N-CSR 1 nef_ncsr.htm N-CSR

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

Certified Shareholder Report of

Registered Management Investment Companies

 

Investment Company Act File Number: 811-03735

 

The New Economy Fund

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

333 South Hope Street, 55th Floor

Los Angeles, California 90071

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (949) 975-5000

 

Date of fiscal year end: November 30

 

Date of reporting period: November 30, 2023

 

Gregory F. Niland

The New Economy Fund

5300 Robin Hood Road

Norfolk, Virginia 23513

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 
 

  

ITEM 1 – Reports to Stockholders

 

The New Economy Fund®

 

Annual report
for the year ended
November 30, 2023

 

 

We believe in investing
in global companies
that will help shape
our future

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted new regulations that will change the content and design of annual and semi-annual shareholder reports beginning in July 2024. Certain types of information, including investment portfolio and financial statements, will not be included in the shareholder reports but will be available online, delivered free of charge upon request, and filed on a semi-annual basis on Form N-CSR.

 

If you would like to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the fund electronically, you may update your mailing preferences with your financial intermediary or enroll in e-delivery at capitalgroup.com (for accounts held directly with the fund).

 

 

The New Economy Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

This fund is one of more than 40 offered by Capital Group, home of American Funds, one of the nation’s largest mutual fund families. For over 90 years, Capital Group has invested with a long-term focus based on thorough research and attention to risk.

 

Fund results shown in this report, unless otherwise indicated, are for Class F-2 shares. Class A share results are shown at net asset value unless otherwise indicated. If a sales charge (maximum 5.75%) had been deducted from Class A shares, the results would have been lower. Results are for past periods and are not predictive of results for future periods. Current and future results may be lower or higher than those shown. Prices and returns will vary, so investors may lose money. Investing for short periods makes losses more likely. For current information and month-end results, visit capitalgroup.com.

 

Here are the average annual total returns on a $1,000 investment for periods ended December 31, 2023 (the most recent calendar quarter-end):

 

   1 year  5 years  10 years
          
Class F-2 shares   29.39%   11.65%   9.62%
Class A shares (reflecting 5.75% maximum sales charge)   21.65    10.07    8.72 

 

For other share class results, visit capitalgroup.com and americanfundsretirement.com.

 

The total annual fund operating expense ratios are 0.52% for Class F-2 shares and 0.77% for Class A shares as of the prospectus dated February 1, 2024 (unaudited).

 

Investment results assume all distributions are reinvested and reflect applicable fees and expenses. When applicable, results reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which they would have been lower. Visit capitalgroup.com for more information.

 

Investing outside the United States involves risks, such as currency fluctuations, periods of illiquidity and price volatility, as more fully described in the prospectus. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in developing countries. Small-company stocks entail additional risks, and they can fluctuate in price more than larger company stocks. Refer to the fund prospectus and the Risk Factors section of this report for more information on these and other risks associated with investing in the fund.

 

Investments are not FDIC-insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity, so they may lose value.

 

Contents

 

1   Letter to investors
     
4   The value of a long-term perspective
     
6   Investment portfolio
     
12   Financial statements
     
37   Board of trustees and other officers

 

Fellow investors:

 

We are pleased to present this annual report for the 12 months ended November 30, 2023.

 

Global equity markets rebounded over The New Economy Fund’s fiscal year. Marked by optimism that inflation has peaked, the economy showed signs of stabilization as pressures eased. U.S. equities rallied throughout the first half of the year before reversing some of those gains as the Federal Reserve adopted a “wait and see” approach to further policy tightening.

 

For the fiscal year, the fund had a total return of 17.26% for its Class F-2 shares with all dividends reinvested. This return exceeded the 12.01% return of its primary benchmark, the unmanaged MSCI ACWI (All Country World Index), which measures equity market results based on more than 40 developed and emerging market country indexes. For the 10-year period ended November 30, 2023, The New Economy Fund had an average annual total return of 9.36%, which exceeded the 7.60% return of the MSCI ACWI. We believe the 10-year and lifetime returns (refer to the table below) are important for investors to consider, as they best reflect our long-term approach and philosophy.

 

Butterfly effect of higher interest rates

At this time last year, investors and market participants were focused on rising recession fears. Those fears were magnified in early 2023 as aggressive rate hikes fueled three major U.S. bank failures, sparking worries over the stability of the financial system. Liquidity concerns escalated internationally as the Swiss government brokered an acquisition of Credit Suisse Group AG to UBS Group AG to prevent further contagion.

 

Results at a glance

 

For periods ended November 30, 2023, with all distributions reinvested

 

   Cumulative
total returns
  Average annual total returns
   1 year  5 years  10 years  Lifetime1
             
The New Economy Fund (Class F-2 shares)2   17.26%   9.00%   9.36%   11.18%
The New Economy Fund (Class A shares)   16.97    8.74    9.10    10.93 
MSCI ACWI (All Country World Index)3,4   12.01    9.07    7.60    9.26 

 

Past results are not predictive of results in future periods.

 

1 Lifetime returns are as of December 1, 1983, the inception date of Class A shares.
2 Class F-2 shares were first offered on August 1, 2008. Class F-2 share results prior to the date of first sale are hypothetical based on the results of the original share class of the fund without a sales charge, adjusted for typical estimated expenses. Visit capitalgroup.com for more information on specific expense adjustments and the actual dates of first sale.
3 From December 1, 1983, through December 31, 1987, the MSCI World Index was used because the MSCI ACWI did not exist. MSCI World Index results reflect dividends net of withholding taxes, and MSCI ACWI results reflect dividends gross of withholding taxes through December 31, 2000, and dividends net of withholding taxes thereafter. Source: MSCI.
4 Market indexes are unmanaged and, therefore, have no expenses. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. There have been periods when the fund has lagged the index.
   
The New Economy Fund 1
 

While inflation has come down in the United States, the Fed remains watchful as some elements of inflation — such as housing costs — remain persistently high. Core inflation, which excludes volatile components such as energy and food, continues to be a concern. Despite the uncertainty, the U.S. economy has been resilient, with real gross domestic product (GDP) managing to increase at a 5.2% annual rate in the third quarter.

 

Overseas, China’s strict “zero-COVID” measures were lifted in late 2022, providing a tailwind to the global economy despite ongoing weakness in its property sector. Climate change continues to be a focus for the European Union, with a target to reduce and phase out CO2-emitting cars by 2035. These measures will have varied impacts, affecting not only businesses globally but also fiscal policy around how money is transmitted.

 

Cyclical stocks made a comeback

With economic growth proving resilient in the face of higher interest rates and rising hopes for an easing of monetary policy, the MSCI ACWI rebounded quickly in November to close out the year.

 

U.S. large-cap stocks in the Russell 1000 Index5 outpaced the small-cap stocks in the Russell 2000 Index6 by 16.14% for the fiscal year period. Growth stocks led value stocks (Russell 1000 Growth7 vs. Russell 1000 Value8) by 24.81% for the fiscal year, a stark reversal from the last reporting period. And cyclical sectors in the MSCI USA Index9 led defensive sectors by 27.25% for the fiscal year.

 

Globally, growth stocks within the MSCI ACWI continued the trend, as they grew nearly 21% for the fiscal year, leading the increase of the overall index by approximately 8.67%, while value stocks within the index managed a modest return of 3.59%.

 

Within the MSCI ACWI, information technology (IT) and communication services stocks mostly led the sectors, bolstered by the concentrated gains of the “Magnificent 7” — Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, NVIDIA, Meta and Tesla. The extreme trends in artificial intelligence (AI) among these handful of companies have propped up so much of the index, it would have declined or remained flat for the year to date without them.

 

Inside the fund

At the end of the reporting period, roughly 76% of the fund’s equity assets were in companies domiciled in the United States — a 5% increase from last year — with the rest in other countries.

 

At the sector level, health care weighed on relative results as expectations for pandemic-related revenues declined. Thermo Fisher Scientific fell 11.51% over the fiscal year as demand for COVID-19 testing waned. The company was also negatively impacted by relatively higher interest rates and the rising cost of borrowing money, which in turn limits the research and development budgets. Agilon Health fell by 39.52% for the fiscal year as it suffered from increased costs post-COVID as consumers caught up on deferred health care services.

 

The portfolio’s largest holding is Microsoft, which appreciated 48.51% during the reporting period, highlighted by a 24% year-over-year increase in Microsoft Cloud revenue for the quarter ending in September and significant announcements around a series of new AI-enhanced services. Microsoft demonstrated its commitment to generative AI services by making a multi-billion dollar investment in OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, in the beginning of 2023. More recently, it secured a nonvoting observer seat on the nonprofit’s board.

 

The next largest holding is Broadcom, a global technology company that designs, develops and supplies a wide range of semiconductor and infrastructure

 

5 Russell 1000 Index is a market capitalization-weighted index that represents the top 1,000 stocks in the U.S. equity market by market capitalization.
6 Russell 2000 Index is a small-cap stock market index of the bottom 2,000 stocks in the Russell 3000 Index. The index is maintained by the FTSE Russell, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange Group.
7 Russell 1000 Growth Index is a market capitalization-weighted index that represents the large-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity market and includes stocks from the Russell 1000 Index that have higher price-to-book ratios and higher expected growth values.
8 Russell 1000 Value Index is a market capitalization-weighted index that represents the large-cap value segment of the U.S. equity market and includes stocks from the Russell 1000 Index that have lower price-to-book ratios and lower expected growth values.
9 MSCI USA Index is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the U.S. portion of the world market.

 

The indexes are unmanaged, and their results include reinvested dividends and/or distributions but do not reflect the effect of sales charges, commissions, account fees, expenses or U.S. federal income taxes.

 

Past results are not predictive of results in future periods.

 

2 The New Economy Fund
 

software solutions. Shares rose 68.00% for the fiscal year thanks to a solid earnings report in October in which its AI-related revenues grew sharply in anticipation of the completion of its significant acquisition of VMware. As the global leader in data center ethernet solutions, Broadcom has been benefiting from the significant increase in AI-related computing infrastructure investments being made by cloud services providers.

 

Alphabet, the third-largest holding, posted gains of 31.23% and 32.01% in its Class A and Class C shares, respectively. The company posted an 11% increase in revenue year over year as of September 30 due to growth in Google Search, YouTube and cloud services. Alphabet continues to cement its role as a major contender in its pursuit to bring generative AI to its consumers with products such as Google Gemini, Assistant with Bard, Duet AI, Google AI and many other applications.

 

A look ahead

Generative AI remains a key area of innovation. We are seeing tremendous promise in its potential to increase productivity in a surprisingly wide range of activities — from software coding to drug discovery. We believe it’s likely that applications will keep expanding as models grow in sophistication. We are enthusiastic about developments such as Microsoft’s CoPilot, which embeds ChatGPT into familiar Office applications like Word and Excel. It also has the potential to unlock further productivity gains and broaden access to professional software features to casual or untrained users. Alphabet is similarly connecting Bard to Gmail and other applications. Development and innovation is happening rapidly in this space.

 

Additional areas of investment research focus for the fund’s management team continue to be health care, renewable energy and fintech. We see significant potential in biotech given advances in genomics, molecular biology and the application of AI. We are seeing an explosion of biologics and new therapeutic modalities and are finding interesting investment opportunities across the value chain from equipment suppliers to providers of outsource services to pharmaceutical companies. Similarly, we are seeing opportunities in the growth of value-based care in the U.S. This approach more holistically addresses patient care, focusing on disease prevention and cost-effective treatment of chronic conditions.

 

We see exciting opportunities in renewable energy. Geopolitical concerns are driving demand for alternative energy sources as a way to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) needs. The surge of green energy investments from the U.S., Europe and United Kingdom look to incentivize businesses to invest in more sustainable approaches toward combating climate change. We also see trends in digital banking as preferences switch toward conducting transactions online. The lower costs of operation enable these savings to be passed on to the consumer, particularly in emerging markets. Embedded payment systems will continue to become faster and easier to use.

 

Ultimately, we continue to be excited about the rapid acceleration of deploying technology and driving productivity. Innovation remains unavoidable as we see businesses adapt to meet the changes and needs of the consumer. As long-term investors focused on structural, secular trends, we believe that well-managed companies are poised to provide the framework to improve standards of living, focus on climate change and work toward addressing humanities’ needs.

 

We thank you for your commitment to The New Economy Fund, and we look forward to reporting to you again in six months.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Mathews Cherian
Co-President

 

 

Harold H. La
Co-President

 

January 9, 2024

 

For current information about the fund, visit capitalgroup.com.

 

Past results are not predictive of results in future periods.

 

The New Economy Fund 3
 

The value of a long-term perspective

 

 

Fund results shown are for Class F-2 shares and Class A shares. Class A share results reflect deduction of the maximum sales charge of 5.75% on the $10,000 investment1; thus, the net amount invested was $9,425.2 Results are for past periods and are not predictive of results for future periods. Current and future results may be lower or higher than those shown. Prices and returns will vary, so investors may lose money. Investing for short periods makes losses more likely. For current information and month-end results, visit capitalgroup.com.

 

Class F-2 shares were first offered on August 1, 2008. Class F-2 share results prior to the date of first sale are hypothetical based on the results of the original share class of the fund without a sales charge, adjusted for typical estimated expenses. Visit capitalgroup.com for more information on specific expense adjustments and the actual dates of first sale.

 

The results shown are before taxes on fund distributions and sale of fund shares.

 

1 As outlined in the prospectus, the sales charge is reduced for accounts (and aggregated investments) of $25,000 or more and is eliminated for purchases of $1 million or more. There is no sales charge on dividends or capital gain distributions that are reinvested in additional shares.
2 The maximum initial sales charge was 8.50% prior to July 1, 1988.
3 All results are calculated with dividends and capital gains reinvested.
4 From December 1, 1983, through December 31, 1987, the MSCI World Index was used because the MSCI ACWI did not exist. MSCI World Index results reflect dividends net of withholding taxes, and MSCI ACWI results reflect dividends gross of withholding taxes through December 31, 2000, and dividends net of withholding taxes thereafter. Source: MSCI.
5 The market index is unmanaged and, therefore, has no expenses. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.
   
4 The New Economy Fund
 

How a hypothetical $10,000 investment has grown

This chart illustrates how a hypothetical $10,000 investment in The New Economy Fund’s Class F-2 and Class A shares grew between December 1, 1983 — when the fund began operations — and November 30, 2023, the end of its latest fiscal year.

 

 

The New Economy Fund 5
 

Investment portfolio November 30, 2023

 

Sector diversification Percent of net assets

 

 

Country diversification by domicile  Percent of
net assets
United States   76.19%
Eurozone*   6.34 
Taiwan   2.08 
India   1.60 
South Korea   1.50 
Denmark   1.33 
Japan   1.00 
United Kingdom   .92 
Canada   .83 
Other countries   3.19 
Short-term securities & other assets less liabilities   5.02 
* Countries using the euro as a common currency; those represented in the fund’s portfolio are Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

 

Common stocks 94.63%  Shares   Value
(000)
 
Information technology 31.38%          
Microsoft Corp.   5,092,211   $1,929,490 
Broadcom, Inc.   1,597,887    1,479,212 
Salesforce, Inc.1   1,818,132    457,987 
SK hynix, Inc.   4,233,601    439,390 
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (ADR)   3,242,839    315,561 
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.   6,284,000    116,065 
Micron Technology, Inc.   5,306,694    403,946 
NVIDIA Corp.   756,206    353,678 
Arista Networks, Inc.1   1,245,540    273,658 
Apple, Inc.   1,361,814    258,677 
Motorola Solutions, Inc.   664,894    214,674 
ServiceNow, Inc.1   282,736    193,883 
Palo Alto Networks, Inc.1   643,131    189,782 
Shopify, Inc., Class A, subordinate voting shares1   2,437,962    177,532 
Insight Enterprises, Inc.1   1,119,355    169,493 
Adobe, Inc.1   272,752    166,654 
Accenture PLC, Class A   427,128    142,293 
ASML Holding NV   200,633    136,056 
MongoDB, Inc., Class A1   272,750    113,393 
Smartsheet, Inc., Class A1   2,478,606    105,043 
Seagate Technology Holdings PLC   1,320,387    104,443 
Applied Materials, Inc.   683,931    102,439 
SAP SE   625,497    99,051 
EPAM Systems, Inc.1   377,314    97,419 
Wolfspeed, Inc.1   2,495,057    91,968 
MediaTek, Inc.   3,037,400    91,880 
Marvell Technology, Inc.   1,580,588    88,086 
eMemory Technology, Inc.   1,071,000    86,222 
Synopsys, Inc.1   129,879    70,554 
Globant SA1   314,300    69,397 
Sage Group PLC (The)   3,743,040    53,421 
Renesas Electronics Corp.1   2,994,800    52,590 
Monday.com, Ltd.1,2   266,751    47,973 
NEC Corp.   855,100    47,525 
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc.1   1,416,274    47,020 
Cloudflare, Inc., Class A1   602,437    46,478 
Snowflake, Inc., Class A1   239,404    44,931 
Keyence Corp.   93,400    39,909 
TE Connectivity, Ltd.   295,035    38,650 
Datadog, Inc., Class A1   331,098    38,596 
ON Semiconductor Corp.1   495,000    35,308 
Constellation Software, Inc.   14,025    32,943 
HubSpot, Inc.1   60,686    29,975 
RingCentral, Inc., Class A1   903,769    25,721 

 

6 The New Economy Fund
 
Common stocks (continued)  Shares   Value
(000)
 
Information technology (continued)          
Zeta Global Holdings Corp., Class A1   2,582,300   $21,097 
Klaviyo, Inc., Class A1   677,100    20,062 
Autodesk, Inc.1   72,507    15,838 
OBIC Co., Ltd.   98,700    15,109 
Qorvo, Inc.1   129,258    12,473 
Stripe, Inc., Class B1,3,4   63,586    1,408 
         9,204,953 
           
Health care 19.86%          
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.   1,467,828    811,665 
Eli Lilly and Co.   941,313    556,354 
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.   1,106,348    548,483 
Novo Nordisk AS, Class B   3,835,051    389,460 
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.1   907,272    321,909 
Molina Healthcare, Inc.1   830,448    303,579 
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.1   1,462,930    246,138 
agilon health, Inc.1,2,5   22,210,517    235,876 
Abbott Laboratories   2,161,050    225,376 
Stryker Corp.   663,659    196,662 
Insulet Corp.1   914,356    172,896 
Catalent, Inc.1   3,920,766    152,322 
WuXi AppTec Co., Ltd., Class H2   10,609,752    124,280 
ICON PLC1   441,986    117,984 
Humana, Inc.   242,782    117,715 
DexCom, Inc.1   870,776    100,592 
Exact Sciences Corp.1   1,420,000    90,880 
GE HealthCare Technologies, Inc.   1,229,273    84,156 
WuXi Biologics (Cayman), Inc.1   14,780,000    82,308 
AbbVie, Inc.   568,348    80,927 
Zoetis, Inc., Class A   440,104    77,753 
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.1   90,042    74,177 
Centene Corp.1   938,123    69,121 
Argenx SE (ADR)1   152,794    68,850 
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.1   798,053    68,058 
AstraZeneca PLC   505,406    64,609 
Lonza Group AG   154,799    59,820 
EssilorLuxottica SA   299,812    57,150 
Bachem Holding AG   692,289    51,386 
Gilead Sciences, Inc.   576,416    44,153 
IQVIA Holdings, Inc.1   170,124    36,424 
Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.   1,349,345    36,405 
Illumina, Inc.1   315,590    32,174 
Revance Therapeutics, Inc.1,5   4,478,779    30,321 
Rede D’Or Sao Luiz SA   5,111,400    27,623 
Align Technology, Inc.1   92,576    19,793 
BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc.1   183,694    16,731 
HOYA Corp.   128,700    14,466 
Penumbra, Inc.1   64,203    14,259 
NovoCure, Ltd.1   321,175    3,941 
Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.1   8,101    658 
         5,827,434 
           
Financials 11.68%          
Mastercard, Inc., Class A   1,213,238    502,074 
Visa, Inc., Class A   1,161,473    298,127 
Fiserv, Inc.1   1,640,968    214,327 
KKR & Co., Inc.   2,765,236    209,715 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B1   575,902    207,325 
NU Holdings, Ltd. / Cayman Islands, Class A1   23,886,865    194,439 
RenaissanceRe Holdings, Ltd.   819,435    175,654 
AIA Group, Ltd.   17,154,000    148,014 
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.   6,552,998    137,941 
HDFC Bank, Ltd. (ADR)   1,235,846    74,200 
HDFC Bank, Ltd.   3,016,422    56,383 
Affirm Holdings, Inc., Class A1   2,612,339    89,891 
Adyen NV1   71,097    82,884 
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.   378,316    75,444 
Tradeweb Markets, Inc., Class A   766,089    74,234 

 

The New Economy Fund 7
 
Common stocks (continued)  Shares   Value
(000)
 
Financials (continued)          
Block, Inc., Class A1   1,155,905   $73,319 
Discover Financial Services   765,002    71,145 
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.   245,633    61,163 
CME Group, Inc., Class A   266,102    58,106 
Bajaj Finserv, Ltd.   2,787,500    55,938 
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.   490,244    55,809 
Aon PLC, Class A   169,342    55,627 
Blackstone, Inc.   479,552    53,887 
Star Health & Allied Insurance Co., Ltd.1   5,796,777    40,177 
Arch Capital Group, Ltd.1   477,816    39,988 
ICICI Bank, Ltd.   3,500,000    39,239 
MSCI, Inc.   72,632    37,830 
Corebridge Financial, Inc.   1,698,134    35,712 
JPMorgan Chase & Co.   223,879    34,943 
Brookfield Corp., Class A   972,800    34,311 
LPL Financial Holdings, Inc.   144,465    32,115 
Morgan Stanley   394,209    31,277 
Janus Henderson Group PLC   1,049,020    27,474 
Jio Financial Services, Ltd.1   8,881,000    24,430 
GMO Payment Gateway, Inc.   389,300    22,863 
         3,426,005 
           
Consumer discretionary 9.43%          
Amazon.com, Inc.1   4,673,353    682,730 
MercadoLibre, Inc.1   299,509    485,342 
LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton SE   238,253    182,237 
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.1   80,525    177,336 
Flutter Entertainment PLC1   905,778    141,236 
Evolution AB   1,361,628    140,960 
Airbnb, Inc., Class A1   1,056,330    133,457 
Home Depot, Inc.   424,251    132,998 
Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc., Class A1   1,349,567    123,769 
Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc.   720,686    120,729 
Amadeus IT Group SA, Class A, non-registered shares   1,158,751    79,235 
Booking Holdings, Inc.1   20,980    65,577 
Tractor Supply Co.   265,952    53,991 
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.1   54,149    53,195 
YUM! Brands, Inc.   328,743    41,274 
adidas AG   177,164    37,053 
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd.1   2,012,426    30,730 
Light & Wonder, Inc.1   237,667    21,015 
Aptiv PLC1   247,656    20,516 
DoorDash, Inc., Class A1   184,782    17,366 
Sony Group Corp.   165,100    14,276 
International Game Technology PLC   467,873    12,506 
         2,767,528 
           
Industrials 8.55%          
Ceridian HCM Holding, Inc.1   5,334,198    367,526 
TransDigm Group, Inc.   335,848    323,378 
Airbus SE, non-registered shares   1,672,227    247,914 
Safran SA   1,164,627    204,124 
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.   782,473    149,304 
General Electric Co.   1,178,818    143,580 
Copart, Inc.1   2,219,888    111,483 
Ryanair Holdings PLC (ADR)1   919,542    108,708 
RTX Corp.   1,185,840    96,622 
Quanta Services, Inc.   501,900    94,513 
Carrier Global Corp.   1,670,901    86,820 
United Rentals, Inc.   159,300    75,830 
Siemens AG   338,884    56,807 
Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.   1,377,600    51,151 
Boeing Co.1   220,381    51,047 
CSX Corp.   1,542,174    49,812 
Weir Group PLC (The)   1,941,474    45,907 
NIBE Industrier AB, Class B   6,674,243    39,370 
Melrose Industries PLC   5,727,894    37,501 
XPO, Inc.1   378,347    32,644 

 

8 The New Economy Fund
 
Common stocks (continued)  Shares   Value
(000)
 
Industrials (continued)          
Rentokil Initial PLC   5,777,105   $31,266 
Union Pacific Corp.   132,000    29,736 
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.   68,634    26,703 
Saia, Inc.1   57,939    22,619 
Shenzhen Inovance Technology Co., Ltd., Class A   1,853,527    17,158 
Grab Holdings, Ltd., Class A1   1,998,134    6,074 
         2,507,597 
           
Communication services 6.20%          
Alphabet, Inc., Class A1   3,399,188    450,495 
Alphabet, Inc., Class C1   2,786,485    373,166 
Meta Platforms, Inc., Class A1   1,466,892    479,894 
Netflix, Inc.1   301,336    142,824 
T-Mobile US, Inc.   452,836    68,129 
Charter Communications, Inc., Class A1   129,879    51,969 
New York Times Co., Class A   1,015,052    47,697 
Warner Music Group Corp., Class A   1,399,254    46,329 
Epic Games, Inc.1,3,4   84,438    45,326 
Comcast Corp., Class A   922,522    38,644 
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.1   243,453    38,514 
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.1   433,144    36,479 
         1,819,466 
           
Energy 3.26%          
Halliburton Co.   3,899,087    144,383 
Transocean, Ltd.1   18,706,090    118,971 
Noble Corp. PLC, Class A   2,522,850    116,404 
Viper Energy, Inc., Class A   3,673,000    113,202 
Neste OYJ   2,169,337    82,363 
Schlumberger NV   1,574,843    81,955 
TechnipFMC PLC   3,362,680    69,675 
Weatherford International1   733,875    66,555 
Baker Hughes Co., Class A   1,916,474    64,681 
Gaztransport & Technigaz SA   421,006    56,641 
Reliance Industries, Ltd.   1,402,547    39,985 
         954,815 
           
Consumer staples 1.90%          
Performance Food Group Co.1   1,606,500    104,503 
Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.1   751,557    92,885 
Dollar General Corp.   613,606    80,456 
Kroger Co.   1,475,000    65,298 
Costco Wholesale Corp.   82,323    48,796 
Philip Morris International, Inc.   454,500    42,432 
Monster Beverage Corp.1   719,328    39,671 
Ocado Group PLC1   4,795,032    36,321 
Maplebear, Inc. (DBA Instacart)1   1,228,755    27,346 
Target Corp.   142,524    19,071 
         556,779 
           
Materials 1.15%          
Linde PLC   253,463    104,875 
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.   358,159    96,900 
Air Liquide SA   466,997    88,347 
Corteva, Inc.   1,039,885    47,003 
         337,125 
           
Utilities 1.14%          
PG&E Corp.   10,951,195    188,032 
AES Corp.   5,109,896    87,942 
NextEra Energy, Inc.   1,019,694    59,662 
         335,636 

 

The New Economy Fund 9
 
Common stocks (continued)  Shares   Value
(000)
 
Real estate 0.08%          
Zillow Group, Inc., Class C, nonvoting shares1   406,420   $16,639 
Equinix, Inc. REIT   9,603    7,827 
         24,466 
           
Total common stocks (cost: $18,713,906,000)        27,761,804 
           
Preferred securities 0.04%          
Information technology 0.04%          
Stripe, Inc., Series BB-1, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3,4   218,360    4,837 
Stripe, Inc., Series G, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3,4   128,963    2,856 
Stripe, Inc., Series BB, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3,4   77,454    1,716 
Stripe, Inc., Series H, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3,4   22,617    501 
           
Total preferred securities (cost: $10,136,000)        9,910 
           
Convertible stocks 0.11%          
Information technology 0.11%          
Tarana Wireless, Inc., Series 6, noncumulative convertible preferred shares3,4   30,562,347    32,683 
Tarana Wireless, Inc., Series 7, noncumulative convertible preferred shares3,4   922,043    986 
           
Total convertible stocks (cost: $25,986,000)        33,669 
           
Convertible bonds & notes 0.20%Principal amount
(000)
      
Consumer discretionary 0.20%          
Rivian Automotive, Inc., convertible notes, 4.625% 3/15/20296  USD9,991    11,035 
Rivian Automotive, Inc., convertible notes, 3.625% 10/15/20306   50,000    48,220 
           
Total convertible bonds & notes (cost: $59,991,000)        59,255 
           
Short-term securities 5.34%   Shares      
Money market investments 5.28%          
Capital Group Central Cash Fund 5.46%5,7   15,478,457    1,547,846 
           
Money market investments purchased with collateral from securities on loan 0.06%      
State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund, Institutional Class 5.28%7,8   8,887,833    8,888 
Invesco Short-Term Investments Trust – Government & Agency Portfolio, Institutional Class 5.28%7,8   7,747,857    7,748 
Capital Group Central Cash Fund 5.46%5,7,8   21,915    2,191 
         18,827 
           
Total short-term securities (cost: $1,566,423,000)        1,566,673 
Total investment securities 100.32% (cost: $20,376,442,000)        29,431,311 
Other assets less liabilities (0.32%)        (95,025)
           
Net assets 100.00%       $29,336,286 

 

10 The New Economy Fund
 

Investments in affiliates5

 

   Value at
12/1/2022
(000)
   Additions
(000)
   Reductions
(000)
   Net
realized
gain (loss)
(000)
   Net
unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
(000)
   Value at
11/30/2023
(000)
   Dividend
or interest
income
(000)
 
Common stocks 0.91%                                   
Health care 0.91%                                   
agilon health, Inc.1,2  $208,917   $186,418   $359   $290   $(159,390)  $235,876   $ 
Revance Therapeutics, Inc.1   41,858    54,328    14,458    (2,761)   (48,646)   30,321     
                             266,197      
Short-term securities 5.29%                                   
Money market investments 5.28%                                   
Capital Group Central Cash Fund 5.46%7   2,988,551    3,722,406    5,163,355    159    85    1,547,846    98,801 
Money market investments purchased with collateral from securities on loan 0.01%                                   
Capital Group Central Cash Fund 5.46%7,8   32,169         29,9789              2,191    10 
Total short-term securities                            1,550,037      
Total 6.20%                 $(2,312)  $(207,951)  $1,816,234   $98,801 

 

Restricted securities4

 

   Acquisition
date(s)
  Cost
(000)
   Value
(000)
   Percent
of net
assets
 
Epic Games, Inc.1,3  3/29/2021  $74,728   $45,326    .15%
Tarana Wireless, Inc., Series 6, noncumulative convertible preferred shares3  2/18/2022   25,000    32,683    .11 
Tarana Wireless, Inc., Series 7, noncumulative convertible preferred shares3  6/27/2023   986    986    .01 
Stripe, Inc., Series BB-1, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3  8/24/2023   4,703    4,837    .02 
Stripe, Inc., Series G, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3  9/29/2023   2,857    2,856    .01 
Stripe, Inc., Series BB, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3  8/24/2023   1,668    1,716    .01 
Stripe, Inc., Class B1,3  5/6/2021 - 8/24/2023   2,346    1,408    .0011 
Stripe, Inc., Series H, 6.00% noncumulative preferred shares1,3  3/15/2021   908    501    .0011 
Total     $113,196   $90,313    .31%

 

1 Security did not produce income during the last 12 months.
2 All or a portion of this security was on loan. The total value of all such securities was $49,919,000, which represented .17% of the net assets of the fund. Refer to Note 5 for more information on securities lending.
3 Value determined using significant unobservable inputs.
4 Restricted security, other than Rule 144A securities or commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933. The total value of all such restricted securities was $90,313,000, which represented .31% of the net assets of the fund.
5 Affiliate of the fund or part of the same “group of investment companies” as the fund, as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
6 Acquired in a transaction exempt from registration under Rule 144A or, for commercial paper, Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933. May be resold in the U.S. in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. The total value of all such securities was $59,255,000, which represented .20% of the net assets of the fund.
7 Rate represents the seven-day yield at 11/30/2023.
8 Security purchased with cash collateral from securities on loan. Refer to Note 5 for more information on securities lending.
9 Represents net activity. Refer to Note 5 for more information on securities lending.
10 Dividend income is included with securities lending income in the fund’s statement of operations and is not shown in this table.
11 Amount less than .01%.

 

Key to abbreviation(s)

ADR = American Depositary Receipts

REIT = Real Estate Investment Trust

USD = U.S. dollars

 

Refer to the notes to financial statements.

 

The New Economy Fund 11
 

Financial statements

 

Statement of assets and liabilities
at November 30, 2023
(dollars in thousands)

 

Assets:        
Investment securities, at value (includes $49,919 of investment securities on loan):          
Unaffiliated issuers (cost: $18,461,127)  $27,615,077      
Affiliated issuers (cost: $1,915,315)   1,816,234   $29,431,311 
Cash        25,827 
Cash denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars (cost: $47)        47 
Cash collateral received for securities on loan        2,092 
Receivables for:          
Sales of investments   94,220      
Sales of fund’s shares   12,332      
Dividends and interest   23,522      
Securities lending income   1      
Other   245    130,320 
         29,589,597 
Liabilities:          
Collateral for securities on loan        20,919 
Payables for:          
Purchases of investments   180,679      
Repurchases of fund’s shares   34,944      
Investment advisory services   8,703      
Services provided by related parties   4,689      
Trustees’ deferred compensation   3,019      
Other   358    232,392 
Net assets at November 30, 2023       $29,336,286 
           
Net assets consist of:          
Capital paid in on shares of beneficial interest       $19,147,852 
Total distributable earnings        10,188,434 
Net assets at November 30, 2023       $29,336,286 

 

Refer to the notes to financial statements.

 

12 The New Economy Fund
 

Financial statements (continued)

 

Statement of assets and liabilities
at November 30, 2023 (continued)

 

(dollars and shares in thousands, except per-share amounts)

 

Shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding (no stated par value) —
unlimited shares authorized (550,928 total shares outstanding)

 

   Net assets   Shares
outstanding
   Net asset value
per share
 
Class A  $14,298,840    268,375   $53.28 
Class C   287,168    6,434    44.63 
Class T   14    *   53.55 
Class F-1   219,277    4,104    53.43 
Class F-2   2,586,606    48,402    53.44 
Class F-3   1,153,332    21,477    53.70 
Class 529-A   878,904    16,738    52.51 
Class 529-C   26,062    575    45.32 
Class 529-E   31,363    615    51.04 
Class 529-T   19    *   53.48 
Class 529-F-1   11    *   52.60 
Class 529-F-2   102,163    1,911    53.46 
Class 529-F-3   11    *   53.44 
Class R-1   27,428    589    46.58 
Class R-2   181,531    3,868    46.93 
Class R-2E   13,970    273    51.14 
Class R-3   254,195    4,971    51.14 
Class R-4   247,206    4,695    52.66 
Class R-5E   75,080    1,414    53.10 
Class R-5   77,809    1,441    54.00 
Class R-6   8,875,297    165,046    53.77 

 

* Amount less than one thousand.

 

Refer to the notes to financial statements.

 

The New Economy Fund 13
 

Financial statements (continued)

 

Statement of operations
for the year ended November 30, 2023
(dollars in thousands)

 

Investment income:        
Income:        
Dividends (net of non-U.S. taxes of $7,036; also includes $98,801 from affiliates)  $333,385      
Securities lending income (net of fees)   2,504      
Interest from unaffiliated issuers   991   $336,880 
Fees and expenses*:          
Investment advisory services   101,010      
Distribution services   40,991      
Transfer agent services   21,359      
Administrative services   8,148      
529 plan services   579      
Reports to shareholders   714      
Registration statement and prospectus   684      
Trustees’ compensation   353      
Auditing and legal   189      
Custodian   784      
Other   117    174,928 
Net investment income        161,952 
           
Net realized gain and unrealized appreciation:          
Net realized gain (loss) on:          
Investments (net of non-U.S. taxes of $9,703):          
Unaffiliated issuers   1,288,877      
Affiliated issuers   (2,312)     
In-kind redemptions   12,621      
Currency transactions   (419)   1,298,767 
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:          
Investments (net of non-U.S. taxes of $22):          
Unaffiliated issuers   3,079,959      
Affiliated issuers   (207,951)     
Currency translations   290    2,872,298 
Net realized gain and unrealized appreciation        4,171,065 
           
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations       $4,333,017 

 

* Additional information related to class-specific fees and expenses is included in the notes to financial statements.

 

Refer to the notes to financial statements.

 

14 The New Economy Fund
 

Financial statements (continued)

 

Statements of changes in net assets (dollars in thousands)

 

   Year ended November 30, 
   2023   2022 
Operations:          
Net investment income  $161,952   $73,672 
Net realized gain (loss)   1,298,767    (257,253)
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)   2,872,298    (8,485,629)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   4,333,017    (8,669,210)
           
Distributions paid to shareholders   (29,919)   (2,477,948)
           
Net capital share transactions   (681,405)   2,258,933 
           
Total increase (decrease) in net assets   3,621,693    (8,888,225)
           
Net assets:          
Beginning of year   25,714,593    34,602,818 
End of year  $29,336,286   $25,714,593 

 

Refer to the notes to financial statements.

 

The New Economy Fund 15
 

Notes to financial statements

 

1. Organization

 

The New Economy Fund (the “fund”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end, diversified management investment company. The fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

The fund has 21 share classes consisting of six retail share classes (Classes A, C, T, F-1, F-2 and F-3), seven 529 college savings plan share classes (Classes 529-A, 529-C, 529-E, 529-T, 529-F-1, 529-F-2 and 529-F-3) and eight retirement plan share classes (Classes R-1, R-2, R-2E, R-3, R-4, R-5E, R-5 and R-6). The 529 college savings plan share classes can be used to save for college education. The retirement plan share classes are generally offered only through eligible employer-sponsored retirement plans. The fund’s share classes are described further in the following table:

 

Share class   Initial sales charge   Contingent deferred sales
charge upon redemption
  Conversion feature
Classes A and 529-A   Up to 5.75% for Class A; up to 3.50% for Class 529-A   None (except 1.00% for certain redemptions within 18 months of purchase without an initial sales charge)   None
Classes C and 529-C   None   1.00% for redemptions within one year of purchase   Class C converts to Class A after eight years and Class 529-C converts to Class 529-A after five years
Class 529-E   None   None   None
Classes T and 529-T*   Up to 2.50%   None   None
Classes F-1, F-2, F-3, 529-F-1, 529-F-2 and 529-F-3   None   None   None
Classes R-1, R-2, R-2E, R-3, R-4, R-5E, R-5 and R-6   None   None   None
* Class T and 529-T shares are not available for purchase.

 

Holders of all share classes have equal pro rata rights to the assets, dividends and liquidation proceeds of the fund. Each share class has identical voting rights, except for the exclusive right to vote on matters affecting only its class. Share classes have different fees and expenses (“class-specific fees and expenses”), primarily due to different arrangements for distribution, transfer agent and administrative services. Differences in class-specific fees and expenses will result in differences in net investment income and, therefore, the payment of different per-share dividends by each share class.

 

2. Significant accounting policies

 

The fund is an investment company that applies the accounting and reporting guidance issued in Topic 946 by the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board. The fund’s financial statements have been prepared to comply with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). These principles require the fund’s investment adviser to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Subsequent events, if any, have been evaluated through the date of issuance in the preparation of the financial statements. The fund follows the significant accounting policies described in this section, as well as the valuation policies described in the next section on valuation.

 

Security transactions and related investment income — Security transactions are recorded by the fund as of the date the trades are executed with brokers. Realized gains and losses from security transactions are determined based on the specific identified cost of the securities. In the event a security is purchased with a delayed payment date, the fund will segregate liquid assets sufficient to meet its payment obligations. Dividend income is recognized on the ex-dividend date and interest income is recognized on an accrual basis. Market discounts, premiums and original issue discounts on fixed-income securities are amortized daily over the expected life of the security.

 

Class allocations — Income, fees and expenses (other than class-specific fees and expenses), realized gains and losses and unrealized appreciation and depreciation are allocated daily among the various share classes based on their relative net assets. Class-specific fees and expenses, such as distribution, transfer agent and administrative services, are charged directly to the respective share class.

 

Distributions paid to shareholders — Income dividends and capital gain distributions are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

 

16 The New Economy Fund
 

Currency translation — Assets and liabilities, including investment securities, denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates supplied by one or more pricing vendors on the valuation date. Purchases and sales of investment securities and income and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates on the dates of such transactions. The effects of changes in exchange rates on investment securities are included with the net realized gain or loss and net unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the fund’s statement of operations. The realized gain or loss and unrealized appreciation or depreciation resulting from all other transactions denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are disclosed separately.

 

In-kind redemptions — The fund normally redeems shares in cash; however, under certain conditions and circumstances, payment of the redemption price wholly or partly with portfolio securities or other fund assets may be permitted. A redemption of shares in-kind is based upon the closing value of the shares being redeemed as of the trade date. Realized gains or losses resulting from redemptions of shares in-kind are reflected separately in the fund’s statement of operations.

 

3. Valuation

 

Capital Research and Management Company (“CRMC”), the fund’s investment adviser, values the fund’s investments at fair value as defined by U.S. GAAP. The net asset value per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, normally 4 p.m. New York time, each day the New York Stock Exchange is open.

 

Methods and inputs — The fund’s investment adviser uses the following methods and inputs to establish the fair value of the fund’s assets and liabilities. Use of particular methods and inputs may vary over time based on availability and relevance as market and economic conditions evolve.

 

Equity securities, including depositary receipts, are generally valued at the official closing price of, or the last reported sale price on, the exchange or market on which such securities are traded, as of the close of business on the day the securities are being valued or, lacking any sales, at the last available bid price. Prices for each security are taken from the principal exchange or market on which the security trades.

 

Fixed-income securities, including short-term securities, are generally valued at evaluated prices obtained from third-party pricing vendors. Vendors value such securities based on one or more of the inputs described in the following table. The table provides examples of inputs that are commonly relevant for valuing particular classes of fixed-income securities in which the fund is authorized to invest. However, these classifications are not exclusive, and any of the inputs may be used to value any other class of fixed-income security.

 

Fixed-income class   Examples of standard inputs
All   Benchmark yields, transactions, bids, offers, quotations from dealers and trading systems, new issues, spreads and other relationships observed in the markets among comparable securities; and proprietary pricing models such as yield measures calculated using factors such as cash flows, financial or collateral performance and other reference data (collectively referred to as “standard inputs”)
Corporate bonds, notes & loans; convertible securities   Standard inputs and underlying equity of the issuer
Bonds & notes of governments & government agencies   Standard inputs and interest rate volatilities
Mortgage-backed; asset-backed obligations   Standard inputs and cash flows, prepayment information, default rates, delinquency and loss assumptions, collateral characteristics, credit enhancements and specific deal information

 

Securities with both fixed-income and equity characteristics, or equity securities traded principally among fixed-income dealers, are generally valued in the manner described for either equity or fixed-income securities, depending on which method is deemed most appropriate by the fund’s investment adviser. The Capital Group Central Cash Fund (“CCF”), a fund within the Capital Group Central Fund Series (“Central Funds”), is valued based upon a floating net asset value, which fluctuates with changes in the value of CCF’s portfolio securities. The underlying securities are valued based on the policies and procedures in CCF’s statement of additional information.

 

The New Economy Fund 17
 

Securities and other assets for which representative market quotations are not readily available or are considered unreliable by the fund’s investment adviser are fair valued as determined in good faith under fair valuation guidelines adopted by the fund’s investment adviser and approved by the board of trustees as further described. The investment adviser follows fair valuation guidelines, consistent with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules and guidance, to consider relevant principles and factors when making fair value determinations. The investment adviser considers relevant indications of value that are reasonably and timely available to it in determining the fair value to be assigned to a particular security, such as the type and cost of the security, contractual or legal restrictions on resale of the security, relevant financial or business developments of the issuer, actively traded similar or related securities, dealer or broker quotes, conversion or exchange rights on the security, related corporate actions, significant events occurring after the close of trading in the security, and changes in overall market conditions. In addition, the closing prices of equity securities that trade in markets outside U.S. time zones may be adjusted to reflect significant events that occur after the close of local trading but before the net asset value of each share class of the fund is determined. Fair valuations of investments that are not actively trading involve judgment and may differ materially from valuations that would have been used had greater market activity occurred.

 

Processes and structure — The fund’s board of trustees has designated the fund’s investment adviser to make fair value determinations, subject to board oversight. The investment adviser has established a Joint Fair Valuation Committee (the “Committee”) to administer, implement and oversee the fair valuation process and to make fair value decisions. The Committee regularly reviews its own fair value decisions, as well as decisions made under its standing instructions to the investment adviser’s valuation team. The Committee reviews changes in fair value measurements from period to period, pricing vendor information and market data, and may, as deemed appropriate, update the fair valuation guidelines to better reflect the results of back testing and address new or evolving issues. Pricing decisions, processes and controls over security valuation are also subject to additional internal reviews facilitated by the investment adviser’s global risk management group. The Committee reports changes to the fair valuation guidelines to the board of trustees. The fund’s board and audit committee also regularly review reports that describe fair value determinations and methods.

 

Classifications — The fund’s investment adviser classifies the fund’s assets and liabilities into three levels based on the inputs used to value the assets or liabilities. Level 1 values are based on quoted prices in active markets for identical securities. Level 2 values are based on significant observable market inputs, such as quoted prices for similar securities and quoted prices in inactive markets. Certain securities trading outside the U.S. may transfer between Level 1 and Level 2 due to valuation adjustments resulting from significant market movements following the close of local trading. Level 3 values are based on significant unobservable inputs that reflect the investment adviser’s determination of assumptions that market participants might reasonably use in valuing the securities. The valuation levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with the underlying investment. For example, U.S. government securities are reflected as Level 2 because the inputs used to determine fair value may not always be quoted prices in an active market. The following table presents the fund’s valuation levels as of November 30, 2023 (dollars in thousands):

 

   Investment securities 
   Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total 
Assets:                    
Common stocks:                    
Information technology  $9,203,545   $   $1,408   $9,204,953 
Health care   5,827,434            5,827,434 
Financials   3,426,005            3,426,005 
Consumer discretionary   2,767,528            2,767,528 
Industrials   2,507,597            2,507,597 
Communication services   1,774,140        45,326    1,819,466 
Energy   954,815            954,815 
Consumer staples   529,433    27,346        556,779 
Materials   337,125            337,125 
Utilities   335,636            335,636 
Real estate   24,466            24,466 
Preferred securities           9,910    9,910 
Convertible stocks           33,669    33,669 
Convertible bonds & notes       59,255        59,255 
Short-term securities   1,566,673            1,566,673 
Total  $29,254,397   $86,601   $90,313   $29,431,311 

 

18 The New Economy Fund
 

4. Risk factors

 

Investing in the fund may involve certain risks including, but not limited to, those described below.

 

Market conditions — The prices of, and the income generated by, the common stocks and other securities held by the fund may decline —sometimes rapidly or unpredictably — due to various factors, including events or conditions affecting the general economy or particular industries or companies; overall market changes; local, regional or global political, social or economic instability; governmental, governmental agency or central bank responses to economic conditions; changes in inflation rates; and currency exchange rate, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations.

 

Economies and financial markets throughout the world are highly interconnected. Economic, financial or political events, trading and tariff arrangements, wars, terrorism, cybersecurity events, natural disasters, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious disease), bank failures and other circumstances in one country or region, including actions taken by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities in response to any of the foregoing, could have impacts on global economies or markets. As a result, whether or not the fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries affected, the value and liquidity of the fund’s investments may be negatively affected by developments in other countries and regions.

 

Issuer risks — The prices of, and the income generated by, securities held by the fund may decline in response to various factors directly related to the issuers of such securities, including reduced demand for an issuer’s goods or services, poor management performance, major litigation, investigations or other controversies related to the issuer, changes in the issuer’s financial condition or credit rating, changes in government regulations affecting the issuer or its competitive environment and strategic initiatives such as mergers, acquisitions or dispositions and the market response to any such initiatives. An individual security may also be affected by factors relating to the industry or sector of the issuer or the securities markets as a whole, and conversely an industry or sector or the securities markets may be affected by a change in financial condition or other event affecting a single issuer.

 

Investing in growth-oriented stocks — Growth-oriented common stocks and other equity-type securities (such as preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks and convertible bonds) may involve larger price swings and greater potential for loss than other types of investments. These risks may be even greater in the case of smaller capitalization stocks.

 

Investing in income-oriented stocks — The value of the fund’s securities and income provided by the fund may also be reduced by changes in the dividend policies of, and the capital resources available for dividend payments at, the companies in which the fund invests.

 

Investing outside the U.S. — Securities of issuers domiciled outside the U.S., or with significant operations or revenues outside the U.S., and securities tied economically to countries outside the U.S., may lose value because of adverse political, social, economic or market developments (including social instability, regional conflicts, terrorism and war) in the countries or regions in which the issuers are domiciled, operate or generate revenue or to which the securities are tied economically. These securities may also lose value due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates against the U.S. dollar and/or currencies of other countries. Issuers of these securities may be more susceptible to actions of foreign governments, such as nationalization, currency blockage or the imposition of price controls, sanctions, or punitive taxes, each of which could adversely impact the value of these securities. Securities markets in certain countries may be more volatile and/or less liquid than those in the U.S. Investments outside the U.S. may also be subject to different regulatory, legal, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and recordkeeping requirements, and may be more difficult to value, than those in the U.S. In addition, the value of investments outside the U.S. may be reduced by foreign taxes, including foreign withholding taxes on interest and dividends. Further, there may be increased risks of delayed settlement of securities purchased or sold by the fund, which could impact the liquidity of the fund’s portfolio. The risks of investing outside the U.S. may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets.

 

The New Economy Fund 19
 

Investing in emerging markets — Investing in emerging markets may involve risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in the securities markets of developed countries. For instance, emerging market countries tend to have less developed political, economic and legal systems than those in developed countries. Accordingly, the governments of these countries may be less stable and more likely to intervene in the market economy, for example, by imposing capital controls, nationalizing a company or industry, placing restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, and/or imposing punitive taxes that could adversely affect the prices of securities. Information regarding issuers in emerging markets may be limited, incomplete or inaccurate, and such issuers may not be subject to regulatory, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards comparable to those to which issuers in more developed markets are subject. The fund’s rights with respect to its investments in emerging markets, if any, will generally be governed by local law, which may make it difficult or impossible for the fund to pursue legal remedies or to obtain and enforce judgments in local courts. In addition, the economies of these countries may be dependent on relatively few industries, may have limited access to capital and may be more susceptible to changes in local and global trade conditions and downturns in the world economy. Securities markets in these countries can also be relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. As a result, securities issued in these countries may be more volatile and less liquid, more vulnerable to market manipulation, and more difficult to value, than securities issued in countries with more developed economies and/or markets. Less certainty with respect to security valuations may lead to additional challenges and risks in calculating the fund’s net asset value. Additionally, emerging markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by banks, agents and depositories that are less established than those in developed countries.

 

Investing in small companies — Investing in smaller companies may pose additional risks. For example, it is often more difficult to value or dispose of small company stocks and more difficult to obtain information about smaller companies than about larger companies. Furthermore, smaller companies often have limited product lines, operating histories, markets and/or financial resources, may be dependent on one or a few key persons for management, and can be more susceptible to losses. Moreover, the prices of their stocks may be more volatile than stocks of larger, more established companies, particularly during times of market turmoil.

 

Exposure to country, region, industry or sector — Subject to the fund’s investment limitations, the fund may have significant exposure to a particular country, region, industry or sector. Such exposure may cause the fund to be more impacted by risks relating to and developments affecting the country, region, industry or sector, and thus its net asset value may be more volatile, than a fund without such levels of exposure. For example, if the fund has significant exposure in a particular country, then social, economic, regulatory or other issues that negatively affect that country may have a greater impact on the fund than on a fund that is more geographically diversified.

 

Management — The investment adviser to the fund actively manages the fund’s investments. Consequently, the fund is subject to the risk that the methods and analyses, including models, tools and data, employed by the investment adviser in this process may be flawed or incorrect and may not produce the desired results. This could cause the fund to lose value or its investment results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives.

 

5. Certain investment techniques

 

Securities lending — The fund has entered into securities lending transactions in which the fund earns income by lending investment securities to brokers, dealers or other institutions. Each transaction involves three parties: the fund, acting as the lender of the securities, a borrower, and a lending agent that acts as an intermediary.

 

Securities lending transactions are entered into by the fund under a securities lending agent agreement with the lending agent. The lending agent facilitates the exchange of securities between the fund and approved borrowers, ensures that securities loans are properly coordinated and documented, marks-to-market the value of collateral daily, secures additional collateral from a borrower if it falls below preset terms, and may reinvest cash collateral on behalf of the fund according to agreed parameters. The lending agent provides indemnification to the fund against losses resulting from a borrower default. Although risk is mitigated by the collateral and indemnification, the fund could experience a delay in recovering its securities and a potential loss of income or value if a borrower fails to return securities, collateral investments decline in value or the lending agent fails to perform.

 

The borrower is required to post highly liquid assets, such as cash or U.S. government securities, as collateral for the loan in an amount at least equal to the value of the securities loaned. Investments made with cash collateral are recognized as assets in the fund’s investment portfolio. The same amount is recorded as a liability in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. While securities are on loan, the fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest, dividends or other distributions paid by the issuer, as well as a portion of the interest on the investment of the collateral. Additionally, although the fund does not have the right to vote on securities while they are on loan, the fund has a right to consent on corporate actions and a right to recall loaned securities to vote. A borrower is obligated to return loaned securities at the conclusion of a loan or, during the pendency of a loan, on demand from the fund.

 

20 The New Economy Fund
 

As of November 30, 2023, the total value of securities on loan was $49,919,000, and the total value of collateral received was $51,898,000. Collateral received includes cash of $20,919,000 and U.S. government securities of $30,979,000. Investment securities purchased from cash collateral are disclosed in the fund’s investment portfolio as short-term securities. Securities received as collateral are not recognized as fund assets. The contractual maturity of cash collateral received under the securities lending agreement is classified as overnight and continuous.

 

6. Taxation and distributions

 

Federal income taxation — The fund complies with the requirements under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and intends to distribute substantially all of its net taxable income and net capital gains each year. The fund is not subject to income taxes to the extent such distributions are made. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required.

 

As of and during the year ended November 30, 2023, the fund did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefits. The fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in the statement of operations. During the year, the fund did not incur any significant interest or penalties.

 

The fund’s tax returns are generally not subject to examination by federal, state and, if applicable, non-U.S. tax authorities after the expiration of each jurisdiction’s statute of limitations, which is typically three years after the date of filing but can be extended in certain jurisdictions.

 

Non-U.S. taxation — Dividend and interest income are recorded net of non-U.S. taxes paid. The fund may file withholding tax reclaims in certain jurisdictions to recover a portion of amounts previously withheld. As a result of rulings from European courts, the fund filed for additional reclaims related to prior years. These reclaims are recorded when the amount is known and there are no significant uncertainties on collectability. During the year ended November 30, 2023, the fund recognized $607,000 in reclaims (net of $6,000 in fees and the effect of realized gain or loss from currency translations) and $11,000 in interest related to European court rulings, which is included in dividend income and interest income, respectively, in the fund’s statement of operations. Gains realized by the fund on the sale of securities in certain countries, if any, may be subject to non-U.S. taxes. The fund generally records an estimated deferred tax liability based on unrealized gains to provide for potential non-U.S. taxes payable upon the sale of these securities.

 

Distributions — Distributions determined on a tax basis may differ from net investment income and net realized gains for financial reporting purposes. These differences are due primarily to different treatment for items such as currency gains and losses; short-term capital gains and losses; capital losses related to sales of certain securities within 30 days of purchase; cost of investments sold; net capital losses and non-U.S. taxes on capital gains. The fiscal year in which amounts are distributed may differ from the year in which the net investment income and net realized gains are recorded by the fund for financial reporting purposes. The fund may also designate a portion of the amount paid to redeeming shareholders as a distribution for tax purposes.

 

During the year ended November 30, 2023, the fund reclassified $55,677,000 from total distributable earnings to capital paid in on shares of beneficial interest to align financial reporting with tax reporting. The fund also utilized capital loss carryforward of $224,512,000.

 

As of November 30, 2023, the tax basis components of distributable earnings, unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and cost of investments were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Undistributed ordinary income  $108,262 
Undistributed long-term capital gains   1,104,679 
Post-October capital loss deferral*   (57,748)
Gross unrealized appreciation on investments   9,784,276 
Gross unrealized depreciation on investments   (748,233)
Net unrealized appreciation on investments   9,036,043 
Cost of investments   20,395,268 

 

* This deferral is considered incurred in the subsequent year.

 

The New Economy Fund 21
 

Distributions paid were characterized for tax purposes as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

   Year ended November 30, 2023   Year ended November 30, 2022 
Share class  Ordinary
income
   Long-term
capital gains
   Total
distributions
  paid
   Ordinary
income
   Long-term
capital gains
   Total
distributions
paid
 
Class A  $   $   $   $   $1,325,779   $1,325,779 
Class C                   44,176    44,176 
Class T   *       *       1    1 
Class F-1                   24,430    24,430 
Class F-2   4,009        4,009        216,587    216,587 
Class F-3   3,054        3,054        94,644    94,644 
Class 529-A                   80,254    80,254 
Class 529-C                   4,216    4,216 
Class 529-E                   3,139    3,139 
Class 529-T   *       *       2    2 
Class 529-F-1   *       *       1    1 
Class 529-F-2   157        157        7,663    7,663 
Class 529-F-3   *       *       1    1 
Class R-1                   3,178    3,178 
Class R-2                   19,354    19,354 
Class R-2E                   1,090    1,090 
Class R-3                   24,844    24,844 
Class R-4                   24,674    24,674 
Class R-5E   88        88        6,106    6,106 
Class R-5   182        182        8,087    8,087 
Class R-6   22,429        22,429        589,722    589,722 
Total  $29,919   $   $29,919   $   $2,477,948   $2,477,948 

 

7. Fees and transactions with related parties

 

CRMC, the fund’s investment adviser, is the parent company of American Funds Distributors®, Inc. (“AFD”), the principal underwriter of the fund’s shares, and American Funds Service Company® (“AFS”), the fund’s transfer agent. CRMC, AFD and AFS are considered related parties to the fund.

 

Investment advisory services — The fund has an investment advisory and service agreement with CRMC that provides for monthly fees accrued daily. These fees are based on a series of decreasing annual rates beginning with 0.580% on the first $500 million of daily net assets and decreasing to 0.340% on such assets in excess of $34 billion. For the year ended November 30, 2023, the investment advisory services fees were $101,010,000, which were equivalent to an annualized rate of 0.372% of average daily net assets.

 

22 The New Economy Fund
 

Class-specific fees and expenses — Expenses that are specific to individual share classes are accrued directly to the respective share class. The principal class-specific fees and expenses are further described below:

 

Distribution services — The fund has plans of distribution for all share classes, except Class F-2, F-3, 529-F-2, 529-F-3, R-5E, R-5 and R-6 shares. Under the plans, the board of trustees approves certain categories of expenses that are used to finance activities primarily intended to sell fund shares and service existing accounts. The plans provide for payments, based on an annualized percentage of average daily net assets, ranging from 0.25% to 1.00% as noted in this section. In some cases, the board of trustees has limited the amounts that may be paid to less than the maximum allowed by the plans. All share classes with a plan may use up to 0.25% of average daily net assets to pay service fees, or to compensate AFD for paying service fees, to firms that have entered into agreements with AFD to provide certain shareholder services. The remaining amounts available to be paid under each plan are paid to dealers to compensate them for their sales activities.

 

Share class  Currently approved limits  Plan limits
Class A   0.25%   0.25%
Class 529-A   0.25    0.50 
Classes C, 529-C and R-1   1.00    1.00 
Class R-2   0.75    1.00 
Class R-2E   0.60    0.85 
Classes 529-E and R-3   0.50    0.75 
Classes T, F-1, 529-T, 529-F-1 and R-4   0.25    0.50 

 

For Class A and 529-A shares, distribution-related expenses include the reimbursement of dealer and wholesaler commissions paid by AFD for certain shares sold without a sales charge. These share classes reimburse AFD for amounts billed within the prior 15 months but only to the extent that the overall annual expense limits are not exceeded. As of November 30, 2023, there were no unreimbursed expenses subject to reimbursement for Class A or 529-A shares.

 

Transfer agent services — The fund has a shareholder services agreement with AFS under which the fund compensates AFS for providing transfer agent services to each of the fund’s share classes. These services include recordkeeping, shareholder communications and transaction processing. In addition, the fund reimburses AFS for amounts paid to third parties for performing transfer agent services on behalf of fund shareholders.

 

Administrative services — The fund has an administrative services agreement with CRMC under which the fund compensates CRMC for providing administrative services to all share classes. Administrative services are provided by CRMC and its affiliates to help assist third parties providing non-distribution services to fund shareholders. These services include providing in-depth information on the fund and market developments that impact fund investments. Administrative services also include, but are not limited to, coordinating, monitoring and overseeing third parties that provide services to fund shareholders. The agreement provides the fund the ability to charge an administrative services fee at the annual rate of 0.05% of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class of the fund. Currently the fund pays CRMC an administrative services fee at the annual rate of 0.03% of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class of the fund for CRMC’s provision of administrative services.

 

529 plan services — Each 529 share class is subject to service fees to compensate the Virginia College Savings Plan (“Virginia529”) for its oversight and administration of the CollegeAmerica 529 college savings plan. The fees are based on the combined net assets invested in Class 529 and ABLE shares of the American Funds. Class ABLE shares are offered on other American Funds by Virginia529 through ABLEAmerica®, a tax-advantaged savings program for individuals with disabilities. Virginia529 is not considered a related party to the fund.

 

The quarterly fees are based on a series of decreasing annual rates beginning with 0.09% on the first $20 billion of the combined net assets invested in the American Funds and decreasing to 0.03% on such assets in excess of $75 billion. The fees for any given calendar quarter are accrued and calculated on the basis of the average net assets of Class 529 and ABLE shares of the American Funds for the last month of the prior calendar quarter. For the year ended November 30, 2023, the 529 plan services fees were $579,000, which were equivalent to 0.060% of the average daily net assets of each 529 share class.

 

The New Economy Fund 23
 

For the year ended November 30, 2023, class-specific expenses under the agreements were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Share class  Distribution
services
   Transfer agent
services
   Administrative
services
   529 plan
services
 
Class A   $31,911    $15,854    $4,026    Not applicable 
Class C   2,922    351    88    Not applicable 
Class T       *   *   Not applicable 
Class F-1   525    320    64    Not applicable 
Class F-2   Not applicable    2,437    699    Not applicable 
Class F-3   Not applicable    6    320    Not applicable 
Class 529-A   1,808    898    247    $491 
Class 529-C   272    30    8    16 
Class 529-E   150    20    9    18 
Class 529-T       *   *   *
Class 529-F-1       *   *   *
Class 529-F-2   Not applicable    34    27    54 
Class 529-F-3   Not applicable    *   *   *
Class R-1   265    25    8    Not applicable 
Class R-2   1,277    581    51    Not applicable 
Class R-2E   72    24    4    Not applicable 
Class R-3   1,203    358    72    Not applicable 
Class R-4   586    233    70    Not applicable 
Class R-5E   Not applicable    104    21    Not applicable 
Class R-5   Not applicable    38    23    Not applicable 
Class R-6   Not applicable    46    2,411    Not applicable 
Total class-specific expenses   $40,991    $21,359    $8,148    $579 

 

* Amount less than one thousand.

 

Trustees’ deferred compensation — Trustees who are unaffiliated with CRMC may elect to defer the cash payment of part or all of their compensation. These deferred amounts, which remain as liabilities of the fund, are treated as if invested in shares of the fund or other American Funds. These amounts represent general, unsecured liabilities of the fund and vary according to the total returns of the selected funds. Trustees’ compensation of $353,000 in the fund’s statement of operations reflects $162,000 in current fees (either paid in cash or deferred) and a net increase of $191,000 in the value of the deferred amounts.

 

Affiliated officers and trustees — Officers and certain trustees of the fund are or may be considered to be affiliated with CRMC, AFD and AFS. No affiliated officers or trustees received any compensation directly from the fund.

 

Investment in CCF — The fund holds shares of CCF, an institutional prime money market fund managed by CRMC. CCF invests in high-quality, short-term money market instruments. CCF is used as the primary investment vehicle for the fund’s short-term instruments. CCF shares are only available for purchase by CRMC, its affiliates, and other funds managed by CRMC or its affiliates, and are not available to the public. CRMC does not receive an investment advisory services fee from CCF.

 

Security transactions with related funds — The fund purchased investment securities from, and sold investment securities to, other funds managed by CRMC (or funds managed by certain affiliates of CRMC) under procedures adopted by the fund’s board of trustees. The funds involved in such transactions are considered related by virtue of having a common investment adviser (or affiliated investment advisers), common trustees and/or common officers. Each transaction was executed at the current market price of the security and no brokerage commissions or fees were paid in accordance with Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act. During the year ended November 30, 2023, the fund engaged in such purchase and sale transactions with related funds in the amounts of $298,959,000 and $282,728,000, respectively, which generated $2,800,000 of net realized gains from such sales.

 

Interfund lending — Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, the fund, along with other CRMC-managed funds (or funds managed by certain affiliates of CRMC), may participate in an interfund lending program. The program provides an alternate credit facility that permits the funds to lend or borrow cash for temporary purposes directly to or from one another, subject to the conditions of the exemptive order. The fund borrowed $10,000 at a rate of 5.860% from one or more CRMC-managed funds during the year ended November 30, 2023. The fund paid less than $1,000 in interest expense for the loan.

 

24 The New Economy Fund
 

8. Indemnifications

 

The fund’s organizational documents provide board members and officers with indemnification against certain liabilities or expenses in connection with the performance of their duties to the fund. In the normal course of business, the fund may also enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown since it is dependent on future claims that may be made against the fund. The risk of material loss from such claims is considered remote. Insurance policies are also available to the fund’s board members and officers.

 

9. Capital share transactions

 

Capital share transactions in the fund were as follows (dollars and shares in thousands):

 

   Sales*   Reinvestments of
distributions
   Repurchases*   Net (decrease)
increase
 
Share class  Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares 
                                 
Year ended November 30, 2023                   
                                 
Class A  $685,423    14,106   $       $(1,458,452)   (30,190)  $(773,029)   (16,084)
Class C   28,217    691            (96,554)   (2,368)   (68,337)   (1,677)
Class T                                
Class F-1   10,613    216            (39,618)   (809)   (29,005)   (593)
Class F-2   521,650    10,632    3,886    86    (492,943)   (10,150)   32,593    568 
Class F-3   197,967    4,053    3,022    66    (224,404)   (4,590)   (23,415)   (471)
Class 529-A   70,390    1,468            (113,871)   (2,374)   (43,481)   (906)
Class 529-C   4,640    112            (12,396)   (300)   (7,756)   (188)
Class 529-E   2,021    43            (4,794)   (101)   (2,773)   (58)
Class 529-T                                
Class 529-F-1                                
Class 529-F-2   17,779    367    156    3    (12,936)   (265)   4,999    105 
Class 529-F-3                                
Class R-1   2,728    64            (6,004)   (140)   (3,276)   (76)
Class R-2   29,870    694            (38,935)   (909)   (9,065)   (215)
Class R-2E   3,010    65            (2,027)   (46)   983    19 
Class R-3   40,123    857            (57,863)   (1,243)   (17,740)   (386)
Class R-4   28,463    588            (52,594)   (1,101)   (24,131)   (513)
Class R-5E   11,006    228    88    2    (11,157)   (231)   (63)   (1)
Class R-5   8,632    175    182    4    (16,899)   (343)   (8,085)   (164)
Class R-6   573,961    11,913    22,225    490    (306,010)   (6,118)   290,176    6,285 
Total net increase (decrease)  $2,236,493    46,272   $29,559    651   $(2,947,457)   (61,278)  $(681,405)   (14,355)

 

Refer to the end of the table for footnotes.

 

The New Economy Fund 25
 
   Sales*   Reinvestments of
distributions
   Repurchases*   Net increase
(decrease)
 
Share class  Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares 
                                 
Year ended November 30, 2022                   
                                 
Class A  $954,283    19,259   $1,301,048    21,406   $(1,983,512)   (40,441)  $271,819    224 
Class C   38,271    911    44,071    853    (135,903)   (3,229)   (53,561)   (1,465)
Class T                                
Class F-1   14,399    285    24,118    396    (62,159)   (1,238)   (23,642)   (557)
Class F-2   573,556    11,617    209,163    3,441    (658,905)   (13,455)   123,814    1,603 
Class F-3   267,533    5,370    94,146    1,542    (258,556)   (5,254)   103,123    1,658 
Class 529-A   82,696    1,666    80,222    1,338    (124,906)   (2,534)   38,012    470 
Class 529-C   5,891    135    4,214    80    (16,416)   (377)   (6,311)   (162)
Class 529-E   2,297    48    3,138    54    (5,105)   (104)   330    (2)
Class 529-T           2                2     
Class 529-F-1           1                1     
Class 529-F-2   16,268    327    7,663    126    (13,905)   (281)   10,026    172 
Class 529-F-3           1                1     
Class R-1   4,330    100    3,164    59    (7,869)   (179)   (375)   (20)
Class R-2   33,182    758    19,349    356    (51,602)   (1,176)   929    (62)
Class R-2E   3,944    85    1,090    19    (3,724)   (80)   1,310    24 
Class R-3   47,870    1,001    24,813    423    (67,848)   (1,416)   4,835    8 
Class R-4   36,678    751    24,668    411    (62,950)   (1,269)   (1,604)   (107)
Class R-5E   12,023    244    6,106    101    (11,539)   (235)   6,590    110 
Class R-5   9,741    195    8,084    131    (23,149)   (462)   (5,324)   (136)
Class R-6   1,477,001    29,180    584,760    9,567    (272,803)   (5,785)   1,788,958    32,962 
Total net increase (decrease)  $3,579,963    71,932   $2,439,821    40,303   $(3,760,851)   (77,515)  $2,258,933    34,720 

 

* Includes exchanges between share classes of the fund.
Amount less than one thousand.

 

10. Investment transactions

 

The fund engaged in purchases and sales of investment securities, excluding short-term securities and U.S. government obligations, if any, of $10,848,242,000 and $9,846,746,000, respectively, during the year ended November 30, 2023.

 

26 The New Economy Fund
 

Financial highlights

 

       Income (loss) from
investment operations1
   Dividends and distributions                         
Year ended  Net asset
value,
beginning
of year
   Net
investment
income
(loss)
   Net gains
(losses) on
securities
(both
realized and
unrealized)
   Total from
investment
operations
   Dividends
(from net
investment
income)
   Distributions
(from capital
gains)
   Total
dividends
and
distributions
   Net asset
value,
end
of year
   Total return2,3   Net assets,
end of
year
(in millions)
   Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets before
waivers/
reimburse-
ments4
   Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets after
waivers/
reimburse-
ments3,4
   Ratio of
net income
(loss)
to average
net assets3
 
Class A:                                                                 
11/30/2023  $45.55   $.23   $7.50   $7.73   $   $   $   $53.28    16.97%  $14,299    .77%   .77%   .47%
11/30/2022   65.43    .08    (15.29)   (15.21)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.55    (25.03)   12,957    .75    .75    .16 
11/30/2021   57.74    (.12)   9.28    9.16    (.01)   (1.46)   (1.47)   65.43    16.18    18,597    .74    .74    (.20)
11/30/2020   47.60    .10    13.40    13.50    (.15)   (3.21)   (3.36)   57.74    30.27    16,314    .77    .77    .21 
11/30/2019   45.74    .23    5.52    5.75    (.24)   (3.65)   (3.89)   47.60    14.56    13,160    .78    .78    .51 
Class C:                                                                 
11/30/2023   38.45    (.11)   6.29    6.18                44.63    16.07    287    1.52    1.52    (.28)
11/30/2022   56.34    (.25)   (12.97)   (13.22)       (4.67)   (4.67)   38.45    (25.58)   312    1.51    1.51    (.61)
11/30/2021   50.27    (.51)   8.04    7.53        (1.46)   (1.46)   56.34    15.30    539    1.49    1.49    (.94)
11/30/2020   42.01    (.21)   11.68    11.47        (3.21)   (3.21)   50.27    29.30    544    1.51    1.51    (.50)
11/30/2019   40.90    (.10)   4.86    4.76        (3.65)   (3.65)   42.01    13.69    531    1.55    1.55    (.25)
Class T:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.75    .37    7.53    7.90    (.10)       (.10)   53.55    17.305    6    .495    .495    .755 
11/30/2022   65.54    .20    (15.32)   (15.12)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.75    (24.84)5    6    .505    .505    .415 
11/30/2021   57.82    .02    9.29    9.31    (.13)   (1.46)   (1.59)   65.54    16.445    6    .515    .515    .035 
11/30/2020   47.66    .21    13.41    13.62    (.25)   (3.21)   (3.46)   57.82    30.575    6    .535    .535    .445 
11/30/2019   45.80    .33    5.51    5.84    (.33)   (3.65)   (3.98)   47.66    14.835    6    .545    .545    .755 
Class F-1:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.70    .21    7.52    7.73                53.43    16.92    219    .81    .81    .44 
11/30/2022   65.65    .05    (15.33)   (15.28)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.70    (25.06)   215    .80    .80    .11 
11/30/2021   57.95    (.15)   9.31    9.16        (1.46)   (1.46)   65.65    16.12    345    .79    .79    (.24)
11/30/2020   47.76    .09    13.44    13.53    (.13)   (3.21)   (3.34)   57.95    30.21    363    .80    .80    .19 
11/30/2019   45.85    .21    5.54    5.75    (.19)   (3.65)   (3.84)   47.76    14.50    329    .83    .83    .47 
Class F-2:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.66    .35    7.51    7.86    (.08)       (.08)   53.44    17.26    2,587    .52    .52    .72 
11/30/2022   65.43    .19    (15.29)   (15.10)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.66    (24.84)   2,184    .52    .52    .40 
11/30/2021   57.73    .02    9.28    9.30    (.14)   (1.46)   (1.60)   65.43    16.43    3,025    .51    .51    .03 
11/30/2020   47.58    .20    13.41    13.61    (.25)   (3.21)   (3.46)   57.73    30.58    2,439    .52    .52    .41 
11/30/2019   45.75    .33    5.50    5.83    (.35)   (3.65)   (4.00)   47.58    14.81    1,586    .55    .55    .75 
Class F-3:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.89    .41    7.54    7.95    (.14)       (.14)   53.70    17.38    1,153    .41    .41    .83 
11/30/2022   65.66    .25    (15.35)   (15.10)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.89    (24.76)   1,007    .41    .41    .51 
11/30/2021   57.91    .08    9.30    9.38    (.17)   (1.46)   (1.63)   65.66    16.55    1,332    .41    .41    .13 
11/30/2020   47.72    .25    13.44    13.69    (.29)   (3.21)   (3.50)   57.91    30.73    1,004    .44    .43    .52 
11/30/2019   45.87    .37    5.52    5.89    (.39)   (3.65)   (4.04)   47.72    14.93    705    .45    .45    .84 
Class 529-A:                                                                 
11/30/2023   44.91    .21    7.39    7.60                52.51    16.92    879    .80    .80    .44 
11/30/2022   64.58    .06    (15.06)   (15.00)       (4.67)   (4.67)   44.91    (25.04)   792    .78    .78    .13 
11/30/2021   57.02    (.14)   9.17    9.03    (.01)   (1.46)   (1.47)   64.58    16.13    1,109    .77    .77    (.22)
11/30/2020   47.05    .08    13.23    13.31    (.13)   (3.21)   (3.34)   57.02    30.23    956    .80    .80    .16 
11/30/2019   45.25    .20    5.46    5.66    (.21)   (3.65)   (3.86)   47.05    14.51    694    .83    .83    .46 

 

Refer to the end of the table for footnotes.

 

The New Economy Fund 27
 

Financial highlights (continued)

 

       Income (loss) from
investment operations1
   Dividends and distributions                         
Year ended  Net asset
value,
beginning
of year
   Net
investment
income
(loss)
   Net gains
(losses) on
securities
(both
realized and
unrealized)
   Total from
investment
operations
   Dividends
(from net
investment
income)
   Distributions
(from capital
gains)
   Total
dividends
and
distributions
   Net asset
value,
end
of year
   Total return2,3   Net assets,
end of
year
(in millions)
   Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets before
waivers/
reimburse-
ments4
   Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets after
waivers/
reimburse-
ments3,4
   Ratio of
net income
(loss)
to average
net assets3
 
Class 529-C:                                                                 
11/30/2023  $39.06   $(.14)  $6.40   $6.26   $   $   $   $45.32    16.00%  $26    1.58%   1.58%   (.34)%
11/30/2022   57.20    (.28)   (13.19)   (13.47)       (4.67)   (4.67)   39.06    (25.62)   30    1.56    1.56    (.66)
11/30/2021   51.04    (.54)   8.16    7.62        (1.46)   (1.46)   57.20    15.26    53    1.52    1.52    (.98)
11/30/2020   42.62    (.18)   11.81    11.63        (3.21)   (3.21)   51.04    29.25    57    1.56    1.56    (.43)
11/30/2019   41.45    (.12)   4.94    4.82        (3.65)   (3.65)   42.62    13.62    106    1.59    1.59    (.30)
Class 529-E:                                                                 
11/30/2023   43.75    .10    7.19    7.29                51.04    16.66    31    1.04    1.04    .20 
11/30/2022   63.19    (.05)   (14.72)   (14.77)       (4.67)   (4.67)   43.75    (25.23)   30    1.02    1.02    (.11)
11/30/2021   55.95    (.28)   8.98    8.70        (1.46)   (1.46)   63.19    15.85    43    1.01    1.01    (.46)
11/30/2020   46.24    (.02)   12.97    12.95    (.03)   (3.21)   (3.24)   55.95    29.89    38    1.03    1.03    (.05)
11/30/2019   44.52    .10    5.37    5.47    (.10)   (3.65)   (3.75)   46.24    14.24    31    1.07    1.07    .23 
Class 529-T:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.69    .34    7.52    7.86    (.07)       (.07)   53.48    17.235    6    .545    .545    .705 
11/30/2022   65.49    .18    (15.31)   (15.13)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.69    (24.88)5    6    .555    .555    .365 
11/30/2021   57.79    (.02)   9.28    9.26    (.10)   (1.46)   (1.56)   65.49    16.375    6    .575    .575    (.02)5 
11/30/2020   47.64    .19    13.40    13.59    (.23)   (3.21)   (3.44)   57.79    30.505    6    .585    .585    .395 
11/30/2019   45.78    .31    5.51    5.82    (.31)   (3.65)   (3.96)   47.64    14.785    6    .595    .595    .705 
Class 529-F-1:                                                                 
11/30/2023   44.95    .29    7.40    7.69    (.04)       (.04)   52.60    17.135    6    .635    .635    .615 
11/30/2022   64.53    .15    (15.06)   (14.91)       (4.67)   (4.67)   44.95    (24.91)5    6    .615    .615    .305 
11/30/2021   57.05    (.03)   9.15    9.12    (.18)   (1.46)   (1.64)   64.53    16.345    6    .595    .595    (.05)5 
11/30/2020   47.04    .21    13.23    13.44    (.22)   (3.21)   (3.43)   57.05    30.585    6    .585    .585    .465 
11/30/2019   45.28    .30    5.44    5.74    (.33)   (3.65)   (3.98)   47.04    14.75    65    .61    .61    .68 
Class 529-F-2:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.67    .36    7.52    7.88    (.09)       (.09)   53.46    17.28    102    .51    .51    .73 
11/30/2022   65.45    .19    (15.30)   (15.11)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.67    (24.86)   83    .52    .52    .40 
11/30/2021   57.74    (.01)   9.29    9.28    (.11)   (1.46)   (1.57)   65.45    16.39    107    .55    .55    (.01)
11/30/20207,8    52.00    (.01)   5.75    5.74                57.74    11.069    84    .049    .049    (.01)9 
Class 529-F-3:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.67    .37    7.51    7.88    (.11)       (.11)   53.44    17.30    6    .48    .48    .75 
11/30/2022   65.41    .22    (15.29)   (15.07)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.67    (24.81)   6    .47    .47    .44 
11/30/2021   57.74    .05    9.27    9.32    (.19)   (1.46)   (1.65)   65.41    16.48    6    .50    .47    .07 
11/30/20207,8    52.00    10    5.74    5.74                57.74    11.069    6    .069    .049    (.01)9 
Class R-1:                                                                 
11/30/2023   40.11    (.11)   6.58    6.47                46.58    16.13    28    1.50    1.50    (.25)
11/30/2022   58.57    (.25)   (13.54)   (13.79)       (4.67)   (4.67)   40.11    (25.58)   27    1.49    1.49    (.58)
11/30/2021   52.21    (.54)   8.36    7.82        (1.46)   (1.46)   58.57    15.28    40    1.50    1.50    (.95)
11/30/2020   43.52    (.23)   12.13    11.90        (3.21)   (3.21)   52.21    29.30    42    1.52    1.52    (.52)
11/30/2019   42.22    (.10)   5.05    4.95        (3.65)   (3.65)   43.52    13.68    39    1.55    1.55    (.25)

 

Refer to the end of the table for footnotes.

 

28 The New Economy Fund
 

Financial highlights (continued)

 

       Income (loss) from
investment operations1
   Dividends and distributions                         
Year ended  Net asset
value,
beginning
of year
   Net
investment
income
(loss)
   Net gains
(losses) on
securities
(both
realized and
unrealized)
   Total from
investment
operations
   Dividends
(from net
investment
income)
   Distributions
(from capital
gains)
   Total
dividends
and
distributions
   Net asset
value,
end
of year
   Total return2,3   Net assets,
end of
year
(in millions)
   Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets before
waivers/
reimburse-
ments4
   Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets after
waivers/
reimburse-
ments3,4
   Ratio of
net income
(loss)
to average
net assets3
 
Class R-2:                                                                 
11/30/2023  $40.42   $(.11)  $6.62   $6.51   $   $   $   $46.93    16.10%  $182    1.50%   1.50%   (.26)%
11/30/2022   59.00    (.27)   (13.64)   (13.91)       (4.67)   (4.67)   40.42    (25.60)   165    1.53    1.53    (.62)
11/30/2021   52.59    (.55)   8.42    7.87        (1.46)   (1.46)   59.00    15.29    244    1.50    1.50    (.96)
11/30/2020   43.81    (.23)   12.22    11.99        (3.21)   (3.21)   52.59    29.29    236    1.51    1.51    (.52)
11/30/2019   42.47    (.10)   5.09    4.99        (3.65)   (3.65)   43.81    13.70    203    1.55    1.55    (.25)
Class R-2E:                                                                 
11/30/2023   43.91    .01    7.22    7.23                51.14    16.47    14    1.21    1.21    .03 
11/30/2022   63.51    (.15)   (14.78)   (14.93)       (4.67)   (4.67)   43.91    (25.37)   11    1.22    1.22    (.31)
11/30/2021   56.34    (.41)   9.04    8.63        (1.46)   (1.46)   63.51    15.61    15    1.21    1.21    (.67)
11/30/2020   46.59    (.11)   13.07    12.96        (3.21)   (3.21)   56.34    29.67    14    1.23    1.23    (.23)
11/30/2019   44.88    .02    5.41    5.43    (.07)   (3.65)   (3.72)   46.59    14.02    13    1.25    1.25    .04 
Class R-3:                                                                 
11/30/2023   43.85    .08    7.21    7.29                51.14    16.62    254    1.06    1.06    .18 
11/30/2022   63.34    (.07)   (14.75)   (14.82)       (4.67)   (4.67)   43.85    (25.26)   235    1.07    1.07    (.15)
11/30/2021   56.10    (.31)   9.01    8.70        (1.46)   (1.46)   63.34    15.80    339    1.06    1.06    (.51)
11/30/2020   46.34    (.03)   13.01    12.98    (.01)   (3.21)   (3.22)   56.10    29.88    322    1.07    1.07    (.07)
11/30/2019   44.58    .09    5.38    5.47    (.06)   (3.65)   (3.71)   46.34    14.20    303    1.10    1.10    .20 
Class R-4:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.01    .23    7.42    7.65                52.66    16.97    247    .76    .76    .48 
11/30/2022   64.72    .07    (15.11)   (15.04)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.01    (25.03)   234    .76    .76    .15 
11/30/2021   57.13    (.13)   9.18    9.05        (1.46)   (1.46)   64.72    16.16    344    .76    .76    (.21)
11/30/2020   47.11    .11    13.24    13.35    (.12)   (3.21)   (3.33)   57.13    30.26    344    .77    .77    .23 
11/30/2019   45.29    .22    5.46    5.68    (.21)   (3.65)   (3.86)   47.11    14.54    332    .80    .80    .51 
Class R-5E:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.37    .33    7.46    7.79    (.06)       (.06)   53.10    17.20    75    .56    .56    .68 
11/30/2022   65.07    .17    (15.20)   (15.03)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.37    (24.89)   64    .57    .57    .35 
11/30/2021   57.43    (.01)   9.22    9.21    (.11)   (1.46)   (1.57)   65.07    16.38    85    .56    .56    (.02)
11/30/2020   47.39    .19    13.33    13.52    (.27)   (3.21)   (3.48)   57.43    30.53    71    .56    .56    .41 
11/30/2019   45.59    .26    5.53    5.79    (.34)   (3.65)   (3.99)   47.39    14.79    55    .57    .57    .59 
Class R-5:                                                                 
11/30/2023   46.14    .38    7.59    7.97    (.11)       (.11)   54.00    17.33    78    .46    .46    .78 
11/30/2022   66.03    .22    (15.44)   (15.22)       (4.67)   (4.67)   46.14    (24.80)   74    .45    .45    .45 
11/30/2021   58.23    .06    9.35    9.41    (.15)   (1.46)   (1.61)   66.03    16.51    115    .45    .45    .10 
11/30/2020   47.96    .27    13.48    13.75    (.27)   (3.21)   (3.48)   58.23    30.66    123    .47    .47    .56 
11/30/2019   46.07    .36    5.54    5.90    (.36)   (3.65)   (4.01)   47.96    14.88    126    .49    .49    .81 
Class R-6:                                                                 
11/30/2023   45.95    .41    7.55    7.96    (.14)       (.14)   53.77    17.40    8,875    .41    .41    .83 
11/30/2022   65.75    .25    (15.38)   (15.13)       (4.67)   (4.67)   45.95    (24.77)   7,295    .41    .41    .52 
11/30/2021   57.99    .08    9.32    9.40    (.18)   (1.46)   (1.64)   65.75    16.55    8,271    .41    .41    .13 
11/30/2020   47.78    .24    13.47    13.71    (.29)   (3.21)   (3.50)   57.99    30.74    6,336    .42    .42    .50 
11/30/2019   45.92    .38    5.52    5.90    (.39)   (3.65)   (4.04)   47.78    14.94    3,834    .44    .44    .85 

 

Refer to the end of the table for footnotes.

 

The New Economy Fund 29
 

Financial highlights (continued)

 

    Year ended November 30,
    2023   2022   2021   2020   2019
Portfolio turnover rate for all share classes11   39%   35%   28%12    38%   39%

 

1  Based on average shares outstanding.
2  Total returns exclude any applicable sales charges, including contingent deferred sales charges.
3  This column reflects the impact, if any, of certain waivers/reimbursements from AFS and/or CRMC. During one of the years shown, AFS waived a portion of transfer agent services fees for Class F-3 shares. In addition, during some of the years shown, CRMC reimbursed a portion of transfer agent services fees for Class 529-F-3 shares.
4  Ratios do not include expenses of any Central Funds. The fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of the expenses of any Central Funds.
5  All or a significant portion of assets in this class consisted of seed capital invested by CRMC and/or its affiliates. Fees for distribution services are not charged or accrued on these seed capital assets. If such fees were paid by the fund on seed capital assets, fund expenses would have been higher and net income and total return would have been lower.
6  Amount less than $1 million.
7  Based on operations for a period that is less than a full year.
8  Class 529-F-2 and 529-F-3 shares began investment operations on October 30, 2020.
9  Not annualized.
10  Amount less than $.01.
11  Rates do not include the fund’s portfolio activity with respect to any Central Funds.
12  Includes the value of securities sold due to redemptions of shares in-kind. The rate would have been 27% for the year ended November 30, 2021, if the value of securities sold due to in-kind redemptions were excluded.

 

Refer to the notes to financial statements.

 

30 The New Economy Fund
 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of The New Economy Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the investment portfolio, of The New Economy Fund (the “Fund”) as of November 30, 2023, the related statement of operations for the year ended November 30, 2023, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended November 30, 2023, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated therein (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of November 30, 2023, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended November 30, 2023 and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated therein in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2023 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

 

Los Angeles, California
January 9, 2024

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more investment companies in The Capital Group Companies Investment Company Complex since 1934.

 

The New Economy Fund 31
 
Expense example unaudited

 

As a fund shareholder, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, such as initial sales charges on purchase payments and contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions (loads), and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and service (12b-1) fees, and other expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the fund so you can compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire six-month period (June 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023).

 

Actual expenses:

The first line of each share class in the table on the following page provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading titled “Expenses paid during period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical example for comparison purposes:

The second line of each share class in the table on the following page provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the actual expense ratio for the share class and an assumed rate of return of 5.00% per year before expenses, which is not the actual return of the share class. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5.00% hypothetical example with the 5.00% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

Notes:

Retirement plan participants may be subject to certain fees charged by the plan sponsor, and Class F-1, F-2, F-3, 529-F-1, 529-F-2 and 529-F-3 shareholders may be subject to fees charged by financial intermediaries, typically ranging from 0.75% to 1.50% of assets annually depending on services offered. You can estimate the impact of these fees by adding the amount of the fees to the total estimated expenses you paid on your account during the period as calculated above. In addition, your ending account value would be lower by the amount of these fees.

 

Note that the expenses shown in the table on the following page are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads). Therefore, the second line of each share class in the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

32 The New Economy Fund
 

Expense example (continued)

 

   Beginning
account value
6/1/2023
   Ending
account value
11/30/2023
   Expenses paid
during period*
   Annualized
expense ratio
 
Class A – actual return  $1,000.00   $1,088.03   $4.03    .77%
Class A – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,021.21    3.90    .77 
Class C – actual return   1,000.00    1,083.79    7.94    1.52 
Class C – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,017.45    7.69    1.52 
Class T – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.53    2.51    .48 
Class T – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,022.66    2.43    .48 
Class F-1 – actual return   1,000.00    1,087.73    4.24    .81 
Class F-1 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,021.01    4.10    .81 
Class F-2 – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.48    2.67    .51 
Class F-2 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,022.51    2.59    .51 
Class F-3 – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.90    2.15    .41 
Class F-3 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,023.01    2.08    .41 
Class 529-A – actual return   1,000.00    1,087.85    4.13    .79 
Class 529-A – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,021.11    4.00    .79 
Class 529-C – actual return   1,000.00    1,083.42    8.25    1.58 
Class 529-C – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,017.15    7.99    1.58 
Class 529-E – actual return   1,000.00    1,086.64    5.39    1.03 
Class 529-E – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,019.90    5.22    1.03 
Class 529-T – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.23    2.83    .54 
Class 529-T – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,022.36    2.74    .54 
Class 529-F-1 – actual return   1,000.00    1,088.82    3.30    .63 
Class 529-F-1 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,021.91    3.19    .63 
Class 529-F-2 – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.46    2.72    .52 
Class 529-F-2 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,022.46    2.64    .52 
Class 529-F-3 – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.48    2.51    .48 
Class 529-F-3 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,022.66    2.43    .48 
Class R-1 – actual return   1,000.00    1,084.24    7.84    1.50 
Class R-1 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,017.55    7.59    1.50 
Class R-2 – actual return   1,000.00    1,084.08    7.84    1.50 
Class R-2 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,017.55    7.59    1.50 
Class R-2E – actual return   1,000.00    1,085.75    6.27    1.20 
Class R-2E – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,019.05    6.07    1.20 
Class R-3 – actual return   1,000.00    1,086.47    5.54    1.06 
Class R-3 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,019.75    5.37    1.06 
Class R-4 – actual return   1,000.00    1,088.22    3.98    .76 
Class R-4 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,021.26    3.85    .76 
Class R-5E – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.03    2.93    .56 
Class R-5E – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,022.26    2.84    .56 
Class R-5 – actual return   1,000.00    1,089.61    2.41    .46 
Class R-5 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,022.76    2.33    .46 
Class R-6 – actual return   1,000.00    1,090.01    2.15    .41 
Class R-6 – assumed 5% return   1,000.00    1,023.01    2.08    .41 
   
* The “expenses paid during period” are equal to the “annualized expense ratio,” multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period, and divided by 365 (to reflect the one-half year period).
   
The New Economy Fund 33
 
Tax information unaudited

 

We are required to advise you of the federal tax status of certain distributions received by shareholders during the fiscal year. The fund hereby designates the following amounts for the fund’s fiscal year ended November 30, 2023:

 

Qualified dividend income 100%
Corporate dividends received deduction 100%
U.S. government income that may be exempt from state taxation $16,273,000

 

Individual shareholders should refer to their Form 1099 or other tax information, which will be mailed in January 2024, to determine the calendar year amounts to be included on their 2023 tax returns. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors.

 

34 The New Economy Fund
 

Approval of Investment Advisory and Service Agreement

 

The fund’s board has approved the continuation of the fund’s Investment Advisory and Service Agreement (the “agreement”) with Capital Research and Management Company (“CRMC”) through January 31, 2024. The board approved the agreement following the recommendation of the fund’s Contracts Committee (the “committee”), which is composed of all the fund’s independent board members. The board and the committee determined in the exercise of their business judgment that the fund’s advisory fee structure was fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided, and that approving the agreement was in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.

 

In reaching this decision, the board and the committee took into account their interactions with CRMC and information furnished to them throughout the year and otherwise provided to them, as well as information prepared specifically in connection with their review of the agreement, and they were advised by their independent counsel with respect to the matters considered. They considered the following factors, among others, but did not identify any single issue or particular piece of information that, in isolation, was the controlling factor, and each board and committee member did not necessarily attribute the same weight to each factor.

 

1. Nature, extent and quality of services

 

The board and the committee considered the depth and quality of CRMC’s investment management process, including its global research capabilities; the experience, capability and integrity of its senior management and other personnel; the low turnover rates of its key personnel; the overall financial strength and stability of CRMC and the Capital Group organization; the resources and systems CRMC devotes to investment management (the manner in which the fund’s assets are managed, including liquidity management), financial, investment operations, compliance, trading, proxy voting, shareholder communications, and other services; and the ongoing evolution of CRMC’s organizational structure designed to maintain and strengthen these qualities. The board and the committee also considered the nature, extent and quality of administrative and shareholder services provided by CRMC to the fund under the agreement and other agreements, as well as the benefits to fund shareholders from investing in a fund that is part of a large family of funds. The board and the committee considered the risks assumed by CRMC in providing services to the fund, including operational, business, financial, reputational, regulatory and litigation risks. The board and the committee concluded that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by CRMC have benefited and should continue to benefit the fund and its shareholders.

 

2. Investment results

 

The board and the committee considered the investment results of the fund in light of its objective. They compared the fund’s investment results with those of other funds (including funds that currently form the basis of the Lipper index for the category in which the fund is included), and data such as relevant market and fund indexes over various periods (including the fund’s lifetime) through May 31, 2023. They generally placed greater emphasis on investment results over longer term periods. On the basis of this evaluation and the boards and the committee’s ongoing review of investment results, and considering the relative market conditions during certain reporting periods, the board and the committee concluded that the fund’s investment results have been satisfactory for renewal of the agreement, and that CRMC’s record in managing the fund indicated that its continued management should benefit the fund and its shareholders.

 

3. Advisory fees and total expenses

 

The board and the committee compared the advisory fees and total expense levels of the fund to those of other relevant funds. They observed that the fund’s advisory fees and expenses generally compared favorably to those of other similar funds included in the comparable Lipper category. The board and the committee also considered the breakpoint discounts in the fund’s advisory fee structure that reduce the level of fees charged by CRMC to the fund as fund assets increase. In addition, they reviewed information regarding the effective advisory fees charged to non-mutual fund clients by CRMC and its affiliates. They noted that, to the extent there were differences between the advisory fees paid by the fund and the advisory fees paid by those clients, the differences appropriately reflected the investment, operational, regulatory and market differences between advising the fund and the other clients. The board and the committee concluded that the fund’s cost structure was fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided, as well as in relation to the risks assumed by the adviser in sponsoring and managing the fund, and that the fund’s shareholders receive reasonable value in return for the advisory fees and other amounts paid to CRMC by the fund.

 

The New Economy Fund 35
 

4. Ancillary benefits

 

The board and the committee considered a variety of other benefits that CRMC and its affiliates receive as a result of CRMC’s relationship with the fund and other American Funds, including fees for administrative services provided to certain share classes; fees paid to CRMC’s affiliated transfer agent; sales charges and distribution fees received and retained by the fund’s principal underwriter, an affiliate of CRMC; and possible ancillary benefits to CRMC and its institutional management affiliates in managing other investment vehicles. The board and the committee reviewed CRMC’s portfolio trading practices, noting that CRMC bears the cost of third-party research. The board and committee also noted that CRMC benefited from the use of commissions from portfolio transactions made on behalf of the fund to facilitate payment to certain broker-dealers for research to comply with regulatory requirements applicable to these firms, with all such amounts reimbursed by CRMC. The board and the committee took these ancillary benefits into account in evaluating the reasonableness of the advisory fees and other amounts paid to CRMC by the fund.

 

5. Adviser financial information

 

The board and the committee reviewed information regarding CRMC’s costs of providing services to the American Funds, including personnel, systems and resources of investment, compliance, trading, accounting and other administrative operations. They considered CRMC’s costs and related cost allocation methodology, as well as its track record of investing in technology, infrastructure and staff to maintain and expand services and capabilities, respond to industry and regulatory developments, and attract and retain qualified personnel. They noted information regarding the compensation structure for CRMC’s investment professionals. They reviewed information on the profitability of the investment adviser and its affiliates. The board and the committee also compared CRMC’s profitability and compensation data to the reported results and data of a number of large, publicly held investment management companies. The board and the committee noted the competitiveness and cyclicality of both the mutual fund industry and the capital markets, and the importance in that environment of CRMC’s long-term profitability for maintaining its independence, company culture and management continuity. They further considered the breakpoint discounts in the fund’s advisory fee structure and CRMC’s sharing of potential economies of scale, or efficiencies, through breakpoints and other fee reductions and costs voluntarily absorbed. The board and the committee concluded that the fund’s advisory fee structure reflected a reasonable sharing of benefits between CRMC and the fund’s shareholders.

 

36 The New Economy Fund
 

Board of trustees and other officers

 

Independent trustees1

 

Name and year of birth   Year first
elected
a trustee
of the fund2
  Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Number of
portfolios in fund
complex overseen
by trustee3
  Other directorships4
held by trustee
John G. Freund, MD, 1953   2000–2009
2016
  Founder and former Managing Director, Skyline Ventures (a venture capital investor in health care companies); Co-Founder of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (1995–2000); Co-Founder and former CEO of Arixa Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2016–2020)   14   Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.;
SI – Bone, Inc.;
Sutro Biopharma, Inc.
Pedro J. Greer Jr., 1956   2016   Physician; Professor and Founding Dean, College of Medicine, Roseman University of Health Sciences; former Chairman/Associate Dean, Florida International University   5   None
Merit E. Janow, 1958   2010   Dean Emerita and Professor of Practice, International Economic Law & International Affairs, Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs   99   Aptiv (autonomous and green vehicle technology); Mastercard Incorporated
Earl Lewis Jr., 1955   2017   Professor and Director, University of Michigan; former President, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation   5   2U, Inc. (educational technology company)
Christopher E. Stone, 1956
Chair of the Board
(Independent and Non-Executive)
  2007   Professor of Practice of Public Integrity, University of Oxford, Blavatnik School of Government   11   None
Kathy J. Williams, 1955   2021   Board Chair, Above and Beyond Teaching   11   None
Amy Zegart, PhD, 1967   2021   Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute, Stanford University   8   Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

 

Interested trustees5,6

 

Name, year of birth and
position with fund
  Year first
elected
a trustee
or officer
of the fund2
  Principal occupation(s) during past five years
and positions held with affiliated entities or
the principal underwriter of the fund
  Number of
portfolios in fund
complex overseen
by trustee3
  Other directorships4
held by trustee
Winnie Kwan, 1972
Trustee
  2019   Partner — Capital Research Global Investors, Capital International, Inc.7   5   None
Sung Lee, 1966
Trustee
  2019   Partner — Capital Research Global Investors, Capital Group Investment Management Pte. Ltd.7;
Director, The Capital Group Companies, Inc.7
  5   None

 

The fund’s statement of additional information includes further details about fund directors and is available without charge upon request by calling American Funds Service Company at (800) 421-4225 or by visiting the Capital Group website at capitalgroup.com. The address for all trustees and officers of the fund is 333 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071, Attention: Secretary.

 

Refer to page 38 for footnotes.

 

The New Economy Fund 37
 

Other officers6

 

Name, year of birth and
position with fund
  Year first
elected
an officer
of the fund2
  Principal occupation(s) during past five years and positions held with affiliated entities
or the principal underwriter of the fund
Mathews Cherian, 1967
Co-President
  2019   Partner — Capital World Investors, Capital Research and Management Company;
Partner — Capital World Investors, Capital Bank and Trust Company7
Harold H. La, 1970
Co-President
  2006   Partner — Capital Research Global Investors, Capital International, Inc.7
Donald H. Rolfe, 1972
Principal Executive Officer
  2010   Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel — Fund Business Management Group, Capital Research and Management Company; Secretary, Capital Research and Management Company
Michael W. Stockton, 1967
Executive Vice President
  2013   Senior Vice President — Fund Business Management Group, Capital Research and Management Company
Paul Benjamin, 1979
Senior Vice President
  2023   Partner — Capital World Investors, Capital Research and Management Company
Tomoko Fortune, 1974
Senior Vice President
  2020   Partner — Capital World Investors, Capital Research and Management Company
Caroline Jones, 1974
Senior Vice President
  2019   Partner — Capital Research Global Investors, Capital Research and Management Company
Reed Lowenstein, 1967
Senior Vice President
  2020   Partner — Capital Research Global Investors, Capital Research and Management Company
Lara Pellini, 1975
Senior Vice President
  2022   Partner — Capital World Investors, Capital Research Company7; Director, The Capital Group Companies, Inc.7
Richmond Wolf, 1970
Senior Vice President
  2019   Partner — Capital World Investors, Capital Research and Management Company
Jennifer L. Butler, 1966
Secretary
  2013   Assistant Vice President — Fund Business Management Group, Capital Research and Management Company
Gregory F. Niland, 1971
Treasurer
  2016   Vice President — Investment Operations, Capital Research and Management Company
Marilyn Paramo, 1982
Assistant Secretary
  2023   Associate — Fund Business Management Group, Capital Research and Management Company
Sandra Chuon, 1972
Assistant Treasurer
  2019   Vice President — Investment Operations, Capital Research and Management Company
W. Michael Pattie, 1981
Assistant Treasurer
  2020   Assistant Vice President — Investment Operations, Capital Research and Management Company
   
1 The term independent trustee refers to a trustee who is not an “interested person” of the fund within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
2 Trustees and officers of the fund serve until their resignation, removal or retirement.
3 Funds managed by Capital Research and Management Company or its affiliates.
4 This includes all directorships/trusteeships (other than those in the American Funds or other funds managed by Capital Research and Management Company or its affiliates) that are held by each trustee as a trustee or director of a public company or a registered investment company.
5 The term interested trustee refers to a trustee who is an “interested person” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, on the basis of their affiliation with the fund’s investment adviser, Capital Research and Management Company, or affiliated entities (including the fund’s principal underwriter).
6 All of the trustees and/or officers listed, with the exception of Tomoko Fortune, Caroline Jones and Reed Lowenstein, are officers and/or directors/trustees of one or more of the other funds for which Capital Research and Management Company serves as investment adviser.
7 Company affiliated with Capital Research and Management Company.
   
38 The New Economy Fund
 

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The New Economy Fund 39
 

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40 The New Economy Fund
 

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The New Economy Fund 41
 

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42 The New Economy Fund
 

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The New Economy Fund 43
 

Office of the fund
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071-1406

 

Investment adviser
Capital Research and Management Company
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071-1406

 

Transfer agent for shareholder accounts
American Funds Service Company
(Write to the address nearest you.)

 

P.O. Box 6007
Indianapolis, IN 46206-6007

 

P.O. Box 2280
Norfolk, VA 23501-2280

 

Custodian of assets
State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2900

 

Counsel
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
400 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071-2899

 

Independent registered public accounting firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
601 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017-3874

 

Principal underwriter
American Funds Distributors, Inc.
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071-1406

 

44 The New Economy Fund
 

Investors should carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectus and summary prospectus, which can be obtained from your financial professional and should be read carefully before investing. You may also call American Funds Service Company (AFS) at (800) 421-4225 or visit the Capital Group website at capitalgroup.com.

 

“American Funds Proxy Voting Procedures and Principles” — which describes how we vote proxies relating to portfolio securities — is available on our website or upon request by calling AFS. The fund files its proxy voting record with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the 12 months ended June 30 by August 31. The proxy voting record is available free of charge on the SEC website at sec.gov and on our website.

 

The New Economy Fund files a complete list of its portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form NPORT-P. The list of portfolio holdings is available free of charge on the SEC website and on our website.

 

This report is for the information of shareholders of The New Economy Fund, but it also may be used as sales literature when preceded or accompanied by the current prospectus or summary prospectus, which gives details about charges, expenses, investment objectives and operating policies of the fund. If used as sales material after March 31, 2024, this report must be accompanied by an American Funds statistical update for the most recently completed calendar quarter.

 

FTSE/Russell indexes: London Stock Exchange Group plc and its group undertakings (collectively, the “LSE Group”). © LSE Group 2024 FTSE Russell is a trading name of certain of the LSE Group companies. FTSE indexes are trademarks of the relevant LSE Group companies and are used by any other LSE Group company under license. All rights in the FTSE Russell indexes or data vest in the relevant LSE Group company which owns the index or the data. Neither LSE Group nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the indexes or data and no party may rely on any indexes or data contained in this communication. No further distribution of data from the LSE Group is permitted without the relevant LSE Group company’s express written consent. The LSE Group does not promote, sponsor or endorse the content of this communication.

 

MSCI has not approved, reviewed or produced this report, makes no express or implied warranties or representations and is not liable whatsoever for any data in the report. You may not redistribute the MSCI data or use it as a basis for other indices or investment products.

 

The S&P 500 Index (“Index”) is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates and has been licensed for use by Capital Group. Copyright © 2024 S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a division of S&P Global, and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Redistribution or reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC.

 

American Funds Distributors, Inc.

 

The Capital Advantage®

 

Since 1931, Capital Group, home of American Funds, has helped investors pursue long-term investment success. Our consistent approach — in combination with The Capital SystemTM — has resulted in superior outcomes.

 

Aligned with investor success

We base our decisions on a long-term perspective, which we believe aligns our goals with the interests of our clients. Our portfolio managers average 28 years of investment industry experience, including 22 years at our company, reflecting a career commitment to our long-term approach.1

 

The Capital System

The Capital System combines individual accountability with teamwork. Funds using The Capital System are divided into portions that are managed independently by investment professionals with diverse backgrounds, ages and investment approaches. An extensive global research effort is the backbone of our system.

 

American Funds’ superior outcomes

Equity-focused funds have beaten their Lipper peer indexes in 90% of 10-year periods and 99% of 20-year periods.2 Relative to their peers, our fixed income funds have helped investors achieve better diversification through attention to correlation between bonds and equities.3 Fund management fees have been among the lowest in the industry.4

 

  1 Investment industry experience as of December 31, 2022.
  2 Based on Class F-2 share results for rolling monthly 10- and 20-year periods starting with the first 10- or 20-year period after each mutual fund’s inception through December 31, 2022. Periods covered are the shorter of the fund’s lifetime or since the comparable Lipper index inception date (except Capital Income Builder and SMALLCAP World Fund, for which the Lipper average was used). Expenses differ for each share class, so results will vary. Past results are not predictive of results in future periods.
  3 Based on Class F-2 share results as of December 31, 2022. Sixteen of the 18 fixed income American Funds that have been in existence for the three-year period showed a three-year correlation lower than their respective Morningstar peer group averages. S&P 500 Index was used as an equity market proxy. Correlation based on monthly total returns. Correlation is a statistical measure of how two securities move in relation to each other. A correlation ranges from –1 to 1. A positive correlation close to 1 implies that as one security moves, either up or down, the other security will move in “lockstep,” in the same direction. A negative correlation close to –1 indicates that the securities have moved in the opposite direction.
  4 On average, our mutual fund management fees were in the lowest quintile 62% of the time, based on the 20-year period ended December 31, 2022, versus comparable Lipper categories, excluding funds of funds.

 

Class F-2 shares were first offered on August 1, 2008. Class F-2 share results prior to the date of first sale are hypothetical based on the results of the original share class of the fund without a sales charge, adjusted for typical estimated expenses. Results for certain funds with an inception date after August 1, 2008, also include hypothetical returns because those funds’ Class F-2 shares sold after the funds’ date of first offering. Refer to capitalgroup.com for more information on specific expense adjustments and the actual dates of first sale.

 

All Capital Group trademarks mentioned are owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc., an affiliated company or fund. All other company and product names mentioned are the property of their respective companies.

 

 

 

ITEM 2 – Code of Ethics

 

The Registrant has adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to its Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer. The Registrant undertakes to provide to any person without charge, upon request, a copy of the Code of Ethics. Such request can be made by calling 800/421-4225 or to the Secretary of the Registrant, 333 South Hope Street, 55th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071.

 

ITEM 3 – Audit Committee Financial Expert

 

The Registrant’s board has determined that John G. Freund, a member of the Registrant’s audit committee, is an “audit committee financial expert” and "independent," as such terms are defined in this Item. This designation will not increase the designee’s duties, obligations or liability as compared to his or her duties, obligations and liability as a member of the audit committee and of the board, nor will it reduce the responsibility of the other audit committee members. There may be other individuals who, through education or experience, would qualify as "audit committee financial experts" if the board had designated them as such. Most importantly, the board believes each member of the audit committee contributes significantly to the effective oversight of the Registrant’s financial statements and condition.

 

ITEM 4 – Principal Accountant Fees and Services

  NEF
     
Registrant:    

a)  Audit Fees:    
Audit 2022           123,000
  2023           130,000
     
b)  Audit-Related Fees:    
  2022  None
  2023  None
     
c)  Tax Fees:    
  2022                9,000
  2023             10,000
  The tax fees consist of professional services relating to the preparation of the Registrant’s tax returns.  
     
d)  All Other Fees:    
  2022  None
  2023  None
     
  Adviser and affiliates (includes only fees for non-audit services billed to the adviser and affiliates for engagements that relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant and were subject to the pre-approval policies described below):  
a)  Audit Fees:    
  Not Applicable  
     
b)  Audit-Related Fees:    
  2022  None
  2023  None
  The audit-related fees consist of assurance and related services relating to the examination of the Registrant’s transfer agent, principal underwriter and investment adviser conducted in accordance with Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements Number 18 issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  
     
c)  Tax Fees:    
  2022  None
  2023  None

  The tax fees consist of consulting services relating to the Registrant’s investments.  
     
     
d)  All Other Fees:    
  2022  None
  2023  None
  The other fees consist of subscription services related to an accounting research tool.  
     
     
  All audit and permissible non-audit services that the Registrant’s audit committee considers compatible with maintaining the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence are required to be pre-approved by the committee.  The pre-approval requirement will extend to all non-audit services provided to the Registrant, the investment adviser, and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant. The committee will not delegate its responsibility to pre-approve these services to the investment adviser. The committee may delegate to one or more committee members the authority to review and pre-approve audit and permissible non-audit services.  Actions taken under any such delegation will be reported to the full committee at its next meeting. The pre-approval requirement is waived with respect to non-audit services if certain conditions are met. The pre-approval requirement was not waived for any of the non-audit services listed above provided to the Registrant, adviser and affiliates.  
     
  Aggregate non-audit fees paid to the Registrant’s auditors, including fees for all services billed to the Registrant, adviser and affiliates that provide ongoing services to the Registrant, were $9,000 for fiscal year 2022 and $10,000 for fiscal year 2023. The non-audit services represented by these amounts were brought to the attention of the committee and considered to be compatible with maintaining the auditors’ independence.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ITEM 5 – Audit Committee of Listed Registrants

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a listed issuer as defined in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

ITEM 6 – Schedule of Investments

 

Not applicable, insofar as the schedule is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.

 

ITEM 7 – Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a closed-end management investment company.

 

ITEM 8 – Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a closed-end management investment company.

 

ITEM 9 – Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a closed-end management investment company.

 

ITEM 10 – Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrant’s board of trustees since the Registrant last submitted a proxy statement to its shareholders. The procedures are as follows. The Registrant has a nominating and governance committee comprised solely of persons who are not considered ‘‘interested persons’’ of the Registrant within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The committee periodically reviews such issues as the board’s composition, responsibilities, committees, compensation and other relevant issues, and recommends any appropriate changes to the full board of trustees. While the committee normally is able to identify from its own resources an ample number of qualified candidates, it will consider shareholder suggestions of persons to be considered as nominees to fill future vacancies on the board. Such suggestions must be sent in writing to the nominating and governance committee of the Registrant, c/o the Registrant’s Secretary, and must be accompanied by complete biographical and occupational data on the prospective nominee, along with a written consent of the prospective nominee for consideration of his or her name by the nominating and governance committee.

 

ITEM 11 – Controls and Procedures

 

(a) The Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have concluded, based on their evaluation of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 30a-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940), that such controls and procedures are adequate and reasonably designed to achieve the purposes described in paragraph (c) of such rule.
   
(b)

There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) that occurred during the Registrant’s semi-annual period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

ITEM 12 – Exhibits

 

(a)(1) The Code of Ethics that is the subject of the disclosure required by Item 2 is attached as an exhibit hereto.

   
(a)(2) The certifications required by Rule 30a-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached as exhibits hereto.
 
 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

  THE NEW ECONOMY FUND
   
  By __/s/ Donald H. Rolfe________________
 

Donald H. Rolfe,

Principal Executive Officer

   
  Date: January 31, 2024

 

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

 

 

 

By _ /s/ Donald H. Rolfe_____________

Donald H. Rolfe,

Principal Executive Officer

 
Date: January 31, 2024

 

 

 

By ___/s/ Gregory F. Niland_______________

Gregory F. Niland, Treasurer and

Principal Financial Officer

 
Date: January 31, 2024