UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-Q

 

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

Investment Company Act file number

811-04809

 

 

LIBERTY ALL-STAR EQUITY FUND

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado

 

80203

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Tané T. Tyler

Liberty All-Star Equity Fund

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(303) 623-2577

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

December 31

 

 

 

 

Date of reporting period:

January 1 – March 31, 2009

 

 



 

Item 1 – Schedule of Investments.

 



 

LIBERTY ALL-STAR EQUITY FUND

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

as of March 31, 2009 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

SHARES

 

MARKET VALUE

 

COMMON STOCKS (97.09%)

 

 

 

 

 

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY (15.33%)

 

 

 

 

 

Auto Components (1.49%)

 

 

 

 

 

Johnson Controls, Inc.

 

226,000

 

$

2,712,000

 

Magna International, Inc., Class A

 

274,700

 

7,348,225

 

 

 

 

 

10,060,225

 

Diversified Consumer Services (0.97%)

 

 

 

 

 

Apollo Group, Inc., Class A(a)

 

83,100

 

6,509,223

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure (2.61%)

 

 

 

 

 

Carnival Corp.

 

227,025

 

4,903,740

 

McDonald’s Corp.

 

86,300

 

4,709,391

 

Starbucks Corp.(a)

 

311,000

 

3,455,210

 

Yum! Brands, Inc.

 

163,200

 

4,484,736

 

 

 

 

 

17,553,077

 

Household Durables (1.57%)

 

 

 

 

 

Centex Corp.

 

446,100

 

3,345,750

 

NVR, Inc.(a)

 

12,125

 

5,186,468

 

Whirlpool Corp.

 

69,450

 

2,055,026

 

 

 

 

 

10,587,244

 

Internet & Catalog Retail (1.01%)

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon.com, Inc.(a)

 

92,980

 

6,828,451

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leisure Equipment & Products (0.38%)

 

 

 

 

 

Mattel, Inc.

 

221,575

 

2,554,760

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media (2.90%)

 

 

 

 

 

Comcast Corp., Class A

 

366,000

 

4,710,420

 

Liberty Media Corp., Capital Group, Series A(a)

 

96,179

 

671,329

 

The McGraw-Hill Cos., Inc.

 

236,000

 

5,397,320

 

Omnicom Group, Inc.

 

216,925

 

5,076,045

 

The Walt Disney Co.

 

203,000

 

3,686,480

 

 

 

 

 

19,541,594

 

Multi-line Retail (1.33%)

 

 

 

 

 

J.C. Penney Co., Inc.

 

446,825

 

8,967,778

 

 



 

Specialty Retail (3.07%)

 

 

 

 

 

AutoZone, Inc.(a)

 

33,950

 

5,520,949

 

Best Buy Co., Inc.

 

47,100

 

1,787,916

 

Chico’s FAS, Inc.(a)

 

173,965

 

934,192

 

Home Depot, Inc.

 

137,150

 

3,231,254

 

Staples, Inc.

 

289,000

 

5,233,790

 

The TJX Companies, Inc.

 

153,625

 

3,938,945

 

 

 

 

 

20,647,046

 

CONSUMER STAPLES (5.16%)

 

 

 

 

 

Beverages (0.23%)

 

 

 

 

 

The Coca-Cola Co.

 

35,000

 

1,538,250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food & Staples Retailing (2.45%)

 

 

 

 

 

Costco Wholesale Corp.

 

86,400

 

4,002,048

 

SYSCO Corp.

 

209,200

 

4,769,760

 

Walgreen Co.

 

190,500

 

4,945,380

 

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

 

52,700

 

2,745,670

 

 

 

 

 

16,462,858

 

Food Products (1.25%)

 

 

 

 

 

Kraft Foods, Inc.

 

113,500

 

2,529,915

 

Sara Lee Corp.

 

240,146

 

1,940,380

 

Tyson Foods, Inc., Class A

 

418,725

 

3,931,827

 

 

 

 

 

8,402,122

 

Household Products (0.87%)

 

 

 

 

 

The Procter & Gamble Co.

 

125,000

 

5,886,250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal Products (0.36%)

 

 

 

 

 

Avon Products, Inc.

 

127,000

 

2,442,210

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENERGY (11.17%)

 

 

 

 

 

Energy Equipment & Services (2.08%)

 

 

 

 

 

BJ Services Co.

 

236,275

 

2,350,936

 

FMC Technologies, Inc.(a)

 

46,880

 

1,470,626

 

Oceaneering International, Inc.(a)

 

129,100

 

4,759,916

 

Schlumberger Ltd.

 

103,630

 

4,209,451

 

Weatherford International Ltd.(a)

 

109,400

 

1,211,058

 

 

 

 

 

14,001,987

 

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (9.09%)

 

 

 

 

 

Apache Corp.

 

38,400

 

2,461,056

 

Arch Coal, Inc.

 

483,300

 

6,461,721

 

BP PLC(b)

 

85,979

 

3,447,758

 

Chesapeake Energy Corp.

 

593,619

 

10,127,141

 

Chevron Corp.

 

76,000

 

5,110,240

 

ConocoPhillips

 

129,000

 

5,051,640

 

 



 

Consol Energy, Inc.

 

124,200

 

3,134,808

 

Devon Energy Corp.

 

112,000

 

5,005,280

 

Exxon Mobil Corp.

 

45,800

 

3,118,980

 

Forest Oil Corp.(a)

 

349,075

 

4,590,336

 

Occidental Petroleum Corp.

 

39,400

 

2,192,610

 

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.(b)

 

123,100

 

3,750,857

 

Range Resources Corp.

 

67,700

 

2,786,532

 

Valero Energy Corp.

 

220,400

 

3,945,160

 

 

 

 

 

61,184,119

 

FINANCIALS (14.04%)

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Markets (2.15%)

 

 

 

 

 

Bank of New York Mellon Corp.

 

160,000

 

4,520,000

 

Morgan Stanley

 

313,175

 

7,130,995

 

UBS AG(a)

 

299,075

 

2,820,277

 

 

 

 

 

14,471,272

 

Commercial Banks (0.62%)

 

 

 

 

 

Comerica, Inc.

 

128,675

 

2,356,039

 

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

 

62,616

 

1,834,024

 

 

 

 

 

4,190,063

 

Consumer Finance (3.05%)

 

 

 

 

 

American Express Co.

 

117,000

 

1,594,710

 

Capital One Financial Corp.

 

358,150

 

4,383,756

 

Mastercard, Inc., Class A

 

25,900

 

4,337,732

 

Visa, Inc., Class A

 

183,500

 

10,202,600

 

 

 

 

 

20,518,798

 

Diversified Financial Services (3.19%)

 

 

 

 

 

Bank of America Corp.

 

1,233,454

 

8,412,156

 

Citigroup, Inc.

 

595,875

 

1,507,564

 

IntercontinentalExchange, Inc.(a)

 

48,500

 

3,611,795

 

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

 

299,825

 

7,969,349

 

 

 

 

 

21,500,864

 

Insurance (3.77%)

 

 

 

 

 

ACE Ltd.

 

57,000

 

2,302,800

 

The Allstate Corp.

 

203,625

 

3,899,419

 

Brown & Brown, Inc.

 

187,850

 

3,552,244

 

Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

 

308,325

 

6,015,420

 

Genworth Financial, Inc., Class A

 

497,050

 

944,395

 

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

 

32,550

 

255,518

 

MetLife, Inc.

 

78,975

 

1,798,261

 

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.

 

60,125

 

2,972,580

 

Torchmark Corp.

 

138,875

 

3,642,691

 

 

 

 

 

25,383,328

 

 



 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (1.91%)

 

 

 

 

 

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

 

738,149

 

10,238,126

 

Redwood Trust, Inc.

 

168,425

 

2,585,324

 

 

 

 

 

12,823,450

 

HEALTH CARE (14.31%)

 

 

 

 

 

Biotechnology (4.47%)

 

 

 

 

 

Amgen, Inc.(a)

 

62,400

 

3,090,048

 

Cephalon, Inc.(a)

 

69,000

 

4,698,900

 

Genzyme Corp.(a)

 

142,000

 

8,433,380

 

Gilead Sciences, Inc.(a)

 

299,700

 

13,882,104

 

 

 

 

 

30,104,432

 

Health Care Equipment & Supplies (2.54%)

 

 

 

 

 

Becton, Dickinson and Co.

 

30,300

 

2,037,372

 

Boston Scientific Corp.(a)

 

172,450

 

1,370,978

 

Covidien Ltd.

 

90,000

 

2,991,600

 

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.(a)

 

29,400

 

2,803,584

 

Medtronic, Inc.

 

47,000

 

1,385,090

 

St. Jude Medical, Inc.(a)

 

77,800

 

2,826,474

 

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.(a)

 

120,200

 

3,658,888

 

 

 

 

 

17,073,986

 

Health Care Providers & Services (2.56%)

 

 

 

 

 

AmerisourceBergen Corp.

 

134,513

 

4,393,194

 

Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.

 

259,100

 

1,308,455

 

Cardinal Health, Inc.

 

101,675

 

3,200,729

 

Omnicare, Inc.

 

98,050

 

2,401,245

 

Quest Diagnostics, Inc.

 

56,100

 

2,663,628

 

WellPoint, Inc.(a)

 

85,775

 

3,256,877

 

 

 

 

 

17,224,128

 

Health Care Technology (0.86%)

 

 

 

 

 

Cerner Corp.(a)

 

131,632

 

5,787,859

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life Sciences Tools & Services (0.25%)

 

 

 

 

 

Life Technologies Corp.(a)

 

52,200

 

1,695,456

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pharmaceuticals (3.63%)

 

 

 

 

 

Allergan, Inc.

 

73,800

 

3,524,688

 

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

 

188,442

 

4,130,649

 

Eli Lilly & Co.

 

77,000

 

2,572,570

 

Johnson & Johnson

 

48,375

 

2,544,525

 

Merck & Co., Inc.

 

64,975

 

1,738,081

 

Schering-Plough Corp.

 

71,350

 

1,680,293

 

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.(b)

 

182,600

 

8,226,129

 

 

 

 

 

24,416,935

 

 



 

INDUSTRIALS (6.21%)

 

 

 

 

 

Aerospace & Defense (2.08%)

 

 

 

 

 

The Boeing Co.

 

166,900

 

5,938,302

 

L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc.

 

37,675

 

2,554,365

 

Northrop Grumman Corp.

 

126,425

 

5,517,187

 

 

 

 

 

14,009,854

 

Air Freight & Logistics (1.31%)

 

 

 

 

 

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.

 

131,145

 

5,981,524

 

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.

 

101,390

 

2,868,323

 

 

 

 

 

8,849,847

 

Commercial Services & Supplies (0.46%)

 

 

 

 

 

Quanta Services, Inc.(a)

 

143,360

 

3,075,072

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Industrial Conglomerates (0.60%)

 

 

 

 

 

Tyco International Ltd.

 

206,500

 

4,039,140

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Machinery (1.22%)

 

 

 

 

 

Deere & Co.

 

26,600

 

874,342

 

Flowserve Corp.

 

30,376

 

1,704,701

 

Navistar International Corp.(a)

 

94,883

 

3,174,785

 

PACCAR, Inc.

 

94,200

 

2,426,592

 

 

 

 

 

8,180,420

 

Professional Services (0.54%)

 

 

 

 

 

Monster Worldwide, Inc.(a)

 

448,100

 

3,652,015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (26.26%)

 

 

 

 

 

Communications Equipment (5.23%)

 

 

 

 

 

Alcatel-Lucent(a)(b)

 

1,850,608

 

3,442,131

 

Cisco Systems, Inc.(a)

 

670,400

 

11,242,607

 

Corning, Inc.

 

391,100

 

5,189,897

 

Motorola, Inc.

 

1,182,850

 

5,003,456

 

Nortel Networks Corp.(a)

 

163

 

37

 

QUALCOMM, Inc.

 

209,600

 

8,155,535

 

Research In Motion Ltd.(a)

 

50,500

 

2,175,035

 

 

 

 

 

35,208,698

 

Computers & Peripherals (5.07%)

 

 

 

 

 

Apple, Inc.(a)

 

79,700

 

8,378,064

 

Dell, Inc.(a)

 

1,363,450

 

12,925,506

 

EMC Corp.(a)

 

473,300

 

5,395,620

 

International Business Machines Corp.

 

76,900

 

7,450,841

 

 

 

 

 

34,150,031

 

 



 

Electronic Equipment & Instruments (1.36%)

 

 

 

 

 

Avnet, Inc.(a)

 

260,025

 

4,553,038

 

Tyco Electronics Ltd.

 

414,800

 

4,579,392

 

 

 

 

 

9,132,430

 

Internet Software & Services (3.05%)

 

 

 

 

 

Akamai Technologies, Inc.(a)

 

211,695

 

4,106,883

 

eBay, Inc.(a)

 

246,000

 

3,089,760

 

Google, Inc., Class A(a)

 

23,000

 

8,005,380

 

VeriSign, Inc.(a)

 

108,495

 

2,047,301

 

Yahoo!, Inc.(a)

 

255,500

 

3,272,955

 

 

 

 

 

20,522,279

 

IT Services (1.81%)

 

 

 

 

 

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

 

134,800

 

4,739,568

 

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp.(a)

 

156,100

 

3,245,319

 

The Western Union Co.

 

336,000

 

4,223,520

 

 

 

 

 

12,208,407

 

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment (4.36%)

 

 

 

 

 

Analog Devices, Inc.

 

229,000

 

4,412,830

 

ASML Holding N.V.

 

282,000

 

4,937,820

 

Intel Corp.

 

295,000

 

4,439,750

 

International Rectifier Corp.(a)

 

461,953

 

6,240,985

 

Lam Research Corp.(a)

 

95,000

 

2,163,150

 

Marvell Technology Group Ltd.(a)

 

148,900

 

1,363,924

 

Novellus Systems, Inc.(a)

 

350,000

 

5,820,500

 

 

 

 

 

29,378,959

 

Software (4.73%)

 

 

 

 

 

CA, Inc.

 

360,200

 

6,343,122

 

Intuit, Inc.(a)

 

119,500

 

3,226,500

 

Microsoft Corp.

 

500,750

 

9,198,778

 

Oracle Corp.(a)

 

273,800

 

4,947,566

 

Salesforce.com, Inc.(a)

 

117,800

 

3,855,594

 

Symantec Corp.(a)

 

284,700

 

4,253,418

 

 

 

 

 

31,824,978

 

MATERIALS (2.84%)

 

 

 

 

 

Chemicals (1.76%)

 

 

 

 

 

Cytec Industries, Inc.

 

25,100

 

377,002

 

Monsanto Co.

 

86,100

 

7,154,910

 

Praxair, Inc.

 

64,000

 

4,306,560

 

 

 

 

 

11,838,472

 

 



 

Metals & Mining (1.08%)

 

 

 

 

 

Alcoa, Inc.

 

390,000

 

2,862,600

 

Barrick Gold Corp.

 

136,100

 

4,412,362

 

 

 

 

 

7,274,962

 

UTILITIES (1.77%)

 

 

 

 

 

Electric Utilities (0.36%)

 

 

 

 

 

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

 

105,575

 

2,446,173

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utilities (0.08%)

 

 

 

 

 

EQT Corp.

 

17,600

 

551,408

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders (0.58%)

 

 

 

 

 

Reliant Energy, Inc.(a)

 

1,224,175

 

3,905,118

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multi-Utilities (0.75%)

 

 

 

 

 

Sempra Energy

 

81,250

 

3,757,000

 

Wisconsin Energy Corp., Series C

 

30,728

 

1,265,072

 

 

 

 

 

5,022,072

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS (COST OF $979,450,586)

 

 

 

653,628,100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (0.19%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

iShares Russell 1000 Value Index Fund
(COST OF $1,540,840)

 

32,375

 

1,314,101

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PREFERRED STOCKS (0.21%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY (0.10%)

 

 

 

 

 

Automobiles (0.10%)

 

 

 

 

 

General Motors Corp., Series C, 6.250%

 

276,925

 

703,390

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINANCIALS (0.11%)

 

 

 

 

 

Diversified Financial Services (0.11%)

 

 

 

 

 

Citigroup, Inc., Series AA, 8.125%

 

46,660

 

712,964

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS (COST OF $5,362,772)

 

 

 

1,416,354

 

 

 

 

PAR

 

 

 

 

 

VALUE

 

 

 

CORPORATE BOND (0.01%)

 

 

 

 

 

INDUSTRIALS (0.01%)

 

 

 

 

 

Airlines (0.01%)

 

 

 

 

 

Continental Airlines, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

5.000%, 6/15/2023
(COST OF $54,041)

 

$

60,000

 

49,050

 

 



 

SHORT TERM INVESTMENT (3.38%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REPURCHASE AGREEMENT (3.38%)

 

 

 

 

 

Repurchase agreement with State Street Bank & Trust Co., dated 03/31/09, due 04/01/09 at 0.01%, collateralized by several Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Instruments with various maturity dates, market value of $23,209,566 (Repurchase proceeds of $22,747,006)
(Cost of $22,747,000)

 

22,747,000

 

22,747,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS (100.88%) (COST OF 1,009,155,239)(c)

 

 

 

679,154,605

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS (-0.88%)

 

 

 

(5,938,564

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS (100.00%)

 

 

 

$

673,216,041

 

NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE (181,404,824 SHARES OUTSTANDING)

 

 

 

$

3.71

 

 


Notes to Schedule of Investments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Non-income producing security.

 

 

 

 

 

(b) American Depositary Receipt.

 

 

 

 

 

(c) Cost of investments for federal income tax purposes is $1,025,430,967.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation at March 31, 2009, based on cost of investments for federal income tax purposes is as follows:

 

Gross unrealized appreciation

 

 

 

$

5,478,799

 

Gross unrealized depreciation

 

 

 

(351,755,161

)

Net unrealized depreciation

 

 

 

$

(346,276,362

)

 


 


 

NOTES TO QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION

 

Liberty All-Star Equity Fund (the “Fund”) is a Massachusetts business trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”), as amended, as a diversified, closed-end management investment company.

 

Investment Goal

 

The Fund seeks total investment return comprised of long-term capital appreciation and current income through investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities.

 

Fund Shares

 

The Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest.

 

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.

 

Security Valuation

 

Equity securities are valued at the last sale price at the close of the principal exchange on which they trade, except for securities listed on the NASDAQ, which are valued at the NASDAQ official closing price. Unlisted securities or listed securities for which there were no sales during the day are valued at the closing bid price on such exchanges or over-the-counter markets.

 

Debt securities generally are valued by pricing services approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of similar securities. The services may use various pricing techniques which take into account appropriate factors such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other data, as well as broker quotes. Debt securities for which quotations are readily available are valued at an over-the-counter or exchange bid quotation.

 

Short-term debt obligations maturing in more than 60 days for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value. Short-term debt obligations maturing within 60 days are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.

 

Investments for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under consistently applied procedures approved by and under the general supervision of the Board.

 

Foreign Securities

 

The Fund invests in foreign securities which may involve a number of risk factors and special considerations not present with investments in securities of U.S. corporations.

 



 

Security Transactions

 

Security transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Cost is determined and gains (losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.

 

Foreign Currency Translation

 

The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Investment valuations and other assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies are converted each business day into U.S. dollars based upon current exchange rates.  Prevailing foreign exchange rates may generally be obtained at the close of the NYSE, normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. As available and as provided by an appropriate pricing service, translation of foreign security and currency market values may also occur with the use of foreign exchange rates obtained at approximately 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, which approximates the close of the London Exchange.  The portion of unrealized and realized gains or losses on investments due to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates is not separately disclosed.

 

Repurchase Agreements

 

The Fund may engage in repurchase agreement transactions with institutions that the Fund’s investment advisor has determined are creditworthy. The Fund, through its custodian, receives delivery of underlying securities collateralizing a repurchase agreement. Collateral is at least equal, at all times, to the value of the repurchase obligation including interest. A repurchase agreement transaction involves certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty. These risks include possible delays or restrictions upon a Fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities and a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period while the Fund seeks to assert its rights.

 

Income Recognition

 

Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Premium and discount are amortized and accreted, respectively, on all debt securities. Corporate actions and dividend income are recorded on the ex-date.

 

The Fund estimates components of distributions from real estate investment trusts (REIT’s). Distributions received in excess of income are recorded as a reduction of the cost of the related investments. If the Fund no longer owns the applicable securities, any distributions received in excess of income are recorded as realized gains.

 

Fair Value Measurements

 

The Fund discloses classification of its fair value measurements following the three-tier hierarchy established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.  Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on the best information available.

 

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments as of the end of the reporting period. These inputs are categorized in the following hierarchy under applicable financial accounting standards:

 

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

Level 2 – Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

 

Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of

 



 

investments)

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of March 31, 2009.

 

 

 

Investments

 

Other Financial

 

Valuation Inputs

 

in Securities

 

Instruments*

 

Level 1- Quoted Prices

 

$

656,358,555

 

 

Level 2- Other Significant Observable Inputs

 

$

22,796,050

 

 

Level 3- Significant Unobservable Inputs

 

$

0

 

 

Total

 

$

679,154,605

 

 

 


*        Other financial instruments are derivative investments not reflected in the Schedule of Investments such as futures, forwards and swap contracts, which are valued at the unrealized appreciation/depreciation on the investment.

 

For the three months March 31, 2009, the Fund did not have significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) used in determining fair value. Therefore, a reconciliation of assets in which significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) were used in determining fair value is not applicable.

 

Federal Income Tax Status

 

For federal income tax purposes, the Fund currently qualifies, and intends to remain qualified, as a regulated investment company under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code by distributing substantially all of its investment company taxable net income including realized gain, not offset by capital loss carryforwards, if any, to its shareholders. Accordingly, no provision for federal income or excise taxes has been made.

 

In accordance with FASB Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”) “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” the financial statement effects of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return are to be recognized in the financial statements when it is more likely than not, based on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. Management has concluded that the Fund has taken no uncertain tax positions that require adjustment to the financial statements to comply with the provisions of FIN 48. The Fund files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and Colorado. For the years ended December 31, 2005 through December 31, 2008 for the federal jurisdiction and for the years ended December 31, 2006 through December 31, 2008 for Colorado, the Fund’s returns are still open to examination by the appropriate taxing authority.

 

Distributions to Shareholders

 

The Fund currently has a policy of paying distributions on its shares of beneficial interest totaling approximately 10% of its net asset value per year. The distributions are payable in four quarterly distributions of 2.5% of the Fund’s net asset value at the close of the New York Stock Exchange on the Friday prior to each quarterly declaration date. Distributions to shareholders are recorded on ex-date.

 

Indemnification

 

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties and which provide general indemnities. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims against the Fund. Also, under the Fund’s organizational documents and by contract, the

 



 

Trustees and Officers of the Fund are indemnified against certain liabilities that may arise out of their duties to the Fund. However, based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss due to these warranties and indemnities to be minimal.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In March 2008, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 161 (“FAS 161”), “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities”. FAS 161 is intended to improve financial reporting about derivative instruments and hedging activities. It is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. Management has begun to evaluate the impact the adoption of FAS 161 will have on the Fund’s financial statement disclosures.

 



 

Item 2 - Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)                                 The registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have evaluated the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) within 90 days of this filing and have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of that date.

 

(b)                                There was no change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) during registrant’s last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 3 – Exhibits.

 

Separate certifications for the registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, are attached as Ex99.CERT.

 

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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.

 

 

LIBERTY ALL-STAR EQUITY FUND

 

 

 

By:

/s/ William Parmentier

 

 

William Parmentier

 

 

President (principal executive officer)

 

 

 

 

Date:

May 22, 2009

 

 

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:

/s/ William Parmentier

 

 

William Parmentier

 

 

President (principal executive officer)

 

 

 

 

Date:

May 22, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jeremy O. May

 

 

Jeremy O. May

 

 

Treasurer (principal financial officer)

 

 

 

 

Date:

May 22, 2009

 

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