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

811-04605

 

 

First Opportunity Fund, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

2344 Spruce Street, Suite A, Boulder, CO

 

80302

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Fund Administrative Services

2344 Spruce Street, Suite A

Boulder, CO 80302

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(303) 444-5483

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

March 31

 

 

 

 

Date of reporting period:

June 30, 2009

 

 



 

Item 1 – Schedule of Investments.

 



 

Portfolio of Investments as of June 30, 2009 (unaudited)

 

FIRST OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

Value

 

Shares

 

Description

 

(Note 1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LONG TERM INVESTMENTS (97.7%)

 

 

 

DOMESTIC COMMON STOCKS (79.2%)

 

 

 

Banks & Thrifts (43.5%)

 

 

 

97,144

 

1st United Bancorp, Inc.*

 

$

388,576

 

73,090

 

Alliance Bankshares Corp.*

 

175,416

 

541,900

 

AmeriServ Financial, Inc.

 

975,420

 

494,100

 

Bank of America Corp.

 

6,522,119

 

34,200

 

Bank of Marin

 

921,690

 

83,300

 

Bank of Virginia*

 

291,550

 

57,000

 

BCB Bancorp, Inc.

 

534,660

 

64,300

 

Beverly National Corp.

 

1,408,170

 

37,400

 

Bridge Capital Holdings*

 

224,774

 

13,400

 

Cambridge Bancorp

 

333,660

 

47,298

 

Carolina Trust Bank*

 

295,613

 

340,815

 

CCF Holding Co. *(a)

 

255,611

 

51,860

 

Centrue Financial Corp.

 

229,740

 

60,000

 

Community Bank (b)(c)

 

3,966,000

 

75,800

 

The Connecticut Bank & Trust Co.*

 

390,370

 

114,831

 

Dearborn Bancorp, Inc.*

 

206,696

 

101,066

 

Eastern Virginia Bankshares, Inc.

 

873,210

 

97,200

 

FC Holdings, Inc.*(b)(c)

 

424,764

 

456,600

 

Fifth Third Bancorp

 

3,241,860

 

5,700

 

First Advantage Bancorp

 

53,865

 

39,700

 

First American International*(b)(c)

 

747,551

 

32,450

 

First Bankshares, Inc.*

 

211,250

 

79,578

 

First California Financial Group, Inc.*

 

490,996

 

17,400

 

First Capital Bancorp, Inc.*

 

139,200

 

66,500

 

First Community Bancshares, Inc.

 

853,860

 

192,300

 

First Security Group, Inc.

 

730,740

 

66,726

 

First Southern Bancorp*(b)(c)

 

891,459

 

28,200

 

First State Bank*(b)(c)

 

102,366

 

2,880

 

First Trust Bank*

 

20,160

 

193,261

 

Florida Capital Group*(b)(c)

 

709,268

 

16,427

 

FNB Bancorp

 

166,734

 

100,000

 

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

14,743,999

 

207,700

 

Great Florida Bank - Class A*

 

290,780

 

15,300

 

Great Florida Bank - Class B*

 

26,775

 

66,000

 

Greater Hudson Bank N.A.*

 

297,000

 

228,000

 

Hampshire First Bank*(c)

 

1,311,000

 

35,203

 

Heritage Oaks Bancorp*

 

220,019

 

418,300

 

Huntington Bancshares, Inc.

 

1,748,494

 

49,200

 

ICB Financial*

 

147,600

 

19,000

 

Katahdin Bancshares Corp.*(c)

 

161,500

 

130,500

 

Metro Bancorp, Inc.*

 

2,513,430

 

905,600

 

National Bancshares, Inc.*(b)(c)

 

751,648

 

39,900

 

New England Bancshares, Inc.

 

219,450

 

5,400

 

North Dallas Bank & Trust Co.

 

199,800

 

361,622

 

Northfield Bancorp, Inc.

 

4,202,048

 

40,500

 

Oak Ridge Financial Services, Inc.*

 

311,850

 

2,500

 

Old Point Financial Corp.

 

46,250

 

39,600

 

Parkway Bank*

 

93,060

 

162,590

 

Pilot Bancshares, Inc.*

 

447,123

 

190,540

 

Republic First Bancorp, Inc.*

 

1,486,212

 

511,743

 

The South Financial Group, Inc.

 

608,974

 

92,369

 

Southern First Bancshares, Inc.*

 

645,659

 

302,900

 

Square 1 Financial, Inc.*(b)(c)

 

2,205,112

 

97,500

 

State Bancorp, Inc.*

 

737,100

 

84,158

 

Sterling Banks, Inc.*

 

128,762

 

7,420

 

Sun Bancorp, Inc.*

 

38,436

 

353,000

 

SunTrust Banks, Inc.

 

5,806,850

 

52,164

 

Valley Commerce Bancorp*

 

469,476

 

36,100

 

VIST Financial Corp.

 

238,621

 

 



 

43,787

 

Wainwright Bank & Trust Co.

 

343,728

 

42,700

 

Washington Banking Co.

 

402,234

 

575,100

 

Wells Fargo & Co.

 

13,951,925

 

251,800

 

Western Alliance Bancorp*

 

1,722,312

 

 

 

 

 

83,294,575

 

Diversified Financial Services (7.0%)

 

 

 

16,241

 

Affinity Financial Corp.*(b)(c)

 

1,462

 

25,000

 

CMET Finance Holding*(b)(d)

 

981,750

 

165,700

 

Goldleaf Financial Solutions, Inc.*

 

96,106

 

276,300

 

Highland Financial Partners LP*(b)(d)

 

 

60,000

 

Independence Financial Group, Inc.*(b)(c)

 

257,400

 

93,615

 

Mackinac Financial Corp.*

 

421,268

 

864,523

 

MF Global, Ltd.*

 

5,126,620

 

431,640

 

Muni Funding Co. of America, LLC(b)(d)

 

841,698

 

260,100

 

Ocwen Financial Corp.*(b)(c)

 

3,036,148

 

455,100

 

Ocwen Structured Investments, LLC*(b)(c)

 

775,308

 

265,000

 

Resource Capital Corp.

 

848,000

 

466,667

 

Terra Nova Financial Group*

 

350,000

 

139,172

 

TICC Capital Corp.

 

613,749

 

 

 

 

 

13,349,509

 

Insurance (2.5%)

 

 

 

241,100

 

Amtrust Financial Services, Inc.

 

2,748,540

 

72,000

 

Maiden Holdings, Ltd.*(c)

 

472,320

 

22,075

 

Principal Financial Group, Inc.

 

415,893

 

26,800

 

Transatlantic Holdings, Inc.

 

1,161,244

 

 

 

 

 

4,797,997

 

Mortgages & REITS (6.9%)

 

 

 

1,893,215

 

Chimera Investment Corp.

 

6,607,321

 

55,000

 

Cypress Sharpridge Investments, Inc., REIT*

 

654,500

 

152,766

 

Cypress Sharpridge Investments, Inc., REIT(b)(d)

 

1,636,124

 

55,000

 

Embarcadero Bank*(b)(c)

 

540,100

 

191,100

 

Forest City Enterprises, Inc. - Class A

 

1,261,260

 

155,504

 

Newcastle Investment Holdings Corp., REIT*(b)

 

475,842

 

87,900

 

Verde Realty*(b)(c)

 

1,741,299

 

18,600

 

Walter Investment Management Corp., REIT*

 

247,008

 

 

 

 

 

13,163,454

 

Savings & Loans (19.3%)

 

 

 

236,800

 

Abington Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,884,928

 

34,100

 

Appalachian Bancshares, Inc.*

 

40,920

 

10,000

 

Auburn Bancorp, Inc.*

 

67,500

 

151,500

 

Beacon Federal Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,357,440

 

289,435

 

Beneficial Mutual Bancorp, Inc.*

 

2,778,576

 

129,280

 

Broadway Financial Corp.(a)

 

775,680

 

60,100

 

Carver Bancorp, Inc.

 

298,096

 

81,700

 

Central Federal Corp.

 

238,564

 

72,446

 

CFS Bancorp, Inc.

 

306,447

 

33,000

 

Citizens Community Bank*

 

363,000

 

278,200

 

Citizens Republic Bancorp, Inc.*

 

197,522

 

129,482

 

Danvers Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,741,533

 

14,099

 

Dime Community Bancshares

 

128,442

 

26,900

 

ECB Bancorp, Inc.

 

524,550

 

94,300

 

ESSA Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,289,081

 

32,500

 

Fidelity Federal Bancorp(b)

 

162,500

 

25,638

 

First Community Bank Corp. of America*

 

97,424

 

43,400

 

Georgetown Bancorp, Inc.*

 

158,410

 

222,900

 

Hampden Bancorp, Inc.

 

2,206,710

 

3,630

 

HF Financial Corp.

 

42,689

 

62,916

 

Home Bancorp, Inc.*

 

751,217

 

204,948

 

Home Federal Bancorp, Inc.

 

2,088,420

 

42,698

 

Investors Bancorp, Inc.*

 

391,114

 

77,500

 

Jefferson Bancshares, Inc.

 

422,375

 

81,700

 

Legacy Bancorp, Inc.

 

906,870

 

56,000

 

Liberty Bancorp, Inc.

 

408,800

 

130,712

 

LSB Corp.

 

1,330,648

 

30,200

 

Malvern Federal Bancorp, Inc.

 

266,666

 

158,200

 

Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc.*

 

1,178,590

 

310,300

 

MidCountry Financial Corp.*(b)(c)

 

1,719,062

 

113,200

 

Newport Bancorp, Inc.*

 

1,359,532

 

67,100

 

Old Line Bancshares, Inc.

 

395,890

 

110,400

 

Osage Bancshares, Inc.

 

850,080

 

 



 

163,300

 

Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc.*

 

777,308

 

165,930

 

Perpetual Federal Savings Bank(a)

 

2,571,915

 

17,500

 

Privee, LLC*(b)(c)

 

 

90,100

 

Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.

 

499,154

 

40,650

 

Redwood Financial, Inc.*(a)(b)

 

658,530

 

89,993

 

River Valley Bancorp(a)

 

1,100,614

 

28,600

 

Rockville Financial, Inc.

 

313,170

 

38,700

 

Rome Bancorp, Inc.

 

325,080

 

6,300

 

Royal Financial, Inc.*

 

18,585

 

289,600

 

SI Financial Group, Inc.

 

1,230,800

 

17,600

 

Sound Financial, Inc.

 

105,600

 

100,000

 

Sterling Eagle*(b)

 

 

110,500

 

Third Century Bancorp(a)

 

497,250

 

131,000

 

ViewPoint Financial Group

 

1,995,130

 

1,451,428

 

Washington Mutual Unit Split*(b)(c)

 

131,935

 

 

 

 

 

36,954,347

 

Telecommunications (0.0%)(e)

 

 

 

3,900

 

LogMeIn, Inc.*

 

62,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL DOMESTIC COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $211,300,573)

 

151,622,282

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOREIGN COMMON STOCKS (16.7%)

 

 

 

Bermuda (7.7%)

 

 

 

277,800

 

Assured Guaranty, Ltd.

 

3,439,164

 

441,422

 

Catlin Group, Ltd.

 

2,333,001

 

112,000

 

CRM Holdings, Ltd.*

 

135,520

 

483,900

 

Maiden Holdings, Ltd.

 

3,174,384

 

36,500

 

RAM Holdings, Ltd.*

 

9,855

 

25,100

 

White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd.

 

5,723,554

 

 

 

 

 

14,815,478

 

Brazil (0.4%)

 

 

 

292,300

 

Brasil Brokers Participacoes S.A.

 

420,661

 

42,000

 

Companhia Brasileira de Meios de Pagamento*

 

361,164

 

 

 

 

 

781,825

 

Canada (0.4%)

 

 

 

111,000

 

DundeeWealth, Inc.

 

820,702

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cayman Islands (0.0%)(e)

 

 

 

84,000

 

Real Gold Mining, Ltd.*

 

70,885

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denmark (0.5%)

 

 

 

12,690

 

Gronlandsbanken*

 

903,620

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Britain (1.2%)

 

 

 

288,398

 

Lancashire Holdings, Ltd.*

 

2,213,409

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India (1.5%)

 

 

 

181

 

Axis Bank, Ltd.

 

3,145

 

14,934

 

Financial Technologies India, Ltd.

 

406,917

 

13,393

 

Housing Development Finance Corp.*

 

655,532

 

193,066

 

Indiabulls Financial Services, Ltd.

 

806,641

 

80,902

 

Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.

 

1,066,984

 

 

 

 

 

2,939,219

 

Netherlands (0.9%)

 

 

 

223,230

 

AerCap Holdings N.V.*

 

1,611,720

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Singapore (0.1%)

 

 

 

214,000

 

ARA Asset Management, Ltd.(d)

 

85,695

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Switzerland (4.0%)

 

 

 

89,969

 

Paris RE Holdings, Ltd.*

 

1,451,459

 

378,750

 

UBS AG*

 

4,632,633

 

8,447

 

Valiant Holding

 

1,559,494

 

 

 

 

 

7,643,586

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL FOREIGN COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $43,923,709)

 

 31,886,139

 

 



 

DOMESTIC PREFERRED STOCK (1.7%)

 

 

 

1,600

 

Maiden Holdings, Ltd.(b)(d)

 

1,600,000

 

5,500

 

South Financial Group, Inc.*(b)(c)

 

1,661,420

 

 

 

 

 

3,261,420

 

TOTAL DOMESTIC PREFERRED STOCK
(Cost $7,100,000)

 

3,261,420

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOMESTIC WARRANTS (0.1%)

 

 

 

195,000

 

Dime Bancorp, Inc., Warrant, strike price $0.00, Expires 12/26/50*

 

1,950

 

423,058

 

Flagstar Bancorp, Warrant, strike price $0.62, Expires 1/30/19*(b)

 

202,095

 

233,333

 

Terra Nova Financial Group, Warrant, strike price $3.00, Expires 3/20/11*(b)(c)

 

 

181,429

 

Washington Mutual, Inc., Warrant, strike price $10.06, Expires 4/11/13*(b)(c)

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

204,063

 

TOTAL DOMESTIC WARRANTS
(Cost $—)

 

204,063

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOREIGN RIGHTS (—%)

 

 

 

1,167

 

Brasil Brokers Participacoes S.A., Right, subscription price $15.63, Expires 7/20/09*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL FOREIGN RIGHTS
(Cost $—)

 

 

 

Par

 

 

 

 

 

Value

 

 

 

 

 

DOMESTIC CORPORATE BONDS & NOTES (—%)

 

 

 

Mortgages & REITS

 

 

 

$

9,956,000

 

Thornburg Mortgage, Inc., 12.00%, due 3/31/15(b)(d)

 

 

1,094,077

 

Thornburg Mortgage, Inc., 12.00%, due 3/31/15(b)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL DOMESTIC CORPORATE BONDS & NOTES
(Cost $10,094,213)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL LONG TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $272,418,495) 

 

186,973,904

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS (0.7%)

 

 

 

Repurchase Agreement (0.7%)

 

 

 

1,300,000

 

Deutsche Bank Tri-party Repo, 0.09% dated 6/30/09, to be repurchased at $1,300,003 on 7/1/09, collateralized by U.S. Government Agency Securities with an aggregate market value plus interest of $1,326,001.

 

1,300,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL REPURCHASE AGREEMENT
(Cost $1,300,000)

 

1,300,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $1,300,000)

 

1,300,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS (98.4%)
(Cost $273,718,495)

 

188,273,904

 

TOTAL OTHER ASSETS LESS LIABILITIES (1.6%)

 

3,066,117

 

TOTAL NET ASSETS (100.0%)

 

$

191,340,021

 

 


* Non-income producing security.

 

(a) Affiliated Company. See Notes to Quarterly Portfolio of Investments.

 

(b) Indicates a fair valued security. Total market value for fair value securities is $26,220,859 representing 13.70% of total net assets.

 

(c) Private Placement; these securities may only be resold in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933. As of June 30, 2009, these exemptions had a total value of $21,607,140 or 11.29% of net assets.

 

(d) Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

(e) Less than 0.05% of Total Net Assets.

 



 

Common Abbreviations:

 

REIT - Real Estate Investment Trust

 

For Fund compliance purposes, the Fund’s industry classifications refer to any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or ratings group indexes, and/or defined by Fund management. This definition may not apply for purposes of this report, which may combine industry sub-classifications for reporting ease. Industries are shown as a percent of net assets. These industry classifications are unaudited.

 

See accompanying Notes to Quarterly Portfolio of Investments.

 



 

Notes to Quarterly Portfolio of Investments

June 30, 2009 (unaudited)

 

Note 1.  Valuation and Investment Practices

 

Securities Valuation: Securities for which market quotations are readily available (including securities listed on national securities exchanges and those traded over-the-counter) are valued at the last quoted sales price on the valuation date on which the security is traded. If such securities were not traded on the valuation date, but market quotations are readily available, they are valued at the most recently quoted bid price provided by an independent pricing service or by principal market makers. Securities traded on NASDAQ are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). Where market quotations are not readily available or where the pricing agent or market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology, or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment of the adviser, does not represent fair value (“Fair Value Securities”), securities are valued at fair value by a Pricing Committee appointed by the Board of Directors, in consultation with the adviser. The Fund uses various valuation techniques that utilize both observable and unobservable inputs including multidimensional relational pricing model, option adjusted spread pricing, book value, last available trade, discounted future cash flow models, cost, and comparable company approach. In such circumstances, the adviser makes an initial written recommendation to the Pricing Committee regarding valuation methodology for each Fair Value Security. Thereafter, the adviser conducts periodic reviews of each Fair Value Security to consider whether the respective methodology and its application is appropriate and recommends methodology changes when appropriate. The Pricing Committee reviews and makes a determination regarding each initial methodology recommendation and any subsequent methodology changes. All methodology recommendations and any changes are reviewed by the entire Board of Directors on a quarterly basis. The Portfolio of Investments include investments valued at $26,220,859 (13.7% of total net assets), whose fair values have been estimated by management in the absence of readily determinable fair values.

 

Short-term securities which mature in more than 60 days are valued at current market quotations. Short-term securities which mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

 

The Fund follows Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“FAS 157”). In accordance with FAS 157, fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. FAS 157 established a three-tier hierarchy to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk, for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value including such a pricing model and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad Levels listed below.

 



 

·                 Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

·                 Level 2 – 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 valuation techniques used by the Fund to measure fair value during the three months ended June 30, 2009 maximized the use of observable inputs and minimized the use of unobservable inputs.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of June 30, 2009 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at value:

 

Investments in Securities at
Value

 

Level 1

 

Level 2

 

Level 3

 

Total

 

Common Stocks

 

$

160,589,596

 

$

5,128,206

 

$

17,790,619

 

$

183,508,421

 

Preferred Stocks

 

 

1,661,420

 

1,600,000

 

3,261,420

 

Rights and Warrants

 

1,950

 

202,113

 

 

204,063

 

Short Term Investments

 

1,300,000

 

 

 

1,300,000

 

TOTAL

 

$

161,891,546

 

$

6,991,739

 

$

19,390,619

 

$

188,273,904

 

 

Other Financial Instruments*

 

Level 1

 

Level 2

 

Level 3

 

 

 

Credit Default Swaps

 

$

 

$

817,763

 

$

 

$

817,763

 

TOTAL

 

$

 

$

817,763

 

$

 

$

817,763

 

 


* Other financial instruments include swap contracts.

 

The following is a reconciliation of assets in which significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) were used in determining fair value:

 

Investments in
Securities

 

Balance as
of March
31, 2009

 

Realized
gain/(loss)

 

Change in
unrealized
appreciation/
(depreciation)

 

Net
purchases

 

Transfers in
and/or out
of Level 3

 

Balance as
of June 30,
2009

 

Common Stocks

 

$

18,285,007

 

$

 

$

(988,446

)

$

307,848

 

$

186,210

 

$

17,790,619

 

Preferred Stocks

 

1,600,000

 

 

 

 

 

1,600,000

 

Rights and Warrants

 

 

 

18

 

 

(18

)

 

TOTAL

 

$

19,885,007

 

$

 

$

(988,428

)

$

307,848

 

$

186,192

 

$

19,390,619

 

 

Securities Transactions and Net Investment Income: Securities transactions are recorded on the trade date. Realized gains or losses on sales of securities are calculated on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date, or for certain foreign securities, when the information becomes available to the Fund. Interest income including amortization of premium and accretion of discount on debt securities, as required, is recorded on the accrual basis, using the effective interest method.

 

Dividend income from investments in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) is recorded at management’s estimate of income included in distributions received. Distributions received in excess of this amount are recorded as a reduction of the cost of investments. The actual amount of income and return of capital are determined by each REIT only after its fiscal year-end, and may

 



 

differ from the estimated amounts. Such differences, if any, are recorded in Fund’s following year.

 

Foreign Currency Translation: The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities. In the event that the Fund executes a foreign security transaction, the Fund will generally enter into a forward foreign currency contract to settle the foreign security transaction. Foreign securities may carry more risk than U.S. securities, such as political, market and currency risks.

 

The books and records of the Fund are maintained in US dollars. Foreign currencies, investments and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into US dollars at the exchange rate prevailing at the end of the period, and purchases and sales of investment securities, income and expenses transacted in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rate on the dates of such transactions. Foreign currency gains and losses result from fluctuations in exchange rates between trade date and settlement date on securities transactions, foreign currency transactions and the difference between the amounts of interest and dividends recorded on the books of the Fund and the amounts actually received. The portion of foreign currency gains and losses related to fluctuation in the exchange rates between the initial purchase trade date and subsequent sale trade date is included in gains and losses as stated in the Statement of Operations under Foreign currency related transactions.

 

Repurchase Agreements: The Fund may enter into repurchase agreement transactions with United States financial institutions. It is the Fund’s policy that its custodian take possession of the underlying collateral securities, the value of which exceed the principal amount of the repurchase transaction, including accrued interest. To the extent that any repurchase transaction exceeds one business day, the value of the collateral is marked-to-market on a daily basis to maintain the adequacy of the collateral. The value of the collateral at the time of the execution must be at least equal to 102% of the total amount of the repurchase obligations, including interest. If the seller defaults, and the value of the collateral declines or if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.

 

Note 2.  Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

 

On June 30, 2009, based on cost of $274,717,879 for federal income tax purposes, aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of value over tax cost was $25,854,991 and aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of tax cost over value was $112,298,966, resulting in net unrealized depreciation of $86,443,975.

 

Note 3. Transactions With Affiliated Companies

 

Transactions during the period with companies in which the Fund owned at least 5% of the voting securities were as follows:

 

Name of Affiliate

 

Beginning
Share
Balance as
of 4/1/09

 

Purchases

 

Sales

 

Ending
Share
Balance as
of 6/30/09

 

Dividend
Income

 

Realized
Gains
(Losses)

 

Market
Value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Broadway Financial Corporation

 

129,280

 

 

 

129,280

 

$

6,464

 

 

$

775,680

 

CCF Holding Company

 

340,815

 

 

 

340,815

 

 

 

255,611

 

Perpetual Federal Savings Bank

 

165,930

 

 

 

165,930

 

33,186

 

 

2,571,915

 

Redwood Financial, Inc.

 

40,650

 

 

 

40,650

 

 

 

658,530

 

River Valley Bancorp

 

89,993

 

 

 

89,993

 

18,899

 

 

1,100,614

 

Third Century Bancorp

 

110,500

 

 

 

110,500

 

 

 

497,250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 58,549

 

$

 

$

5,859,600

 

 



 

Note 4. Credit Default Swaps

 

The Fund may enter into credit default swap contracts for hedging purposes, to gain market exposure or to add leverage to its portfolio. When used for hedging purposes, the Fund would be the buyer of a credit default swap contract. In that case, the Fund would be entitled to receive the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation, index or other investment from the counterparty to the contract in the event of a default by a third party, such as a U.S. or foreign issuer, on the referenced debt obligation. In return, the Fund would pay to the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default has occurred. If no default occurs, the Fund would have spent the stream of payments and received no benefit from the contract. When the Fund is the seller of a credit default swap contract, it receives the stream of payments but is obligated to pay upon default of the referenced debt obligation. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

 

In addition to the risks applicable to derivatives generally, credit default swaps involve special risks because they are difficult to value, are highly susceptible to liquidity and credit risk, and generally pay a return to the party that has paid the premium only in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation, as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial difficulty. Credit default swaps are marked to market periodically using quotations from pricing services. Unrealized gains, including the accrual of interest are recorded as an asset and unrealized losses are reported as a liability on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The change in value of the credit default swap, including the accrual of interest to be paid or received is reported as a change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on the Statement of Operations. A realized gain or loss is recorded upon payment or receipt of a periodic payment or termination of the swap agreement.

 

Credit default swap contracts entered into by the Fund as of June 30, 2009, were as follows:

 

Swap
Counterparty

 

Referenced Obligation

 

Notional Amount

 

Rates
paid by
Fund

 

Termination
Date

 

Unrealized
Gain/(Loss)

 

Morgan Stanley

 

Barclays Bank

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

1.42

%

9/20/13

 

$

(19,542

)

Goldman Sachs

 

BNP Paribas

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

0.67

%

9/20/13

 

(57

)

Goldman Sachs

 

Commerzbank

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

0.88

%

9/20/13

 

52,313

 

Morgan Stanley

 

Credit Agricole

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

1.09

%

9/20/13

 

(10,754

)

Morgan Stanley

 

DBR

 

25,000,000

USD

 

0.12

%

9/20/18

 

418,590

 

Goldman Sachs

 

EURO DB

 

3,400,000

EUR

 

0.88

%

9/20/13

 

36,471

 

Goldman Sachs

 

Intesa Sanpaolo

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

0.57

%

9/20/13

 

29,644

 

Morgan Stanley

 

Lloyds Bank

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

0.89

%

9/20/13

 

188,232

 

Morgan Stanley

 

Republic of Korea

 

3,000,000

USD

 

1.22

%

9/20/13

 

68,717

 

Morgan Stanley

 

Royal Bank Scott

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

1.37

%

9/20/13

 

70,747

 

Morgan Stanley

 

Societe Generale

 

4,500,000

EUR

 

1.01

%

9/20/13

 

(16,598

)

TOTAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

817,763

 

 



 

Note 5. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

 

The Fund follows FASB Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 161 (“SFAS 161”) “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” — an amendment of FASB Statement No. 133 (“SFAS 133”),” which expands the disclosure requirements in SFAS 133 about entity’s derivative instruments and hedging activities. Management has concluded that the adoption of SFAS 161, as adopted by the Fund April 1, 2009, has no impact on the Fund’s Quarterly Portfolio of Investments (filed as part of the Form NQ) for the three months ended June 30, 2009.

 



 

Item 2 - Controls and Procedures.

 

 

 

(a)

 

The Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 17 CFR 270.300-3(c)) were effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report (the “Evaluation Date”), based on their evaluation of the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the Evaluation Date.

 

 

 

 

(b)

There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 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.

 

 

 

(a)

 

Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)) is attached hereto as EX-99.CERT

 



 

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 Opportunity Fund, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Stephen C. Miller

 

 

Stephen C. Miller, President

 

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

Date:

August 27, 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/ Stephen C. Miller

 

 

Stephen C. Miller, President

 

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

Date:

August 27, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Carl D. Johns

 

 

Carl D. Johns, Vice President and Treasurer

 

 

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

 

 

 

Date:

August 27, 2009