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 811-22039
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First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities
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Fund (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
W. Scott Jardine, Esq.
First Trust Portfolios L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 630-765-8000
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Date of fiscal year end: November 30
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Date of reporting period: August 31, 2017
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Form N-Q is to be used by management investment companies, other than small
business investment companies registered on Form N-5 (ss.ss. 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, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC
20549. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance
requirements of 44 U.S.C. ss. 3507.
ITEM 1. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS. The Schedule(s) of Investments is attached
herewith.
FIRST TRUST SPECIALTY FINANCE AND FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND (FGB)
PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS
AUGUST 31, 2017 (UNAUDITED)
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
--------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
COMMON STOCKS - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES - 110.2%
CAPITAL MARKETS - 110.2%
172,787 Alcentra Capital Corp. (a).......................................... $ 1,807,352
551,102 Apollo Investment Corp. (a)......................................... 3,251,502
827,412 Ares Capital Corp. (a).............................................. 13,288,237
900 BlackRock Capital Investment Corp. (a).............................. 6,408
95,117 Capitala Finance Corp. ............................................. 830,371
130,340 CM Finance, Inc. (a)................................................ 1,290,366
310,300 FS Investment Corp. (a)............................................. 2,497,915
29,360 Gladstone Investment Corp. ......................................... 270,406
53,063 Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. (a)......................................... 1,162,080
434,730 Golub Capital BDC, Inc. (a)......................................... 8,081,631
16,699 Harvest Capital Credit Corp. ....................................... 219,258
554,598 Hercules Capital, Inc. (a).......................................... 6,766,096
340,472 KCAP Financial, Inc. ............................................... 1,137,177
49,107 Main Street Capital Corp. (a)....................................... 1,924,503
586,714 Medley Capital Corp. (a)............................................ 3,526,151
577,564 New Mountain Finance Corp. (a)...................................... 8,143,652
202,084 OFS Capital Corp. (a)............................................... 2,625,071
82,645 PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. (a).......................... 1,178,518
755,081 PennantPark Investment Corp. (a).................................... 5,670,658
295,709 Solar Capital Ltd. (a).............................................. 6,319,301
24,013 Solar Senior Capital Ltd. .......................................... 391,412
295,126 Stellus Capital Investment Corp. (a)................................ 3,960,591
501,863 TCP Capital Corp. (a)............................................... 8,300,814
747,618 THL Credit, Inc. (a)................................................ 6,878,086
206,751 TPG Specialty Lending, Inc. (a)..................................... 4,290,083
326,594 Triangle Capital Corp. (a).......................................... 4,506,997
473,845 TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp. (a)............................ 6,311,615
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TOTAL COMMON STOCKS - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES ............... 104,636,251
(Cost $112,198,955) ---------------
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS - 15.5%
MORTGAGE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS - 15.5%
457,782 Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (a)................................. 5,722,275
108,500 Capstead Mortgage Corp. (a)......................................... 1,049,195
909,380 CYS Investments, Inc. (a)........................................... 7,993,450
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TOTAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS ................................ 14,764,920
(Cost $17,645,133) ---------------
TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 125.7% ......................................... 119,401,171
(Cost $129,844,088) (b)
OUTSTANDING LOAN - (26.3%) ......................................... (25,000,000)
NET OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES - 0.6% ............................ 556,960
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NET ASSETS - 100.0% ................................................ $ 94,958,131
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(a) All or a portion of this security serves as collateral on the outstanding
loan.
See Notes to Portfolio of Investments
FIRST TRUST SPECIALTY FINANCE AND FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND (FGB)
PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)
AUGUST 31, 2017 (UNAUDITED)
(b) Aggregate cost for financial reporting purposes, which approximates the
aggregate cost for federal income tax purposes. As of August 31, 2017, the
aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all investments in which there
was an excess of value over tax cost was $7,452,911 and the aggregate
gross unrealized depreciation for all investments in which there was an
excess of tax cost over value was $17,895,828. The net unrealized
depreciation was $10,442,917.
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VALUATION INPUTS
A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund's investments as of August 31,
2017 is as follows (see Note 2A - Portfolio Valuation in the Notes to Portfolio
of Investments):
LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3
TOTAL LEVEL 1 SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT
VALUE AT QUOTED OBSERVABLE UNOBSERVABLE
8/31/2017 PRICES INPUTS INPUTS
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Common Stocks - Business Development
Companies*.................................... $ 104,636,251 $ 104,636,251 $ -- $ --
Real Estate Investment Trusts*.................. 14,764,920 14,764,920 -- --
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Total Investments............................... $ 119,401,171 $ 119,401,171 $ -- $ --
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* See Portfolio of Investments for industry breakout.
All transfers in and out of the Levels during the period are assumed to occur on
the last day of the period, at their current value. There were no transfers
between Levels at August 31, 2017.
See Notes to Portfolio of Investments
NOTES TO PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS
FIRST TRUST SPECIALTY FINANCE AND FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND (FGB)
AUGUST 31, 2017 (UNAUDITED)
1. ORGANIZATION
First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund (the "Fund") is a
non-diversified, closed-end management investment company organized as a
Massachusetts business trust on March 20, 2007, and is registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"). The Fund trades under the ticker symbol "FGB" on the
New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE").
The Fund is considered an investment company and follows accounting and
reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting
Standards Codification Topic 946, "Financial Services-Investment Companies."
2. VALUATION AND INVESTMENT PRACTICES
A. PORTFOLIO VALUATION
The net asset value ("NAV") of the Common Shares of the Fund is determined daily
as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time,
on each day the NYSE is open for trading. If the NYSE closes early on a
valuation day, the NAV is determined as of that time. Foreign securities are
priced using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for
those securities. The NAV per Common Share is calculated by dividing the value
of all assets of the Fund (including accrued interest and dividends), less all
liabilities (including accrued expenses, dividends declared but unpaid, and any
borrowings of the Fund) by the total number of Common Shares outstanding.
The Fund's investments are valued daily at market value or, in the absence of
market value with respect to any portfolio securities, at fair value. Market
value prices represent last sale or official closing prices from a national or
foreign exchange (i.e., a regulated market) and are primarily obtained from
third-party pricing services. Fair value prices represent any prices not
considered market value prices and are either obtained from a third-party
pricing service, or are determined by the Pricing Committee of the Fund's
investment advisor, First Trust Advisors L.P. ("First Trust" or the "Advisor"),
in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of Trustees,
and in accordance with provisions of the 1940 Act. Investments valued by the
Advisor's Pricing Committee are footnoted as such in the footnotes to the
Portfolio of Investments. The Fund's investments are valued as follows:
Common stocks, real estate investment trusts, master limited partnerships
and other equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange
(excluding The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") and the London Stock
Exchange Alternative Investment Market ("AIM")) are valued at the last
sale price on the exchange on which they are principally traded or, for
Nasdaq and AIM securities, the official closing price. Securities traded
on one or more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale
price or official closing price, as applicable, at the close of the
securities exchange representing the principal market for such securities.
Securities traded in an over-the-counter market are fair valued at the
mean of their most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise
at their closing bid price.
Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing
methods. Such securities may be valued by the Fund's Board of Trustees or its
delegate, the Advisor's Pricing Committee, at fair value. These securities
generally include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities
which may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended) for which a third-party pricing service is unable to provide a
market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security
whose market or fair value price is not available from a pre-established pricing
source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to
materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but
before the calculation of the Fund's NAV or make it difficult or impossible to
obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by
the third-party pricing service, does not reflect the security's fair value. As
a general principle, the current fair value of a security would appear to be the
amount which the owner might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon
its current sale. When fair value prices are used, generally they will differ
from market quotations or official closing prices on the applicable exchanges. A
variety of factors may be considered in determining the fair value of such
securities, including, but not limited to, the following:
1) the type of security;
2) the size of the holding;
3) the initial cost of the security;
4) transactions in comparable securities;
5) price quotes from dealers and/or third-party pricing services;
6) relationships among various securities;
7) information obtained by contacting the issuer, analysts, or the
appropriate stock exchange;
8) an analysis of the issuer's financial statements; and
9) the existence of merger proposals or tender offers that might affect
the value of the security.
NOTES TO PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)
FIRST TRUST SPECIALTY FINANCE AND FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND (FGB)
AUGUST 31, 2017 (UNAUDITED)
If the securities in question are foreign securities, the following additional
information may be considered:
1) the value of similar foreign securities traded on other foreign
markets;
2) ADR trading of similar securities;
3) closed-end fund trading of similar securities;
4) foreign currency exchange activity;
5) the trading prices of financial products that are tied to baskets of
foreign securities;
6) factors relating to the event that precipitated the pricing problem;
7) whether the event is likely to recur; and
8) whether the effects of the event are isolated or whether they affect
entire markets, countries or regions.
The Fund is subject to fair value accounting standards that define fair value,
establish the framework for measuring fair value and provide a three-level
hierarchy for fair valuation based upon the inputs to the valuation as of the
measurement date. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
o Level 1 - Level 1 inputs are quoted prices in active markets for
identical investments. An active market is a market in which
transactions for the investment occur with sufficient frequency and
volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
o Level 2 - Level 2 inputs are observable inputs, either directly or
indirectly, and include the following:
o Quoted prices for similar investments in active markets.
o Quoted prices for identical or similar investments in markets
that are non-active. A non-active market is a market where
there are few transactions for the investment, the prices are
not current, or price quotations vary substantially either
over time or among market makers, or in which little
information is released publicly.
o Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the
investment (for example, interest rates and yield curves
observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities,
prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks, and default
rates).
o Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by
observable market data by correlation or other means.
o Level 3 - Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs. Unobservable
inputs may reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the
assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the
investment.
The inputs or methodologies used for valuing investments are not necessarily an
indication of the risk associated with investing in those investments. A summary
of the inputs used to value the Fund's investments as of August 31, 2017, is
included with the Fund's Portfolio of Investments.
B. SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
Securities transactions are recorded as of the trade date. Realized gains and
losses from securities transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis.
ITEM 2. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
(a) 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 the report that includes the disclosure required by this
paragraph, based on their evaluation of these controls and procedures
required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and
Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15(b)).
(b) 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 have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially
affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 3. EXHIBITS.
Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act and Section 302 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are 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) First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund
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By (Signature and Title)* /s/ James M. Dykas
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James M. Dykas
President and Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)
Date: October 19, 2017
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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/ James M. Dykas
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James M. Dykas
President and Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)
Date: October 19, 2017
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By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Donald P. Swade
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Donald P. Swade
Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Accounting Officer
(principal financial officer)
Date: October 19, 2017
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*Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.