Franklin Premier Income Trust (PPT) reports that Sit Investment Associates, Inc. and Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC are transitioning back to Schedule 13G reporting after stating that, as of September 29, 2026, they no longer hold the securities for a purpose or effect of changing or influencing control of the trust or in connection with a transaction having that purpose or effect.
The advisers report shared voting and dispositive power over 29,575,920 common shares, equal to 30.9% of the class. They state that all reported securities are owned by client accounts and disclaim beneficial ownership. The reported ownership percentage is based on 95,567,537 common shares outstanding as of July 31, 2026.
Franklin Premier Income Trust (PPT) reported a 4.36% NAV total return for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, compared with a 1.03% return based on market price; the ICE BofA U.S. Treasury Bill Index returned 3.94%. Net assets were $348.972 million at year-end. The Fund seeks high current income consistent with preserving capital through U.S. government, high-yield and international fixed-income investments, with significant exposure to residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities.
High-yield corporate credit, agency collateralized mortgage obligations, commercial mortgage-backed securities and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities were leading contributors; yield-curve exposures were the leading detractor, and agency mortgage-backed securities also detracted. Management described a relatively low risk posture and a preference for shorter spread-duration assets. Monthly distributions totaled $0.312 per share, including $0.159 of net investment income and $0.153 of return of capital. Return-of-capital distributions decrease total assets and total assets per share and could increase the expense ratio; the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at a less than opportune time to make distributions. The trust was renamed from Putnam Premier Income Trust effective July 15, 2026.
Sit Investment Associates, Inc. and Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC filed Amendment No. 13 to a Schedule 13D regarding Franklin Premier Income Trust common stock. They report beneficial ownership of 28,756,835 Shares, representing 30.1 % of the fund’s outstanding common stock, based on 95,567,537 Shares outstanding as of January 31, 2026.
Each Sit entity has shared voting and dispositive power over all reported Shares and no sole power. The Shares are held in client accounts of SIA and SFI; those clients are entitled to dividends and sale proceeds, while no individual client holds more than 5 % of outstanding Shares and no SIA or SFI director or executive officer holds Shares directly. The reported event date is July 27, 2026, with recent client-account transactions summarized in an attached exhibit.
Putnam closed-end funds filed an amendment to the proxy statement clarifying proxy cards for the 2026 annual meetings. Shareholders are asked to fix the number of Trustees at 8 and to elect eight Trustee nominees, with the Board unanimously recommending FOR both proposals. The meetings are scheduled for April 17, 2026 in New York; the record date for voting is February 6, 2026. Proxy materials are available online and shareholders may vote by internet, telephone, mail, or in person. The filing discloses each nominee’s background, Trustee compensation for 2025, audit fees by PwC, net assets by fund as of December 31, 2025, shares outstanding as of February 6, 2026, and large-shareholder tables showing CEDE & Company as the principal record holder for each fund.
Sit Investment Associates, Inc. and Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC filed Amendment No. 12 to a Schedule 13D disclosing their beneficial ownership in Putnam Premier Income Trust common stock.
The Sit entities report beneficial ownership of 27,790,046 shares, representing 29.1% of the outstanding common shares. This percentage is based on 95,567,537 shares outstanding as of July 31, 2025, as reported by the fund. The shares are held in client accounts for which the Sit entities have shared voting and investment power.
The filing notes that clients of the Sit entities are entitled to dividends and sale proceeds from the shares held for their accounts, and that the directors and executive officers of the Sit entities do not directly own these shares.
Sit Investment Associates, Inc. and Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC report beneficial ownership of 26,818,489 shares of Putnam Premier Income Trust common stock, representing 28.0% of 95,567,537 shares outstanding as stated in the filing. The shares are held in client accounts and the Sit entities report shared voting and shared dispositive power over those shares; neither SIA's nor SFI's directors or executive officers directly own shares. The filing is an amendment to a prior Schedule 13D and notes that a schedule of transactions in the last 60 days is provided as an exhibit.