NPORT-EX 2 2B10SterCapInterUSGovFd.htm

Sterling Capital Intermediate U.S. Government Fund

Schedule of Portfolio Investments
December 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

 

 

Principal Amount      Fair Value 
ASSET BACKED SECURITIES — 1.3%     
     Asset Backed Securities — 1.3%     
$182,618   United States Small Business Administration, Series 2015-20G, Class 1, 2.880%, 7/1/35  $186,438 
     Total Asset Backed Securities     
     (Cost $182,618)   186,438  
           
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS — 13.1%     
 131,636   Fannie Mae, Series 2010-129, Class NA, 3.500%, 3/25/25   132,882 
 85,782   Fannie Mae, Series 2003-44, Class Q, 3.500%, 6/25/33   88,590 
 337,878   Fannie Mae, Series 2016-49, Class DA, 3.500%, 10/25/42   353,571 
 463,478   Fannie Mae, Series 2016-49, Class PA, 3.000%, 9/25/45   476,263 
 213,747   Freddie Mac, Series 4281, Class GA, 3.000%, 2/15/39   217,001 
 132,934   Freddie Mac, Series 4648, Class E, 3.500%, 8/15/43   135,700 
 357,484   Freddie Mac, Series 4656, Class PA, 3.500%, 10/15/45   374,210 
 106,472   Ginnie Mae, Series 2011-71, Class QE, 3.500%, 9/16/40   108,413 
     Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligations     
     (Cost $1,826,509)   1,886,630 
           
COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 13.0%     
 145,000   Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2015-GC29, Class A3, 2.935%, 4/10/48   148,658 
 102,677   COMM Mortgage Trust, Series 2012-CR3, Class A3, 2.822%, 10/15/45   103,896 
 60,000   COMM Mortgage Trust, Series 2014-CR20, Class A4, 3.590%, 11/10/47   63,248 
 300,000   Freddie Mac Multifamily Structured Pass Through Certificates, Series K033, Class A2, 3.060%, 7/25/23(a)   309,921 
 140,000   Freddie Mac Multifamily Structured Pass Through Certificates, Series K049, Class A2, 3.010%, 7/25/25   145,793 
 210,000   Freddie Mac Multifamily Structured Pass Through Certificates, Series K060, Class A2, 3.300%, 10/25/26   223,183 
 210,000   Freddie Mac Multifamily Structured Pass Through Certificates, Series K061, Class A2, 3.347%, 11/25/26(a)   223,705 
 160,000   Freddie Mac Multifamily Structured Pass Through Certificates, Series K069, Class A2, 3.187%, 9/25/27(a)   169,117 
 57,137   FRESB Mortgage Trust, Series 2016-SB23, Class A5H, 1.980%, 9/25/36(b)   57,031 
 136,460   Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2010-C1, Class A2, 4.393%, 11/15/43(c)   137,277 
 110,000   WFRBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2011-C5, Class A4, 3.667%, 11/15/44   111,992 
 35,000   WFRBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2012-C8, Class A3, 3.001%, 8/15/45   35,644 
 2,189   WFRBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2014-C25, Class A2, 2.932%, 11/15/47   2,211 

 

Principal Amount      Fair Value 
COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — (continued)     
$148,986   WF-RBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2011-C2, Class A4, 4.869%, 2/15/44(a)(c)  $151,859 
     Total Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities     
     (Cost $1,841,342)   1,883,535 
           
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 30.9%     
     Fannie Mae — 18.0%     
 418,512   3.587%, 9/1/20, Pool #FN0000   422,153 
 430,905   4.000%, 12/1/33, Pool #MA1689   458,998 
 123,947   4.000%, 12/1/36, Pool #MA2856   131,494 
 132,145   4.000%, 2/1/37, Pool #MA2914   140,010 
 151,894   4.000%, 5/1/47, Pool #BE9598   159,698 
 372,000   3.500%, 12/1/47, Pool #CA0833   386,310 
 277,474   5.000%, 8/1/48, Pool #CA2219   297,436 
 294,884   3.500%, 9/1/49, Pool #BJ9608   303,676 
 295,467   3.500%, 10/1/49, Pool #CA4431   304,823 
        2,604,598 
     Freddie Mac — 12.7%     
 257,875   4.000%, 12/1/35, Pool #C91860   275,101 
 274,733   3.500%, 6/1/36, Pool #C91875   286,663 
 310,231   4.000%, 3/1/39, Pool #C92039   325,020 
 298,733   3.000%, 11/1/39, Pool #RB5022   305,583 
 328,336   3.500%, 1/1/47, Pool #U69037   339,778 
 295,945   3.000%, 10/1/49, Pool #QA3405   300,593 
        1,832,738 
     Ginnie Mae — 0.2%     
 30,416   5.000%, 11/20/38, Pool #4283   30,967 
     Total Mortgage-Backed Securities    
     (Cost $4,423,389)   4,468,303 
     
MUNICIPAL BONDS — 3.6%    
     North Carolina — 1.8%     
 250,000   Durham County, NC, Build America Bonds, Public Improvements G.O., Taxable, Series B, Callable 10/1/20 @ 100, 4.845%, 10/1/29   255,150 
     Texas — 0.4%     
 60,000   Bexar County, TX, Build America Bonds, Public Improvements G.O., Taxable, Series C, Callable 1/20/20 @ 100, 6.628%, 6/15/39   60,137 
     Wisconsin — 1.4%     
 185,000   State of Wisconsin, TXB, Revenue Bonds, Pension Funding, Series A, (AGM), 5.700%, 5/1/26   207,731 
     Total Municipal Bonds    
     (Cost $533,964)   523,018  
           
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES — 21.3%     
     Fannie Mae — 17.8%     
 500,000   1.875%, 9/24/26   499,105 
 1,000,000   6.250%, 5/15/29   1,352,396 
 500,000   7.125%, 1/15/30   724,027 
         2,575,528 

 

See accompanying Notes to the Schedule of Portfolio Investments.

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Sterling Capital Intermediate U.S. Government Fund

Schedule of Portfolio Investments — (continued)
December 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

 

 

Principal Amount      Fair Value 
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES — (continued)     
     Federal Home Loan Bank — 3.5%     
$500,000   3.270%, 2/7/28  $500,341 
     Total U.S. Government Agencies     
     (Cost $2,862,890)   3,075,869 
           
U.S. TREASURY NOTES — 15.7%     
 400,000   1.750%, 5/15/23   401,547 
 500,000   2.500%, 1/31/24   516,465 
 285,704   0.500%, 4/15/24(d)   290,323 
 280,000   2.000%, 8/15/25   283,839 
 750,000   2.500%, 2/28/26   781,611 
     Total U.S. Treasury Notes     
     (Cost $2,261,420)   2,273,785 

 

Shares       Fair Value 
MONEY MARKET FUND — 0.8%    
  121,510    Federated Treasury Obligations Fund, Institutional Shares, 1.51%(e)  $121,510 
       Total Money Market Fund     
       (Cost $121,510)   121,510 
             
Total Investments — 99.7%     
(Cost $14,053,642)   14,419,088 
Net Other Assets (Liabilities) — 0.3%   46,754 
NET ASSETS — 100.0%  $14,465,842 

 

 

(a)The interest rate for this variable rate note, which will change periodically, is based either on the prime rate or an index of market rates. The reflected rate is in effect as of December 31, 2019. The maturity date reflected is the final maturity date.

(b)The interest rate for this floating rate note, which will change periodically, is based either on the prime rate or an index of market rates. The reflected rate is in effect as of December 31, 2019. The maturity date reflected is the final maturity date.

(c)Rule 144A, Section 4(2) or other security that is restricted as to resale to qualified institutional investors. The Advisor, using Board approved procedures, has deemed these securities or a portion of these securities to be liquid.
(d)Inflation protection security. Principal amount periodically adjusted for inflation.

(e)Represents the current yield as of report date.

 

AGM — Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp.

G.O. — General Obligation

 

Continued 

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Sterling Capital Funds

Notes to Schedule of Portfolio Investments - Sterling Capital Intermediate U.S. Government Fund
December 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

 

 

1.Organization:

 

Sterling Capital Funds (the “Trust”) commenced operations on October 5, 1992 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“the 1940 Act”), as an open-end investment company established as a Massachusetts business trust.

 

The Trust offers shares of Sterling Capital Intermediate U.S. Government Fund (referred to as a “Fund”).

 

The Fund is a “diversified” fund as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

2.Significant Accounting Policies:

 

The Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 Financial Services-Investment Companies. The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Fund. The policies are in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of this schedule requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the schedule and the reported amounts of income and expenses for the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Securities Valuation — Investments of the Fund in securities traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market are valued at the closing price on the principal exchange or market (including the NASDAQ Closing Price for securities traded on NASDAQ), typically 4:00 PM ET or, absent such a price, by reference to the latest available bid prices in the principal market in which such securities are normally traded. The Fund may also use an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) to value certain securities, including the use of electronic and matrix techniques. Investments in open-end investment companies are valued at their respective net asset values as reported by such companies. Investments in closed-end investment companies and exchange-traded funds are valued at their market values based upon the latest available sale price or, absent such a price, by reference to the latest available bid prices in the principal market in which such securities are normally traded. The differences between cost and fair value of investments are reflected as either unrealized appreciation or depreciation. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable (e.g., an approved pricing service does not provide a price, a furnished price is in error, certain stale prices, or an event occurs that materially affects the furnished price) will be fair valued in accordance with procedures established in good faith under the general supervision of the Board.

 

Fair Value Measurements — The objective of a fair value measurement is to determine the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (an exit price). Accordingly, the fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described as follows:

 

● Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical securities 

● Level 2 – based on other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.) 

● Level 3 – based on significant unobservable inputs (including a Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. During the period ended December 31, 2019, there were no significant changes to the valuation policies and procedures.

 

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Sterling Capital Funds

Notes to Schedule of Portfolio Investments - Sterling Capital Intermediate U.S. Government Fund — (continued)
December 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

 

 

The summary of inputs used to determine the fair value of the Fund’s investments as of December 31, 2019 is as follows:

 

  

Level 1–

Quoted Prices

  

Level 2–

Other Significant

Observable Inputs

  

Level 3–

Significant

Unobservable Inputs

   Total 
Assets:                
Investments in Securities                    
Sterling Capital Intermediate U.S. Government Fund  $121,510(a)  $14,297,578(b)  $   $14,419,088 

 

 

(a)Represents money market funds and/or certain preferred stocks.
(b)Industries, countries or security types are disclosed in the Schedule of Portfolio Investments.

Credit Enhancements — Certain obligations held in the Fund have credit enhancement or liquidity features that may, under certain circumstances, provide for repayment of principal and interest on the obligation upon demand date, interest rate reset date or final maturity. These enhancements may include: letters of credit; liquidity guarantees; security purchase agreements; tender option purchase agreements; and third party insurance (i.e., AMBAC).

Mortgage Dollar Rolls — The Fund may sell mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contract to repurchase substantially similar (same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specific future date at an agreed-upon price. The market value of the securities that a Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. Pools of mortgages collateralizing those securities may have different prepayment histories than those sold. During the period between the sale and repurchase, a Fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Proceeds of the sale will be invested in additional instruments for a Fund, and the income from these investments will generate income for a Fund. If such income does not exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain or loss that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the dollar roll, the use of this technique will diminish the investment performance of a Fund compared with what the performance would have been without the use of dollar rolls. The Fund accounts for mortgage dollar roll transactions as purchases and sales. The Fund did not hold any mortgage dollar rolls during the period.

Risks Associated with Foreign Securities and Currencies — Investments in securities of foreign issuers carry certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Such risks include future political and economic developments and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws and restrictions. In addition, with respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect investments in those countries. Certain foreign investments may also be subject to foreign withholding taxes. 

When-Issued — The Fund may purchase securities on a “when-issued” basis. The Fund records when-issued securities on the trade date and pledge assets with a value at least equal to the purchase commitment for payment of the securities purchased. The value of the securities underlying when-issued to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuation in their value, is taken into account when determining the net asset value of the Fund commencing with the date the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. The Fund does not accrue interest or dividends on “when-issued” securities until the underlying securities are received.

 

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