Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.

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             811-22533      

                       Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.                      

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

                                     Chicago, Illinois 60606                                    

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

        Alan M. Meder

        Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.

        200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

        Chicago, Illinois 60606

  

Lawrence R. Hamilton, Esq.

Mayer Brown LLP

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60606

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 312-368-5510

Date of fiscal year end:  October 31

Date of reporting period:  October 31, 2017


Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

The Annual Report to Stockholders follows.


 

 

LOGO

 

Annual Report

October 31, 2017


Fund Distributions and Managed Distribution Plan: Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc. (the “Fund”) has been paying a regular 35.0 cent per share quarterly distribution on its common stock since September 2011. In June 2015, the Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) adopted a Managed Distribution Plan (the “Plan”), which provides for the Fund to continue to make a quarterly distribution on its common stock of 35.0 cents per share. Under the Plan, the Fund will distribute all available investment income to shareholders, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. If and when sufficient investment income is not available on a quarterly basis, the Fund will distribute long-term capital gains and/or return capital to its shareholders in order to maintain the steady distribution rate that has been approved by the Board.

If the Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains in a particular period, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.”

To the extent that the Fund uses capital gains and/or return of capital to supplement its investment income, you should not draw any conclusions about the Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s distributions or from the terms of the Fund’s Managed Distribution Plan.

Whenever a quarterly distribution includes a capital gain or return of capital component, the Fund will provide you with a written statement indicating the sources of the distribution and the amount derived from each source. As the most recent quarterly statement from the Fund indicated, the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date through October 31, 2017 were estimated to be composed of net investment income, capital gains and return of capital.

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in written statements from the Fund are only estimates and are not provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The Board may amend, suspend, or terminate the Managed Distribution Plan without prior notice to shareholders if it deems such action to be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. For example, the Board might take such action if the Plan had the effect of shrinking the Fund’s assets to a level that was determined to be detrimental to Fund shareholders. The suspension or termination of the Plan could have the effect of creating a trading discount (if the Fund’s stock is trading at or above net asset value) or widening an existing trading discount.

The Managed Distribution Plan is described in a Question and Answer format on your Fund’s website, www.dpgfund.com under the “Dividend and Distributions” tab. The tax characterization of the Fund’s historical distributions can also be found on the website under the “Tax Information” tab.


 

LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS

 

December 14, 2017

Dear Fellow Shareholders:

Performance Review: Consistent with its primary objective of current income and long-term growth of income, and with its Managed Distribution Plan, the Fund declared two quarterly distributions in the second half of the 2017 fiscal year. The 35 cent quarterly dividend, without compounding, would be $1.40 annualized, which is equal to 8.9% of the October 31, 2017 closing price of $15.77 per share. Please refer to the inside front cover of this report and the portion of this letter captioned “About Your Fund” for important information about the Fund and its Managed Distribution Plan.

On a net asset value (“NAV”) basis, the Fund’s five- year annualized total return (income plus change in the NAV of the portfolio) was 4.9% through October 31, 2017, in line with the Composite Index, which had a 4.6% annualized total return for that same period. The Composite Index is composed of the MSCI U.S. Utilities Index, the MSCI World ex U.S. Utilities Index, the MSCI World Telecom Services Index, and the Alerian MLP Index, weighted to reflect the stock sector allocation of the Fund. On a market value basis, the Fund also had a five-year annualized total return of 4.9% through October 31, 2017. For the year ended October 31, 2017, the Fund’s NAV total return was 2.2% and its market value total return was 8.8%, compared to the Composite Index’s 4.7% total return.

The table below compares the performance of the Fund to various market indices. It is important to note that the composite and index returns referred to in this letter include no fees or expenses, whereas the Fund’s returns are net of expenses.

 

Total Return1

For the period indicated through October 31, 2017

 
      One Year     

Three Years

(annualized)

    

Five Years

(annualized)

 

Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.

              

Market Value2

     8.8      -2.7      4.9

Net Asset Value3

     2.2      -3.8      4.9

Composite Index4

     4.7      -2.1      4.6

Alerian MLP Index4

     -3.4      -12.8      -1.5

MSCI U.S. Utilities Index4

     13.4      8.5      10.8

MSCI World ex U.S. Utilities Index4

     17.1      1.6      5.3

MSCI World Telecom Services Index4

     4.0      2.1      7.0

 

  ¹ Past performance is not indicative of future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than performance in historical periods.
  2  Total return on market value assumes a purchase of common stock at the opening market price on the first business day and a sale at the closing market price on the last business day of each period shown in the table and assumes reinvestment of dividends at the actual reinvestment prices obtained under the terms of the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. In addition, when buying or selling stock, you would ordinarily pay brokerage expenses. Because brokerage expenses are not reflected in the above calculations, your total return net of brokerage expenses would be lower than the total return on market value shown in the table. Source: Administrator of the Fund.

 

1


  3  Total return on NAV uses the same methodology as is described in note 2, but with use of NAV for beginning, ending and reinvestment values. Because the Fund’s expenses (ratios detailed on page 13 of this report) reduce the Fund’s NAV, they are already reflected in the Fund’s total return on NAV shown in the table. NAV represents the underlying value of the Fund’s net assets, but the market price per share may be higher or lower than the NAV. Source: Administrator of the Fund.
  4  The Composite Index is a composite of the returns of the MSCI U.S. Utilities Index, the MSCI World ex U.S. Utilities Index, the MSCI World Telecom Services Index, and the Alerian MLP Index, weighted monthly to reflect the stock sector allocation of the Fund based on beginning of quarter market values. The indices are calculated on a total return basis, net of foreign withholding taxes, with dividends reinvested. Indices are unmanaged; their returns do not reflect any fees, expenses, or sales charges; and they are not available for direct investment. Source: Index returns were obtained from MSCI and Morningstar Direct.

Energy Markets and Master Limited Partnerships: Investments in energy master limited partnerships (MLPs) have been a good source of income for the Fund since inception. However, the market price performance of the Fund’s energy MLP holdings has been a major disappointment since the energy market downturn in mid-2014 and, despite earlier hopes for a turnaround this year, has continued to disappoint. While oil and gas commodity prices have recovered in 2017, market prices for energy MLP equities have not.

Energy MLPs were traditionally focused on growth in cash flows and distributions. The structure of payments from the MLP to the MLP’s general partner gives the general partner an incentive to pursue a growth strategy. Prior to 2014, energy MLPs relied on access to low-cost equity from the capital markets to fund growth. The steep drop in oil and gas prices in 2014 put the brakes on drilling activity, lowered pipeline volumes and reduced energy MLP earnings and cash flows. The downturn made accessing the capital markets much more expensive for energy MLPs which, in turn, impacted investors’ perception of future growth prospects.

Low oil and gas prices made production in some basins uneconomic and accordingly reduced the need for pipelines to carry oil and gas out of the basins. Low-cost production in major new basins like the Bakken and Marcellus also changed the flows of oil and gas in the United States, making some older pipelines obsolete and altering existing marketing and supply arrangements. Many of the older pipes will be recontracted over the next decade at lower prices, but we believe that prospect has already generally been taken into account by investors. Offsetting the declines from older pipes will be new capital projects that were begun before the downturn, which MLPs have been funding over the past several years, and which are finally coming on-line.

The energy MLP sector anticipated a recovery in oil and gas volumes in the second half of 2017 as production from low-cost basins like the Permian in Texas came on-line. Although the new production was delayed due to the timing of well completions, among other factors, the recovery is finally being reflected in output numbers. Commodity prices have also recovered in the second half of the year, with the price of West Texas Intermediate crude rising from a low this year of $42/barrel in June to a price just below $60/barrel at the end of November. However, energy MLP equities have continued to lag, with the Alerian MLP Index hitting new lows for the year at the end of November.

There is a lot of debate within the investor community as to exactly why this is and how it will play out. Retail investors have stayed away from the energy MLP sector since the downturn, as several false recoveries and recent distribution cuts dashed hopes. A number of MLPs felt that they were not getting credit for high equity yields and in response have cut or slowed growth in order to fully fund capital expenditures, defend their credit rating, and increase financial flexibility. Unfortunately, this has created even more investor anxiety about the potential for future cuts, which in turn places additional pressure on valuations.

 

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Given this experience, and investors’ pessimistic view of long-term energy prices, investors now seem to prefer financial strength over growth, and this is forcing change in the energy MLP sector’s financial structures and business models. We expect MLPs to reduce their reliance on capital markets and issue less equity, or become self-funding. This reflects our view that investors want to see lower leverage, higher cash coverage of distributions and a focus on returns, rather than growth for growth’s sake. We believe that this process will result in a healthier sector with a wider investor base. However, it will take time.

Industry fundamentals are in many ways strong. The United States is now one of the key producers of oil and liquid natural gas for world markets. Exploration and production companies “upstream” from MLPs are increasingly “living within their means” (i.e., funding capital expenditures from current cash flows), and are still increasing production as costs come down. Flows of oil and gas are increasing and will need to be transported to market. The energy MLP sector is more volatile than the regulated electric and gas distribution industry, but has attractive yield and growth prospects. MLPs need to adapt their business and funding model to work for the full cycle and we think patient investors will eventually be rewarded.

Natural Disasters and the Impact on Your Fund’s Holdings: Late summer and autumn in the United States were marred by natural disasters, from hurricanes in the South to wildfires in northern California. The immediate, terrible impact of the disasters was on the people in those areas and the focus was on the humanitarian efforts to help them. In the aftermath, the impact was also felt on the economic level. Despite causing extensive damage, Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida had only a limited effect on the electric utility companies in the Fund’s portfolio, CenterPoint Energy (Houston Electric) and NextEra Energy (Florida Power & Light). That was due to the companies’ excellent preparation ahead of the storms, years of investment in the utility network and the favorable regulatory environments permitting recovery of storm-related costs.

Hurricane Harvey had a major impact on both refining and chemical capacity in the Gulf Coast, knocking roughly 50% of Gulf Coast capacity off-line. However, Harvey caused little permanent damage to the midstream energy sector, and investors were quick to look beyond the short-term negative impacts. Hurricane Irma mostly bypassed the energy infrastructure in the Gulf Coast.

The northern California wildfires were a different story, in terms of the impact on the Fund. Utility company PG&E Energy (based in San Francisco) saw its stock price fall dramatically as the fires were raging. The difference in the market’s reaction to PG&E was due to California’s legal doctrine of “inverse condemnation.” That doctrine allows owners of private property who have suffered losses attributable to public utilities to bring damage claims against the utilities, regardless of whether the utility was negligent or at fault. Claimants simply need to prove mere causation—that the damage was caused by the utility. (For example, high winds knock a tree over, bringing down a power line, causing a fire.) Under inverse condemnation, the state effectively uses the utility as a means to socialize the cost of wildfires across the customer base, assuming that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) grants the utility rate increases to recover the amounts it has paid to satisfy its inverse condemnation liability.

It will take months to investigate the California fires and establish the precise causes. Determination of PG&E’s liability and potential rate increases to enable PG&E to recover any damages it is required to pay will take much longer, likely years. Critics of the utilities have already proposed legislation that would, in effect, prevent any utility from recovering costs incurred as a result of inverse condemnation by taking away the CPUC’s discretion to allow such cost recovery. We believe that the CPUC is aware that financially weakening the utilities would impede the companies’ ability to modernize the distribution grid and to meet carbon reduction targets, and would set a troubling precedent for future investment in the state. We are concerned, however, that there will be

 

3


substantial political pressures on the CPUC to prevent utilities from passing on the costs of inverse condemnation to their customers. The effect would be to shift the entire burden of these disaster-related costs onto investors in utility companies, which we believe would be unfair. Rather, we would urge both politicians and regulators to allow fair recovery of costs, so that utilities will be willing to continue to invest in their state. At this point, PG&E’s stock price is reflecting the market’s expectation that PG&E will bear the brunt of significant liabilities. We are hopeful that the ultimate outcome will be less onerous, but clarity and recovery will take time.

U.S. Monetary Policy: In December of 2015, the Federal Open Market Committee (“FOMC”), the committee within the Federal Reserve that sets domestic monetary policy, began to reverse the highly accommodative policy of the previous seven years, when it raised the target range for the federal funds rate for the first time in almost a decade. Since that time, the target range for the federal funds rate has been raised four times, with the most recent change coming on December 13, 2017 when it was raised to a range of 1.25% to 1.50%.

Nine years after the recession, the U.S. economy remains on track to experience growth over the next few quarters. In the near term, we expect a moderate U.S. economic recovery and low global interest rates to limit upward pressure on U.S. Treasury yields. Over the longer term, a self-sustaining economic recovery, rising inflation expectations and growing budget deficits could set the stage for a sustained and meaningful rise in interest rates in the U.S.

Board of Directors Meeting: At the regular September 2017 Board meeting, the Board declared a quarterly distribution of 35 cents per share to holders of record of common stock on December 15, 2017, with the distribution to be payable on December 29, 2017. At the regular December 2017 Board meeting, the Board declared a quarterly distribution of 35 cents per share to holders of record of common stock on March 15, 2018, with the distribution to be payable on March 29, 2018.

In June 2015, the Board adopted a Managed Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) for the Fund. The Plan provides for the continuation of the 35.0 cent per share quarterly distribution. While the adoption of the Plan does not in any way constitute a guarantee that the Fund will maintain at least a 35.0 cent per share quarterly distribution, it does indicate that the Fund currently intends to use long-term capital gains and/or return of capital, if necessary, to maintain that distribution rate. The Board may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan without prior notice to shareholders if it deems such action to be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

About the Fund: The Fund’s investment objective is to seek total return, resulting primarily from (i) a high level of current income, with an emphasis on providing tax-advantaged dividend income and (ii) growth in current income, and secondarily from capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in dividend-paying equity securities of companies in the utility industry. The utility industry is defined to include the following sectors: electric, gas, water, telecommunications and midstream energy.

The use of leverage enables the Fund to borrow at short-term rates and invest at higher yields on equity holdings. As of October 31, 2017, the Fund’s leverage consisted of $100 million of floating rate preferred stock and $160 million of floating rate debt. On that date, the total amount of leverage represented approximately 26% of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund’s preferred shares and borrowings pay interest and dividends based on one- and three-month LIBOR (London Interbank Offer Rate) rates, as outlined in Notes 8 and 9 to the Fund’s financial statements, and rising interest rates increase the cost of the Fund’s leverage.

The amount and type of leverage used by the Fund is reviewed by the Board of Directors based on the Fund’s expected earnings relative to the anticipated costs (including fees and expenses) associated with the leverage. In

 

4


addition, the long-term expected benefits of leverage are weighed against the potential effect of increasing the volatility of both the Fund’s NAV and the market value of its common stock. The income-oriented equity investments held in your Fund can be adversely affected by a rise in interest rates. However, while rising interest rates generally have a negative impact on income-oriented investments, if improved growth accompanies the rising rates, the impact can be mitigated. If the use of leverage were to cease being beneficial, the amount and type of leverage employed by the Fund could potentially be modified or eliminated.

Visit us on the Web—You can obtain more information about the Fund, including the most recent shareholder financial reports and distribution information, at our website, www.dpgfund.com. We appreciate your interest in Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc., and we will continue to do our best to be of service to you.

 

Eric Elvekrog, CFA, CPA

Vice President & Chief Investment Officer

 

Nathan I. Partain, CFA

President and Chief Executive Officer

Certain statements in this report are forward-looking statements. Discussions of specific investments are for illustration only and are not intended as recommendations of individual investments. The forward-looking statements and other views expressed herein are those of the portfolio managers as of the date of this report. Actual future results or occurrences may differ significantly from those anticipated in any forward looking statements, and the views expressed herein are subject to change at any time, due to numerous market and other factors. The Fund disclaims any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward looking statements or views expressed herein.

 

5


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

OCTOBER 31, 2017

 

Shares     Description   Value  
 

COMMON STOCKS & MLP INTERESTS—138.1%

 
 

     AIRPORT SERVICES—2.3%

      

  2,850,000    

Sydney Airport (Australia)

    $15,508,691  
   

 

 

 
 

     CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING—2.3%

      

  155,000    

Vinci SA (France)

    15,175,368  
   

 

 

 
 

     ELECTRIC, GAS AND WATER—61.4%

      

  840,000    

Alliant Energy Corp.

    36,338,400  
  473,000    

American Electric Power Co., Inc.

    35,195,930  
  13,907,400    

AusNet Services (Australia)

    18,839,956  
  1,236,000    

CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

    36,560,880  
  1,000,000    

Emera, Inc. (Canada)

    37,671,498  
  2,300,000    

Engie SA (France)

    38,874,522  
  1,000,000    

Fortis, Inc. (Canada)

    36,826,603  
  3,690,000    

Iberdrola SA (Spain)

    29,821,568  
  3,130,083    

National Grid plc (United Kingdom)

    37,664,261  
  218,000    

NextEra Energy, Inc.(3)

    33,805,260  
  470,000    

PG&E Corp.

    27,151,900  
  564,000    

WEC Energy Group, Inc.

    38,007,960  
   

 

 

 
      406,758,738  
   

 

 

 
 

     OIL & GAS STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION AND PRODUCTION—53.5%

      

  585,000    

BP Midstream Partners LP(2)

    10,530,000  
  480,184    

DCP Midstream LP

    15,884,486  
  1,514,519    

Energy Transfer Partners LP

    26,367,776  
  952,800    

Enterprise Products Partners LP

    23,343,600  
  500,000    

GasLog Partners LP (Marshall Islands)

    11,875,000  
  355,500    

Genesis Energy LP

    8,279,595  
  1,326,854    

Kinder Morgan, Inc.

    24,029,326  
  484,223    

KNOT Offshore Partners LP (Marshall Islands)

    11,330,818  
  632,575    

MPLX LP

    22,304,594  
  1,110,000    

NGL Energy Partners LP

    12,931,500  
Shares     Description   Value  
  1,020,000    

Pembina Pipeline Corp. (Canada)

  $ 33,720,642  
  236,000    

Phillips 66 Partners LP

    11,896,760  
  500,000    

Sunoco LP

    15,485,000  
  343,298    

Tallgrass Energy Partners LP

    14,981,525  
  446,528    

Targa Resources Corp.

    18,530,912  
  278,834    

TC PipeLines LP

    14,859,064  
  783,000    

TransCanada Corp. (Canada)

    37,174,444  
  230,000    

Western Gas Partners LP

    11,014,700  
  814,270    

Williams Partners LP

    30,160,561  
   

 

 

 
      354,700,303  
   

 

 

 
 

     TELECOMMUNICATIONS—18.6%

      

  702,000    

BCE, Inc. (Canada)

    32,404,320  
  225,000    

Crown Castle International Corp.

    24,093,000  
  11,510,000    

Koninklijke KPN N.V. (Netherlands)

    39,739,586  
  10,665,000    

Spark New Zealand Ltd. (New Zealand)

    26,856,811  
   

 

 

 
      123,093,717  
   

 

 

 
 

Total Common Stocks & MLP Interests
(Cost $874,008,217)

    915,236,817  
   

 

 

 
 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT—0.4%

 
 

     MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUND—0.4%

      

  2,929,566    

BlackRock Liquidity Funds FedFund Portfolio Institutional Shares (seven-day effective yield 0.940%)(4)

    2,929,566  
   

 

 

 
 

Total Short-term Investment
(Cost $2,929,566)

    2,929,566  
   

 

 

 
 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS BEFORE
WRITTEN OPTION—138.5%
(Cost $876,937,783)

    918,166,383 (1) 
   

 

 

 
 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

6


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

OCTOBER 31, 2017

 

 

Description                             

  Value  

WRITTEN CALL OPTIONS—0.0%

 

See table below for the detailed information

 

Total Written Call Options
(Premium received $101,497)

    $(140,000
   

 

 

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS AFTER WRITTEN OPTIONS—138.5%
(Cost $876,836,286)

    918,026,383  
   

 

 

 

Secured borrowings—(24.1)%

    (160,000,000

Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares at liquidation value—(15.1)%

    (100,000,000

Other assets less other liabilities—0.7%

    4,632,466  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK—100.0%

    $662,658,849  
   

 

 

 

(1) All or a portion of the total investments have been pledged as collateral for borrowings.

(2) Non-income producing.

(3) All or a portion segregated for written options

(4) Shares of this fund are publicly offered and its prospectus and annual report are publicly available.

The percentage shown for each investment category is the total value of that category as a percentage of the net assets applicable to common stock of the Fund.

 

Open Written Call Options—0.0%

 

Description

   Number of
Contracts
     Notional
Amount
    Exercise
Price
     Expiration
Date
     Value  

NextEra Energy, Inc.

     10      $ (160,000   $ 160        1/19/18      $ (140,000
             
             

The Fund’s investments are carried at fair value which is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs established to classify fair value measurements for disclosure purposes is summarized in the three broad levels listed below.

Level 1—quoted prices in active markets for identical securities

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

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

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

7


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

OCTOBER 31, 2017

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in these securities. The following is a summary of the inputs used to value each of the Fund’s investments at October 31, 2017:

 

     Level 1  

Common stocks & MLP interests

   $ 915,236,817  

Money market mutual fund

     2,929,566  

Written options

     (140,000
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 918,026,383  
  

 

 

 

There were no Level 2 or Level 3 priced securities held and there were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 related to securities held at October 31, 2017.

SECTOR ALLOCATION* (Unaudited)

 

LOGO

 

COUNTRY WEIGHTING* (Unaudited)   CURRENCY EXPOSURE* (Unaudited)
LOGO   LOGO

 

* Percentages are based on total investments before written options rather than net assets applicable to common stock.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

8


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

October 31, 2017

 

ASSETS:

    

Investments at value (cost $876,937,783)

       $918,166,383  

Foreign currency at value (cost $322,366)

       322,366  

Cash

       10,103,769  

Receivables:

    

Investment securities sold

       1,896,865  

Dividends

       2,422,434  

Reclaims

       313,136  

Prepaid expenses

       13,435  
    

 

 

 

Total assets

       933,238,388  
    

 

 

 

LIABILITIES:

    

Secured borrowings (Note 9)

       160,000,000  

Written options at value (premiums received $101,497) (Note 5)

       140,000  

Payable for securities purchased

       10,103,769  

Investment advisory fee (Note 3)

       791,899  

Administrative fee (Note 3)

       57,108  

Interest payable on secured borrowings (Note 9)

       9,222  

Accrued expenses

       132,135  

Interest payable on floating rate mandatory redeemable preferred shares (Note 8)

       276,298  

Floating rate mandatory redeemable preferred shares (liquidation preference $100,000,000, net of deferred offering costs of $930,892) (Note 8)

       99,069,108  
    

 

 

 

Total liabilities

       270,579,539  
    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK

       $662,658,849  
    

 

 

 

CAPITAL

    

Common stock ($0.001 par value; 596,000,000 shares authorized and 37,929,806 shares issued and outstanding)

       $37,930  

Additional paid-in capital

       624,066,511  

Distributions in excess of net investment income

       (276,298

Accumulated net realized loss on investments

       (2,315,314

Net unrealized appreciation on investments and foreign currency translation

       41,184,523  

Net unrealized depreciation on written options

       (38,503
    

 

 

 

Net assets applicable to common stock

       $662,658,849  
    

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK

       $17.47  
    

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

9


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31, 2017

 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

    

Dividends (less foreign withholding tax of $2,393,046)

       $58,321,170  

Less return of capital distributions (Note 2)

       (25,990,480
    

 

 

 

Total investment income

       32,330,690  
    

 

 

 

EXPENSES:

    

Investment advisory fees (Note 3)

       9,586,489  

Administrative fees (Note 3)

       698,649  

Interest expense and amortization of deferred offering costs on preferred shares (Note 8)

       3,244,421  

Interest expense and fees on secured borrowings (Note 9)

       2,891,222  

Accounting agent fees

       201,424  

Reports to shareholders

       161,053  

Directors’ fees (Note 3)

       156,408  

Professional fees

       115,065  

Custodian fees

       66,979  

Transfer agent fees

       13,351  

Other expenses

       116,213  
    

 

 

 

Total expenses

       17,251,274  

Less expenses reimbursed by investment advisor (Note 3)

       (357,405
    

 

 

 

Net expenses

       16,893,869  
    

 

 

 

Net investment income

       15,436,821  
    

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS):

    

Net realized gain (loss) on investments

       10,789,276  

Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions

       (13,065

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translations

       (10,363,589

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on written options

       (38,503
    

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

       374,119  
    

 

 

 

NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

       $15,810,940  
    

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

10


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

 

     For the
year ended
October 31, 2017
    For the
year ended
October 31, 2016
 

OPERATIONS:

    

Net investment income

     $15,436,821       $25,501,166  

Net realized gain (loss)

     10,776,211       5,858,630  

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

     (10,402,092     (8,812,646
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets applicable to common stock resulting from operations

     15,810,940       22,547,150  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:

    

Net investment income

     (16,608,835     (18,788,477

Net realized gain

     (10,852,324     (19,248,224

Return of capital

     (25,640,569     (15,065,027
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Decrease in net assets from distributions to stockholders (Note 6)

     (53,101,728     (53,101,728
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (37,290,788     (30,554,578

TOTAL NET ASSETS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK:

    

Beginning of year

     699,949,637       730,504,215  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

End of year (including distributions in excess of net investment income of $(276,298) and $(237,289), respectively)

     $662,658,849       $699,949,637  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

11


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31, 2017

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH

    

Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:

    

Income dividends received

     $32,560,884    

Interest paid on secured borrowings

     (2,888,022  

Expenses paid

     (10,590,039  

Purchase of long-term investment securities and options

     (445,612,775  

Proceeds from sale of long-term investment securities and options

     464,353,323    

Net change in short-term investments

     1,070,736    

Return of capital distributions on investments

     25,990,480    

Proceeds from written options

     437,450    

Interest paid on floating rate mandatory redeemable preferred shares

     (3,205,412  

Net realized gain from foreign currency transactions

     (13,065  
  

 

 

   

Net cash provided by operating activities

       $62,103,560  

Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities:

    

Distributions paid

     (53,101,728  
  

 

 

   

Net cash used in financing activities

       (53,101,728
    

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

       9,001,832  

Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period

       1,424,303  
    

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents—end of period

       $10,426,135  
    

 

 

 

Reconciliation of net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations to net cash provided by operating activities:

    

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations

       $15,810,940  

Purchase of long-term investment securities

     (445,612,775  

Proceeds from sale of long-term investment securities and options

     464,353,323    

Proceeds from written options

     437,450    

Net change in short-term investments

     1,070,736    

Net realized gain on investments

     (10,789,276  

Return of capital distributions on investments

     25,990,480    

Amortization of deferred offering costs

     181,353    

Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on investments and foreign currency translations

     10,363,589    

Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on written options

     38,503    

Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation of foreign currency translations on other assets and liabilities

     1,680    

Decrease in dividends receivable

     30,655    

Decrease in reclaims receivable

     197,859    

Increase in interest payable on borrowings

     3,200    

Decrease in expenses payable

     (13,166  

Increase in interest payable on floating rate mandatory redeemable preferred shares

     39,009    
  

 

 

   

Total adjustments

       46,292,620  
    

 

 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

       $62,103,560  
    

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

12


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS—SELECTED PER SHARE DATA AND RATIOS

The table below provides information about income and capital changes for a share of common stock outstanding throughout the periods indicated (excluding supplemental data provided below):

 

    For the year ended October 31,  
    2017     2016     2015     2014     2013  

PER SHARE DATA:

         

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $18.45       $19.26       $24.36       $21.81       $19.46  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    0.41       0.67       0.70       0.92       0.82  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    0.01       (0.08     (4.40     3.03       2.93  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations applicable to common stock

    0.42       0.59       (3.70     3.95       3.75  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions on common stock:

         

Net investment income

    (0.44     (0.49     (0.79     (1.03     (0.87

Net realized gain

    (0.29     (0.51     (0.61            

Return of capital

    (0.67     (0.40           (0.37     (0.53
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total distributions

    (1.40     (1.40     (1.40     (1.40     (1.40
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $17.47       $18.45       $19.26       $24.36       $21.81  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Per share market value, end of period

    $15.77       $15.78       $16.23       $21.92       $19.38  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK:

         

Net operating expenses(1)

    2.42     2.16     1.68     1.55     1.60

Net operating expenses, without leverage(1)

    1.53     1.49     1.35     1.26     1.23

Gross operating expenses(1)

    2.47     2.28     1.86     1.79     1.92

Net investment income

    2.21     3.67     3.18     4.02     4.04

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:

         

Total return on market value(2)

    8.77     6.26     (20.19 )%      21.14     13.69

Total return on net asset value(2)

    2.17     3.19     (15.50 )%      18.61     20.14

Portfolio turnover rate

    49     53     30     29     20

Asset coverage ratio on borrowings, end of period

    577     600 %(3)      619 %(3)      455     412

Asset coverage ratio on total leverage (borrowings and preferred), end of period

    355     369     381     455     412

Net assets applicable to common stock, end of period (000’s omitted)

    $662,659       $699,950       $730,504       $924,126       $827,071  

 

(1)  Net operating expenses reflect the operating expenses of the Fund after giving effect to the reimbursement that the Fund’s investment adviser has contractually agreed to provide, as further detailed in Note 3 to the financial statements. Gross operating expenses reflect the operating expenses of the Fund without giving effect to such reimbursement.
(2) Total return on market value assumes a purchase of common stock at the opening market price on the first business day and a sale at the closing market price on the last business day of each period shown in the table and assumes reinvestment of dividends at the actual reinvestment prices obtained under the terms of the Fund’s Automatic Reinvestment and Cash Purchase Plan. Total return on net asset value uses the same methodology, but with use of net asset value for beginning, ending and reinvestment values.
(3)  The Asset coverage ratio on borrowings, end of period, at October 31, 2016 and October 31, 2015, previously reported as 537% and 557%, respectively, were restated to reflect all of the eligible gross assets.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

13


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

October 31, 2017

 

Note 1. Organization

Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc. (the “Fund”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on March 15, 2011. The Fund commenced operations on July 29, 2011, the date on which its initial public offering shares were issued, as a non-diversified closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund’s investment objective is to seek total return, resulting primarily from (i) a high level of current income, with an emphasis on providing tax-advantaged dividend income, and (ii) growth in current income, and secondarily from capital appreciation.

Note 2. Significant Accounting Policies

The following are the significant accounting policies of the Fund:

A.      Investment Valuation: Equity securities traded on a national or foreign securities exchange or traded over-the-counter and quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market are valued at the last reported sale price or, if there was no sale on the valuation date, then the security is valued at the closing bid price, in each case using valuation data provided by an independent pricing service, and are generally classified as Level 1. Equity securities traded on more than one securities exchange shall be valued at the last sale price on the business day as of which such value is being determined at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities and are classified as Level 1. If there was no sale on the valuation date, then the security is valued at the closing bid price of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities. Exchange traded options are valued at the last posted settlement price on the market where such option is principally traded and are classified as Level 1. If an option is not traded on the day prior to the expiration date of the option and the option is out of the money, the option will be valued at $0 and is classified as Level 2. Any securities for which it is determined that market prices are unavailable or inappropriate are valued at a fair value using a procedure determined in good faith by the Board of Directors and are classified as Level 2 or 3 based on the valuation inputs.

B.      Investment Transactions and Investment Income: Security transactions are recorded on the trade date. Realized gains and losses from sales of securities are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recognized on the ex-dividend date or, in the case of certain foreign securities, as soon as the Fund is notified. Interest income and expense are recognized on the accrual basis.

The Fund invests in master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) which make distributions that are primarily attributable to return of capital. Dividend income is recorded using management’s estimate of the percentage of income included in the distributions received from the MLP investments based on their historical dividend results. Distributions received in excess of this estimated amount are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments (i.e., a return of capital). The actual amounts of income and return of capital are only determined by each MLP after its fiscal year-end and may differ from the estimated amounts. For the year ended October 31, 2017, the Fund estimated that 92.0% of the MLP distributions received would be treated as a return of capital.

C.      Federal Income Taxes: It is the Fund’s intention to comply with requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income and capital gains to its shareholders. Therefore, no provision for Federal income or excise taxes is

 

14


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

October 31, 2017

 

required. Management of the Fund has concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions that would require recognition in the financial statements. Since tax authorities can examine previously filed tax returns, the Fund’s tax returns for the tax years 2014 to 2017 are subject to review.

D.      Foreign Currency Translation: Investment securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollar amounts at the foreign currency exchange rate effective at the end of the reporting period. Purchases and sales of investment securities and income and expense items denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollar amounts at the rate of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. The Fund does 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.

E.      Derivative Financial Instruments: Disclosures on derivative instruments and hedging activities are intended to improve financial reporting for derivative instruments by enhanced disclosure that enables the investors to understand how and why a fund uses derivatives, how derivatives are accounted for, and how derivative instruments affect a fund’s results of operations and financial position. Summarized below is a specific type of derivative instrument used by the Fund.

Options

The Fund is subject to equity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives and is authorized to write (sell) covered call options, in an attempt to manage such risk and with the purpose of generating realized gains. A call option on a security is a contract that gives the holder of such call option the right to buy the security underlying the call option from the writer of such call option at a specified price (strike price) at any time during the term of the option. A covered call option is an option written on a security held by the Fund.

When a call option is written (sold), the Fund receives a premium (or call premium) from the buyer of such call option and records a liability to reflect its obligation to deliver the underlying security upon the exercise of the call option at the strike price.

Changes in the value of the written options are included in “Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on written options” on the Statement of Operations. “Net realized gain (loss) on written options” on the Statement of Operations will include the following: (a) premiums received from holders on options that have expired, and (b) the difference between the premium received and the amount paid to repurchase an open option, including any commission. Premiums from options exercised are added to the proceeds from the sale of the underlying security in order to determine the net realized gain or loss on the security.

F.      Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

15


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

October 31, 2017

 

G.      Regulation S-X Amendments—The Fund has implemented the SEC’s Final Rule on Investment Company Reporting Modernization (the “Rule”). The Rule contains amendments to Regulation S-X which impact financial statement presentation, particularly the presentation of derivative investments. The financial statements presented adopted these Regulation S-X amendments.

Note 3. Agreements and Management Arrangements

A.      Adviser: The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. (the “Adviser” or “DPIM”), an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (“Virtus”). The Adviser receives a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of Average Weekly Managed Assets, which is defined as the average weekly value of the total assets of the Fund minus the sum of all accrued liabilities of the Fund (other than the aggregate amount of any outstanding borrowings or other indebtedness constituting financial leverage).

The Adviser had contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund for certain expenses as a percentage of the Average Weekly Managed Assets for its first six years starting at 0.25% for the first two years and decreasing 0.05% each year thereafter. The reimbursement period began upon the completion of the Fund’s initial public offering on July 29, 2011, and the waiver percentage was adjusted on each anniversary of that date. The reimbursement period ended July 29, 2017.

B.      Administrator: The Fund has an Administration Agreement with Virtus Fund Services, LLC, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Virtus (the “Administrator”). The Administrator receives a monthly fee at an annual rate of 0.10% of the average weekly net assets of the Fund.

C.      Directors: The Fund pays each director not affiliated with the Adviser an annual fee. Total fees paid to directors for the year ended October 31, 2017 were $156,408.

D.      Affiliated Shareholder: At October 31, 2017, Virtus Partners, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Virtus) held 8,120 shares of the Fund, which represent 0.02% of shares of common stock outstanding. These shares may be sold at any time.

Note 4. Investment Transactions

Purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) for the year ended October 31, 2017 were $455,716,544 and $466,736,340, respectively.

Note 5. Derivatives Transactions

The Fund’s investments in derivatives may represent economic hedges; however, they are not considered to be hedge transactions for financial reporting purposes. For additional information on the derivative instruments in which the Fund was invested during the reporting period, refer to the Schedule of Investments and Note 2E above. During the year ended October 31, 2017, the Fund wrote call options on individual stocks held in its portfolio of investments to enhance returns while forgoing some upside potential. The risk in writing call options is that the

 

16


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

October 31, 2017

 

Fund gives up the opportunity for profit if the market price of the referenced security increases and the option is exercised. The Fund may also be exposed to counterparty credit risk with respect to options written to the extent that the Fund deposits collateral with its counterparty to a written option. All written options have a primary risk exposure of equity price associated with them.

The average premiums received for call options written during the year ended October 31, 2017, were $273,350 (including exercised options). The average premiums received amount is calculated based on the average daily premiums received for the days options were held during the year ended October 31, 2017.

The following is a summary of the derivative activity reflected in the financial statements at October 31, 2017 and for the year then ended:

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities     Statement of Operations  

Assets: None

    $—    

Net realized gain (loss) on written options

    $—  
       

Liabilities: Written options at value

    (140,000)    

Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) on written options

    (38,503)  
       

Net asset (liability) balance

    $(140,000)    

Total net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    $(38,503)  

Note 6. Distributions and Tax Information

At October 31, 2017, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation (depreciation) were as follows:

 

       Federal
Tax Cost
       Unrealized
Appreciation
       Unrealized
Depreciation
       Net Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

Investments

       $836,129,100          $141,903,655          $(59,866,372        $82,037,283  

Written options

       (101,497                 (38,503        (38,503

The difference between the book basis and tax basis of unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and cost of investments is primarily attributable to investments in MLPs.

The Fund declares and pays quarterly distributions on its common shares of a stated amount per share. Subject to approval and oversight by the Fund’s Board of Directors, the Fund seeks to maintain a stable distribution level (a Managed Distribution Plan) consistent with the Fund’s primary investment objective. If and when sufficient investment income is not available on a quarterly basis, the Fund will distribute long-term capital gains and/or return capital in order to maintain the $0.35 per common share distribution level. The amount and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with federal tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

17


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

October 31, 2017

 

The tax character of distributions paid to common shareholders during the years ended October 31, 2017 and 2016 was as follows:

 

       2017        2016  
Distributions paid from:          

Ordinary income

     $ 16,608,835        $ 18,788,477  

Long term capital gains

       10,852,324          19,248,224  

Return of capital

       25,640,569          15,065,027  
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total distributions

     $ 53,101,728        $ 53,101,728  
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

At October 31, 2017, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Undistributed net ordinary income

       $—  

Undistributed long-term capital gains

        

Other ordinary timing differences

       (276,298

Net unrealized appreciation

       38,830,706  
    

 

 

 
     $ 38,554,408  
    

 

 

 

Note 7. Reclassification of Capital Accounts

Due to inherent differences in the recognition and distribution of income and realized gains/losses under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and for federal income tax purposes, permanent differences between book and tax basis reporting have been identified and appropriately reclassified on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

At October 31, 2017, the following reclassifications were recorded:

 

Paid-in capital

     Accumulated net realized
gain (loss) on investments
     Distributions in excess of
net investment income

$(2,783,881)

     $1,650,876      $1,133,005

The reclassifications primarily relate to MLP recharacterization of gains and redesignation of distributions. These reclassifications have no impact on the net asset value of the Fund.

Note 8. Floating Rate Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares:

In 2015, the Fund issued 4,000,000 Floating Rate Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares (“MRP Shares”) in three series each with a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share. Proceeds from the issuances were used to reduce the size of the Fund’s credit facility.

 

18


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

October 31, 2017

 

Key terms of each series of MRP Shares at October 31, 2017 are as follows:

 

Series

  Shares
Outstanding
   

Liquidation
Preference

  Quarterly Rate
Reset
    Rate     Weighted Daily
Average Rate
    Mandatory
Redemption
Date
 

A

    800,000     $20,000,000     3M LIBOR + 1.85%       3.19     2.96%       8/24/2020  

B

    1,600,000     40,000,000     3M LIBOR + 1.90%       3.24     3.01%       8/24/2022  

C

    1,600,000     40,000,000     3M LIBOR + 1.95%       3.29     3.06%       8/24/2025  
 

 

 

   

 

       

Total

    4,000,000     $100,000,000        
 

 

 

   

 

       

LIBOR—London Interbank Offered Rate

The Fund incurred costs in connection with the issuance of the MRP Shares (MRPS). These costs were recorded as a deferred charge and are being amortized over the respective life of each series of MRP Shares. Amortization of these deferred offering costs of $181,354 is included under the caption “Interest expense and amortization of deferred offering costs on preferred shares” on the Statement of Operations and the unamortized balance is deducted from the carrying amount of the MRP Shares under the caption “Floating rate mandatory redeemable preferred shares” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Holders of the MRP Shares are entitled to receive quarterly cumulative cash dividend payments on the first business day following each quarterly dividend date which is the last day of each of March, June, September and December.

MRP Shares are subject to optional and mandatory redemption by the Fund in certain circumstances. The redemption price per share is equal to the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends plus, in some cases, an early redemption premium (which varies based on the date of redemption). The MRPS are not listed on any exchange or automated quotation system. The fair value of the MRP Shares is estimated to be their liquidation preference. The MRPS are categorized as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. The Fund is subject to certain restrictions relating to the MRP Shares such as maintaining certain asset coverage, effective leverage ratio and overcollateralization ratio requirements. Failure to comply with these restrictions could preclude the Fund from declaring any distributions to common shareholders and could trigger the mandatory redemption of the MRP Shares at liquidation value.

In general, the holders of the MRP Shares and of the Common Stock have equal voting rights of one vote per share. The holders of the MRP Shares are entitled to elect two members of the Board of Directors, and separate class votes are required on certain matters that affect the respective interests of the MRP Shares and the Common Stock.

Note 9. Secured Borrowings

The Fund has a Credit Agreement (the “Agreement”) with a commercial bank (the “Bank”) that allows the Fund to borrow cash from the Bank, up to a limit of $210,000,000. Borrowings under the Agreement are collateralized by investments of the Fund. Interest is charged at LIBOR plus an additional percentage rate on the amount borrowed

 

19


DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

October 31, 2017

 

and on the undrawn balance if the amount borrowed falls below 75% of the limit (the commitment fee). There were no commitment fees paid for the year ended October 31, 2017. The Agreement is renewable and can also be converted to a 1-year fixed term facility. The Bank has the ability to require repayment of outstanding borrowings under the Agreement upon certain circumstances such as an event of default. For the year ended October 31, 2017, average daily borrowings under the Agreement and the weighted daily average interest rate were $160,000,000 and 1.78%, respectively. At October 31, 2017, the Fund had outstanding borrowings of $160,000,000 at a rate of 2.07% for a one-month term.

Note 10. Indemnifications

Under the Fund’s organizational documents, its officers and directors are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Fund. In addition, in the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that provide general indemnifications to other parties. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not occurred. However, the Fund has not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these arrangements and expects the risk of loss to be remote.

Note 11. Subsequent Events

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued, and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.

 

20


 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of

Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc. (the Fund), including the schedule of investments, as of October 31, 2017, and the related statements of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of October 31, 2017, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc. at October 31, 2017, the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

LOGO

Chicago, Illinois

December 14, 2017

 

21


 

TAX INFORMATION (Unaudited)

 

For the year ended October 31, 2017, the Fund makes the following disclosures for federal income tax purposes. Below is listed the percentage, or the maximum amount allowable, of its ordinary income dividends to qualify for the lower tax rates (“QDI”) applicable to individual shareholders, and the percentage of ordinary income dividends earned by the Fund which qualifies for the dividends received deduction (“DRD”) for corporate shareholders. The Fund designates the amount below as long-term capital gains dividends (“LTCG”) taxable at a 20% rate, or lower depending on the shareholder’s income. The actual percentage of QDI, DRD and LTCG for the calendar year will be designated in year-end tax statements.

 

QDI

   DRD      LTCG

100%

   38.7%      $12,047,396

 

 

INFORMATION ABOUT PROXY VOTING BY THE FUND (Unaudited)

 

The Fund’s Board of Directors has adopted proxy voting policies and procedures. These proxy voting policies and procedures may be changed at any time by the Fund’s Board of Directors. A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling Fund Services toll-free at (866) 270-7598 or is available on the Fund’s website www.dpgfund.com or on the SEC’s website www.sec.gov.

Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling Fund Services toll-free at (866) 270-7598 or is available on the Fund’s website at www.dpgfund.com or on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

 

INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS (Unaudited)

 

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended January 31 and July 31) on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Form N-Q is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington D.C. Information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling (800) 732-0330. In addition, the Fund’s Form N-Q is available without charge, upon request, by calling Fund Services toll-free at (866) 270-7598 or is available on the Fund’s website at www.dpgfund.com.

 

22


 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Unaudited)

 

Since October 31, 2016: (i) there have been no material changes in the Fund’s investment objectives or policies that have not been approved by the shareholders; (ii) there have been no changes in the Fund’s charter or by-laws that would delay or prevent a change in control of the Fund which have not been approved by the shareholders; (iii) there have been no material changes in the principal risk factors associated with an investment in the Fund; and (iv) there have been no changes in the persons who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio.

Additional information, if any, relating to the Fund’s directors and officers, in addition to such information as is found elsewhere in the Annual Report, may be requested by contacting the Fund at the addresses provided in this report.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the 1940 Act that the Fund may from time to time purchase its shares of common stock in the open market.

 

23


 

INFORMATION ABOUT DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE FUND (Unaudited)

 

Set forth below are the names and certain biographical information about the directors of the Fund. Directors are divided into three classes and are elected to serve staggered three-year terms. All of the directors are elected by the holders of the Fund’s common stock, except for Mr. Genetski and Ms. McNamara, who are elected by the holders of the Fund’s preferred stock. All of the directors of the Fund, with the exception of Mr. Partain, are classified as independent directors because none of them are “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. Mr. Partain is an “interested person” of the Fund by reason of his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fund and President, Chief Investment Officer and employee of the Adviser. All of the Fund’s directors currently serve on the board of directors of three other registered closed-end investment companies that are advised by DPIM: DNP Select Income Fund Inc. (“DNP”), Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust Inc. (“DUC”) and DTF Tax-Free Income Inc. (“DTF”). The term “Fund Complex” refers to the Fund and all the other investment companies advised by affiliates of Virtus.

The address for all directors is c/o Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co., 200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60606.

 

 

Directors of the Fund (Unaudited)

 

 

Name
and Age

  Position(s)
Held with
Fund
  Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
   

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director
   

Other Directorships
Held by the Director
During Past 5 Years

Independent Directors

       

Donald C. Burke

Age: 57

  Director    

Term expires
2018; Director
since 2014
 
 
 
  Retired since 2009; President and Chief Executive Officer, BlackRock U.S. Funds 2007–2009; Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. 2006–2009; Managing Director, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers 1990–2006     91     Director, Avista Corp. (energy company); Trustee, Goldman Sachs Fund Complex 2010–2014; Director, BlackRock Luxembourg and Cayman Funds 2006–2010

Robert J. Genetski

Age: 75

  Director    

Term expires
2019; Director
since 2011
 
 
 
  Co-owner, Good Industries, Inc. (branding company) since 2014; President, Robert Genetski & Associates, Inc. (economic and financial consulting firm) since 1991; Senior Managing Director, Chicago Capital Inc. (financial services firm) 1995–2001; former Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Harris Trust & Savings Bank; author of several books     4    

 

24


Name
and Age

  Position(s)
Held with
Fund
  Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director
   

Other Directorships
Held by the Director
During Past 5 Years

Clifford W. Hoffman

Age: 67

  Director   Term expires
2018; Director
since June
2016
  Retired since 2012; Audit Partner, Deloitte & Touché LLP 1985-2012 (Audit Manager 1974-1985)     4     The Goodman Group LLC (non-profit senior living facility provider)

Philip R. McLoughlin

Age: 71

  Director   Term expires
2019; Director
since 2011
  Private investor since 2010; Partner, CrossPond Partners, LLC (investment management consultant) 2006–2010; Managing Director, SeaCap Partners LLC (strategic advisory firm) 2009–2010     95     Chairman of the Board, The World Trust Fund (closed-end fund) since 2010 (Director since 1991)

Geraldine M.

McNamara

Age: 66

  Director   Term expires
2020; Director
since 2011
  Private investor since 2006; Managing Director, U.S. Trust Company of New York 1982–2006     91    

Eileen A. Moran

Age: 63

  Director   Term expires
2018; Director
since 2011
  Private investor since 2011; President and Chief Executive Officer, PSEG Resources L.L.C. (investment company) 1990–2011     4    

David J. Vitale

Age: 71

  Director
and
Chairman
of the
Board
  Term expires
2020; Director
since 2011
  Chairman of the Board of DNP, DTF and DUC since 2009 and DPG since 2011; Chairman, Urban Partnership Bank since 2010; President, Chicago Board of Education 2011–2015; Senior Advisor to the CEO, Chicago Public Schools 2007–2008 (Chief Administrative Officer 2003–2007); President and Chief Executive Officer, Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc. 2001–2002; Vice Chairman and Director, Bank One Corporation 1998–1999; Vice Chairman and Director, First Chicago NBD Corporation, and President, The First National Bank of Chicago 1995–1998; Vice Chairman, First Chicago Corporation and The First National Bank of Chicago 1993–1998 (Director 1992–1998; Executive Vice President 1986–1993)     4     Director, United Continental Holdings, Inc. (airline holding company; f/k/a UAL Corporation), Urban Partnership Bank, Ariel Capital Management, LLC and Wheels, Inc. (automobile fleet management)

 

25


Name
and Age

  Position(s)
Held with
Fund
  Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
   

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director
   

Other Directorships
Held by the Director
During Past 5 Years

Interested Director

       

Nathan I. Partain,

CFA

Age: 61

  President,
Chief
Executive
Officer
and
Director
   

Term expires
2019; Director
since 2011
 
 
 
  President and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2005 (Executive Vice President 1997–2005); Director of Utility Research, Duff & Phelps Investment Research Co. 1989–1996 (Director of Equity Research 1993–1996 and Director of Fixed Income Research 1993); President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fund since 2011; President and Chief Executive Officer of DNP since 2001 (Chief Investment Officer since 1998; Executive Vice President 1998–2001; Senior Vice President 1997–1998); President and Chief Executive Officer of DTF and DUC since 2004.     4     Chairman of the Board and Director, Otter Tail Corporation (manages diversified operations in the electric, plastics, manufacturing and other business operations sectors)

 

26


 

Officers of the Fund (Unaudited)

 

The officers of the Fund are elected at the annual meeting of the board of directors of the Fund and serve until their respective successors are chosen and qualified. The Fund’s officers receive no compensation from the Fund, but are also officers of the Adviser or Virtus affiliates and receive compensation in such capacities. Information pertaining to Nathan I. Partain, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, is provided above under the caption “Interested Director.”

 

Name,
Address
and Age

 

Position(s) Held with Fund
and Length of
Time Served

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

W. Patrick Bradley, CPA

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103

Age: 45

  Vice President and Assistant Treasurer since 2011   Executive Vice President, Fund Services, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. since 2016 (Senior Vice President 2010–2016 and various officer positions with Virtus affiliates 2006–2009); Executive Vice President, Virtus mutual funds’ complex (90 portfolios) since 2016 (Senior Vice President 2013–2016) and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since 2004 (Vice President 2011–2013); Director, Virtus Global Funds, plc since 2013

Eric J. Elvekrog, CFA, CPA

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 51

  Vice President and Chief Investment Officer since July 2016   Senior Managing Director of the Adviser since 2015 (Vice President 2001–2014; Assistant Vice President 1996–2001; Analyst 1993–1996); Portfolio Manager of DPG since 2011

Alan M. Meder, CFA, CPA

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 58

  Treasurer, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer and Assistant Secretary since 2011   Chief Risk Officer of the Adviser since 2001 and Senior Managing Director since 2014 (Senior Vice President 1994–2014); Board of Governors of CFA Institute 2008–2014 (Chair of the Board of Governors of CFA Institute 2012–2013; Vice Chairman of the Board 2011–2012); Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council Member 2011–2014

Daniel J. Petrisko, CFA

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 57

  Senior Vice President since January 2017 and Assistant Secretary since 2015   Executive Managing Director of the Adviser since March 2017 (Senior Managing Director 2014–February 2017; Senior Vice President 1997–2014; Vice President 1995–1997)

Jacqueline M. Porter

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103

Age: 59

  Vice President and Assistant Treasurer since 2011   Vice President, Fund Administration and Tax, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (and predecessor firms) since 2008; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, Virtus mutual funds’ complex (92 portfolios) since 1995; Assistant Vice President, Phoenix Equity Planning Corporation 1995–2008

 

27


Name,
Address
and Age

 

Position(s) Held with Fund
and Length of
Time Served

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

William J. Renahan

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 48

  Vice President since 2012 and Secretary since 2015 (Assistant Secretary 2012–2015)   Secretary of the Adviser since 2014 and General Counsel since 2015; Senior Legal Counsel and Vice President, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. since 2012; Managing Director, Legg Mason, Inc. (and predecessor firms) 1999–2012

Joyce B. Riegel

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 63

 

Chief Compliance Officer

since 2011

  Chief Compliance Officer of the Adviser since 2002 and Senior Managing Director since 2014 (Senior Vice President 2004–2014; Vice President 2002–2004)

 

 

AUTOMATIC REINVESTMENT AND CASH PURCHASE PLAN (Unaudited)

 

All shareholders whose shares are registered in their own name with the Fund’s transfer agent are automatically participants in the Fund’s Automatic Reinvestment and Cash Purchase Plan. Shareholders may opt out of the plan and elect to receive all distributions in cash by contacting the plan administrator, Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (“Computershare”) at the address set forth below.

The plan also permits a nominee, other than a depository, to participate on behalf of those beneficial owners for whom it is holding shares and who elect to participate. However, some nominees may not permit a beneficial owner to participate without having the shares re-registered in the owner’s name.

Shareholders who participate in the plan will have all distributions on their common stock automatically reinvested by Computershare, as agent for the participants, in additional shares of common stock of the Fund. When a distribution is reinvested under the plan, the number of shares of common stock equivalent to the cash distribution is determined as follows:

 

  1. If shares of the Fund’s common stock are trading at net asset value or at a premium above net asset value at the valuation date, the Fund issues new shares of common stock at the greater of net asset value or 95% of the then current market price.

 

  2. If shares of the Fund’s common stock are trading at a discount from net asset value at the valuation date, Computershare receives the distribution in cash and uses it to purchase shares of common stock in the open market, on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere, for the participants’ accounts. Shares are allocated to participants’ accounts at the average price per share, plus commissions, paid by Computershare for all shares purchased by it. If, before Computershare has completed its purchases, the market price equals or exceeds the most recent net asset value of the shares, Computershare may cease purchasing shares on the open market and the Fund may issue the remaining shares at a price equal to the greater of (a) the net asset value on the last day on which Computershare purchased shares or (b) 95% of the market price on such day. In such a case, the number of shares received by the participant in respect of the distribution will be based on the weighted average of prices paid for shares purchased in the open market and the price at which the Fund issued the remaining shares.

 

28


The valuation date is the payable date of the distribution. On that date, Computershare compares that day’s net asset value per share and the closing price per share on the New York Stock Exchange and determines which of the two alternative procedures described above will be followed.

The reinvestment shares are credited to the participant’s plan account in the Fund’s stock records maintained by Computershare, including a fractional share to six decimal places. Computershare will send participants written confirmation of all transactions in the participant’s plan account, including information participants will need for tax records. Shares held in the participant’s plan account have full dividend and voting rights. Distributions paid on shares held in the participant’s plan account will also be reinvested.

The cost of administering the plan is borne by the Fund. There is no brokerage commission on shares issued directly by the Fund. However, participants do pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred (currently $0.02 per share but may vary and is subject to change) on any open market purchases of shares by Computershare.

The automatic reinvestment of distributions does not relieve participants of any income tax that may be payable on such distributions. A plan participant will be treated for federal income tax purposes as having received, on the payable date, a distribution in an amount equal to the cash the participant would have received instead of shares. If you participate in the plan, you will receive a Form 1099-DIV concerning the federal tax status of distributions paid during the year.

Plan participants may make additional voluntary cash payments of at least $100 per payment but not more than $3,000 per month (by check or automatic deduction from his or her U.S. bank account) for investment in the Fund by contacting Computershare. Computershare will use such cash payments to purchase shares of the Fund in the open market or in private transactions.

A shareholder may leave the plan at any time by written notice to Computershare. To be effective for any given distribution, notice must be received by Computershare at least seven business days before the record date for that distribution. When a shareholder leaves the plan:

 

  1. such shareholder may request that Computershare sell such shareholder’s shares held in such shareholder’s plan account and send such shareholder a check for the net proceeds (including payment of the value of a fractional share) after deducting the brokerage commission, or

 

  2. if no request is made, such shareholder will receive a statement for the number of full shares held in such shareholder’s plan account, along with a check for any fractional share interest. The fractional share interest will be sold on the open market.

The plan may be terminated by the Fund or Computershare with the Fund’s prior consent, upon notice in writing mailed to each participant.

These terms and conditions may be amended or supplemented by the Fund or Computershare with the Fund’s prior consent, at any time or times, except when necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable law or the rules or policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other regulatory authority, only by mailing appropriate written notice to each participant.

All correspondence concerning the plan should be directed to the plan administrator, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O. Box 43078, Providence, RI 02940-3078, or contact Fund Services at (866) 270-7598. For more information regarding the plan, please visit the Fund’s website at www.dpgfund.com to view a copy of the plan in its entirety or contact us at (866) 270-7598.

 

29


Board of Directors

DAVID J. VITALE

Chairman

DONALD C. BURKE

ROBERT J. GENETSKI

CLIFFORD W. HOFFMAN

PHILIP R. MCLOUGHLIN

GERALDINE M. MCNAMARA

EILEEN A. MORAN

NATHAN I. PARTAIN, CFA

 

Officers

NATHAN I. PARTAIN, CFA

President and Chief Executive Officer

DANIEL J. PETRISKO, CFA

Senior Vice President and Assistant Secretary

ERIC ELVEKROG, CFA, CPA

Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

ALAN M. MEDER, CFA, CPA

Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

JOYCE B. RIEGEL

Chief Compliance Officer

WILLIAM J. RENAHAN

Vice President and Secretary

W. PATRICK BRADLEY, CPA

Vice President and Assistant Treasurer

JACQUELINE M. PORTER

Vice President and Assistant Treasurer

Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.

Common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DPG

Shareholder inquiries please contact:

Fund Services at (866) 270-7598 or

Email at Duff@virtus.com

Investment Adviser

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

(312) 368-5510

Administrator

Virtus Fund Services, LLC

100 Pearl Street

Hartford, CT 06103-4506

Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

P.O. Box 43078

Providence, RI 02940-3078

Custodian

The Bank of New York Mellon

Legal Counsel

Mayer Brown LLP

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Ernst & Young LLP

 


Item 2. Code of Ethics.

As of the end of the period covered by this report, the registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer (the “Code of Ethics”). The registrant’s principal financial officer also performs the functions of principal accounting officer.

The text of the registrant’s Code of Ethics is posted on the registrant’s web site at www.dpgfund.com. In the event that the registrant makes any amendment to or grants any waiver from the provisions of the Code of Ethics, the registrant intends to disclose such amendment or waiver on its web site within five business days.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

The registrant’s board of directors has determined that four members of its audit committee: Donald C. Burke, Clifford W. Hoffman, Philip R. McLoughlin and David J. Vitale, are audit committee financial experts and that each of them is “independent” for purposes of this Item.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

The following table sets forth the aggregate audit and non-audit fees billed to the registrant for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the registrant’s principal accountant, Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm (the “Independent Auditor”).

 

        

Fiscal year

ended

October

31, 2017

    

Fiscal year        

ended        

October

31, 2016        

    
  (a) Audit Fees (1)   $ 55,784      $ 55,662   
  (b) Audit-Related Fees (2)(6)   $0      $ 0   
  (c) Tax Fees (3)(6)   $6,500      $ 6,500   
  (d) All Other Fees (4)(6)   $0      $0   


  

Aggregate Non-

Audit Fees (5)(6)

    $6,500       $6,500               

 

 

(1)

Audit Fees are fees billed for professional services rendered by the Independent Auditor for the audit of the registrant’s annual financial statements and for services that are normally provided by the Independent Auditor in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

(2)

Audit-Related Fees are fees billed for assurance and related services by the Independent Auditor that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under the caption “Audit Fees.”

(3)

Tax Fees are fees billed for professional services rendered by the Independent Auditor for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. In both periods shown in the table, such services consisted of review of the registrant’s annual federal and excise tax returns and preparation and analysis of state income tax returns.

(4)

All Other Fees are fees billed for products and services provided by the Independent Auditor, other than the services reported under the captions “Audit Fees,” “Audit-Related Fees” and “Tax Fees.”

(5)

Aggregate Non-Audit Fees are non-audit fees billed by the Independent Auditor for services rendered to the registrant, the registrant’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant (collectively, the “Covered Entities”). During both periods shown in the table, no portion of such fees related to services rendered by the Independent Auditor to the Adviser or any other Covered Entity.

 

(6)

No portion of these fees was approved by the Audit Committee after the beginning of the engagement pursuant to the waiver of the pre-approval requirement for certain de minimis non-audit services described in Section 10A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and applicable regulations.

The audit committee of the board of directors of the registrant (the “Audit Committee”), jointly with the audit committee of the board of directors of DNP Select Income Fund Inc. (“DNP”), Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust Inc. (“DUC”) and DTF Tax-Free Income Inc. (“DTF”), has adopted a Joint Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy to govern the provision by the Independent Auditor of the following services: (i) all engagements for audit and non-audit services to be provided by the Independent Auditor to the registrant and (ii) all engagements for non-audit services to be provided by the Independent Auditor to the Adviser or any other Covered Entity, if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the registrant. With respect to non-audit services rendered by the Independent Auditor to the Adviser or any other Covered Entity that were not required to be pre-approved by the Audit Committee because they do not relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the registrant, the Audit Committee has nonetheless considered whether the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining the independence of the Independent Auditor.


Set forth below is a copy of the Joint Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy (omitting data in the appendices relating to DNP, DUC and DTF).

DNP SELECT INCOME FUND INC. (“DNP”)

DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC. (“DPG”)

DUFF & PHELPS UTILITY AND CORPORATE BOND TRUST INC. (“DUC”)

DTF TAX-FREE INCOME INC. (“DTF”)

AUDIT COMMITTEE

AUDIT AND NON-AUDIT SERVICES PRE-APPROVAL POLICY

(as proposed to be adopted on December 14, 2016 and amended June 14, 2017)

 

I.

Statement of Principles

Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”), the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of each of DNP Select Income Fund Inc., Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc., Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust Inc. and DTF Tax-Free Income Inc. (each a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”)(1) is responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor. As part of this responsibility, the Audit Committee is required to pre-approve the audit and non-audit services performed by the independent auditor in order to assure that they do not impair the auditor’s independence from the Fund. To implement these provisions of the Act, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has issued rules specifying the types of services that an independent auditor may not provide to its audit client, as well as the Audit Committee’s administration of the engagement of the independent auditor. Accordingly, the Audit Committee has adopted this Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval Policy (this “Policy”), which sets forth the procedures and the conditions pursuant to which services proposed to be performed by the independent auditor may be pre-approved.

The SEC’s rules establish two different approaches to pre-approving services, which the SEC considers to be equally valid. Proposed services either: may be pre-approved without consideration of specific case-by-case services by the Audit Committee (“general pre-approval”); or require the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee (“specific pre-approval”). The Audit

 

 

 

(1)  This Joint Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy has been adopted by the Audit Committee of each Fund. Solely for the sake of clarity and simplicity, this Joint Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy has been drafted as if there is a single Fund, a single Audit Committee and a single Board. The terms “Audit Committee” and “Board” mean the Audit Committee and Board of each Fund, respectively, unless the context otherwise requires. The Audit Committee and the Board of each Fund, however, shall act separately and in the best interests of its respective Fund.


Committee believes that the combination of these two approaches in this Policy will result in an effective and efficient procedure to pre-approve services performed by the independent auditor. As set forth in this Policy, unless a type of service has received general pre-approval, it will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee if it is to be provided by the independent auditor. Any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels or budgeted amounts will also require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

For both types of pre-approval, the Audit Committee will consider whether such services are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence. The Audit Committee will also consider whether the independent auditor is best positioned to provide the most effective and efficient service, for reasons such as its familiarity with the Fund’s business, people, culture, accounting systems, risk profile and other factors, and whether the service might enhance the Fund’s ability to manage or control risk or improve audit quality. All such factors will be considered as a whole, and no one factor should necessarily be determinative.

Under the SEC’s rules, the Audit Committee must pre-approve non-audit services provided not only to the Fund but also to the Fund’s investment adviser and other affiliated entities that provide ongoing services to the Fund if the independent accountant’s services to those affiliated entities have a direct impact on the Fund’s operations or financial reporting.

The Audit Committee is also mindful of the relationship between fees for audit and non-audit services in deciding whether to pre-approve any such services and may determine, for each fiscal year, the appropriate ratio between the total amount of fees for audit, audit-related and tax services (including any audit-related or tax service fees for affiliates that are subject to pre-approval) and the total amount of fees for certain permissible non-audit services classified as “all other” services (including any such services for affiliates that are subject to pre-approval).

The appendices to this Policy describe the audit, audit-related, tax and “all other” services that have the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The term of any general pre-approval is 12 months from the date of pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee considers a different period and states otherwise. The Audit Committee will annually review and pre-approve the services that may be provided by the independent auditor without obtaining specific pre-approval from the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will add to or subtract from the list of general pre-approved services from time to time, based on subsequent determinations.

The purpose of this Policy is to set forth the procedures by which the Audit Committee intends to fulfill its responsibilities. It does not delegate the Audit Committee’s responsibilities to pre-approve services performed by the independent auditor to management.

The independent auditor has reviewed this Policy and believes that implementation of this Policy will not adversely affect the auditor’s independence.

 

II. Delegation

As provided in the Act and the SEC’s rules, the Audit Committee may delegate either type of pre-approval authority to one or more of its members who are independent directors. Any member to whom such authority is delegated must report, for informational purposes only, any


pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. In accordance with the foregoing provisions, the Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to its chairman, since under the Audit Committee’s charter each member of the Audit Committee, including the chairman, is required to be an independent director.

 

III. Audit Services

The annual audit services engagement terms and fees will be subject to the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee. Audit services include the annual financial statement audit and other procedures required to be performed by the independent auditor to be able to form an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements. These other procedures include information systems and procedural reviews and testing performed in order to understand and place reliance on the systems of internal control, and consultations relating to the audit. The Audit Committee will monitor the audit services engagement as necessary, but no less than on a semiannual basis, and will also approve, if necessary, any changes in terms, conditions and fees resulting from changes in audit scope, Fund structure or other items.

In addition to the annual audit services engagement approved by the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval to other audit services, which are those services that only the independent auditor reasonably can provide. Other audit services may include statutory audits and services associated with SEC registration statements (on Forms N-1A, N-2, N-3, N-4, etc.), periodic reports and other documents filed with the SEC or other documents issued in connection with securities offerings.

The Audit Committee has pre-approved the audit services in Appendix A. All other audit services not listed in Appendix A must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

 

IV. Audit-Related Services

Audit-related services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Fund’s financial statements or that are traditionally performed by the independent auditor. Because the Audit Committee believes that the provision of audit-related services does not impair the independence of the auditor and is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence, the Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval to audit-related services. Audit-related services include, among others, accounting consultations related to accounting, financial reporting or disclosure matters not classified as “audit services”; assistance with understanding and implementing new accounting and financial reporting guidance from rulemaking authorities; agreed-upon or expanded audit procedures related to accounting and/or billing records required to respond to or comply with financial, accounting or regulatory reporting matters; and assistance with internal control reporting requirements under Form N-SAR.

The Audit Committee has pre-approved the audit-related services in Appendix B. All other audit-related services not listed in Appendix B must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.


V.

Tax Services

The Audit Committee believes that the independent auditor can provide tax services to the Fund such as tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice without impairing the auditor’s independence, and the SEC has stated that the independent auditor may provide such services. Hence, the Audit Committee believes it may grant general pre-approval to those tax services that have historically been provided by the auditor, that the Audit Committee has reviewed and believes would not impair the independence of the auditor, and that are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence. The Audit Committee will not permit the retention of the independent auditor in connection with a transaction initially recommended by the independent auditor, the sole business purpose of which may be tax avoidance and the tax treatment of which may not be supported in the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations. The Audit Committee will consult with the Fund’s Administrator or outside counsel to determine that the tax planning and reporting positions are consistent with this Policy.

Pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the Audit Committee has pre-approved the tax services in Appendix C. All tax services involving large and complex transactions not listed in Appendix C must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee, including: tax services proposed to be provided by the independent auditor to any executive officer or director of the Fund, in his or her individual capacity, where such services are paid for by the Fund.

 

VI. All Other Services

The Audit Committee believes, based on the SEC’s rules prohibiting the independent auditor from providing specific non-audit services, that other types of non-audit services are permitted. Accordingly, the Audit Committee believes it may grant general pre-approval to those permissible non-audit services classified as all other services that it believes are routine and recurring services, would not impair the independence of the auditor and are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.

The Audit Committee has pre-approved the “all other” services in Appendix D. Permissible “all other” services not listed in Appendix D must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

A list of the SEC’s prohibited non-audit services is attached to this Policy as Appendix E. The SEC’s rules and relevant guidance should be consulted to determine the precise definitions of these services and the applicability of exceptions to certain of the prohibitions.

 

VII. Pre-Approval Fee Levels or Budgeted Amounts

Pre-approval fee levels or budgeted amounts for all services to be provided by the independent auditor will be established annually by the Audit Committee. (Note that separate amounts may be specified for services to the Fund and for services to other affiliated entities that are subject to pre-approval.) Any proposed services exceeding these levels or amounts will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is mindful of the overall relationship of fees for audit and non-audit services in determining whether to pre-approve any such services. For each fiscal year, the Audit Committee may determine the appropriate ratio between the total amount of fees for audit, audit-related and tax services for the Fund (including


any audit-related or tax services fees for affiliates that are subject to pre-approval), and the total amount of fees for services classified as “all other” services (including any such services for affiliates that are subject to pre-approval).

 

VIII. Procedures

All requests or applications for services to be provided by the independent auditor that do not require specific approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Fund’s Administrator and must include a detailed description of the services to be rendered. The Administrator will determine whether such services are included within the list of services that have received the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will be informed on a timely basis of any such services rendered by the independent auditor.

Requests or applications to provide services that require specific approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Audit Committee by both the independent auditor and the Fund’s Administrator, and must include a joint statement as to whether, in their view, the request or application is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.

The Audit Committee has designated the Fund’s Administrator to monitor the performance of all services provided by the independent auditor and to determine whether such services are in compliance with this Policy. The Administrator will report to the Audit Committee on a periodic basis on the results of its monitoring. Both the Administrator and any member of management will immediately report to the Chairman of the Audit Committee any breach of this Policy that comes to their attention.

 

IX. Additional Requirements

The Audit Committee has determined to take additional measures on an annual basis to meet its responsibility to oversee the work of the independent auditor and to assure the auditor’s independence from the Fund, such as reviewing a formal written statement from the independent auditor delineating all relationships between the independent auditor and the Fund, consistent with applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and discussing with the independent auditor its methods and procedures for ensuring independence.

Appendix A

Pre-Approved Audit Services for Fiscal Year Ending in 2017

Dated: December 14, 2016, amended June 14, 2017

 

 

Service

 

 

 

Fees (1)

 

       

 

DPG

   Affiliates(2)

 

1.

  Services required under generally accepted auditing standards  

 

    $55,150    

  

 

[N/A]


   

 

to perform the audit of the annual financial statements of the Fund, including performance of tax qualification tests relating to the Fund’s regulated investment company status and issuance of an internal control letter for the Fund’s Form N-SAR

        

 

2.

 

 

Reading of the Fund’s semi-annual financial statements

 

 

 

(3)

  

 

      [N/A]      

 

3.

 

 

Consultations by the Fund’s management as to the accounting or disclosure treatment of transactions or events and/or the actual or potential impact of final or proposed rules, standards or interpretations by the SEC, FASB, or other regulatory or standard setting bodies (Note: Under SEC rules, some consultations may be “audit-related” services rather than “audit” services)

 

 

(3)

  

 

      [N/A]      

 

 

 

  (1) In addition to the fees shown in the table, the Audit Committee has pre-approved the reimbursement of the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the independent accountant in providing the pre-approved services.

 

  (2) These affiliates include the Fund’s investment adviser (excluding sub-advisers) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund. The Fund’s Audit Committee must pre-approve non-audit services provided not only to the Fund but also to the adviser and such other affiliated entities, where such entities provide ongoing services to the Fund and the independent accountant’s services to such entities have a direct impact on the Fund’s operations or financial reporting.

 

  (3) Fees for pre-approved services designated with a (3) shall either be included in the fee approved for item 1 of this Appendix A or may be separately charged, provided that the aggregate separate charges for all services designated with a (3) in Appendices A and B may not exceed 10% of the fee approved for item 1 of this Appendix A.

Appendix B

Pre-Approved Audit-Related Services for Fiscal Year Ending in 2017

Dated: December 14, 2016 and amended June 14, 2017

 

 

Service

 

 

Fees(1)

 

       

 

    DPG    

  

 

Affiliates(2)

 

1.

 

 

Services associated with SEC registration statements, periodic reports and other documents filed with the SEC or other documents issued in connection with securities offerings (e.g., comfort letters, consents), and assistance in responding to SEC comment letters

 

 

 

(3)

  

 

[N/A]

 

2.

 

 

Agreed-upon or expanded audit procedures related to accounting records required to respond to or comply with financial, accounting or regulatory reporting matters

 

 

 

(3)

  

 

[N/A]


 

3.

 

 

Consultations by the Fund’s management as to the accounting or disclosure treatment of transactions or events and/or the actual or potential impact of final or proposed rules, standards or interpretations by the SEC, FASB, or other regulatory or standard-setting bodies (Note: Under SEC rules, some consultations may be “audit” services rather than “audit-related” services)

 

 

 

        (3)        

  

 

[N/A]

 

4.

 

 

General assistance with implementation of the requirements of SEC rules or listing standards promulgated pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

 

 

 

(3)

  

 

[N/A]

 

 

 

  (1) In addition to the fees shown in the table, the Audit Committee has pre-approved the reimbursement of the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the independent accountant in providing the pre-approved services.

 

  (2) These affiliates include the Fund’s investment adviser (excluding sub-advisers) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund. The Fund’s Audit Committee must pre-approve non-audit services provided not only to the Fund but also to the adviser and such other affiliated entities, where such entities provide ongoing services to the Fund and the independent accountant’s services to such entities have a direct impact on the Fund’s operations or financial reporting.

 

  (3) Fees for pre-approved services designated with a (3) shall either be included in the fee approved for item 1 of Appendix A or may be separately charged, provided that the aggregate separate charges for all services designated with a (3) in Appendices A and B may not exceed 10% of the fee approved for item 1 of Appendix A.

Appendix C

Pre-Approved Tax Services for Fiscal Year Ending in 2017

Dated: December 14, 2016 and amended June 14, 2017

 

 

Service

 

  

 

Rang of Fees(1)

 

         DPG      Affiliates(2)

 

  1.

 

 

Preparation of federal and state tax returns, including excise tax returns, and review of required distributions to avoid excise tax

 

  

 

$6,660

    

 

N/A

 

  2.

 

 

Preparation of state tax returns

  

 

$500-

$1,000

per

return

 

    

 

N/A

 

  3.

 

 

Consultations with the Fund’s management as to the tax treatment of transactions or events

  

 

$8,000-

$15,000

 

(3)(4)

 

    

 

N/A

 

  4.

 

 

Tax advice and assistance regarding statutory, regulatory or administrative developments

 

  

 

(5)

    

 

N/A


 

 

  (1) In addition to the fees shown in the table, the Audit Committee has pre-approved the reimbursement of the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the independent accountant in providing the pre-approved services.

 

  (2) These affiliates include the Fund’s investment adviser (excluding sub-advisers) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund. The Fund’s Audit Committee must pre-approve non-audit services provided not only to the Fund but also to the adviser and such other affiliated entities, where such entities provide ongoing services to the Fund and the independent accountant’s services to such entities have a direct impact on the Fund’s operations or financial reporting.

 

  (3) This fee was pre-approved by the Audit Committee on June 14, 2017 and thereby became part of this Pre-approval Policy.

 

  (4) This is a fund complex fee that covers consultations relating not only to the Fund but also to three other closed-end investment companies advised by the Adviser: DNP Select Income Fund Inc., Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust Inc. and DTF Tax-Free Income Fund Inc.

 

  (5) Fees for pre-approved services designated with a (5) shall either be included in the fee approved for item 1 of this Appendix C or may be separately charged, provided that the aggregate separate charges for all services designated with a (5) in this Appendix C may not exceed 10% of the fee approved for item 1 of this Appendix C.

Appendix D

Pre-Approved “All Other” Services for Fiscal Year Ending in 2017

Dated: December 14, 2016 and amended June 14, 2017

 

 

Service

 

 

 

 Rang of Fees(1)

 

    
   

 

  DPG  

 

 

      Affiliates(2)      

 

 

  

 

  None

 

          

 

 

 

  (1) In addition to the fees shown in the table, the Audit Committee has pre-approved the reimbursement of the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the independent accountant in providing the pre-approved services.

 

  (2)

These affiliates include the Fund’s investment adviser (excluding sub-advisers) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund. The Fund’s Audit Committee must pre-approve non-audit services provided not only to the Fund but also to the adviser and


 

such other affiliated entities, where such entities provide ongoing services to the Fund and the independent accountant’s services to such entities have a direct impact on the Fund’s operations or financial reporting.

Appendix E

Prohibited Non-Audit Services

 

  

  

Bookkeeping or other services related to the accounting records or financial statements of the audit client

  
  

  

Financial information systems design and implementation

  
  

  

Appraisal or valuation services, fairness opinions or contribution-in-kind reports

  
  

  

Actuarial services

  
  

  

Internal audit outsourcing services

  
  

  

Management functions

  
  

  

Human resources

  
  

  

Broker-dealer, investment adviser or investment banking services

  
  

  

Legal services

  
  

  

Expert services unrelated to the audit

  

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

The registrant has a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). The members of the committee are Donald C. Burke, Robert J. Genetski, Clifford W. Hoffman, Philip R. McLoughlin, Geraldine M. McNamara, Eileen A. Moran and David J. Vitale.

Item 6. Investments.

 

(a)

A schedule of investments is included as part of the report to stockholders filed under Item 1 of this report.

 

(b)

Not applicable.

 

Item 7.  Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.


The registrant’s board of directors has adopted the following proxy voting policies and procedures.

LOGO DNP SELECT INCOME FUND INC.

DTF TAX FREE INCOME INC.

DUFF & PHELPS UTILITY AND CORPORATE BOND TRUST INC.

DUFF & PHELPS GLOBAL UTILITY INCOME FUND INC.

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Last Revised June 19, 2014

 

I.

Definitions. As used in these Policies and Procedures, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed below:

 

  A.

“Adviser” refers to Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

 

  B.

“Adviser’s Act” refers to the Investment Adviser’s Act of 1940, as amended.

 

  C.

“corporate governance matters” refers to changes involving the corporate ownership or structure of an issuer whose voting securities are within a portfolio holding, including changes in the state of incorporation, changes in capital structure, including increases and decreases of capital and preferred stock issuance, mergers and other corporate restructurings, and anti-takeover provisions such as staggered boards, poison pills, and supermajority voting provisions.

 

  D.

“Delegate” refers to the Adviser, any proxy committee to which the Adviser delegates its responsibilities hereunder and any qualified, independent organization engaged by the Adviser to vote proxies on behalf of the Fund.

 

  E.

“executive compensation matters” refers to stock option plans and other executive compensation issues including votes on “say on pay” and “golden parachutes.”

 

  F.

“Fund” refers to DNP Select Income Fund Inc., DTF Tax-Free Income Inc., Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust Inc., Duff & Phelps Global Utility


 

Income Fund Inc. or Duff & Phelps Diversified Income Fund Inc. as the case may be.

 

  G.

“Investment Company Act” refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

  H.

“portfolio holding” refers to any company or entity whose voting securities are held within the investment portfolio of the Fund as of the date a proxy is solicited.

 

  I.

“proxy contests” refer to any meeting of shareholders of an issuer for which there are at least two sets of proxy statements and proxy cards, one solicited by management and the others by a dissident or group of dissidents.

 

  J.

“social issues” refers to social, political and environmental issues.

 

  K.

“takeover” refers to “hostile” or “friendly” efforts to effect radical change in the voting control of the board of directors of a company.

 

II.

General policy. It is the intention of the Fund to exercise voting stock ownership rights in portfolio holdings in a manner that is reasonably anticipated to further the best economic interests of shareholders of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund or its Delegate(s) shall endeavor to analyze and vote all proxies that are considered likely to have financial implications, and, where appropriate, to participate in corporate governance, shareholder proposals, management communications and legal proceedings. The Fund and its Delegate(s) must also identify potential or actual conflicts of interests in voting proxies and address any such conflict of interest in accordance with these Policies and Procedures.

 

III.

Factors to consider when voting.

 

  A.

The Delegate may abstain from voting when it concludes that the effect on shareholders’ economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant.

 

  B.

In analyzing anti-takeover measures, the Delegate shall vote on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration such factors as overall long-term financial


 

performance of the target company relative to its industry competition. Key measures which shall be considered include, without limitation, five-year annual compound growth rates for sales, operating income, net income, and total shareholder returns (share price appreciation plus dividends). Other financial indicators that will be considered include margin analysis, cash flow, and debt levels.

 

  C.

In analyzing proxy contests for control, the Delegate shall vote on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration such factors as long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry; management’s track record; background to the proxy contest; qualifications of director nominees (both slates); strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of critique against management; evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders; strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of critique against management as well as the likelihood that the proposed objectives and goals can be met; and stock ownership positions.

 

  D.

In analyzing contested elections for director, the Delegate shall vote on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration such factors as the qualifications of all director nominees. The Delegate shall also consider the independence and attendance record of board and key committee members. A review of the corporate governance profile shall be completed highlighting entrenchment devices that may reduce accountability.

 

  E.

In analyzing corporate governance matters, the Delegate shall vote on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration such factors as tax and economic benefits associated with amending an issuer’s state of incorporation, dilution or improved accountability associated with changes in capital structure, management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to amend charters and bylaws and bundled or “conditioned” proxy proposals.

 

  F.

In analyzing executive compensation matters and management matters, the Delegate shall vote on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration a company’s overall pay program and demonstrated pay-for-performance philosophy, and generally disfavoring such problematic pay practices as (i) repricing or replacing of underwater stock options, (ii) excessive perquisites or tax gross-ups and (iii) change-in-control payments that are excessive or are payable based on a “single trigger” (i.e., without involuntary job loss or substantial diminution of duties). With respect to the advisory vote on the frequency of “say on pay” votes, the Delegate shall vote in favor of the option that received majority support from shareholders in the most recent advisory vote. If no option received majority support and the board implemented an option that is less frequent than that which


 

received a plurality, but not majority of votes cast, additional factors will be taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis, including the board’s rationale for implementing a less recurring “say on pay” vote, ownership structure, compensation concerns and ‘say on pay” support level from the prior year.

 

  G.

The Delegate shall generally vote against shareholder proposals on social issues, except where the Delegate determines that a different position would be in the clear economic interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

 

IV.

  Responsibilities of Delegates.

 

  A.

In the absence of a specific direction to the contrary from the Board of Directors of the Fund, the Adviser will be responsible for voting proxies for all portfolio holdings in accordance with these Policies and Procedures, or for delegating such responsibility as described below.

 

  B.

The Adviser may delegate the administration of proxy activities hereunder to a proxy committee established from time to time by the Adviser and may engage one or more qualified, independent organizations to vote proxies on behalf of the Fund. The Adviser shall be responsible for the ensuring that any such Delegate is informed of and complies with these Policies and Procedures.

 

  C.

In voting proxies on behalf of the Fund, each Delegate shall have a duty of care to safeguard the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders and to act in accordance with these Policies and Procedures.

 

  D.

No Delegate shall accept direction or inappropriate influence from any other client or third party, or from any director, officer or employee of any affiliated company, and shall not cast any vote inconsistent with these Policies and Procedures without obtaining the prior approval of the Board of Directors of the Fund or its duly authorized representative.


V.

Conflicts of interest

 

  A.

The Fund and its Delegate(s) seek to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest in the voting of proxies for portfolio holdings between the interests of Fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Fund or the Adviser, on the other hand. The Board of Directors may take into account a wide array of factors in determining whether such a conflict exists, whether such conflict is material in nature, and how to properly address or resolve the same.

 

  B.

While each conflict situation varies based on the particular facts presented and the requirements of governing law, the Board of Directors or its duly authorized representative may take the following actions, among others, or otherwise give weight to the following factors, in addressing material conflicts of interest in voting (or directing Delegates to vote) proxies pertaining to portfolio holdings: (i) vote pursuant to the recommendation of the proposing Delegate; (ii) abstain from voting; or (iii) rely on the recommendations of an established, independent third party with qualifications to vote proxies, such as Institutional Shareholder Services.

 

  C.

The Adviser shall notify the Board of Directors of the Fund promptly after becoming aware that any actual or potential conflict of interest exists and shall seek the Board of Directors’ recommendations for protecting the best interests of Fund’s shareholders. The Adviser shall not waive any conflict of interest or vote any conflicted proxies without the prior written approval of the Board of Directors or its duly authorized representative.

 

VI.

Miscellaneous.

 

  A.

A copy of the current Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and the voting records for the Fund, reconciling proxies with portfolio holdings and recording proxy voting guideline compliance and justification, shall be kept in an easily accessible place and available for inspection either physically or through electronic posting on an approved website.

 

  B.

In the event that a determination, authorization or waiver under these Policies and Procedures is requested at a time other than a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Audit Committee shall be the duly authorized representative of the Board of Directors with the authority and


 

responsibility to interpret and apply these Policies and Procedures and shall provide a report of his or her determinations at the next following meeting of the Board of Directors.

 

  C.

The Adviser shall present a report of any material deviations from these Policies and Procedures at every regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors and shall provide such other reports as the Board of Directors may request from time to time. The Adviser shall provide to the Fund or any shareholder a record of its effectuation of proxy voting pursuant to these Policies and Procedures at such times and in such format or medium as the Fund shall reasonably request. The Adviser shall be solely responsible for complying with its disclosure and reporting requirements under applicable laws and regulations, including, without limitation, Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act as amended. The Adviser shall gather, collate and present information relating to its proxy voting activities and those of each Delegate in such format and medium as the Fund shall determine from time to time in order for the Fund to discharge its disclosure and reporting obligations pursuant to Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act.

 

  D.

The Adviser shall pay all costs associated with proxy voting for portfolio holdings pursuant to these Policies and Procedures and assisting the Fund in providing public notice of the manner in which such proxies were voted, except that the Fund shall pay the costs associated with any filings required under the Investment Company Act.

 

  E.

In performing its duties hereunder, any Delegate or authorized committee may engage the services of a research and/or voting adviser, the cost of which shall be borne by such Delegate. The Adviser may delegate its voting responsibilities hereunder to a Proxy Committee established by the Adviser.

 

  F.

These Policies and Procedures shall be presented to the Board of Directors annually for their amendment and/or approval.

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

In this Item, the term “Fund” refers to the registrant, Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.

The Fund’s Portfolio Manager

Eric J. Elvekrog, CFA, CPA, has been Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of the Fund since July 1, 2016 (when he succeeded Deborah A. Jansen) and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception (July 2011).    Mr. Elvekrog has been a Managing Director of Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. (the “Advisor”) since July 2014 (and Vice President from


2001 to 2014). Mr. Elvekrog is both a CFA and a CPA and has been a member of the Adviser’s utility/infrastructure team since joining the Adviser in 1993.

Other Accounts Managed by the Fund’s Portfolio Manager

The Portfolio Manager does not manage any other accounts.

Compensation of the Fund’s Portfolio Manager

The following is a description of the compensation structure of the Fund’s portfolio manager.

The Adviser is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (“Virtus”). Virtus and its affiliated investment management firms, including the Adviser, believe that their compensation programs are adequate and competitive to attract and retain high caliber investment professionals.The portfolio managers receive a base salary, an incentive bonus opportunity, and a benefits package, as detailed below. Highly-compensated individuals participate in a long-term incentive compensation program, including potential awards of Virtus restricted stock units (“RSUs”) with multi-year vesting, subject to Virtus board approval, and may also take advantage of opportunities to defer their compensation and potentially defer their current tax liability.

Base Salary: The portfolio manager is paid a fixed base salary, which is determined by Virtus and the Adviser and is designed to be competitive in light of the individual’s experience and responsibilities. Virtus management utilizes results of investment industry compensation surveys conducted by an independent third party in evaluating competitive market compensation for its investment management professionals.

Incentive Bonus: Incentive bonus pools are based on firm profits. The short-term incentive payment is generally paid in cash, but a portion may be made in Virtus RSUs. Individual payments are assessed using comparisons of actual investment performance with specific peer group or index measures established at the beginning of each calendar year. Performance of the Fund managed is measured over one-, three- and five-year periods (if the fund has been in existence for such periods). Generally, an individual manager’s participation is based on the performance of each fund managed as weighted roughly by total assets in each of these funds.

Incentive bonus compensation of the Fund’s portfolio manager is currently comprised of two main components:

First, 70% of the incentive is based on: (i) the pre-tax performance of the Fund, as measured by earnings per share and total return over one-, three-, and five-year periods (if the Fund has been in existence for such periods) against specified benchmarks and/or peer groups; (ii) the success of the individual manager in achieving assigned goals; and (iii) a subjective assessment of the manager’s contribution to the efforts of the team. The total return component of the performance portion of portfolio managers’ incentive bonus compensation is compared to a composite of the


MSCI U.S. Utilities, MSCI World ex U.S. Utilities, MSCI World Telecom Services, and Alerian MLP indices weighted to reflect the stock sector allocation of the Fund. Portfolio managers who manage more than one product may have other components in their formulaic calculation that are appropriate to the other products, weighted according to the proportion of the manager’s time that is allocated to each specific product.

Second, 30% of the target incentive is based on financial measures of Virtus. These financial measures include: adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization; gross inflows; and product investment performance. A portion of the total incentive bonus can be paid in Virtus RSUs that vest over three years.

The performance portion of the portfolio manager’s incentive bonus compensation is not based on the value of assets held in the Fund’s portfolio (except to the extent that the level of assets in the Fund’s portfolio affects the advisory fee received by the Adviser and, thus indirectly, the profitability of Virtus).

Other Benefits: Portfolio managers are eligible to participate in a 401(k) plan, health insurance, and other benefits offered generally to the firm’s employees that could include granting of RSUs in Virtus stock.

Equity Ownership of Portfolio Managers

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities in the Fund beneficially owned, as of October 31, 2017, by each of the portfolio managers identified above.

 

   

Name of Portfolio Manager  

                                                             

  

Dollar Range of                    

Equity Securities in the Fund                     

                                                                                            

    
 

  Eric J. Elvekrog

   $100,001 to $500,000                       

 

Item 9.  Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

During the period covered by this report, no purchases were made by or on behalf of the registrant or any “affiliated purchaser” (as defined in Rule 10b-18(a)(3) under the Exchange Act of 1934) (“the “Exchange Act”)) of shares or other units of any class of the registrant’s equity securities that is registered by the registrant pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

 

Item 10.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

No changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s board of directors have been implemented after the registrant last provided disclosure in response to the requirements of Item 22(b)(15) of Schedule 14A (i.e., in the registrant’s proxy statement dated March 14, 2017, or this Item.


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 (the “1940 Act”)) are effective, based on an evaluation of those controls and procedures made as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act.

 

  (b)

There has been no change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

 

Item 13. Exhibits.

 

 

(a)

 

Exhibit 99.CERT

  

Certifications pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

  
 

(b)

 

Exhibit 99.906CERT

  

Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

  
 

(c)

 

Copies of the Registrant’s notices to shareholders pursuant to Rule 19a-1 under the 1940 Act which accompanied distributions paid during the six months ended October 31, 2017 pursuant to the Registrant’s Managed Distribution Plan are filed herewith as required by the terms of the Registrant’s exemptive order issued on August 26, 2008.

  


SIGNATURES

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

 

(Registrant)

 

                             Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.

  

By (Signature and Title)

 

        /s/ Nathan I. Partain

  
 

        Nathan I. Partain,

  
 

        President and Chief Executive Officer

  
 

        (Principal Executive Officer)

  

Date

 

                     12/28/2017

  

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 (Signature and Title)

 

        /s/ Nathan I. Partain

  
 

        Nathan I. Partain,

  
 

        President and Chief Executive Officer

  
 

        (Principal Executive Officer)

  

Date

 

                     12/28/2017

  

By (Signature and Title)

 

        /s/ Alan M. Meder

  
 

        Alan M. Meder,

  
 

        Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

  
 

        (Principal Financial Officer)

  

Date

 

                     12/28/2017