x |
Registration
Statement under the Securities Act of 1933
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x |
Pre-Effective
Amendment No. 2
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o |
Post-Effective
Amendment No.
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and/or
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x |
Registration
Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940
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x |
Amendment
No. 14
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Richard
T. Prins, Esq.
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Christopher
J. Michailoff, Esq.
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Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher &
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The
Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust
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Flom
LLP
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One
Corporate Center
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Four
Times Square
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Rye,
New York 10580-1422
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New
York, New York 10036
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(914)
921-5100
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(212)
735-3000
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Title of
Securities
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Amount Being
Registered
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Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price Per
Share
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Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price (1)
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Amount of
Registration
Fee
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Preferred Shares, $0.001 par value (2)
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$500,000,000
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$19,650
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Notes, (2)
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Preferred Shares | |
Notes |
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
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1
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FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
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11
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USE
OF PROCEEDS
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13
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THE
FUND
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13
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INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
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13
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RISK
FACTORS AND SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
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20
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HOW
THE FUND MANAGES RISK
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27
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MANAGEMENT
OF THE FUND
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28
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PORTFOLIO
TRANSACTIONS
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30
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DIVIDENDS
AND DISTRIBUTIONS
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30
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DESCRIPTION
OF THE SHARES AND NOTES
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32
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TAXATION
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42
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ANTI-TAKEOVER
PROVISIONS OF THE FUND'S GOVERNING DOCUMENTS
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44
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CLOSED-END
FUND STRUCTURE
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45
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REPURCHASE
OF SHARES
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45
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NET
ASSET VALUE
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45
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CUSTODIAN,
TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT
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47
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PLAN
OF DISTRIBUTION
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47
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LEGAL
MATTERS
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49
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INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
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49
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ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
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49
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PRIVACY
PRINCIPLES OF THE FUND
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49
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SPECIAL
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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49
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS OF STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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51
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APPENDIX
A CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
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A-1
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The
Fund
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The
Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust is a non-diversified, closed-end
management investment company organized under the laws of the State of
Delaware on August 20, 2003. Throughout this prospectus, we
refer to The Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust as the "Fund" or as
"we." See "The Fund."
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The
Fund’s outstanding common shares, par value $0.001 per share, are listed
on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
"GDV." On ,
2008, the last reported sale price of our common shares was
$ . As of
March 31, 2008 , the net assets of the Fund attributable to its
common shares were $ 1,727,373,208 . As of March 31, 2008 , the
Fund had outstanding 83,802,037 common shares; 3,200,000
shares of 5.875% Series A Cumulative Preferred Shares, liquidation
preference $25 per share (the "Series A Preferred"); 4,000 shares
of Series B Auction Market Cumulative Preferred Shares, liquidation
preference $25,000 per share (the "Series B Auction Market Preferred");
4,800 shares of Series C Auction Market Cumulative Preferred
Shares, liquidation preference $25,000 per share (the "Series C Auction
Market Preferred"); 2,600,000 shares of 6.00% Series D Cumulative
Preferred Shares, liquidation preference $25 per share (the "Series D
Preferred"); and 5,400 shares of Series E Auction Rate Cumulative
Preferred Shares, liquidation preference $25,000 per share (the "Series E
Auction Rate Preferred"). The Series A Preferred, Series B
Auction Market Preferred, Series C Auction Market Preferred, Series D
Preferred, and Series E Auction Rate Preferred have the same seniority
with respect to distributions and liquidation preference.
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The
Offering
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We
may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings, our preferred
shares, $0.001 par value per share, or our notes. The preferred
shares may be either fixed rate preferred shares or variable rate
preferred shares. The shares and notes may be offered at prices
and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements to this Prospectus
(each a "Prospectus Supplement"). You should read this
Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement carefully before you
invest in our shares or notes. Our shares and notes may be
offered directly to one or more purchasers, through agents designated from
time to time by us or to or through underwriters or
dealers. The Prospectus Supplement relating to the offering
will identify any agents, underwriters or dealers involved in the sale of
our shares or notes, and will set forth any applicable purchase price,
fee, commission or discount arrangement between us and our agents or
underwriters, or among our underwriters, or the basis upon which such
amount may be calculated. The Prospectus Supplement relating to
any sale of preferred shares will set forth the liquidation preference and
information about the dividend period, dividend rate, any call protection
or non-call period and other matters. The Prospectus Supplement
relating to any sale of notes will set forth the principal amount,
interest rate, interest payment dates, prepayment protection (if any), and
other matters. We may not sell any of our shares or notes
through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of a Prospectus
Supplement describing the method and terms of the particular
offering.
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Investment
Objective
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The
Fund's investment objective is to provide a high level of total return on
its assets with an emphasis on dividends and income. No assurance can be
given that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund will
attempt to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal
market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in dividend paying
securities (such as common and preferred stock) or other income producing
securities (such as fixed-income securities and securities that are
convertible into common stock). In addition, under normal market
conditions, at least 50% of the Fund's assets will consist of dividend
paying equity securities. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total
assets in the securities of non-U.S. issuers and up to 25% of its total
assets in securities of issuers in a single industry. There is no minimum
credit rating for fixed-
|
income
debt securities in which the Fund may invest, although the Fund will not
invest more than 10% of its total assets in fixed-income nonconvertible
securities rated in the lower rating categories of recognized statistical
rating agencies. The Fund's investments in the lower rating
categories are typically those rated "BB" by Standard & Poor's Ratings
Services ("S&P") or "Ba" by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's") or unrated securities of comparable quality, all of which are
commonly referred to as "junk bonds."
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|
The
Investment Adviser's investment philosophy with respect to both equity and
fixed-income debt securities is to identify assets that are selling in the
public market at a discount to their private market value. The Investment
Adviser defines private market value as the value informed purchasers are
willing to pay to acquire assets with similar characteristics. In making
equity selections, the Fund's Investment Adviser looks for securities that
have a superior yield and capital gains potential. See "Investment
Objective and Policies."
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Payment
on Notes
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Under
applicable state law and our Agreement and Declaration of Trust, we may
borrow money without prior approval of holders of common and preferred
stock. We may issue debt securities, including notes, or other evidence of
indebtedness and may secure any such notes or borrowings by mortgaging,
pledging or otherwise subjecting as security our assets to the extent
permitted by the 1940 Act or rating agency guidelines. Any borrowings,
including without limitation the notes, will rank senior to the preferred
shares and the common shares. The prospectus supplement will describe the
interest payment provisions relating to notes. Interest on notes will be
payable when due as described in the related prospectus supplement. If we
do not pay interest when due, it will trigger an event of default and we
will be restricted from declaring dividends and making other distributions
with respect to our common shares and preferred shares.
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Dividends
and Distributions
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Preferred Share
Distributions. Under current law, all preferred shares of the Fund
must have the same seniority with respect to distributions. Accordingly,
no full distribution will be declared or paid on any series of preferred
shares of the Fund for any dividend period, or part thereof, unless full
cumulative dividends due through the most recent dividend payment dates
for all series of outstanding preferred shares of the Fund are declared
and paid. If full cumulative distributions due have not been declared and
made on all outstanding preferred shares of the Fund, any distributions on
such preferred shares will be made as nearly pro rata as possible in
proportion to the respective amounts of distributions accumulated but
unmade on each such series of preferred shares on the relevant dividend
date.
|
In
the event that for any calendar year the total distributions on the Fund's
preferred shares exceed the Fund's ordinary income and net capital gain
allocable to those shares, the excess distributions will generally be
treated as a tax-free return of capital (to the extent of the
shareholder's tax basis in his or her shares). The amount treated as a
tax-free return of capital will reduce a shareholder's adjusted tax basis
in his or her preferred shares, thereby increasing the shareholder's
potential gain or reducing his or her potential loss on the sale of the
shares.
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|
The
distributions to the Fund's preferred shareholders for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2007, were comprised exclusively of net investment
income, short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains and did not
include any return of capital.
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|
Fixed Rate Preferred
Shares. Distributions on fixed rate preferred shares, at the
applicable annual rate of the per share liquidation preference, are
cumulative from the original issue date and are payable, when, as and if
declared by the Board of Trustees of the Fund, out of funds legally
available therefor.
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|
Variable Rate Preferred
Shares. The holders of variable rate preferred shares are entitled
to receive cash distributions, stated at annual rates of the applicable
per share liquidation preference, that vary from dividend period to
dividend period.
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Common Share
Distributions. In order to allow its holders of common shares to
realize a predictable, but not assured, level of cash flow and some
liquidity periodically on their investment without having to sell shares,
the Fund has adopted a policy, which may be changed at any time by the
Board of Trustees, of paying monthly distributions on its common shares at
a minimum annual rate of 6% of the initial public offering price of $20.00
per share. Pursuant to this policy, the Fund pays a
distribution of $0.10 per share in the first two months of a quarter and
$0.11 per share in the third month of a quarter and, if necessary, an
adjusting distribution in December which includes any additional income
and net realized capital gains in excess of the monthly distributions for
that year to satisfy the minimum distribution requirements of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). A portion of the
Fund's common share distributions since inception have included a return
of capital. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, the
Fund made distributions of $1.66 per common share, none of which
constituted a return of capital. The composition of each
distribution is estimated based on earnings as of the record date for the
distribution. The actual composition of each distribution may change based
on the Fund's investment activity through the end of the calendar
year.
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|
Limitations on
Distributions. If at any time the Fund has notes or
borrowings outstanding, the Fund will be prohibited from paying
any distributions on any of its common shares (other than in additional
shares), and from repurchasing any of its common shares or preferred
shares, unless, the value of its total assets, less certain ordinary
course liabilities, exceed 300% of the amount of the debt outstanding and
exceed 200% of the sum of the amount of debt and preferred shares
outstanding. In addition, in such circumstances the Fund will
be prohibited from paying any sister distributions on its preferred shares
unless the value of its total assets, less certain ordinary course
liabilities, exceed 200% of the amount of debt outstanding.
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|
Tax
Treatment of Preferred
Share
Distributions
|
The
Fund expects that distributions on the preferred shares will consist of
(i) long-term capital gain (gain from the sale of a capital asset held
longer than 12 months), (ii) qualified dividend income (dividend income
from certain domestic and foreign corporations) and (iii) investment
company taxable income (other than qualified dividend income), including
interest income, short-term capital gain and income from certain hedging
and interest rate transactions. For individuals, the maximum federal
income tax rate on long-term capital gain is currently 15%, on qualified
dividend income is currently 15%, and on ordinary income (such as
distributions from investment company taxable income that are not eligible
for treatment as qualified dividend income) is currently 35%. Under
current law, these tax rates are scheduled to apply through 2010. We
cannot assure you, however, as to what percentage of the distributions
paid on the preferred shares will consist of long-term capital gain and
qualified dividend income, which are taxed at lower rates for individuals
than ordinary income. For a more detailed discussion, see
"Taxation."
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Use
of Proceeds
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The
Fund will use the net proceeds from the offering to purchase additional
portfolio securities in accordance with its investment objective and
policies. Proceeds will be invested as appropriate
investment opportunities are identified , which is expected to
substantially be completed within three months; however, changes in market
conditions could result in the Fund's anticipated investment period
extending to as long as six months. The Fund may also
use net proceeds to redeem one or more of its Series B Preferred, Series C
Preferred or Series E Preferred. See "Use of
Proceeds."
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Exchange
Listing
|
The
Fund's common shares are listed on the NYSE under the trading or "ticker"
symbol "GDV" and our Series A Preferred and our Series D Preferred are
listed on the NYSE under the symbol "GDV Pr A" and "GDV Pr D,"
respectively. See "Description of the Shares." Any
additional series of fixed rate preferred shares issued by the Fund would
also likely be listed on the NYSE. Variable rate preferred
shares and notes will not be listed on a stock exchange.
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Market
Price of Shares
|
Common
shares of closed-end investment companies often trade at prices lower than
their net asset value. Common shares of closed-end investment
companies may trade during some periods at prices higher than their net
asset value and during other periods at prices
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lower
than their net asset value. The Fund cannot assure you that its
common shares will trade at a price higher than or equal to net asset
value. The Fund's net asset value will be reduced immediately
following this offering by the sales load and the amount of the offering
expenses paid by the Fund. See "Use of Proceeds."
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|
In
addition to net asset value, the market price of the Fund's common shares
may be affected by such factors as the Fund's dividend and distribution
levels (which are affected by expenses) and stability, market liquidity,
market supply and demand, unrealized gains, general market and economic
conditions and other factors. See "Risk Factors and Special
Considerations," "Description of the Shares" and "Repurchase of Common
Shares."
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Risk
Factors and Special Considerations
|
Risk
is inherent in all investing. Therefore, before investing in shares or
notes of the Fund, you should consider the risks carefully. See "Risk
Factors and Special Considerations."
|
Our Notes. An
investment in our notes is subject to special risks. There may not be an
established market for our notes. To the extent that our notes trade, they
may trade at a price either higher or lower than their principal amount
depending on interest rates, the rating (if any) on such notes and other
factors. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations — Special Risks to
Holders of Notes."
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|
Our Fixed Rate Preferred
Shares. Prior to the
offering of any additional series of fixed rate preferred shares, there
will be no public market for such shares. During an initial
period, not expected to exceed 30 days after the date of initial issuance,
such shares may not be listed on any securities exchange. Consequently, an
investment in such shares may be illiquid during such
period. Fixed rate preferred shares may trade at a premium to
or discount from liquidation preference for a variety of reasons,
including changes in interest rates. See "Risk Factors and
Special Considerations — Special Risks to Holders of Fixed Rate Preferred
Shares."
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|
Our Variable Rate Preferred
Shares. In the event any auction-rate preferred shares
are issued, you may not be able to sell your auction-rate preferred shares
at an auction if the auction fails, i.e., if more auction-rate preferred
shares are offered for sale than there are buyers for those
shares. In the event any auction-rate preferred shares are
issued, if you try to sell your auction-rate preferred shares between
auctions, you may not be able to sell them for their liquidation
preference per share or such amount per share plus accumulated
dividends. Due to recent market disruption, most auction-rate
preferred share auctions have been unable to hold successful auctions and
holders of such shares have suffered reduced
liquidity. Since February 2008 all of the auctions of our
Series B Preferred, Series C Preferred and Series D Preferred have
failed. There can be no assurance that liquidity will
improve. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations —
Special Risks to Holders of Variable Rate Preferred Shares."
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|
Credit Quality
Ratings. In order to obtain and maintain attractive
credit quality ratings for preferred shares or borrowings, the Fund's
portfolio must satisfy over-collateralization tests established by the
relevant rating agencies. These tests are more difficult to
satisfy to the extent the Fund's portfolio securities are of lower credit
quality, longer maturity or not diversified by issuer and
industry. These guidelines could affect portfolio decisions and
may be more stringent than those imposed by the 1940 Act. A rating by a
rating agency does not eliminate or necessarily mitigate the risks of
investing in our preferred shares or notes, and a rating may not fully or
accurately reflect all of the securities' credit risks. A rating does not
address liquidity or any other market risks of the securities being rated.
A rating agency could downgrade the rating of our notes, which may make
such securities less liquid in the secondary market. If a rating agency
downgrades the rating assigned to notes, we may alter our portfolio or
redeem the preferred shares or notes under certain circumstances. See
"Risk Factors and Special Considerations — Credit Quality
Ratings."
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Preferred Shares Subordinated
to Debt Securities. As provided in the 1940 Act, and
subject to compliance with the Fund's investment limitations, the Fund may
issue debt securities. In the event the Fund were to issue such
securities, the Fund's obligations to make distributions and, upon
liquidation of the Fund, liquidation payments in respect of its preferred
shares would be subordinate to the Fund's obligations to make any
principal and interest payments due and owing with respect to its
outstanding debt securities. Accordingly, the Fund's issuance
of debt securities would have the effect of creating special risks for the
Fund's preferred shareholders that would not be present in a capital
structure that did not include such securities. See "Risk
Factors and Special Considerations — Special Risks of Debt Securities to
Preferred Shares."
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|
Restrictions on Dividends and
Other Distributions. Restrictions imposed on the
declaration and payment of dividends or other distributions to the holders
of the Fund's common shares and preferred shares, both by the 1940 Act and
by requirements imposed by rating agencies, might impair the Fund's
ability to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company
for federal income tax purposes. While the Fund intends to
redeem its preferred shares or prepay its notes to the extent necessary to
enable the Fund to distribute its income as required to maintain its
qualification as a regulated investment company under the Code, there can
be no assurance that such actions can be effected in time to meet the Code
requirements. See "Taxation" in the SAI.
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|
Leverage
Risk. The Fund currently uses, and intends to continue
to use, financial leverage for investment purposes by issuing preferred
shares. As of December 31, 2007, the amount of leverage
represented approximately 20% of the Fund's total assets. The
Fund's leveraged capital structure creates special risks not associated
with unleveraged funds having a similar investment objective and
policies. These include the possibility of greater loss and the
likelihood of higher volatility of the net asset value of the Fund and the
asset coverage for the preferred shares. Such volatility may
increase the likelihood of the Fund having to sell investments in order to
meet its obligations to make distributions on the preferred shares or
principal or interest payments on debt securities, or to redeem preferred
shares or repay debt, when it may be disadvantageous to do
so. The use of leverage magnifies both the favorable and
unfavorable effects of price movements in the investments made by the
Fund. To the extent that the Fund determines to employ leverage
in its investment operations, the Fund will be subject to substantial risk
of loss. The Fund cannot assure you that borrowings or the
issuance of preferred shares will result in a higher yield or return to
the holders of the common shares. Also, if the Fund is
utilizing leverage, a decline in net asset value could affect the ability
of the Fund to make common share distributions and such a failure to make
distributions could result in the Fund ceasing to qualify as a regulated
investment company under the Code. See "Taxation."
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|
Preferred Share and Note
Risk. The issuance of preferred shares or notes causes
the net asset value and market value of the common shares to become more
volatile. If the interest rate on the notes or the dividend
rate on the preferred shares approaches the net rate of return on the
Fund's investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to the holders of the
common shares would be reduced. If the interest rates on the
notes or the dividend rate on the preferred shares plus the management fee
annual rate of 1.00% (as applicable) exceeds the net rate of return on the
Fund's portfolio, the leverage will result in a lower rate of return to
the holders of common shares than if the Fund had not issued preferred
shares or notes.
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|
Any
decline in the net asset value of the Fund's investments would be borne
entirely by the holders of common shares. Therefore, if the
market value of the Fund's portfolio declines, the leverage will result in
a greater decrease in net asset value to the holders of common shares than
if the Fund were not leveraged. This greater net asset value
decrease will also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for
the common shares. The Fund might be in danger of failing to
maintain the required asset coverage of the notes or preferred shares or
of losing its ratings on the preferred shares or, in an extreme case, the
Fund's current investment income might not be sufficient to meet the
dividend
|
requirements
on the preferred shares. In order to counteract such an event,
the Fund might need to liquidate investments in order to fund redemption
of some or all of the preferred shares.
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|
In
addition, the Fund would pay (and the holders of common shares will bear)
all costs and expenses relating to the issuance and ongoing maintenance of
the preferred shares and notes, including any additional advisory fees on
the incremental assets attributable to such shares. Holders of
notes and preferred shares may have different interests than holders of
common shares and at times may have disproportionate influence over the
Fund's affairs. In the event the Fund fails to maintain the
specified level of asset coverage of any notes outstanding, the holders of
the notes will have the right to elect a majority of the Fund's trustees.
In addition, holders of preferred shares, voting separately as a single
class, have the right to elect two members of the Board of Trustees at all
times and in the event dividends become in arrears for two full years
would have the right (subject to the rights of noteholders) to elect a
majority of the Trustees until the arrearage is completely
eliminated. In addition, preferred shareholders have class
voting rights on certain matters, including changes in fundamental
investment restrictions and conversion of the Fund to open-end status, and
accordingly can veto any such changes. See "Risk Factors and
Special Considerations ¾ Preferred Share and
Note Risk."
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|
Special Risks Related to
Preferred Securities. Special risks associated with the
Fund investing in preferred securities include deferral of distributions
or dividend payments, in some cases the right of an issuer never to pay
missed dividends, subordination to debt and other liabilities,
illiquidity, limited voting rights and redemption by the
issuer. Because the Fund has no limit on its investment in
non-cumulative preferred securities, the amount of dividends the Fund pays
may be adversely affected if an issuer of a non-cumulative preferred stock
held by the Fund determines not to pay dividends on such
stock. There is no assurance that dividends or distributions on
preferred stock in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise
made payable. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations —
Special Risks Related to Preferred Securities."
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|
Value Investing
Risk. The Fund focuses its investments on
dividend-paying common and preferred stocks that the Investment Adviser
believes are undervalued or inexpensive relative to other
investments. These types of securities may present risks in
addition to the general risks associated with investing in common and
preferred stocks including the risk of incorrectly estimating certain
fundamental factors. In addition, during certain time periods
market dynamics may strongly favor "growth" stocks of issuers that do not
display strong fundamentals relative to market price based upon positive
price momentum and other factors. See "Risk Factors and Special
Considerations — Risks of Investing in the Fund — Value Investing
Risk."
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|
Non-Diversified
Status. As a non-diversified, closed-end management
investment company under the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest a greater
portion of its assets in a more limited number of issuers than may a
diversified fund, and accordingly, an investment in the Fund may, under
certain circumstances, present greater risk to an investor than an
investment in a diversified company. See "Risk Factors and
Special Considerations — Risks of Investing in the Fund — Non-Diversified
Status."
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|
Single Industry
Risk. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in the
securities of companies principally engaged in a single industry. In the
event the Fund makes substantial investments in a single industry, the
Fund would become more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory
occurrences affecting that industry. See "Risk Factors and Special
Considerations — Risks of Investing in the Fund — Industry Concentration
Risk."
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|
Illiquid
Investments. The Fund has no limit on the amount of its
net assets it may invest in unregistered and otherwise illiquid
investments. The Fund currently does not intend to invest more than 15% of
its total net assets in illiquid securities. Unregistered securities are
securities that cannot be sold publicly in the United States without
registration under
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the
Securities Act of 1933. Unregistered securities generally can be resold
only in privately negotiated transactions with a limited number of
purchasers or in a public offering registered under the Securities Act of
1933. Considerable delay could be encountered in either event and, unless
otherwise contractually provided for, the Fund's proceeds upon sale may be
reduced by the costs of registration or underwriting discounts. The
difficulties and delays associated with such transactions could result in
the Fund's inability to realize a favorable price upon disposition of
unregistered securities, and at times might make disposition of such
securities impossible. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations —
Risks of Investing in the Fund — Illiquid Securities."
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|
Foreign Securities
Risk. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets
in foreign securities. Investing in securities of foreign companies (or
foreign governments), which are generally denominated in foreign
currencies, may involve certain risks and opportunities not typically
associated with investing in domestic companies and could cause the Fund
to be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency exchange
rates and revaluation of currencies. See "Risk Factors and Special
Considerations — Risks of Investing in the Fund — Foreign Securities
Risk."
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|
Smaller
Companies. While the Fund intends to focus on the
securities of established suppliers of accepted products and services, the
Fund may also invest in smaller companies which may benefit from the
development of new products and services. These smaller companies may
present greater opportunities for capital appreciation, and may also
involve greater investment risk than larger, more established companies.
For example, smaller companies may have more limited product lines, market
or financial resources, and their securities may trade less frequently and
in lower volume than the securities of larger, more established companies.
As a result, the prices of the securities of such smaller companies may
fluctuate to a greater degree than the prices of securities of other
issuers. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations — Risks of Investing
in the Fund — Smaller Companies."
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|
Investment
Companies. The Fund may invest in the securities of
other investment companies to the extent permitted by law. To the extent
the Fund invests in the common equity of investment companies, the Fund
will bear its ratable share of any such investment company's expenses,
including management fees. The Fund will also remain obligated to pay
management fees to the Investment Adviser with respect to the assets
invested in the securities of other investment companies. In these
circumstances, holders of the Fund's common shares will be subject to
duplicative investment expenses. See "Risk Factors and Special
Considerations — Risks of Investing in the Fund — Investment
Companies."
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|
Lower Grade
Securities. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total
assets in fixed-income securities rated below investment grade by
recognized statistical rating agencies or unrated securities of comparable
quality. The prices of these lower grade securities are more sensitive to
negative developments, such as a decline in the issuer's revenues or a
general economic downturn, than are the prices of higher grade securities.
Securities of below investment grade quality are predominantly speculative
with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal
when due and therefore involve a greater risk of default and are commonly
referred to as "junk bonds." See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations
— Risks of Investing in the Fund — Lower Grade Securities."
|
|
Derivative
Transactions. The Fund may participate in certain
derivative transactions. Such transactions entail certain execution,
market, liquidity, hedging and tax risks. Participation in the options or
futures markets and in currency exchange transactions involves investment
risks and transaction costs to which the Fund would not be subject absent
the use of these strategies. The Fund's current intention is to invest
less than 25% of its total net assets in options or other derivative
securities. If the Investment Adviser's prediction of movements in the
direction of the securities, foreign currency or interest rate markets is
inaccurate, the consequences to the Fund may leave the Fund in a worse
position than if it had not used such strategies. See "Risk Factors and
Special
|
Considerations
— Risks of Investing in the Fund — Special Risks of Derivative
Transactions."
|
|
Interest Rate
Transactions. The Fund has entered into an interest rate
swap transaction with respect to its outstanding Series B Auction Market
Preferred, and may enter into an interest rate swap or cap transaction
with respect to all or a portion of its outstanding Series C Auction
Market Preferred and its outstanding Series E Auction Rate Preferred, or
any future series of variable rate preferred shares. The use of
interest rate swaps and caps is a highly specialized activity that
involves certain risks to the Fund including, among others, counterparty
risk and early termination risk. The Fund will enter into an
interest rate swap or cap transaction only with counterparties that the
Investment Adviser believes are creditworthy. Further, the
Investment Adviser monitors the creditworthiness of a counterparty in an
interest rate swap or cap transaction on an ongoing
basis. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations — Risks
of Investing in the Fund — Interest Rate Transactions."
|
|
Loans of Portfolio
Security. The Fund may seek to earn income by lending
portfolio securities to broker-dealers or other institutional borrowers.
As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery
or even loss of rights in the securities loaned if the borrower of the
securities violates the terms of the loan or fails financially. The Fund
currently does not intend to lend securities representing more than 33% of
its total net assets. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations — Risks
of Investing in the Fund — Loans of Portfolio Securities."
|
|
Management
Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it
is an actively managed portfolio. The Investment Adviser will apply
investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for
the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the
desired results. See "Risk Factors and Special Considerations — Risks of
Investing in the Fund — Management Risk."
|
|
Dependence on Key
Personnel. The Investment Adviser is dependent upon the
expertise of Mr. Mario J. Gabelli in providing advisory services with
respect to the Fund's investments. If the Investment Adviser were to lose
the services of Mr. Gabelli, its ability to service the Fund could be
adversely affected. There can be no assurance that a suitable replacement
could be found for Mr. Gabelli in the event of his death, resignation,
retirement or inability to act on behalf of the Investment Adviser. See
"Risk Factors and Special Considerations — Risks of Investing in the Fund
— Dependence on Key Personnel."
|
|
Anti-Takeover
Provisions. The Fund's Governing Documents (as defined
herein) include provisions that could limit the ability of other entities
or persons to acquire control of the Fund or convert the Fund to an
open-end fund. See "Anti-Takeover Provisions of the Fund's Governing
Documents."
|
|
The
Fund has elected and has qualified for, and intends to remain qualified
for, federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company.
Qualification requires, among other things, compliance by the Fund with
certain distribution requirements. Statutory limitations on distributions
on the common shares if the Fund fails to satisfy the 1940 Act's asset
coverage requirements could jeopardize the Fund's ability to meet such
distribution requirements. The Fund presently intends, however, to
purchase or redeem preferred shares to the extent necessary in order to
maintain compliance with such asset coverage requirements. See "Taxation"
for a more complete discussion of these and other federal income tax
considerations.
|
|
Management
and Fees
|
Gabelli
Funds, LLC serves as the Fund's Investment Adviser and its fee is
calculated on the basis of the Fund's net assets, which includes
for this purpose assets attributable to the aggregate net asset value of
the common shares plus assets attributable to any outstanding preferred
shares , with no deduction for the liquidation preference of any
preferred shares. Net assets does not include amounts
attributable to liabilities constituting indebtedness.
|
The
fee may be higher when leverage in the form of preferred shares is
utilized, giving the Investment Adviser an incentive to utilize such
leverage. However, the Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce
the management fee on the incremental assets attributable to the currently
outstanding series of preferred shares during the fiscal year if the total
return of the net asset value of the common shares, including
distributions and management fee subject to reduction for that year, does
not exceed the stated dividend rate or corresponding swap rate of each
particular series of preferred shares for the period. The
Fund's total return on the net asset value of the common shares is
monitored on a monthly basis to assess whether the total return on the net
asset value of the common shares exceeds the stated dividend rate or
corresponding swap rate of each particular series of preferred shares for
the period. The test to confirm the accrual of the management fee on the
assets attributable to each particular series of preferred shares is
annual. The Fund will accrue for the management fee on these
assets during the fiscal year if it appears probable that the Fund will
incur the management fee on those additional assets.
|
|
For
the year ended December 31, 2007, the Fund’s total return on the net asset
value of the common shares exceeded the stated dividend rate or
corresponding swap rate of all outstanding preferred shares. Thus,
management fees were accrued on these assets.
|
|
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the
continuation of the investment advisory contract of the Fund is available
in the Fund’s semi-annual report to shareholders dated June 30,
2007.
|
|
Repurchase
of Common Shares
and
Anti-takeover Provisions
|
The
Fund's Board of Trustees has authorized the Fund to repurchase its common
shares in the open market when the common shares are trading at a discount
of 7.5% or more from net asset value (or such other percentage as the
Board of Trustees may determine from time to time). Although the Board of
Trustees has authorized such repurchases, the Fund is not required to
repurchase its common shares. The Board of Trustees has
not established a limit on the number of common shares that could be
purchased during such period. Such repurchases are subject to
certain notice and other requirements under the 1940 Act. See
"Repurchase of Common Shares."
|
Certain
provisions of the Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws
(collectively, the "Governing Documents") may be regarded as
"anti-takeover" provisions. Pursuant to these provisions, only one of
three classes of trustees is elected each year, and the affirmative vote
of the holders of 75% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are necessary
to authorize the conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end
investment company. The overall effect of these provisions is to render
more difficult the accomplishment of a merger with, or the assumption of
control by, a principal shareholder. These provisions may have the effect
of depriving Fund common shareholders of an opportunity to sell their
shares at a premium to the prevailing market price. See "Anti-Takeover
Provisions of the Fund's Governing Documents."
|
|
Custodian,
Transfer Agent and
Dividend
Disbursing Agent
|
State
Street Bank and Trust Company ( "State Street" or the "Custodian"),
located at 1776 Heritage Drive, North Quincy, Massachusetts 02171, serves
as the custodian of the Fund's assets pursuant to a custody agreement.
Under the custody agreement, the Custodian
|
holds
the Fund's assets in compliance with the 1940 Act. For its services, the
Custodian receives a monthly fee based upon, among other things, the
average value of the total assets of the Fund, plus certain charges for
securities transactions.
|
|
Comp
utershare Trust Company, N.A. ("Computershare"), located at 250 Royall
Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021, serves as the Fund's dividend
disbursing agent, as agent under the Fund's automatic dividend
reinvestment and voluntary cash purchase plan, and as transfer agent and
registrar with respect to the common shares of the Fund.
|
|
Interest
Rate Transactions
|
The
Fund has entered into an interest rate swap transaction with respect to
its outstanding Series B Auction Market Preferred, and may enter into an
interest rate swap or cap transaction with respect to all or a portion of
its outstanding Series C Auction Market Preferred, Series E Auction Rate
Preferred or any future series of variable rate preferred
shares. Through these transactions the Fund may, for example,
obtain the equivalent of a fixed rate for a series of variable rate
preferred shares that is lower than the Fund would have to pay if it
issued fixed rate preferred shares. The use of interest rate swaps and
caps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques
and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security
transactions.
|
In
an interest rate swap, the Fund would agree to pay to the other party to
the interest rate swap (which is known as the "counterparty") periodically
a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty agreeing to pay to
the Fund periodically a variable rate payment that is intended to
approximate the Fund's variable rate payment obligation on a series of the
variable rate preferred shares. In an interest rate cap, the Fund would
pay a premium to the counterparty to the interest rate cap and, to the
extent that a specified variable rate index exceeds a predetermined fixed
rate, the Fund would receive from the counterparty payments of the
difference based on the notional amount of such cap. Interest rate swap
and cap transactions introduce additional risk because the Fund would
remain obligated to pay preferred share distributions when due in
accordance with the Statement of Preferences of each series of variable
rate preferred shares even if the counterparty defaulted. Depending on the
general state of short-term interest rates and the returns on the Fund's
portfolio securities at that point in time, such a default could
negatively affect the Fund's ability to make distributions on its
preferred shares. In addition, at the time an interest rate swap or cap
transaction reaches its scheduled termination date, there is a risk that
the Fund will not be able to obtain a replacement transaction or that the
terms of the replacement will not be as favorable as on the expiring
transaction. If this occurs, it could have a negative impact on the Fund's
ability to make distributions on its preferred shares.
|
|
A
sudden and dramatic decline in interest rates may result in a significant
decline in the asset coverage. If the Fund fails to maintain the required
asset coverage on its outstanding preferred shares or fails to comply with
other covenants, the Fund may, at its option (and in certain circumstances
must require), consistent with its Governing Documents and the
requirements of the 1940 Act, that some or all of its outstanding
preferred shares be redeemed. Such redemption likely would result in the
Fund seeking to terminate early all or a portion of any swap or cap
transaction. Early termination of a swap could require the Fund to make a
termination payment to the counterparty.
|
|
The
Fund intends to segregate cash or liquid securities having a value at
least equal to the value of the Fund's net payment obligations under any
swap transaction, marked to market daily. The Fund will monitor any such
swap with a view to ensuring that the Fund remains in compliance with all
applicable regulatory investment policy and tax requirements. See "How the
Fund Manages Risk — Interest Rate Transactions."
|
Year
Ended December 31,
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Selected
data for a share of
beneficial
interest outstanding
throughout
each period:
|
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
Period
Ended
December
31, 2003(f)
|
|||||||||||||||
Operating
Performance:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of
period
|
$ | 23.65 | $ | 20.62 | $ | 20.12 | $ | 19.26 | $ | 19.06 | (g) | |||||||||
Net investment
income
|
0.53 | 0.87 | 0.55 | 0.40 | — | |||||||||||||||
Net
realized and unrealized gain on investments,
written options, swap
contracts, securities sold short,
and foreign currency
transactions
|
1.37 | 4.00 | 1.33 | 1.80 | 0.20 | |||||||||||||||
Total
from investment operations
|
1.90 | 4.87 | 1.88 | 2.20 | 0.20 | |||||||||||||||
Distribution
to Preferred Shareholders: (a)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Net
investment income
|
(0.10 | ) | (0.12 | ) | (0.06 | ) | (0.01 | ) | — | |||||||||||
Net
realized gain on investments
|
(0.23 | ) | (0.19 | ) | (0.10 | ) | (0.01 | ) | — | |||||||||||
Total
distributions to preferred shareholders
|
(0.33 | ) | (0.31 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (0.02 | ) | — | |||||||||||
Net
Increase in Net Assets Attributable to Common
Shareholders Resulting from
Operations
|
1.57 | 4.56 | 1.72 | 2.18 | — | |||||||||||||||
Distribution
to Common Shareholders
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Net
investment income
|
(0.51 | ) | (0.61 | ) | (0.48 | ) | (0.39 | ) | — | |||||||||||
Net
realized gain on investments
|
(1.15 | ) | (0.93 | ) | (0.72 | ) | (0.24 | ) | — | |||||||||||
Return
of capital
|
— | — | — | (0.57 | ) | — | ||||||||||||||
Total
distributions to common shareholders
|
(1.66 | ) | (1.54 | ) | (1.20 | ) | (1.20 | ) | — | |||||||||||
Fund
Share Transactions:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Decrease
in net asset value from common share transactions
|
— | — | — | (0.05 | ) | — | ||||||||||||||
Increase
in net asset value from repurchase of common shares
|
0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Offering
costs for common shares charged to paid-in capital
|
— | — | — | (0.01 | ) | — | ||||||||||||||
Offering
costs for preferred shares charged to paid-in capital
|
— | (0.00 | )(e) | (0.04 | ) | (0.06 | ) | — | ||||||||||||
Total
from fund share transactions
|
0.01 | 0.01 | (0.02 | ) | (0.12 | ) | — | |||||||||||||
Net
Asset Value Attributable to Common Shareholders,
End of Period
|
$ | 23.57 | $ | 23.65 | $ | 20.62 | $ | 20.12 | $ | 19.26 | ||||||||||
NAV
total return H
|
7.75 | % | 24.09 | % | 9.47 | % | 11.56 | % | 1.00 | %* | ||||||||||
Market
value, end of period
|
$ | 20.68 | $ | 21.47 | $ | 17.62 | $ | 17.95 | $ | 20.00 | ||||||||||
Investment
total return HH
|
4.14 | % | 31.82 | % | 4.85 | % | (4.15 | )% | 0.00 | %** |
Year
Ended December 31,
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Selected
date for a share of
beneficial
interest outstanding
throughout
each period:
|
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
Period
Ended
December
31, 2003(f)
|
|||||||||||||||
Ratios
and Supplemental Data:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Net
asset including liquidation value of preferred shares,
end
of period (in 000's)
|
$ | 2,475,831 | $ | 2,486,081 | $ | 2,238,155 | $ | 2,006,703 | — | |||||||||||
Net
assets attributable to common shares, end of period (in
000's)
|
$ | 1,975,831 | $ | 1,986,081 | $ | 1,738,155 | $ | 1,706,703 | $ | 1,451,650 | ||||||||||
Ratio
of net investment income to average net assets attributable to common
shares before preferred share distributions
|
2.17 | % | 3.91 | % | 2.75 | % | 2.17 | % | (0.04 | )%(h) | ||||||||||
Ratio
of operating expenses to average net assets attributable to
common
shares net of advisory fee reduction, if any
|
1.38 | %(d) | 1.41 | %(d) | 1.33 | %(d) | 1.12 | % | 1.38 | %(h) | ||||||||||
Ratio
of operating expenses to average net assets including
liquidation
value of preferred shares net of advisory fee
reduction,
if any
|
1.11 | %(d) | 1.11 | %(d) | 1.12 | %(d) | 1.07 | % | — | |||||||||||
Portfolio
turnover rate
|
33.8 | % | 28.8 | % | 25.6 | % | 33.3 | % | 0.4 | % | ||||||||||
5.875%
Series A Cumulative Preferred Shares
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Liquidation
value, end of period (in 000's)
|
$ | 80,000 | $ | 80,000 | $ | 80,000 | $ | 80,000 | — | |||||||||||
Total
shares outstanding (in 000's)
|
3,200 | 3,200 | 3,200 | 3,200 | — | |||||||||||||||
Liquidation
preference per share
|
$ | 25.00 | $ | 25.00 | $ | 25.00 | $ | 25.00 | — | |||||||||||
Average
market value (b)
|
$ | 23.52 | $ | 23.86 | $ | 24.82 | $ | 24.68 | — | |||||||||||
Asset
coverage per share
|
$ | 123.79 | $ | 124.30 | $ | 111.91 | $ | 167.23 | — | |||||||||||
Auction
Market Series B Cumulative Preferred Shares
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Liquidation
value, end of period (in 000's)
|
$ | 100,000 | $ | 100,000 | $ | 100,000 | $ | 100,000 | — | |||||||||||
Total
shares outstanding (in 000's)
|
4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | |||||||||||||||
Liquidation
preference per share
|
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | — | |||||||||||
Average
market value (b)
|
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | — | |||||||||||
Asset
coverage per share
|
$ | 123,792 | $ | 124,304 | $ | 111,908 | $ | 167,225 | — | |||||||||||
Auction
Market Series C Cumulative Preferred Shares
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Liquidation
value, end of period (in 000's)
|
$ | 120,000 | $ | 120,000 | $ | 120,000 | $ | 120,000 | — | |||||||||||
Total
shares outstanding (in 000's)
|
5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | — | |||||||||||||||
Liquidation
preference per share
|
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | — | |||||||||||
Average
market value (b)
|
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | — | |||||||||||
Asset
coverage per share
|
$ | 123,792 | $ | 124,304 | $ | 111,908 | $ | 167,225 | — | |||||||||||
6.00%
Series D Cumulative Preferred Shares
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Liquidation
value, end of period (in 000's)
|
$ | 65,000 | $ | 65,000 | $ | 65,000 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Total
shares outstanding (in 000's)
|
2,600 | 2,600 | 2,600 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Liquidation
preference per share
|
$ | 25.00 | $ | 25.00 | $ | 25.00 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Average
market value (b)
|
$ | 24.41 | $ | 24.37 | $ | 24.72 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Asset
coverage per share
|
$ | 123.79 | $ | 124.30 | $ | 111.91 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Auction
Rate Series E Cumulative Preferred Shares
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Liquidation
value, end of period (in 000's)
|
$ | 135,000 | $ | 135,000 | $ | 135,000 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Total
shares outstanding (in 000's)
|
5 | 5 | 5 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Liquidation
preference per share
|
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Average
market value (b)
|
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Asset
coverage per share
|
$ | 123,792 | $ | 124,304 | $ | 111,908 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Asset
Coverage (c)
|
495 | % | 497 | % | 448 | % | 669 | % | — |
(a)
|
Calculated
based upon average common shares outstanding on the record dates
throughout the year.
|
|
(b)
|
Based
on weekly prices.
|
|
(c)
|
Asset
coverage is calculated by combining all series of preferred
shares.
|
|
(d)
|
The
ratios do not include a reduction of expenses for custodian fee credits on
cash balances maintained with the custodian. Including such
custodian fee credits for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, the
ratios of operating expenses to average net assets attributable to common
shares net of fee reduction would have been 1.37% and the ratios of
operating expenses to average net assets including liquidation value of
preferred shares net of fee reduction would have been
1.10%. Custodian fee credits for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2005 were minimal.
|
|
(e)
|
Amount
represents less than $0.005 per share.
|
|
(f)
|
The
Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust commenced investment operations on
November 28, 2003.
|
|
(g)
|
The
beginning NAV includes a $0.04 reduction for costs associated with the
initial public offering.
|
|
(h)
|
Annualized.
|
|
*
|
Based
on net asset value per share at commencement of operations of $19.06 per
share.
|
|
**
|
Based
on market value per share at initial public offering of $20.00 per
share.
|
|
†
|
Based
on net asset value per share, adjusted for reinvestment of distributions
at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment
plan. Total return for periods of less than one year are not
annualized.
|
|
††
|
Based
on market value per share, adjusted for reinvestment of distributions at
prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment
plan. Total return for periods of less than one year are not
annualized.
|
·
|
the Investment Adviser's own evaluations of the private
market value (which is defined below), cash flow, earnings per share and
other fundamental aspects of the underlying assets and business of the
company;
|
·
|
the interest or dividend income generated by the
securities;
|
·
|
the potential for capital
appreciation of the
securities;
|
·
|
the prices of the securities
relative to other comparable
securities;
|
·
|
whether the securities are
entitled to the benefits of call protection or other protective covenants;
and
|
·
|
the existence of any anti-dilution
protections or guarantees of the
security.
|
·
|
greater volatility;
|
·
|
greater credit risk and risk of
default;
|
·
|
potentially greater sensitivity to
general economic or industry
conditions;
|
·
|
potential lack of attractive
resale opportunities (illiquidity);
and
|
·
|
additional expenses to seek
recovery from issuers who
default.
|
·
|
dependence on the Investment
Adviser's ability to predict correctly
movements in the direction of interest rates, securities prices and
currency markets;
|
·
|
imperfect correlation between the price of options
and futures contracts and options thereon and movements in the prices of
the securities or currencies being
hedged;
|
·
|
the fact that skills needed to use
these strategies are different from those needed to select portfolio
securities;
|
·
|
the possible absence of a liquid
secondary market for any particular instrument at any
time;
|
·
|
the possible need to defer closing
out certain hedged positions to avoid adverse tax
consequences;
|
·
|
the possible inability of the Fund
to purchase or sell a
security at a time that otherwise would be favorable for it to do so, or
the possible need for the Fund to sell a security at a disadvantageous
time due to a need for the Fund to maintain "cover" or to segregate securities in
connection with the hedging techniques;
and
|
·
|
the creditworthiness of
counterparties.
|
·
|
no assurance that futures contracts or options on
futures can be offset at favorable
prices;
|
·
|
possible reduction of the return
of the Fund due to the use of
hedging;
|
·
|
possible reduction in value of
both the securities hedged and the hedging
instrument;
|
·
|
possible lack of liquidity
due to daily limits
or price fluctuations;
|
·
|
imperfect correlation between the
contracts and the securities being hedged;
and
|
·
|
losses from investing in futures
transactions that are potentially unlimited and the segregation
requirements for such
transactions.
|
·
|
the dividend payment date for the
affected dividend period will be the next business day on which the Fund
and its paying agent, if any, are able to cause the distributions to be
paid using their reasonable best efforts;
|
·
|
the affected dividend period will
end on the day it would have ended had such event not occurred and the
dividend payment date had remained the scheduled date;
and
|
·
|
the next dividend period will
begin and end on the dates on which it would have begun and ended had such event not
occurred and the dividend payment date remained the scheduled
date.
|
Credit
Ratings
|
Applicable
Percentage
|
Applicable
Spread
|
||||
Moody's
|
S&P
|
|||||
Aaa
|
AAA
|
125%
|
1.25%
|
|||
Aa3
to Aa1
|
AA–
to AA+
|
150%
|
1.50%
|
A3
to A1
|
A–
to A+
|
200%
|
2.00%
|
|||
Baa3
to Baa1
|
BBB-
to BBB+
|
250%
|
2.50%
|
|||
Ba1
and lower
|
BB+
and lower
|
300%
|
3.00%
|
Reference
Rate
|
Maximum
Applicable Rate Using the Applicable Percentage
|
Maximum
Applicable Rate Using the Applicable Spread
|
Method
Used to Determine the Maximum Applicable Rate
|
|||
1%
|
1.25%
|
2.25%
|
Spread
|
|||
2%
|
2.50%
|
3.25%
|
Spread
|
|||
3%
|
3.75%
|
4.25%
|
Spread
|
|||
4%
|
5.00%
|
5.25%
|
Spread
|
|||
5%
|
6.25%
|
6.25%
|
Either
|
|||
6%
|
7.50%
|
7.25%
|
Percentage
|
·
|
the Fund has declared and paid (or
provided to the relevant dividend paying agent) all cumulative
distributions on the Fund's outstanding preferred shares due
on or prior to the date of such common share dividend or distribution;
|
·
|
the Fund has redeemed the full
number of preferred shares to be redeemed pursuant to any mandatory
redemption provision in the Fund's governing documents;
and
|
·
|
after making the distribution, the
Fund meets applicable asset coverage requirements described under "— Rating Agency
Guidelines" and "— Asset Maintenance
Requirements."
|
·
|
the Fund fails to maintain the
asset coverage requirements specified under the 1940 Act on a quarterly
valuation date and such failure is not cured on or before 60
days, in the case of
the Fixed
Rate Preferred Shares, or 10 business
days, in the case of the Variable Rate Preferred Shares, following such
failure; or
|
·
|
the Fund fails to maintain the
asset coverage requirements as calculated in accordance with the applicable
rating agency guidelines as of any monthly valuation date, and such
failure is not cured on or before 10 business days after such valuation
date.
|
·
|
the form and title of the
security;
|
·
|
the aggregate principal amount of
the securities;
|
·
|
the interest rate of the
securities;
|
·
|
whether the interest rate for the securities will
be determined by auction or
remarketing;
|
·
|
the maturity dates on which the
principal of the securities will be
payable;
|
·
|
the frequency with which auctions
or remarketings, if any, will be
held;
|
·
|
any changes to or additional
events of default or
covenants;
|
·
|
any minimum period prior to
which the securities may not be
called;
|
·
|
any optional or mandatory
call or
redemption
provisions;
|
·
|
the credit rating of the notes;
and
|
·
|
any other terms of the
securities.
|
·
|
default in the payment of any
interest upon a series of notes when it becomes due and payable and the
continuance of such default for [30]
days;
|
·
|
default in the payment of the
principal of, or premium on, a series of notes at its stated
maturity;
|
·
|
default in the performance, or
breach, of any covenant or warranty of ours in the Indenture, and
continuance of such default or breach for a period of [90] days after written notice has been
given to us by the trustee;
|
·
|
certain voluntary or involuntary
proceedings involving us and relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar laws;
|
·
|
if, on the last business day of
each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months, the notes have a 1940 Act
asset coverage of less than 100%;
or
|
·
|
any other "event of default"
provided with respect to a series, including a default in the payment of
any redemption price payable on the redemption
date.
|
·
|
DTC notifies us that it is
unwilling or unable to continue as a depository and we do not appoint a
successor within 60 days;
|
·
|
we, at our option, notify the
trustee in writing that we elect to cause the issuance of notes in
definitive form under
the Indenture; or
|
·
|
an event of default has occurred
and is continuing.
|
·
|
the ability of other entities or
persons to acquire control of the
Fund;
|
·
|
the Fund's freedom to engage in certain
transactions; or
|
·
|
the ability of the
Fund's trustees or shareholders to
amend the Governing Documents or effectuate changes in the
Fund's
management.
|
·
|
merger or consolidation of the
Fund with or into any other
entity;
|
·
|
issuance of any securities of the
Fund to any person or
entity for cash, other than pursuant to the dividend and reinvestment plan
or any offering if such person or entity acquires no greater percentage of
the securities offered than the percentage beneficially owned by such
person or entity immediately prior to such offering
or, in the case of a class or series not then beneficially owned by such
person or entity, the percentage of common shares beneficially owned by
such person or entity immediately prior to such
offering;
|
·
|
sale, lease or exchange of all or any substantial
part of the assets of the Fund to any entity or person (except assets
having an aggregate fair market value of less than
$5,000,000);
|
·
|
sale, lease or exchange to the
Fund, in exchange for securities of the Fund, of any assets of any entity or person (except
assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $5,000,000);
or
|
·
|
the purchase of the
Fund's common shares by the Fund from
any person or entity other than pursuant to a tender offer equally
available to other shareholders in which such person or
entity tenders no greater percentage of common shares than are tendered by
all other shareholders;
|
·
|
An overallotment in connection
with an offering creates a short position in the
shares or notes for the underwriter's own
account.
|
·
|
An underwriter may place a
stabilizing bid to purchase the shares for the purpose of pegging, fixing,
or maintaining the price of the shares or notes.
|
·
|
Underwriters may engage in syndicate covering
transactions to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the
shares or notes
subject to the
offering by bidding for, and purchasing, the shares or notes or any other securities in the
open market in order to reduce a short position created in connection
with the offering.
|
·
|
The managing underwriter may
impose a penalty bid on a syndicate member to reclaim a selling concession
in connection with an offering when the shares or notes originally sold by the syndicate
member are purchased
in syndicate covering
transactions or otherwise.
|
THE
FUND
|
1
|
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
|
1
|
INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
|
6
|
MANAGEMENT
OF THE FUND
|
7
|
AUCTIONS
FOR AUCTION RATE PREFERRED SHARES
|
15
|
PORTFOLIO
TRANSACTIONS
|
17
|
PORTFOLIO
TURNOVER
|
18
|
TAXATION
|
18
|
NET
ASSET VALUE
|
23
|
BENEFICIAL
OWNERS
|
23
|
GENERAL
INFORMATION
|
24
|
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
|
25
|
Aaa
|
Bonds
that are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the
smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt
edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or exceptionally stable
margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are
likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to
impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
|
Aa
|
Bonds
that are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards.
Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high
grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of
protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of
protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other
elements present that make the long-term risk appear somewhat larger than
in Aaa Securities.
|
A
|
Bonds
that are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to
be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security
to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be
present that suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the
future.
|
Baa
|
Bonds
that are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations i.e., they
are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and
principal security appear adequate for the present, but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any
great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment
characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as
well.
|
Ba
|
Bonds
that are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future
cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and
principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded
during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
|
B
|
Bonds
that are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance
of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers (1, 2, and 3) with respect to the
bonds rated Aa through B. The modifier 1 indicates that the company ranks
in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates
a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the company ranks
in the lower end of its generic rating category.
|
Caa
|
Bonds
that are rated Caa are of poor standing. These issues may be in default or
there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or
interest.
|
Ca
|
Bonds
that are rated Ca represent obligations that are speculative in a high
degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked
shortcomings.
|
C
|
Bonds
that are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issues so rated
can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any
real investment standing.
|
AAA
|
This
is the highest rating assigned by S&P to a debt obligation and
indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal.
|
AA
|
Debt
rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
and differs from AAA issues only in small degree.
|
A
|
Principal
and interest payments on bonds in this category are regarded as
safe. Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and
repay principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse
effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in
higher rated categories.
|
BBB
|
This
is the lowest investment grade. Debt rated BBB has an adequate
capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas it
normally exhibits adequate protection parameters, adverse economic
conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened
capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category
than in higher rated categories.
|
Per
Share
|
Total
(1)
|
|||
Public
offering price
|
$____
|
$____
|
||
Underwriting
discounts and commissions
|
$____
|
$____
|
||
Proceeds,
before expenses, to us
|
$____
|
$____
|
(1)
|
The
aggregate expenses of the offering are estimated to be $________, which
represents approximately $____ per
share.
|
Page | |
TERMS
OF THE SERIES ___ PREFERRED SHARES
|
P-3
|
USE
OF PROCEEDS
|
P-4
|
CAPITALIZATION
|
P-4
|
ASSET
COVERAGE RATIO
|
P-4
|
SPECIAL
CHARACTERISTICS AND RISKS OF THE PREFERRED SHARES
|
P-4
|
TAXATION
|
P-4
|
UNDERWRITING
|
P-4
|
LEGAL
MATTERS
|
P-4
|
Dividend
Rate
|
The
dividend rate [for the initial dividend period]1
will be ___%.
|
Dividend
Payment Rate
|
[Dividends
will be paid when, as and if declared on __________, __________,
__________, and __________, commencing __________.]2 The
payment date for the initial dividend period will be __________.]1
|
[Regular
Dividend Period
|
Regular
dividend periods will be ____ days.]1
|
[Regular
Auction Date
|
Auctions
will be held on __________.]1
|
Liquidation
Preference
|
$______
per share
|
[Non-Call
Period
|
The
shares may not be called for redemption at the option of the Fund prior to
__________.]2
|
[Stock
Exchange Listing]2
|
|
Rating
|
It
is a condition of issuance that the preferred shares be rated
[ ]
by
[ ]
|
1
|
Applicable
only if the preferred shares being offered are variable rate
preferred shares.
|
2
|
Applicable
only if the preferred shares being offered are fixed rate preferred
shares.
|
Per
Note
|
Total
(1)
|
|||
Public
offering price
|
$____
|
$____
|
||
Underwriting
discounts and commissions
|
$____
|
$____
|
||
Proceeds,
before expenses, to us
|
$____
|
$____
|
(1)
|
The
aggregate expenses of the offering are estimated to be $________, which
represents approximately $____ per
note.
|
Page
|
|
TERMS
OF THE NOTES
|
P-3
|
USE
OF PROCEEDS
|
P-4
|
CAPITALIZATION
|
P-4
|
ASSET
COVERAGE RATIO
|
P-4
|
SPECIAL
CHARACTERISTICS AND RISKS OF THE NOTES
|
P-4
|
TAXATION
|
P-4
|
UNDERWRITING
|
P-4
|
LEGAL
MATTERS
|
P-4
|
Principal
Amount
|
The
principal amount of the notes is $______ in the aggregate.
|
Maturity
|
The
principal amount of the notes will become due and payable on _______,
___.
|
Interest
Rate
|
The
interest rate will be ___%.
|
Frequency
of payment
|
Interest
will be paid __________commencing __________.
|
Prepayment
Protections
|
|
[Stock
Exchange Listing]
|
|
Rating
|
It
is a condition of issuance that the notes be rated
[ ]
by
[ ] .
|
THE
FUND
|
1
|
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
|
1
|
INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
|
6
|
MANAGEMENT
OF THE FUND
|
7
|
AUCTIONS
FOR AUCTION RATE PREFERRED SHARES
|
15
|
PORTFOLIO
TRANSACTIONS
|
17
|
PORTFOLIO
TURNOVER
|
18
|
TAXATION
|
18
|
NET
ASSET VALUE
|
23
|
BENEFICIAL
OWNERS
|
23
|
GENERAL
INFORMATION
|
24
|
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
|
25
|
(1)
|
invest more than 25% of its total
assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the
securities of issuers in any particular industry. This
restriction does not apply to investments in U.S. government
securities;
|
(2)
|
purchase commodities or commodity
contracts if such purchase would result in regulation of the Fund as a
commodity pool operator;
|
(3)
|
purchase or sell real estate,
provided the Fund may invest in securities and other instruments secured
by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies
that invest in real estate or interests
therein;
|
(4)
|
make loans of money or other
property, except that (i) the Fund may acquire debt obligations of any
type (including through extensions of credit), enter into repurchase
agreements and lend
portfolio assets and (ii) the Fund may lend money or other property to
other investment companies advised by the Investment Adviser pursuant to a
common lending program to the extent permitted by applicable
law;
|
(5)
|
borrow money, except to
the extent permitted
by applicable law;
|
(6)
|
issue senior securities, except to
the extent permitted by applicable law;
or
|
(7)
|
underwrite securities of other
issuers, except insofar as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under
applicable law in selling portfolio securities; provided, however,
this restriction shall not apply to securities of any investment company
organized by the Fund that are to be distributed pro rata as a dividend to
its shareholders.
|
Name
(and Age), Position with the Fund and Business Address(1)
|
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served(2)
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years
|
Other
Directorships
Held
by Trustee
|
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee
|
||||
INTERESTED TRUSTEES(3):
|
||||||||
Mario
J. Gabelli (65)
Trustee
and Chief Investment Officer
|
Since
2003*
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Chief Investment
Officer - Value
Portfolios of Gabelli Funds, LLC and GAMCO Asset Management Inc.;
Director/Trustee or Chief Investment Officer of other registered
investment companies in the Gabelli/GAMCO Funds complex; Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of GGCP, Inc.
|
Director
of Morgan Group Holdings, Inc. (holding company); Chairman of the Board of
LICT Corp. (multimedia and communication services company) ; Chairman of
the Board of CIBL, Inc. (holding company)
|
26
|
||||
Salvatore
M. Salibello (62) Trustee
|
Since
2003**
|
Certified
Public Accountant and Managing Partner of the public accounting firm of
Salibello & Broder LLP
|
-
|
3
|
||||
Name
(and Age), Position with the Fund and Business
Address(1)
|
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served(2)
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years
|
Other
Directorships
Held
by Trustee
|
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee
|
||||
INTERESTED
TRUSTEES(3):
|
||||||||
Edward
T. Tokar (60)
Trustee
|
Since
2003**
|
Senior
Managing Director of Beacon Trust Company (trust services) since 2004;
Chief Executive Officer of Allied Capital Management LLC (1997–2004), Vice
President of Honeywell International Inc. (1977–2004)
|
Trustee
of LEVCO Series Trust; Director of DB Hedge Strategies Fund
LLC; Director of the Topiary Benefit Plan Investor Fund LLC (financial
services)
|
2
|
||||
INDEPENDENT
TRUSTEES(4):
|
||||||||
Anthony
J. Colavita(5)
(72)
Trustee
|
Since
2003***
|
Partner
in the law firm of Anthony J. Colavita, P.C.
|
-
|
35
|
||||
|
||||||||
James
P. Conn(5)
(69)
Trustee
|
Since
2003**
|
Former
Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Financial Security
Assurance Holdings Ltd. (insurance holding company)
(1992–1998)
|
-
|
16
|
||||
Mario
d'Urso (67)
Trustee
|
Since
2003*
|
Chairman
of Mittel Capital Markets S.p.A. since 2001; Senator in the Italian
Parliament (1996–2001)
|
-
|
4
|
||||
Frank
J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. (68)
Trustee
|
Since
2003***
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer of the American Gaming Association;
Co-Chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates; Former Chairman of
the Republican National Committee (1983-1989)
|
-
|
5
|
||||
Michael
J. Melarkey (58)
Trustee
|
Since
2003*
|
Partner
in the law firm of Avansino, Melarkey, Knobel &
Mulligan
|
Director
of Southwest Gas Corporation (natural gas utility)
|
4
|
||||
Anthonie
C. van Ekris (73)
Trustee
|
Since
2003***
|
Chairman
of BALMAC International, Inc. (commodities and futures
trading)
|
-
|
19
|
||||
Salvatore
J. Zizza (62)
Trustee
|
Since
2003***
|
Chairman
of Zizza & Co., Ltd. (consulting)
|
Director
of Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals (biotechnology) and Earl Scheib, Inc.
(automotive services)
|
26
|
Name
(and Age), Position with the Fund and Business Address
(1)
|
Term
of Office and
Length
of Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During
Past
Five Years
|
||
Bruce
N. Alpert (56)
President
|
Since
2003
|
Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Gabelli Funds, LLC since
1988; Officer of all of the registered investment companies in the
Gabelli/GAMCO Funds complex; Director and President of Teton Advisors,
Inc. (formerly Gabelli Advisers, Inc.) since 1998
|
||
Carter
W. Austin (41)
Vice
President
|
Since
2003
|
Vice
President of the Fund since 2003; Vice President of other registered
investment companies in the Gabelli/GAMCO Funds complex; Vice President of
Gabelli Funds, LLC since 1996
|
||
Peter
D. Goldstein (54)
Chief
Compliance Officer
|
Since
2004
|
Director
of Regulatory Affairs for GAMCO Investors, Inc. since 2004; Chief
Compliance Officer of all of the registered investment companies in the
Gabelli/GAMCO Funds complex; Vice President of Goldman Sachs Asset
Management from 2000-2004
|
||
Agnes
Mullady ( 49 )
Treasurer
and Secretary
|
Since
2006
|
Vice
President of Gabelli Funds, LLC since 2007; Officer of all of the
registered investment companies in the Gabelli/GAMCO Funds complex; Senior
Vice President of U.S. Trust Company, N.A. and Treasurer and Chief
Financial Officer of Excelsior Funds from 2004-2005; Chief Financial
Officer of AMIC Distribution Partners from
2002-2004
|
(1)
|
Address: One
Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422, unless otherwise
noted.
|
(2)
|
The
Fund's Board of Trustees is divided into three classes, each class having
a term of three years. Each year the term of office of one
class expires and the successor or successors elected to such class serve
for a three year term.
|
(3)
|
"Interested
person" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. Mr. Gabelli is
considered to be an "interested person" of the Fund because of his
affiliation with Gabelli Funds, LLC, which is the Fund's investment
adviser, and Gabelli & Company, Inc., which executes portfolio
transactions for the Fund, and as a controlling shareholder because of the
level of his ownership of common shares of the Fund. Mr.
Salibello may be considered to be an "interested person" of the Fund as a
result of being a partner in an accounting firm that provides professional
services to affiliates of the Investment Adviser. Mr. Tokar is
considered to be an "interested person" of the Fund as a result of his
son's employment by an affiliate of the Investment
Adviser.
|
(4)
|
Trustees
who are not considered to be "interested persons" of the Fund as defined
in the 1940 Act are considered to be "Independent"
Trustees.
|
(5)
|
As
a Trustee, elected solely by holders of the Fund's Preferred
Shares.
|
(6)
|
Each
officer will hold office for an indefinite term until the date he or she
resigns or retires or until his or her successor is elected and
qualified
|
*
|
Term
continues until the Fund's 2010 Annual Meeting of Shareholders or
until their successors are duly elected and
qualified.
|
**
|
Term
continues until the Fund's 2009 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders or until their successors are duly elected and
qualified.
|
***
|
Term continues until the Fund's 2008 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders or until their successors are duly elected and
qualified.
|
Name
of Trustee
|
Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities
Held in the Fund *(1)
|
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies
in the Gabelli Fund
Complex * (1)
(2)
|
||
INTERESTED
TRUSTEES
|
||||
Mario
J. Gabelli
|
E
|
E
|
||
Salvatore
M. Salibello
|
A
|
E
|
||
Edward
T. Tokar
|
C
|
E
|
||
INDEPENDENT
TRUSTEES
|
||||
Anthony
J. Colavita* *
|
D
|
E
|
||
James
P. Conn
|
E
|
E
|
||
Mario
d'Urso
|
E
|
E
|
||
Frank
J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.
|
A
|
B
|
||
Michael
J. Melarkey
|
A
|
E
|
||
Anthonie
C. van Ekris* *
|
D
|
E
|
||
Salvatore
J. Zizza
|
D
|
E
|
*
|
Key
to Dollar Ranges
|
|
A.
None
|
|
B.
$1 -
$10,000
|
|
C.
$10,001 -
50,000
|
|
D.
$50,000 -
100,000
|
|
E. Over
$1000,000
|
|
All
shares were valued as of December 31,
2007.
|
**
|
Messrs. Colavita
and van Ekris each beneficially own less than 1% of the common stock of
The LGL Group, Inc., having a value of $9,071 and $10,880, respectively,
as of December 31, 2007. Mr. van Ekris beneficially owns less
than 1% of the common stock of LICT Corp. and CIBL, Inc. having a value of
$ 103,200 and $0, respectively, as of December 31,
2007. The LGL Group, Inc., LICT Corp., and CIBL, Inc. may be
deemed to be controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and in that event would be
deemed to be under common control with the Fund's Investment
Adviser.
|
(1)
|
This
information has been furnished by each Trustee as of December 31,
2007. "Beneficial Ownership" is determined in accordance with
Section 16a-1(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "1934 Act").
|
(2)
|
The
"Fund Complex" includes all the funds that are considered part of the same
fund complex as the Fund because they have common or affiliated investment
advisers.
|
Name
of Person and Position
|
Aggregate
Compensation From the Fund
|
Total
Compensation From the Fund and Fund Complex
Paid
to Trustees*
|
||||||
INTERESTED
TRUSTEES
|
||||||||
Mario
J. Gabelli
|
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||
Salvatore
M. Salibello
|
18,000 | 32,500 | ||||||
Edward
T. Tokar
|
19,500 | 27,250 | ||||||
INDEPENDENT
TRUSTEES
|
||||||||
Anthony
J. Colavita
|
21,000 | 225,000 | ||||||
James
P. Conn
|
18,000 | 104,750 | ||||||
Mario
d'Urso
|
18,000 | 40,250 | ||||||
Frank
J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.
|
18,500 | 60,500 | ||||||
Michael
J. Melarkey
|
17,500 | 37,250 | ||||||
Anthonie
C. van Ekris
|
18,000 | 100,247 | ||||||
Salvatore
J. Zizza
|
24,031 | 166,25 0 | ||||||
OFFICER | ||||||||
Carter W. Austin | 195,000 |
*
|
Represents
the total compensation paid to such persons during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2007 by investment companies (including the Fund) or
portfolios thereof from which such person receives compensation that are
considered part of the same fund complex as the Fund because they have
common or affiliated investment
advisers.
|
Name
of Portfolio Manager or Team
Member
|
Type
of Accounts
|
Total
# of Accounts Managed
|
Total
Assets
|
#
of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on
Performance
|
Total
Assets that Advisory Fee Based on
Performance
|
|||||
Mario
J. Gabelli
|
Registered
Investment Companies:
|
24
|
$ 15.9
billion
|
7
|
$ 5.6
billion
|
|||||
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles:
|
12
|
$ 269.6
million
|
11
|
$ 188.6
million
|
||||||
Other
Accounts:
|
1991
|
$ 10.6
billion
|
6
|
$ 1.6
billion
|
||||||
Barbara
G. Marcin
|
Registered
Investment Companies:
|
4
|
$ 3.2
billion
|
1
|
$ 2.5
billion
|
|||||
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles:
|
1
|
$ 6.4
million
|
1
|
$ 6.4M
|
||||||
Other
Accounts:
|
21
|
$ 137.7
million
|
0
|
$ 0
|
*
|
Represents
the portion of assets for which the portfolio manager has primary
responsibility in the accounts indicated. The accounts indicated may
contain additional assets under the primary responsibility of other
portfolio managers.
|
·
|
If
you enter a sell order, you indicate that you want to sell auction rate
preferred shares at their liquidation preference per share, no matter what
the next dividend period's rate will
be.
|
·
|
If
you enter a bid (or "hold at a rate") order, which must specify a dividend
rate, you indicate that you want to sell auction rate preferred shares
only if the next dividend period's rate is less than the rate you
specify.
|
·
|
If
you enter a hold order you indicate that you want to continue to own
auction rate preferred shares, no matter what the next dividend period's
rate will be.
|
Current
Holder A
|
Owns
500 shares, wants to sell all 500 shares if auction rate is less than
5.1%
|
Bid
order at 5.1% rate for all 500 shares
|
|
Current
Holder B
|
Owns
300 shares, wants to hold
|
Hold
order will take the auction rate
|
|
Current
Holder C
|
Owns
200 shares, wants to sell all 200 shares if auction rate is less than
4.9%
|
Bid
order at 4.9% rate for all 200 shares
|
|
Potential
Holder D
|
Wants
to buy 200 shares
|
Places
order to buy at or above 5.0%
|
|
Potential
Holder E
|
Wants
to buy 300 shares
|
Places
order to buy at or above 4.99%
|
|
Potential
Holder F
|
Wants
to buy 200 shares
|
Places
order to buy at or above 5.1%
|
I.
|
Proxy Voting
Committee
|
|
A.
|
Conflicts of
Interest.
|
|
B.
|
Operation of Proxy Voting
Committee
|
II.
|
Social Issues and Other Client
Guidelines
|
III.
|
Client Retention of Voting
Rights
|
IV.
|
Voting
Records
|
V.
|
Voting
Procedures
|
|
·
|
Shareholder
Vote Authorization Forms (VAFs) - Issued by ADP. VAFs must be
voted through the issuing institution causing a time lag. ADP
is an outside service contracted by the various institutions to issue
proxy materials.
|
|
·
|
Proxy
cards which may be voted directly.
|
|
·
|
From these records individual
client proxy voting records are compiled. It is our policy to provide institutional
clients with a proxy voting record during client reviews.
In addition, we will supply a
proxy voting record at the request of the client on a quarterly,
semi-annual or annual basis.
|
|
·
|
VAFs can be faxed to ADP up until
the time of the meeting. This is followed up by the
mailing of the original
form.
|
|
·
|
When a solicitor has been retained, that person is
called. At the solicitor's direction, the proxy is
faxed.
|
|
·
|
Banks and brokerage firms using the
services at ADP:
|
|
·
|
Banks
and brokerage firms issuing proxies
directly:
|
|
·
|
A limited Power of Attorney
appointing the attendee an Adviser
representative.
|
|
·
|
A list of all shares being voted by custodian
only. Client names and account numbers
are not included. This list must be presented, along
with the proxies, to the Inspectors of Elections and/or tabulator at least
one-half hour prior to the
|
scheduled start of the meeting. The tabulator must "qualify" the votes (i.e. determine if the votes have previously been cast, if the votes have been rescinded, etc.). |
|
·
|
A sample ERISA and Individual
contract.
|
|
·
|
A sample of the annual
authorization to vote proxies
form.
|
|
·
|
A copy of our most
recent Schedule 13D
filing (if applicable).
|
|
-
|
Paying
greenmail
|
|
-
|
Failure to adopt shareholder
resolutions receiving a majority of shareholder
votes
|
•
|
Future use of additional
shares
|
|
- Stock
split
|
|
- Stock option or other executive
compensation plan
|
|
- Finance growth of
company/strengthen balance
sheet
|
|
- Aid in
restructuring
|
|
- Improve credit
rating
|
|
- Implement a poison pill or other
takeover defense
|
•
|
Amount of stock
currently authorized
but not yet issued or reserved for stock option
plans
|
•
|
Amount
of additional stock to be authorized and its dilutive
effect
|
•
|
State of Incorporation
|
•
|
Management history of
responsiveness to
shareholders
|
•
|
Other
mitigating
factors
|
•
|
Dilution
of voting power or earnings per share by more than
10%
|
•
|
Kind
of stock to be awarded, to whom, when and how
much
|
•
|
Method of
payment
|
•
|
Amount of stock already authorized
but not yet issued under existing stock option
plans
|
1.
|
Financial
Statements
|
2.
|
Exhibits
|
|
(a)
|
Agreement and Declaration of Trust
of Registrant (3)
|
|
(i)
|
Statement of Preferences for the
5.875% Series A Cumulative Preferred Shares
(4)
|
|
(ii)
|
Statement of Preferences for the
Series B Auction
Market Preferred Shares
(4)
|
|
(iii)
|
Statement of Preferences for the
Series C Auction Market Preferred
Shares
|
|
(iv)
|
Statement of Preferences for the
6.00% Series D Cumulative Preferred Shares (5)
|
|
(v)
|
Statement of Preferences for the
Series E Auction
Rate Preferred
Shares (5)
|
|
(b)
|
By-Laws of Registrant
(3)
|
|
(c)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
(d)
|
Form of Specimen Common Share Certificate (2)
|
|
(e)
|
Automatic Dividend Reinvestment
and Voluntary Cash Purchase Plan of Registrant
(2)
|
|
(f)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
(g)
|
Form of Investment Advisory
Agreement between Registrant and Gabelli Funds, LLC
(2)
|
|
(h)
|
Form of Underwriting
Agreement
(1)
|
|
(i)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
(j)
|
Form of Custodian Contract
(2)
|
|
(k)
|
Form of Registrar, Transfer Agency
and Service Agreement (3)
|
|
(l)
|
Opinion and Consent of Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP with respect to legality
(1)
|
|
(m)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
(n)
|
(i)
|
Consent of Independent
Registered Public Accounting
Firm
(1)
|
|
(ii)
|
Powers of Attorney (6)
|
|
(o)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
(p)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
(q)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
(r)
|
Codes of Ethics of the
Fund and the
Investment Adviser (1)
|
(1)
|
To
be filed by Amendment.
|
(2)
|
Incorporated
by reference to the Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the
Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-2 Nos. 333-108409 and 811-21423,
as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 27,
2003.
|
(3)
|
Incorporated
by reference to the Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the
Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-2 Nos. 333-108409 and 811-21423,
as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 24,
2003.
|
(4)
|
Incorporated
by reference to the Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the
Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-2 Nos. 333-113708 and 811-21423,
as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 5,
2004.
|
(5)
|
Incorporated
by reference to the Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the
Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-2 Nos. 333-126480 and 811-21423,
as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2,
2005.
|
(6)
|
Incorporated
by reference to the Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-2 Nos.
333-148670 and 811-21423, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on January 15, 2008.
|
SEC
registration fees
|
$
|
|
NYSE
listing fee
|
$
|
|
Rating
Agency fees
|
$
|
|
Printing
expenses
|
$
|
|
Auditing
fees and expenses
|
$
|
|
Legal
fees and expenses
|
$
|
|
Blue
Sky fees
|
$
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
$
|
|
Total
estimate
|
Title
of Class
|
Number
of Record Holders
|
|
Common
Shares of Beneficial Interest
|
142
|
|
5.875%
Series A Cumulative Preferred Shares
|
1
|
|
Series
B Auction Market Preferred Shares
|
1
|
|
Series
C Auction Market Preferred Shares
|
1
|
|
6.00%
Series D Cumulative Preferred Shares
|
1
|
|
Series
E Auction Rate Preferred Shares
|
1
|
1.
|
Registrant
undertakes to suspend the offering of shares until the prospectus is
amended, if subsequent to the effective date of this registration
statement, its net asset value declines more than ten percent from its net
asset value, as of the effective date of the registration statement or its
net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as
stated in the prospectus.
|
2.
|
Not
applicable.
|
3.
|
Not
applicable.
|
4.
|
Registrant
hereby undertakes:
|
|
(a)
|
to file, during and period in
which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
Statement:
|
|
(1)
|
to include any prospectus required
by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;
|
|
(2)
|
to reflect in the prospectus any
facts or events after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or
the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
Registration Statement; and
|
|
(3)
|
to include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the
Registration Statement.
|
|
(b)
|
that for the purpose of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"1933 Act"), each post-effective
amendment shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof;
|
|
(c)
|
to remove from registration by
means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which
remain unsold at the termination of the offering;
and
|
|
(d)
|
that, for the purpose of
determining liability under the 1933 Act to any purchaser, if the
Registrant is subject to Rule 430C: Each prospectus
filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the 1933 Act as part
of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than
prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the 1933 Act shall be
deemed to be part of and included in the registration
statement as of the date it is first used after
effectiveness. Provided,
however, that no
statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of
the registration or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the
registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration
statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to
such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the
registration statement or prospectus
that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document
immediately prior to such date of first
use.
|
|
(e)
|
that for the purpose of
determining liability of the Registrant under the 1933 Act to any
purchaser in the
initial distribution of
securities:
|
|
The undersigned Registrant
undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned
Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the
underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the
securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the
following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to
the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to
the purchaser:
|
|
(1)
|
any preliminary prospectus or
prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required
to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933
Act.
|
|
(2)
|
the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the
1933 Act relating to
the offering containing material information about the undersigned
Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned
Registrant; and
|
|
(3)
|
any other communication that is an
offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the
purchaser.
|
THE
GABELLI DIVIDEND & INCOME TRUST
|
|||
By:
|
/s/
Bruce N. Alpert
|
||
Bruce
N. Alpert
|
|||
President
|
|||
Name
|
Title
|
|
*
|
Trustee,
Chairman and Chief Investment Officer
|
|
Mario
J. Gabelli
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Anthony
J. Colavita
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
James
P. Conn
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Mario
d'Urso
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Frank
J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Michael
J. Melarkey
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Salvatore
M. Salibello
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Edward
T. Tokar
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Anthonie
C. van Ekris
|
||
*
|
Trustee
|
|
Salvatore
J. Zizza
|
||
/s/ Bruce N.
Alpert
|
President
(Principal Executive Officer)
|
|
Bruce
N. Alpert
|
||
/s/
Agnes Mullady
|
Treasurer (Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
|
|
Agnes
Mullady
|
||
/s/
Bruce N. Alpert
|
|
|
Bruce
N. Alpert
|
||
Attorney-in-Fact
|
*
|
Pursuant
to a Power of Attorney
|