NPORT-EX 2 Highland_GAF_Schedule_F.htm SCHEDULE F HTML

INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

Shares

   Value ($)  
 

U.S. Equity — 39.7%

 
 

Communication Services — 25.1%

 
  169,531     

TerreStar Corporation (a)(b)(c)(d)(e)

     55,931,667  
     

 

 

 
 

Healthcare — 3.1%

 
  77,700     

Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (e)

     1,049,727  
  61,625     

Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. (e)

     272,999  
  232,800     

Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (e)(f)

     4,927,212  
  17,200     

Patterson

     509,636  
  5,500     

Surgery Partners, Inc. (e)

     159,555  
     

 

 

 
        6,919,129  
     

 

 

 
 

Materials — 1.6%

 
  730,484     

MPM Holdings, Inc. (e)

     3,652,420  
     

 

 

 
 

Real Estate — 9.9%

 
  70,700     

City Office, REIT

     690,739  
  963,568     

GAF REIT (a)(b)(c)(e)

     11,180,183  
  66,300     

Independence Realty Trust, Inc., REIT

     890,409  
  121,123     

NexPoint Real Estate Finance (c)

     2,000,952  
  161,869     

NexPoint Residential Trust, REIT (c)

     6,848,677  
  10,241     

Plymouth Industrial REIT, REIT

     153,615  
  44,387     

RAIT Financial Trust, REIT (a)(b)(e)

     —    
  280,000     

United Development Funding IV, REIT (a)(b)(e)

     322,000  
     

 

 

 
        22,086,575  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Equity
(Cost $81,774,044)

     88,589,791  
  

 

 

 
 

Non-U.S. Equity — 25.8%

 
 

Communication Services — 1.8%

 
  77,866     

Grupo Clarin, Class B (e)(g)

     20,748  
  189,945     

Loral Space & Communications, Inc. (g)

     3,986,945  
     

 

 

 
        4,007,693  
     

 

 

 
 

Consumer Discretionary — 3.1%

 
  3,000     

MercadoLibre, Inc. (e)(g)

     5,025,660  
  718     

Toys ‘R’ Us (a)(b)(e)(g)

     179,450  
  718     

Tru Kids, Inc. (a)(b)(e)(g)

     1,615,050  
     

 

 

 
        6,820,160  
     

 

 

 
 

Energy — 6.9%

 
  29,751     

NextDecade Corp. (e)(f)(g)

     62,180  
  53,200     

Plains GP Holdings, Class A (g)

     449,540  
  131,600     

Targa Resources (g)

     3,471,608  
  121     

Transocean (e)(g)

     279  
  566,995     

Williams Cos., Inc. (g)

     11,368,250  
     

 

 

 
        15,351,857  
     

 

 

 
 

Financials — 0.2%

 
  188,858     

Grupo Supervielle SA ADR (g)

     400,379  
     

 

 

 
 

Industrials — 0.6%

 
  38,549     

American Airlines Group, Inc. (g)

     607,918  
  65,931     

GL Events (g)

     809,929  
     

 

 

 
        1,417,847  
     

 

 

 

Shares

   Value ($)  
 

Non-U.S. Equity (continued)

 
 

Information Technology — 1.2%

 
  119,188     

Avaya Holdings Corp. (e)(g)

     2,282,450  
  5,000     

StoneCo, Class A (e)(g)

     419,600  
     

 

 

 
        2,702,050  
     

 

 

 
 

Utilities — 12.0%

 
  202,250     

Central Puerto ADR (e)(g)

     546,075  
  67,700     

Pampa Energia ADR (e)(f)(g)

     932,906  
  1,286,000     

Vistra Energy Corp. (g)

     25,282,760  
     

 

 

 
        26,761,741  
     

 

 

 
  

Total Non-U.S. Equity
(Cost $101,520,655)

     57,461,727  
  

 

 

 
 

U.S. LLC Interest — 12.3%

 
 

Real Estate — 12.3%

 
  100     

GAF REIT Sub II, LLC (a)(b)(c)(e)

     4,049,537  
  523,388     

NexPoint Real Estate Finance Operating Partnership, L.P. (c)

     8,646,370  
  124,046     

NREF OP I, L.P., REIT (c)(e)

     2,049,240  
  6,773,494     

SFR WLIF I, LLC (a)(b)(c)

     5,514,640  
  4,437,497     

SFR WLIF II, LLC (a)(b)(c)

     3,634,621  
  3,789,008     

SFR WLIF III, LLC (a)(b)(c)

     3,427,613  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. LLC Interest
(Cost $30,874,622)

     27,322,021  
  

 

 

 
 

U.S. Master Limited Partnerships — 10.0%

 
 

Energy — 10.0%

 
  50,000     

Crestwood Equity Partners (f)

     949,000  
  1,558,690     

Energy Transfer LP

     9,632,704  
  385,923     

MPLX LP

     8,355,233  
  236,900     

Western Midstream Partners LP

     3,273,958  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Master Limited Partnerships
(Cost $51,121,705)

     22,210,895  
  

 

 

 
 

Non-U.S. Registered Investment Companies — 8.6%

 
  10,000     

BB Votorantim Highland Infrastructure LLC (a)(b)(c)

     2,968,492  
  578,358     

NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund, Class Z (c)

     11,538,242  
  436,131     

NexPoint Strategic Opportunities Fund (c)

     4,588,098  
     

 

 

 
  

Total Non-U.S. Registered Investment Companies
(Cost $24,521,127)

     19,094,832  
  

 

 

 
 


INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(continued)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

Principal Amount ($)

   Value ($)  
 

U.S. Senior Loans (h) — 7.7%

 
 

Communication Services — 7.4%

 
  16,464,708     

TerreStar Corporation, Term Loan A,
11.000% PIK 02/25/22 (a)(b)(c)

     16,464,708  
     

 

 

 
 

Energy — 0.0%

 
  23,743,431     

Fieldwood Energy LLC, Closing Date Loan, 2nd Lien,
VAR LIBOR USD 3 Month+7.250%, 04/11/23 (i)

     34,428  
     

 

 

 
 

Utilities — 0.3%

 
  471,039,553     

Texas Competitive Electric Holdings Co. LLC, Extended Escrow Loan, (j)

     706,560  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Senior Loans
(Cost $51,484,432)

     17,205,696  
     

 

 

 
 

Non-U.S. Sovereign Bonds — 6.8%

 
  40,000,000     

Argentine Republic Government International Bond
0.13%, 2.50%, 7/9/2021, 7/9/2041(g)(k)

     15,180,000  
  90,699     

1.00%, 7/9/2029 (g)

     39,523  
     

 

 

 
  

Total Non-U.S. Sovereign Bonds
(Cost $20,971,400)

     15,219,523  
  

 

 

 
 

Non-U.S. Asset-Backed Securities — 5.2%

 
  4,000,000     

Acis CLO, Ltd., Series 2014-3A, Class E VAR ICE LIBOR USD 3
Month+4.750%, 4.96%, 2/1/2026 (g)(l)

     3,450,400  
  3,500,000     

Acis CLO, Ltd., Series 2014-5A, Class E1
VAR ICE LIBOR USD 3
Month+6.520%, 6.73%, 11/1/2026 (g)(l)

     3,325,000  
  4,000,000     

Acis CLO, Ltd., Series 2014-4A, Class F
VAR ICE LIBOR USD 3
Month+5.150%, 5.36%, 5/1/2026 (g)(l)

     2,590,000  
  2,500,000     

Acis CLO, Ltd., Series 2014-4A, Class E
VAR ICE LIBOR USD 3
Month+4.800%, 5.01%, 5/1/2026 (g)(l)

     2,250,000  
  311,866     

Pamco Cayman, Ltd.,
Series 1997-1A, Class B 7.91%, 8/6/2013 (a)(b)(g)(l)

     64,806  
     

 

 

 
  

Total Non-U.S. Asset-Backed Securities
(Cost $13,069,489)

     11,680,206  
  

 

 

 

Units

   Value ($)  
 

U.S. Rights — 3.9%

 
 

Utilities3.9%

 
  7,905,143     

Texas Competitive Electric Holdings Co., LLC (e)

     8,695,657  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Rights
(Cost $22,029,102)

     8,695,657  
  

 

 

 
Shares       
 

U.S. Preferred Stock — 3.0%

 
 

Energy — 0.3%

 
  103,539     

Crestwood Equity Partners (m)

     773,436  
     

 

 

 
 

Real Estate — 2.7%

 
  365,838     

Braemar Hotels & Resorts, REIT (e)(m)

     5,943,843  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Preferred Stock
(Cost $6,510,729)

     6,717,279  
  

 

 

 
 

Non-U.S. Master Limited Partnership — 0.6%

 
 

Energy — 0.6%

 
  64,631     

Enterprise Products Partners (g)

     1,266,121  
     

 

 

 
  

Total Non-U.S. Master Limited Partnerships
(Cost $1,816,777)

     1,266,121  
  

 

 

 
 

U.S. Exchange Traded Fund — 0.5%

 
  8,750     

VelocityShares 3x Long Silver ETN linked to the S&P GSCI Silver Index

     1,146,250  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Exchange Traded Fund
(Cost $824,777)

     1,146,250  
     

 

 

 
Principal Amount ($)       
 

U.S. Corporate Bonds & Notes — 0.5%

 
 

Communication Services — 0.4%

 
  

iHeartCommunications, Inc.

  
  317,929     

6.38%, 05/01/26

     340,780  
  584,493     

8.38%, 05/01/27

     624,984  
     

 

 

 
        965,764  
     

 

 

 
 

Energy — 0.0%

 
  290     

Sable Permian Resources Land
7.38%, 11/01/21 (i)(l)

     3  
     

 

 

 
 

Real Estate — 0.1%

 
  400,000     

CBL & Associates
5.95%, 12/15/26 (i)

     159,122  
     

 

 

 
 


INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(continued)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

Principal Amount ($)    Value ($)  
 

U.S. Corporate Bonds & Notes (continued)

 
 

Utilities — 0.0%

 
  3,000,000     

Texas Competitive Electric Holdings Co., LLC
11.50%, 10/01/20 (i)(j)

     4,500  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Corporate Bonds & Notes
(Cost $2,854,002)

     1,129,389  
  

 

 

 

Units

      
 

Non-U.S. Warrants — 0.2%

 
 

Communication Services — 0.0%

 
  1,109     

iHeartCommunications, Inc., Expires 05/01/2039(e)(g)

     13,077  
     

 

 

 
 

Industrials — 0.1%

 
  1,260,362     

American Airlines Group, Inc. (e)(g)

     189,054  
     

 

 

 
 

Information Technology — 0.1%

 
  38,742     

Avaya Holdings, Expires 12/18/2022(e)(g)

     127,849  
     

 

 

 
  

Total Non-U.S. Warrants
(Cost $77,464)

     329,980  
  

 

 

 
 

U.S. Warrants — 0.1%

 
 

Healthcare — 0.1%

 
  42,032     

HLS Therapeutics, Inc., Expires 12/31/2049(a)(b)(e)

     208,899  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Warrants
(Cost $–)

     208,899  
  

 

 

 
Principal Amount ($)       
 

U.S. Asset-Backed Security — 0.1%

 
  

CFCRE Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series C8, Class D

  
  250,000     

3.00%, 6/15/2050 (l)

     226,705  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Asset-Backed Security
(Cost $223,813)

     226,705  
  

 

 

 
 

Non-U.S. Corporate Bonds & Notes — 0.0%

 
 

Energy — 0.0%

 
  37,083,000     

Ocean Rig UDW, Inc.
7.25%, 04/01/19 (a)(b)(g)(i)(l)

     —    
     

 

 

 
  

Total Non-U.S. Corporate Bonds & Notes
(Cost $28,728,908)

     —    
  

 

 

 
Principal Amount ($)    Value ($)  
 

U.S. Repurchase Agreements — 0.1%

 
  249,000     

RBC Dominion Securities
0.080%, dated 12/31/2020 to be repurchased on 01/04/2021, repurchase price $249,002 (collateralized by U.S. Government obligations, ranging in par value $0 - $61,842, 0.000% - 6.000%, 01/05/2021 – 12/20/2050; with total market value $253,980)(n)(o)

     249,000  
  64,758     

Nomura Securities
0.070%, dated 12/31/2020 to be repurchased on 01/04/2021, repurchase price $64,759 (collateralized by U.S. Government obligations, ranging in par value $0 - $17,526, 0.000% - 8.500%, 01/31/2021 – 01/15/2056; with total market value $66,053)(n)(o)

     64,758  
  

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Repurchase Agreements
(Cost $313,758)

     313,758  
  

 

 

 
Shares       
 

U.S. Cash Equivalent — 0.9%

 
 

Money Market Fund (p) — 0.9%

 
  2,089,051     

Dreyfus Treasury & Agency Cash Management, Institutional Class 0.030%

     2,089,051  
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Cash Equivalent
(Cost $2,089,051)

     2,089,051  
  

 

 

 
  Total Investments - 126.0%      280,907,780  
  

 

 

 
      (Cost $440,805,855)   
 


INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(concluded)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

Shares

   Value ($)  
 

Securities Sold Short — (10.0)%

 
 

U.S. Exchange-Traded Fund — (4.0)%

 
  (48,450)     

ProShares UltraPro QQQ

     (8,808,210
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Exchange-Traded Fund
(Proceeds $2,961,262)

     (8,808,210)  
     

 

 

 
 

U.S. Equity — (6.0)%

 
 

Communication Services(4.5)%

 
  (18,665)     

Netflix, Inc. (q)

     (10,092,725
     

 

 

 
 

Consumer Staples(0.9)%

 
  (7,500)     

WD-40

     (1,992,600
     

 

 

 
 

Information Technology(0.6)%

 
  (4,267)     

Coupa Software (q)

     (1,446,129
     

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Equity
(Proceeds $4,323,796)

     (13,531,454)  
     

 

 

 
  

Total Securities Sold Short- (10.0)%
(Proceeds $7,285,058)

     (22,339,664)  
     

 

 

 
 

Other Assets & Liabilities, Net - (16.0)%

     (35,641,444
  

 

 

 
 

Net Assets - 100.0%

     222,926,672  
  

 

 

 

 

(a)

Securities with a total aggregate value of $105,561,666, or 47.4% of net assets, were classified as Level 3 within the three-tier fair value hierarchy. Please see Notes to Investment Portfolio for an explanation of this hierarchy, as well as a list of unobservable inputs used in the valuation of these instruments.

(b)

Represents fair value as determined by the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), or its designee in good faith, pursuant to the policies and procedures approved by the Board. The Board considers fair valued securities to be securities for which market quotations are not readily available and these securities may be valued using a combination of observable and unobservable inputs. Securities with a total aggregate value of $105,561,666, or 47.4% of net assets, were fair valued under the Fund’s valuation procedures as of December 31, 2020. Please see Notes to Investment Portfolio.

(c)

Affiliated issuer. Assets with a total aggregate market value of $138,843,040, or 62.3% of net assets, were affiliated with the Fund as of December 31, 2020.

(d)

Restricted Securities. These securities are not registered and may not be sold to the public. There are legal and/or contractual restrictions on resale. The Fund does not have the right to demand that such securities be registered. The values of these securities are determined by valuations provided by pricing services, brokers, dealers, market makers, or in good faith under the procedures established by the Board. Additional Information regarding such securities follows:

 

Restricted

Security

  

Security

Type

  

Acquisition

Date

   Cost of
Security
     Fair Value at
Period End
     Percent
of Net
Assets
 

TerreStar

Corporation

   U.S. Equity    11/14/2014      $ 48,015,562        $ 55,931,667        25.1%  
(e)

Non-income producing security.

(f)

Securities (or a portion of securities) on loan. As of December 31, 2020, the fair value of securities loaned was $863,766. The loaned securities were secured with cash and securities collateral of $885,470. Collateral is calculated based on prior day’s prices.

(g)

As described in the Fund’s prospectus, a company is considered to be a non-U.S. issuer if the company’s securities principally trade on a market outside of the United States, the company derives a majority of its revenues or profits outside of the United States, the company is not organized in the United States, or the company is significantly exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of regions outside the United States.

(h)

Senior loans (also called bank loans, leveraged loans, or floating rate loans) in which the Fund invests generally pay interest at rates which are periodically determined by reference to a base lending rate plus a spread (unless otherwise identified, all senior loans carry a variable rate of interest). These base lending rates are generally (i) the Prime Rate offered by one or more major United States banks, (ii) the lending rate offered by one or more European banks such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or (iii) the Certificate of Deposit rate. As of December 31, 2020, the LIBOR USD 3 Month rate was 0.238%. Senior loans, while exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), contain certain restrictions on resale and cannot be sold publicly. Senior secured floating rate loans often require prepayments from excess cash flow or permit the borrower to repay at its election. The degree to which borrowers repay, whether as a contractual requirement or at their election, cannot be predicted with accuracy. As a result, the actual remaining maturity maybe substantially less than the stated maturity shown.

(i)

The issuer is, or is in danger of being, in default of its payment obligation.

(j)

Represents value held in escrow pending future events. No interest is being accrued.

(k)

Step Bonds - Represents the current rate, the step rate, the step date and the final maturity date.

(l)

Securities exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act. These securities may only be resold in transaction exempt from registration to qualified institutional buyers. At December 31, 2020, these securities amounted to $11,906,914 or 5.3% of net assets.

(m)

Perpetual security with no stated maturity date.

(n)

Tri-Party Repurchase Agreement.

(o)

This security was purchased with cash collateral held from securities on loan. The total value of such securities as of December 31, 2020 was $313,758.

(p)

Rate shown is 7 day effective yield.

(q)

No dividend payable on security sold short.

 


NOTES TO INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

Organization

Highland Funds II (the “Trust”) is a Massachusetts business trust organized on August 10, 1992. The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. It comprises five portfolios (collectively the “Funds”) that are currently being offered. This report covers information for the period ended December 31, 2020 for Highland Global Allocation Fund (the “Fund”). Highland Socially Responsible Equity Fund, Highland Small-Cap Equity Fund, Highland Total Return Fund, and Highland Fixed Income Fund are reported separately.

Valuation of Investments

In computing the Fund’s net assets attributable to shares, securities with readily available market quotations on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (NASDAQ) or other nationally recognized exchange, use the closing quotations on the respective exchange for valuation of those securities. Securities for which there are no readily available market quotations will be valued pursuant to policies adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”). Typically, such securities will be valued at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and ask prices provided by the principal market makers. If there is more than one such principal market maker, the value shall be the average of such means. Securities without a sale price or quotations from principal market makers on the valuation day may be priced by an independent pricing service. Generally, the Fund’s loan and bond positions are not traded on exchanges and consequently are valued based on a mean of the bid and ask price from the third-party pricing services or broker-dealer sources that the Investment Adviser has determined to have the capability which provide appropriate pricing services and which have been approved by the Board.

Securities for which market quotations are not readily available, or for which the Fund has determined that the price received from a pricing service or broker-dealer is “stale” or otherwise does not represent fair value (such as when events materially affecting the value of securities occur between the time when market price is determined and calculation of the Fund’s NAV) will be valued by the Fund at fair value, as determined by the Board or its designee in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board, taking into account factors reasonably determined to be relevant including: (i) the fundamental analytical data relating to the investment; (ii) the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition of the securities; and (iii) an evaluation of the forces that influence the market in which these securities are purchased and sold. In these cases, the Fund’s NAV will reflect the affected portfolio securities’ fair value as determined in the judgment of the Board or its designee instead of being determined by the market. Using a fair value pricing methodology to value securities may result in a value that is different from a security’s most recent sale price and from the prices used by other investment companies to calculate their NAVs. Determination of fair value is uncertain because it involves subjective judgments and estimates.

There can be no assurance that the Fund’s valuation of a security will not differ from the amount that it realizes upon the sale of such security. Those differences could have a material impact to the Fund. The NAV shown in the Fund’s financial statements may vary from the NAV published by the Fund as of its period end because portfolio securities transactions are accounted for on the trade date (rather than the day following the trade date) for financial statement purposes.

Fair Value Measurements

The Fund has performed an analysis of all existing investments and derivative instruments to determine the significance and character of inputs to their fair value determination. The levels of fair value inputs used to measure the Fund’s investments are characterized into a fair value hierarchy. Where inputs for an asset or liability fall into more than one level in the fair value hierarchy, the investment is classified in its entirety based on the lowest level input that is significant to that investment’s valuation. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:


NOTES TO INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(continued)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

Level 1 —    Quoted unadjusted prices for identical instruments in active markets to which the Fund has access at the date of measurement;
Level 2 —    Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, but are valued based on executed trades; broker quotations that constitute an executable price; and alternative pricing sources supported by observable inputs are classified within Level 2. Level 2 inputs are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset in connection with market data at the measurement date; and
Level 3 —    Model derived valuations in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. In certain cases, investments classified within Level 3 may include securities for which the Fund has obtained indicative quotes from broker-dealers that do not necessarily represent prices the broker may be willing to trade on, as such quotes can be subject to material management judgment. Unobservable inputs are those inputs that reflect the Fund’s own assumptions that market participants would use to price the asset or liability based on the best available information.

The Investment Adviser has established policies and procedures, as described above and approved by the Board, to ensure that valuation methodologies for investments and financial instruments that are categorized within all levels of the fair value hierarchy are fair and consistent. A Pricing Committee has been established to provide oversight of the valuation policies, processes and procedures, and is comprised of personnel from the Investment Adviser and its affiliates. The Pricing Committee meets monthly to review the proposed valuations for investments and financial instruments and is responsible for evaluating the overall fairness and consistent application of established policies.

As of December 31, 2020, the Fund’s investments consisted of senior loans, asset-backed securities, bonds and notes, common stocks, preferred stocks, master limited partnerships, LLC interests, asset-backed securities, registered investment companies, cash equivalents, exchange-traded funds, rights, warrants, securities sold short, and repurchase agreements. The fair value of the Fund’s loans, bonds and asset-backed securities are generally based on quotes received from brokers or independent pricing services. Loans, bonds and asset-backed securities with quotes that are based on actual trades with a sufficient level of activity on or near the measurement date are classified as Level 2 assets. Senior loans, bonds and asset-backed securities that are priced using quotes derived from implied values, indicative bids, or a limited number of actual trades are classified as Level 3 assets because the inputs used by the brokers and pricing services to derive the values are not readily observable.

The fair value of the Fund’s common stocks, exchange traded funds, rights and warrants that are not actively traded on national exchanges are generally priced using quotes derived from implied values, indicative bids, or a limited amount of actual trades and are classified as Level 3 assets because the inputs used by the brokers and pricing services to derive the values are not readily observable. Exchange-traded options are valued based on the last trade price on the primary exchange on which they trade. If an option does not trade, the mid-price, which is the mean of the bid and ask price, is utilized to value the option.

At the end of each calendar quarter, the Investment Adviser evaluates the Level 2 and 3 assets and liabilities for changes in liquidity, including but not limited to: whether a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price, the depth and consistency of prices from third party services, and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, the Investment Adviser evaluates the Level 1 and 2 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.


NOTES TO INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(continued)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. Transfers in and out of the levels are recognized at the value at the end of the period. A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s assets as of December 31, 2020 is as follows

 

     Total value at
December 31,
2020

($)
     Level 1 Quoted
Price

($)
     Level 2 Significant
Observable Inputs

($)
     Level 3 Significant
Unobservable
Inputs

($)
 

Highland Global Allocation Fund

           

Assets

           

U.S. Equity

           

Communication Services

     55,931,667        —          —          55,931,667  

Healthcare

     6,919,129        6,919,129        —          —    

Materials

     3,652,420        —          3,652,420        —    

Real Estate

     22,086,575        10,584,392        —          11,502,183  

Non-U.S. Equity

           

Communication Services

     4,007,693        4,007,693        —          —    

Consumer Discretionary

     6,820,160        5,025,660        —          1,794,500  

Energy

     15,351,857        15,351,857        —          —    

Financials

     400,379        400,379        —          —    

Industrials

     1,417,847        1,417,847        —          —    

Information Technology

     2,702,050        2,702,050        —          —    

Utilities

     26,761,741        26,761,741        —          —    

U.S. LLC Interest

     27,322,021        —          10,695,610        16,626,411  

U.S. Master Limited Partnerships

           

Energy

     22,210,895        22,210,895        —          —    

Non-U.S. Registered Investment Companies

     19,094,832        16,126,340        —          2,968,492  

U.S. Senior Loans

           

Communication Services

     16,464,708        —          —          16,464,708  

Energy

     34,428        —          34,428        —    

Utilities

     706,560        —          706,560        —    

Non-U.S. Sovereign Bonds

     15,219,523        —          15,219,523        —    

Non-U.S. Asset-Backed Securities

     11,680,206        —          11,615,400        64,806  

U.S. Rights

           

Utilities

     8,695,657        —          8,695,657        —    

U.S. Preferred Stock

           

Energy

     773,436        773,436        —          —    

Real Estate

     5,943,843        —          5,943,843        —    

Non-U.S. Master Limited Partnerships

           

Energy

     1,266,121        1,266,121        —          —    

U.S. Exchange Traded Fund

     1,146,250        1,146,250        —          —    

U.S. Corporate Bonds & Notes

           

Communication Services

     965,764        —          965,764        —    

Energy

     3        —          3        —    

Real Estate

     159,122        —          159,122        —    

Utilities

     4,500        —          4,500        —    

Non-U.S. Warrants

           

Communication Services

     13,077        —          13,077        —    

Industrials

     189,054        —          189,054        —    

Information Technology

     127,849        —          127,849        —    


NOTES TO INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(continued)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

     Total value at
December 31,
2020

($)
     Level 1 Quoted
Price

($)
     Level 2 Significant
Observable Inputs

($)
     Level 3 Significant
Unobservable
Inputs

($)
 

U.S. Warrants

           

Healthcare

     208,899        —          —          208,899  

U.S. Asset-Backed Security

     226,705        —          226,705        —    

Non-U.S. Corporate Bonds & Notes

           

Energy

     —          —          —          —   (1) 

U.S. Repurchase Agreements

     313,758        —          313,758        —    

U.S. Cash Equivalent

     2,089,051        2,089,051        —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Assets

     280,907,780        116,782,841        58,563,273        105,561,666  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities

           

Securities Sold Short

           

U.S. Exchange-Traded Fund

     (8,808,210      (8,808,210      —          —    

U.S. Equity

           

Communication Services

     (10,092,725      (10,092,725      —          —    

Consumer Staples

     (1,992,600      (1,992,600      —          —    

Information Technology

     (1,446,129      (1,446,129      —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

     (22,339,664      (22,339,664      —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     258,568,116        94,443,177        58,563,273        105,561,666  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) 

This Category includes securities with a value of zero.

The tables below set forth a summary of changes in the Fund’s assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the period ended December 31, 2020.

 

    Balance as of
September
30, 2020

$
    Transfers Into
Level 3

$
    Transfers Out
of Level 3

$
    Accrued
Discounts
(Premiums)
$
    Distribution
to Return
Capital

$
    Realized
Gain (Loss)

$
    Net Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
$
    Net
Purchases
$
    Net
Sales
$
    Balance as
of
December
31, 2020

$
    Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
from
Investments
held at
December 31,
2020

$
 

U.S. Equity

                     

Communication Services

    56,831,877       —         —         —         —         —         (900,210     —         —         55,931,667       (900,210

Real Estate

    7,823,137       —         —         —         (36,400     —         715,446       3,000,000       —         11,502,183       715,446  

Non-U.S. Equity

                     

Consumer Discretionary

    —         1,794,500       —         —         —         —         —         —         —         1,794,500       —    

U.S. LLC Interest

    11,552,327       —         —         —         —         —         1,274,084       3,800,000       —         16,626,411       1,274,084  

Non-U.S. Registered Investment Company

    2,868,778       —         —         —         —         —         99,714       —         —         2,968,492       99,714  

U.S. Senior Loans

                     

Communication Services

    15,999,243       —         —         13       —         —         16,002       449,450       —         16,464,708       16,002  

Non-U.S. Asset-Backed Securities

    36,925       —         —         —         —         —         27,881       —         —         64,806       27,881  

U.S. Warrants

                     

Healthcare

    122,313       —         —         —         —         —         86,586       —         —         208,899       86,586  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

    95,234,600       1,794,500       —         13       (36,400     —         1,319,503       7,249,450       —         105,561,666       1,319,503  

Investments designated as Level 3 may include assets valued using quotes or indications furnished by brokers which are based on models or estimates and may not be executable prices. In light of the developing market conditions, the Investment Adviser continues to search for observable data points and evaluate broker quotes and indications received for portfolio investments.

The Fund uses end of period market value in the determination of the amount associated with any transfers between levels.


NOTES TO INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(continued)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

The following is a summary of significant unobservable inputs used in the fair valuations of assets and liabilities categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy:

 

Category

   Fair Value at
12/31/2020

$
    

Valuation Technique

  

Unobservable Inputs

   Input Value(s)  

U.S. Equity

     67,433,850      Multiples Analysis    Unadjusted Price/MHz-PoP    $ 0.09 - $0.95    
      Discounted Cash Flow    Discount Rate      10.0% - 16.5%  
      Transaction Indication of Value    Enterprise Value ($mm)    $ 771.00  
         Transaction % of Par      87.5% - 103.0%  
         Tender Offer    $ 1.10  
      Net Asset Value    N/A      N/A  

Non-U.S. Equity

     1,794,500         Cash Offer per Share    $ 2,500.00  

U.S. LLC Interest

     16,626,411      Discounted Cash Flow    Discount Rate      1.28% - 5.93%  
      Net Asset Value    N/A      N/A  

Non-U.S. Registered
Investment Companies

     2,968,492      Net Asset Value    N/A      N/A  

U.S. Senior Loans

     16,464,708      Discounted Cash Flow    Discount Rate      11.00
         Spread Adjustment      0.35

Non-U.S. Asset-Backed
Securities

     64,806      Discounted Cash Flow    Discount Rate      21.0

U.S. Warrants

     208,899      Black-Sholes Model    Annualized Volatility      66.3
  

 

 

          

Total

     105,561,666           

The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of the Fund’s bank loan securities are: adjusted yield, swap rate, discount rate and spread adjustment. Significant increases (decreases) in any of those inputs in isolation could result in a significantly lower (higher) fair value measurement. The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of the Fund’s common equity securities are: multiple of EBITDA, price/MHz-PoP multiple, risk discount, illiquidity discount, discount rate and size adjustment. Significant increases (decreases) in any of those inputs in isolation could result in a significantly lower (higher) fair value measurement. Generally, a change in the assumption used for the risk discount is accompanied by a directionally opposite change in the assumption for the price/MHz-PoP multiple.

In addition to the unobservable inputs utilized for various valuation methodologies, the Investment Adviser frequently uses a combination of two or more valuation methodologies to determine fair value for a single holding. In such instances, the Investment Adviser assesses the methodologies and ascribes weightings to each methodology. The weightings ascribed to any individual methodology ranged from as low as 20% to as high as 80% as of December 31, 2020. The selection of weightings is an inherently subjective process, dependent on professional judgment. These selections may have a material impact to the concluded fair value for such holdings.

Security Transactions

Security transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains/(losses) on investments sold are recorded on the basis of the specific identification method for both financial statement and U.S. federal income tax purposes taking into account any foreign taxes withheld.

Cash & Cash Equivalents

The Fund considers liquid assets deposited with a bank and certain short-term debt instruments of sufficient credit quality with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Fund also considers money market instruments that invest in cash equivalents to be cash equivalents. These investments represent amounts held with financial institutions that are readily accessible to pay Fund expenses or purchase investments. Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value. The value of cash equivalents denominated in foreign currencies is determined by converting to U.S. dollars on the date of the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.


NOTES TO INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(continued)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

Securities Sold Short

The Fund may sell securities short. A security sold short is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. When the Fund sells a security short, it must borrow the security sold short from a broker-dealer and deliver it to the buyer upon conclusion of the transaction. A Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any dividends or other payments received on such borrowed securities. In some circumstances, a Fund may be allowed by its prime broker to utilize proceeds from securities sold short to purchase additional investments, resulting in leverage. Securities and cash held as collateral for securities sold short are shown on the Investment Portfolio. Cash held as collateral for securities sold short is classified as restricted cash on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, as applicable. Restricted cash in the amount of $21,987,903 was due to the broker for the Fund.

Derivative Transactions

The Fund is subject to equity securities risk, interest rate risk and currency risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. The Fund enters into derivative transactions for the purpose of hedging against the effects of changes in the value of portfolio securities due to anticipated changes in market conditions, to gain market exposure for residual and accumulating cash positions and for managing the duration of fixed income investments.

Futures Contracts

A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date. The Fund may invest in interest rate, financial and stock or bond index futures contracts subject to certain limitations. The Fund invests in futures contracts to manage its exposure to the stock and bond markets and fluctuations in currency values. Buying futures tends to increase the Fund’s exposure to the underlying instrument while selling futures tends to decrease the Fund’s exposure to the underlying instrument, or economically hedge other Fund investments. With futures contracts, there is minimal counterparty credit risk to the Fund since futures contracts are exchange-traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as counterparty to all traded futures, guarantees the futures against default. A Fund’s risks in using these contracts include changes in the value of the underlying instruments, non-performance of the counterparties under the contracts’ terms and changes in the liquidity of the secondary market for the contracts. Futures contracts are valued at the settlement price established each day by the board of trade or exchange on which they principally trade.

Upon entering into a financial futures contract, the Fund is required to pledge to the broker an amount of cash and/or other assets equal to a certain percentage of the contract amount, known as initial margin deposit. Subsequent payments, known as variation margins, are made or can be received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuation in the fair value of the underlying security. The Fund records an unrealized gain/(loss) equal to the daily variation margin. Should market conditions move unexpectedly, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may incur a loss. The Fund recognizes a realized gain/(loss) on the expiration or closing of a futures contract.

At December 31, 2020, the Fund did not hold futures contracts.

Options

The Fund may utilize options on securities or indices to varying degrees as part of its principal investment strategy. An option on a security is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option at a specified exercise or “strike” price. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. The Fund may hold options, write option contracts, or both. If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes on the expiration date a capital gain equal to the premium received by the Fund at the time the option was written.


NOTES TO INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (unaudited)(concluded)

 

 

As of December 31, 2020    Highland Global Allocation Fund

 

If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, underlying security, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or a capital loss if the cost of the closing option is more than the premium received from writing the option. A Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing sale transaction if the premium received from the sale is more than the original premium paid when the option position was opened or a capital loss if the premium received from a sale is less than the original premium paid. The Fund had transactions in written options for the period ended December 31, 2020.

Affiliated Issuers

Under Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, a portfolio company is defined as “affiliated” if a fund owns five percent or more of its outstanding voting securities or if the portfolio company is under common control. The table below shows affiliated issuers of each Fund as of December 31, 2020:

 

Issuer

   Shares
at
September
30,

2020
     Beginning
Value as of
September
30, 2020

$
     Purchases at
Cost
$
     Proceeds
from
Sales

$
    Net
Amortization
(Accretion)
of Premium/
(Discount)

$
     Net
Realized
Loss on
Sales of
Affiliated
Issuers

$
     Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)
$
    Ending
Value as of
December 31,

2020
$
     Shares at
December 31,

2020
     Affiliated
Income

$
 

Majority Owned, Not Consolidated

 

None

                           

Other Affiliates

                           

Terrestar Corporation (U.S. Equity)

     169,531        56,831,877        —          —         —          —          (900,210     55,931,667        169,531        —    

GAF REIT (U.S. Equity)

     688,714        7,449,337        3,000,000        —         —          —          730,846       11,180,183        963,568        —    

NexPoint Real Estate Finance (U.S. Equity)

     121,123        1,778,086        —          —         —          —          222,866       2,000,952        121,123        48,449  

NexPoint Residential Trust (U.S. Equity)

     160,553        7,120,526        55,614        (45,628     —          —          (281,835     6,848,677        161,869        9,458  

GAF REIT Sub II, LLC (U.S. LLC Interest)

     —          —          3,800,000        —         —          —          249,537       4,049,537        100        —    

NexPoint Real Estate Finance Operating Partnership, L.P. (U.S. LLC Interest)

     523,388        7,683,336        —          —         —          —          963,034       8,646,370        523,388        —    

NREF OP I, L.P. (U.S. LLC Interest)

     124,046        1,820,995        —          —         —          —          228,245       2,049,240        124,046        —    

SFR WLIF I, LLC (U.S. LLC Interest)

     6,773,494        4,900,420        —          —         —          —          614,220       5,514,640        6,773,494        133,527  

SFR WLIF II, LLC (U.S. LLC Interest)

     4,437,497        3,229,788        —          —         —          —          404,833       3,634,621        4,437,497        88,005  

SFR WLIF III, LLC (U.S. LLC Interest)

     3,789,008        3,422,119        —          —         —          —          5,494       3,427,613        3,789,008        41,890  

BB Votorantim Highland Infrastructure LLC (Non-U.S. Registered Investment Company)

     10,000        2,868,778        —          —         —          —          99,714       2,968,492        10,000        —    

NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund (U.S. Registered Investment Company)

     546,382        11,184,445        639,195        —         —          —          (285,398     11,538,242        578,358        618,188  

NexPoint Strategic Opportunities Fund (U.S. Registered Investment Company)

     436,131        3,776,894        —          —         —          —          811,204       4,588,098        436,131        70,420  

Terrestar Corporation (U.S. Senior Loan)

     16,015,258        15,999,243        449,450        —         13        —          16,002       16,464,708        16,464,708        458,599  

Other Controlled

                           

None

                           
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     33,795,125        128,065,844        7,944,259        (45,628     13        —          2,878,552       138,843,040        34,552,821        1,468,536