC that invests in a Portfolio should consult the prospectus and SAI for the RIC in which they invest.

ITEM 25. UNDERWRITERS

Investment companies, common and commingled trust funds and similar organizations and entities may continuously invest in the Portfolio.

ITEM 26. CALCULATION OF PERFOMANCE DATA

Not applicable.

ITEM 27. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 for the Equity 500 Index Portfolio, the Money Market Portfolio, the U.S. Government Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio, and the Treasury Plus Portfolio are included in the Annual Reports of the Trust, which were filed with the SEC on March 4, 2016 as part of the Trust’s filing on Form N-CSR, are incorporated into this Part B by reference. Copies of the Trust’s annual reports and semiannual reports are available, without charge, upon request, by calling (866) 392-0869 or by written request to the Trust at the address above.

 

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APPENDIX A

RATINGS OF DEBT INSTRUMENTS

MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. (“MOODY’S”) – LONG TERM DEBT RATINGS. The following is a description of Moody’s debt instrument ratings.

Aaa – Bonds that are rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

Aa – Bonds that are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A – Bonds that are rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa – Baa rated bonds are considered medium-grade obligations, and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics and are subject to moderate credit risk.

Ba – Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B and Lower – Bonds which are rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk. Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk. Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest. Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest .

Moody’s applies numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a midrange ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

P-1 – Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers (or supporting institutions) to honor short-term financial obligations. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months. The designation “Prime-1” or “P-1” indicates a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2 – Issuers (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3 – Issuers (or supporting institutions) have an acceptable ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

STANDARD & POOR’S RATING GROUP (“S&P”). S&P’s ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations: (i) the likelihood of default – capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the timely payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation; (ii) the nature of and provisions of the obligation; and (iii) the protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

AAA – Bonds rated AAA are highest grade debt obligations. This rating indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay principal and interest.

AA – Bonds rated AA also qualify as high-quality obligations. Their capacity to pay principal and interest is very strong, and in the majority of instances they differ from AAA issues only by a small degree .

A – Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay principal and interest, although they are more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than bonds in higher-rated categories.

BBB – Bonds rated BBB exhibit adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and principal.

BB and Lower – Bonds rated BB, B, CCC, CC, and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While such bonds may have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.

The ratings AA to C may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

A-1- Standard & Poor’s short-term issue credit ratings are current assessments of the likelihood of timely payments of debt having original maturity of no more than 365 days. The A-1 designation indicates that the capacity for payment is extremely strong.

 

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A-2- The capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is strong. However, a short-term debt with this rating is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debts in higher rating categories.

Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

FITCH RATINGS. (“FITCH”).

Fitch Ratings cover a global spectrum of corporate, sovereign (including supranational and sub-national), financial, bank, insurance, municipal and other public finance entities and the securities or other obligations they issue.

AAA – Highest credit quality. ‘AAA’ ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA – Very high credit quality. ‘AA’ ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A High credit quality. ‘A’ ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB – Good credit quality. ‘BBB’ ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

BB Speculative – ‘BB’ ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists which supports the servicing of financial commitments.

Fitch Rating’s appends the modifiers “+” or “-” to denote relative status within the major rating categories.

A short-term rating has a time horizon of up to 13 months for most obligations, or up to 36 months for US public finance securities, and thus places greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner.

F1. Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

F2. Good short-term credit quality. A Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

F3. Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

B. Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

C. High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

D. Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation.

E. Restricted Default. Indicates an entity has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations.

 

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APPENDIX B

SSGA FUNDS

STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS

STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

As of February 13, 2014

The Boards of Trustees of the SSGA Funds, State Street Master Funds, State Street Institutional Investment Trust (each a “Trust”)1 have adopted the following policy and procedures with respect to voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Trust’s investment portfolios.

 

1. Proxy Voting Policy

The policy of the Trust is to delegate the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Trust to SSGA Funds Management, Inc., the Trust’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), subject to the Trustees’ continuing oversight.

 

2. Fiduciary Duty

The right to vote proxies with respect to a portfolio security held by the Trust is an asset of the Trust. The Adviser acts as a fiduciary of the Trust and must vote proxies in a manner consistent with the best interest of the Trust and its shareholders.

 

3. Proxy Voting Procedures

A. At least annually, the Adviser shall present to the Board its policies, procedures and other guidelines for voting proxies (“Policy”). In addition, the Adviser shall notify the Trustees of material changes to its Policy promptly and not later than the next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees after such amendment is implemented.

B. With respect to any proxies that the Adviser has identified as involving a conflict of interest, the Adviser shall submit a report indicating the nature of the conflict of interest and how that conflict was resolved with respect to the voting of the proxy at the next regular meeting of the Board or Trustees. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” shall be deemed to occur when the Adviser, the principal underwriter of the Trust (the “Principal Underwriter”) or an affiliated person of the Adviser or the Principal Underwriter has a financial interest in a matter presented by a proxy to be voted on behalf of a Trust, other than the obligations the Adviser or the Principal Underwriter incurs as a service provider to the Trust, which may compromise the Adviser’s or Principal Underwriter’s independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy.

C. At least annually, the Adviser shall inform the Trustees that a record is available with respect to each proxy voted with respect to portfolio securities of the Trust during the year. Also see Section 5 below.

 

4. Revocation of Authority to Vote

The delegation by the Trustees of the authority to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Trust may be revoked by the Trustees, in whole or in part, at any time.

 

 

1  Unless otherwise noted, the singular term “Trust” used throughout this document means each of SSGA Funds, State Street Master Funds and State Street Institutional Investment Trust.

 

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5. Annual Filing of Proxy Voting Record

The Adviser shall provide the required data for each proxy voted with respect to portfolio securities of the Trust to the Trust or its designated service provider in a timely manner and in a format acceptable to be filed in the Trust’s annual proxy voting report on Form N-PX for the twelve-month period ended June 30. Form N-PX is required to be filed not later than August 31 of each year.

 

6. Disclosures

 

  A. The Trust shall include in its registration statement:

1. A description of this policy and of the policies and procedures used by the Adviser to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities; and

2. A statement disclosing that information regarding how the Trust voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust’s toll-free telephone number; or through a specified Internet address; or both; and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) website.

 

  B. The Trust shall include in its annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders:

1. A statement disclosing that a description of the policies and procedures used by or on behalf of the Trust to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Funds is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust’s toll-free telephone number; through a specified Internet address, if applicable; and on the SEC’s website; and

2. A statement disclosing that information regarding how the Trust voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust’s toll-free telephone number; or through a specified Internet address; or both; and on the SEC’s website.

 

7. Review of Policy

The Trustees shall review this policy to determine its continued sufficiency as necessary from time to time.

 

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APPENDIX C

 

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March 2016

FM Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles

SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (“SSGA FM”), one of the industry’s largest institutional asset managers, is the investment management arm of State Street Bank and Trust Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation, a leading provider of financial services to institutional investors. As an investment manager, SSGA FM has discretionary proxy voting authority over most of its client accounts, and SSGA FM votes these proxies in the manner that we believe will most likely protect and promote the long-term economic value of client investments as described in the SSGA FM Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles.

 

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FM Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles

 

SSGA FM maintains Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines for select markets, including: the US, the EU, the UK, Australia, emerging markets and Japan. International markets that do not have specific guidelines are reviewed and voted consistent with our Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles; however, SSGA FM also endeavors to show sensitivity to local market practices when voting in these various markets.

SSGA FM’s Approach to Proxy Voting and Issuer Engagement

At SSGA FM, we take our fiduciary duties as an asset manager very seriously. We have a dedicated team of corporate governance professionals who help us carry out our duties as a responsible investor. These duties include engaging with companies, developing and enhancing in-house corporate governance policies, analyzing corporate governance issues on a case-by-case basis at the company level, and exercising our voting rights—all to maximize shareholder value.

SSGA FM’s Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles (the “Principles”) may take different perspectives on common governance issues that vary from one market to another and, likewise, engagement activity may take different forms in order to best achieve long-term engagement goals. We believe that proxy voting and engagement with portfolio companies is often the most direct and productive way shareholders can exercise their ownership rights, and taken together, we view these tools to be an integral part of the overall investment process.

We believe engagement and voting activity have a direct relationship. As a result, the integration of our engagement activities, while leveraging the exercise of our voting rights, provides a meaningful shareholder tool that we believe protects and enhances the long-term economic value of the holdings in our client accounts. SSGA FM maximizes its voting power and engagement by maintaining a centralized proxy voting and active ownership process covering all holdings, regardless of strategy. Despite the different investment views and objectives across SSGA FM, depending on the product or strategy, the fiduciary responsibilities of share ownership and voting for which SSGA FM has voting discretion are carried out with a single voice and objective.

The Principles support governance structures that we believe add to, or maximize shareholder value at the companies held in our clients’ portfolios. SSGA FM conducts issuer specific engagements with companies to discuss our principles, including sustainability related risks. In addition, we encourage issuers to find ways of increasing the amount of direct communication board members have with shareholders. We believe direct communication with executive board members and independent non-executive

directors is critical to helping companies understand shareholder concerns. Conversely, where appropriate, we conduct collaborative engagement activities with multiple shareholders and communicate with company representatives about common concerns.

In conducting our engagements, SSGA FM also evaluates the various factors that play into the corporate governance framework of a country, including the macroeconomic conditions and broader political system, the quality of regulatory oversight, the enforcement of property and shareholder rights and the independence of the judiciary to name a few. SSGA FM understands that regulatory requirements and investor expectations relating to governance practices and engagement activities differ from country-to-country. As a result, SSGA FM engages with issuers, regulators, or both, depending on the market. SSGA FM also is a member of various investor associations that seek to address broader corporate governance related policy at the country level as well as issuer specific concerns at a company level.

To help mitigate company specific risk, the team may collaborate with members of the active investment teams to engage with companies on corporate governance issues and address any specific concerns, or to get more information regarding shareholder items that are to be voted on at upcoming shareholder meetings. Outside of proxy voting season, SSGA FM conducts issuer specific engagements with companies covering various corporate governance and sustainability related topics.

The SSGA Governance Team uses a blend of quantitative and qualitative research and data to support screens to help identify issuers where active engagement may be necessary to protect and promote shareholder value. Issuer engagement may also be event driven, focusing on issuer specific corporate governance, sustainability concerns or wider industry related trends. SSGA FM also gives consideration to the size of our total position of the issuer in question and/or the potential negative governance, performance profile, and circumstance at hand. As a result, SSGA FM believes issuer engagement can take many forms and be triggered under numerous circumstances. The following methods represent how SSGA FM defines engagement methods:

Active

SSGA FM uses screening tools designed to capture a mix of company specific data including governance and sustainability profiles to help us focus our voting and engagement activity.

 

 

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SSGA FM will actively seek direct dialogue with the board and management of companies we have identified through our screening processes. Such engagements may lead to further monitoring to ensure the company improves its governance or sustainability practices. In these cases, the engagement process represents the most meaningful opportunity for SSGA FM to protect long-term shareholder value from excessive risk due to poor governance and sustainability practices.

Reactive

Reactive engagement is initiated by the issuers. SSGA FM routinely discusses specific voting issues and items with the issuer community. Reactive engagement is an opportunity to address not only voting items, but also a wide range of governance and sustainability issues.

SSGA FM has established an engagement protocol that further describes our approach to issuer engagement.

Measurement

Assessing the effectiveness of our issuer engagement process is often difficult. To limit the subjectivity of measuring our success we actively seek issuer feedback and monitor the actions issuers take post-engagement to identify tangible changes. By doing so, we are able to establish indicators to gauge how issuers respond to our concerns and to what degree these responses satisfy our requests. It is also important to note that successful engagement activity can be measured over differing time periods depending on the facts and circumstances involved. Engagements can last as short as a single meeting or span multiple years.

Depending on the issue and whether the engagement activity is reactive, recurring, or active, engagement with issuers can take the form of written communication, conference calls, or face-to-face meetings. SSGA FM believes active engagement is best conducted directly with company management or board members. Collaborative engagement, where multiple shareholders communicate with company representatives, can serve as a potential forum for issues that are not identified by SSGA FM as requiring active engagement, such as shareholder conference calls.

Proxy Voting Procedure

Oversight

The SSGA Corporate Governance Team is responsible for developing and implementing the Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), case-by-case voting items, issuer engagement activities, and research and analysis of governance-related issues. The implementation of the Guidelines is overseen by the SSGA Global Proxy Review Committee (“SSGA PRC”), a committee of investment, compliance and legal professionals, who provide guidance on proxy issues as described in greater detail below. Oversight of the proxy voting process is ultimately the responsibility of the

SSGA Investment Committee. The SSGA Investment Committee reviews and approves amendments to the Guidelines. The SSGA PRC reports to the SSGA Investment Committee, and may refer certain significant proxy items to that committee.

Proxy Voting Process

In order to facilitate SSGA FM’s proxy voting process, SSGA FM retains Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), a firm with expertise in proxy voting and corporate governance. SSGA FM utilizes ISS’s services in three ways: (1) as SSGA FM’s proxy voting agent (providing SSGA FM with vote execution and administration services); (2) for applying the Guidelines; and (3) as providers of research and analysis relating to general corporate governance issues and specific proxy items.

The SSGA Corporate Governance Team reviews the Guidelines with ISS on an annual basis or on a case-by-case basis as needed. On most routine proxy voting items (e.g., ratification of auditors), ISS will affect the proxy votes in accordance with the Guidelines.

In other cases, the Corporate Governance Team will evaluate the proxy solicitation to determine how to vote based on facts and circumstances, consistent with the Principles, and the accompanying Guidelines, that seek to maximize the value of our client accounts.

In some instances, the Corporate Governance Team may refer significant issues to the SSGA PRC for a determination of the proxy vote. In addition, in determining whether to refer a proxy vote to the SSGA PRC, the Corporate Governance Team will consider whether a material conflict of interest exists between the interests of our client and those of SSGA FM or its affiliates (as explained in greater detail in our “Conflict of Interest” Policy).

SSGA FM votes in all markets where it is feasible; however, SSGA FM may refrain from voting meetings when power of attorney documentation is required, where voting will have a material impact on our ability to trade the security, where issuer-specific special documentation is required, or where various market or issuer certifications are required. SSGA FM is unable to vote proxies when certain custodians, used by our clients, do not offer proxy voting in a jurisdiction, or when they charge a meeting specific fee in excess of the typical custody service agreement.

Conflict of Interest

See SSGA’s standalone Conflicts of Interest Policy.

 

 

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Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles

Directors and Boards

The election of directors is one of the most important fiduciary duties SSGA FM performs as a shareholder. SSGA FM believes that well-governed companies can protect and pursue shareholder interests better and withstand the challenges of an uncertain economic environment. As such, SSGA FM seeks to vote director elections in a way which we, as a fiduciary, believe will maximize the long-term value of each portfolio’s holdings.

Principally, a board acts on behalf of shareholders by protecting their interests and preserving their rights. This concept establishes the standard by which board and director performance is measured. To achieve this fundamental principle, the role of the board, in SSGA FM’s view, is to carry out its responsibilities in the best long-term interest of the company and its shareholders. An independent and effective board oversees management, provides guidance on strategic matters, selects the CEO and other senior executives, creates a succession plan for the board and management, provides risk oversight and assesses the performance of the CEO and management. In contrast, management implements the business and capital allocation strategies and runs the company’s day-to-day operations. As part of SSGA FM’s engagement process, SSGA FM routinely discusses the importance of these responsibilities with the boards of issuers.

SSGA FM believes the quality of a board is a measure of director independence, director succession planning, board evaluations and refreshment and company governance practices. In voting to elect nominees, SSGA FM considers many factors. SSGA FM believes independent directors are crucial to good corporate governance and help management establish sound corporate governance policies and practices. A sufficiently independent board will effectively monitor management, maintain appropriate governance practices and perform oversight functions necessary to protect shareholder interests. SSGA FM also believes the right mix of skills, independence and qualifications among directors provides boards with the knowledge and direct experience to deal with risks and operating structures that are often unique and complex from one industry to another.

Accounting and Audit Related Issues

SSGA FM believes audit committees are critical and necessary as part of the board’s risk oversight role. The audit committee is responsible for setting out an internal audit function to provide robust audit and internal control systems designed to effectively manage potential and emerging risks to the company’s operations and strategy. SSGA FM believes audit committees should have independent directors as members, and SSGA FM will hold the members of the audit committee responsible for overseeing the management of the audit function.

The disclosure and availability of reliable financial statements in a timely manner is imperative for the investment process. As a result, board oversight of the internal controls and the independence of the audit process are essential if investors are to rely on financial statements. Also, it is important for the audit committee to appoint external auditors who are independent from management as we expect auditors to provide assurance as of a company’s financial condition.

Capital Structure, Reorganization and Mergers

The ability to raise capital is critical for companies to carry out strategy, grow and achieve returns above their cost of capital. The approval of capital raising activities is fundamental to a shareholders’ ability to monitor the amounts of proceeds and to ensure capital is deployed efficiently. Altering the capital structure of a company is a critical decision for boards and in making such a critical decision, SSGA FM believes the company should have a well explained business rationale that is consistent with corporate strategy and not overly dilutive to its shareholders.

Mergers or reorganizing the structure of a company often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation.

Proposals that are in the best interests of the shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company’s operations, will be supported. In evaluating mergers and acquisitions, SSGA FM considers the adequacy of the consideration and the impact of the corporate governance provisions to shareholders. In all cases, SSGA FM uses its discretion in order to maximize shareholder value.

Occasionally, companies add anti-takeover provisions that reduce the chances of a potential acquirer making an offer, or reducing the likelihood of a successful offer. SSGA FM does not support proposals that reduce shareholders’ rights, entrench management or reduce the likelihood of shareholders’ right to vote on reasonable offers.

Compensation

SSGA FM considers the board’s responsibility to include setting the appropriate level of executive compensation. Despite the differences among the types of plans and the awards possible, there is a simple underlying philosophy that guides SSGA FM’s analysis of executive compensation; SSGA FM believes that there should be a direct relationship between executive compensation and company performance over the long-term.

 

 

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Shareholders should have the opportunity to assess whether pay structures and levels are aligned with business performance. When assessing remuneration reports, SSGA FM considers factors such as adequate disclosure of different remuneration elements, absolute and relative pay levels, peer selection and benchmarking, the mix of long-term and short-term incentives, alignment of pay structures with shareholder interests, as well as with corporate strategy and performance. SSGA FM may oppose remuneration reports where pay seems misaligned with shareholders’ interests. SSGA FM may also consider executive compensation practices when re-electing members of the remuneration committee.

SSGA FM recognizes that compensation policies and practices are unique from market to market; often with significant differences between the level of disclosures, the amount and forms of compensation paid, and the ability of shareholders to approve executive compensation practices. As a result, our ability to assess the appropriateness of executive compensation is often dependent on market practices and laws.

Environmental and Social Issues

As a fiduciary, SSGA FM considers the financial and economic implications of environmental and social issues first and foremost. Environmental and social factors may not only have an impact on the reputation of companies but may also represent significant operational risks and costs to business. Well-developed environmental and social management systems can generate efficiencies and enhance productivity, both of which impact shareholder value in the long-term.

SSGA FM encourages companies to be transparent about the environmental and social risks and opportunities they face and adopt robust policies and processes to manage such issues. In our view, companies that manage all risks and consider opportunities related to environmental and social issues are able to adapt faster to changes and appear to be better placed to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the long-term. Similarly, companies with good risk management systems, which include environmental and social policies, have a stronger position relative to their peers to manage risk and change, which could be the result of anything from regulation and litigation, physical threats (severe weather, climate change), economic trends to shifts in consumer behavior.

In their public reporting, we expect companies to disclose information on relevant management tools and material environmental and social performance metrics. We support efforts by companies to demonstrate how sustainability fits into operations and business activities. SSGA FM’s team of analysts evaluates these risks and shareholder proposals relating to them on an issuer by issuer basis; understanding that environmental and social risks can vary widely depending on a company, its industry, operations, and geographic footprint. SSGA FM may also take action against the re-election of board members if we have serious concerns over ESG practices and the company has not been responsive to shareholder requests to amend them.

General/Routine

Although SSGA FM does not seek involvement in the day-to-day operations of an organization, SSGA FM recognizes the need for conscientious oversight and input into management decisions that may affect a company’s value. SSGA FM supports proposals that encourage economically advantageous corporate practices and governance, while leaving decisions that are deemed to be routine or constitute ordinary business to management and the board of directors.

Fixed Income Stewardship

The two elements of SSGA FM’s fixed income stewardship program are:

Proxy Voting:

While matters that come up for a vote at bondholder meetings vary by jurisdiction, examples of common proxy voting resolutions at bondholder meetings include:

 

    Approving amendments to debt covenants and/or terms of issuance;

 

    Authorizing procedural matters such as filing of required documents/other formalities;

 

    Approving debt restructuring plans;

 

    Abstaining from challenging the bankruptcy trustees;

 

    Authorizing repurchase of issued debt security;

 

    Approving the placement of unissued debt securities under the control of directors; and,

 

    Approve spin-off/absorption proposals.

Given the nature of the items that come up for vote at bondholder meetings, SSGA FM takes a case-by-case approach to voting bondholder resolutions. Where necessary, SSGA FM will engage with issuers on voting matters prior to arriving at voting decisions. All voting decisions will be made in the best interest of our clients.

Issuer Engagement:

SSGA FM recognizes that debt holders have limited leverage with companies on a day-to-day basis. However, we believe that given the size of our holdings in corporate debt, SSGA FM can meaningfully influence ESG practices of companies through issuer engagement. Our guidelines for engagement with fixed income issuers broadly follow the engagement guidelines for our equity holdings as described above.

 

 

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Securities on Loan

For funds where SSGA FM acts as trustee, SSGA FM may recall securities in instances where SSGA FM believes that a particular vote will have a material impact on the fund(s). Several factors shape this process. First, SSGA FM must receive notice of the vote in sufficient time to recall the shares on or before the record date. In many cases, SSGA FM does not receive timely notice, and is unable to recall the shares on or before the record date. Second, SSGA FM, exercising its discretion, may recall shares if it believes the benefit of voting shares will outweigh the foregone lending income. This determination requires SSGA FM, with the information available at the time, to form judgments about events or outcomes that are difficult to quantify. Given past experience in this area, however, we believe that the recall of securities will rarely provide an economic benefit that outweighs the cost of the foregone lending income.

Reporting

Any client who wishes to receive information on how its proxies were voted should contact its SSGA FM relationship manager.

 

 

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ssga.com

For Public Use

 

State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066

155. State Street Global Advisors Italy, Sede Secondaria di Milano, Via dei Bossi, 4 20121 Milan, Italy. T: +39 02 32066 100. F: +39 02 32066 155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association. Netherlands: State Street Global Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D). T: +65 6826 7500. F: +65 6826 7501. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

Investing involves risk including the risk of loss of principal.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.

 

 

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March 2016

Managing Conflicts of Interest Arising From SSGA’S Proxy Voting and Engagement Activity

State Street Corporation has a comprehensive standalone Conflicts of Interest Policy and other policies that address a range of conflicts of interests identified by our parent company. In addition, SSGA maintains a conflicts register that identifies key conflicts and describes systems in place to mitigate the conflicts. This policy is designed to act in conjunction with related policies and practices employed by other groups within the organization. Further, they complement those policies and practices by providing specific guidance on managing the conflicts of interests that may arise through SSGA’s proxy voting activities.

 

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Managing Conflicts of Interest Arising From SSGA’S Proxy Voting and Engagement Activity

 

Managing Conflicts of Interest Related to Proxy Voting

 

SSGA has policies and procedures designed to prevent undue influence on SSGA’s voting activities that may arise from relationships between proxy issuers or companies and State Street Corporation (“STT”) SSGA, SSGA affiliates, SSGA Funds or SSGA Fund affiliates.

Protocols designed to help mitigate potential conflicts of interest include:

 

    Providing sole voting discretion to members of SSGA’s Corporate Governance Team. Members of the corporate governance team may from time to time discuss views on proxy voting matters, company performance, strategy etc. with other STT or SSGA employees including portfolio managers, senior executives and relationship managers. However, final voting decisions are made solely by the corporate governance team, in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of all clients, taking into account various perspectives on risks and opportunities with a view of maximizing the value of client assets;

 

    Exercising a singular vote decision for each ballot item regardless of SSGA’s investment strategy;

 

    Prohibiting members of SSGA’s corporate governance team from disclosing SSGA’s voting decision to any individual not affiliated with the proxy voting process prior to the meeting or date of written consent, as the case may be;

 

    Mandatory disclosure by members of the SSGA’s Corporate Governance Team, Global Proxy Review Committee (“PRC”) and Investment Committee (“IC”) of any personal conflict of interest (e.g., familial relationship with company management, serves as a director on the board of a listed company) to the Head of the Corporate Governance Team. Members are required to recuse themselves from any engagement or proxy voting activities related to the conflict;
    In certain instances, client accounts and/or SSGA pooled funds, where SSGA acts as trustee, may hold shares in STT or other SSGA affiliated entities, such as mutual funds affiliated with SSGA Funds Management, Inc. In general, SSGA will outsource any voting decision relating to a shareholder meeting of STT or other SSGA affiliated entities to independent outside third parties. Delegated third parties exercise vote decisions based upon SSGA’s in-house policies; and

 

    Reporting of voting policy overrides, if any, to the PRC on a quarterly basis.

In general, we do not believe matters that fall within the Guidelines and are voted consistently with the Guidelines present any potential conflicts, since the vote on the matter has effectively been determined without reference to the soliciting entity. However, where matters do not fall within the Guidelines or where we believe that voting in accordance with the Guidelines is unwarranted, we conduct an additional review to determine whether there is a conflict of interest. In circumstances where a conflict has been identified and either: (i) the matter does not fall clearly within the Guidelines; or (ii) SSGA determines that voting in accordance with such policies or guidance is not in the best interests of its clients, the Head of SSGA’s Corporate Governance Team will determine whether a Material Relationship exists. If so, the matter is referred to the SSGA PRC. The SSGA PRC then reviews the matter and determines whether a conflict of interest exists, and if so, how to best resolve such conflict. For example, the SSGA PRC may (i) determine that the proxy vote does not give rise to a conflict due to the issues presented, (ii) refer the matter to the SSGA Investment Committee for further evaluation or (iii) retain an independent fiduciary to determine the appropriate vote.

 

 

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State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066

155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association.

Netherlands: State Street Global Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D). T: +65 6826 7500. F: +65 6826 7501. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.

 

 
State Street Global Advisors   

© 2016 State Street Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

INST-6331 0316 Exp. Date: 03/31/2017

 

  


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March 2016

FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

United States

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.’s (“SSGA FM”)US Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines outline our expectations of companies listed on stock exchanges in the US. This policy complements and should be read in conjunction with SSGA FM’s Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles, which provide a detailed explanation of SSGA FM’s approach to voting and engaging with companies and SSGA’s Conflicts of Interest Policy.

 

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FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

 

SSGA FM’s US Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines address areas including board structure, director tenure, audit related issues, capital structure, executive compensation, environmental, social and other governance related issues. Principally, we believe the primary responsibility of the board of directors is to preserve and enhance shareholder value and protect shareholder interests. In order to carry out their primary responsibilities, directors have to undertake activities that range from setting strategy, overseeing executive management to monitoring the risks that arise from a company’s business, including risks related to sustainability issues. Further, good corporate governance necessitates the existence of effective internal controls and risk management systems, which should be governed by the board.

When voting and engaging with companies in global markets, SSGA FM considers market specific nuances in the manner that we believe will most likely protect and promote the long-term economic value of client investments. SSGA FM expects companies to observe the relevant laws and regulations of their respective markets as well as country specific best practice guidelines and corporate governance codes. When we feel that a country’s regulatory requirements do not address some of the key philosophical principles that SSGA FM believes are fundamental to its global voting guidelines, we may hold companies in such markets to our global standards.

In its analysis and research into corporate governance issues in the US, SSGA FM expects all companies to act in a transparent manner and provide detailed disclosure on board profiles, related-party transactions, executive compensation and other governance issues that impact shareholders’ long-term interests.

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Philosophy

In our view, corporate governance and sustainability issues are an integral part of the investment process. The Corporate Governance Team consists of investment professionals with expertise in corporate governance and company law, remuneration, accounting as well as environmental and social issues. SSGA FM has established robust corporate governance principles and practices that are backed with extensive analytical expertise to understand the complexities of the corporate governance landscape. SSGA FM engages with companies to provide insight on the principles and practices that drive our voting decisions. We also conduct proactive engagements to address significant shareholder concerns and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) issues in a manner consistent with maximizing shareholder value.

The team works alongside members of SSGA FM’s active investment teams; collaborating on issuer engagements and providing input on company specific fundamentals. SSGA FM is also a member of various investor associations that seek to address broader corporate governance related policy issues in the US.

SSGA FM is a signatory to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (“UNPRI”) and is compliant with the UK Stewardship Code. We are committed to sustainable investing and are working to further integrate ESG principles into investment and corporate governance practices, where applicable and consistent with our fiduciary duty.

Directors and Boards

SSGA FM believes that a well constituted board of directors, with a good balance of skills, expertise and independence, provides the foundations for a well governed company. SSGA FM votes for the election/re-election of directors on a case-by-case basis after considering various factors including general market practice and availability of information on director skills and expertise. In principle, SSGA FM believes independent directors are crucial to good corporate governance and help management establish sound corporate governance policies and practices. A sufficiently independent board will most effectively monitor management and perform oversight functions necessary to protect shareholder interests.

Director related proposals at US companies include issues submitted to shareholders that deal with the composition of the board or with members of a corporation’s board of directors. In deciding which director nominee to support, SSGA FM considers numerous factors.

Director Elections

SSGA FM’s director election policy focuses on companies’ governance profile to identify if a company demonstrates appropriate governance practices or if it exhibits negative governance practices. Factors SSGA FM considers when evaluating governance practices include, but are not limited to the following:

 

    Shareholder rights;

 

    Board independence; and

 

    Board structure.

If a company demonstrates appropriate governance practices, SSGA FM believes a director should be classified as independent based on the relevant listing standards or local market practice standards. In such cases, the composition of the key oversight committees of a board

 

 

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should meet the minimum standards of independence. Accordingly, SSGA FM will vote against a nominee at a company with appropriate governance practices if the director is classified as non-independent under relevant listing standards or local market practice AND serves on a key committee of the board (compensation, audit, nominating or committees required to be fully independent by local market standards).

Conversely, if a company demonstrates negative governance practices, SSGA FM believes the classification standards for director independence should be elevated. In such circumstances, we will evaluate all director nominees based on the following classification standards:

 

    Is the nominee an employee of or related to an employee of the issuer or its auditor;

 

    Does the nominee provide professional services to the issuer;

 

    Has the nominee attended an appropriate number of board meetings; or

 

    Has the nominee received non-board related compensation from the issuer.

Where companies demonstrate negative governance practices, these stricter standards will apply not only to directors who are a member of a key committee but to all directors on the board as market practice permits. Accordingly, SSGA FM will vote against a nominee (with the exception of the CEO) where the board has inappropriate governance practices and is considered not independent based on the above independence criteria.

Additionally, SSGA FM may withhold votes from directors based on the following:

 

    When overall average board tenure is excessive and/or individual director tenure is excessive. In assessing excessive tenure, SSGA FM gives consideration to factors such as the preponderance of long tenured directors, board refreshment practices, and classified board structures;

 

    When directors attend less than 75% of board meetings without appropriate explanation or providing reason for their failure to meet the attendance threshold;

 

    CEOs of a public company who sit on more than three public company boards;
    Director nominees who sit on more than six public company boards;

 

    Directors of companies that have not been responsive to a shareholder proposal which received a majority shareholder support at the last annual or special meeting; consideration maybe given if management submits the proposal(s) on the ballot as a binding management proposal, recommending shareholders vote for the particular proposal(s);

 

    Directors of companies have unilaterally adopted/ amended company bylaws that negatively impact SSGA FM’s shareholder rights (such as fee-shifting, forum selection and exclusion service bylaws) without putting such amendments to a shareholder vote;

 

    Compensation committee members where there is a weak relationship between executive pay and performance over a five-year period;

 

    Audit committee members if non-audit fees exceed 50% of total fees paid to the auditors; and

 

    Directors who appear to have been remiss in their duties.

Director Related Proposals

SSGA FM generally votes for the following director related proposals:

 

    Discharge of board members’ duties, in the absence of pending litigation, regulatory investigation, charges of fraud or other indications of significant concern;

 

    Proposals to restore shareholders’ ability to remove directors with or without cause;

 

    Proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies; and

 

    Shareholder proposals seeking disclosure regarding the company, board, or compensation committee’s use of compensation consultants, such as company name, business relationship(s) and fees paid.
 

 

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SSGA FM generally votes against the following director related proposals:

 

    Requirements that candidates for directorships own large amounts of stock before being eligible to be elected;

 

    Proposals that relate to the “transaction of other business as properly comes before the meeting”, which extend “blank check” powers to those acting as proxy; and

 

    Proposals requiring two candidates per board seat.

Majority Voting

SSGA FM will generally support a majority vote standard based on votes cast for the election of directors.

SSGA FM will generally vote to support amendments to by-laws that would require simple majority of voting shares (i.e. shares cast) to pass or repeal certain provisions.

Annual Elections

SSGA FM generally supports the establishment of annual elections of the board of directors. Consideration is given to the overall level of board independence and the independence of the key committees as well as whether there is a shareholders rights plan.

Cumulative Voting

SSGA FM does not support cumulative voting structures for the election of directors.

Separation Chair/CEO

SSGA FM analyzes proposals for the separation of Chair/CEO on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration numerous factors, including but not limited to, the appointment of and role played by a lead director, a company’s performance and the overall governance structure of the company.

Proxy Access

In general, SSGA FM believes that proxy access is a fundamental right and an accountability mechanism for all long-term shareholders. SSGA FM will consider proposals relating to Proxy Access on a case-by-case basis. SSGA FM will support shareholder proposals that set parameters to empower long-term shareholders while providing management the flexibility to design a process that is appropriate for the company’s circumstances.

SSGA FM will review the terms of all other proposals and will support those proposals that have been introduced in the spirit of enhancing shareholder rights.

Considerations include but are not limited to the following:

 

    The ownership thresholds and holding duration proposed in the resolution;

 

    The binding nature of the proposal;
    The number of directors that shareholders may be able to nominate each year;

 

    Company governance structure;

 

    Shareholder rights; and

 

    Board performance.

Age/Term Limits

Generally, SSGA FM will vote against age and term limits unless the company is found to have poor board refreshment and director succession practices and has a preponderance of non-executive directors with excessively long tenures serving on the board.

Approve Remuneration of Directors

Generally, SSGA FM will support directors’ compensation, provided the amounts are not excessive relative to other issuers in the market or industry. In making our determination, we review whether the compensation is overly dilutive to existing shareholders.

Indemnification

Generally, SSGA FM supports proposals to limit directors’ liability and/or expand indemnification and liability protection if he or she has not acted in bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

Classified Boards

SSGA FM generally supports annual elections for the board of directors.

Confidential Voting

SSGA FM will support confidential voting.

Board Size

SSGA FM will support proposals seeking to fix the board size or designate a range for the board size and will vote against proposals that give management the ability to alter the size of the board outside of a specified range without shareholder approval.

Audit Related Issues

Ratifying Auditors and Approving Auditor Compensation

SSGA FM supports the approval of auditors and auditor compensation provided that the issuer has properly disclosed audit and non-audit fees relative to market practice and the audit fees are not deemed excessive. SSGA FM deems audit fees to be excessive if the non-audit fees for the prior year constituted 50% or more of the total fees paid to the auditor. SSGA FM will support the disclosure of auditor and consulting relationships when the same or related entities are conducting both activities and will support the establishment of a selection committee responsible for the final approval of significant management consultant contract awards where existing firms are already acting in an auditing function.

 

 

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In circumstances where “other” fees include fees related to initial public offerings, bankruptcy emergence, and spin-offs, and the company makes public disclosure of the amount and nature of those fees which are determined to be an exception to the standard “non-audit fee” category, then such fees may be excluded from the non-audit fees considered in determining the ratio of non-audit to audit/audit-related fees/tax compliance and preparation for purposes of determining whether non-audit fees are excessive.

SSGA FM will support the discharge of auditors and requirements that auditors attend the annual meeting of shareholders.1

Capital Related Issues

Capital structure proposals include requests by management for approval of amendments to the certificate of incorporation that will alter the capital structure of the company.

The most common request is for an increase in the number of authorized shares of common stock, usually in conjunction with a stock split or dividend. Typically, requests that are not unreasonably dilutive or enhance the rights of common shareholders are supported. In considering authorized share proposals, the typical threshold for approval is 100% over current authorized shares. However, the threshold may be increased if the company offers a specific need or purpose (merger, stock splits, growth purposes, etc.). All proposals are evaluated on a case-by-case basis taking into account the company’s specific financial situation.

Increase in Authorized Common Shares

In general, SSGA FM supports share increases for general corporate purposes up to 100% of current authorized stock.

SSGA FM supports increases for specific corporate purposes up to 100% of the specific need plus 50% of current authorized common stock for US firms.

When applying the thresholds, SSGA FM will also consider the nature of the specific need, such as mergers and acquisitions and stock splits.

Increase in Authorized Preferred Shares

SSGA FM votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to increase the number of preferred shares.

Generally, SSGA FM will vote for the authorization of preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock appear reasonable.

SSGA FM will support proposals to create “declawed” blank check preferred stock (stock that cannot be used as a takeover defense). However, SSGA FM will vote against proposals to increase the number of blank check preferred stock authorized for issuance when no shares have been issued or reserved for a specific purpose.

Unequal Voting Rights

SSGA FM will not support proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of common stock with superior voting rights and will vote against new classes of preferred stock with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights. In addition, SSGA FM will not support capitalization changes that add “blank check” classes of stock (i.e. classes of stock with undefined voting rights) or classes that dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders.

However, SSGA FM will support capitalization changes that eliminate other classes of stock and/or unequal voting rights.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers or reorganizing the structure of a company often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation.

Proposals that are in the best interests of the shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company’s operations, will be supported.

In general, provisions that are not viewed as economically sound or are thought to be destructive to shareholders’ rights are not supported.

SSGA FM will generally support transactions that maximize shareholder value. Some of the considerations include, but are not limited to the following:

 

    Offer premium;

 

    Strategic rationale;

 

    Board oversight of the process for the recommended transaction, including, director and/or management conflicts of interest;

 

    Offers made at a premium and where there are no other higher bidders; and

 

    Offers in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value.
 

 

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SSGA FM may vote against a transaction considering the following:

 

    Offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock, especially in some non-US markets;

 

    Offers where we believe there is a reasonable prospect for an enhanced bid or other bidders; and

 

    At the time of voting, the current market price of the security exceeds the bid price.

Anti–Takeover Issues

Typically, these are proposals relating to requests by management to amend the certificate of incorporation or by-laws to add or delete a provision that is deemed to have an anti-takeover effect. The majority of these proposals deal with management’s attempt to add some provision that makes a hostile takeover more difficult or will protect incumbent management in the event of a change in control of the company.

Proposals that reduce shareholders’ rights or have the effect of entrenching incumbent management will not be supported.

Proposals that enhance the right of shareholders to make their own choices as to the desirability of a merger or other proposal are supported.

Shareholder Rights Plans

SSGA FM will support mandates requiring shareholder approval of a shareholder rights plans (“poison pill”) and repeals of various anti-takeover related provisions.

In general, SSGA FM will vote against the adoption or renewal of a US issuer’s shareholder rights plan (“poison pill”).

SSGA FM will vote for an amendment to a shareholder rights plan (“poison pill”) where the terms of the new plans are more favorable to shareholders’ ability to accept unsolicited offers (i.e. if one of the following conditions are met: (i) minimum trigger, flip-in or flip-over of 20%, (ii) maximum term of three years, (iii) no “dead hand,” “slow hand,” “no hand” or similar feature that limits the ability of a future board to redeem the pill, and (iv) inclusion of a shareholder redemption feature (qualifying offer clause), permitting ten percent of the shares to call a special meeting or seek a written consent to vote on rescinding the pill if the board refuses to redeem the pill 90 days after a qualifying offer is announced).

Special Meetings

SSGA FM will vote for shareholder proposals related to special meetings at companies that do not provide shareholders the right to call for a special meeting in their by-laws if:

 

    The company also does not allow shareholders to act by written consent; or

 

    The company allows shareholders to act by written consent but the ownership threshold for acting by written consent is set above 25% of outstanding shares.

SSGA FM will vote for shareholder proposals related to special meetings at companies that give shareholders (with a minimum 10% ownership threshold) the right to call for a special meeting in their bylaws if:

 

    The current ownership threshold to call for a special meeting is above 25% of outstanding shares.

SSGA FM will vote for management proposals related to special meetings.

Written Consent

SSGA FM will vote for shareholder proposals on written consent at companies if:

 

    The company does not have provisions in their by-laws giving shareholders the right to call for a special meeting; or

 

    The company allows shareholders the right to call for a special meeting but the current ownership threshold to call for a special meeting is above 25% of outstanding shares; and

 

    The company has a poor governance profile.

SSGA FM will vote management proposals on written consent on a case-by-case basis.

Super–Majority

SSGA FM will generally vote against amendments to by-laws requiring super-majority shareholder votes to pass or repeal certain provisions. SSGA FM will vote for the reduction or elimination of super-majority vote requirements, unless management of the issuer was concurrently seeking to or had previously made such a reduction or elimination.

 

 

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Remuneration Issues

Despite the differences among the types of plans and the awards possible there is a simple underlying philosophy that guides the analysis of all compensation plans; namely, are the terms of the plan designed to provide an incentive for executives and/or employees to align their interests with those of the shareholders and thus work toward enhancing shareholder value. Plans which benefit participants only when the shareholders also benefit are those most likely to be supported.

Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation and Frequency

SSGA FM believes executive compensation plays a critical role in aligning executives’ interest with shareholders’, attracting, retaining and incentivizing key talent, and ensuring positive correlation between the performance achieved by management and the benefits derived by shareholders. SSGA FM supports management proposals on executive compensation where there is a strong relationship between executive pay and performance over a five-year period. SSGA FM seeks adequate disclosure of different compensation elements, absolute and relative pay levels, peer selection and benchmarking, the mix of long term and short term incentives, alignment of pay structures with shareholder interests as well as with corporate strategy and performance. Further, shareholders should have the opportunity to assess whether pay structures and levels are aligned with business performance on an annual basis.

Employee Equity Award Plans

SSGA FM considers numerous criteria when examining equity award proposals. Generally, SSGA FM does not vote against plans for lack of performance or vesting criteria. Rather, the main criteria that will result in a vote against an equity award plan are:

Excessive voting power dilution To assess the dilutive effect, we divide the number of shares required to fully fund the proposed plan, the number of authorized but unissued shares and the issued but unexercised shares by the fully diluted share count. SSGA FM reviews that number in light of certain factors, including the industry of the issuer.

Historical option grants Excessive historical option grants over the past three years. Plans that provide for historical grant patterns of greater than five to eight percent are generally not supported.

Repricing SSGA FM will vote against any plan where repricing is expressly permitted. If a company has a history of repricing underwater options, the plan will not be supported.

Other criteria include the following:

 

    Number of participants or eligible employees;

 

    The variety of awards possible; and

 

    The period of time covered by the plan.

There are numerous factors that we view as negative, and together, may result in a vote against a proposal:

 

    Grants to individuals or very small groups of participants;

 

    “Gun-jumping” grants which anticipate shareholder approval of a plan or amendment;

 

    The power of the board to exchange “underwater” options without shareholder approval; this pertains to the ability of a company to reprice options, not the actual act of repricing described above;

 

    Below market rate loans to officers to exercise their options;

 

    The ability to grant options at less than fair market value;

 

    Acceleration of vesting automatically upon a change in control; and

 

    Excessive compensation (i.e. compensation plans which are deemed by SSGA FM to be overly dilutive).

Share Repurchases If a company makes a clear connection between a share repurchase program and its intent to offset dilution created from option plans and the company fully discloses the amount of shares being repurchased, the voting dilution calculation may be adjusted to account for the impact of the buy back.

Companies who do not (i) clearly state the intentions of any proposed share buy-back plan or (ii) disclose a definitive number of the shares to be bought back, (iii) specify the range of premium/discount to market price at which a company can repurchase shares and, (iv) disclose the time frame during which the shares will be bought back, will not have any such repurchase plan factored into the dilution calculation.

162(m) Plan Amendments If a plan would not normally meet the SSGA FM criteria described above, but is primarily being amended to add specific performance criteria to be used with awards designed to qualify for performance-based exception from the tax deductibility limitations of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, then SSGA FM will support the proposal to amend the plan.

 

 

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Employee Stock Option Plans

SSGA FM generally votes for stock purchase plans with an exercise price of not less than 85% of fair market value. However, SSGA FM takes market practice into consideration.

Compensation Related Items

SSGA FM will generally support the following proposals:

 

    Expansions to reporting of financial or compensation-related information, within reason; and

 

    Proposals requiring the disclosure of executive retirement benefits if the issuer does not have an independent compensation committee.

SSGA FM will generally vote against the following proposals:

 

    Retirement bonuses for non-executive directors and auditors.

Miscellaneous/Routine Items

SSGA FM generally supports the following miscellaneous/routine governance items:

 

    Reimbursement of all appropriate proxy solicitation expenses associated with the election when voting in conjunction with support of a dissident slate;

 

    Opting-out of business combination provision;

 

    Proposals that remove restrictions on the right of shareholders to act independently of management;

 

    Liquidation of the company if the company will file for bankruptcy if the proposal is not approved;

 

    Shareholder proposals to put option repricings to a shareholder vote;

 

    General updating of, or corrective amendments to charter and by-laws not otherwise specifically addressed herein, unless such amendments would reasonably be expected to diminish shareholder rights (e.g. extension of directors’ term limits, amending shareholder vote requirement to amend the charter documents, insufficient information provided as to the reason behind the amendment);

 

    Change in corporation name;

 

    Mandates that amendments to by-laws or charters have shareholder approval;
    Management proposals to change the date, time, and/or location of the annual meeting unless the proposed change is unreasonable;

 

    Repeals, prohibitions or adoption of anti-greenmail provisions;

 

    Management proposals to implement a reverse stock split when the number of authorized shares will be proportionately reduced and proposals to implement a reverse stock split to avoid delisting; and

 

    Exclusive forum provisions.

SSGA FM generally does not support the following miscellaneous/ routine governance items:

 

    Proposals asking companies to adopt full tenure holding periods for their executives;

 

    Reincorporation to a location that we believe has more negative attributes than its current location of incorporation;

 

    Shareholder proposals to change the date, time, and/or location of the annual meeting unless the current scheduling or location is unreasonable;

 

    Proposals to approve other business when it appears as a voting item;

 

    Proposals giving the board exclusive authority to amend the by-laws; and

 

    Proposals to reduce quorum requirements for shareholder meetings below a majority of the shares outstanding unless there are compelling reasons to support the proposal.

Environmental and Social Issues

As a fiduciary, we consider the financial and economic implications of environmental and social issues first and foremost. Environmental and social factors not only can have an impact on the reputation of companies; they may also represent significant operational risks and costs to business.

Well-developed environmental and social management systems can also generate efficiencies and enhance productivity, both of which impact shareholder value in the long-term.

 

 

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SSGA FM encourages companies to be transparent about the environmental and social risks and opportunities they face and adopt robust policies and processes to manage such issues. In our view, companies that manage all risks and consider opportunities related to environmental and social issues are able to adapt faster to changes and appear to be better placed to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the long-term. Similarly, companies with good risk management systems, which include environmental and social policies, have a stronger position relative to their peers to manage risk and change, which could result in anything from regulation and litigation, physical threats (severe weather, climate change), economic trends as well as shifts in consumer behavior.

 

In their public reporting, we expect companies to disclose information on relevant management tools and material environmental and social performance metrics. We support efforts by companies to try to demonstrate how sustainability fits into operations and business activities. SSGA FM’s team of analysts evaluates these risks on an issuer-by-issuer basis; understanding that environmental and social risks can vary widely depending on company industry, its operations, and geographic footprint.

 

1  Common for non-US issuers; request from the issuer to discharge from liability the directors or auditors with respect to actions taken by them during the previous year.
 

 

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ssga.com

For Public Use

 

State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066 155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association. Netherlands: State Street Global

Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D). T: +65 6826 7500. F: +65 6826 7501. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.

 

 
State Street Global Advisors   

© 2016 State Street Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

INST-6452 0316 Exp. Date: 03/31/2017

 

  


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March 2016

FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

Australia

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.’s (“SSGA FM”) Australia Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines outline our expectations of companies listed on stock exchanges in Australia. This policy complements and should be read in conjunction with SSGA FM’s Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles which provide a detailed explanation of SSGA FM’s approach to voting and engaging with companies, and SSGA’s Conflict of Interest Policy.

 

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FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

 

SSGA FM’s Australia Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines address areas including board structure, audit related issues, capital structure, remuneration, environmental, social and other governance related issues. Principally, we believe the primary responsibility of the board of directors is to preserve and enhance shareholder value and protect shareholder interests. In order to carry out their primary responsibilities, directors have to undertake activities that range from setting strategy, overseeing executive management to monitoring the risks that arise from a company’s business, including risks related to sustainability issues. Further, good corporate governance necessitates the existence of effective internal controls and risk management systems, which should be governed by the board.

When voting and engaging with companies in global markets, SSGA FM considers market specific nuances in the manner that we believe will most likely protect and promote the long-term economic value of client investments. SSGA FM expects companies to observe the relevant laws and regulations of their respective markets as well as country specific best practice guidelines and corporate governance codes. When we feel that a country’s regulatory requirements do not address some of the key philosophical principles that SSGA FM believes are fundamental to its global voting guidelines, we may hold companies in such markets to our global standards.

In its analysis and research into corporate governance issues in Australia, SSGA FM expects all companies at a minimum to comply with the ASX Corporate Governance Principles. Companies should provide detailed explanations under the Principles’ ‘comply or explain’ approach, especially where they fail to meet requirements and why any such non-compliance would serve shareholders’ long-term interests. On some governance matters, such as composition of audit committees, we hold Australian companies to our global standards requiring all directors on the committee to be independent of management.

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Philosophy

In our view, corporate governance and sustainability issues are an integral part of the investment process. The Corporate Governance Team consists of investment professionals with expertise in corporate governance and company law, remuneration, accounting as well as environmental and social issues. SSGA FM has established robust corporate governance

principles and practices that are backed with extensive analytical expertise to understand the complexities of the corporate governance landscape. SSGA FM engages with companies to provide insight on the principles and practices that drive our voting decisions. We also conduct proactive engagement to address significant shareholder concerns and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) issues in a manner consistent with maximizing shareholder value.

The team works alongside members of SSGA FM’s active fundamental and the Asia-Pacific (“APAC”) investment teams; collaborating on issuer engagement and providing input on company specific fundamentals. SSGA FM is also a member of various investor associations that seek to address broader corporate governance related policy issues in the region.

SSGA FM is a signatory to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (“UNPRI”) and is compliant with the UK Stewardship Code. We are committed to sustainable investing and are working to further integrate ESG principles into investment and corporate governance practice, where applicable and consistent with our fiduciary duty.

Directors and Boards

SSGA FM believes that a well constituted board of directors, with a good balance of skills, expertise and independence, provides the foundations for a well governed company. SSGA FM votes for the election/re-election of directors on a case-by-case basis after considering various factors including general market practice and availability of information on director skills and expertise. In principle, SSGA FM believes independent directors are crucial to good corporate governance and help management establish sound ESG policies and practices. A sufficiently independent board will most effectively monitor management and perform oversight functions necessary to protect shareholder interests. SSGA FM expects boards of ASX-300 listed companies to be comprised of at least a majority of independent directors. At all other listed companies, SSGA FM expects boards to be comprised of at least one-third independent directors.

SSGA FM’s broad criteria for director independence in Australian companies include factors such as:

 

    Participation in related-party transactions and other business relations with the company;

 

    Employment history with company;
 

 

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    Relations with controlling shareholders; and

 

    Family ties with any of the company’s advisers, directors or senior employees.

When considering the election or re-election of a director, SSGA FM also considers the number of outside board director-ships a non-executive and an executive may undertake as well as attendance at board meetings. In addition, SSGA FM monitors other factors that may influence the independence of a non-executive director, such as performance related pay, cross-directorships, significant shareholdings and tenure. SSGA FM supports the annual election of directors and encourages Australian companies to adopt this practice.

While SSGA FM is generally supportive of having the roles of chairman and CEO separated in the Australian market, SSGA FM assesses the division of responsibilities between chairman and CEO on a case-by-case basis, giving consideration to factors such as the company’s specific circumstances, overall level of independence on the board and general corporate governance standards in the company. Similarly, SSGA FM will monitor for circumstances where a combined chairman/CEO is appointed or where a former CEO becomes chairman.

SSGA FM may also consider factors such as board performance and directors who appear to be remiss in the performance of their oversight responsibilities when considering their suitability for reappointment (e.g. fraud, criminal wrongdoing and breach of fiduciary responsibilities).

SSGA FM believes companies should have committees for audit, remuneration and nomination oversight. The audit committee is responsible for monitoring the integrity of the financial statements of the company, appointing external auditors, monitoring their qualifications and independence as well their effectiveness and resource levels. Australian Corporate Governance Principles requires ASX listed companies to have an audit committee of at least three members all of whom are non-executive directors and a majority of whom are independent directors. It also requires that the committee be chaired by an independent director who is not the chair of the board. SSGA FM holds Australian companies to its global standards for developed financial markets, by requiring that all members of the audit committee be independent directors.

In its analysis of boards, SSGA FM considers whether board members have adequate skills to provide effective oversight of corporate strategy, operations and risks, including environmental and social issues. Boards should also have a regular evaluation process in place to assess the effectiveness of the board and the skills of board members to address issues such as emerging risks, changes to corporate strategy and diversification of operations and geographic footprint. The nomination committee is responsible for evaluating and keeping under review the balance of skills, knowledge and experience of the board and ensuring that adequate succession plans are in place for directors and the CEO. SSGA FM may vote against the re-election of members of the nomination committee if, over time, the board has failed to address concerns over board structure or succession.

Executive pay is another important aspect of corporate governance. SSGA FM believes that executive pay should be determined by the board of directors and SSGA FM expects companies to have in place remuneration committees to provide independent oversight over executive pay. Australian Corporate Governance Principles requires ASX listed companies to have a remuneration committee of at least three members all of whom are non-executive directors and a majority of whom are independent directors. Since Australia has a non-binding vote on pay with a two-strike rule requiring a board spill in the event of a second strike, SSGA FM believes that the vote provides investors a mechanism to address concerns it may have on the quality of oversight provided by the board on remuneration issues. Accordingly SSGA FM voting guidelines accommodate local market practice.

Indemnification and limitations on liability

Generally, SSGA FM supports proposals to limit directors’ liability and/or expand indemnification and liability protection up to the limit provided by law, if he or she has not acted in bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

Audit Related Issues

Companies should have robust internal audit and internal control systems designed for effective management of any potential and emerging risks to company operations and strategy. The responsibility of setting out an internal audit function lies with the audit committee, which should have as members independent non-executive directors.

 

 

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Appointment of External Auditors

SSGA FM believes that a company’s auditor is an essential feature of an effective and transparent system of external supervision and shareholders should be given the opportunity to vote on their appointment or to re-appoint at the annual meeting. When appointing external auditors and approving audit fees, SSGA FM will take into consideration the level of detail in company disclosures and will generally not support such resolutions if adequate breakdown is not provided and if non-audit fees are more than 50% of audit fees. In addition, SSGA FM may vote against members of the audit committee if we have concerns with audit related issues or if the level of non-audit fees to audit fees is significant. In certain circumstances, SSGA FM may consider auditor tenure when evaluating the audit process.

Shareholder Rights and Capital Related Issues

Share Issuances

The ability to raise capital is critical for companies to carry out strategy, grow, and achieve returns above their cost of capital. The approval of capital raising activities is fundamental to shareholders’ ability to monitor the amounts of proceeds and to ensure capital is deployed efficiently. SSGA FM supports capital increases that have sound business reasons and are not excessive relative to a company’s existing capital base.

Pre-emption rights are a fundamental right for shareholders to protect their investment in a company. Where companies seeks to issue new shares without pre-emption rights, SSGA FM may vote against if such authorities are greater than 20% of the issued share capital. SSGA FM may also vote against resolutions seeking authority to issue capital with pre-emption rights if the aggregate amount allowed seems excessive and is not justified by the board. Generally, we are against capital issuance proposals greater than 100% of the issued share capital when the proceeds are not intended for specific purpose.

Share Repurchase Programs

SSGA FM generally supports a proposal to repurchase shares, other than if the issuer does not clearly state the business purpose for the program, a definitive number of shares to be repurchased, and the time frame for the repurchase. SSGA FM may vote against share repurchase requests that allow share repurchases during a takeover period.

Dividends

SSGA FM generally supports dividend payouts that constitute 30% or more of net income. SSGA FM may vote against the dividend payouts if the dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30% without adequate explanation; or, the payout is excessive given the company’s financial position. Particular attention will be paid where the payment may damage the company’s long-term financial health.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers or reorganizing the structure of a company often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation. Proposals that are in the best interests of the shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company’s operations, will be supported. In general, provisions that are not viewed as economically sound or are thought to be destructive to shareholders’ rights are not supported. SSGA FM will generally support transactions that maximize shareholder value. Some of the considerations include, but are not limited to the following:

 

    Offer premium;

 

    Strategic rationale;

 

    Board oversight of the process for the recommended transaction, including, director and/or management conflicts of interest;

 

    Offers made at a premium and where there are no other higher bidders; and

 

    Offers in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value.

SSGA FM may vote against a transaction considering the following:

 

    Offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock;

 

    Offers where we believe there is a reasonable prospect for an enhanced bid or other bidders; and

 

    At the time of voting, the current market price of the security exceeds the bid price.
 

 

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Anti-Takeover Measures

SSGA FM opposes anti-takeover defenses, such as authorities for the board, when subject to a hostile takeover, to issue warrants convertible into shares to existing shareholders.

Remuneration

Executive Pay

There is a simple underlying philosophy that guides SSGA FM’s analysis of executive pay—there should be a direct relationship between remuneration and company performance over the long-term. Shareholders should have the opportunity to assess whether pay structures and levels are aligned with business performance. When assessing remuneration reports, SSGA FM considers factors such as adequate disclosure of different remuneration elements, absolute and relative pay levels, peer selection and benchmarking, the mix of long term and short term incentives, alignment of pay structures with shareholder interests as well as with corporate strategy and performance. SSGA FM may oppose remuneration reports where there seems to be a misalignment between pay and shareholders’ interests and where incentive policies and schemes have a re-test option or feature. SSGA FM may also vote against the re-election of members of the remuneration committee if we have serious concerns over remuneration practices and the company has not been responsive to shareholder pressure to review its approach.

Equity Incentive Plans

SSGA FM may not support proposals on equity-based incentive plans where insufficient information is provided on matters such as grant limits, performance metrics, performance and vesting periods and overall dilution. SSGA FM does not generally support options under such plans being issued at a discount to market price or plans that allow for re-testing of performance metrics.

Non-Executive Director Pay

Authorities seeking shareholder approval for non-executive directors’ fees are generally not controversial. SSGA FM generally supports resolutions regarding directors’ fees unless disclosure is poor and we are unable to determine whether they are excessive relative to fees paid by other companies in the same country or industry. SSGA FM will evaluate on a company-by-company basis any non-cash or performance related pay to non-executive directors.

Risk Management

SSGA FM believes that risk management is a key function of the board, which is responsible for setting the overall risk appetite of a company and for providing oversight on the risk management process established by senior executives at a company. SSGA FM allows boards discretion over how they provide oversight in this area. However, SSGA FM expects companies to disclose how the board provides oversight on its risk management system and to identify key risks facing the company. Boards should also review existing and emerging risks as they can change with a changing political and economic landscape, or as companies diversify or expand their operations into new areas.

Environmental and Social Issues

As a fiduciary, SSGA FM considers the financial and economic implications of environmental and social issues first and foremost. In this regard, SSGA FM supports environmental and social related items that we believe would protect or enhance shareholder value. Environmental and social factors not only can have an impact on the reputation of companies; they may also represent significant operational risks and costs to business. Well-developed environmental and social management systems can also generate efficiencies and enhance productivity, both of which impact shareholder value in the long-term.

SSGA FM encourages companies to be transparent about the environmental and social risks and opportunities they face and adopt robust policies and processes to manage such issues. In our view, companies that manage all risks and consider opportunities related to environmental and social issues are able to adapt faster to changes and appear to be better placed to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the long-term. Similarly, companies with good risk management systems, which include environmental and social policies, have a stronger position relative to their peers to manage risk and change, which could result in anything from regulation and litigation, physical threats (severe weather, climate change), economic trends as well as shifts in consumer behavior.

In their public reporting, we expect companies to disclose information on relevant management tools and material environmental and social performance metrics. We support efforts by companies to try to demonstrate how sustainability fits into operations and business activities. SSGA FM’s team of analysts evaluates these risks and shareholder proposals relating to them on an issuer by issuer basis; understanding that environmental and social risks can vary widely depending on company industry, its operations, and geographic footprint. SSGA FM may also take action against the re-election of members of the board if we have serious concerns over ESG practices and the company has not been responsive to shareholder pressure.

 

 

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ssga.com

For Public Use

 

State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066

155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association. Netherlands: State Street Global Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D). T: +65 6826 7500. F: +65 6826 7501. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.

 

 

State Street Global Advisors   

© 2016 State Street Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

INST-6456 0316 Exp. Date: 03/31/2017

 


Table of Contents
March 2016

FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

Europe

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.’s, (“SSGA FM”) European Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines cover different corporate governance frameworks and practices in European markets excluding the United Kingdom and Ireland. This policy complements and should be read in conjunction with SSGA FM’s overarching Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles and SSGA’s Conflicts of Interest Policy which provide a detailed explanation of SSGA FM’s approach to voting and engaging with companies.

 

LOGO


Table of Contents

FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

 

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines in European markets address areas including board structure, audit related issues, capital structure, remuneration, environmental, social and other governance related issues. Principally, we believe the primary responsibility of the board of directors is to preserve and enhance shareholder value and protect shareholder interests. In order to carry out their primary responsibilities, directors have to undertake activities that range from setting strategy, overseeing executive management and monitoring the risks that arise from a company’s business, including risks related to sustainability issues. Further, good corporate governance necessitates the existence of effective internal controls and risk management systems, which should be governed by the board.

When voting and engaging with companies in European markets, SSGA FM considers market specific nuances in the manner that we believe will most likely protect and promote the long-term economic value of client investments. SSGA FM expects companies to observe the relevant laws and regulations of their respective markets as well as country specific best practice guidelines and corporate governance codes. When we feel that a country’s regulatory requirements do not address some of the key philosophical principles that SSGA FM believes are fundamental to its global voting guidelines, we may hold companies in such markets to our global standards.

In its analysis and research in to corporate governance issues in European companies, SSGA FM also considers guidance issued by the European Commission. Companies should provide detailed explanations under diverse ‘comply or explain’ approaches, especially where they fail to meet requirements and why any such non-compliance would serve shareholders’ long-term interests.

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Philosophy

In our view, corporate governance and sustainability issues are an integral part of the investment process. The Corporate Governance Team consists of investment professionals with expertise in corporate governance and company law, remuneration, accounting as well as environmental and social issues. SSGA FM has established robust corporate governance principles and practices that are backed with extensive analytical expertise to understand the complexities of the corporate governance landscape. SSGA FM engages with

companies to provide insight on the principles and practices that drive our voting decisions. We also conduct proactive engagement to address significant shareholder concerns and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) issues in a manner consistent with maximizing shareholder value.

The team works alongside members of SSGA FM’s active fundamental and EMEA investment teams; collaborating on issuer engagement and providing input on company specific fundamentals. SSGA FM is also a member of various investor associations that seek to address broader corporate governance related policy issues in European markets.

SSGA FM is a signatory to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (“UNPRI”) and is compliant with the UK Stewardship Code. We are committed to sustainable investing and are working to further integrate ESG principles into investment and corporate governance practice, where applicable and consistent with our fiduciary duty.

Directors and Boards

SSGA FM believes that a well constituted board of directors, with a good balance of skills, expertise and independence, provides the foundations for a well governed company. SSGA FM votes for the election/re–election of directors on a case-by-case basis after considering various factors including general market practice and availability of information on director skills and expertise. In principle, SSGA FM believes independent directors are crucial to good corporate governance and help management establish sound corporate governance policies and practices.

A sufficiently independent board will most effectively monitor management and perform oversight functions necessary to protect shareholder interests.

SSGA FM’s broad criteria for director independence in European companies include factors such as:

 

    Participation in related–party transactions and other business relations with the company;

 

    Employment history with company;

 

    Relations with controlling shareholders;

 

    Family ties with any of the company’s advisers, directors or senior employees;

 

    Employee and government representatives; and

 

    Overall average board tenure and individual director tenure at issuers with classified and de-classified boards, respectively.
 

 

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While, overall board independence requirements and board structures differ from market to market, SSGA FM considers voting against directors it deems non–independent if overall board independence is below one third. SSGA FM also assesses the division of responsibilities between chairman and CEO on a case–by–case basis, giving consideration to factors such as overall level of independence on the board and general corporate governance standards in the company. SSGA FM may also not support a proposal to discharge the board, if a company fails to meet adequate governance standards or board level independence.

When considering the election or re-election of a non-executive director, SSGA FM also considers the number of outside board directorships a non-executive can undertake and attendance at board meetings. In addition, SSGA FM may vote against the election of a director whose biographical disclosures are insufficient to assess his or her role on the board and/or independence.

Although we generally are in favor of the annual election of directors, we recognize that director terms vary considerably in different European markets. SSGA FM may vote against article/by-law changes that seek to extend director terms. In addition, in certain markets, SSGA FM may vote against directors if their director terms extend beyond four years.

SSGA FM believes companies should have relevant board level committees for audit, remuneration and nomination oversight. The audit committee is responsible for monitoring the integrity of the financial statements of the company, appointing external auditors, monitoring their qualifications and independence as well their effectiveness and resource levels. Similarly, executive pay is an important aspect of corporate governance, and it should be determined by the board of directors and SSGA FM expects companies to have in place remuneration committees to provide independent oversight over executive pay. SSGA FM may vote against nominees who are executive members of audit or remuneration committees.

In its analysis of boards, SSGA FM considers whether board members have adequate skills to provide effective oversight of corporate strategy, operations and risks, including

environmental and social issues. Boards should also have a regular evaluation process in place to assess the effectiveness of the board and the skills of board members to address issues such as emerging risks, changes to corporate strategy and diversification of operations and geographic footprint.

In certain European markets it is not uncommon for the election of directors to be presented in a single slate. In these cases, where executives serve on the audit or the remuneration committees, SSGA FM may vote against the entire slate.

SSGA FM may also consider factors such as board performance and directors who appear to be remiss in the performance of their oversight responsibilities (e.g. fraud, criminal wrongdoing and breach of fiduciary responsibilities).

Indemnification and Limitations on Liability

Generally, SSGA FM supports proposals to limit directors’ liability and/or expand indemnification and liability protection up to the limit provided by law, if he or she has not acted in bad faith, with gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

Audit Related Issues

Companies should have robust internal audit and internal control systems designed for effective management of any potential and emerging risks to company operations and strategy. The responsibility of setting out an internal audit function lies with the audit committee, which should have as members independent non-executive directors.

Appointment of External Auditors

SSGA FM believes that a company’s auditor is an essential feature of an effective and transparent system of external supervision and shareholders should be given the opportunity to vote on their appointment or to re-appoint at the annual meeting. When appointing external auditors and approving audit fees, SSGA FM will take into consideration the level of detail in company disclosures and will generally not support such resolutions if adequate breakdown is not provided and if non-audit fees are more than 50% of audit fees. In addition, SSGA FM may vote against members of the audit committee if we have concerns with audit related issues or if the level of non-audit fees to audit fees is significant. In certain circumstances, SSGA FM may consider auditor tenure when evaluating the audit process.

 

 

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Limit Legal Liability of External Auditors

SSGA FM generally opposes limiting the legal liability of audit firms as we believe this could create a negative impact on the quality of the audit function.

Shareholder Rights and Capital Related Issues

In some European markets, differential voting rights continue to exist. SSGA FM supports the “one share one vote” policy and favors a share structure where all shares have equal voting rights. SSGA FM believes pre-emption rights should be introduced for shareholders in order to provide adequate protection from being overly diluted from the issuance of new shares or convertible securities to third parties or a small number of select shareholders.

Unequal Voting Rights

SSGA FM generally opposes proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of common stock with superior voting rights and will generally oppose new classes of preferred stock with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights. In addition, SSGA FM will not support capitalization changes that add classes of stock with undefined voting rights or classes that may dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders. SSGA FM supports proposals to abolish voting caps and capitalization changes that eliminate other classes of stock and/or unequal voting rights.

Increase in Authorized Capital

The ability to raise capital is critical for companies to carry out strategy, grow, and achieve returns above their cost of capital. The approval of capital raising activities is fundamental to shareholders’ ability to monitor the amounts of proceeds and to ensure capital is deployed efficiently. SSGA FM supports capital increases that have sound business reasons and are not excessive relative to a company’s existing capital base.

Pre-emption rights are a fundamental right for shareholders to protect their investment in a company. Where companies seek to issue new shares whilst dis-applying pre-emption rights, SSGA FM may vote against if such authorities are greater than 20% of the issued share capital. SSGA FM may also vote against resolutions seeking authority to issue capital

with pre-emption rights if the aggregate amount allowed seems excessive and is not justified by the board. Generally, we are against capital issuance proposals greater than 100% of the issued share capital when the proceeds are not intended for a specific purpose.

Share Repurchase Programs

SSGA FM generally supports a proposal to repurchase shares, other than if the issuer does not clearly state the business purpose for the program, a definitive number of shares to be repurchased, specify the range of premium/discount to market price at which a company can repurchase shares, and the time frame for the repurchase. SSGA FM may vote against share re-purchase requests that allow share re-purchases during a takeover period.

Dividends

SSGA FM generally supports dividend payouts that constitute 30% or more of net income. SSGA FM may vote against the dividend payouts if the dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30% without adequate explanation; or, the payout is excessive given the company’s financial position. Particular attention will be paid where the payment may damage the company’s long-term financial health.

Related Party Transactions

Certain companies in European markets have a controlled ownership structure and have complex cross-shareholdings between subsidiaries and parent companies (related companies). Such structures may result in the prevalence of related-party transactions between the company and its various stakeholders such as directors and management, subsidiaries and shareholders. In markets where shareholders are required to approve such transactions, SSGA FM expects companies to provide details of the transaction, such as the nature, value and purpose of such a transaction. It also encourages independent directors to ratify such transactions. Further, SSGA FM encourages companies to describe the level of independent board oversight and the approval process, including details of any independent valuations provided by financial advisors on related-party transactions.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers or reorganizing the structure of a company often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation. Proposals that are in the best interests of the shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company’s operations, will be supported. In general, provisions that are not viewed as economically sound or are thought to be destructive to shareholders’ rights are not supported.

 

 

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SSGA FM will generally support transactions that maximize shareholder value. Some of the considerations include, but are not limited to the following:

 

    Offer premium;

 

    Strategic rationale;

 

    Board oversight of the process for the recommended transaction, including, director and/or management conflicts of interest;

 

    Offers made at a premium and where there are no other higher bidders; and

 

    Offers in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value.

SSGA FM may vote against a transaction considering the following:

 

    Offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock;

 

    Offers where we believe there is a reasonable prospect for an enhanced bid or other bidders; and

 

    At the time of voting, the current market price of the security exceeds the bid price.

Anti–Takeover Measures

European markets have diverse regulations concerning the use of share issuances as takeover defenses with legal restrictions lacking in some markets. SSGA FM supports a one-share, one-vote policy, for example, given that dual-class capital structures entrench certain shareholders and management, insulating them from possible takeovers. SSGA FM opposes unlimited share issuance authorizations as they may be used as anti-takeover devices, and they have the potential for substantial voting and earnings dilution. SSGA FM also monitors the duration of authorities to issue shares and whether there are restrictions and caps on multiple issuance authorities during the specified time periods. SSGA FM opposes anti-takeover defenses such as authorities for the board, when subject to a hostile takeover, to issue warrants convertible into shares to existing shareholders.

Remuneration

Executive Pay

Despite the differences among the types of plans and awards possible, there is a simple underlying philosophy that guides SSGA FM’s analysis of executive pay—there should be a direct relationship between remuneration and company performance over the long-term.

Shareholders should have the opportunity to assess whether pay structures and levels are aligned with business performance. When assessing remuneration reports, SSGA FM considers factors such as adequate disclosure of different remuneration elements, absolute and relative pay levels, peer selection and benchmarking, the mix of long-term and short-term incentives, alignment of pay structures with shareholder interests as well as with corporate strategy and performance. SSGA FM may oppose remuneration reports where pay seems misaligned with shareholders’ interests. SSGA FM may also vote against the re-election of members of the remuneration committee if we have serious concerns over remuneration practices and the company has not been responsive to shareholder pressure to review its approach.

Equity Incentive Plans

SSGA FM may not support proposals on equity-based incentive plans where insufficient information is provided on matters such as grant limits, performance metrics, performance and vesting periods and overall dilution. SSGA FM does not generally support options under such plans being issued at a discount to market price or plans that allow for re-testing of performance metrics.

Non–Executive Director Pay

In European markets, authorities seeking shareholder approval for non-executive directors’ fees are generally not controversial. SSGA FM generally supports resolutions regarding directors’ fees unless disclosure is poor and we are unable to determine whether they are excessive relative to fees paid by other companies in the same country or industry. SSGA FM will evaluate on a company-by-company basis any non-cash or performance related pay to non-executive directors.

 

 

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Risk Management

SSGA FM believes that risk management is a key function of the board, which is responsible for setting the overall risk appetite of a company and for providing oversight on the risk management process established by senior executives at a company. SSGA FM allows boards discretion over how they provide oversight in this area. However, SSGA FM expects companies to disclose how the board provides oversight on its risk management system and to identify key risks facing the company. Boards should also review existing and emerging risks as they can change with a changing political and economic landscape, or as companies diversify or expand their operations into new areas.

Environmental and Social Issues

As a fiduciary, SSGA FM considers the financial and economic implications of environmental and social issues first and foremost. In this regard, SSGA FM supports environmental and social related items that we believe would protect or enhance shareholder value. Environmental and social factors not only can have an impact on the reputation of companies; they may also represent significant operational risks and costs to business. Well-developed environmental and social management systems can also generate efficiencies and enhance productivity, both of which impact shareholder value in the long-term.

SSGA FM encourages companies to be transparent about the environmental and social risks and opportunities they face and adopt robust policies and processes to manage such issues. In our view, companies that manage all risks and consider opportunities related to environmental and social issues are able to adapt faster to changes and appear to be better placed to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the long-term. Similarly, companies with good risk management systems, which include environmental and social policies, have a stronger position relative to their peers to manage risk and change, which could result in anything from regulation and litigation, physical threats (severe weather, climate change), economic trends as well as shifts in consumer behavior.

In their public reporting, we expect companies to disclose information on relevant management tools and material environmental and social performance metrics. We support efforts by companies to try to demonstrate how sustainability fits into operations and business activities. SSGA FM’s team of analysts evaluates these risks and shareholder proposals relating to them on an issuer by issuer basis; understanding that environmental and social risks can vary widely depending on company industry, its operations, and geographic footprint. SSGA FM may also take action against the re-election of members of the board if we have serious concerns over ESG practices and the company has not been responsive to shareholder pressure.

 

 

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ssga.com

For Public Use

 

State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066

155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association. Netherlands: State Street Global Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D). T: +65 6826 7500. F: +65 6826 7501. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.

 

 

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© 2016 State Street Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

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FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

Emerging Markets

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.’s (“SSGA FM”) Emerging Market Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines cover different corporate governance frameworks and practices in emerging markets. This policy complements and should be read in conjunction with SSGA FM’s overarching Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles which provides a detailed explanation of SSGA FM’s approach to voting and engaging with companies, and SSGA’s Conflicts of Interest Policy.

 

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At SSGA FM, we recognize that countries in emerging markets are disparate in their corporate governance frameworks and practices. Concurrent with developing a company specific voting and engagement program, SSGA FM also evaluates the various factors that play into the corporate governance framework of a country. These factors include: (i) the macroeconomic conditions and broader political system in a country; (ii) quality of regulatory oversight, enforcement of property and shareholder rights; and (iii) the independence of judiciary - to name a few. While emerging market countries tend to pose broad common governance issues across all markets, such as concentrated ownership, poor disclosure of financial and related-party transactions, and weak enforcement of rules and regulation, SSGA FM’s emerging market proxy voting policy is designed to identify and address specific governance concerns in each market.

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Philosophy in Emerging Markets

SSGA FM’s approach to proxy voting and issuer engagement in emerging markets is designed to increase the value of our investments through the mitigation of governance risks. Since the overall quality of the corporate governance framework in an emerging market country drives the level of governance risks investors assign to a country, improving the macro governance framework in a country may help reduce governance risks, in turn, increasing the overall value of SSGA FM’s holdings over time. Therefore, in order to improve the overall governance framework and practices in a country, members of our proxy voting and engagement team endeavor to visit emerging market countries and meet with representatives from regulatory agencies and stock markets to highlight potential concerns with the macro governance framework of a country. SSGA FM is also a member of various investor associations that seek to address broader corporate governance related policy issues in emerging markets. To help mitigate company specific risk, the team works alongside members of the active fundamental and emerging market teams to engage with emerging market companies on governance issues and address any specific concerns or to get more information regarding shareholder items that are to be voted on at upcoming shareholder meetings. This integrated approach to engagement drives SSGA FM’s proxy voting and engagement philosophy in emerging markets.

SSGA FM’s proxy voting guidelines in emerging markets addresses six broad areas:

 

    Directors and Boards;

 

    Accounting and Audit Related Issues;

 

    Shareholder Rights and Capital Related Issues;
    Remuneration;

 

    Environmental and Social Issues; and

 

    General/Routine Issues.

Directors and Boards

SSGA FM believes that a well constituted board of directors, with a good balance of skills, expertise and independence, provides the foundations for a well governed company. However, several factors such as low overall independence level requirements by market regulators, poor biographical disclosure of director profiles, prevalence of related-party transactions and the general resistance from controlling shareholders to increase board independence renders the election of directors as one of the most important fiduciary duties SSGA FM performs in emerging market companies.

SSGA FM votes for the election/re-election of directors on a case-by-case basis after considering various factors including general market practice and availability of information on director skills and expertise. SSGA FM expects companies to meet minimum overall board independence standards as defined in a corporate governance code or market practice. Therefore, in several countries, SSGA FM will vote against select non-independent directors if overall board independence levels do not meet market standards.

SSGA FM’s broad criteria for director independence in emerging market companies include factors such as:

 

    Participation in related-party transactions;

 

    Employment history with company;

 

    Relations with controlling shareholders and other employees; and

 

    Attendance levels.

In some countries, market practice calls for the establishment of a board level audit committee. In such cases, SSGA FM believes companies should have an audit committee that is responsible for monitoring the integrity of the financial statements of the company, appointing external auditors, monitoring their qualifications and independence as well as their effectiveness and resource levels. Based on our desire to enhance the quality of financial and accounting oversight provided by independent directors, SSGA FM expects that listed companies have an audit committee that is constituted of a majority of independent directors.

Audit Related Issues

The disclosure and availability of reliable financial statements in a timely manner is imperative for the investment process. As a result, board oversight of internal controls and the independence of the audit process are essential if investors are to rely on financial statements. SSGA FM believes that

 

 

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audit committees provide the necessary oversight on the selection and appointment of auditors, a company’s internal controls and accounting policies, and the overall audit process. In emerging markets, SSGA FM encourages boards to appoint an audit committee composed of a majority of independent auditors.

Appointment of External Auditors

SSGA FM believes that a company’s auditor is an essential feature of an effective and transparent system of external supervision and shareholders should be given the opportunity to vote on their appointment or re-appointment at the annual meeting. SSGA FM believes that it is imperative for audit committees to select outside auditors who are independent from management.

Shareholder Rights and Capital Related Issues

SSGA FM believes that changes to a company’s capital structure such as changes in authorized share capital, share repurchase and debt issuances are critical decisions made by the board. SSGA FM believes the company should have a well explained business rationale that is consistent with corporate strategy and should not overly dilute its shareholders.

Related Party Transactions

Most companies in emerging markets have a controlled ownership structure that often include complex cross-shareholdings between subsidiaries and parent companies (“related companies”). As a result, there is a high prevalence of related-party transactions between the company and its various stakeholders such as directors and management. In addition, inter-group loan and loan guarantees provided to related companies are some of the other related-party transactions that increase the risk profile of companies. In markets where shareholders are required to approve such transactions, SSGA FM expects companies to provide details of the transaction, such as the nature, value and purpose of such a transaction. It also encourages independent directors to ratify such transactions. Further, SSGA FM encourages companies to describe the level of independent board oversight and the approval process, including details of any independent valuations provided by financial advisors on related-party transactions.

Share Repurchase Programs

With regard to share repurchase programs, SSGA FM expects companies to clearly state the business purpose for the program and a definitive number of shares to be repurchased.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers or reorganizing the structure of a company often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation. Proposals that are in the best interests of the shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company’s operations, will be supported. In general, provisions that are not viewed as economically sound or are thought to be destructive to shareholders’ rights are not supported.

SSGA FM evaluates mergers and structural reorganizations on a case-by-case basis. SSGA FM will generally support transactions that maximize shareholder value. Some of the considerations include, but are not limited to the following:

 

    Offer premium;

 

    Strategic rationale;

 

    Board oversight of the process for the recommended transaction, including, director and/or management conflicts of interest;

 

    Offers made at a premium and where there are no other higher bidders; and

 

    Offers in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value.

SSGA FM may vote against a transaction considering the following:

 

    Offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock;

 

    Offers where we believe there is a reasonable prospect for an enhanced bid or other bidders; and

 

    At the time of voting, the current market price of the security exceeds the bid price.

SSGA FM will actively seek direct dialogue with the board and management of companies we have identified through our screening processes. Such engagements may lead to further monitoring to ensure the company improves its governance or sustainability practices. In these cases, the engagement process represents the most meaningful opportunity for SSGA FM to protect long-term shareholder value from excessive risk due to poor governance and sustainability practices.

Remuneration

SSGA FM considers it to be the board’s responsibility to set appropriate levels of executive compensation. Despite the differences among the types of plans and the awards possible, there is a simple underlying philosophy that guides SSGA FM’s analysis of executive compensation; there should be a direct relationship between executive compensation and company performance over the long term. In emerging markets we encourage companies to disclose information on senior executive remuneration.

 

 

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With regard to director remuneration, SSGA FM supports director pay provided the amounts are not excessive relative to other issuers in the market or industry and are not overly dilutive to existing shareholders.

Environmental and Social Issues

As a fiduciary, SSGA FM considers the financial and economic implications of environmental and social issues first and foremost. In this regard, SSGA FM supports environmental and social related items that we believe would protect or enhance shareholder value. Environmental and social factors can not only have an impact on the reputation of companies; they may also represent significant operational risks and costs to business. Well-developed environmental and social management systems generate efficiencies and enhance productivity, both of which impact shareholder value in the long-term.

SSGA FM encourages companies to be transparent about the environmental and social risks and opportunities they face and adopt robust policies and processes to manage such issues. Companies with good risk management systems, which include environmental and social policies, have a stronger position relative to their peers to manage risk and change. In their public reporting, we expect companies to disclose information on relevant management tools and material environmental and social performance metrics. We support efforts by companies to try to demonstrate how sustainability fits into operations and business activities. SSGA FM’s team of analysts evaluates these risks on an issuer by issuer basis; understanding that environmental and social risks can vary widely depending on company industry, its operations, and geographic footprint.

In emerging markets, shareholders seldom vote on environmental and social issues. Therefore, SSGA FM addresses a company’s approach to identifying and managing environmental and social risks stemming for various aspects of its operations in its one-on-one engagement with companies.

General/Routine Issues

Some of the other issues that are routinely voted on in emerging markets include approving the allocation of income and accepting financial statements and statutory reports. For these voting items, SSGA FM’s policies consider several factors including historical dividend payouts, pending litigation, governmental investigations, charges of fraud or other indication of significant concerns.

 

 

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ssga.com

For Public Use

 

State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066

155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association. Netherlands: State Street Global Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D, regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore) • Telephone: +65 6826-7555 • Facsimile: +65 6826-7501 • Web: www.SSGA.com. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

Investing involves risk including the risk of loss of principal.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’ express written consent.

 

 
State Street Global Advisors   

© 2016 State Street Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

INST-6455 0316 Exp. Date: 03/31/2017

 


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March 2016   

FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

Japan

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.’s, (“SSGA FM”) Japan Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines complement and should be read in conjunction with SSGA FM’s overarching Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles, which provide a detailed explanation of SSGA FM’s approach to voting and engaging with companies, and SSGA’s Conflicts of Interest Policy.

 

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FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

 

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines in Japan address areas including: board structure, audit related issues, capital structure, remuneration, environmental, social and other governance related issues. Principally, we believe the primary responsibility of the board of directors is to preserve and enhance shareholder value and protect shareholder interests. In order to carry out their primary responsibilities, directors have to undertake activities that range from setting strategy, overseeing executive management to monitoring the risks that arise from a company’s business, including risks related to sustainability issues. Further, good corporate governance necessitates the existence of effective internal controls and risk management systems, which should be governed by the board.

When voting and engaging with companies in Japan, SSGA FM takes into consideration the unique aspects of Japanese corporate governance structures. We recognize that under Japanese corporate law, companies may choose between two structures of corporate governance: the statutory auditor system or the committee structure. Most Japanese boards predominantly consist of executives and non-independent outsiders affiliated through commercial relationships or cross-shareholdings. Nonetheless, when evaluating companies, SSGA FM expects Japanese companies to address conflicts of interest, risk management and demonstrate an effective process for monitoring management. In its analysis and research into corporate governance issues in Japanese companies, SSGA FM also considers guidance issued by the Corporate Law Subcommittee of the Legislative Council within the Ministry of Justice as well as private study groups.

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Philosophy

In our view, corporate governance and sustainability issues are an integral part of the investment process. The Corporate Governance Team consists of investment professionals with expertise in corporate governance and company law, remuneration, and environmental and social issues. SSGA FM has established robust corporate governance principles and practices that are backed with extensive analytical expertise to understand the complexities of the corporate governance landscape. SSGA FM engages with companies to provide insight on the principles and practices that drive our voting decisions. We also conduct proactive engagement to address significant shareholder concerns and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) issues in a manner consistent with maximizing shareholder value.

The team works alongside members of SSGA FM’s active investment teams; collaborating on issuer engagement and providing input on company specific fundamentals. SSGA FM is also a member of various investor associations that seek to address broader corporate governance related policy issues in Japan.

SSGA FM is a signatory to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (“UNPRI”) and is compliant with UK Stewardship Code. We are committed to sustainable investing and are working to further integrate ESG principles into investment and corporate governance practices, where applicable and consistent with our fiduciary duty.

Directors and Boards

SSGA FM believes that a well constituted board of directors, with a good balance of skills, expertise and independence, provides the foundations for a well governed company. SSGA FM votes for the election/re-election of directors on a case-by-case basis after considering various factors including general market practice.

Japanese companies have the option of having a traditional board of directors with statutory auditors, a board with a committee structure, or a hybrid board with board level audit committee. SSGA FM will generally support companies that seek shareholder approval to adopt a committee or hybrid board structure.

Most Japanese issuers prefer the traditional statutory auditor structure. Statutory auditors act in a quasi-compliance role as they are not involved in strategic decision-making nor are they part of the formal management decision process. Statutory auditors attend board meetings but do not have voting rights at the board; however, they have the right to seek an injunction and conduct broad investigations of unlawful behavior in the company’s operations.

SSGA FM will support the election of statutory auditors, unless the outside statutory auditor nominee is regarded as non-independent based on SSGA FM criteria, the outside statutory auditor has attended less than 75 percent of meetings of the board of directors or board of statutory auditors during the year under review, or the statutory auditor has been remiss in the performance of their oversight responsibilities (fraud, criminal wrong-doing and breach of fiduciary responsibilities).

For companies with a statutory auditor structure there is no legal requirement that boards have outside directors, however, SSGA FM believes there should be a transparent process of independent and external monitoring of management on behalf of shareholders.

 

    SSGA FM believes that non-controlled Japanese companies should appoint at least two outside directors, otherwise, SSGA FM will oppose the top executive who is responsible for the director nomination process; and

 

    For controlled companies with a statutory auditor structure, SSGA FM will oppose the top executive, if the board does not have at least two independent directors.
 

 

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For companies with a committee structure or a hybrid board structure, SSGA FM votes for the election/re-election of directors on a case-by-case basis after considering general market practice, as well as the independence of the nominee. SSGA FM also takes into consideration the overall independence level of the committees. In determining director independence, SSGA FM considers the following factors:

 

    Participation in related-party transactions and other business relations with the company;

 

    Past employment with the company;

 

    Provides professional services to the company; and

 

    Family ties with the company.

Regardless of board structure, SSGA FM may oppose the election of a director for the following reasons:

 

    Failure to attend board meetings; or

 

    In instances of egregious actions related to a director’s service on the board.

Indemnification and Limitations on Liability

Generally, SSGA FM supports proposals to limit directors’ and statutory auditors’ liability and/or expand indemnification and liability protection up to the limit provided by law, if he or she has not acted in bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office. SSGA FM believes limitations and indemnification are necessary to attract and retain qualified directors.

Audit Related Items

SSGA FM believes that a company’s auditor is an essential feature of an effective and transparent system of external supervision and shareholders should have the opportunity to vote on their appointment at the annual meeting.

Ratifying External Auditors

SSGA FM will generally support the appointment of external auditors unless the external auditor is perceived as being non-independent and there are concerns about the accounts presented and the audit procedures followed.

Limit Legal Liability of External Auditors

SSGA FM generally opposes limiting the legal liability of audit firms as we believe this could create a negative impact on the quality of the audit function.

Capital Structure, Reorganization and Mergers

SSGA FM supports the “one share one vote” policy and favors a share structure where all shares have equal voting rights. SSGA FM supports proposals to abolish voting caps or multiple voting rights and will oppose measures to introduce these types of restrictions on shareholder rights.

SSGA FM believes pre-emption rights should be introduced for shareholders in order to provide adequate protection from being overly diluted from the issuance of new shares or convertible securities to third parties or a small number of select shareholders.

Unequal Voting Rights

SSGA FM generally opposes proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of common stock with superior voting rights and will generally oppose new classes of preferred stock with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights. In addition, SSGA FM will not support capitalization changes that add classes of stock with undefined voting rights or classes that may dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders.

However, SSGA FM will support capitalization changes that eliminate other classes of stock and/or unequal voting rights.

Increase in Authorized Capital

SSGA FM generally supports increases in authorized capital where the company provides an adequate explanation for the use of shares. In the absence of an adequate explanation, SSGA FM may oppose the request if the increase in authorized capital exceeds 100 percent of the currently authorized capital. Where share issuance requests exceed our standard threshold, SSGA FM will consider the nature of the specific need, such as mergers and acquisitions and stock splits.

Dividends

SSGA FM generally supports dividend payouts that constitute 30 percent or more of net income. SSGA FM may vote against the dividend payouts if the dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30 percent without adequate explanation; or, the payout is excessive given the company’s financial position. Particular attention will be paid where the payment may damage the company’s long-term financial health.

Share Repurchase Programs

Companies are allowed under Japanese Corporate Law to amend their articles to authorize the repurchase of shares at the board’s discretion. SSGA FM will oppose an amendment to articles allowing the repurchase of shares at the board’s discretion. SSGA FM believes the company should seek shareholder approval for a share repurchase program at each year’s AGM, providing shareholders the right to evaluate the purpose of the repurchase.

 

 

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SSGA FM generally supports a proposal to repurchase shares, other than if the issuer does not clearly state the business purpose for the program, a definitive number of shares to be repurchased, and the time frame for the repurchase. SSGA FM may vote against share repurchase requests that allow share repurchases during a takeover period.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers or reorganizing the structure of a company often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation. Proposals that are in the best interests of the shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company’s operations, will be supported. In general, provisions that are not viewed as economically sound or are thought to be destructive to shareholders’ rights are not supported.

SSGA FM evaluates mergers and structural reorganizations on a case-by-case basis. SSGA FM will generally support transactions that maximize shareholder value. Some of the considerations include, but are not limited to the following:

 

    Offer premium;

 

    Strategic rationale;

 

    Board oversight of the process for the recommended transaction, including, director and/or management conflicts of interest;

 

    Offers made at a premium and where there are no other higher bidders; and

 

    Offers in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value.

SSGA FM may vote against a transaction considering the following:

 

    Offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock;

 

    Offers where we believe there is a reasonable prospect for an enhanced bid or other bidders; and

 

    At the time of voting, the current market price of the security exceeds the bid price.

Anti-Takeover Measures

In general, SSGA FM believes that adoption of poison pills that have been structured to protect management and to prevent takeover bids from succeeding is not in shareholders’ interest. A shareholder rights plan may lead to management entrenchment and discourage legitimate tender offers and acquisitions. Even if the premium paid to companies with a shareholder rights plan is higher than that offered to unprotected firms, a company’s chances of receiving a takeover offer in the first place may be reduced by the presence of a shareholder rights plan.

Proposals that reduce shareholders’ rights or have the effect of entrenching incumbent management will not be supported.

Proposals that enhance the right of shareholders to make their own choices as to the desirability of a merger or other proposal are supported.

Shareholder Rights Plans

In evaluating poison pills, the following conditions must be met before SSGA FM will recommend a vote in favor.

SSGA FM will support the adoption or renewal of a Japanese issuer’s shareholder rights plans (“poison pill”) if the following conditions are met: (i) minimum trigger, flip-in or flip-over of 20 percent, (ii) maximum term of three years, (iii) no “dead hand,” “slow hand,” “no hand” or similar feature that limits the ability of a future board to redeem the pill, and (iv) inclusion of a shareholder redemption feature (qualifying offer clause), permitting ten percent of the shares to call a special meeting or seek a written consent to vote on rescinding the pill if the board refuses to redeem the pill 90 days after a qualifying offer is announced.

SSGA FM will vote for an amendment to a shareholder rights plan (“poison pill”) where the terms of the new plans are more favorable to shareholders’ ability to accept unsolicited offers (i.e. if one of the following conditions are met: (i) minimum trigger, flip-in or flip-over of 20 percent, (ii) maximum term of three years, (iii) no “dead hand,” “slow hand,” “no hand” or similar feature that limits the ability of a future board to redeem the pill, or (iv) inclusion of a shareholder redemption feature (qualifying offer clause), permitting ten percent of the shares to call a special meeting or seek a written consent to vote on rescinding the pill if the board refuses to redeem the pill 90 days after a qualifying offer is announced).

Compensation

In Japan, excessive compensation is rarely an issue. Rather, the problem is the lack of connection between pay and performance. Fixed salaries and cash retirement bonuses tend to comprise a significant portion of the compensation structure while performance-based pay is generally a small portion of the total pay. SSGA FM, where possible, seeks to encourage the use of performance based compensation in Japan as an incentive for executives and as a way to align interests with shareholders.

 

 

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Approve Adjustment to Aggregate Compensation Ceiling for Directors

Remuneration for directors is generally reasonable. Typically, each company sets the director compensation parameters as an aggregate thereby limiting the total pay to all directors. When requesting a change, a company must disclose the last time the ceiling was adjusted and management provides the rationale for the ceiling increase. SSGA FM will generally support proposed increases to the ceiling if the company discloses the rationale for the increase. SSGA FM may oppose proposals to increase the ceiling if there has been corporate malfeasance or sustained poor performance.

Approve Annual Bonuses for Directors/ Statutory Auditors

In Japan, since there are no legal requirements that mandate companies to seek shareholder approval before awarding a bonus, SSGA FM believes that existing shareholder approval of the bonus should be considered best practice. As a result, SSGA FM supports management proposals on executive compensation where there is a strong relationship between executive pay and performance over a five-year period.

Approve Retirement Bonuses for Directors/ Statutory Auditors

Retirement bonuses make up a sizeable portion of directors’ and auditors’ lifetime compensation and are based on board tenure. While many companies in Japan have abolished this practice, there remain many proposals seeking shareholder approval for the total amounts paid to directors and statutory auditors as a whole. In general, SSGA FM supports these payments unless the recipient is an outsider or in instances where the amount is not disclosed.

Approve Stock Plan

Most option plans in Japan are conservative, particularly at large companies. Japan corporate law requires companies to disclose the monetary value of the stock options for directors and/or statutory auditors. Some companies do not disclose the maximum number of options that can be issued per year and shareholders are unable to evaluate the dilution impact. In this case, SSGA FM cannot calculate the dilution level and, therefore, SSGA FM may oppose such plans for poor disclosure. SSGA FM also opposes plans that allow for the repricing of the exercise price.

Deep Discount Options

As Japanese companies move away from the retirement bonus system, deep discount options plans have become more popular. Typically, the exercise price is set at JPY 1 per share. SSGA FM evaluates deep discount options using the same criteria used to evaluate stock options as well as considering the vesting period.

Environmental and Social Issues

As a fiduciary, SSGA FM considers the financial and economic implications of environmental and social issues first and foremost. In this regard, SSGA FM supports environmental and social related items that we believe would protect or enhance shareholder value. Environmental and social factors can not only have an impact on the reputation of companies; they may also represent significant operational risks and costs to business. Well-developed environmental and social management systems generate efficiencies and enhance productivity, both of which impact shareholder value in the long-term.

SSGA FM encourages companies to be transparent about the environmental and social risks and opportunities they face and adopt robust policies and processes to manage such issues. Companies with good risk management systems, which include environmental and social policies, have a stronger position relative to their peers to manage risk and change.

In their public reporting, we expect companies to disclose information on relevant management tools and material environmental and social performance metrics. We support efforts by companies to try to demonstrate how sustainability fits into operations and business activities. SSGA FM’s team of analysts evaluates these risks on an issuer by issuer basis; understanding that environmental and social risks can vary widely depending on company industry, its operations, and geographic footprint.

Miscellaneous/Routine Items

Expansion of Business Activities

Japanese companies’ articles of incorporation strictly define the types of businesses in which a company is permitted to engage. In general, SSGA FM views proposals to expand and diversify the company’s business activities as routine and non-contentious. SSGA FM will monitor instances where there has been an inappropriate acquisition and diversification away from the company’s main area of competence, which resulted in a decrease of shareholder value.

More Information

Any client who wishes to receive information on how its proxies were voted should contact its SSGA FM relationship manager.

 

 

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ssga.com

For Public Use

State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

 

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066

155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association. Netherlands: State Street Global Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D). T: +65 6826 7500. F: +65 6826 7501. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.

 

 

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March 2016

FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

United Kingdom

SSGA Funds Management, Inc.’s (“SSGA FM”), UK Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines outline our expectations of companies listed on stock exchanges in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This policy complements and should be read in conjunction with SSGA FM’s Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles, which provide a detailed explanation of SSGA FM’s approach to voting and engaging with companies and SSGA’s Conflicts of Interest Policy.

 

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FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

 

SSGA FM’s UK Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines address areas including board structure, audit related issues, capital structure, remuneration, environmental, social and other governance related issues. Principally, we believe the primary responsibility of the board of directors is to preserve and enhance shareholder value and protect shareholder interests. In order to carry out their primary responsibilities, directors have to undertake activities that range from setting strategy, overseeing executive management to monitoring the risks that arise from a company’s business, including risks related to sustainability issues. Further, good corporate governance necessitates the existence of effective internal controls and risk management systems, which should be governed by the board.

When voting and engaging with companies in global markets, SSGA FM considers market specific nuances in the manner that we believe will most likely protect and promote the long-term economic value of client investments. SSGA FM expects companies to observe the relevant laws and regulations of their respective markets as well as country specific best practice guidelines and corporate governance codes. When we feel that a country’s regulatory requirements do not address some of the key philosophical principles that SSGA FM believes are fundamental to its global voting guidelines, we may hold companies in such markets to our global standards.

In its analysis and research into corporate governance issues in the UK and Ireland, SSGA FM expects all companies, regardless of domicile, that obtain a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange or the Irish Stock Exchange to comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code. Companies should provide detailed explanations under the Code’s ‘comply or explain’ approach, especially where they fail to meet requirements and why any such non-compliance would serve shareholders’ long-term interests.

SSGA FM’s Proxy Voting and Engagement Philosophy

In our view, corporate governance and sustainability issues are an integral part of the investment process. The Corporate Governance Team consists of investment professionals with expertise in corporate governance and company law, remuneration, accounting as well as environmental and social issues. SSGA FM has established robust corporate governance principles and practices that are backed with extensive analytical expertise to understand the complexities of the corporate governance landscape. SSGA FM engages with companies to provide insight on the principles and practices that drive our voting decisions. We also conduct proactive engagement to address significant shareholder concerns and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) issues in a manner consistent with maximizing shareholder value.

The team works alongside members of SSGA FM’s active fundamental and EMEA investment teams; collaborating on issuer engagement and providing input on company specific fundamentals. SSGA FM is also a member of various investor associations that seek to address broader corporate governance related policy issues in the UK and European markets.

SSGA FM is a signatory to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (“UNPRI”) and is compliant with the UK Stewardship Code. We are committed to sustainable investing and are working to further integrate ESG principles into investment and corporate governance practice, where applicable and consistent with our fiduciary duty.

Directors and Boards

SSGA FM believes that a well constituted board of directors, with a good balance of skills, expertise and independence, provides the foundations for a well governed company. SSGA FM votes for the election/re-election of directors on a case-by-case basis after considering various factors including general market practice and availability of information on director skills and expertise. In principle, SSGA FM believes independent directors are crucial to good corporate governance and help management establish sound corporate governance policies and practices.

A sufficiently independent board will most effectively monitor management and perform oversight functions necessary to protect shareholder interests.

SSGA FM’s broad criteria for director independence in UK companies include factors such as:

 

    Participation in related-party transactions and other business relations with the company;

 

    Employment history with company;

 

    Excessive tenure and a preponderance of long-tenured directors:

 

    Relations with controlling shareholders; and

 

    Family ties with any of the company’s advisers, directors or senior employees.

When considering the election or re-election of a director, SSGA FM also considers the number of outside board directorships a non-executive and an executive may undertake as well as attendance at board meetings. In addition, SSGA FM monitors other factors that may influence the independence of a non-executive director, such as performance related pay, cross-directorships, significant shareholdings and tenure. SSGA FM supports the annual election of directors.

 

 

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While SSGA FM is generally supportive of having the roles of chairman and CEO separated in the UK market, SSGA FM assesses the division of responsibilities between chairman and CEO on a case-by-case basis, giving consideration to factors such as the company’s specific circumstances, overall level of independence on the board and general corporate governance standards in the company. Similarly, SSGA FM will monitor for circumstances where a combined chairman/CEO is appointed or where a former CEO becomes chairman.

SSGA FM may also consider factors such as board performance and directors who appear to be remiss in the performance of their oversight responsibilities when considering their suitability for reappointment (e.g. fraud, criminal wrongdoing and breach of fiduciary responsibilities).

SSGA FM believes companies should have committees for audit, remuneration and nomination oversight. The audit committee is responsible for monitoring the integrity of the financial statements of the company, appointing external auditors, monitoring their qualifications and independence as well their effectiveness and resource levels. Similarly, executive pay is an important aspect of corporate governance, and it should be determined by the board of directors and SSGA FM expects companies to have in place remuneration committees to provide independent oversight over executive pay. SSGA FM will vote against nominees who are executive members of audit or remuneration committees.

In its analysis of boards, SSGA FM considers whether board members have adequate skills to provide effective oversight of corporate strategy, operations and risks, including environmental and social issues. Boards should also have a regular evaluation process in place to assess the effectiveness of the board and the skills of board members to address issues such as emerging risks, changes to corporate strategy and diversification of operations and geographic footprint. The nomination committee is responsible for evaluating and keeping under review the balance of skills, knowledge and experience of the board and ensuring that adequate succession plans are in place for directors and the CEO. SSGA FM may vote against the re-election of members of the nomination committee if, over time, the board has failed to address concerns over board structure or succession.

Indemnification and Limitations on Liability

Generally, SSGA FM supports proposals to limit directors’ liability and/or expand indemnification and liability protection up to the limit provided by law, if he or she has not acted in bad faith, with gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in.

Audit Related Issues

Companies should have robust internal audit and internal control systems designed for effective management of any potential and emerging risks to company operations and strategy. The responsibility of setting out an internal audit function lies with the audit committee, which should have as members independent non-executive directors.

Appointment of External Auditors

SSGA FM believes that a company’s auditor is an essential feature of an effective and transparent system of external supervision and shareholders should be given the opportunity to vote on their appointment or to re-appoint at the annual meeting. When appointing external auditors and approving audit fees, SSGA FM will take into consideration the level of detail in company disclosures and will generally not support such resolutions if an adequate breakdown is not provided and if non-audit fees are more than 50% of audit fees. In addition, SSGA FM may vote against members of the audit committee if we have concerns with audit related issues or if the level of non-audit fees to audit fees is significant. In certain circumstances, SSGA FM may consider auditor tenure when evaluating the audit process.

Limit Legal Liability of External Auditors

SSGA FM generally opposes limiting the legal liability of audit firms as we believe this could create a negative impact on the quality of the audit function.

Shareholder Rights and Capital Related Issues

Share Issuances

The ability to raise capital is critical for companies to carry out strategy, grow, and achieve returns above their cost of capital. The approval of capital raising activities is fundamental to shareholders’ ability to monitor the amounts of proceeds and to ensure capital is deployed efficiently. SSGA FM supports capital increases that have sound business reasons and are not excessive relative to a company’s existing capital base.

Pre-emption rights are a fundamental right for shareholders to protect their investment in a company. Where companies seek to issue new shares whilst dis-applying pre-emption rights, SSGA FM may vote against if such authorities are greater than 20% of the issued share capital. SSGA FM may also vote against resolutions seeking authority to issue capital with pre-emption rights if the aggregate amount allowed seems excessive and is not justified by the board. Generally, we are against capital issuance proposals greater than 100% of the issued share capital when the proceeds are not intended for a specific purpose.

 

 

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Share Repurchase Programs

SSGA FM generally supports a proposal to repurchase shares, other than if the issuer does not clearly state the business purpose for the program, a definitive number of shares to be repurchased, specify the range of premium/discount to market price at which a company can repurchase shares, and the time frame for the repurchase. SSGA FM may vote against share re-purchase requests that allow share re-purchases during a takeover period.

Dividends

SSGA FM generally supports dividend payouts that constitute 30% or more of net income. SSGA FM may vote against the dividend payouts if the dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30% without adequate explanation; or, the payout is excessive given the company’s financial position. Particular attention will be paid where the payment may damage the company’s long term financial health.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers or reorganizing the structure of a company often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation. Proposals that are in the best interests of the shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company’s operations, will be supported. In general, provisions that are not viewed as economically sound or are thought to be destructive to shareholders’ rights are not supported.

SSGA FM will generally support transactions that maximize share-holder value. Some of the considerations include, but are not limited to the following:

 

    Offer premium;

 

    Strategic rationale;

 

    Board oversight of the process for the recommended transaction, including, director and/or management conflicts of interest;

 

    Offers made at a premium and where there are no other higher bidders; and

 

    Offers in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value.

SSGA FM may vote against a transaction considering the following:

 

    Offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock;

 

    Offers where we believe there is a reasonable prospect for an enhanced bid or other bidders; and

 

    At the time of voting, the current market price of the security exceeds the bid price.

Anti-Takeover Measures

SSGA FM opposes anti-takeover defenses such as authorities for the board when subject to a hostile takeover to issue warrants convertible into shares to existing shareholders.

Remuneration

Executive Pay

Despite the differences among the types of plans and awards possible, there is a simple underlying philosophy that guides SSGA FM’s analysis of executive pay—there should be a direct relationship between remuneration and company performance over the long-term.

Shareholders should have the opportunity to assess whether pay structures and levels are aligned with business performance. When assessing remuneration policies and reports, SSGA FM considers factors such as adequate disclosure of different remuneration elements, absolute and relative pay levels, peer selection and benchmarking, the mix of long-term and short-term incentives, alignment of pay structures with shareholder interests as well as with corporate strategy and performance. SSGA FM may oppose remuneration reports where pay seems misaligned with shareholders’ interests. SSGA FM may also vote against the re-election of members of the remuneration committee if we have serious concerns over remuneration practices and the company has not been responsive to shareholder pressure.

Equity Incentive Plans

SSGA FM may not support proposals on equity-based incentive plans where insufficient information is provided on matters such as grant limits, performance metrics, performance and vesting periods and overall dilution. SSGA FM does not generally support options under such plans being issued at a discount to market price or plans that allow for re-testing of performance metrics.

 

 

 

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FM Proxy Voting and Engagement Guidelines

 

Non-Executive Director Pay

Authorities seeking shareholder approval for non-executive directors’ fees are generally not controversial. SSGA FM generally supports resolutions regarding directors’ fees unless disclosure is poor and we are unable to determine whether they are excessive relative to fees paid by other companies in the same country or industry. SSGA FM will evaluate on a company- by-company basis any non-cash or performance related pay to non-executive directors.

Risk Management

SSGA FM believes that risk management is a key function of the board, which is responsible for setting the overall risk appetite of a company and for providing oversight on the risk management process established by senior executives at a company. SSGA FM allows boards discretion over how they provide oversight in this area. However, SSGA FM expects companies to disclose how the board provides oversight on its risk management system and to identify key risks facing the company. Boards should also review existing and emerging risks as they can change with a changing political and economic landscape, or as companies diversify or expand their operations into new areas.

Environmental and Social Issues

As a fiduciary, SSGA FM considers the financial and economic implications of environmental and social issues first and foremost. In this regard, SSGA FM supports environmental and social related items that we believe would protect or enhance shareholder value. Environmental and social factors not only can have an impact on the reputation of companies; they may also represent significant operational risks and costs to business. Well-developed environmental and social management systems can also generate efficiencies and enhance productivity, both of which impact shareholder value in the long-term.

SSGA FM encourages companies to be transparent about the environmental and social risks and opportunities they face and adopt robust policies and processes to manage such issues. In our view, companies that manage all risks and consider opportunities related to environmental and social issues are able to adapt faster to changes and appear to be better placed to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the long-term. Similarly, companies with good risk management systems, which include environmental and social policies, have a stronger position relative to their peers to manage risk and change, which could result in anything from regulation and litigation, physical threats (severe weather, climate change), economic trends as well as shifts in consumer behavior.

In their public reporting, we expect companies to disclose information on relevant management tools and material environmental and social performance metrics. We support efforts by companies to try to demonstrate how sustainability fits into operations and business activities. SSGA FM’s team of analysts evaluates these risks and shareholder proposals relating to them on an issuer by issuer basis; understanding that environmental and social risks can vary widely depending on company industry, its operations, and geographic footprint. SSGA FM may also take action against the re-election of members of the board if we have serious concerns over ESG practices and the company has not been responsive to shareholder pressure.

 

 

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ssga.com

For Public Use

 

State Street Global Advisors Worldwide Entities

Australia: State Street Global Advisors, Australia, Limited (ABN 42 003 914 225) is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL Number 238276). Registered Office: Level 17, 420 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. T: +612 9240 7600. F: +612 9240 7611. Belgium: State Street Global Advisors Belgium, Chausse de La Hulpe 120, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. T: +32 2 663 2036, F: +32 2 672 2077. SSGA Belgium is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Canada: State Street Global Advisors, Ltd., 770 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200 Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, T: +514 282 2400 and 30 Adelaide Street East Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 3G6. T: +647 775 5900. Dubai: State Street Bank and Trust Company (Representative Office), Boulevard Plaza 1, 17th Floor, Office 1703 Near Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa, P.O Box 26838, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 (0)4 4372800. F: +971 (0)4 4372818. France: State Street Global Advisors France. Authorised and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Registered with the Register of Commerce and Companies of Nanterre under the number: 412 052 680. Registered Office: Immeuble Défense Plaza, 23-25 rue Delarivière-Lefoullon, 92064 Paris La Défense Cedex, France. T: +33 1 44 45 40 00. F: +33 1 44 45 41 92. Germany: State Street Global Advisors GmbH, Brienner Strasse 59, D-80333 Munich. T: +49 (0)89 55878 100. F: +49 (0)89 55878 440. Hong Kong: State Street Global Advisors Asia Limited, 68/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. T: +852 2103 0288. F: +852 2103 0200. Ireland: State Street Global Advisors Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Incorporated and registered in Ireland at Two Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered Number: 145221. Member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. T: +353 (0)1 776 3000. F: +353 (0)1 776 3300. Italy: State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano) is a branch of State Street Global Advisors Limited, a company registered in the UK, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ), with a capital of GBP 71’650’000.00, and whose registered office is at 20 Churchill Place, London E14 5HJ. State Street Global Advisors Limited, Milan Branch (Sede Secondaria di Milano), is registered in Italy with company number 06353340968 - R.E.A. 1887090 and VAT number 06353340968 and whose office is at Via dei Bossi, 4 - 20121 Milano, Italy • Telephone: 39 02 32066 100 • Facsimile: 39 02 32066

155. Japan: State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd., 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6239. T: +813 4530 7380. Financial Instruments Business Operator, Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Kinsho #345). Japan Investment Advisers Association, Investment Trusts Association Japan, Japan Securities Dealers Association. Netherlands: State Street Global Advisors Netherlands, Adam Smith Building, Thomas Malthusstraat 1-3, 1066 JR Amsterdam, Netherlands. T: +31 (0)20 7181701. State Street Global Advisors Netherlands is a branch office of State Street Global Advisors Limited. State Street Global Advisors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Singapore: State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited, 168, Robinson Road, #33-01 Capital Tower, Singapore 068912 (Company Registered Number: 200002719D). T: +65 6826 7500. F: +65 6826 7501. Switzerland: State Street Global Advisors AG, Beethovenstr. 19, CH-8027 Zurich. T: +41 (0)44 245 70 00. F: +41 (0)44 245 70 16. United Kingdom: State Street Global Advisors Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England. Registered Number: 2509928. VAT Number: 5776591 81. Registered Office: 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HJ. T: +020 3395 6000. F: +020 3395 6350. United States: State Street Global Advisors, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900. T: +617 664 7727.

The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.

 

 

State Street Global Advisors   

© 2016 State Street Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

INST-6453 0316 Exp. Date: 03/31/2017

 


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PART C

We have omitted responses to Items 23(e) and (i)-(k) pursuant to paragraph 2(b) of General Instruction B to Form N-1A.

ITEM 28. EXHIBITS

 

(a) Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated April 14, 2014 of the State Street Master Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2014.

 

(b) Amended and Restated By-Laws of State Street Master Funds dated August 28, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 14, 2016.

 

(c) Not applicable.

 

(d)(1) Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 17, 2015 between SSGA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 14, 2016.

 

(d)(2) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 1, 2010, by and between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and Nuveen Asset Management is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2010.

 

(d)(3) Fee Waiver letter dated April 28, 2011 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust with respect to the State Street Equity 2000 Index Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

(d)(4) Fee Waiver letter dated February 1, 2011 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust with respect to the Money Market Portfolios is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

(d)(5) Reimbursement Agreement dated September 20, 2012 by and among State Street Master Funds, State Street Institutional Investment Trust, and SSgA Funds Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2013.

 

(e) Not applicable.

 

(f) Not applicable.

 

(g)(1) Custodian Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2002.

 

     (2) Amendment to Custodian Agreement dated February 14, 2001 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2002.


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     (3) Notice dated February 14, 2002 to Custodian Agreement dated March 1, 2000 with respect to the State Street Money Market Portfolio and the State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2008.

 

     (4) Notice dated February 12, 2004 to Custodian Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with respect to the State Street Money Market Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2008.

 

     (5) Notice dated September 10, 2007 to Custodian Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with respect to the State Street Treasury Portfolio and the State Street Treasury Plus Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2009.

 

     (6) Notice to Custodian Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between the State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with respect the State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio will be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(h)(1) Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2002.

 

     (2) Notice dated February 14, 2002 to Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with respect to the State Street Money Market Portfolio and the State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2008.

 

     (3) Notice dated February 12, 2004 to Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated March 1, 2000 with respect to the State Street Money Market Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2008.

 

     (4) Services Amendment dated April 5, 2004 to Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2008.

 

     (5) Anti-Money Laundering Services Amendment dated October 31, 2006 to Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2009.

 

     (6) Notice dated September 10, 2007 to Transfer Agency and Services Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between the State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with respect to the State Street Treasury Portfolio and the State Street Treasury Plus Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2009.


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     (7) Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 between SSGA Funds Management, Inc., SSGA Funds, State Street Institutional Investment Trust and State Street Master Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 14, 2016.

 

     (8) Sub-Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 14, 2016.

 

     (9) Notice to the Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. with respect the State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio is filed herewith.

 

     (10) Notice to Sub-Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. with respect the State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio will be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

     (11) Amendment to Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between Henderson Global Funds, on behalf of its series Henderson Money Market Fund (the “Feeder Fund”), and the Trust dated April 20, 2009 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

     (12) Form of Master-Feeder Participation Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

     (13) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company, SSgA Cash Series Prime Fund, and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

     (14) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company, SSgA Cash Series U.S. Government Fund, and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

     (15) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company, SSgA Cash Series Treasury Fund, and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

     (16) Information Security Program Agreement dated November 19, 2010 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 29, 2011.

 

     (17) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement dated May 1, 2001 between American Beacon Funds (formerly known as American AAdvantage Funds and American AAdvantage Mileage Funds), on behalf of its series American Beacon S&P 500 Index Fund, American Beacon Small Cap Index Fund, and American Beacon International Equity Index Fund (formerly known as American AAdvantage S&P 500 Index Fund and American AAdvantage S&P 500 Index Mileage Fund) (the “Feeder Fund”), State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio, and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2013.


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     (18) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement dated February 17, 2012 between Allianz Funds, on behalf of its series Allianz Global Investors Money Market Fund (the “Feeder Fund”), and the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2013.

 

     (19) Notice to Transfer Agency and Services Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between the State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with respect the State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio will be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

     (20) Plan of Liquidation and Termination relating to the State Street Tax Free Money Market Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 14, 2016.

 

(i) Not applicable.

 

(j) Consent of Ernst & Young LLP is filed herewith.

 

(k) Not applicable.

 

(l) Not applicable.

 

(m) Not applicable.

 

(n) Not applicable.

 

(o) Power of Attorney as it relates to the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 14, 2016.

 

(p) Joint Code of Ethics governing the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to State Street Master Funds’ Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on April 14, 2016.

ITEM 29. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH THE PORTFOLIO

See Item 18 in Part B for information regarding ownership of the State Street Equity 500 Index Portfolio, State Street Money Market Portfolio, State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio, State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio, State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio and the State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio.

ITEM 30. INDEMNIFICATION

Under the terms of Registrant’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, Article VIII, Registrant is required, subject to certain exceptions and limitations, to indemnify each of its Trustees and officers, including persons who serve at the Registrant’s request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Registrant has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise who may be indemnified by Registrant under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

ITEM 31. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER AND THE SUB-ADVISER

See “Management of the Trust” in Part B. Information as to the directors and officers of the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser is included in its Form ADV filed with the SEC and is incorporated herein by reference thereto.


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ITEM 32. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS

Not applicable.

ITEM 33. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

The accounts and records of the Trust are located, in whole or in part, at the office of the Trust and the following locations:

 

STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS   

PO Box 5049

Boston, MA 02206

SSGA FUNDS MANAGEMENT, INC. (the Investment Adviser and Sub-Administrator)   

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

(Custodian, Sub-Administrator and Transfer Agent)

  

100 Huntington Avenue, 5th floor

Boston, MA 02116

ITEM 34. MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Not applicable.

ITEM 35. UNDERTAKINGS

Not applicable.


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Trust, State Street Master Funds, has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the 29th day of April, 2016.

STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS

 

By:   /s/ Ellen M. Needham
  Ellen M. Needham
  President
  (Principal Executive Officer)

 

By:   /s/ Bruce S. Rosenberg
  Bruce S. Rosenberg
  Treasurer
  (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)


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Exhibit List

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

28(h)(9)   Notice to the Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. with respect the State Street International Developed Equity Index Portfolio
28(j)   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP