Company Description
Virtus Diversified Income & Convertible Fund (NYSE: ACV) is a diversified, limited-term, closed-end management investment company. The fund’s stated investment objective is to provide total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation, while seeking to provide downside protection against capital loss. ACV is associated with the finance and insurance sector and is categorized within securities-related investment activities.
The fund invests in a diversified portfolio that includes convertible securities, income-producing equity securities, and income-producing debt and other instruments of varying maturities. According to its disclosures, a majority of its managed assets are normally invested in convertibles. The fund also notes that it has the latitude to write covered call options on the stocks held in the equity portion of its portfolio. This combination of convertibles, equities, and income-oriented instruments underpins its focus on both income generation and potential capital appreciation.
Investment approach and asset allocation
Virtus Diversified Income & Convertible Fund states that it strives to dynamically allocate across convertibles, equities, and income-producing securities. The fund normally invests at least 50% of total managed assets in convertibles. The ability to write covered call options on equity holdings provides an additional tool for generating income from the equity portion of the portfolio. These features are central to how the fund seeks to balance income, growth potential, and efforts to mitigate downside risk.
The fund operates under a Managed Distribution Plan. Under this plan, it seeks to maintain a consistent distribution level that may be paid from net investment income, realized capital gains, or a combination of both. The fund also discloses that, if aggregate net investment income and net realized capital gains are less than the distribution level, the difference may be distributed from the fund’s assets and would constitute a return of capital to shareholders. The fund emphasizes that the amount of distributions and the terms of the Managed Distribution Plan should not be used by investors as a direct indicator of investment performance.
Limited-term structure and termination date
ACV is described as a limited-term closed-end fund. The fund states that it will terminate on the first business day following the 15th anniversary of the effective date of its registration statement, May 22, 2030, absent approval by the fund’s Board of Trustees to extend the term by up to 12 months. This limited-term feature distinguishes ACV from perpetual closed-end funds and provides a defined time horizon for the fund’s lifecycle, subject to any board-approved extension within the stated parameters.
Management and advisory relationships
The fund identifies Virtus Investment Advisers, LLC, a registered investment adviser affiliated with Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., as its investment adviser. It also identifies Voya Investment Management as its subadviser. These relationships are part of the fund’s disclosed structure for portfolio management and investment decision-making.
Distributions and Section 19(a) notices
ACV regularly announces monthly and, at times, special year-end distributions to holders of its common shares. The fund issues Section 19(a) notices that provide estimates of the sources of distributions, including net investment income, net realized short-term capital gains, net realized long-term capital gains, and return of capital (or other capital sources). These notices often distinguish between month-to-date and fiscal year-to-date figures and clarify that the amounts and sources reported are estimates, not final tax reporting data.
The fund explains that, under its Managed Distribution Plan, a distribution may include a return of capital when distributions exceed the combination of net investment income and realized capital gains. It further notes that a return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with yield or income. Investors are informed that final tax characterizations are provided on Form 1099-DIV for federal income tax reporting purposes.
Risk disclosure and trading characteristics
Virtus Diversified Income & Convertible Fund highlights that an investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. It states that a fund’s shares may be worth less upon their sale than the price paid by an investor. The fund also notes that shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value (NAV). These points form part of the fund’s standard risk disclosure, emphasizing that market price and NAV can differ and that investment outcomes are not guaranteed.
The fund refers investors to its annual report for more detailed information about its investment objective and risks. It indicates that a copy of the most recent annual report can be accessed through the closed-end funds section of Virtus’s materials or obtained free of charge by contacting shareholder services, as referenced in its public communications.
Capital structure events
In addition to its common shares, the fund has disclosed the existence and subsequent redemption of Class A Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares (Class A MRP Shares). The fund announced the redemption of all issued and outstanding Class A MRP Shares pursuant to their mandatory redemption date. The redemption was carried out at a specified cash price per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends up to, but not including, the redemption date. The fund further stated that this redemption was funded through a master margin loan agreement with a commercial bank and that, upon redemption, the Class A MRP Shares ceased and terminated.
Use of performance metrics
In its distribution-related notices, the fund presents certain performance and distribution metrics based on NAV, such as average annual total return on NAV for multi-year periods, annualized current distribution rate, fiscal year-to-date cumulative total return on NAV, and fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution rate. The fund explicitly notes that these figures are based on NAV rather than the market price of the fund’s shares and are not intended to represent individual shareholder performance. These metrics are provided as part of the fund’s communication around distributions and should be interpreted in the context of the fund’s broader disclosures and risk statements.
Summary of ACV’s role for investors
According to its public statements, Virtus Diversified Income & Convertible Fund (ACV) is structured for investors seeking a combination of current income and capital appreciation, with an emphasis on convertible securities and other income-producing instruments. Its limited-term structure, Managed Distribution Plan, and dynamic allocation across convertibles, equities, and income-producing securities define its approach within the closed-end fund universe. The fund underscores the importance of understanding that distributions may include return of capital and that closed-end fund shares can trade at prices above or below NAV.