Pioneer Floating Rate Fund Stock Price, News & Analysis

Pioneer Floating Rate Fund, Inc. (PHD) is a closed-end investment company whose common shares of beneficial interest have traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol PHD. The fund is associated with the asset management and financial services sector and has been described in public communications as a closed-end investment company traded on the NYSE.

The fund has communicated that it seeks a high level of current income, with preservation of capital as a secondary objective to the extent consistent with its primary objective. This objective has been referenced in multiple press releases describing Pioneer Floating Rate Trust, which trades on the NYSE under the same symbol, PHD. As a closed-end fund, its common shares are issued and then bought and sold in the secondary market through a stock exchange, and public disclosures note that such shares frequently trade at prices lower than their net asset value.

According to fund communications, PHD is a closed-end investment company that trades on the New York Stock Exchange. Public materials emphasize that investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal, and that distribution rates are not guaranteed. They also note that a fund’s distribution rate may be affected by factors such as changes in actual or projected investment income and the level of undistributed net investment income, and that shareholders should not draw conclusions about investment performance based solely on current distributions.

Planned liquidation and dissolution

Pioneer Floating Rate Fund, Inc. has disclosed a significant change in its status. At a special meeting of stockholders, stockholders approved the liquidation and dissolution of the fund pursuant to a Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution adopted by the fund’s Board of Directors. Under this plan, the fund will liquidate its portfolio in preparation for one or more distributions of cash to stockholders.

Once the fund commences liquidating its portfolio, it has stated that it may not pursue its stated investment objective, comply with its investment limitations, or engage in normal business activities, except for the purposes of winding up its business and affairs, paying its liabilities, and distributing its remaining assets to stockholders. The fund has indicated that the proceeds of the liquidation will equal the fund’s net asset value after it has paid or provided for its charges, taxes, expenses, and liabilities, including costs associated with liquidating the fund. As necessary, the fund may make one or more liquidating distributions after a primary liquidating distribution.

The fund has also indicated that, upon payment of the final liquidating distribution, all outstanding shares of the fund will be redeemed without the imposition of redemption or other transaction fees. Public communications emphasize that the liquidation will generally be a taxable event for stockholders subject to U.S. federal income tax and that such stockholders may realize a capital gain or loss based on the difference between the total amount of liquidation distributions received and their adjusted basis in the fund shares.

Delisting from the New York Stock Exchange

A Form 25 (Notification of Removal from Listing and/or Registration under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) has been filed for Pioneer Floating Rate Fund, Inc. The filing identifies the issuer as Pioneer Floating Rate Fund, Inc. and the exchange as the New York Stock Exchange LLC, and describes the security as common shares of beneficial interest. The Form 25 indicates that the exchange has complied with its rules to strike the class of securities from listing and/or withdraw registration on the exchange, or that the issuer has complied with the rules of the exchange and the requirements governing the voluntary withdrawal of the class of securities from listing and registration.

In connection with the liquidation plan, the fund has stated that it expects the last day of secondary market trading of its shares to be on or about a specified determination date, and that it is expected that, prior to the opening of business on the first business day following that date, the fund will cease trading on the NYSE. The fund has also noted that, effective as of market close on or about the determination date, its shares will no longer be actively traded in the secondary market, and that there can be no assurance that there will, thereafter, be a market for the purchase or sale of the fund’s shares.

Closed-end fund structure and investor considerations

In its public disclosures, PHD has highlighted characteristics of closed-end funds. It notes that closed-end funds, unlike open-end funds, are not continuously offered. Once issued, common shares of closed-end funds are bought and sold in the open market through a stock exchange and frequently trade at prices lower than their net asset value. Net asset value (NAV) is described as total assets less total liabilities divided by the number of common shares outstanding.

The fund’s communications also emphasize that investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal, and that interested parties are encouraged to seek advice from qualified tax and financial experts regarding their particular circumstances. They further note that distribution rates are not guaranteed and may be affected by numerous factors, and that shareholders should not draw conclusions about a fund’s investment performance based on current distributions alone.

Historical corporate actions

Historically, Pioneer Floating Rate Trust, which is described as a closed-end investment company traded on the NYSE under the symbol PHD, has undertaken corporate actions such as an issuer tender offer for up to 50% of its outstanding common shares. Public announcements describe the tender offer, its expiration, and the final results, including that the fund accepted a specific number of duly tendered and not withdrawn shares representing approximately half of the fund’s outstanding shares, repurchased at a price equal to a stated percentage of net asset value per share as of a specified date.

These historical communications also restate the fund’s objectives as seeking a high level of current income, with capital preservation as a secondary objective to the extent consistent with its primary objective. They identify the fund as a closed-end investment company traded on the NYSE under the symbol PHD.

Regulatory and sponsor context

Public releases relating to PHD reference Victory Capital Services, Inc. (VCS) in connection with certain fund communications, and also reference Amundi Pioneer Asset Management in earlier materials describing Pioneer Floating Rate Trust. These materials describe Amundi Pioneer as the U.S. business of Amundi and provide general information about its role as an investment adviser. They also reference that certain tender offer materials would be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as part of a tender offer statement on Schedule TO, and that documents related to such offers would be available on the SEC’s website.

Overall, PHD’s disclosures present it as a closed-end investment company in the financial services and asset management space, with a stated objective focused on current income and a secondary focus on capital preservation, and with a later transition toward liquidation, dissolution, and removal from listing on the New York Stock Exchange pursuant to a formal plan and a Form 25 filing.