Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549

FORM N-Q


QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number         811-21471         

        Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund         
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


        333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60606         

Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)


Jessica R. Droeger—Vice President and Secretary
        333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60606         

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:         312-917-7700        

Date of fiscal year end:            12/31          

Date of reporting period:          09/30/04         

Form N-Q is to be used by management investment companies, other than small business investment companies registered on Form N-5 (§§ 239.24 and 274.5 of this chapter), to file reports with the Commission, not later than 60 days after the close of the first and third fiscal quarters, pursuant to rule 30b1-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30b1-5). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-Q in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-Q, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-Q unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to the Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.

Item 1. Schedule of Investments

Portfolio of Investments (Unaudited)
Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund (JTA)
September 30, 2004


Shares

Description(1)

Value


COMMON STOCKS - 102.1% (71.2% of Total Investments)

Aerospace & Defense - 6.1%

 

140,000

Lockheed Martin Corporation

$    7,809,200

235,000

Raytheon Company

8,925,300


16,734,500


Auto Components - 1.9%

 

555,000

Delphi Corporation

5,155,950


Chemicals - 2.3%

 

492,000

DSM NV Sponsored ADR

6,445,200


Commercial Banks - 5.1%

 

150,000

Wachovia Corporation

7,042,500

120,000

Wells Fargo & Company

7,155,600


14,198,100


Commercial Services & Supplies - 2.5%

 

155,000

Pitney Bowes Inc.

6,835,500


Communications Equipment - 2.2%

 

343,000

KT Corporation Sponsored ADR

6,198,010


Containers & Packaging - 2.2%

 

250,000

Packaging Corp of America

6,117,500


Diversified Financial Services - 5.4%

 

150,000

Citigroup Inc.

6,618,000

205,000

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

8,144,650


14,762,650


Diversified Telecommunication Services - 9.3%

 

235,000

SBC Communications Inc.

6,098,250

330,000

Sprint Corporation

6,642,900

235,000

Telecom Italia S.p.A. Sponsored ADR

5,416,750

190,000

Verizon Communications Inc.

7,482,200


25,640,100


Electric Utilities - 7.7%

 

110,000

Dominion Resources, Inc.

7,177,500

175,000

FirstEnergy Corp.

7,189,000

652,000

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) Sponsored ADR

6,878,600


21,245,100


Food & Staples Retailing - 4.9%

 

375,000

Albertson's, Inc.

8,973,750

240,625

J. Sainsbury plc Sponsored ADR

4,523,750


13,497,500


Food Products - 1.2%

 

120,000

Tate & Lyle plc Sponsored ADR

3,366,000


Household Durables - 3.4%

 

207,000

Newell Rubbermaid Inc.

4,148,280

80,000

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

5,167,200


9,315,480


Insurance - 5.9%

 

390,000

Aon Corporation

11,208,600

80,000

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

4,954,400


16,163,000


Metals & Mining - 5.9%

 

404,000

Alumina Limited Sponsored ADR

6,609,440

90,000

Rio Tinto plc Sponsored ADR

9,778,500


16,387,940


Oil & Gas - 13.6%

 

80,000

ChevronTexaco Corporation

4,291,200

110,000

ConocoPhillips

9,113,500

53,000

Eni S.p.A. Sponsored ADR

5,951,900

215,000

Kerr-McGee Corporation

12,308,750

55,000

Total SA Sponsored ADR

5,619,350


37,284,700


Paper & Forest Products - 4.5%

 

125,000

International Paper Company

5,051,250

110,000

Weyerhaeuser Company

7,312,800


12,364,050


Road & Rail - 1.9%

 

90,000

Union Pacific Corporation

5,274,000


Thrifts & Mortgage Finance - 7.9%

 

192,000

Fannie Mae

12,172,800

265,000

IndyMac Bancorp, Inc.

9,593,000


21,765,800


Tobacco - 6.9%

 

235,000

Altria Group, Inc.

11,054,400

330,000

Loews Corp - Carolina Group

8,042,100


19,096,500


Water Utilities - 1.3%

 

180,000

United Utilities plc Sponsored ADR

3,664,800


Total Common Stocks (cost $269,014,717)

281,512,380


Ratings*


Shares

Description(1)

Coupon

Moody's

S&P

Value


PREFERRED SECURITIES - 11.5% (8.0% of Total Investments)

Commercial Banks - 2.9%

 

40,600

Abbey National plc

7.375%

A2

A

$    1,081,584

23,500

Abbey National plc, Series B

7.375%

A2

A

635,440

80,000

ABN AMRO Capital Trust Fund VII

6.080%

A2

A

1,941,600

28,100

Citigroup Inc., Series H (a)

6.231%

Aa3

NA

1,544,095

36,800

Fannie Mae (a)

5.125%

Aa3

NA

1,652,320

40,000

Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc, Series M

6.400%

A1

A

1,010,800


7,865,839


Consumer Finance - 0.7%

 

36,100

SLM Corporation, Series A (a)

6.970%

Baa1

BBB+

2,066,725


Diversified Financial Services - 3.2%

 

17,500

Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Series F (a)

6.150%

A3

BBB

915,250

20,000

Citigroup Inc., Series F (a)

6.365%

Aa3

NA

1,084,600

12,000

Fannie Mae (a)

5.500%

Aa3

NA

565,800

26,900

Fannie Mae (a)

5.810%

Aa3

AA-

1,338,275

17,600

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (a)

6.000%

Aa3

AA-

915,200

21,900

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (a)

5.000%

Aa3

AA-

957,030

20,000

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (a)

5.700%

Aa3

AA-

992,000

77,700

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., Series F (a)

6.500%

NA

BBB+

2,041,956


8,810,111


Electric Utilities - 1.8%

 

39,500

Alabama Power Company, Series A

5.300%

Baa1

BBB+

976,393

8,500

Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc.

5.000%

A3

BBB+

743,750

43,500

Interstate Power and Light Company (a)

7.100%

Baa3

BBB-

1,179,938

40,000

Mississippi Power Company

5.250%

NA

BBB+

986,252

40,000

Savannah Electric and Power Company

6.000%

Baa1

BBB+

1,050,000


4,936,333


Insurance - 2.5%

 

70,000

Ace Ltd., Series C

7.800%

Baa2

BBB-

1,883,000

40,000

Genworth Financial Inc., Series A

5.250%

Baa1

BBB+

2,111,252

25,600

ING Group NV

6.200%

A2

A-

627,968

5,000

ING Group NV

7.050%

NA

A-

130,650

48,400

ING Group NV

7.200%

A2

A-

1,287,440

30,000

Prudential plc

6.750%

Baa1

A

762,900


6,803,210


Oil & Gas - 0.4%

 

11,000

Devon Energy Corporation, Series A (a)

6.490%

Ba1

BB+

1,153,625


Total Preferred Securities (cost 31,598,810)

31,635,843


 

Ratings*

Principal

Stated  


Amount (000)

Description(1)

Coupon

Maturity**

Moody's

S&P

Value


CORPORATE BONDS - 5.9% (4.1% of Total Investments)


Construction Materials - 1.2%

 

2,800

Texas Industries Inc.

10.250%

6/15/11

B1

BB-

3,234,000


Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure - 0.8%

 

2,000

Park Place Entertainment

8.875%

9/15/08

Ba2

BB-

2,285,000


Oil & Gas - 1.2%

 

3,000

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

8.375%

11/01/08

Ba3

BB-

3,285,000


Paper & Forest Products - 0.8%

 

2,000

Georgia Pacific Corporation

7.375%

7/15/08

Ba2

BB+

2,190,000


Real Estate - 1.9%

 

2,000

D.R. Horton, Inc.

7.500%

12/01/07

Ba1

BB+

2,210,000

2,000

Standard Pacific Corporation

6.500%

10/01/08

Ba2

BB

2,100,000

1,000

Standard Pacific Corporation

9.500%

9/15/10

Ba2

BB

1,100,000


5,410,000


Total Corporate Bonds (cost $16,065,136)

16,404,000


Ratings*

Principal

Stated  


Amount (000)

Description(1)

Maturity**

Moody's

S&P

Value


VARIABLE RATE SENIOR LOAN INTERESTS(2) - 21.6% (15.0% of Total Investments)

Aerospace and Defense - 0.6%

 

215

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc., Term Loan B

6/30/07

Ba3

B+

$    217,933

1,359

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc., Term Loan C

6/30/08

Ba3

B+

1,375,074


1,593,007


Auto Components - 2.3%

 

2,000

Federal-Mogul Corporation, Term Loan A (b)

2/24/04

NR

NR

1,846,250

1,995

Mark IV Industries, Inc., Term Loan B

6/23/11

B1

BB-

2,028,042

2,260

Metaldyne Company LLC, Term Loan D

12/31/09

B2

BB-

2,259,784


6,134,076


Construction & Engineering - 1.6%

 

2,843

Amsted Industries Incorporated, Term Loan B

10/15/10

B1

BB-

2,878,176

2,000

Anthony Crane Rental, L.P., Term Loan

7/23/04

NR

NR

1,595,000


4,473,176


Containers & Packaging - 3.6%

 

3,000

Owens-Illinois Group, Inc., Term Loan B

4/01/08

B1

BB-

3,042,188

2,985

Solo Cup Company, Term Loan

2/27/11

B1

B+

3,014,850

1,676

Stone Container Corporation, Term Loan B

6/30/09

NR

NR

1,688,217

221

Stone Container Corporation, Term Loan C

6/30/09

NR

NR

223,018

1,990

United States Can Company, Term Loan B

1/15/10

B2

B

1,985,025


9,953,298


Diversified/Conglomerate Manufacturing - 0.7%

 

1,995

PP Holding Corporation, Term Loan

11/12/11

B1

B+

2,011,833


Electric Utilities - 0.7%

 

1,713

Sensus Metering Systems Inc., Term Loan B-1

12/17/10

B2

B+

1,734,457

257

Sensus Metering Systems Inc., Term Loan B-2

12/17/10

B2

B+

260,168


1,994,625


Healthcare Providers & Services - 1.4%

 

1,936

Alderwoods Group, Inc., Term Loan B-1

9/29/08

B1

BB-

1,965,687

1,995

IASIS Healthcare LLC, Term Loan B

6/22/11

B1

B+

2,021,683


3,987,370


Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure - 2.3%

 

1,990

24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, Inc., Term Loan B

7/01/09

B1

B

2,016,093

1,990

Jack in the Box Inc., Term Loan

1/09/10

Ba2

BB

2,017,363

2,289

Wyndham International, Inc., Term Loan II

4/01/06

NR

NR

2,285,705


6,319,161


Household Durables - 0.7%

 

1,839

Sealy Mattress Company, Term Loan C (Tranche C)

8/06/12

B2

B+

1,862,277


Insurance - 0.7%

 

2,000

Conseco, Inc., Term Loan

6/22/10

B2

BB-

2,035,417


Media - 4.5%

 

1,995

Charter Communications Operating, LLC, Term Loan B

4/07/11

B2

B

1,981,477

2,000

Freedom Communications, Inc., Term Loan B

5/18/12

Ba3

BB

2,032,500

2,000

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc., Term Loan B

4/26/11

NR

NR

2,008,000

1,930

Regal Cinemas Corporation, Term Loan

11/10/10

Ba3

BB-

1,953,665

944

Transwestern Publishing Company LLC, First Lien Term Loan B

2/25/11

B1

B+

951,314

995

Transwestern Publishing Company LLC, Second Lien Term Loan

2/25/12

B3

B-

1,004,329

2,237

WMG Acquisition Corp., Term Loan

2/27/11

B1

B+

2,270,632


12,201,917


Real Estate - 0.8%

 

2,055

Crescent Real Estate Funding XII, L.P., Term Loan

3/20/06

NR

NR

2,074,126


Road & Rail - 1.0%

 

2,820

Laidlaw Inc., Term Loan B-1

6/19/09

Ba3

BB+

2,867,146


Wireless Telecommunication Services - 0.7%

 

1,985

Nextel Finance Company, Term Loan E

12/15/10

Ba1

BBB

1,997,008


Total Variable Rate Senior Loan Interests (cost $59,202,398)

59,504,437


REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS - 2.4% (1.7% of Total Investments)

6,618

State Street Bank, 1.7000%, dated 9/30/04, due 10/01/04, repurchase price $6,618,618

6,618,305

   collateralized by $5,710,000 U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.250%, due 8/15/23, value $6,752,075


$

6,618

Total Repurchase Agreements (cost $6,618,305)

6,618,305



Total Investments (cost $382,499,366) - 143.5%

395,674,965


FundNotes (28.3)%

(78,000,000)


Other Assets Less Liabilities - 1.1%

3,037,974


FundPreferred Shares, at Liquidation Value (16.3)%

(45,000,000)


Net Assets Applicable to Common Shares - 100%

$    275,712,939


(1)  

All percentages shown in the Portfolio of Investments are based on net assets applicable to Common

shares unless otherwise noted.

(2)  

Senior Loans in which the Fund invests generally pay interest at rates which are periodically adjusted

by reference to a base short-term, floating lending rate plus a premium. These base lending rates are

generally (i) the lending rate offered by one or more major European banks, such as the London Inter-Bank

Offered Rate ("LIBOR"), (ii) the prime rate offered by one or more major United States banks, or (iii) the

certificate of deposit rate.

Senior Loans are generally considered to be restricted in that the Fund ordinarily is contractually obligated

to receive approval from the Agent Bank and/or Borrower prior to the disposition of a Senior Loan.

*  

Ratings below Baa by Moody's Investor Service, Inc. or BBB by Standard & Poor's Group are considered

to be below investment grade.

**  

Senior Loans in the Fund's portfolio generally are subject to mandatory and/or optional prepayment.

Because of these mandatory prepayment conditions and because there may be significant economic

incentives for a Borrower to prepay, prepayments of Senior Loans in the Fund's portfolio may occur.

As a result, the actual remaining maturity of Senior Loans held in the Fund's portfolio may be substantially

less than the stated maturities shown. The Fund estimates that the actual average maturity of the Senior

Loans held in it portfolio will be approximately 18-24 months.

(a)  

Security is eligible for the Dividends Received Deduction.

(b)  

At or subsequent to September 30, 2004, this issue was under protection of the federal bankruptcy court.

NR  

Not rated.

Income Tax Information

The following information is presented on an income tax basis. Differences between amounts for financial

statement and federal income tax purposes are primarily due to recognition of premium amortization on

debt securities and timing differences in recognizing certain gains and losses on security transactions.

At September 30, 2004, the cost of investments was $382,658,427.

Gross unrealized appreciation and gross unrealized depreciation of investments at September 30, 2004,

were as follows:


Gross unrealized:

   Appreciation

$21,349,850

   Depreciation

(8,333,312)


Net unrealized appreciation of investments

$13,016,538


Item 2. Controls and Procedures.

  1. The registrant's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) are effective, as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and Rule 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15(b)).
  2. There were no changes in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the 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.

File as exhibits as part of this Form a separate certification for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)), exactly as set forth below: EX-99 CERT Attached hereto.


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)         Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund        

By (Signature and Title)*          /s/ Jessica R. Droeger--Vice President and Secretary        

Date         11/29/04        

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/ Gifford R. Zimmerman--Chief Administrative Officer (Principal Executive Officer)        

Date         11/29/04        

By (Signature and Title)*         /s/ Stephen D. Foy--Vice President and Controller (Principal Financial Officer)        

Date         11/29/04        

* Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.