Item 1. Report to Stockholders.
Tortoise 2011 Annual
Report |
In todays environment some investments
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2011 Annual Report | 3 |
Company at a glance
Tortoise believes Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (NYSE: TTP) is the first closed-end fund that focuses particularly on the broader $400 billion+ North American pipeline universe.
Investment strategy
TTP seeks to provide stockholders with a high level of total return, with an emphasis on current distributions. Our fund focuses particularly on North American pipeline companies that transport natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and refined products, and to a lesser extent, on other energy infrastructure companies.
Because of our traditional tax flow-through nature as a regulated investment company (RIC), we have the differentiated ability and flexibility to efficiently target and access traditional pipeline corporations alongside master limited partnerships (MLPs). Over 75 percent of our portfolio will generally be in companies structured as corporations or limited liability companies domiciled in the United States, Canada or United Kingdom with the remaining up to 25 percent in MLPs. We believe the broader North American pipeline universe offers strong business fundamentals and expanded growth opportunities.
We also intend to write (sell) covered call options to seek to enhance long-term return potential across economic environments, increase current income and mitigate portfolio risk through option income. Our covered call strategy will focus on other energy infrastructure companies that we believe are integral links in the value chain for pipeline companies.
TTP seeks to provide:
Attractive total return potential with high current income in a defensive sector
Access to real, long-lived pipeline assets essential to the functioning of the US economy
Exposure to expanded energy infrastructure growth projects that connect new areas of supply with demand
Ability to efficiently invest across North American pipeline universe through traditional tax flow-through fund structure
Investor simplicity through one 1099, no K-1s, no unrelated business taxable income, IRA suitability
Expertise of Tortoise Capital Advisors, a leading and pioneering energy infrastructure investment firm
Fund information at Dec. 31, 2011 (unaudited)
Top 10 holdings | |||||||||
Percent of | |||||||||
Market value | investment | ||||||||
Name | (in millions) | securities | |||||||
1. | Williams Companies, Inc. | $ | 30.7 | 9.2% | |||||
2. | Spectra Energy Corp. | 25.2 | 7.5% | ||||||
3. | ONEOK, Inc. | 17.2 | 5.1% | ||||||
4. | Kinder Morgan Mgmt, LLC | 17.1 | 5.1% | ||||||
5. | NiSource, Inc. | 17.1 | 5.1% | ||||||
6. | TransCanada Corp. | 16.9 | 5.0% | ||||||
7. | CenterPoint Energy, Inc. | 14.6 | 4.4% | ||||||
8. | Enbridge Energy Mgmt, LLC | 11.5 | 3.4% | ||||||
9. | Enbridge, Inc. | 9.4 | 2.8% | ||||||
10. | Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. | 8.2 | 2.5% | ||||||
Total | $ | 167.9 | 50.1% |
Portfolio statistics by ownership structure
Portfolio statistics by asset type
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
4 | 2011 Annual Report |
January 12, 2012
Dear fellow shareholder,
We are pleased to introduce Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund (NYSE: TTP), which we believe to be the first closed-end fund that particularly focuses on the large and diverse $400 billion North American pipeline universe. As a flow-through regulated investment company, TTP has the differentiated ability and flexibility to efficiently access traditional pipeline corporations along with master limited partnerships.
The North American energy landscape is undergoing what we view to be a game-changing transformation, being validated by significant investments by some of the worlds largest energy companies. Technology improvements are driving this new chapter in our nations energy supply as abundant domestic oil and natural gas supply is now economically recoverable. Pipelines that connect new energy supply with growing demand are critical to this increased production. From 2011 2014 alone, we expect more than $65 billion will be invested in building out North American pipeline infrastructure. These are not build it and they will come type endeavors, but are generally identified and committed projects, with long-term contracts in place.
Fund highlights
We are pleased to report that we fully invested the capital received in our initial public offering in less than two months following the initial launch, meeting our target of investing 80 percent of the portfolio in North American pipeline companies that transport natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and refined products, with the remainder in other energy infrastructure companies. We recently declared our first quarterly distribution of $0.40625 per share, to be paid on March 1, 2012 to stockholders of record on Feb. 22, 2012. This full run-rate distribution achieves the funds target of a 6.5 percent annualized yield on its $25 public offering price.
Following the 2011 fiscal year end, TTP finalized the funding of its leverage, which includes privately placed senior unsecured notes and mandatory redeemable preferred shares. Including its credit facility, TTPs initial leverage is in line with its initial target of approximately 25 percent of total assets, with the majority at fixed rates. We continue to believe a primarily fixed-rate strategy with laddered maturities enhances the predictability and sustainability of our distributions across interest rate environments.
Additional information about our financial performance is available in the Managements Discussion of this report.
Conclusion
TTP provides investors access to the sizeable pipeline network of one of the worlds largest consumers of energy, simplified tax reporting through a Form 1099 and no unrelated business taxable income, making it suitable for retirement and other tax-exempt accounts. You have many choices for your investments and we appreciate your confidence and trust.
Sincerely,
The Managing Directors
Tortoise
Capital Advisors, L.L.C.
The adviser
to Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc.
Table of contents | |||
Managements Discussion | 5 | ||
Financial Statements | 8 | ||
Notes to Financial Statements | 15 | ||
Report of Independent Registered | |||
Public Accounting Firm | 21 | ||
Company Officers and Directors | 22 | ||
Additional Information | 24 | ||
Contacts | 26 |
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 5 |
Managements Discussion (unaudited)
The information contained in this section should be read in conjunction with our Financial Statements and the Notes thereto. In addition, this report contains certain forward-looking statements. These statements include the plans and objectives of management for future operations and financial objectives and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as may, will, expect, intend, anticipate, estimate, or continue or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Certain factors that could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements are set forth in the Risk Factors section of our public filings with the SEC.
Introduction
We include the Managements Discussion section in each quarterly report to provide you transparency and insight into the results of operations, including comparative information to prior periods and trends. Beginning in our report dated February 29, 2012, and quarterly thereafter, we will include a Key Financial Data page which provides quarterly and annual detail of our distributable cash flow (DCF) and other important metrics, including leverage and selected operating ratios. We hope that you find this discussion and financial data a useful supplement to the GAAP financial information included in this report. As this annual report is only for the initial stub period from the IPO through November 30, 2011, the financial results to discuss are limited. Our fiscal quarter report as of February 29, 2012, will include a complete discussion for the quarter ended February 29, 2012.
Overview
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (TTP) completed its initial public offering and commenced operations on October 31, 2011. TTP issued 10,000,000 shares at $25.00 per share for net proceeds after issuance costs of approximately $238 million. TTPs primary investment objective is to provide a high level of total return, with an emphasis on current distributions. We seek to provide stockholders an efficient vehicle to invest in a portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities of pipeline and other energy infrastructure companies. We intend to focus primarily on pipeline companies that engage in the business of transporting natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), crude oil and refined petroleum products, and, to a lesser extent, on other energy infrastructure companies. Energy infrastructure companies own and operate a network of asset systems that transport, store, distribute, gather, process, explore, develop, manage or produce crude oil, refined petroleum products (including biodiesel and ethanol), natural gas or NGLs or that provide electrical power generation (including renewable energy), transmission and/or distribution. We also seek to provide current income from gains earned through an option strategy which consists of writing (selling) covered call options on selected equity securities in our portfolio.
TTP is a registered non-diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), and expects to qualify as a regulated investment company (RIC) under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. (the Adviser) serves as investment adviser.
Company update
The initial IPO proceeds, and proceeds from leverage, were fully invested as of mid-December. The portfolio holdings and weightings are consistent with our target portfolio of at least 80 percent of our total assets invested in equity securities of pipelines and other energy infrastructure companies. Information on our $25 million credit facility and our senior notes and mandatorily redeemable preferred shares is included in the Liquidity and Capital Resources discussion below.
Critical accounting policies
The financial statements are based on the selection and application of critical accounting policies, which require management to make significant estimates and assumptions. Critical accounting policies are those that are both important to the presentation of our financial condition and results of operations and require managements most difficult, complex, or subjective judgments. Our critical accounting policies are those applicable to the valuation of investments and certain revenue recognition matters as discussed in Note 2 in the Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
6 | 2011 Annual Report |
Managements
Discussion (unaudited)
(continued)
Determining distributions to stockholders
Our portfolio generates cash flow from which we pay distributions to stockholders. Our Board of Directors considers our current and estimated future DCF in determining distributions to stockholders. Our Board of Directors reviews the distribution rate quarterly, and may adjust the quarterly distribution throughout the year. Our goal is to declare what we believe to be sustainable quarterly distributions with increases safely covered by earned DCF. In addition, on an annual basis, we may distribute additional capital gains if necessary to meet minimum distribution requirements and thus avoid being subject to excise taxes.
Determining DCF
DCF is simply income from investments less expenses. Income from investments includes the amount we receive as cash or paid-in-kind distributions from common stock, MLPs or affiliates of MLPs in which we invest and interest payments on short-term debt securities we own. Income also includes the net premium received from the sales of covered calls. The total expenses include current or anticipated operating expenses and leverage costs. In the future, each will be summarized for you in the Key Financial Data table and discussed in more detail below.
Income from investments
We seek to achieve our investment objectives by investing in a portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities of pipeline and other energy infrastructure companies. We evaluate each holding based upon its contribution to our investment income and its risk relative to other potential investments.
We focus primarily on pipeline companies that engage in the business of transporting natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and refined products through pipelines, and, to a lesser extent, on other energy infrastructure companies. These pipeline companies own and operate long haul, gathering and local gas distribution pipelines.
We also seek to provide current income from gains earned through an option strategy. We write (sell) covered call options on selected equity securities in our portfolio. We focus our covered call strategy on other energy infrastructure companies that we believe are integral links in the energy infrastructure value chain for pipeline companies.
In future reports, we will report on income from investments as a percent of average total assets for the quarter as compared to the prior quarter and the prior year.
Expenses
We incur two types of expenses: (1) operating expenses, consisting primarily of the advisory fee; and (2) leverage costs. In future reports, we will report on operating expenses and leverage costs for the quarter as compared to the prior quarter and the prior year.
While the contractual advisory fee is 1.10 percent of average monthly managed assets, the Adviser has agreed to waive an amount equal to 0.25 percent of average monthly managed assets for year 1, 0.20 percent of average monthly managed assets for year 2 and 0.15 percent of average monthly managed assets for year 3 following the closing of the initial public offering.
Distributable cash flow
As outlined above, DCF is simply income from investments less expenses. In future reports, this section will report our DCF for the quarter as compared to the prior quarter and the prior year.
On November 30, 2011, we declared a distribution of $0.40625 per share to be paid on March 1, 2012. This distribution achieves our target of a 6.5 percent annualized yield on the $25 public offering price.
Liquidity and capital resources
TTP had total assets of $309 million at year-end. Our total assets reflect the value of our investments, which are itemized in the Schedule of Investments. It also reflects cash, interest and receivables and any expenses that may have been prepaid. Subsequent to quarter-end, we completed the investment of our IPO proceeds and completed a private placement of our leverage.
On November 9, 2011, we entered into a $25 million, 364-day unsecured credit facility. Under the terms of the credit facility, The Bank of Nova Scotia serves as a lender and the lending syndicate agent on behalf of other lenders participating in the credit facility. The credit facility has a variable annual interest rate equal to the one-month LIBOR plus 1.25 percent and a non-use fee equal to an annual rate of 0.20 percent of the difference between the total credit facility commitment and the average outstanding balance at the end of each day.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 7 |
Managements
Discussion (unaudited)
(continued)
On November 15, 2011, we received initial funding of $24.5 million of a $49 million private placement of notes and $8 million of a $16 million private placement of mandatorily redeemable preferred stock. The funding of the remaining $24.5 million of notes and $8 million of preferred stock occurred on December 8, 2011. Details of our notes and preferred stock are outlined in the tables below.
Senior Notes
Series | Amount | Rate | Due Date | ||||
Series A | $ | 10,000,000 | Floating rate | December 15, 2016 | |||
Series B | 17,000,000 | 2.50% | December 15, 2014 | ||||
Series C | 6,000,000 | 3.49% | December 15, 2018 | ||||
Series D | 16,000,000 | 4.08% | December 15, 2021 | ||||
$ | 49,000,000 |
Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock
Series | Amount | Rate | Due Date | ||||
Series A | $ | 16,000,000 | 4.29% | December 15, 2018 |
The blended rate on the fixed rate portion of our notes and preferred stock is 3.59 percent with a weighted average maturity of 6.6 years. The current blended rate including our floating rate note and anticipated usage of our credit facility is 3.06 percent. Weve fixed the rate on approximately 70 percent of our leverage, reducing our exposure to rising interest rates in the future.
We use leverage to acquire investments consistent with our investment philosophy. The terms of our leverage are governed by regulatory and contractual asset coverage requirements that arise from the use of leverage. Our coverage ratios are updated each week on our Web site at www.tortoiseadvisors.com.
Taxation of our distributions
We expect that distributions paid on common shares will generally consist of: (i) investment company taxable income which includes dividends (that under current law are eligible for a reduced tax rate, which we refer to as qualified dividend income), the excess of any short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses and interest income; (ii) long-term capital gain (net gain from the sale of a capital asset held longer than 12 months over net short-term capital losses) and (iii) return of capital.
We may designate a portion of our quarterly distributions as capital gains and we may also distribute additional capital gains in the last fiscal quarter if necessary to meet minimum distribution requirements and to avoid being subject to excise taxes. If, however, we elect to retain any capital gains, we will be subject to U.S. capital gains taxes. The payment of those taxes will flow-through to stockholders as a tax credit to apply against their U.S. income tax payable on the deemed distribution of the retained capital gain.
Detailed individual tax information for each fiscal year will be reported to stockholders on Form 1099 after year-end.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
8 | 2011 Annual Report |
Schedule of
Investments
November 30, 2011
Shares | Fair Value | |||
Common Stock 69.2%(1) | ||||
Crude/Refined Products Pipelines 5.1%(1) | ||||
Canada 3.4%(1) | ||||
Enbridge Inc. | 151,450 | $ | 5,341,641 | |
Pembina Pipeline Corporation | 103,700 | 3,024,732 | ||
United States 1.7%(1) | ||||
Kinder Morgan, Inc. | 141,050 | 4,160,975 | ||
12,527,348 | ||||
Local Distribution Pipelines 7.6%(1) | ||||
United States 7.6%(1) | ||||
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. | 443,000 | 8,815,700 | ||
NiSource Inc. | 423,214 | 9,695,833 | ||
18,511,533 | ||||
Marine Transportation 2.4%(1) | ||||
Republic of the Marshall Islands 2.4%(1) | ||||
Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. | 68,100 | 1,899,309 | ||
Teekay Offshore Partners L.P.(2) | 155,230 | 3,944,394 | ||
5,843,703 | ||||
Natural Gas Gathering Pipelines 1.6%(1) | ||||
United States 1.6%(1) | ||||
Targa Resources Corp. | 111,105 | 3,840,900 | ||
Natural Gas Pipelines 25.9%(1) | ||||
Canada 4.1%(1) | ||||
Keyera Corp. | 12,050 | 543,458 | ||
TransCanada Corporation | 228,351 | 9,545,072 | ||
United States 21.8%(1) | ||||
EQT Corporation | 9,100 | 564,291 | ||
National Fuel Gas Company | 9,600 | 556,320 | ||
ONEOK, Inc. | 123,400 | 10,261,944 | ||
Questar Corporation | 210,550 | 4,063,615 | ||
Spectra Energy Corp. | 499,506 | 14,695,466 | ||
Williams Companies, Inc. | 717,200 | 23,151,216 | ||
63,381,382 | ||||
Oil and Gas Production 26.6%(1)(3) | ||||
Canada 3.1%(1) | ||||
Canadian Natural Resources Limited | 88,500 | 3,304,590 | ||
Encana Corporation | 153,000 | 3,067,650 | ||
Talisman Energy Inc. | 79,300 | 1,078,480 | ||
United Kingdom 1.3%(1) | ||||
BP PLC (ADR) | 73,200 | 3,187,860 | ||
United States 22.2%(1) | ||||
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation | 39,800 | 3,234,546 | ||
Apache Corporation | 31,900 | 3,172,136 | ||
Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation | 23,400 | 2,073,006 | ||
Chesapeake Energy Corporation | 117,000 | 2,964,780 | ||
Chevron Corporation | 30,200 | 3,105,164 | ||
ConocoPhillips | 45,300 | 3,230,796 | ||
Continental Resources, Inc.(4) | 50,300 | 3,550,677 | ||
Devon Energy Corporation | 48,500 | 3,174,810 | ||
EOG Resources, Inc. | 33,100 | 3,433,794 | ||
Exxon Mobil Corporation | 40,700 | 3,273,908 | ||
Hess Corporation | 51,300 | 3,089,286 | ||
Newfield Exploration Company(4) | 77,300 | 3,540,340 | ||
Noble Energy, Inc. | 35,500 | 3,492,845 | ||
Occidental Petroleum Corporation | 33,400 | 3,303,260 | ||
Pioneer Natural Resources Company | 36,000 | 3,403,440 | ||
Range Resources Corporation | 45,500 | 3,262,805 | ||
Southwestern Energy Company(4) | 76,500 | 2,910,825 | ||
64,854,998 | ||||
Total Common Stock | ||||
(Cost $163,763,674) | 168,959,864 | |||
Master Limited Partnerships and | ||||
Related Companies 22.7%(1) | ||||
Crude/Refined Products Pipelines 11.3%(1) | ||||
United States 11.3%(1) | ||||
Buckeye Partners, L.P. | 50,300 | 3,209,140 | ||
Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C.(5) | 149,349 | 4,758,259 | ||
Holly Energy Partners, L.P. | 29,258 | 1,630,256 | ||
Kinder Morgan Management, LLC(5) | 125,933 | 8,912,278 | ||
Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | 57,400 | 3,672,452 | ||
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. | 57,075 | 3,701,885 | ||
Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. | 18,230 | 1,882,430 | ||
27,766,700 |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 9 |
Schedule of
Investments (continued)
November 30, 2011
Shares | Fair Value | ||||
Natural Gas/Natural Gas Liquids Pipelines 9.1%(1) | |||||
United States 9.1%(1) | |||||
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. | 107,050 | $ | 4,684,508 | ||
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. | 98,893 | 4,498,643 | |||
ONEOK Partners, L.P. | 76,500 | 3,867,840 | |||
Regency Energy Partners LP | 155,749 | 3,583,784 | |||
TC PipeLines, LP | 37,600 | 1,789,008 | |||
Williams Partners L.P. | 65,810 | 3,820,929 | |||
22,244,712 | |||||
Natural Gas Gathering/Processing 2.3%(1) | |||||
United States 2.3%(1) | |||||
Chesapeake Midstream Partners, L.P. | 34,300 | 899,003 | |||
Copano Energy, L.L.C. | 28,015 | 927,297 | |||
DCP Midstream Partners, LP | 21,450 | 920,419 | |||
MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. | 18,450 | 989,658 | |||
Targa Resources Partners LP | 24,950 | 936,373 | |||
Western Gas Partners LP | 24,500 | 923,160 | |||
5,595,910 | |||||
Total Master Limited Partnerships | |||||
and Related Companies (Cost $54,683,322) | 55,607,322 | ||||
Short-Term Investments 34.3%(1) | |||||
United States Investment Companies 34.3%(1) | |||||
Fidelity Institutional Money Market | |||||
Portfolio Class I, 0.18%(6) | 41,442,619 | 41,442,619 | |||
Fidelity Institutional Prime Money | |||||
Market Portfolio Class I, 0.12%(6) | 40,883 | 40,883 | |||
Invesco Liquid Assets | |||||
Institutional Portfolio | |||||
Institutional Class, 0.16%(6) | 42,332,816 | 42,332,816 | |||
Total Short-Term Investments | |||||
(Cost $83,816,318) | 83,816,318 | ||||
Total Investments 126.2%(1) | |||||
(Cost $302,263,314) | 308,383,504 | ||||
Long-Term Debt Obligations (10.0%)(1) | (24,500,000 | ) | |||
Mandatory Redeemable Preferred | |||||
Stock at Liquidation Value (3.3%)(1) | (8,000,000 | ) | |||
Total Value of Options Written | |||||
(Premiums received $741,641) (0.3%)(1) | (830,786 | ) | |||
Other Assets and Liabilities (12.6%)(1) | (30,788,482 | ) | |||
Total Net Assets Applicable | |||||
to Common Stockholders 100.0%(1) | $ | 244,264,236 |
(1) | Calculated as a percentage of net assets applicable to common stockholders. |
(2) | Restricted securities have been fair valued in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Directors and have a total fair value of $3,944,394, which represents 1.6% of net assets. See Note 8 to the financial statements for further disclosure. |
(3) | All or a portion of the security represents cover for outstanding call option contracts written. |
(4) | Non-income producing security. |
(5) | Security distributions are paid-in-kind. |
(6) | Rate indicated is the current yield as of November 30, 2011. |
Key to Abbreviation
ADR = American
Depository Receipts
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
10 | 2011 Annual Report |
Schedule of Options
Written
November 30, 2011
Expiration | Expiration | Fair | |||||||||
Call Options Written | Date | Price | Contracts | Value | |||||||
Anadarko Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | $ | 82.50 | 74 | $ | (16,280 | ) | ||||
Anadarko Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 85.00 | 73 | (8,395 | ) | ||||||
Anadarko Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 87.50 | 62 | (3,100 | ) | ||||||
Anadarko Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 90.00 | 133 | (3,591 | ) | ||||||
Anadarko Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 95.00 | 56 | (280 | ) | ||||||
Apache Corporation | Dec-11 | 105.00 | 319 | (39,875 | ) | ||||||
BP PLC (ADR) | Dec-11 | 47.00 | 548 | (3,836 | ) | ||||||
BP PLC (ADR) | Dec-11 | 48.00 | 184 | (552 | ) | ||||||
Cabot Oil & Gas | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 87.50 | 96 | (40,032 | ) | ||||||
Cabot Oil & Gas | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 90.00 | 96 | (28,800 | ) | ||||||
Cabot Oil & Gas | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 92.50 | 42 | (7,770 | ) | ||||||
Canadian Natural | |||||||||||
Resources Limited | Dec-11 | 38.00 | 40 | (3,800 | ) | ||||||
Canadian Natural | |||||||||||
Resources Limited | Dec-11 | 39.00 | 379 | (17,055 | ) | ||||||
Canadian Natural | |||||||||||
Resources Limited | Dec-11 | 41.00 | 213 | (3,195 | ) | ||||||
Canadian Natural | |||||||||||
Resources Limited | Dec-11 | 42.00 | 253 | (2,530 | ) | ||||||
Chesapeake Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 26.00 | 385 | (26,565 | ) | ||||||
Chesapeake Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 27.00 | 418 | (15,884 | ) | ||||||
Chesapeake Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 28.00 | 31 | (620 | ) | ||||||
Chesapeake Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 29.00 | 336 | (3,696 | ) | ||||||
Chevron Corporation | Dec-11 | 110.00 | 52 | (1,352 | ) | ||||||
Chevron Corporation | Dec-11 | 115.00 | 250 | (1,250 | ) | ||||||
ConocoPhillips | Dec-11 | 72.50 | 243 | (23,814 | ) | ||||||
ConocoPhillips | Dec-11 | 75.00 | 7 | (182 | ) | ||||||
ConocoPhillips | Dec-11 | 77.50 | 203 | (203 | ) | ||||||
Continental | |||||||||||
Resources, Inc. | Dec-11 | 70.00 | 141 | (40,185 | ) | ||||||
Continental | |||||||||||
Resources, Inc. | Dec-11 | 75.00 | 362 | (32,580 | ) | ||||||
Devon Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 67.50 | 89 | (9,968 | ) | ||||||
Devon Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 70.00 | 89 | (3,649 | ) | ||||||
Devon Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 75.00 | 98 | (784 | ) | ||||||
Devon Energy | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 80.00 | 209 | (209 | ) | ||||||
Encana Corporation | Dec-11 | 20.00 | 674 | (43,810 | ) | ||||||
Encana Corporation | Dec-11 | 22.00 | 236 | (2,360 | ) | ||||||
Encana Corporation | Dec-11 | 23.00 | 256 | (1,280 | ) | ||||||
Encana Corporation | Dec-11 | 24.00 | 364 | (3,640 | ) | ||||||
EOG Resources, Inc. | Dec-11 | 105.00 | 158 | (54,194 | ) | ||||||
EOG Resources, Inc. | Dec-11 | 110.00 | 5 | (700 | ) | ||||||
EOG Resources, Inc. | Dec-11 | 115.00 | 168 | (8,400 | ) | ||||||
Exxon Mobil | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 82.50 | 109 | (6,540 | ) | ||||||
Exxon Mobil | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 85.00 | 298 | (4,470 | ) | ||||||
Hess Corporation | Dec-11 | 65.00 | 132 | (7,128 | ) | ||||||
Hess Corporation | Dec-11 | 67.50 | 4 | (96 | ) | ||||||
Hess Corporation | Dec-11 | 70.00 | 367 | (3,670 | ) | ||||||
Hess Corporation | Dec-11 | 75.00 | 10 | (50 | ) | ||||||
Newfield Exploration | |||||||||||
Company | Dec-11 | 45.00 | 550 | (110,000 | ) | ||||||
Newfield Exploration | |||||||||||
Company | Dec-11 | 50.00 | 223 | (11,150 | ) | ||||||
Noble Energy, Inc. | Dec-11 | 97.50 | 98 | (34,300 | ) | ||||||
Noble Energy, Inc. | Dec-11 | 100.00 | 170 | (36,550 | ) | ||||||
Noble Energy, Inc. | Dec-11 | 105.00 | 87 | (6,960 | ) | ||||||
Occidental Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 100.00 | 40 | (8,880 | ) | ||||||
Occidental Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 105.00 | 132 | (8,976 | ) | ||||||
Occidental Petroleum | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 110.00 | 162 | (1,782 | ) | ||||||
Pioneer Natural | |||||||||||
Resources Company | Dec-11 | 95.00 | 72 | (20,880 | ) | ||||||
Pioneer Natural | |||||||||||
Resources Company | Dec-11 | 100.00 | 235 | (28,200 | ) | ||||||
Pioneer Natural | |||||||||||
Resources Company | Dec-11 | 105.00 | 53 | (1,590 | ) | ||||||
Range Resources | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 75.00 | 249 | (46,065 | ) | ||||||
Range Resources | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 77.50 | 79 | (10,270 | ) | ||||||
Range Resources | |||||||||||
Corporation | Dec-11 | 80.00 | 127 | (9,525 | ) | ||||||
Southwestern Energy | |||||||||||
Company | Dec-11 | 41.00 | 206 | (7,828 | ) | ||||||
Southwestern Energy | |||||||||||
Company | Dec-11 | 42.00 | 398 | (6,368 | ) | ||||||
Southwestern Energy | |||||||||||
Company | Dec-11 | 46.00 | 161 | (1,127 | ) | ||||||
Talisman Energy Inc. | Dec-11 | 15.00 | 250 | (1,250 | ) | ||||||
Talisman Energy Inc. | Dec-11 | 16.00 | 543 | (2,715 | ) | ||||||
Total Value of Call Options Written | |||||||||||
(Premiums received $741,641) | $ | (830,786 | ) |
Key to
Abbreviation
ADR = American Depository
Receipts
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 11 |
Statement of Assets
& Liabilities
November 30, 2011
Assets | ||||
Investments at fair value (cost $302,263,314) | $ | 308,383,504 | ||
Receivable for Adviser expense reimbursement | 53,757 | |||
Interest and dividend receivable | 172,956 | |||
Receivable for call options written | 17,200 | |||
Prepaid expenses and other assets | 704,899 | |||
Total assets | 309,332,316 | |||
Liabilities | ||||
Options written, at fair value | ||||
(premiums received $741,641) | 830,786 | |||
Payable to Adviser | 236,532 | |||
Payable for investments purchased | 30,744,115 | |||
Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 756,647 | |||
Long-term debt obligations | 24,500,000 | |||
Mandatory redeemable preferred stock | ||||
($25.00 liquidation value per share; | ||||
320,000 shares outstanding) | 8,000,000 | |||
Total liabilities | 65,068,080 | |||
Net assets applicable to | ||||
common stockholders | $ | 244,264,236 | ||
Net Assets Applicable to Common Stockholders | ||||
Consist of: | ||||
Capital stock, $0.001 par value; | ||||
10,004,200 shares issued and outstanding | ||||
(100,000,000 shares authorized) | $ | 10,004 | ||
Additional paid-in capital | 238,338,813 | |||
Accumulated net investment loss | (11,589 | ) | ||
Accumulated net realized loss | (104,259 | ) | ||
Net unrealized appreciation of investments | 6,031,267 | |||
Net assets applicable to | ||||
common stockholders | $ | 244,264,236 | ||
Net Asset Value per common share outstanding | ||||
(net assets applicable to common stock, | ||||
divided by common shares outstanding) | $ | 24.42 |
Statement of
Operations
Period from Oct. 31, 2011(1) through Nov. 30,
2011
Investment Income | ||||
Distributions from master limited partnerships | $ | 60,962 | ||
Less return of capital on distributions | (57,298 | ) | ||
Net distributions from master | ||||
limited partnerships | 3,664 | |||
Dividends from common stock | ||||
(net of foreign taxes withheld of $3,535) | 164,630 | |||
Dividends from money market mutual funds | 17,148 | |||
Total Investment Income | 185,442 | |||
Operating Expenses | ||||
Advisory fees | 236,532 | |||
Professional fees | 49,500 | |||
Franchise fees | 20,000 | |||
Stockholder communication expenses | 19,399 | |||
Administrator fees | 8,601 | |||
Custodian fees and expenses | 4,860 | |||
Fund accounting fees | 4,028 | |||
Registration fees | 3,102 | |||
Stock transfer agent fees | 950 | |||
Other operating expenses | 2,571 | |||
Total Operating Expenses | 349,543 | |||
Leverage Expenses | ||||
Interest expense | 36,555 | |||
Distributions to mandatory redeemable | ||||
preferred stockholders | 15,253 | |||
Amortization of debt issuance costs | 4,818 | |||
Other leverage expenses | 5,072 | |||
Total Leverage Expenses | 61,698 | |||
Total Expenses | 411,241 | |||
Less expense reimbursement by Adviser | (53,757 | ) | ||
Net Expenses | 357,484 | |||
Net Investment Loss | (172,042 | ) | ||
Realized and Unrealized Gains | ||||
Net realized loss on investments | (188,877 | ) | ||
Net realized gain on options | 243,613 | |||
Net realized gains | 54,736 | |||
Net unrealized appreciation of investments, | ||||
including foreign currency gain (loss) | 6,120,190 | |||
Net unrealized depreciation of options | (89,145 | ) | ||
Net unrealized appreciation of other | ||||
assets and liabilities due to | ||||
foreign currency translation | 222 | |||
Net unrealized appreciation | 6,031,267 | |||
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains | 6,086,003 | |||
Net Increase in Net Assets Applicable | ||||
to Common Stockholders Resulting | ||||
from Operations | $ | 5,913,961 |
(1) | Commencement of Operations. |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
12 | 2011 Annual Report |
Statement of
Changes in Net Assets
Period from Oct. 31, 2011(1) through Nov. 30,
2011
Operations | ||||
Net investment loss | $ | (172,042 | ) | |
Net realized gains | 54,736 | |||
Net unrealized appreciation | 6,031,267 | |||
Net increase in net assets applicable to common stockholders resulting from operations | 5,913,961 | |||
Capital Stock Transactions | ||||
Proceeds from initial public offering of 10,000,000 common shares | 250,000,000 | |||
Underwriting discounts and offering expenses associated with the issuance of common stock | (11,750,000 | ) | ||
Net increase in net assets applicable to common stockholders from capital stock transactions | 238,250,000 | |||
Total increase in net assets applicable to common stockholders | 244,163,961 | |||
Net Assets | ||||
Beginning of period | 100,275 | |||
End of period | $ | 244,264,236 | ||
Accumulated net investment loss, end of period | $ | (11,589 | ) |
(1) | Commencement of Operations. |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 13 |
Statement of
Cash Flows
Period from Oct. 31, 2011(1) through Nov. 30,
2011
Cash Flows From Operating Activities | ||||
Distributions received from master limited partnerships | $ | 60,962 | ||
Interest and dividend income received | 12,619 | |||
Purchases of long-term investments | (189,842,906 | ) | ||
Proceeds from sales of long-term investments | 1,889,522 | |||
Purchases of short-term investments, net | (83,816,318 | ) | ||
Proceeds received from call options written, net | 972,382 | |||
Other leverage expenses paid | (72,167 | ) | ||
Operating expenses paid | (25,657 | ) | ||
Net cash used in operating activities | (270,821,563 | ) | ||
Cash Flows From Financing Activities | ||||
Issuance of common stock | 250,000,000 | |||
Common stock issuance costs | (11,251,760 | ) | ||
Issuance of long-term debt obligations | 24,500,000 | |||
Issuance of mandatory redeemable preferred stock | 8,000,000 | |||
Debt issuance costs | (526,952 | ) | ||
Net cash provided by financing activities | 270,721,288 | |||
Net change in cash | (100,275 | ) | ||
Cash beginning of period | 100,275 | |||
Cash end of period | $ | | ||
Reconciliation of net increase in net assets applicable to common stockholders | ||||
resulting from operations to net cash used in operating activities | ||||
Net increase in net assets applicable to common stockholders resulting from operations | $ | 5,913,961 | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net increase in net assets applicable to common stockholders | ||||
resulting from operations to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||
Purchases of long-term investments | (220,587,021 | ) | ||
Proceeds from sales of long-term investments | 1,889,522 | |||
Purchases of short-term investments, net | (83,816,318 | ) | ||
Proceeds received from call options written, net | 989,582 | |||
Return of capital on distributions received | 57,298 | |||
Net unrealized appreciation | (6,031,267 | ) | ||
Net realized gains | (54,736 | ) | ||
Amortization of debt issuance costs | 4,818 | |||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||
Increase in interest and dividend receivable | (172,734 | ) | ||
Increase in prepaid expenses and other assets | (94,938 | ) | ||
Increase in receivable for call options written | (17,200 | ) | ||
Increase in payable for investments purchased | 30,744,115 | |||
Increase in payable to Adviser, net of expense reimbursement | 182,775 | |||
Increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities | 170,580 | |||
Total adjustments | (276,735,524 | ) | ||
Net cash used in operating activities | $ | (270,821,563 | ) |
(1) | Commencement of Operations. |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
14 | 2011 Annual Report |
Financial
Highlights
Period from Oct. 31, 2011(1) through Nov. 30,
2011
Per Common Share Data(2) | ||||
Public offering price | $ | 25.00 | ||
Income from Investment Operations | ||||
Net investment loss | (0.02 | ) | ||
Net realized and unrealized gains | 0.61 | |||
Total income from investment operations | 0.59 | |||
Underwriting discounts and offering costs on issuance of common stock(3) | (1.17 | ) | ||
Net Asset Value, end of period | $ | 24.42 | ||
Per common share market value, end of period | $ | 25.01 | ||
Total Investment Return Based on Market Value(4) | 0.04 | % | ||
Supplemental Data and Ratios | ||||
Net assets applicable to common stockholders, end of period (000s) | $ | 244,264 | ||
Average net assets (000s) | $ | 237,454 | ||
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets(5) | ||||
Advisory fees | 1.17 | % | ||
Other operating expenses | 0.56 | |||
Expense reimbursement | (0.27 | ) | ||
Subtotal | 1.46 | |||
Leverage expenses | 0.31 | |||
Total expenses | 1.77 | % | ||
Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets before expense reimbursement(5) | (1.12 | )% | ||
Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets after expense reimbursement(5) | (0.85 | )% | ||
Portfolio turnover rate | 1.68 | % | ||
Long-term debt obligations, end of period (000s) | $ | 24,500 | ||
Preferred stock, end of period (000s) | $ | 8,000 | ||
Per common share amount of long-term debt obligations outstanding, end of period | $ | 2.45 | ||
Per common share amount of net assets, excluding long-term debt obligations, end of period | $ | 26.87 | ||
Asset coverage, per $1,000 of principal amount of long-term debt obligations(6) | $ | 11,296 | ||
Asset coverage ratio of long-term debt obligations(6) | 1,130 | % | ||
Asset coverage, per $25 liquidation value per share of mandatory redeemable preferred stock(7) | $ | 213 | ||
Asset coverage ratio of preferred stock(7) | 852 | % |
(1) | Commencement of Operations. |
(2) | Information presented relates to a share of common stock outstanding for the entire period. |
(3) | Represents the dilution per common share from underwriting and other offering costs for the period from October 31, 2011 through November 30, 2011. |
(4) |
Not annualized. Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of common stock at the initial public offering price and a sale at the closing price on the last day of the period reported (excluding brokerage commissions). |
(5) |
Annualized for periods less than one full year. |
(6) | Represents value of total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by long-term debt obligations and preferred stock at the end of the period divided by long-term debt obligations outstanding at the end of the period. |
(7) | Represents value of total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by long-term debt obligations and preferred stock at the end of the period divided by long-term debt obligations and preferred stock outstanding at the end of the period. |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 15 |
Notes to
Financial Statements
November 30, 2011
1. Organization
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (the Company) was organized as a Maryland corporation on July 19, 2011, and is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act). The Companys primary investment objective is to provide a high level of total return, with an emphasis on current distributions. The Company seeks to provide its stockholders an efficient vehicle to invest in a portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities of pipeline and other energy infrastructure companies. The Company commenced operations on October 31, 2011. The Companys stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TTP.
2. Significant accounting policies
A. Use of
estimates
The preparation of
financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
reported amount of assets and liabilities, recognition of distribution income
and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial
statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
B. Investment
valuation
The Company primarily owns
securities that are listed on a securities exchange or over-the-counter market.
The Company values those securities at their last sale price on that exchange or
over-the-counter market on the valuation date. If the security is listed on more
than one exchange, the Company uses the price from the exchange that it
considers to be the principal exchange on which the security is traded.
Securities listed on the NASDAQ will be valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing
Price, which may not necessarily represent the last sale price. If there has
been no sale on such exchange or over-the-counter market on such day, the
security will be valued at the mean between the last bid price and last ask
price on such day.
The Company may invest up to 30 percent of its total assets in unregistered or otherwise restricted securities. Restricted securities are subject to statutory or contractual restrictions on their public resale, which may make it more difficult to obtain a valuation and may limit the Companys ability to dispose of them. Investments in restricted securities and other securities for which market quotations are not readily available will be valued in good faith by using fair value procedures approved by the Board of Directors. Such fair value procedures consider factors such as discounts to publicly traded issues, time until conversion date, securities with similar yields, quality, type of issue, coupon, duration and rating. If events occur that will affect the value of the Companys portfolio securities before the net asset value has been calculated (a significant event), the portfolio securities so affected will generally be priced using fair value procedures.
An equity security of a publicly traded company acquired in a direct placement transaction may be subject to restrictions on resale that can affect the securitys liquidity and fair value. Such securities that are convertible or otherwise will become freely tradable will be valued based on the market value of the freely tradable security less an applicable discount. Generally, the discount will initially be equal to the discount at which the Company purchased the securities. To the extent that such securities are convertible or otherwise become freely tradable within a time frame that may be reasonably determined, an amortization schedule may be used to determine the discount.
Exchange-traded options are valued at the mean of the highest bid and lowest asked prices across all option exchanges.
The Company generally values debt securities at prices based on market quotations for such securities, except those securities purchased with 60 days or less to maturity are valued on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
C. Security transactions and
investment income
Security
transactions are accounted for on the date the securities are purchased or sold
(trade date). Realized gains and losses are reported on an identified cost
basis. Interest income is recognized on the accrual basis, including
amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. Dividend and distribution
income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received from the
Companys investments in master limited partnerships (MLPs) generally are
comprised of ordinary income, capital gains and return of capital from the MLPs.
The Company allocates distributions between investment income and return of
capital based on estimates made at the time such distributions are received.
Such estimates are based on information provided by each MLP and other industry
sources. These estimates may subsequently be revised based on actual allocations
received from MLPs after their tax reporting periods are concluded, as the
actual character of these distributions is not known until after the fiscal year
end of the Company.
In addition, the Company may be subject to withholding taxes on foreign-sourced income. The Company accrues such taxes when the related income is earned.
D. Foreign currency
translation
For foreign currency,
investments in foreign securities, and other assets and liabilities denominated
in a foreign currency, the Company translates these amounts into U.S. dollars on
the following basis: (i) market value of investment securities, assets and
liabilities at the current rate of exchange on the valuation date, and (ii)
purchases and sales of investment securities, income and expenses at the
relevant rates of exchange on the respective dates of such transactions. The
Company does not isolate that portion of gains and losses on investments that is
due to changes in the foreign exchange rates from that which is due to changes
in market prices of equity securities.
E. Distributions to
stockholders
Distributions to common
stockholders will be recorded on the ex-dividend date. The Company intends to
make quarterly cash distributions to its common stockholders. In addition, on an
annual basis, the Company may distribute additional capital gains in the last
fiscal quarter if necessary to meet minimum distribution requirements and thus
avoid being subject to excise taxes. The amount of any distributions will be
determined by the Board of Directors. The character of distributions to common
stockholders
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
16 | 2011 Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
made during the year may differ from their ultimate characterization for federal income tax purposes. There were no distributions paid to common stockholders for the year ended November 30, 2011.
Distributions to mandatory redeemable preferred (MRP) stockholders are accrued daily and paid quarterly based on fixed annual rates. The Company may not declare or pay distributions to its preferred stockholders if it does not meet a 200 percent asset coverage ratio for its debt or the rating agency basic maintenance amount for the debt following such distribution. The character of distributions to stockholders made during the year may differ from their ultimate characterization for federal income tax purposes. There were no distributions paid to MRP stockholders for the year ended November 30, 2011.
F. Federal income
taxation
The Company intends to elect
to be treated and to qualify each year as a regulated investment company (RIC)
under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). As a
result, the Company generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on
income and gains that it distributes each taxable year to stockholders if it
meets certain minimum distribution requirements. The Company is required to
distribute substantially all of its income, in addition to other asset
diversification requirements. The Company is subject to a 4 percent
non-deductible U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income unless
the Company makes sufficient distributions to satisfy the excise tax avoidance
requirement. The Company invests in MLPs, which generally are treated as
partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a limited partner in the MLPs,
the Company reports its allocable share of the MLPs taxable income in computing
its own taxable income.
The Company has adopted financial reporting rules regarding recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. The Company has reviewed all open tax years and major jurisdictions and concluded that there is no impact on the Companys net assets and no tax liability resulting from unrecognized tax benefits relating to uncertain income tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. All tax years since inception remain open to examination by federal and state tax authorities.
G. Offering and debt issuing
costs
Offering costs related to the
issuance of common stock are charged to additional paid-in capital when the
stock is issued. Offering costs (excluding underwriter commissions) of $500,000
related to the issuance of common stock in the initial public offering were
recorded to additional paid-in capital during the period ended November 30,
2011. Debt issuance costs related to long-term debt obligations and MRP Stock
are capitalized and amortized over the period the debt and MRP Stock is
outstanding. Capitalized costs (excluding underwriter commissions) were
reflected for the Series A Notes ($22,351), Series B Notes ($37,996), Series C
Notes ($13,410), Series D Notes ($35,761) and MRP Stock ($35,761) that were each
issued in November 2011.
H. Derivative financial
instruments
The Company seeks to
provide current income from gains earned through an option strategy which will
normally consist of writing (selling) call options on selected equity securities
in the portfolio (covered calls). The premium received on a written call
option will initially be recorded as a liability and subsequently adjusted to
the then current fair value of the option written. Premiums received from
writing call options that expire unexercised will be recorded as a realized gain
on the expiration date. Premiums received from writing call options that are
exercised will be added to the proceeds from the sale of the underlying security
to calculate the realized gain (loss). If a written call option is repurchased
prior to its exercise, the realized gain (loss) will be the difference between
the premium received and the amount paid to repurchase the option.
I.
Indemnifications
Under the Companys
organizational documents, its officers and directors are indemnified against
certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the
Company. In addition, in the normal course of business, the Company may enter
into contracts that provide general indemnification to other parties. The
Companys maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would
involve future claims that may be made against the Company that have not yet
occurred, and may not occur. However, the Company has not had prior claims or
losses pursuant to these contracts and expects the risk of loss to be
remote.
J. Recent accounting
pronouncement
In May 2011, the FASB
issued ASU No. 2011-04 Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and
Disclosure Requirements in GAAP and the International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRSs). ASU No. 2011-04 amends FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value
Measurements and Disclosures, to establish common requirements for measuring
fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in
accordance with GAAP and IFRSs. ASU No. 2011-04 is effective for fiscal years
beginning after December 15, 2011 and for interim periods within those fiscal
years. Management is currently evaluating the impact of these amendments and
does not believe they will have a material impact on the Companys financial
statements.
3. Concentration of risk
Under normal circumstances, and once fully invested in accordance with its investment objective, the Company will have at least 80 percent of its total assets (including any assets obtained through leverage) in equity securities of pipeline and other energy infrastructure companies. Energy infrastructure companies own and operate a network of asset systems that transport, store, distribute, gather and/or process, explore, develop, manage or produce crude oil, refined petroleum products (including biodiesel and ethanol), natural gas or natural gas liquids (NGLs) or that provide electric power generation (including renewable energy), transmission and/or distribution. The Company may invest up to 30 percent of its total assets in restricted securities, primarily through direct investments in securities of listed companies. The Company may also invest up to 25 percent of its total assets in securities of MLPs. The Company will not invest in privately-held companies.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 17 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
4. Agreements
The Company entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company pays the Adviser a fee equal to an annual rate of 1.10 percent of the Companys average monthly total assets (including any assets attributable to leverage) minus accrued liabilities (other than debt entered into for purposes of leverage and the aggregate liquidation preference of outstanding preferred stock, if any) (Managed Assets), in exchange for the investment advisory services provided. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive fees in an amount equal to an annual rate of 0.25 percent of the Companys average monthly Managed Assets for the first year following the commencement of operations, 0.20 percent of average monthly Managed Assets for the second year following the commencement of operations and 0.15 percent of average monthly Managed Assets for the third year following the commencement of operations.
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC serves as the Companys administrator. The Company pays the administrator a monthly fee computed at an annual rate of 0.04 percent of the first $1,000,000,000 of the Companys Managed Assets, 0.01 percent on the next $1,000,000,000 of Managed Assets and 0.005 percent on the balance of the Companys Managed Assets.
Computershare Trust Company, N.A. serves as the Companys transfer agent and registrar and Computershare Inc. serves as the Companys dividend paying agent and agent for the automatic dividend reinvestment plan.
U.S. Bank, N.A. serves as the Companys custodian. The Company pays the custodian a monthly fee computed at an annual rate of 0.004 percent of the average daily market value of the Companys domestic assets and 0.015 percent of the average daily market value of the Companys Canadian Dollar-denominated assets, plus portfolio transaction fees.
5. Income taxes
It is the Companys intention to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.
The amount and character of income and capital gain distributions to be paid, if any, are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. These differences are primarily due to differences in the timing of recognition of gains or losses on investments. Permanent book and tax basis differences resulted in the reclassifications of $160,453 to accumulated net investment loss, $(158,995) to accumulated net realized loss and $(1,458) to additional paid-in capital.
As of November 30, 2011, the components of accumulated earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
Unrealized appreciation | $ | 5,916,756 | ||
Undistributed ordinary income | 13,916 | |||
Other temporary differences | (15,253 | ) | ||
Accumulated earnings | $ | 5,915,419 |
As of November 30, 2011, the aggregate cost of securities for federal income tax purposes was $302,377,825. The aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all securities in which there was an excess of value over tax cost was $7,072,902, the aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there was an excess of tax cost over value was $1,067,223 and the net unrealized appreciation was $6,005,679.
6. Fair value of financial instruments
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Companys investments. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:
Level 1 | quoted prices in active markets for identical investments | |
Level 2 | other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, market corroborated inputs, etc.) | |
Level 3 | significant unobservable inputs (including the Companys own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) |
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
The following table provides the fair value measurements of applicable Company assets and liabilities by level within the fair value hierarchy as of November 30, 2011. These assets and liabilities are measured on a recurring basis.
Fair Value | ||||||||||||
Description | at 11/30/11 | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | ||||||||
Assets | ||||||||||||
Equity Securities: | ||||||||||||
Common Stock(a) | $ | 168,959,864 | $ | 165,015,470 | $ | 3,944,394 | $ | | ||||
Master Limited Partnerships | ||||||||||||
and Related Companies(a) | 55,607,322 | 55,607,322 | | | ||||||||
Total Equity Securities | 224,567,186 | 220,622,792 | 3,944,394 | | ||||||||
Other: | ||||||||||||
Short-term Investments(b) | 83,816,318 | 83,816,318 | | | ||||||||
Total Other | 83,816,318 | 83,816,318 | | | ||||||||
Total Assets | $ | 308,383,504 | $ | 304,439,110 | $ | 3,944,394 | $ | | ||||
Liabilities | ||||||||||||
Written Call Options | $ | 830,786 | $ | 830,786 | $ | | $ | |
(a) | All other industry classifications are identified in the Schedule of Investments. |
(b) | Short-term investments are sweep investments for cash balances in the Company at November 30, 2011. |
The Company did not hold any Level 3 securities during the period ended November 30, 2011.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
18 | 2011 Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
Valuation techniques
In general, and where applicable, the Company uses readily available market quotations based upon the last updated sales price from the principal market to determine fair value. This pricing methodology applies to the Companys Level 1 investments.
An equity security of a publicly traded company acquired in a private placement transaction without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), is subject to restrictions on resale that can affect the securitys fair value. If such a security is convertible into publicly-traded common shares, the security generally will be valued at the common share market price adjusted by a percentage discount due to the restrictions and categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. If the security has characteristics that are dissimilar to the class of security that trades on the open market, the security will generally be valued and categorized as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.
The Company utilizes the beginning of reporting period method for determining transfers between levels. There were no transfers between levels for the period ended November 30, 2011.
7. Derivative financial instruments
The Company has adopted the disclosure provisions of FASB Accounting Standard Codification 815, Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815). ASC 815 requires enhanced disclosures about the Companys use of and accounting for derivative instruments and the effect of derivative instruments on the Companys results of operations and financial position. Tabular disclosure regarding derivative fair value and gain/loss by contract type (e.g., interest rate contracts, foreign exchange contracts, credit contracts, etc.) is required and derivatives accounted for as hedging instruments under ASC 815 must be disclosed separately from those that do not qualify for hedge accounting. Even though the Company may use derivatives in an attempt to achieve an economic hedge, the Companys derivatives are not accounted for as hedging instruments under ASC 815 because investment companies account for their derivatives at fair value and record any changes in fair value in current period earnings.
Transactions in written option contracts for the period ended November 30, 2011, are as follows:
Number of | ||||||||
Contracts | Premium | |||||||
Options outstanding at 10/31/11 | | $ | | |||||
Options written | 19,501 | 998,376 | ||||||
Options closed | (1,904 | ) | (8,794 | ) | ||||
Options expired | (5,500 | ) | (247,941 | ) | ||||
Options outstanding at 11/30/11 | 12,907 | $ | 741,641 |
The following table presents the types and fair value of derivatives by location as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at November 30, 2011:
Assets | Liabilities | ||||||||
Derivatives not | |||||||||
accounted for as | |||||||||
hedging instruments | Fair | Fair | |||||||
under ASC 815 | Location | Value | Location | Value | |||||
Written equity | N / A | N / A | Options written, | $ | 830,786 | ||||
call options | at fair value |
The following table presents the effect of derivatives on the Statement of Operations for the period ended November 30, 2011:
Derivatives not | ||||||
Accounted for as | Location of | Net Realized | Net Unrealized | |||
Hedging instruments | Gains (Losses) | Gain on | Depreciation | |||
Under ASC 815 | on Derivatives | Derivatives | of Derivatives | |||
Written equity | Options | $243,613 | $(89,145) | |||
call options |
8. Restricted security
Certain of the Companys investments are restricted and are valued as determined in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors, as more fully described in Note 2. The table below shows the shares, acquisition date, acquisition cost, fair value, fair value per share and percent of net assets which the security comprises at November 30, 2011.
Fair | Fair Value | |||||||||||
Value | as Percent | |||||||||||
Investment | Number | Acquisition | Acquisition | Per | of Total | |||||||
Security | of Shares | Date | Cost | Fair Value | Share | Net Assets | ||||||
Teekay Offshore | 155,230 | 11/25/11 | $3,709,997 | $3,944,394 | $25.41 | 1.6% | ||||||
Partners L.P. | ||||||||||||
(Common Units) |
The carrying value per unit of unrestricted common units of Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. was $26.39 on November 9, 2011, the date of the purchase agreement and the date an enforceable right to acquire the restricted Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. units was obtained by the Company.
9. Investment transactions
For the period ended November 30, 2011, the Company purchased (at cost) and sold securities (proceeds received) in the amount of $220,587,021 and $1,889,522 (excluding short-term debt securities), respectively.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 19 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
10. Long-term debt obligations
The Company has $24,500,000 aggregate principal amount of private senior notes, Series A, Series B, Series C, and Series D (collectively, the Notes), outstanding. The Notes were issued on November 15, 2011. The Notes are unsecured obligations of the Company and, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, will rank: (1) senior to all of the Companys outstanding preferred shares; (2) senior to all of the Companys outstanding common shares; (3) on parity with any unsecured creditors of the Company and any unsecured senior securities representing indebtedness of the Company and (4) junior to any secured creditors of the Company. Holders of the Notes are entitled to receive cash interest payments each quarter until maturity. The Series B, Series C and Series D Notes accrue interest at fixed rates and the Series A Notes accrue interest at an annual rate that resets each quarter based on the 3-month LIBOR plus 1.75 percent. The Notes are not listed on any exchange or automated quotation system.
The Notes are redeemable in certain circumstances at the option of the Company. The Notes are also subject to a mandatory redemption if the Company fails to meet asset coverage ratios required under the 1940 Act or the rating agency guidelines if such failure is not waived or cured. At November 30, 2011, the Company was in compliance with asset coverage covenants and basic maintenance covenants for its senior notes.
The estimated fair value of each series of fixed-rate Notes was calculated, for disclosure purposes, by discounting future cash flows by a rate equal to the current U.S. Treasury rate with an equivalent maturity date, plus either 1) the spread between the interest rate on recently issued debt and the U.S. Treasury rate with a similar maturity date or 2) if there has not been a recent debt issuance, the spread between the AAA corporate finance debt rate and the U.S. Treasury rate with an equivalent maturity date plus the spread between the fixed rates of the Notes and the AAA corporate finance debt rate. The estimated fair value of the Series A Notes approximates the carrying amount because the interest rate fluctuates with changes in interest rates available in the current market. The following table shows the maturity date, interest rate, notional/carrying amount and estimated fair value for each series of Notes outstanding at November 30, 2011.
Maturity | Interest | Notional/Carrying | Estimated | ||||||||||
Series | Date | Rate | Amount | Fair Value | |||||||||
Series A | 12/15/16 | 2.20 | %(1) | $ | 5,000,000 | $ | 5,000,000 | ||||||
Series B | 12/15/14 | 2.50 | % | 8,500,000 | 8,516,373 | ||||||||
Series C | 12/15/18 | 3.49 | % | 3,000,000 | 2,984,293 | ||||||||
Series D | 12/15/21 | 4.08 | % | 8,000,000 | 7,967,951 | ||||||||
$ | 24,500,000 | $ | 24,468,617 |
(1) | Floating rate; rate effective for period from November 15, 2011 (date of issuance) through March 15, 2012. |
11. Preferred stock
The Company has 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock authorized. Of that amount, the Company has 640,000 shares of Series A Mandatory Redeemable Preferred (MRP) Stock authorized and 320,000 shares are outstanding at November 30, 2011. The MRP Stock has a liquidation value of $25.00 per share plus any accumulated but unpaid distributions, whether or not declared. Holders of the MRP Stock are entitled to receive cash interest payments each quarter at a fixed rate until maturity. The MRP Stock is not listed on any exchange or automated quotation system.
The MRP Stock has rights determined by the Board of Directors. Except as otherwise indicated in the Companys Charter or Bylaws, or as otherwise required by law, the holders of MRP Stock have voting rights equal to the holders of common stock (one vote per MRP share) and will vote together with the holders of shares of common stock as a single class except on matters affecting only the holders of preferred stock or the holders of common stock. The 1940 Act requires that the holders of any preferred stock (including MRP Stock), voting separately as a single class, have the right to elect at least two directors at all times.
The estimated fair value of MRP Stock was calculated, for disclosure purposes, by discounting future cash flows by a rate equal to the current U.S. Treasury rate with an equivalent maturity date, plus either 1) the spread between the interest rate on recently issued preferred stock and the U.S. Treasury rate with a similar maturity date or 2) if there has not been a recent preferred stock issuance, the spread between the AA corporate finance debt rate and the U.S. Treasury rate with an equivalent maturity date plus the spread between the fixed rates of the MRP Stock and the AA corporate finance debt rate. The following table shows the mandatory redemption date, fixed rate, number of shares outstanding, aggregate liquidation preference and estimated fair value as of November 30, 2011.
Mandatory | Aggregate | |||||||||
Redemption | Fixed | Shares | Liquidation | Estimated | ||||||
Series | Date | Rate | Outstanding | Preference | Fair Value | |||||
Series A | 12/15/18 | 4.29% | 320,000 | $8,000,000 | $7,961,945 |
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
20 | 2011 Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
12. Credit facility
On November 9, 2011, the Company entered into a $25,000,000 committed credit facility maturing November 7, 2012. Under the terms of the credit facility, The Bank of Nova Scotia serves as a lender and the lending syndicate agent on behalf of other lenders participating in the facility. The credit facility has a variable annual interest rate equal to one-month LIBOR plus 1.25 percent and unused portions of the credit facility will accrue a non-usage fee equal to an annual rate of 0.20 percent. The Company did not utilize the credit facility during the period ended November 30, 2011.
Under the terms of the credit facility, the Company must maintain asset coverage required under the 1940 Act. If the Company fails to maintain the required coverage, it may be required to repay a portion of an outstanding balance until the coverage requirement has been met. At November 30, 2011, the Company was in compliance with the terms of the credit facility.
13. Common stock
The Company has 100,000,000 shares of capital stock authorized and 10,004,200 shares outstanding at November 30, 2011. Transactions in common stock for the period ended November 30, 2011, were as follows:
Shares at October 31, 2011 | 4,200 |
Shares sold through initial public offering | 10,000,000 |
Shares at November 30, 2011 | 10,004,200 |
14. Subsequent events
On December 8, 2011, the Company issued additional amounts of its Series A Notes ($5,000,000), Series B Notes ($8,500,000), Series C Notes ($3,000,000), Series D Notes ($8,000,000) and Series A MRP Stock ($8,000,000).
The Company has performed an evaluation of subsequent events through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that no additional items require recognition or disclosure.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 21 |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and
Stockholders
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (the Company), including the schedule of investments, as of November 30, 2011, and the related statements of operations, cash flows, changes in net assets, and the financial highlights for the period from October 31, 2011 (commencement of operations) through November 30, 2011. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Companys management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Companys internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2011, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. at November 30, 2011, the results of its operations, its cash flows, the changes in its net assets, and its financial highlights for the period from October 31, 2011 (commencement of operations) through November 30, 2011, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Kansas City, Missouri
January 24,
2012
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
22 | 2011 Annual Report |
Company
Officers and Directors (unaudited)
November 30, 2011
Position(s) Held with | Number of | Other Public | ||||||
Company, Term of | Portfolios in Fund | Company | ||||||
Office and Length | Complex Overseen | Directorships | ||||||
Name and Age* | of Time Served | Principal Occupation During Past Five Years | by Director(1) | Held | ||||
Independent Directors | ||||||||
Conrad S.
Ciccotello |
Director since 2011 |
Associate Professor of Risk Management and Insurance, Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University (faculty member since 1999); Director of Personal Financial Planning Program; Investment Consultant to the University System of Georgia for its defined contribution retirement plan; Formerly Faculty Member, Pennsylvania State University (1997-1999); Published a number of academic and professional journal articles on investment company performance and structure, with a focus on MLPs. |
6 |
Tortoise Capital
| ||||
John R. Graham |
Director since 2011 |
Executive-in-Residence and Professor of Finance (part-time), College of Business Administration, Kansas State University (has served as a professor or adjunct professor since 1970); Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Graham Capital Management, Inc., primarily a real estate development, investment and venture capital company; Owner of Graham Ventures, a business services and venture capital firm; Part-time Vice President Investments, FB Capital Management, Inc. (a registered investment adviser), since 2007; formerly, CEO, Kansas Farm Bureau Financial Services, including seven affiliated insurance or financial service companies (1979-2000). |
6 |
Tortoise Capital
| ||||
Charles E.
Heath |
Director since 2011 |
Retired in 1999, Formerly Chief Investment Officer, GE Capitals Employers Reinsurance Corporation (1989-1999). Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation since 1974. |
6 |
Tortoise Capital
| ||||
(1) | This number includes Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corporation (TYG), Tortoise Energy Capital Corporation (TYY), Tortoise North American Energy Corporation (TYN), Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (TPZ), Tortoise MLP Fund, Inc. (NTG) and the Company. Our Adviser also serves as the investment adviser to TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ and NTG. |
* |
The address of each director and officer is 11550 Ash Street, Suite 300, Leawood, Kansas 66211. |
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 23 |
Company
Officers and Directors (unaudited) (continued)
November 30,
2011
Position(s) Held with | Number of | Other Public | ||||||
Company, Term of | Portfolios in Fund | Company | ||||||
Office and Length | Complex Overseen | Directorships | ||||||
Name and Age* | of Time Served | Principal Occupation During Past Five Years | by Director(1) | Held | ||||
Interested Director and Officers(2) | ||||||||
H. Kevin Birzer |
Director and |
Managing Director of the Adviser since 2002; Member, Fountain Capital Management, LLC (Fountain Capital), a registered investment adviser, (1990-May 2009); Director and Chairman of the Board of each of TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ and NTG since its inception; Director and Chairman of the Board of Tortoise Capital Resources Corporation (TTO) from its inception through November 30, 2011; Vice President, Corporate Finance Department, Drexel Burnham Lambert (1986-1989); Vice President, F. Martin Koenig & Co., an investment management firm (1983-1986). CFA designation since 1988. |
6 |
Tortoise Capital
| ||||
Terry Matlack |
Chief Executive Officer
|
Managing Director of the Adviser since 2002; Full-time Managing Director, Kansas City Equity Partners, LC (KCEP) (2001-2002); Formerly President, GreenStreet Capital, a private investment firm (1998-2001); Director of each of TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ and TTO from its inception to September 15, 2009; Chief Executive Officer of NTG since inception and of each of TYG, TYY, TYN and TPZ since May 2011; Chief Financial Officer of each of TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ from its inception to May 2011, and of TTO since its inception; Chief Compliance Officer of each of TYY and TYN from their inception through May 2006 and of TYG from 2004 through May 2006; Treasurer of each of TYY, TYG and TYN from their inception to November 2005; Assistant Treasurer of TYY, TYG and TYN from November 2005 to April 2008, and of TTO from its inception to April 2008. CFA designation since 1985. |
N/A |
Epiq | ||||
P. Bradley Adams |
Chief Financial Officer
|
Director of Financial Operations of the Adviser since 2005; Chief Financial Officer of NTG since inception and of each of TYG, TYY, TYN and TPZ since May 2011; Assistant Treasurer of TYG, TYY, and TYN from April 2008 to May 2011, of TPZ from inception to May 2011, and of TTO since April 2008. |
N/A |
None | ||||
Zachary A. Hamel |
President since 2011 |
Managing Director of the Adviser since 2002; Partner, Fountain Capital (1997-present). President of NTG since inception and of each of TYG, TYY and TPZ since May 2011; Senior Vice President of TYY from 2005 to May 2011, of TTO from 2005 to December 2011, of TYG and TYN from 2007 to May 2011 and of TPZ from inception to May 2011; Secretary of each of TYG, TYY, TYN and TTO from their inception to April 2007. CFA designation since 1998. |
N/A |
None | ||||
Kenneth P.
Malvey |
Senior Vice
President and |
Managing Director of the Adviser since 2002; Partner, Fountain Capital (2002-present); formerly, Investment Risk Manager and member of the Global Office of Investments, GE Capitals Employers Reinsurance Corporation (1996-2002); Treasurer of each of TYG, TYY and TYN since 2005, of TTO from 2005 to December 2011, and of TPZ and NTG since inception; Senior Vice President of TYY since 2005, of TTO from inception to December 2011, of each of TYG and TYN since 2007, and of TPZ and NTG since inception; Assistant Treasurer of each of TYY, TYG and TYN from their inception to November 2005; CFA designation since 1996. |
N/A |
None | ||||
David J. Schulte |
Senior Vice President |
Managing Director of the Adviser since 2002; Full-time Managing Director, KCEP (1993-2002); President and Chief Executive Officer of TYG from 2003 to May 2011, of TYY from 2005 to May 2011 and of TPZ from inception to May 2011; Chief Executive Officer of TYN from 2005 to May 2011 and President of TYN from 2005 to September 2008; Chief Executive Officer of TTO since 2005 and President of TTO from 2005 to April 2007; Senior Vice President of each of TYG, TYY, TYN, and TPZ since May 2011, and of NTG since 2010; CFA designation since 1992. |
N/A |
None(3) | ||||
(1) | This number includes TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ, NTG and the Company. Our Adviser also serves as the investment adviser to TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ and NTG. |
(2) | As a result of their respective positions held with our Adviser or its affiliates, these individuals are considered interested persons within the meaning of the 1940 Act. |
(3) | Effective December 1, 2011, H. Kevin Birzer resigned as a director of Tortoise Capital Resources Corporation and David J. Schulte was appointed as a director of Tortoise Capital Resources Corporation. |
* | The address of each director and officer is 11550 Ash Street, Suite 300, Leawood, Kansas 66211. |
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
24 | 2011 Annual Report |
Additional Information (unaudited)
Director and officer compensation
The Company does not compensate any of its directors who are interested persons, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, nor any of its officers. For the period from October 31, 2011 through November 30, 2011, the Company did not pay any compensation to the independent directors. The Company did not pay any special compensation to any of its directors or officers.
Forward-looking statements
This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. By their nature, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Several factors that could materially affect the Companys actual results are the performance of the portfolio of investments held by it, the conditions in the U.S. and international financial, petroleum and other markets, the price at which shares of the Company will trade in the public markets and other factors discussed in filings with the SEC.
Proxy voting policies
A description of the policies and procedures that the Company uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities owned by the Company and information regarding how the Company voted proxies relating to the portfolio of securities will be available to stockholders (i) without charge, upon request by calling the Company at (913) 981-1020 or toll-free at (866) 362-9331 and on the Companys Web site at www.tortoiseadvisors.com; and (ii) on the SECs Web site at www.sec.gov.
The Company has not yet been required to file a Form N-PX disclosing its proxy voting record. Once the Company has made that initial filing for the period ending June 30, 2012, it will be required to make such filings on an annual basis and information regarding how the Company voted proxies will be available without charge by calling us at (913) 981-1020 or toll-free at (866) 362-9331 and on the Companys Web site at www.tortoiseadvisors.com. You will also be able to access this information on the SECs Web site at www.sec.gov.
Form N-Q
The Company will file its complete schedule of portfolio holdings for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year with the SEC on Form N-Q. The Companys Form N-Q will be available without charge upon request by calling the Company at (866) 362-9331 or by visiting the SECs Web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, you may review and copy the Companys Form N-Q at the SECs Public Reference Room in Washington D.C. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling (800) SEC-0330.
The Companys Form N-Qs will also be available on the Companys Web site at www.tortoiseadvisors.com.
Statement of additional information
The Statement of Additional Information (SAI) includes additional information about the Companys directors and is available upon request without charge by calling the Company at (866) 362-9331 or by visiting the SECs Web site at www.sec.gov.
Certifications
The Companys Chief Executive Officer has submitted to the New York Stock Exchange an initial CEO certification in connection with its initial public offering and will submit the first annual certification in 2012 as required by Section 303A.12(a) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual.
The Company will file with the SEC, the certification of its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Privacy policy
In order to conduct its business, the Company collects and maintains certain nonpublic personal information about its stockholders of record with respect to their transactions in shares of the Companys securities. This information includes the stockholders address, tax identification or Social Security number, share balances, and distribution elections. We do not collect or maintain personal information about stockholders whose share balances of our securities are held in street name by a financial institution such as a bank or broker.
We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about you, the Companys other stockholders or the Companys former stockholders to third parties unless necessary to process a transaction, service an account, or as otherwise permitted by law.
To protect your personal information internally, we restrict access to nonpublic personal information about the Companys stockholders to those employees who need to know that information to provide services to our stockholders. We also maintain certain other safeguards to protect your nonpublic personal information.
Automatic dividend reinvestment plan
If a stockholders shares are registered directly with the Company or with a brokerage firm that participates in the Companys Automatic Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the Plan), all distributions are automatically reinvested for stockholders by the Plan Agent in additional shares of common stock of the Company (unless a stockholder is ineligible or elects otherwise). Stockholders holding shares that participate in the Plan in a brokerage account may not be able to transfer the shares to another broker and continue to participate in the Plan. Stockholders who elect not to participate in the Plan will receive all distributions payable in cash paid by check mailed directly to the stockholder of record (or, if the shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee) by Computershare, as dividend paying agent. Distributions subject to tax (if any) are taxable whether or not shares are reinvested.
If, on the distribution payment date, the net asset value per share of the common stock is equal to or less than the market price per share of common stock plus estimated brokerage commissions,
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
2011 Annual Report | 25 |
Additional Information (unaudited) (continued)
the Company will issue additional shares of common stock to participants. The number of shares will be determined by the greater of the net asset value per share or 95 percent of the market price. Otherwise, shares generally will be purchased on the open market by the Plan Agent as soon as possible following the payment date or purchase date, but in no event later than 30 days after such date except as necessary to comply with applicable law. There are no brokerage charges with respect to shares issued directly by the Company as a result of distributions payable either in shares or in cash. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to the Plan Agents open-market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of distributions. If a participant elects to have the Plan Agent sell part or all of his or her common stock and remit the proceeds, such participant will be charged a transaction fee of $15.00 plus his or her pro rata share of brokerage commissions on the shares sold.
Participation is completely voluntary. Stockholders may elect not to participate in the Plan, and participation may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty, by giving notice in writing, by telephone or Internet to Computershare, the Plan Agent, at the address set forth below. Such termination will be effective with respect to a particular distribution if notice is received prior to such record date.
Additional information about the Plan may be obtained by writing to Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O. Box 43078, Providence, R.I. 02940-3078. You may also contact Computershare by phone at (800) 426-5523 or visit their Web site at www.computershare.com.
Review and approval of advisory agreement
At a meeting of the Board of Directors of Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. held on September 12, 2011, the directors who are not interested persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) (the Independent Directors), considered and approved an advisory agreement (the Advisory Agreement) with the Adviser.
Factors considered
The Independent Directors did not identify any single factor as being all-important or controlling, and each Independent Director may have attributed different levels of importance to different factors. In considering the approval of the investment advisory agreement, the Board evaluated information provided by the Adviser and its legal counsel and considered various factors, including the following:
The Directors did not, with respect to their deliberations concerning their approval of the investment advisory agreement, consider the benefits the Adviser may derive for relationships the Adviser may have with brokers through soft dollar arrangements because the Adviser does not employ any such arrangements in rendering its advisory services to the Company. Although the Adviser may receive research from brokers with whom it places trades on behalf of clients, the Adviser does not have soft dollar arrangements or understandings with such brokers regarding receipt of research in return for commissions.
Conclusions of the independent directors
Based on the information reviewed and the discussions among the members of the Board, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the investment advisory agreement, and determined that the compensation payable to the Adviser was for investment advisory services of the Adviser that are not primarily intended to result in sales of shares of the Company and that such compensation was fair and reasonable in light of such services and expenses and such other matters as the directors have considered to be relevant in the exercise of their business judgment and concluded that the management fee to be paid to the Adviser was reasonable in relation to the services to be provided.
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
26 | 2011 Annual Report |
Office of the Fund and
of the Investment Adviser Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. 11550 Ash Street, Suite 300 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 981-1020 Managing Directors of Tortoise
Capital Advisors, L.L.C.
Kevin
Birzer, CFA
Zach Hamel, CFA Ken Malvey, CFA Terry Matlack, CFA David Schulte, CFA Board of Directors of Tortoise
Pipeline & Energy
Fund
Kevin Birzer, Chairman
Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. Conrad S. Ciccotello
Independent John R. Graham
Independent Charles E. Heath
Independent |
Administrator
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC 615 East Michigan St. Milwaukee, Wis. 53202 Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A. 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302 Milwaukee, Wis. 53212 Transfer, Dividend Disbursing
and Reinvestment Agent Computershare Trust Company,
N.A. /
Computershare Inc.
P.O. Box 43078 Providence, R.I. 02940-3078 (888) 728-8784 (312) 588-4990
www.computershare.com Legal Counsel
Husch Blackwell LLP 4801 Main St. Kansas City, Mo. 64112 Investor Relations
(866) 362-9331 info@tortoiseadvisors.com Stock Symbol
Listed NYSE Symbol: TTP This report is for
stockholder information. This is not a prospectus intended for use in the
purchase or sale of fund shares. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and your
investment may be worth more or less at the time you
sell. |
Tortoise Capital Advisors Closed-end Funds
Pureplay MLP Funds | Broader Funds | |||||||||||||
Name | Ticker | Focus | Total
Assets(1) ($ in millions) |
Name | Ticker | Focus | Total
Assets(1) ($ in millions) |
|||||||
Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp. |
Midstream Equity | $1,660 | Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. |
Pipeline Equity | $336 | |||||||||
Tortoise Energy Capital Corp. |
Midstream Equity | $860 | Tortoise Power
and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. |
Power &
Energy Infrastructure Debt & Dividend Paying Equity |
$218 | |||||||||
Tortoise MLP Fund, Inc. |
Natural Gas Equity | $1,655 | ||||||||||||
Tortoise
North American Energy Corp. |
Midstream/Upstream Equity |
$218 | ||||||||||||
(1) | As of 12/31/11 |
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | www.tortoiseadvisors.com |
Investment Adviser to
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund,
Inc.
11550 Ash Street, Suite 300
Leawood, KS 66211
www.tortoiseadvisors.com
Item 2. Code of Ethics.
The Registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the Registrants Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer. The Registrant has not made any amendments to this code of ethics during the period covered by this report. The Registrant has not granted any waivers from any provisions of this code of ethics during the period covered by this report.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
The Registrants Board of Directors has determined that there is at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee. Mr. Conrad Ciccotello is the audit committee financial expert and is considered to be independent as each term is defined in Item 3 of Form N-CSR. In addition to his experience overseeing or assessing the performance of companies or public accountants with respect to the preparation, auditing or evaluation of financial statements, Mr. Ciccotello has a Ph.D. in Finance.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
The Registrant was formed on July 19, 2011, and thus did not pay its principal accountant any fees prior to that date. Audit services refer to performing an audit of the Registrant's annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years. Audit-related services refer to the assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit. Tax services refer to professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. The following table details the approximate amounts of aggregate fees billed to the Registrant for the fiscal period ending November 30, 2011 for audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and other fees by the principal accountant.
FYE 11/30/2011 | ||||
Audit Fees | $ | 64,000 | ||
Audit-Related Fees | | |||
Tax Fees | $ | 12,000 | ||
All Other Fees | | |||
Aggregate Non-Audit Fees | $ | 12,000 |
In the Registrants fiscal years ended November 30, 2011 and 2010, the Adviser paid approximately $0 and $88,000 in fees, respectively, for research and consultations relating to fund structure, tax and accounting, and audit-related fees relating to closed-end management investment companies prior to its initial public offerings. These non-audit services were not required to be preapproved by the Registrants audit committee. No entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, has paid to, or been billed for fees by, the principal accountant for non-audit services rendered to the Adviser or such entity during the Registrants last two fiscal years. The audit committee has considered whether the principal accountants provision of services (other than audit services) to the Registrant, the Adviser or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser that provides services to the Registrant is compatible with maintaining the principal accountants independence in performing audit services.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
The Registrant has a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is comprised of Mr. Conrad S. Ciccotello, Mr. John R. Graham and Mr. Charles E. Heath.
Item 6. Schedule of Investments.
Schedule of Investments is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1.
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Copies of the proxy voting policies and procedures of the Registrant and the Adviser are attached hereto as Exhibit 99.VOTEREG and Exhibit 99.VOTEADV, respectively.
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Unless otherwise indicated, information is presented as of November 30, 2011.
Portfolio Managers
As of the date of this filing, management of the Registrants portfolio is the responsibility of a team of portfolio managers consisting of H. Kevin Birzer, Terry Matlack, David J. Schulte, Zachary A. Hamel and Kenneth P. Malvey, all of whom are Managers of the Adviser, comprise the investment committee of the Adviser and share responsibility for such investment management. All decisions to invest in a portfolio company must be approved by the unanimous decision of the Advisers investment committee and any one member of the Advisers investment committee can require the Adviser to sell a portfolio company or can veto the investment committees decision to invest in a portfolio company. Biographical information about each member of the Advisers investment committee as of the date of this filing is set forth below.
Position(s) Held with | ||||
Company and Length | ||||
Name and Age* | of Time Served | Principal Occupation During Past Five Years | ||
H. Kevin
Birzer (Born 1959) |
Director
and Chairman of the Board since 2011 |
Managing Director
of the Adviser since 2002; Member, Fountain Capital Management, LLC
(Fountain Capital), a registered investment adviser, (1990-May 2009);
Director and Chairman of the Board of each of Tortoise Energy
Infrastructure Corporation (TYG), Tortoise Energy Capital Corporation
(TYY), Tortoise North American Energy Corporation (TYN), Tortoise
Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (TPZ) and Tortoise MLP Fund,
Inc. (NTG); Director and Chairman of the Board of Tortoise Capital
Resources Corporation (TTO) from its inception through November 30,
2011; Vice President, Corporate Finance Department, Drexel Burnham Lambert
(1986-1989); Vice President, F. Martin Koenig & Co., an investment
management firm (1983-1986). CFA designation since
1988. | ||
Terry
Matlack (Born 1956) |
Chief Executive
Officer since 2011 |
Managing Director
of the Adviser since 2002; Fulltime Managing Director, Kansas City Equity
Partners, LC (KCEP) (2001-2002); Formerly President, GreenStreet
Capital, a private investment firm (1998-2001); Director of each of TYG,
TYY, TYN, TPZ and TTO from its inception to September 15, 2009; Chief
Executive Officer of NTG since inception and of each of TYG, TYY, TYN and
TPZ since May 2011; Chief Financial Officer of each of TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ
from its inception to May 2011, and of TTO since its inception; Chief
Compliance Officer of each of TYY and TYN from their inception through May
2006 and of TYG from 2004 through May 2006; Treasurer of each of TYY, TYG
and TYN from their inception to November 2005; Assistant Treasurer of TYY,
TYG and TYN from November 2005 to April 2008, and of TTO from its
inception to April 2008. CFA designation since 1985. | ||
Zachary A. Hamel (Born 1965) |
President since
2011 |
Managing Director
of the Adviser since 2002; Partner, Fountain Capital (1997-present).
President of NTG since inception and of each of TYG, TYY and TPZ since May
2011; Senior Vice President of TYY from 2005 to May 2011, of TTO from 2005
to December 2011, of TYG and TYN from 2007 to May 2011 and of TPZ from
inception to May 2011; Secretary of each of TYG, TYY, TYN and TTO from
their inception to April 2007. CFA designation since
1998. | ||
Kenneth P.
Malvey (Born 1965) |
Senior Vice
President and Treasurer since 2011 |
Managing Director
of the Adviser since 2002; Partner, Fountain Capital (2002-present);
formerly, Investment Risk Manager and member of the Global Office of
Investments, GE Capitals Employers Reinsurance Corporation (1996-2002);
Treasurer of each of TYG, TYY and TYN since 2005, of TTO from 2005 to
December 2011 and of TPZ and NTG since inception; Senior Vice President of
TYY since 2005, of TTO from inception to December 2011, of each of TYG and
TYN since 2007, and of TPZ and NTG since inception; Assistant Treasurer of
each of TYY, TYG and TYN from their inception to November 2005; CFA
designation since 1996. | ||
David J. Schulte (Born 1961) |
Senior Vice
President since 2011 |
Managing Director
of the Adviser since 2002; Fulltime Managing Director, KCEP (1993-2002);
President and Chief Executive Officer of TYG from 2003 to May 2011, of TYY
from 2005 to May 2011 and of TPZ from inception to May 2011; Chief
Executive Officer of TYN from 2005 to May 2011 and President of TYN from
2005 to September 2008; Chief Executive Officer of TTO since 2005 and
President of TTO from 2005 to April 2007; Senior Vice President of each of
TYG, TYY, TYN, and TPZ since May 2011, and of NTG since 2010; CFA
designation since 1992. |
*The address of each director and officer is 11550 Ash Street, Suite 300, Leawood, Kansas 66211.
The Adviser also serves as the investment adviser to TYG, TYY, TYN, TPZ and NTG, and as an adviser to TTO for its securities portfolio.
The following table provides information about the other accounts managed on a day-to-day basis by each of the portfolio managers as of November 30, 2011:
Number of | |||||||||||
Accounts | Total Assets of | ||||||||||
Paying a | Accounts Paying | ||||||||||
Number of | Total Assets of | Performance | a Performance | ||||||||
Name of Manager | Accounts | Accounts | Fee | Fee | |||||||
H. Kevin Birzer | |||||||||||
Registered investment companies | 8 | $ | 4,723,495,578 | 0 | | ||||||
Other pooled investment vehicles | 6 | $ | 161,064,690 | 2 | $124,205,601 | ||||||
Other accounts | 513 | $ | 2,032,054,434 | 0 | | ||||||
Zachary A. Hamel | |||||||||||
Registered investment companies | 8 | $ | 4,723,495,578 | 0 | | ||||||
Other pooled investment vehicles | 8 | $ | 208,982,653 | 2 | $124,205,601 | ||||||
Other accounts | 524 | $ | 3,011,172,237 | 0 | | ||||||
Kenneth P. Malvey | |||||||||||
Registered investment companies | 8 | $ | 4,723,495,578 | 0 | | ||||||
Other pooled investment vehicles | 8 | $ | 208,982,653 | 2 | $124,205,601 | ||||||
Other accounts | 524 | $ | 3,011,172,237 | 0 | | ||||||
Terry Matlack | |||||||||||
Registered investment companies | 8 | $ | 4,723,495,578 | 0 | | ||||||
Other pooled investment vehicles | 6 | $ | 161,064,690 | 2 | $124,205,601 | ||||||
Other accounts | 513 | $ | 2,032,054,434 | 0 | | ||||||
David J. Schulte | |||||||||||
Registered investment companies | 8 | $ | 4,723,495,578 | 0 | | ||||||
Other pooled investment vehicles | 6 | $ | 161,064,690 | 2 | $124,205,601 | ||||||
Other accounts | 513 | $ | 2,032,054,434 | 0 | |
Material Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest may arise from the fact that the Adviser and its affiliates carry on substantial investment activities for other clients, in which the Registrant has no interest, some of which may have investment strategies similar to the Registrant. The Adviser or its affiliates may have financial incentives to favor certain of these accounts over the Registrant. For example, the Adviser may have an incentive to allocate potentially more favorable investment opportunities to other funds and clients that pay the Adviser an incentive or performance fee. Performance and incentive fees also create the incentive to allocate potentially riskier, but potentially better performing, investments to such funds and other clients in an effort to increase the incentive fee. The Adviser also may have an incentive to make investments in one fund, having the effect of increasing the value of a security in the same issuer held by another fund, which, in turn, may result in an incentive fee being paid to the Adviser by that other fund. Any of their proprietary accounts or other customer accounts may compete with the Registrant for specific trades. The Adviser or its affiliates may give advice and recommend securities to, or buy or sell securities for, other accounts and customers, which advice or securities recommended may differ from advice given to, or securities recommended or bought or sold for, the Registrant, even though their investment objectives may be the same as, or similar to, the Registrants objectives. When two or more clients advised by the Adviser or its affiliates seek to purchase or sell the same publicly traded securities, the securities actually purchased or sold will be allocated among the clients on a good faith equitable basis by the Adviser in its discretion and in accordance with the clients various investment objectives and the Advisers procedures. In some cases, this system may adversely affect the price or size of the position the Registrant may obtain or sell. In other cases, the Registrants ability to participate in volume transactions may produce better execution for it.
The Adviser also serves as investment adviser for five other publicly traded management investment companies, all of which invest in the energy sector.
Situations may occur when the Registrant could be disadvantaged because of the investment activities conducted by the Adviser and its affiliates for their other accounts. Such situations may be based on, among other things, the following: (1) legal or internal restrictions on the combined size of positions that may be taken for the Registrant or the other accounts, thereby limiting the size of the Registrants position; (2) the difficulty of liquidating an investment for the Registrant or the other accounts where the market cannot absorb the sale of the combined position; or (3) limits on co-investing in private placement securities under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Registrants investment opportunities may be limited by affiliations of the Adviser or its affiliates with energy infrastructure companies.
Under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant and its affiliated companies may be precluded from co-investing in negotiated private placements of securities. As such, the Registrant will not co-invest with its affiliates in negotiated private placement transactions. The Adviser will observe a policy for allocating negotiated private investment opportunities among its clients that takes into account the amount of each clients available cash and its investment objectives. These allocation policies may result in the allocation of investment opportunities to an affiliated company rather than to the Registrant.
To the extent that the Adviser sources and structures private investments in master limited partnerships (MLPs), certain employees of the Adviser may become aware of actions planned by MLPs, such as acquisitions, which may not be announced to the public. It is possible that the Registrant could be precluded from investing in or selling securities of an MLP about which the Adviser has material, non-public information; however, it is the Advisers intention to ensure that any material, non-public information available to certain employees of the Adviser is not shared with the employees responsible for the purchase and sale of publicly traded MLP securities or to confirm prior to receipt of any material non-public information that the information will shortly be made public. The Registrants investment opportunities also may be limited by affiliations of the Adviser or its affiliates with energy infrastructure companies.
The Adviser and its principals, officers, employees, and affiliates may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts and may have actual or potential conflicts of interest with respect to investments made on the Registrants behalf. As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints, positions may be taken by principals, officers, employees, and affiliates of the Adviser that are the same as, different from, or made at a different time than positions taken for the Registrant. Further, the Adviser may at some time in the future, manage additional investment funds with the same investment objective as the Registrants.
Compensation
None of Messrs. Birzer, Hamel, Malvey, Matlack or Schulte receives any direct compensation from the Registrant or any other of the managed accounts reflected in the table above. All such accounts are managed by the Adviser or Fountain Capital. Messrs. Birzer, Hamel, Malvey, Matlack and Schulte are full-time employees of the Adviser and receive a fixed salary for the services they provide. They are also eligible for an annual cash bonus based on the Advisers earnings and the satisfaction of certain other conditions. Additional benefits received by Messrs. Birzer, Hamel, Malvey, Matlack and Schulte are normal and customary employee benefits generally available to all salaried employees. Each of Messrs. Birzer, Hamel, Malvey, Matlack and Schulte own an equity interest in Tortoise Holdings, LLC which wholly owns the Adviser, and each thus benefits from increases in the net income of the Adviser.
Securities Owned in the Registrant by Portfolio Managers
The following table provides information about the dollar range of equity securities in the Registrant beneficially owned by each of the portfolio managers as of November 30, 2011:
Aggregate Dollar Range of | |||
Portfolio Manager | Holdings in the Registrant | ||
H. Kevin Birzer | $100,001-$500,000 | ||
Zachary A. Hamel | None | ||
Kenneth P. Malvey | None | ||
Terry Matlack | $50,001-$100,000 | ||
David J. Schulte | $10,001-$50,000 |
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
(d) | ||||
(c) | Maximum Number (or | |||
Total Number of | Approximate Dollar | |||
(a) | Shares (or Units) | Value) of Shares (or | ||
Total Number of | (b) | Purchased as Part of | Units) that May Yet | |
Shares (or Units) | Average Price Paid | Publicly Announced | Be Purchased Under | |
Period | Purchased | per Share (or Unit) | Plans or Programs | the Plans or Programs |
Month #1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6/1/11-6/30/11 | ||||
Month #2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
7/1/11-7/31/11 | ||||
Month #3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
8/1/11-8/31/11 | ||||
Month #4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9/1/11-9/30/11 | ||||
Month #5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
10/1/11-10/31/11 | ||||
Month #6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
11/1/11-11/30/11 | ||||
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
None.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures.
(a) The Registrants Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report, based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(b) There were no changes in the Registrants internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the Registrants second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrants internal control over financial reporting.
Item 12. Exhibits.
(a)(1) Any code of ethics or amendment thereto, that is the subject of the disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the Registrant intends to satisfy Item 2 requirements through filing of an exhibit. Filed herewith.
(2) Certifications pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Filed herewith.
(3) Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 under the Act sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the Registrant to 10 or more persons. None.
(b) Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Furnished herewith.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
(Registrant) | Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. | |
By (Signature and Title) | /s/ Terry Matlack | |
Terry Matlack, Chief Executive Officer |
Date January 24, 2012
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By (Signature and Title) | /s/ Terry Matlack | |
Terry Matlack, Chief Executive Officer |
Date January 24, 2012
By (Signature and Title) | /s/ P. Bradley Adams | |
P. Bradley Adams, Chief Financial Officer |
Date January 24, 2012