N-CSRS 1 dncsrs.htm LMP EQUITY TRUST -- LMP INVESTORS VALUE FUND LMP Equity Trust -- LMP Investors Value Fund

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

   811-06444

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

55 Water Street, New York, NY   10041
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Robert I. Frenkel, Esq.

Legg Mason & Co., LLC

100 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

Funds Investor Services 1-800-822-5544

or

Institutional Shareholder Services 1-888-425-6432

 

Date of fiscal year end: December 31,

 

Date of reporting period: June 30, 2009


ITEM 1. REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS.

The Semi-Annual Report to Stockholders is filed herewith.


LOGO

SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT / JUNE 30, 2009

Legg Mason Partners

Investors Value Fund

 

Managed by   CLEARBRIDGE ADVISORS

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Fund objective

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital. Current income is a secondary objective.

Fund name change

During the fourth quarter of 2009, it is expected that the Fund’s name will change to Legg Mason ClearBridge Investors Value Fund. There will be no change in the Fund’s investment objective or investment policies as a result of the name change.

 

What’s inside

 

Letter from the chairman   I
Fund at a glance   1
Fund expenses   2
Schedule of investments   4
Statement of assets and liabilities   8
Statement of operations   9
Statements of changes in net assets   10
Financial highlights   11
Notes to financial statements   15

 

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) is the Fund’s investment manager and ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) is the Fund’s subadviser. LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc.


Letter from the chairman

LOGO

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Dear Shareholder,

The U.S. economy remained weak during the six-month reporting period ended June 30, 2009. Looking back, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported that third and fourth quarter 2008 U.S. gross domestic product (“GDP”)i contracted 2.7% and 5.4%, respectively. Economic contraction has continued in 2009 as GDP fell 6.4% during the first quarter and the advance estimate for the second quarter is a 1.0% decline. The economy’s more modest contraction in the second quarter was due, in part, to smaller declines in exports and business spending.

The U.S. recession, which began in December 2007, now has the dubious distinction of being the lengthiest since the Great Depression. Contributing to the economy’s troubles has been extreme weakness in the labor market. Since December 2007, approximately six and a half million jobs have been shed and we have experienced eighteen consecutive months of job losses. In addition, the unemployment rate continued to move steadily higher, rising from 9.4% in May to 9.5% in June 2009, to reach its highest rate since August 1983.

Another strain on the economy, the housing market, may finally be getting closer to reaching a bottom. After plunging late in 2008, new single-family home starts have been fairly stable in recent months and, while home prices have continued to fall, the pace of the decline has moderated somewhat. Other recent economic news also seemed to be “less negative.” Inflation remained low, manufacturing contracted at a slower pace and inventory levels were drawn down.

Ongoing issues related to the housing and subprime mortgage markets and seizing credit markets prompted the Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”)ii to take aggressive and, in some cases, unprecedented actions. After reducing the federal funds rateiii from 5.25% in August 2007 to a range of 0 to 1/4 percent in December 2008 — a historic low — the Fed has maintained this stance thus far in 2009. In conjunction with its June meeting, the Fed stated that it “will maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and continues to anticipate that economic conditions are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period.”

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund   I


Letter from the chairman continued

 

In addition to maintaining extremely low short-term interest rates, the Fed took several actions to improve liquidity in the credit markets. Back in September 2008, it announced an $85 billion rescue plan for ailing AIG and pumped $70 billion into the financial system as Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy and mounting troubles at other financial firms roiled the markets. More recently, the Fed has taken additional measures to thaw the frozen credit markets, including the purchase of debt issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as introducing the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (“TALF”). In March 2009, the Fed continued to pursue aggressive measures as it announced its intentions to:

 

 

Purchase up to an additional $750 billion of agency mortgage-backed securities, bringing its total purchases of these securities to up to $1.25 trillion in 2009.

 

 

Increase its purchases of agency debt this year by up to $100 billion to a total of up to $200 billion.

 

 

Buy up to $300 billion of longer-term Treasury securities over the next six months.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has also taken an active role in attempting to stabilize the financial system, as it orchestrated the government’s takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in September 2008. In October, the Treasury’s $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”) was approved by Congress and signed into law by former President Bush. Then, in March 2009, Treasury Secretary Geithner introduced the Public-Private Partnership Investment Program (“PPIP”), which is intended to facilitate the purchase of troubled mortgage assets from bank balance sheets. President Obama has also made reviving the economy a priority in his administration, the cornerstone thus far being the $787 billion stimulus package that was signed into law in February 2009.

Despite an extremely poor start, the U.S. stock market, as measured by the S&P 500 Indexiv (the “Index”), generated a positive return for the six months ended June 30, 2009. Continued fallout from the financial crisis and a rapidly weakening economy caused the market to fall sharply in January and February 2009, with the Index returning -8.43% and -10.65%, respectively. Stock prices continued to plunge in early March, reaching a twelve-year low on March 9th. Stocks then rallied sharply, rising approximately 36% from their March low through the end of June 2009. This rebound was due to a variety of factors, including optimism that the economy was bottoming and that corporate profits would improve as the year progressed. All told, the Index gained 3.16% over the six-month reporting period.

Looking at the U.S. stock market more closely, in terms of market capitalizations, large-, mid- and small-cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 1000v, Russell Midcapvi and Russell 2000vii Indices, returned 4.32%, 9.96% and 2.64%, respectively, during the six-month period ended June 30,

 

II   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund


 

2009. From an investment style perspective, growth and value stocks, as measured by the Russell 3000 Growthviii and Russell 3000 Valueix Indices, returned 11.52% and -3.05%, respectively. This disparity in returns was due, in part, to the strong performance of growth-oriented technology stocks and the weak performance of value-oriented financial stocks.

Performance review

For the six months ended June 30, 2009, Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund, excluding sales charges, returned 2.01%. The Fund’s unmanaged benchmarks, the S&P 500 Index and the Russell 1000 Value Indexx, returned 3.16% and -2.87%, respectively, over the same time frame. The Lipper Large-Cap Value Funds Category Average1 returned 0.92% for the same period.

 

PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT as of June 30, 2009 (excluding sales charges) (unaudited)
     6 MONTHS
(not annualized)
Investors Value Fund — Class A Shares   2.01%
S&P 500 Index   3.16%
Russell 1000 Value Index   -2.87%
Lipper Large-Cap Value Funds Category Average1   0.92%
 
The performance shown represents past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and current performance may be higher or lower than the performance shown above. Principal value and investment returns will fluctuate and investors’ shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. To obtain performance data current to the most recent month-end, please visit our website at www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors.
Excluding sales charges, Class B shares returned 1.61%, Class C shares returned 1.62% and Class I shares returned 2.18% over the six months ended June 30, 2009. All share class returns assume the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, at net asset value and the deduction of all Fund expenses. Returns have not been adjusted to include sales charges that may apply or the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions. If sales charges were reflected, the performance quoted would be lower.
TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES (unaudited)
As of the Fund’s most current prospectus dated April 30, 2009, the gross total operating expense ratios for Class A, Class B, Class C and Class I shares were 0.95%, 1.81%, 1.66% and 0.61%, respectively.
Actual expenses may be higher. For example, expenses may be higher than those shown if average net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and Fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.

 

1

Lipper, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reuters, provides independent insight on global collective investments. Returns are based on the six-month period ended June 30, 2009, including the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, calculated among the 584 funds in the Fund’s Lipper category, and excluding sales charges.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund   III


Letter from the chairman continued

 

A special note regarding increased market volatility

Dramatically higher volatility in the financial markets has been very challenging for many investors. Market movements have been rapid — sometimes in reaction to economic news, and sometimes creating the news. In the midst of this evolving market environment, we at Legg Mason want to do everything we can to help you reach your financial goals. Now, as always, we remain committed to providing you with excellent service and a full spectrum of investment choices. Rest assured, we will continue to work hard to ensure that our investment managers make every effort to deliver strong long-term results.

We also remain committed to supplementing the support you receive from your financial advisor. One way we accomplish this is through our enhanced website, www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors. Here you can gain immediate access to many special features to help guide you through difficult times, including:

 

 

Fund prices and performance,

 

 

Market insights and commentaries from our portfolio managers, and

 

 

A host of educational resources.

During periods of market unrest, it is especially important to work closely with your financial advisor and remember that reaching one’s investment goals unfolds over time and through multiple market cycles. Time and again, history has shown that, over the long run, the markets have eventually recovered and grown.

Information about your fund

Important information with regard to certain regulatory developments that may affect the Fund is contained in the Notes to Financial Statements included in this report.

As always, thank you for your confidence in our stewardship of your assets. We look forward to helping you meet your financial goals.

Sincerely,

LOGO

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

July 31, 2009

 

IV   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund


 

The information provided is not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results or investment advice. Views expressed may differ from those of the firm as a whole.

RISKS: Investments in common stocks are subject to market fluctuations. Foreign securities are subject to certain risks of overseas investing, including currency fluctuations and changes in political and economic conditions. These risks are magnified in emerging markets. The Fund may use derivatives, such as options and futures, which can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses, and have a potentially large impact on Fund performance. Please see the Fund’s prospectus for more information on these and other risks.

All index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. Please note that an investor cannot invest directly in an index.

 

i

Gross domestic product (“GDP”) is the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time.

 

ii

The Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”) is responsible for the formulation of policies designed to promote economic growth, full employment, stable prices, and a sustainable pattern of international trade and payments.

 

iii

The federal funds rate is the rate charged by one depository institution on an overnight sale of immediately available funds (balances at the Federal Reserve) to another depository institution; the rate may vary from depository institution to depository institution and from day to day.

 

iv

The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of 500 stocks and is generally representative of the performance of larger companies in the U.S.

 

v

The Russell 1000 Index measures the performance of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell 3000 Index, which represents approximately 92% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000 Index. The Russell 3000 Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the U.S. equity market.

 

vi

The Russell Midcap Index measures the performance of the 800 smallest companies in the Russell 1000 Index, which represents approximately 25% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 1000 Index.

 

vii

The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000 Index, which represents approximately 8% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000 Index.

 

viii

The Russell 3000 Growth Index measures the performance of those Russell 3000 Index companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. (A price-to-book ratio is the price of a stock compared to the difference between a company’s assets and liabilities.)

 

ix

The Russell 3000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 3000 Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

x

The Russell 1000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund   V


Fund at a glance (unaudited)

 

INVESTMENT BREAKDOWN (%) As a percent of total investments

LOGO

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   1


Fund expenses (unaudited)

 

Example

As a shareholder of the Fund, you may incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including front-end and back-end sales charges (loads) on purchase payments; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees; and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested on January 1, 2009 and held for the six months ended June 30, 2009.

Actual expenses

The table below titled “Based on Actual Total Return” provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information provided in this table, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. To estimate the expenses you paid on your account, divide your ending account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 ending account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period”.

 

BASED ON ACTUAL TOTAL RETURN1          
     ACTUAL TOTAL
RETURN
WITHOUT
SALES
CHARGES2
    BEGINNING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
  ENDING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
  ANNUALIZED
EXPENSE
RATIO
    EXPENSES
PAID DURING
THE PERIOD3
Class A   2.01   $ 1,000.00   $ 1,020.10   1.03   $ 5.16
Class B   1.61        1,000.00     1,016.10   1.94        9.70
Class C   1.62        1,000.00     1,016.20   1.74        8.70
Class I   2.18        1,000.00     1,021.80   0.72        3.61

 

1

For the six months ended June 30, 2009.

 

2

Assumes the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the deduction of the applicable sales charge with respect to Class A shares or the applicable contingent deferred sales charges (“CDSC”) with respect to Class B and C shares. Total return is not annualized, as it may not be representative of the total return for the year. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

3

Expenses are equal to each class’ respective annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 365.

 

2   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

Hypothetical example for comparison purposes

The table below titled “Based on Hypothetical Total Return” provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5.00% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use the information provided in this table to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare the 5.00% hypothetical example relating to the Fund with the 5.00% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table below are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as front-end or back-end sales charges (loads). Therefore, 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 transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

BASED ON HYPOTHETICAL TOTAL RETURN1              
     HYPOTHETICAL
ANNUALIZED
TOTAL
RETURN
    BEGINNING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
  ENDING
ACCOUNT
VALUE
  ANNUALIZED
EXPENSE
RATIO
    EXPENSES
PAID DURING
THE PERIOD2
Class A   5.00   $ 1,000.00   $ 1,019.69   1.03   $ 5.16
Class B   5.00        1,000.00     1.015.17   1.94        9.69
Class C   5.00        1,000.00     1,016.17   1.74        8.70
Class I   5.00        1,000.00     1,021.22   0.72        3.61

 

1

For the six months ended June 30, 2009.

 

2

Expenses are equal to each class’ respective annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 365.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   3


Schedule of investments (unaudited)

June 30, 2009

 

LEGG MASON PARTNERS INVESTORS VALUE FUND
SHARES    SECURITY    VALUE
     
COMMON STOCKS — 98.6%       
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY — 15.8%       
     Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 2.3%       
255,100    McDonald’s Corp.    $ 14,665,699
     Media — 9.9%       
658,030    DISH Network Corp.*      10,666,666
1,218,080    News Corp., Class A Shares      11,096,709
359,200    Scripps Networks Interactive, Class A Shares      9,996,536
496,700    SES Global SA, FDR(a)      9,481,758
226,394    Time Warner Cable Inc.      7,169,898
551,033    Time Warner Inc.      13,880,521
    

Total Media

     62,292,088
     Multiline Retail — 1.7%       
264,900    Target Corp.      10,455,603
     Specialty Retail — 1.9%       
520,300    Home Depot Inc.      12,294,689
     TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY      99,708,079
CONSUMER STAPLES — 15.9%       
     Food & Staples Retailing — 2.8%       
364,600    Wal-Mart Stores Inc.      17,661,224
     Food Products — 3.3%       
435,867    Kraft Foods Inc., Class A Shares      11,044,870
423,000    Unilever PLC, ADR      9,940,500
    

Total Food Products

     20,985,370
     Household Products — 4.4%       
409,700    Kimberly-Clark Corp.      21,480,571
120,200    Procter & Gamble Co.      6,142,220
    

Total Household Products

     27,622,791
     Tobacco — 5.4%       
343,300    Altria Group Inc.      5,626,687
113,200    Lorillard Inc.      7,671,564
486,600    Philip Morris International Inc.      21,225,492
    

Total Tobacco

     34,523,743
     TOTAL CONSUMER STAPLES      100,793,128
ENERGY — 14.9%       
     Energy Equipment & Services — 2.5%       
425,100    Halliburton Co.      8,799,570
98,260    Transocean Ltd.*      7,299,735
    

Total Energy Equipment & Services

     16,099,305

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

4   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

LEGG MASON PARTNERS INVESTORS VALUE FUND
SHARES    SECURITY    VALUE
     
     Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 12.4%       
108,980    Devon Energy Corp.    $ 5,939,410
1,574,400    El Paso Corp.      14,531,712
245,600    Exxon Mobil Corp.      17,169,896
166,300    Royal Dutch Shell PLC, ADR, Class A Shares      8,346,597
301,092    Suncor Energy Inc.      9,135,131
429,050    Total SA, ADR      23,267,382
    

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

     78,390,128
     TOTAL ENERGY      94,489,433
FINANCIALS — 20.5%       
     Capital Markets — 2.5%       
237,349    Bank of New York Mellon Corp.      6,956,699
182,300    State Street Corp.      8,604,560
    

Total Capital Markets

     15,561,259
     Commercial Banks — 3.6%       
99,800    PNC Financial Services Group Inc.      3,873,238
787,650    Wells Fargo & Co.      19,108,389
    

Total Commercial Banks

     22,981,627
     Consumer Finance — 1.8%       
306,210    American Express Co.      7,116,320
186,720    Capital One Financial Corp.      4,085,434
    

Total Consumer Finance

     11,201,754
     Diversified Financial Services — 5.8%       
1,309,370    Bank of America Corp.      17,283,684
569,520    JPMorgan Chase & Co.      19,426,327
    

Total Diversified Financial Services

     36,710,011
     Insurance — 6.8%       
257,600    Chubb Corp.      10,273,088
234,760    Loews Corp.      6,432,424
475,449    Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc.      9,570,789
411,180    Travelers Cos. Inc.      16,874,827
    

Total Insurance

     43,151,128
     TOTAL FINANCIALS      129,605,779
HEALTH CARE — 8.6%       
     Health Care Providers & Services — 2.1%       
247,330    UnitedHealth Group Inc.      6,178,303
141,300    WellPoint Inc.*      7,190,757
    

Total Health Care Providers & Services

     13,369,060
     Pharmaceuticals — 6.5%       
195,700    Abbott Laboratories      9,205,728
246,300    Merck & Co. Inc.      6,886,548

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   5


Schedule of investments (unaudited) continued

June 30, 2009

 

LEGG MASON PARTNERS INVESTORS VALUE FUND
SHARES    SECURITY    VALUE
     
     Pharmaceuticals — 6.5% continued       
280,800    Novartis AG, ADR    $ 11,453,832
431,100    Pfizer Inc.      6,466,500
51,890    Roche Holding AG(a)      7,059,570
    

Total Pharmaceuticals

     41,072,178
     TOTAL HEALTH CARE      54,441,238
INDUSTRIALS — 6.5%       
     Aerospace & Defense — 2.7%       
161,700    Boeing Co.      6,872,250
229,300    Raytheon Co.      10,187,799
    

Total Aerospace & Defense

     17,060,049
     Industrial Conglomerates — 3.8%       
1,001,300    General Electric Co.      11,735,236
231,200    United Technologies Corp.      12,013,152
    

Total Industrial Conglomerates

     23,748,388
     TOTAL INDUSTRIALS      40,808,437
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY — 4.2%       
     Computers & Peripherals — 2.2%       
134,900    International Business Machines Corp.      14,086,258
     Software — 2.0%       
519,200    Microsoft Corp.      12,341,384
     TOTAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY      26,427,642
MATERIALS — 1.8%       
     Chemicals — 1.8%       
174,300    Air Products & Chemicals Inc.      11,258,037
TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES — 7.8%       
     Diversified Telecommunication Services — 6.9%       
695,910    AT&T Inc.      17,286,404
242,932    Embarq Corp.      10,217,720
520,300    Verizon Communications Inc.      15,988,819
    

Total Diversified Telecommunication Services

     43,492,943
     Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.9%       
1,194,421    Sprint Nextel Corp.*      5,745,165
     TOTAL TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES      49,238,108
UTILITIES — 2.6%       
     Multi-Utilities — 2.6%       
334,700    Sempra Energy      16,611,161
     TOTAL INVESTMENTS BEFORE SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT
(Cost — $651,173,982)
     623,381,042

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

6   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

LEGG MASON PARTNERS INVESTORS VALUE FUND
FACE
AMOUNT
   SECURITY    VALUE
     
  SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT† — 1.3%       
       Repurchase Agreement — 1.3%       
$ 7,915,000    Interest in $90,270,000 joint tri-party repurchase agreement dated 6/30/09 with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 0.080% due 7/1/09; Proceeds at maturity — $7,915,018; (Fully collateralized by various U.S. government agency obligations, 3.000% to 4.125% due 9/1/09 to 3/27/19; Market value — $8,073,348)
(Cost — $7,915,000)
   $ 7,915,000
       TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 99.9% (Cost — $659,088,982#)      631,296,042
       Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities — 0.1%      701,242
       TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%    $ 631,997,284

 

Under the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157, all securities are deemed Level 2. Please refer to Note 1 of the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

* Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

Security is valued in good faith at fair value by or under the direction of the Board of Trustees (See Note 1).

 

# Aggregate cost for federal income tax purposes is substantially the same.

 

Abbreviations used in this schedule:
ADR  

—American Depositary Receipt

FDR  

—Foreign Depositary Receipt

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   7


Statement of assets and liabilities (unaudited)

June 30, 2009

 

ASSETS:         
Investments, at value (Cost — $659,088,982)    $ 631,296,042   
Cash      887   
Receivable for securities sold      2,431,431   
Dividends and interest receivable      1,565,338   
Receivable for Fund shares sold      477,509   
Prepaid expenses      45,637   

Total Assets

     635,816,844   
LIABILITIES:         
Payable for Fund shares repurchased      1,654,606   
Investment management fee payable      960,533   
Distributions payable      714,618   
Distribution fees payable      95,969   
Trustees’ fees payable      41,342   
Accrued expenses      352,492   

Total Liabilities

     3,819,560   
TOTAL NET ASSETS    $ 631,997,284   
NET ASSETS:         
Par value (Note 7)    $ 476   
Paid-in capital in excess of par value      768,102,557   
Undistributed net investment income      466,888   
Accumulated net realized loss on investments and foreign currency transactions      (108,783,678
Net unrealized depreciation on investments and foreign currencies      (27,788,959
TOTAL NET ASSETS    $ 631,997,284   
Shares Outstanding:         
Class A      20,352,737   
Class B      650,283   
Class C      2,858,496   
Class I      23,699,223   
Net Asset Value:         
Class A (and redemption price)      $13.32   
Class B1      $12.97   
Class C1      $13.02   
Class I (offering price and redemption price)      $13.30   
Maximum Public Offering Price Per Share:         
Class A (based on maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)      $14.13   

 

1

Redemption price per share is NAV of Class B and C shares reduced by a 5.00% and 1.00% CDSC, respectively, if shares are redeemed within one year from purchase payment (See Note 2).

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

8   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


Statement of operations (unaudited)

For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2009

 

INVESTMENT INCOME:       
Dividends    $10,742,956   
Interest    38,717   
Less: Foreign taxes withheld    (323,714

Total Investment Income

   10,457,959   
EXPENSES:       
Investment management fee (Note 2)    1,839,491   
Distribution fees (Notes 2 and 5)    552,846   
Transfer agent fees (Note 5)    259,470   
Registration fees    47,075   
Shareholder reports (Note 5)    39,890   
Trustees’ fees    32,207   
Legal fees    14,483   
Audit and tax    13,293   
Insurance    6,828   
Custody fees    3,197   
Miscellaneous expenses    3,108   

Total Expenses

   2,811,888   
NET INVESTMENT INCOME    7,646,071   
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS AND
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS (NOTES 1 AND 3):
      
Net Realized Gain (Loss) From:       

Investment transactions

   (56,409,415

Foreign currency transactions

   3,147   
Net Realized Loss    (56,406,268
Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation/Depreciation From:       

Investments

   57,613,930   

Foreign currencies

   3,983   
Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation/Depreciation    57,617,913   
NET GAIN ON INVESTMENTS AND FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS    1,211,645   
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS    $  8,857,716   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   9


Statements of changes in net assets

 

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2009 (unaudited)
AND THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2008
   2009      2008  
OPERATIONS:                  
Net investment income    $ 7,646,071       $ 16,824,601   
Net realized loss      (56,406,268      (50,311,330
Change in net unrealized appreciation/depreciation      57,617,913         (370,552,749

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets From Operations

     8,857,716         (404,039,478
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM (NOTES 1 AND 6):                  
Net investment income      (8,583,535      (15,540,032
Net realized gains              (22,927,598

Decrease in Net Assets From Distributions to Shareholders

     (8,583,535      (38,467,630
FUND SHARE TRANSACTIONS (NOTE 7):                  
Net proceeds from sale of shares      16,539,553         36,325,889   
Reinvestment of distributions      7,143,264         32,101,478   
Cost of shares repurchased      (63,247,912      (233,718,490

Decrease in Net Assets From Fund Share Transactions

     (39,565,095      (165,291,123
DECREASE IN NET ASSETS      (39,290,914      (607,798,231
NET ASSETS:                  
Beginning of period      671,288,198         1,279,086,429   
End of period*    $ 631,997,284       $ 671,288,198   
* Includes undistributed net investment income of:      $466,888         $1,404,352   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

10   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


Financial highlights

 

FOR A SHARE OF EACH CLASS OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH YEAR
ENDED DECEMBER 31, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED:
 
CLASS A SHARES1   20092     2008     2007     20063     20053     20043  

NET ASSET VALUE,
BEGINNING OF PERIOD

  $13.24      $21.34      $21.81      $20.43      $20.55      $19.07   

INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS:

                                   

Net investment income

  0.15      0.29      0.28      0.26      0.23      0.29   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  0.10      (7.69   0.49      3.29      1.01      1.70   

Total income (loss) from operations

  0.25      (7.40   0.77      3.55      1.24      1.99   

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                                   

Net investment income

  (0.17   (0.27   (0.28   (0.26   (0.23   (0.28

Net realized gains

       (0.43   (0.96   (1.91   (1.13   (0.23

Total distributions

  (0.17   (0.70   (1.24   (2.17   (1.36   (0.51

NET ASSET VALUE,
END OF PERIOD

  $13.32      $13.24      $21.34      $21.81      $20.43      $20.55   

Total return4

  2.01   (35.52 )%    3.50   17.63   6.15   10.50

NET ASSETS,
END OF PERIOD (000s)

  $271,193      $290,115      $583,441      $304,173      $314,069      $308,990   

RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:

                                   

Gross expenses

  1.03 %5    0.95   0.86   0.91 %6    0.93   0.88

Net expenses

  1.03 5    0.95      0.85 7    0.90 6,7    0.93      0.88   

Net investment income

  2.45 5    1.61      1.23      1.21      1.13      1.46   

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE

  17   23   14   25   53   36

 

1

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2

For the six months ended June 30, 2009 (unaudited).

 

3

For a share of capital stock outstanding prior to April 16, 2007.

 

4

Performance figures, exclusive of sales charges, may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

5

Annualized.

 

6

Included in the expense ratios are certain non-recurring restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the Fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would both have been 0.88%.

 

7

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   11


Financial highlights continued

 

FOR A SHARE OF EACH CLASS OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH YEAR
ENDED DECEMBER 31, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED:
 
CLASS B SHARES1   20092     2008     2007     20063     20053     20043  

NET ASSET VALUE,
BEGINNING OF PERIOD

  $12.89      $20.79      $21.28      $19.98      $20.13      $18.70   

INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS:

                                   

Net investment income

  0.09      0.12      0.10      0.05      0.03      0.10   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  0.11      (7.46   0.47      3.21      1.00      1.67   

Total income (loss) from operations

  0.20      (7.34   0.57      3.26      1.03      1.77   

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                                   

Net investment income

  (0.12   (0.13   (0.10   (0.05   (0.05   (0.11

Net realized gains

       (0.43   (0.96   (1.91   (1.13   (0.23

Total distributions

  (0.12   (0.56   (1.06   (1.96   (1.18   (0.34

NET ASSET VALUE,
END OF PERIOD

  $12.97      $12.89      $20.79      $21.28      $19.98      $20.13   

Total return4

  1.61   (36.05 )%    2.67   16.49   5.16   9.46

NET ASSETS,
END OF PERIOD (000S)

  $8,431      $12,146      $36,423      $31,290      $36,803      $43,386   

RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:

                                   

Gross expenses

  1.94 %5    1.81   1.62   1.84 %6    1.89   1.78

Net expenses

  1.94 5    1.80 7,8    1.62 7,8    1.84 6,7    1.89      1.78   

Net investment income

  1.51 5    0.70      0.44      0.26      0.16      0.51   

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE

  17   23   14   25   53   36

 

1

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2

For the six months ended June 30, 2009 (unaudited).

 

3

For a share of capital stock outstanding prior to April 16, 2007.

 

4

Performance figures, exclusive of CDSC, may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

5

Annualized.

 

6

Included in the expense ratios are certain non-recurring restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the Fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would both have been 1.82%.

 

7

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

8

As a result of a contractual expense limitation, effective March 5, 2007 until May 1, 2008, the ratio of expenses, other than brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, to average net assets of Class B shares will not exceed 1.76%.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

12   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

FOR A SHARE OF EACH CLASS OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH YEAR
ENDED DECEMBER 31, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED:
 
CLASS C SHARES1   20092     2008     2007     20063     20053     20043  

NET ASSET VALUE,
BEGINNING OF PERIOD

  $ 12.95      $ 20.88      $ 21.37      $ 20.05      $ 20.20      $ 18.76   

INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS:

                                               

Net investment income

    0.10        0.16        0.11        0.07        0.05        0.11   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    0.10        (7.51     0.48        3.24        0.99        1.68   

Total income (loss) from operations

    0.20        (7.35     0.59        3.31        1.04        1.79   

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                                               

Net investment income

    (0.13     (0.15     (0.12     (0.08     (0.06     (0.12

Net realized gains

           (0.43     (0.96     (1.91     (1.13     (0.23

Total distributions

    (0.13     (0.58     (1.08     (1.99     (1.19     (0.35

NET ASSET VALUE,
END OF PERIOD

  $ 13.02      $ 12.95      $ 20.88      $ 21.37      $ 20.05      $ 20.20   

Total return4

    1.62     (35.94 )%      2.71     16.64     5.20     9.53

NET ASSETS,
END OF PERIOD (000s)

    $37,228        $41,205        $87,905        $45,553        $52,771        $67,647   

RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:

                                               

Gross expenses

    1.74 %5      1.66     1.57     1.76 %6      1.81     1.75

Net expenses

    1.74 5      1.66 7,8      1.57 7,8      1.76 6,7      1.81        1.75   

Net investment income

    1.73 5      0.89        0.52        0.34        0.24        0.56   

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE

    17     23     14     25     53     36

 

1

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2

For the six months ended June 30, 2009 (unaudited).

 

3

For a share of capital stock outstanding prior to April 16, 2007.

 

4

Performance figures, exclusive of CDSC, may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

5

Annualized.

 

6

Included in the expense ratios are certain non-recurring restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the Fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would both have been 1.74%.

 

7

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

8

As a result of a contractual expense limitation, effective March 5, 2007 until May 1, 2008, the ratio of expenses, other than brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, to average net assets of Class C shares will not exceed 1.64%.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   13


Financial highlights continued

 

FOR A SHARE OF EACH CLASS OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH YEAR
ENDED DECEMBER 31, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED:
 
CLASS I SHARES1   20092     2008     20073     20064     20054     20044  

NET ASSET VALUE,
BEGINNING OF PERIOD

  $13.22      $21.29      $21.77      $20.40      $20.52      $19.04   

INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS:

                                   

Net investment income

  0.17      0.35      0.34      0.32      0.30      0.34   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  0.10      (7.66   0.48      3.29      1.01      1.71   

Total income (loss) from operations

  0.27      (7.31   0.82      3.61      1.31      2.05   

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                                   

Net investment income

  (0.19   (0.33   (0.34   (0.33   (0.30   (0.34

Net realized gains

       (0.43   (0.96   (1.91   (1.13   (0.23

Total distributions

  (0.19   (0.76   (1.30   (2.24   (1.43   (0.57

NET ASSET VALUE,
END OF PERIOD

  $13.30      $13.22      $21.29      $21.77      $20.40      $20.52   

Total return5

  2.18   (35.23 )%    3.75   17.98   6.51   10.83

NET ASSETS,
END OF PERIOD (000S)

  $315,145      $327,822      $571,317      $577,618      $540,992      $789,928   

RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:

                                   

Gross expenses

  0.72 %6    0.61   0.57   0.62 %7    0.58   0.60

Net expenses

  0.72 6    0.59 8,9    0.54 8,9    0.62 7,8    0.58      0.60   

Net investment income

  2.76 6    1.98      1.52      1.49      1.47      1.72   

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE

  17   23   14   25   53   36

 

1

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2

For the six months ended June 30, 2009 (unaudited).

 

3

As of August 17, 2007, all Class I shares converted to Class O shares and Class O shares were redesignated as Class I shares.

 

4

For a share of capital stock outstanding prior to April 16, 2007.

 

5

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

6

Annualized.

 

7

Included in the expense ratios are certain non-recurring restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the Fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would both have been 0.60%.

 

8

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

9

As a result of a contractual expense limitation, effective March 5, 2007 until May 1, 2008, the ratio of expenses, other than brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, to average net assets of Class I shares will not exceed 0.56%.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

14   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


Notes to financial statements (unaudited)

 

1. Organization and significant accounting policies

The Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund (the “Fund”) is a separate investment series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust’). The Trust, a Maryland business trust, is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company.

The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Estimates and assumptions are required to be made regarding assets, liabilities and changes in net assets resulting from operations when financial statements are prepared. Changes in the economic environment, financial markets and any other parameters used in determining these estimates could cause actual results to differ. Subsequent events have been evaluated through August 24, 2009, the issuance date of the financial statements.

(a) Investment valuation. Equity securities for which market quotations are available are valued at the last reported sales price or official closing price on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. Debt securities are valued at the mean between the last quoted bid and asked prices provided by an independent pricing service that are based on transactions in debt obligations, quotations from bond dealers, market transactions in comparable securities and various other relationships between securities. When prices are not readily available, or are determined not to reflect fair value, such as when the value of a security has been significantly affected by events after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded, but before the Fund calculates its net asset value, the Fund may value these securities at fair value as determined in accordance with the procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. Fair valuing of securities may also be determined with the assistance of a pricing service using calculations based on indices of domestic securities and other appropriate indicators, such as prices of relevant American depository receipts (ADRs). Short-term obligations with maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.

The Fund adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157 (“FAS 157”). FAS 157 establishes a single definition of fair value, creates a three-tier hierarchy as a framework for measuring fair value based on inputs used to value the Fund’s investments, and requires additional disclosure about fair value. The hierarchy of inputs is summarized below.

 

   

Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   15


Notes to financial statements (unaudited) continued

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

The following is a summary of the inputs used in valuing the Fund’s assets carried at fair value:

 

DESCRIPTION   QUOTED PRICES
(LEVEL 1)
  OTHER
SIGNIFICANT
OBSERVABLE INPUTS
(LEVEL 2)
  SIGNIFICANT
UNOBSERVABLE
INPUTS
(LEVEL 3)
  TOTAL
Common stocks                      

Consumer discretionary

  $ 90,226,321   $ 9,481,758     $ 99,708,079

Consumer staples

    100,793,128           100,793,128

Energy

    94,489,433           94,489,433

Financials

    129,605,779           129,605,779

Health care

    47,381,668     7,059,570       54,441,238

Industrials

    40,808,437           40,808,437

Information technology

    26,427,642           26,427,642

Materials

    11,258,037           11,258,037

Telecommunication services

    49,238,108           49,238,108

Utilities

    16,611,161           16,611,161
Total common stocks   $ 606,839,714   $ 16,541,328     $ 623,381,042
Short-term investments†         7,915,000       7,915,000
Total   $ 606,839,714   $ 24,456,328     $ 631,296,042

 

See Schedule of Investments for additional detailed categorizations.

(b) Repurchase agreements. When entering into repurchase agreements, it is the Fund’s policy that its custodian or a third party custodian take possession of the underlying collateral securities, the market value of which, at all times, at least equals the principal amount of the repurchase transaction, including accrued interest. To the extent that any repurchase transaction exceeds one business day, the value of the collateral is marked-to-market daily to ensure the adequacy of the collateral. If the seller defaults, and the market value of the collateral declines or if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.

(c) Foreign currency translation. Investment securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollar amounts based upon prevailing exchange rates at the date of valuation. Purchases and sales of investment securities and income and expense items denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollar amounts based upon prevailing exchange rates on the respective dates of such transactions.

The Funds do not isolate that portion of the results of operations resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates on investments from the fluctuations arising from changes in market prices of securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments.

Net realized foreign exchange gains or losses arise from sales of foreign currencies, including gains and losses on forward foreign currency contracts, currency gains or losses realized between the trade and settlement dates on securities transactions, and the difference between the amounts of dividends,

 

16   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

interest, and foreign withholding taxes recorded on the Funds’ books and the U.S. dollar equivalent of the amounts actually received or paid. Net unrealized foreign exchange gains and losses arise from changes in the fair values of assets and liabilities, other than investments in securities, at the date of valuation, resulting from changes in exchange rates.

Foreign security and currency transactions may involve certain considerations and risks not typically associated with those of U.S. dollar denominated transactions as a result of, among other factors, the possibility of lower levels of governmental supervision and regulation of foreign securities markets and the possibility of political or economic instability.

(d) Security transactions and investment income. Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Interest income, adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of discount, is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Foreign dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date or as soon as practical after the Fund determines the existence of a dividend declaration after exercising reasonable due diligence. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method. To the extent any issuer defaults on an expected interest payment, the Fund’s policy is to generally halt any additional interest income accruals and consider the realizability of interest accrued up to the date of default.

(e) Distributions to shareholders. Distributions from net investment income for the Fund, if any, are declared and paid on a quarterly basis. Distributions of net realized gains, if any, are declared at least annually. Distributions are recorded on the ex-dividend date and are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.

(f) Share class accounting. Investment income, common expenses and realized/unrealized gains (losses) on investments are allocated to the various classes of the Fund on the basis of daily net assets of each share class. Fees relating to a specific class are charged directly to that share class.

(g) Federal and other taxes. It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the federal income and excise tax requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies. Accordingly, the Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its taxable income and net realized gains, if any, to shareholders each year. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required in the Fund’s financial statements.

Management has analyzed the Fund’s tax positions taken on federal income tax returns for all open tax years and has concluded that as of June 30, 2009, no provision for income tax would be required in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s federal and state income and federal excise tax returns for tax years for which the applicable statutes of limitations have not expired are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and state departments of revenue.

Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax may be imposed on interest, dividends and capital gains at various rates.

 

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   17


Notes to financial statements (unaudited) continued

 

(h) Reclassification. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be adjusted to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset values per share.

2. Investment management agreement and other transactions with affiliates

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) is the Fund’s investment manager and ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) is the Fund’s subadviser. LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”).

Under the investment management agreement, the Fund pays a base investment management fee subject to an increase or decrease depending on the extent, if any, to which the investment performance of the Fund exceeds or is exceeded by the investment record of the S&P 500 Index. The base fee is paid quarterly based on the following breakpoint schedule:

 

AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS    ANNUAL RATE  
First $350 million    0.650
Next $150 million    0.550   
Next $250 million    0.525   
Next $250 million    0.500   
Over $1 billion    0.450   

At the end of each calendar quarter, for each percentage point of difference between the investment performance of the class of shares of the Fund which has the lowest performance for the period and the S&P 500 Index over the last prior 12-month period, this base fee is adjusted upward or downward by the product of (i) 1/4 of 0.01% multiplied by (ii) the average daily net assets of the Fund for the 12 month period. If the amount by which the Fund outperforms or underperforms the S&P 500 Index is not a whole percentage point, a pro rata adjustment will be made. However, there will be no performance adjustment unless the investment performance of the Fund exceeds or is exceeded by the investment record of the S&P 500 Index by at least one percentage point. The maximum quarterly adjustment is 0.025%, which would occur if the Fund’s performance exceeds or is exceeded by S&P 500 Index by ten or more percentage points. For the rolling one year periods ended March 31, 2009 and June 30, 2009 the Fund’s performance varied from that of the S&P 500 Index performance by 0.62% and 1.40%, respectively. As a result, base management fees were increased, in aggregate, by $25,065.

LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Fund. LMPFA delegates to the subadviser the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments. For

 

18   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

its services, LMPFA pays ClearBridge 70% of the net management fee it receives from the Fund.

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, serves as the Fund’s sole and exclusive distributor.

There is a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75% for Class A shares. There is a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 5.00% on Class B shares, which applies if redemption occurs within one year from purchase payment. This CDSC declines by 1.00% per year until no CDSC is incurred. Class C shares also have a 1.00% CDSC, which applies if redemption occurs within one year from purchase payment. In certain cases, Class A shares have a 1.00% CDSC, which applies if redemption occurs within one year from purchase payment. This CDSC only applies to those purchases of Class A shares, which, when combined with current holdings of Class A shares, equal or exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate. These purchases do not incur an initial sales charge. Class I shares have no initial sales charge or CDSC.

For the six months ended June 30, 2009, LMIS and its affiliates received sales charges of approximately $5,000 on sales of the Fund’s Class A shares. In addition, for the six months ended June 30, 2009, CDSCs paid to LMIS and its affiliates were approximately:

 

      CLASS A      CLASS B    CLASS C
CDSCs    $ 0    $ 7,000    $ 1,000

 

* Amount represents less than $1,000.

As of the close of business, March 2, 2007 the Fund assumed, due to the merger with the Legg Mason Partners Large Cap Value Fund, an unfunded, non-qualified deferred compensation plan (the “Plan”) which allowed non-interested trustees (“Trustees”) to defer the receipt of all or a portion of the trustees’ fees earned until a later date specified by the Trustees. The deferred balances are reported in the Statement of Operations under Trustees’ fees and are considered a general obligation of the Fund and any payments made pursuant to the Plan will be made from the Fund’s general assets. The Plan was terminated effective January 1, 2006. This change will have no effect on fees previously deferred. As of June 30, 2009, the Fund had accrued $18,485 as deferred compensation payable.

Certain officers and Trustees of the Trust are employees of Legg Mason or its affiliates and do not receive compensation from the Trust.

3. Investments

During the six months ended June 30, 2009, the aggregate cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments (excluding short-term investments) were as follows:

 

Purchases    $ 96,176,261
Sales      96,160,223

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   19


Notes to financial statements (unaudited) continued

 

At June 30, 2009, the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments for federal income tax purposes were substantially as follows:

 

Gross unrealized appreciation    $79,276,767   
Gross unrealized depreciation    (107,069,707
Net unrealized depreciation    $(27,792,940

4. Derivative instruments and hedging activities

Financial Accounting Standards Board of Financial Accounting Standards No. 161, “Disclosure about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” requires enhanced disclosure about an entity’s derivative and hedging activities.

During the six months ended June 30, 2009, the Fund did not invest in any derivative instruments.

5. Class specific expenses, waivers and/or reimbursements

The Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan and under that plan the Fund pays a service fee with respect to its Class A, B and C shares calculated at the annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of each respective class. The Fund also pays a service fee with respect to its Class B and C shares calculated at the annual rate of 0.75% of the average daily net assets of each class, respectively. Distribution fees are accrued daily and paid monthly.

For the six months ended June 30, 2009, class specific expenses were as follows:

 

      DISTRIBUTION
FEES
   TRANSFER AGENT
FEES
   SHAREHOLDER REPORTS
EXPENSES
Class A    $ 326,046    $ 145,477    $ 25,691
Class B      46,371      11,284      2,288
Class C      180,429      11,927      4,052
Class I           90,782      7,859
Total    $ 552,846    $ 259,470    $ 39,890

6. Distributions to shareholders by class

 

      SIX MONTHS ENDED
JUNE 30, 2009
   YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2008
Net Investment Income:      
Class A    $ 3,569,076    $ 6,389,585
Class B      85,379      160,243
Class C      376,783      555,514
Class I      4,552,297      8,434,690
Total    $ 8,583,535    $ 15,540,032
Net Realized Gains:      
Class A         $ 9,904,633
Class B           532,930
Class C           1,559,061
Class I           10,930,974
Total         $ 22,927,598

 

20   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

7. Shares of beneficial interest

At June 30, 2009, the Trust had an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest authorized with a par value of $0.00001 per share. The Fund has the ability to issue multiple classes of shares. Each share of a class represents an identical interest and has the same rights, except that each class bears certain direct expenses, including those specifically related to the distribution of its shares.

Transactions in shares of each class were as follows:

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED
JUNE 30, 2009
     YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2008
 
      SHARES      AMOUNT      SHARES      AMOUNT  
Class A            
Shares sold    957,436       $ 11,920,642       1,704,263       $ 30,407,268   
Shares issued on reinvestment    270,593         3,346,862       813,096         14,565,632   
Shares repurchased    (2,782,792      (34,553,744    (7,956,448      (144,072,523
Net decrease    (1,554,763    $ (19,286,240    (5,439,089    $ (99,099,623
Class B            
Shares sold    14,817       $ 183,103       34,542       $ 571,753   
Shares issued on reinvestment    6,529         78,233       34,352         613,574   
Shares repurchased    (313,377      (3,745,473    (878,382      (15,740,318
Net decrease    (292,031    $ (3,484,137    (809,488    $ (14,554,991
Class C            
Shares sold    21,712       $ 262,614       84,185       $ 1,324,813   
Shares issued on reinvestment    29,985         361,885       106,616         1,894,757   
Shares repurchased    (375,686      (4,434,419    (1,218,374      (20,877,619
Net decrease    (323,989    $ (3,809,920    (1,027,573    $ (17,658,049
Class I            
Shares sold    343,353       $ 4,173,194       230,743       $ 4,022,055   
Shares issued on reinvestment    271,663         3,356,284       844,261         15,027,515   
Shares repurchased    (1,719,631      (20,514,276    (3,103,805      (53,028,030
Net decrease    (1,104,615    $ (12,984,798    (2,028,801    $ (33,978,460

8. Capital Loss Carryforward

As of December 31, 2008, the Fund had a net capital loss carryforward of approximately $31,417,927 which expires in 2016. This amount will be available to offset any future taxable capital gains.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   21


Notes to financial statements (unaudited) continued

 

9. Regulatory matters

On May 31, 2005, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason and the then investment adviser or manager to the Fund, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGM”), a former distributor of the Fund, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the Fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGM willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated there under (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGM knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent: that First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGM. The order also found that SBFM and CGM willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGM do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGM and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the

 

22   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGM would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

10. Legal matters

Beginning in May 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against CGM, a former distributor of the Fund, and other affiliated funds (collectively, the “Funds”) and a number of its then affiliates, including SBFM and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc. (“SBAM”), which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGM created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGM for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the Defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   23


Notes to financial statements (unaudited) continued

 

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested and dismissing those Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against CAM, SBAM and SBFM as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGM as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The Fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

On December 3, 2007, the court granted the Defendants’ motion to dismiss, with prejudice. On January 2, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeal was fully briefed and oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit took place on March 5, 2009. The parties currently are awaiting a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

*  *  *

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGM and SBFM, (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in Note 9. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses. The five actions were subsequently consolidated, and a consolidated complaint was filed.

 

24   Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report


 

On September 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order dismissing the consolidated complaint, and judgment was later entered. An appeal was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. After full briefing, oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit took place on March 4, 2009. The parties currently are awaiting a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

11. Subsequent event

At the August 2009 meeting, the Board approved a recommendation from LMPFA to change the fiscal year-end for the Fund from December 31st to October 31st This change will result in a “stub period” annual report being produced for the ten-month period ending October 31, 2009.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund 2009 Semi-Annual Report   25


 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund

 

Trustees

 

Paul R. Ades

Andrew L. Breech

Dwight B. Crane

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

R. Jay Gerken, CFA
Chairman

Frank G. Hubbard

Howard J. Johnson

David E. Maryatt

Jerome H. Miller

Ken Miller

John J. Murphy

Thomas F. Schlafly

Jerry A. Viscione

 

Investment manager

 

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC

 

Subadviser

 

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

 

Distributor

 

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC

 

Custodian

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company

 

Co-transfer agents

 

Boston Financial Data Services, Inc.

2 Heritage Drive

Quincy, Massachusetts 02171

 

PNC Global Investment Servicing

4400 Computer Drive

Westborough, Massachusetts 01581

 

Independent registered public accounting firm

 

KPMG LLP

345 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10154


 

Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund

The Fund is a separate investment series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust, a Maryland business trust.

LEGG MASON PARTNERS INVESTORS VALUE FUND

Legg Mason Funds

55 Water Street

New York, New York 10041

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Forms N-Q are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Fund’s Forms N-Q may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. To obtain information on Form N-Q from the Fund, shareholders can call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at Funds Investor Services at 1-800-822-5544 or Institutional Shareholder Services at 1-888-425-6432.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the prior 12-month period ended June 30th of each year and a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies related to portfolio transactions are available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling Funds Investor Services at 1-800-822-5544 or Institutional Shareholder Services at 1-888-425-6432. (2) on the Fund’s website at www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors and (3) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of Legg Mason Partners Investors Value Fund. This report is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors in the Fund unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

Investors should consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the Fund. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors

© 2009 Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC

Member FINRA, SIPC


BUILT TO WINSM

LOGO

 

At Legg Mason, we’ve assembled a collection of experienced investment management firms and empowered each of them with the tools, the resources and, most importantly, the independence to pursue the strategies they know best.

 

 

Each was purposefully chosen for their commitment to investment excellence.

 

 

Each is focused on specific investment styles and asset classes.

 

 

Each exhibits thought leadership in their chosen area of focus.

Together, we’ve built a powerful portfolio of solutions for financial advisors and their clients. And it has made us a world leader in money management.*

* Ranked eleventh-largest money manager in the world, according to Pensions & Investments, May 18, 2009, based on 12/31/08 worldwide assets under management.

www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors

©2009 Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC Member FINRA, SIPC

FDXX011197 8/09 SR09-863

 

NOT PART OF THE SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT

 


ITEM 2. CODE OF ETHICS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 3. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 5. AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 6. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

Included herein under Item 1.

 

ITEM 7. DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 8. PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 9. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 10. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 11. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

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

 

  (b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the registrant’s last fiscal half-year (the registrant’s second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

ITEM 12. EXHIBITS.

(a) (1) Not applicable.

Exhibit 99.CODE ETH

(a) (2) Certifications pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.CERT

(b) Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.906CERT


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, there unto duly authorized.

 

Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust
By:  

/s/ R. Jay Gerken

  (R. Jay Gerken)
  Chief Executive Officer of
Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust
Date:   September 1, 2009

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

 

By:  

/s/ R. Jay Gerken

  (R. Jay Gerken)
  Chief Executive Officer of
Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust
Date:   September 1, 2009

 

By:  

/s/ Kaprel Ozsolak

  (Kaprel Ozsolak)
  Chief Financial Officer of
Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust
Date:   September 1, 2009