Company Description
Alliance National Municipal Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE: AFB), also referred to in recent disclosures as AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc., is a registered closed‑end investment company in the finance and insurance sector. According to available information, the fund is managed by AllianceBernstein L.P. and focuses on municipal income within the broader securities and commodity exchanges industry.
The fund is described as a diversified, closed‑end management investment company. Based on the Polygon description, it seeks to provide high current income exempt from regular federal income tax by investing substantially all of its net assets in municipal securities that pay interest that is exempt from federal income tax. As a closed‑end fund, its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFB, while its net asset value (NAV) and total net assets are reported periodically in earnings announcements.
Recent press releases from the fund highlight its practice of regularly reporting earnings for its fiscal quarters, including total net assets, NAV per share of common stock, and total net investment income. These releases also distinguish between net investment income and total net realized and unrealized gains or losses, and clarify that total net assets include assets attributable to both common and preferred shares. This reporting structure provides investors with insight into the fund’s asset base and income generation over time.
AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc. has also disclosed actions related to its capital structure and leverage. In particular, the fund announced plans to redeem all of its outstanding 2018 Variable Rate MuniFund Term Preferred Shares and then reported the completion of this full redemption. The fund stated that it used proceeds from the creation of tender option bond ("TOB") trusts to redeem these preferred shares and indicated that the TOB trusts serve as substitute leverage for the fund. The fund’s investment adviser and board of directors have been cited in press releases as believing that this redemption and the creation of TOB trusts are in the best interests of the fund and its stockholders.
Because the fund invests in municipal securities that pay interest exempt from federal income tax, it is positioned within the municipal bond segment of the securities markets. The focus on tax‑exempt income, as described in the Polygon profile, is central to its stated investment objective. The combination of closed‑end fund structure, municipal bond exposure, and tax‑exempt income objective defines its role within the finance and insurance sector.
AFB’s periodic earnings announcements, together with disclosures about leverage and preferred share redemptions, provide investors with information about how the fund’s asset base, NAV, and income evolve over time. While specific figures change from one quarter to the next, the underlying framework of reporting net assets, NAV per share, and net investment income remains a consistent feature of the fund’s public communications.
Business model and investment focus
According to the Polygon description, AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc. seeks to provide high current income exempt from regular federal income tax. It aims to achieve this by investing substantially all of its net assets in municipal securities that pay interest that is exempt from federal income tax. This focus on municipal securities and tax‑exempt interest defines the fund’s investment strategy as presented in the available data.
As a closed‑end management investment company, the fund issues a fixed number of shares that trade on an exchange, while its portfolio of municipal securities is managed by AllianceBernstein L.P. The fund’s earnings releases emphasize the distinction between net investment income and realized and unrealized gains or losses, reflecting the income‑oriented nature of its strategy alongside changes in the market value of its holdings.
Capital structure and leverage
Recent press releases describe specific steps the fund has taken regarding its leverage and preferred shares. The fund announced that it intended to use proceeds from the creation of tender option bond trusts to redeem all of its outstanding 2018 Variable Rate MuniFund Term Preferred Shares at a stated redemption price per share, plus accumulated but unpaid dividends. A subsequent release reported the completion of this full redemption and confirmed that the aggregate amount paid in connection with the redemption reflected the total value of the preferred shares plus accumulated but unpaid dividends.
The fund has stated that the issuance of TOB trusts permitted it to replace the leverage previously obtained through the 2018 Variable Rate MuniFund Term Preferred Shares with proceeds from the TOB trusts. In its announcement, the fund noted that its investment adviser, AllianceBernstein L.P., and its board of directors believed that the full redemption of these preferred shares and the creation of TOB trusts as substitute leverage were in the best interests of the fund and its stockholders.
Reporting and disclosures
AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc. regularly issues press releases summarizing its quarterly earnings. These releases typically include:
- Total net assets at the end of the fiscal quarter.
- Net asset value per share of common stock.
- Total net investment income and corresponding per‑share amounts.
- Total net realized and unrealized gains or losses and related per‑share figures.
- Clarification that total net assets include assets attributable to both common and preferred shares.
These disclosures provide transparency into the fund’s financial position and performance over each reporting period, although the specific numerical values change from one quarter to the next.
Position within the finance and insurance sector
Within the finance and insurance sector, AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc. is classified under securities and commodity exchanges. Its emphasis on municipal securities and tax‑exempt income distinguishes it from funds that focus on taxable bonds or other asset classes. The fund’s structure as a closed‑end investment company, combined with its municipal income focus and use of leverage mechanisms such as preferred shares and tender option bond trusts, characterizes its role in the broader market for municipal bond investment products.