PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH FUNDS 2015 Interim Management Report of Fund Performance Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the Manager of the Funds and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada.
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Jun
e 30, 2015PH
ILLIPS, HA
GER &
NO
RTH FU
ND
S 2015 INTERIM
MA
NA
GEM
ENT REPO
RT OF FU
ND
PERFORM
AN
CE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH FUNDS
2015 Interim Management Report
of Fund Performance
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc.,
the Manager of the Funds and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada.107533 (08-2015)
By Phone
Investors: 1-800-661-6141 Dealers: 1-800-662-0652
By Mail
Head office:
RBC Global Asset Management Inc. 155 Wellington Street WestSuite 2200Toronto, OntarioM5V 3K7
For general mutual fund enquiries, write to:
RBC Global Asset Management Inc. P.O. Box 7500, Station A Toronto, Ontario M5W 1P9
If you have questions regarding Phillips, Hager & North Funds, you can contact us using the following options:
Visit our website at: www.rbcgam.com/fundsEmail us at: [email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MONEY MARKET FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 2
Phillips, Hager & North $U.S. Money Market Fund 10
FIXED-INCOME FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North Short Term Bond & Mortgage Fund 18
Phillips, Hager & North Bond Fund 26
Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Bond Fund 34
Phillips, Hager & North Total Return Bond Fund 42
Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund 50
Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 58
Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 66
BALANCED FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North Monthly Income Fund 70
Phillips, Hager & North Balanced Fund 78
Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Balanced Fund 86
CANADIAN EQUITY FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North Dividend Income Fund 94
Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Fund 102
Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Canadian Equity Fund 110
Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 118
Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 126
Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund II 131
Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Growth Fund 135
Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Income Fund 143
Phillips, Hager & North Vintage Fund 151
U.S. EQUITY FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Dividend Income Fund 159
Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 167
Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Equity Fund 175
Phillips, Hager & North Currency-Hedged U.S. Equity Fund 183
Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Growth Fund 191
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North Overseas Equity Fund 199
Phillips, Hager & North Currency-Hedged Overseas Equity Fund 207
GLOBAL EQUITY FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North Global Equity Fund 215
Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Global Equity Fund 223
TARGET DATE FUNDS
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2015 Fund 231
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2020 Fund 237
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2025 Fund 243
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2030 Fund 249
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2035 Fund 255
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2040 Fund 261
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2045 Fund 267
Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime 2050 Fund 273
BONAVISTA INVESTMENT FUNDS
BonaVista Global Balanced Fund 279
BonaVista Canadian Equity Value Fund 287
PLEASE CALL US Inside Back Cover
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MONEY MARKET FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with a steady level of current income, capital preservation and liquidity by investing in a well-diversified portfolio of short-term Canadian money market securities with strong credit ratings. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in government or government guaranteed treasury bills, high-grade corporate notes, and asset-backed commercial paper. At the time of purchase, securities will generally have a term to maturity of less than 183 days and the portfolio’s term to maturity will typically average 30 days. The Fund is conservatively managed and does not invest in foreign securities.
Results of Operations The Fund’s net asset value was $1.3 billion as of June 30, 2015.
As of June 30, 2015, the current yields were 0.5% for Series C units, 0.5% for Advisor Series units, 0.4% for Series D units, 0.5% for Series F units and 1.0% for Series O units.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units returned 0.53%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses. In response to an extremely low interest rate environment and to support the yield to unitholders, the management fees of some series of the Fund have been temporarily reduced by RBC GAM. The decision to temporarily reduce management fees is determined at the discretion of RBC GAM.
During the period, the portfolio manager allocated all of the Fund’s assets to money-market instruments paying higher yields than Government of Canada Treasury bills. Such instruments included corporate notes, bank-sponsored asset-backed commercial paper, and bankers’ acceptances. The portfolio also had a small allocation to short-term floating-rate notes, whose payments change with interest rates.
The Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) surprised the market in January with a 0.25% cut to its overnight target interest rate, lowering the rate to 0.75%. The longer average maturity of the Fund at the time of the rate cut aided relative performance, as it enabled the Fund to collect for a longer period the higher interest rates available before the rate cut. The portfolio manager focused on longer-term corporate and asset-backed securities, which offered more attractive yields.
Recent Developments The strategies employed by the Fund have remained largely consistent since the start of the current period of ultra-low interest rates that began in 2009. There have been no meaningful shifts in the investment strategy during this period. The outlook for money markets
has become more uncertain as the U.S. Federal Reserve draws closer to a possible rate hike – which would be the first in nine years – and many investors expect the BOC to lower rates again if the Canadian economy weakens further.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C up to 0.65% 38% 62%Advisor Series up to 0.65% 38% 62%Series D Note 1 23% 77%Series F up to 0.40% – 100%
Note 1 – up to 0.50% (decreasing to 0.40% on the net Series D asset value over $200,000,000).
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN MONEY MARKET FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Corporate Notes 100.0
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
HSBC Bank Canada 1.020% Oct 23 15 2.9 AltaLink LP 0.974% Jul 29 15 2.7 Imperial Oil Ltd. 0.881% Jul 23 15 2.6 Canadian Utilities Ltd. 0.970% Jul 17 15 2.3 Darwin Receivables Trust - Senior Notes 0.900% Sep 3 15 2.1 Bank of Nova Scotia 0.858% Jul 6 15 2.1 Imperial Oil Ltd. 0.881% Jul 2 15 2.0 HSBC Bank Canada 0.925% Jul 15 15 1.9 Prime Trust - Senior Notes 0.851% Sep 2 15 1.9 Toronto Hydro Corp. 0.939% Jul 6 15 1.8 Fusion Trust 0.900% Aug 19 15 1.8 Ridge Trust 1.001% Dec 3 15 1.7 SAFE Trust - Series 1996-1 0.899% Aug 24 15 1.7 King Street Funding Trust 0.931% Oct 14 15 1.7 Bank of Nova Scotia 0.852% Jul 15 15 1.7 Clarity Trust 0.921% Sep 28 15 1.7 SOUND Trust 1.301% Jul 2 15 1.6 Zeus Receivables Trust - Senior Notes 1.291% Jul 20 15 1.6 SOUND Trust 0.921% Oct 2 15 1.4 Central 1 Credit Union 0.950% Dec 17 15 1.4 TMX Group Ltd. 0.939% Jul 28 15 1.4 Toronto-Dominion Bank 0.901% Nov 5 15 1.3 Banner Trust 0.901% Sep 4 15 1.2 Central 1 Credit Union 0.950% Nov 24 15 1.2 Prime Trust - Senior Notes 1.291% Jul 7 15 1.2 Top 25 Holdings 44.9
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MONEY MARKET FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
10
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE (in USD)
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with a steady level of current income while preserving capital by investing primarily in Canadian short-term debt instruments denominated in U.S. dollars. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in government or government-guaranteed treasury bills, asset-backed commercial paper and high-grade corporate notes. At the time of purchase, the portfolio’s term to maturity will typically average 30 days. The Fund is managed within a conservative framework.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $55 million as of June 30, 2015.
As of June 30, 2015, the current yields were 0.1% for Series F units, 0.1% for Advisor Series units, 0.2% for Series O units, 0.1% for Series D units and 0.1% for Series C units.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units returned 0.10%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses. In response to an extremely low interest rate environment and to support the yield to unitholders, the management fees of some series of the Fund have been temporarily reduced by RBC GAM. The decision to temporarily reduce management fees is determined at the discretion of RBC GAM.
As has been mostly the case since 2008, when yields first fell to near zero, the portfolio manager focused on securities with a term to maturity that was longer than 30 days in order to obtain the higher yields. The Fund maintained a higher yield by allocating all of its assets to money-market instruments paying higher yields than U.S. Treasury bills, including U.S.-dollar-denominated corporate notes, bank-sponsored asset-backed commercial paper and bankers’ acceptances. The Fund also had a small allocation to Canadian corporate short-term floating-rate notes, whose payments change with interest rates, and U.S.-dollar-denominated fixed- and floating-rate notes issued by Canadian provinces.
There were limited opportunities to add value through management of the average maturity term of the Fund given that the federal funds rate, the short-term U.S. benchmark, has been locked near zero for seven years.
Recent DevelopmentsThe strategies employed by the Fund have remained largely consistent since the start of the ultra-low interest rate cycle in 2009. There have been no meaningful shifts in the investment strategy during this period. The outlook for money markets has become more uncertain as the U.S.
Federal Reserve draws closer to a possible first rate hike in nine years. This may lead to more active term strategies in the Fund.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND(IN U.S. DOLLARS)
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND(IN U.S. DOLLARS)
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (in USD) The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND(IN U.S. DOLLARS)
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (in USD) (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND(IN U.S. DOLLARS)
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C up to 0.75% 33% 67%Advisor Series up to 0.75% 33% 67%Series D up to 0.50% 20% 80%Series F up to 0.50% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (in USD) (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND(IN U.S. DOLLARS)
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCE (in USD)The performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND(IN U.S. DOLLARS)
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH $U.S. MONEY MARKET FUND(IN U.S. DOLLARS)
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO (in USD)(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Corporate Notes 90.6Government Notes 9.4
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Bank of Nova Scotia 0.120% Jul 8 15 8.1 Province of Quebec 0.157% Jul 9 15 6.5 Bank of Montreal 0.120% Jul 22 15 5.6 OMERS Realty Corp. 0.258% Sep 4 15 4.7 Banner Trust 0.291% Aug 27 15 4.7 Reliant Trust 0.321% Jul 31 15 4.6 Canadian Master Trust - Series A 0.421% Oct 13 15 4.6 Ridge Trust 0.320% Sep 28 15 4.5 Darwin Receivables Trust - Senior Notes 0.321% Jul 31 15 4.5 Zeus Receivables Trust - Senior Notes 0.311% Sep 22 15 4.5 National Bank of Canada 0.131% Jul 22 15 4.2 CDP Financial Inc. 0.190% Aug 5 15 4.1 SAFE Trust - Series 1996-1 0.410% Dec 2 15 3.8 SOUND Trust 0.310% Aug 28 15 3.6 Merit Trust - Senior Notes 0.370% Nov 20 15 3.3 Prime Trust - Senior Notes 0.370% Nov 23 15 3.0 Province of Quebec 0.140% Aug 5 15 3.0 HSBC Bank Canada 0.198% Aug 10 15 2.8 Caisse Centrale Desjardins 0.178% Aug 17 15 2.7 TMX Group Ltd. 0.319% Jul 7 15 2.6 HSBC Bank Canada 0.167% Jul 29 15 1.8 Caisse Centrale Desjardins 0.191% Aug 11 15 1.8 Prime Trust - Senior Notes 0.380% Oct 14 15 1.8 Toronto-Dominion Bank 0.122% Jul 22 15 1.4 SOUND Trust 0.360% Jul 8 15 1.1 Top 25 Holdings 93.3
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FIXED-INCOME FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with relatively high yields and stability of capital by investing primarily in Canadian government and corporate bonds and multi-residential mortgages on property located in Canada. Investments are made in accordance with National Policy Statement No. 29, a set of regulatory guidelines covering mortgage purchases by mutual funds. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in high-quality Canadian corporate bonds, government bonds, and up to 40% of the Fund’s net assets in conventional first mortgages and mortgages guaranteed under the National Housing Act (Canada). The portfolio manager may also invest in asset-backed commercial paper. Securities purchased will generally not have a term to maturity exceeding seven years and three months, and the average term to maturity of the portfolio will generally be three years.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $5.1 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.0%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global bond markets were more volatile than usual during the first half of 2015, making it more difficult for the Fund to benefit from strategies aimed at taking advantage of interest-rate shifts. The Bank of Canada surprised the market with a 0.25% cut to its benchmark interest rate in January, which contributed to declining short-term bond yields in Canada. The Fund’s overall term to maturity was somewhat short at the time, which hurt relative performance. For the remainder of the period, the Fund was positioned such that interest-rate changes would not have a significant impact on relative returns.
A more meaningful impact to performance came from the Fund’s investments in corporate bonds and mortgages. The portfolio manager decreased exposure to corporate bonds in light of strong corporate-bond performance, a stream of new corporate-bond issues and growing uncertainty as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) prepared to boost short-term interest rates. The portfolio manager also increased the quality of the Fund’s corporate holdings and switched into industries that are less exposed to a slowdown in economic growth. The Fund’s corporate-bond strategies added marginally to relative performance. Mortgages performed well and contributed to returns by offering higher rates of interest than most other high-quality areas of the market.
Portfolio turnover is normally high for this fund, as the portfolio manager attempts to generate better returns through active security selection and optimal term exposure.
Recent DevelopmentsFinancial-market uncertainty and volatility remain elevated due to a number of global risks, including Greece’s continuing debt problems, weak economic growth in Europe and slowing growth in China. Furthermore, the Fed is drawing closer to its first rate hike in nine years. It is unclear how widespread the implications of a Fed hike would be for financial markets, including investor appetite for riskier assets, but market declines are a possibility.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series, Series H and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.4 From July 2012.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.5 From July 2012.
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.00% 50% 50%Advisor Series 1.00% 50% 50%Series H 0.90% 56% 44%Series D 0.50% 30% 70%Series F 0.50% – 100%Series I 0.40% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
Series H and Series I units have been available for sale to unitholders since July 2012, Advisor Series units since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Province of Ontario 2.100% Sep 8 18 6.7 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 1.700% Dec 15 17 4.1 Government of Canada 1.500% Mar 1 20 3.9 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 2.050% Jun 15 17 3.3 Government of Canada 0.250% May 1 17 2.6 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 2.750% Jun 15 16 2.2 Province of Ontario 4.200% Jun 2 20 1.9 Bank of Montreal 2.960% Aug 2 16 1.7 Cards II Trust 1.984% Jan 15 16 1.6 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 1.450% Jun 15 20 1.6 Province of Ontario 4.400% Jun 2 19 1.6 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 1.200% Jun 15 20 1.5 Bank of Nova Scotia 1.330% May 1 18 1.4 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 2.650% Nov 8 16 1.3 Cash & Cash Equivalents 1.2 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 2.000% Dec 15 19 1.2 Government of Canada 1.500% Feb 1 17 1.2 Province of Alberta 1.250% Jun 1 20 1.1 Bank of Nova Scotia 2.740% Dec 1 16 1.1 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 4.100% Dec 15 18 1.1 Government of Canada 0.750% Sep 1 20 1.1 Toronto-Dominion Bank 2.433% Aug 15 17 0.9 Bank of Nova Scotia 2.242% Mar 22 18 0.8 Royal Bank of Canada 2.260% Mar 12 18 0.8 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 2.350% Dec 15 18 0.8 Top 25 Holdings 46.7
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH SHORT TERM BOND & MORTGAGE FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FIXED-INCOME FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BOND FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with relatively high yields and stability of capital by investing in a well-diversified portfolio of fixed-income securities issued primarily by Canadian governments and corporations. Through a mix of interest income and capital appreciation, the Fund aims to provide a competitive rate of return while controlling the interest rate and credit risks to which it is exposed. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in high-quality Canadian corporate and government bonds issued in either Canadian or U.S. dollars. The portfolio manager may also invest in asset-backed commercial paper. The average term to maturity of the portfolio is managed within strict guidelines, and typically falls between seven and 12 years.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $8.9 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.5%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global bond markets were more volatile than usual during the first half of 2015, making it more difficult for the Fund to benefit from strategies aimed at taking advantage of interest-rate shifts. The portfolio manager kept the Fund’s term to maturity relatively short, and this positioning had a slightly negative impact on performance.
A more meaningful impact to performance came from the Fund’s strategies for investing in corporate and provincial bonds. The portfolio manager decreased exposure to corporate bonds in light of strong corporate-bond performance, a stream of new corporate-bond issues and growing uncertainty as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) prepared to boost short-term interest rates. The portfolio manager also increased the quality of the Fund’s corporate holdings and switched into industries that are less exposed to a slowdown in economic growth. As a result, the corporate-bond allocation added to relative performance. The Fund’s significant exposure to provincial bonds also contributed to relative performance as these bonds performed strongly during the first half of the year, although exposure was scaled back over the period. Provincial bonds remained the Fund’s largest relative holding as of June 30, 2015.
Portfolio turnover is normally high for this fund, as the portfolio manager attempts to generate better returns through active security selection and optimal term exposure.
Recent DevelopmentsFinancial-market uncertainty and volatility remain elevated due to a number of global risks, including Greece’s continuing debt problems, weak economic growth in Europe and slowing growth in China. Furthermore, the Fed is drawing closer to its first rate hike in nine years. It is unclear how widespread the implications of a Fed hike would be for financial markets, including investor appetite for riskier assets, but market declines are a possibility.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.00% 50% 50%Advisor Series 1.00% 50% 50%Series D 0.50% 30% 70%Series F 0.50% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BOND FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
32
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BOND FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Cash & Cash Equivalents 9.6 Province of Ontario 6.500% Mar 8 29 7.6 Province of Ontario 7.600% Jun 2 27 6.4 Government of Canada 0.750% Sep 1 20 3.4 Government of Canada 2.500% Jun 1 24 2.5 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 3.350% Dec 15 20 2.5 Government of Canada 3.500% Dec 1 45 2.2 Province of Quebec 8.500% Apr 1 26 1.9 Government of Canada 5.000% Jun 1 37 1.7 Province of Ontario 8.100% Sep 8 23 1.6 Province of Ontario 3.500% Jun 2 43 1.5 Province of Ontario 2.900% Dec 2 46 1.5 Province of Ontario 3.500% Jun 2 24 1.4 Province of Ontario 8.500% Dec 2 25 1.3 Bank of Nova Scotia 1.330% May 1 18 1.3 Province of Ontario 3.150% Jun 2 22 1.3 Province of Alberta 2.350% Jun 1 25 1.1 United States Treasury 3.000% May 15 45 1.0 Bank of Nova Scotia 2.100% Nov 8 16 1.0 Royal Bank of Canada 2.350% Dec 9 19 1.0 Ontario Electricity Financial Corp. 8.250% Jun 22 26 1.0 Province of Ontario 3.450% Jun 2 45 1.0 Government of Canada 5.750% Jun 1 33 0.9 Province of Ontario 2.850% Jun 2 23 0.8 Province of Quebec 9.375% Jan 16 23 0.8 Top 25 Holdings 56.3
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
33
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FIXED-INCOME FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
34
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with relatively high yields and stability of capital by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of fixed-income securities issued by Canadian governments and corporations that conduct themselves in a socially responsible manner. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in high-quality Canadian corporate and government bonds issued in Canadian or U.S. dollars. The portfolio manager may also invest in asset-backed commercial paper. The average term to maturity of the portfolio is managed within strict guidelines, typically between seven and 12 years.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $164 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.5%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global bond markets were more volatile than usual during the first half of 2015, making it more difficult for the Fund to benefit from strategies aimed at taking advantage of interest-rate shifts. The portfolio manager kept the Fund’s term to maturity relatively short, and this positioning had a slightly negative impact on performance.
A more meaningful impact to performance came from the Fund’s strategies for investing in corporate and provincial bonds. The portfolio manager decreased exposure to corporate bonds in light of strong corporate-bond performance, a stream of new corporate-bond issues and growing uncertainty as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) prepared to boost short-term interest rates. The portfolio manager also increased the quality of the Fund’s corporate holdings and switched into industries that are less exposed to a slowdown in economic growth. As a result, the corporate-bond allocation added to relative performance. The Fund’s significant exposure to provincial bonds also contributed to relative performance as these bonds performed strongly during the first half of the year, although exposure was scaled back over the period. Provincial bonds remained the Fund’s largest relative holding as of June 30, 2015.
Portfolio turnover is normally high for this fund, as the portfolio manager attempts to generate better returns through active security selection and optimal term exposure.
Recent DevelopmentsFinancial-market uncertainty and volatility remain elevated due to a number of global risks, including Greece’s continuing debt problems, weak economic growth in Europe and slowing growth in China. Furthermore, the Fed is drawing closer to its first rate hike in nine years. It is unclear how widespread the implications of a Fed hike would be for financial markets, including investor appetite for riskier assets, but market declines are a possibility.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
35
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
36
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
37
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.00% 50% 50%Advisor Series 1.00% 50% 50%Series D 0.50% 30% 70%Series F 0.50% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BOND FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Cash & Cash Equivalents 9.2 Province of Ontario 6.500% Mar 8 29 7.3 Province of Ontario 7.600% Jun 2 27 6.3 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 3.350% Dec 15 20 2.7 Government of Canada 2.500% Jun 1 24 2.6 Government of Canada 0.750% Sep 1 20 2.6 Bank of Nova Scotia 1.330% May 1 18 2.5 Province of Quebec 8.500% Apr 1 26 2.2 Government of Canada 3.500% Dec 1 45 1.9 National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc. CAD 2.730% Sep 20 17 1.8 Government of Canada 5.000% Jun 1 37 1.7 Province of Ontario 3.500% Jun 2 43 1.6 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 1.750% Jun 1 16 1.6 Province of Ontario 8.100% Sep 8 23 1.5 Province of Ontario 2.900% Dec 2 46 1.5 Province of Ontario 3.150% Jun 2 22 1.5 Government of Canada 2.250% Jun 1 25 1.5 Government of Canada 5.750% Jun 1 33 1.3 Province of Ontario 8.500% Dec 2 25 1.3 Province of Ontario 3.500% Jun 2 24 1.2 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 3.750% Mar 15 20 1.1 Province of Alberta 2.350% Jun 1 25 1.1 Bank of Nova Scotia 2.100% Nov 8 16 1.1 Royal Bank of Canada 2.770% Dec 11 18 1.1 United States Treasury 3.000% May 15 45 1.0 Top 25 Holdings 59.2
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
41
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FIXED-INCOME FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
42
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with stability of capital by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of fixed-income securities issued primarily by Canadian governments and corporations. It also invests in derivatives. Through a mix of interest income and capital appreciation, the Fund aims to provide a competitive rate of return while controlling the interest rate and credit risks to which it is exposed. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in medium- to high-quality corporate bonds and government bonds of Canadian, U.S. and other foreign issuers. The Fund may also invest in asset-backed commercial paper to enhance its return (the Fund’s weighting in high-yield bonds is generally restricted to a maximum of 20% of its total assets). The average term to maturity of the portfolio is managed within strict guidelines, and typically falls between seven and 12 years.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $7.2 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.6%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global bond markets were more volatile than usual during the first half of 2015, making it more difficult for the Fund to benefit from strategies aimed at taking advantage of interest-rate shifts. The portfolio manager kept the Fund’s term to maturity relatively short, and this positioning had a slightly negative impact on performance.
A more meaningful impact to performance came from the Fund’s strategies for investing in corporate and provincial bonds. The portfolio manager decreased exposure to corporate bonds in light of strong corporate-bond performance, a stream of new corporate-bond issues and growing uncertainty as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) prepared to boost short-term interest rates. The portfolio manager also increased the quality of the Fund’s corporate holdings and switched into industries that are less exposed to a slowdown in economic growth. As a result, the corporate-bond allocation added to relative performance. The Fund’s significant exposure to provincial bonds also contributed to relative performance as these bonds performed strongly during the first half of the year, although exposure was scaled back over the period. Provincial bonds remained the Fund’s largest relative holding as of June 30, 2015.
Portfolio turnover is normally high for this fund, as the portfolio manager attempts to generate better returns through active security selection and optimal term exposure.
Recent DevelopmentsFinancial-market uncertainty and volatility remain elevated due to a number of global risks, including Greece’s continuing debt problems, weak economic growth in Europe and slowing growth in China. Furthermore, the Fed is drawing closer to its first rate hike in nine years. It is unclear how widespread the implications of a Fed hike would be for financial markets, including investor appetite for riskier assets, but market declines are a possibility.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series, Series H and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND
44
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.4 From April 2013.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.5 From April 2013.
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.00% 50% 50%Advisor Series 1.00% 50% 50%Series H 0.90% 56% 44%Series D 0.50% 30% 70%Series F 0.50% – 100% Series I 0.40% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
Series H and Series I units have been available for sale to unitholders since April 2013, Advisor Series units since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Cash & Cash Equivalents 8.9 Province of Ontario 6.500% Mar 8 29 7.3 Province of Ontario 7.600% Jun 2 27 6.3 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 3.350% Dec 15 20 2.7 Government of Canada 2.500% Jun 1 24 2.6 Government of Canada 0.750% Sep 1 20 2.3 Province of Ontario 3.150% Jun 2 22 2.0 Government of Canada 3.500% Dec 1 45 1.9 Province of Quebec 8.500% Apr 1 26 1.9 Government of Canada 5.000% Jun 1 37 1.7 Province of Ontario 2.900% Dec 2 46 1.7 Province of Ontario 8.100% Sep 8 23 1.6 Bank of Nova Scotia 1.330% May 1 18 1.6 Province of Ontario 3.500% Jun 2 43 1.6 Canada Housing Trust No. 1 3.750% Mar 15 20 1.6 Province of Ontario 3.500% Jun 2 24 1.4 Government of Canada 2.250% Jun 1 25 1.4 Royal Bank of Canada 2.580% Apr 13 17 1.2 Province of Alberta 2.350% Jun 1 25 1.1 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 1.1 United States Treasury 3.000% May 15 45 1.0 Bank of Nova Scotia 2.100% Nov 8 16 1.0 Province of Ontario 3.450% Jun 2 45 0.9 Royal Bank of Canada 1.968% Mar 2 22 0.9 Province of Ontario 8.500% Dec 2 25 0.9 Top 25 Holdings 56.6
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FIXED-INCOME FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to generate inflation-protected interest income to help investors preserve their real (or inflation-adjusted) purchasing power over the long term. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in real return bonds and inflation-linked bonds issued or guaranteed by Canadian and foreign governments and corporations, including Canadian Real Return Bonds (“RRBs”) and U.S. issued Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (“TIPs”).
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $77 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 3.7%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global bond markets were more volatile than usual during the first half of 2015, and the Fund’s mandated exposure to longer-term assets made it especially sensitive to short-term fluctuations. The Fund performed well as falling real interest rates pushed up prices in the first quarter, but the portfolio gave back some of those gains as rates climbed in the second quarter. The fall in bond prices in the second quarter was healthy from a yield perspective, as the decline was not overly severe and resulted in the Fund’s yield returning to positive territory.
The portfolio manager enhanced returns by taking advantage of short-term trading opportunities in real-return bonds. The portfolio manager also allocated a small portion of the portfolio to longer-term bonds whose returns are not adjusted for inflation and which appeared to offer attractive yields relative to real-return bonds. The Fund included a U.S. Treasury bond, which yielded more than its Canadian counterpart, and served as a small “insurance policy” as Treasuries tend to perform well when financial markets are falling.
The Fund was very active in capitalizing on increased market volatility.
Recent DevelopmentsFinancial-market uncertainty and volatility remain elevated due to a number of global risks, including Greece’s continuing debt problems, weak economic growth in Europe and slowing growth in China. Furthermore, the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) is drawing closer to its first rate hike in nine years. It is unclear how widespread the implications of a Fed hike would be for financial markets, including investor appetite for riskier assets, but market declines are a possibility.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 0.80% 62% 38%Advisor Series 0.80% 62% 38%Series D 0.45% 33% 67%Series F 0.30% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, and Series C, Series D, Series F and Series O units since June 2009.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Federal Bonds 86.9Provincial Bonds 12.0Corporate Bonds 0.8Cash/Other 0.3
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Government of Canada 4.250% Dec 1 26 18.2 Government of Canada 1.500% Dec 1 44 15.1 Government of Canada 4.000% Dec 1 31 15.1 Government of Canada 3.000% Dec 1 36 14.6 Government of Canada 2.000% Dec 1 41 8.6 Government of Canada 1.250% Dec 1 47 7.9 Government of Canada 3.500% Dec 1 45 4.9 Province of Ontario 2.000% Dec 1 36 4.9 Province of Quebec 4.250% Dec 1 31 3.3 Province of Quebec 4.500% Dec 1 26 2.8 Government of Canada 2.250% Jun 1 25 1.5 United States Treasury 3.000% May 15 45 1.0 Province of Quebec 4.500% Dec 1 21 1.0 Teranet Holdings LP 3.270% Dec 1 31 0.8 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.3 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FIXED-INCOME FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH HIGH YIELD BOND FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with a high level of income and the opportunity for capital appreciation by investing primarily in medium quality Canadian and/or foreign corporate bonds, convertible bonds, preferred shares and government bonds issued or traded in Canadian and U.S. dollars. In addition, the portfolio manager may also invest in asset backed commercial paper. The average term to maturity of the portfolio is managed within strict guidelines, typically between three and 10 years.
The investment objectives of the Fund set out above became effective on November 28, 2011 pursuant to receiving unitholder approval for a change in the investment objectives of the Fund.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $3.7 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 5.0%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The high-yield bond market remained remarkably steady in the first half of 2015, performing well until the tail end of the period. The Fund’s performance was led by energy bonds purchased following big declines tied to falling oil prices, as well as reduced overall exposure to bonds linked to faster economic growth.
The Fund maintained a shorter term to maturity and a larger cash position than usual. This helped dampen the volatility of the Fund’s performance in light of large interest-rate fluctuations that occurred in the first half of 2015, while enabling the Fund to take advantage of attractively valued securities.
Portfolio turnover is normally high for this fund, as the portfolio manager attempts to generate better returns through active security selection and optimal term exposure.
Recent DevelopmentsFinancial-market uncertainty and volatility remain elevated due to a number of global risks, including Greece’s continuing debt problems, weak economic growth in Europe and slowing growth in China. Furthermore, the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) is drawing closer to its first rate hike in nine years. It is unclear how widespread the implications of a Fed hike would be for financial markets, including investor appetite for riskier assets, but market declines are a possibility.
There is growing concern about how easy it will be to trade securities in the event of a market disruption given that banks no longer have
the same levels of “liquidity” available before the 2008 financial crisis. Accordingly, the Fund remains well-diversified with higher-quality issuers that the portfolio manager is comfortable holding for extended periods. In addition, the Fund has a larger cash balance so that it can be in position to exploit any opportunities offered by market declines.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH HIGH YIELD BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH HIGH YIELD BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.25% 40% 60%Advisor Series 1.25% 40% 60%Series D 0.75% 20% 80%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH HIGH YIELD BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH HIGH YIELD BOND FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH HIGH YIELD BOND FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Corporate Bonds 95.9Cash/Other 4.1
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Chrysler Group LLC 8.250% Jun 15 21 6.1 Quebecor Media Inc. 6.625% Jan 15 23 5.8 CCO Holdings LLC 7.375% Jun 1 20 4.2 Reynolds Group Issuer Inc. 7.125% Apr 15 19 3.6 Baytex Energy Corp. 6.625% Jul 19 22 3.6 Cash & Cash Equivalents 3.5 Trilogy Energy Corp. 7.250% Dec 13 19 3.4 Quebecor Media Inc. 7.375% Jan 15 21 2.8 Western Energy Services Corp. 7.875% Jan 30 19 2.7 The Hertz Corp. 6.750% Apr 15 19 2.6 Canadian Energy Services & Technology Corp. 7.375% Apr 17 20 2.5 T-Mobile USA Inc. 6.464% Apr 28 19 2.5 The Howard Hughes Corp. 6.875% Oct 1 21 2.4 Baytex Energy Corp. USD 6.750% Feb 17 21 2.4 Sprint Nextel Corp. 7.000% Aug 15 20 2.2 Videotron Ltd. 6.875% Jul 15 21 2.2 Superior Plus LP 6.500% Dec 9 21 2.1 Calfrac Holdings LP 7.500% Dec 1 20 1.9 Corus Entertainment Inc. 4.250% Feb 11 20 1.9 Great Canadian Gaming Corp. 6.625% Jul 25 22 1.9 Precision Drilling Corp. USD 6.625% Nov 15 20 1.8 Gibson Energy Inc. 7.000% Jul 15 20 1.8 Sherritt International Corp. 7.875% Oct 11 22 1.8 Precision Drilling Corp. USD 5.250% Nov 15 24 1.7 Parkland Fuel Corp. 6.000% Nov 21 22 1.7 Top 25 Holdings 69.1
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FIXED-INCOME FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LONG INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to generate interest income that is hedged against inflation by investing primarily in longer-term real-return bonds and inflation-linked bonds issued by Canadian and foreign governments and corporations.
To achieve the Fund’s investment objectives, the portfolio manager invests primarily in the above-mentioned securities. The Fund’s portfolio will include various longer-term maturities that are intended to match longer-term liabilities and to manage the interest-rate risk of the Phillips, Hager & North LifeTime Funds, which may hold the Fund in their portfolios. The Fund may also invest in asset-backed securities, including mortgage-backed securities and may invest all or a portion of the Fund’s assets in one or more securities as permitted by securities legislation.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $42 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 3.2%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global bond markets were more volatile than usual during the first half of 2015, and the Fund’s mandated exposure to longer-term assets made it especially sensitive to short-term fluctuations. The Fund performed well as falling real interest rates pushed up prices in the first quarter, but the portfolio gave back some of those gains as rates climbed in the second quarter.
The Fund invests in the two longest-term Government of Canada real-return bonds, which mature in 2044 and 2047. These bonds began the year with a real yield of 0.6%, which declined to 0.5% as of June 30, 2015.
Recent DevelopmentsThe Fund’s performance will depend entirely on the performance of the two bonds in the portfolio. Inflation-adjusted interest rates are low by historical standards, and below levels that reflect the portfolio manager’s expectations for Canada’s economic growth rate. As a result, the portfolio manager expects real yields will ultimately rise, and given the long-term nature of the Fund, any rise could lead to significant investor losses.
Related-Party TransactionsManager, Portfolio Advisor and RegistrarRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager, principal portfolio advisor and registrar of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations,
provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM, as registrar, also keeps the records of who owns the units of the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorRBC GAM is the principal distributor of the Fund.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LONG INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From January 2011.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LONG INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager, portfolio advisor and registrar of the Fund. No management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Federal Bonds 99.8Cash/Other 0.2
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Government of Canada 1.250% Dec 1 47 63.0 Government of Canada 1.500% Dec 1 44 36.8 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.2 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LONG INFLATION-LINKED BOND FUND
Series O units have been available for sale to unitholders since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
BALANCED FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH MONTHLY INCOME FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with monthly income that may consist of dividend income, interest income, realized capital gains and return of capital. Investors in the Fund will also have the potential for modest capital growth. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager primarily invests in a well diversified balanced portfolio of income-producing equity securities, including, but not limited to, common shares of dividend-paying Canadian companies and income trusts. The Fund may also invest in fixed-income securities such as preferred shares, government and corporate bonds, debentures and notes, asset backed commercial paper, mortgage backed securities and other income-generating securities.
The Fund’s target weightings for each asset class are 50% for fixed income and 50% for equities. The target weightings for each asset class may be adjusted based on changes in the market outlook for each asset class.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 0.8%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The Fund made monthly distributions of 4.60 cents per Series O unit in the first half of 2015.
Global bond markets were more volatile than usual during the first half of 2015, making it more difficult for the Fund to benefit from strategies aimed at taking advantage of interest-rate shifts. As a result, the fixed-income portion of the Fund was positioned such that interest-rate changes would not have a significant impact on relative returns. The average term to maturity was slightly short, a positioning that had a modestly negative impact on the Fund’s relative performance.
A more meaningful impact to fixed-income performance came from the Fund’s strategies for investing in corporate and provincial bonds. The portfolio manager decreased exposure to corporate bonds in light of strong corporate-bond performance, a stream of new corporate-bond issues and growing uncertainty as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) prepared to boost short-term interest rates. This strategy added to relative performance. The extra yield offered by provincial bonds relative to federal bonds was also positive for returns.
The portfolio’s equity portion benefited from strong stock selection in the Energy, Industrials and Financials sectors. In Industrials, the
biggest source of performance was a lack of relative exposure to railways, including Canadian Pacific, which declined. Following the drop in rail stocks to more reasonable valuations, the portfolio manager initiated a small position in Canadian Pacific and increased exposure to Canadian National. The Utilities sector was among the sectors that held back returns the most, as investments in Canadian Utilities and TransAlta declined.
There were no material changes to the Fund’s strategy during the reporting period.
Portfolio turnover is normally high for this Fund, as the portfolio manager attempts to generate better returns through active sector and stock selection. In the fixed-income portion of the portfolio, portfolio turnover is increased by the portfolio manager’s efforts to generate returns through optimal term exposure.
Recent DevelopmentsFinancial market uncertainty and volatility remain elevated due to a number of global socio-political and economic risks, including continuing problems in Greece and Europe, slowing growth in China, and lingering low oil prices. Furthermore, the Fed is getting closer to its first rate hike in nine years. It is unclear how widespread the implications of a Fed hike would be for financial markets, including investor sentiment and risk appetite, but further market volatility and some degree of disruption are possibilities.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series, Series H and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH MONTHLY INCOME FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $88,000 (2014 – $498,000), or 3% (2014 – 12%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH MONTHLY INCOME FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.4 From July 2012.5 From April 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH MONTHLY INCOME FUND
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.5 From July 2012.6 From April 2010.
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.65% 61% 39%Advisor Series 1.65% 61% 39%Series H 1.50% 67% 33%Series D 0.90% 28% 72%Series F 0.65% – 100%Series I 0.50% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH MONTHLY INCOME FUND
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
Series H and Series I units have been available for sale to unitholders since July 2012, Advisor Series units since October 2010, Series O units since April 2010, and Series C, Series D and Series F units since December 2009.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH MONTHLY INCOME FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Canadian Equities 57.1Bonds 42.3Cash/Other 0.6
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
RBC High Yield Bond Fund 5.7 Royal Bank of Canada 3.8 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 3.7 Toronto-Dominion Bank 3.4 Government of Canada 1.500% Aug 1 15 3.0 Bank of Nova Scotia 2.9 Province of Ontario 6.500% Mar 8 29 2.6 Bank of Montreal 2.3 Province of Ontario 7.600% Jun 2 27 2.2 Canadian National Railway Co. 2.1 Enbridge Inc. 2.0 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 1.8 Manulife Financial Corporation 1.8 Cenovus Energy Inc. 1.8 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 1.6 ARC Resources Ltd. 1.5 TransCanada Corp. 1.3 Fortis Inc. 1.1 TELUS Corp. 1.1 Rogers Communications Inc., Class B 1.1 Government of Canada 0.750% Sep 1 20 1.1 Sun Life Financial Inc. 1.0 Encana Corp. 1.0 Industrial Alliance Insurance & Financial Services Inc. 1.0 Brookfield Property Partners LP 0.9 Top 25 Holdings 51.8
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
BALANCED FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BALANCED FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth and income by investing primarily in a strategic asset mix of Canadian and foreign equities, Canadian fixed-income securities and money market instruments. Its asset mix is adjusted periodically to reflect changing economic and market conditions. The magnitude and timing of all rebalancing decisions within the Fund are made by a team of investment professionals who focus on determining the best asset mix in any given economic environment. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests a significant portion or even all of the net asset value of the Fund in other funds managed by RBC GAM where the investment is consistent with the investment objectives and strategies of the Fund.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $776 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 5.7%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
The Fund’s overweight allocation to equities and underweight position in bonds had a positive effect on overall performance. Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. The Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the Phillips, Hager & North Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansions experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. All of the Fund’s equity holdings contributed positively to returns, with the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund adding the most to performance.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero. Therefore, the portfolio manager has maintained the Fund’s underweight position in bonds and overweight in equities.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BALANCED FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BALANCED FUND
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 0.75% 33% 67%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BALANCED FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BALANCED FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since December 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH BALANCED FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Phillips, Hager & North Bond Fund 34.0 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 30.1 RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 21.4 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 7.0 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 4.0 RBC High Yield Bond Fund 2.0 RBC Institutional Cash Fund 1.0 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.5 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
BALANCED FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth and income by investing in a strategic asset mix of Canadian and foreign equities, Canadian fixed-income securities and money market instruments of companies that conduct themselves in a socially responsible manner. The Fund’s asset mix is adjusted periodically to reflect changing economic and market conditions. The magnitude and timing of all rebalancing decisions within the Fund are made by a team of investment professionals who focus on determining the best asset mix in any given economic environment. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests a significant portion or even all of the net asset value of the Fund in other funds managed by RBC GAM where the investment is consistent with the investment objectives and strategies of the Fund.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $55 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 6.1%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
The Fund’s overweight allocation to equities and underweight position in bonds had a positive effect on overall performance. Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. The Fund’s sole fixed-income holding, the Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Bond Fund, had a positive impact on returns.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansions experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. All of the Fund’s equity holdings contributed positively to returns, with the Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Global Equity Fund adding the most to performance.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero. Therefore, the portfolio manager has maintained the Fund’s underweight position in bonds and overweight in equities.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From December 31, 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
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Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 0.75% 33% 67%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since December 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES BALANCED FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Bonds 32.6Canadian Equities 29.6United States Equities 17.7Overseas Equities 14.0Cash/Other 6.1
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Bond Fund 35.9 Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Global Equity Fund 32.3 Phillips, Hager & North Community Values Canadian Equity Fund 30.2 Cash & Cash Equivalents 1.6 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth and income by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of dividend income-producing Canadian securities that have a relatively high yield. The securities are selected based on their long-term earnings potential and their ability to sustain an attractive yield over the long term. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in large-capitalization, dividend-paying Canadian common shares and, to a lesser extent, preferred shares and bonds. U.S. stocks may be held in the Fund to complement its Canadian holdings, and will typically be concentrated in industries that are not well represented in the Canadian market.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $2.5 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units lost 1.9%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global equity markets climbed in the first half of 2015, led by Asia and Europe. The U.S. and Canadian markets lagged. Central-bank activity continued to influence capital markets, as anticipation that the U.S. Federal Reserve would begin to tighten monetary policy later this year resulted in volatility in global bonds and currencies. In contrast, the European Central Bank’s asset-purchase program started in March, joining Japan in pursuit of extraordinary monetary policy aimed at stimulating growth.
The Fund’s returns were held back by a complete lack of exposure to Valeant Pharmaceuticals, which soared during the period to become the third-largest company on Canadian exchanges in terms of market value. The best-performing sectors in the Fund were Financials, Industrials and Information Technology. The Health Care sector was the worst-performing sector due to the exclusion of Valeant, due to the fact it does not currently pay a dividend.
The Fund benefited from positions in Brookfield Asset Management, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and Magna International. The portfolio manager’s decision not to invest in Bombardier or Open Text contributed to returns. Shares of Brookfield continue to be attractive because of higher fee income and growing assets under management.
During the period, the portfolio manager initiated positions in Boardwalk REIT, Calloway REIT, Element Financial Convertible Debentures, Fairfax Financial, Northland Power, Restaurant Brands International and Silver Wheaton. Positions that were sold from the portfolio were Exchange Income, Labrador Iron Ore, Power Financial, Manitoba Telecom and RioCan.
Recent DevelopmentsInterest rates bottomed during the first quarter, and while increasing during the second quarter, remain at historically low levels. Significant monetary stimulus by central banks in China, Europe and Japan, combined with the positive impact of low oil prices, support an outlook of re-accelerating economic growth.
Against this backdrop, the portfolio manager believes that corporate profits should continue to expand and, given current valuations, equity markets should provide moderate total returns. The biggest risks are likely to come from Europe, where improving economic performance could be negatively impacted by the situation in Greece. In addition, China continues to adjust to a lower-than-historical growth rate.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $23,000 (2014 – $20,000), or 12% (2014 – 7%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Royal Bank of Canada 7.7 Toronto-Dominion Bank 7.3 Bank of Nova Scotia 5.3 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 4.3 Canadian National Railway Co. 4.0 Enbridge Inc. 3.6 Bank of Montreal 3.4 Manulife Financial Corporation 3.3 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 3.1 Suncor Energy Inc. 3.0 TELUS Corp. 2.5 TransCanada Corp. 2.4 Magna International Inc., Class A 2.3 BCE Inc. 2.2 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 2.1 Atco Ltd., Class I, Non-Voting 2.0 Sun Life Financial Inc. 1.8 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 1.6 CI Financial Corp. 1.5 Loblaw Companies Ltd. 1.5 Power Corporation of Canada 1.4 Cenovus Energy Inc. 1.4 Intact Financial Corp. 1.3 Thomson Corp. 1.3 Shaw Communications Inc., Class B 1.1 Top 25 Holdings 71.4
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of common shares of Canadian companies. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in companies that they believe have a superior management team, a leadership position in their industry, a high level of profitability compared to their peers, strong earnings potential and a reasonable valuation.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $1.2 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.6%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Canadian stocks rose slightly during the first half of 2015, as a decline in the second quarter offset gains recorded in the first quarter. Decisions by the portfolio manager had a positive impact on relative performance in seven of the 10 industry sectors, with the Industrials, Financials and Information Technology sectors contributing the most to relative performance.
The Industrials sector was the most significant contributor to returns during the period, driven by stock selection. In terms of security selection, a lack of relative exposure to Canadian Pacific Railway aided performance. In the Financials sector, a comparatively large position in Element Financial contributed to performance, while in the Information Technology sector, significant exposure to Kinaxis also aided performance.
The Utilities sector had the most negative impact on relative performance during the period due to significant positions in Canadian Utilities and TransAlta. The Telecommunication Services sector also had a negative impact on returns as the Fund did not own BCE, which performed well.
Recent DevelopmentsStock gains in recent years have drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from the higher valuations that result from an environment of low interest rates, low inflation and improving confidence. As a result, equities have moved closer to fair value and valuations are now at their highest levels since before the financial crisis of 2008.
Strong returns and higher valuations naturally prompt investors to question how long the six-year-old equity rally can last. Valuations still appear reasonable in most regions of the world, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. In the view of the portfolio manager,
however, earnings growth as opposed to rising valuations will have to play a greater role if the equity rally is to continue.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $18,000 (2014 – $50,000), or 5% (2014 – 13%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Phillips, Hager & North Small Float Fund 13.0 Toronto-Dominion Bank 6.9 Royal Bank of Canada 6.8 Bank of Nova Scotia 5.4 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 5.3 Manulife Financial Corporation 4.0 Enbridge Inc. 3.6 Canadian National Railway Co. 3.3 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 3.0 Cenovus Energy Inc. 2.7 Suncor Energy Inc. 2.2 Bank of Montreal 2.0 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 1.8 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.8 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 1.8 TELUS Corp. 1.7 TransCanada Corp. 1.7 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 1.7 Magna International Inc., Class A 1.6 Encana Corp. 1.5 ARC Resources Ltd. 1.5 Agrium Inc. 1.4 Rogers Communications Inc., Class B 1.2 Thomson Corp. 1.1 Dollarama Inc. 1.0 Top 25 Holdings 78.0
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in common shares of high-quality Canadian companies. The portfolio manager’s intention is that only the securities of companies that conduct themselves in a socially responsible manner will be included in the portfolio. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in companies that they believe have a superior management team, a leadership position in their industry, a high level of profitability compared to their peers, and strong earnings potential.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $77 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.7%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Canadian stocks rose slightly during the first half of 2015, as a decline in the second quarter offset gains recorded in the first quarter. Decisions by the portfolio manager had a positive impact on relative performance in seven of the 10 industry sectors, with Industrials, Financials and Consumer Discretionary contributing the most to relative performance.
The Industrials sector was the most significant contributor to relative performance during the period, driven mostly by strong stock selection. In terms of security selection, an underweight position in Canadian Pacific Railway contributed to relative performance. Within the Financials sector, exposure to Element Financial contributed to returns. In the Consumer Discretionary sector, positions in Dollarama and Rona contributed to performance.
The Utilities sector had the most negative impact on relative performance during the period due to positions in Canadian Utilities and TransAlta. The Consumer Staples sector also held back returns, due primarily to a lack of exposure to Alimentation Couche-Tard.
Recent DevelopmentsStock gains in recent years have drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from the higher valuations that result from an environment of low interest rates, low inflation and improving confidence. As a result, equities have moved closer to fair value and valuations are now at their highest levels since before the financial crisis of 2008.
Strong returns and higher valuations naturally prompt investors to question how long the six-year-old equity rally can last. Valuations still appear reasonable in most regions of the world, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. In the view of the portfolio manager, however, earnings growth as opposed to rising valuations will have to play a greater role if the equity rally is to continue.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage arrangements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $1,000 (2014 – $2,000), or 3% (2014 – 7%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Financials 36.4Energy 18.2Consumer Discretionary 9.3Materials 9.3Industrials 7.9Health Care 6.0Telecommunication Services 3.4Information Technology 2.7Consumer Staples 2.4Utilities 2.3Index Fund 0.4Cash/Other 1.7
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Royal Bank of Canada 7.0 Toronto-Dominion Bank 6.9 Bank of Nova Scotia 5.6 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 5.3 Manulife Financial Corporation 4.0 Canadian National Railway Co. 3.5 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 3.0 Cenovus Energy Inc. 2.7 Suncor Energy Inc. 2.2 Bank of Montreal 2.1 TransCanada Corp. 2.1 TELUS Corp. 2.0 Magna International Inc., Class A 1.9 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 1.9 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 1.8 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 1.8 Agrium Inc. 1.6 ARC Resources Ltd. 1.6 Encana Corp. 1.5 Cash & Cash Equivalents 1.5 Rogers Communications Inc., Class B 1.5 Thomson Corp. 1.3 Dollarama Inc. 1.2 Canadian Utilities Ltd., Class A 1.2 Finning International Inc. 1.1 Top 25 Holdings 66.3
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY VALUE FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in equities of Canadian companies priced below the manager’s assessment of their true value and offering long-term opportunities for growth.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $889 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units lost 0.8%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index, Canada’s equity benchmark, underperformed most other global indexes during the period. The resource-heavy Canadian index lagged its global peers as weak commodity prices weighed on Canadian energy stocks, which account for about a quarter of the Canadian index’s market capitalization. Even so, the Canadian index rose due to the strong performance of a handful of non-resource, non-financial companies. Global demand for commodities remained tepid due to China’s slowing economy, the failure of Greece and other members of the Eurozone to find a solution to the country’s debt problems, and ongoing oversupply of oil amid OPEC’s ongoing refusal to cut production in order to rebalance the market.
In the first half of 2015, weaker performance in the Health Care and Energy sectors offset stronger performance in the Financials, Consumer Staples and Materials sectors.
In the Financials sector, the Fund benefited from an overweight position in Brookfield Asset Management as increased assets under management bolstered the outlook for fee revenue. An overweight position in Element Financial also contributed to performance after the company agreed to acquire most of General Electric’s vehicle-leasing business.
In the Consumer Staples sector, an overweight position in Maple Leaf Foods aided the Fund’s performance after the food company showed signs of executing on its plan to boost revenue growth and profit margins. A zero-weight position in Saputo, a cheesemaker, also proved beneficial as the stock performed poorly.
In the Materials sector, the Fund benefited from a position in Agnico-Eagle Mines and a lack of relative exposure to Eldorado Gold, which performed poorly.
In the Health Care sector, not holding Valeant Pharmaceuticals had a negative impact on relative returns. The stock rose significantly during the period to become the third-largest stock on Canadian exchanges after the company won a bidding war to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals.
In the Energy sector, overweight positions in ARC Resources and Gear Energy had a negative impact on relative performance offset by the positive impact of an underweight position in Inter Pipeline, which declined during the period.
Recent DevelopmentsAn improvement in the performance of Canadian equity markets will require a bigger contribution from stocks in the Financials and Energy sectors. For that to happen energy prices will have to move higher, in the view of the portfolio manager. Energy prices, specifically oil, are difficult to forecast, and it now appears prices will be lower on average and more volatile than in the recent past, although an eventual rebalancing of the market is likely to see prices move higher from current levels.
For growth, Canada also depends on the U.S., where an improving labour market, lower gasoline prices and continuing improvement in housing indicate a possible rebound in the economy. U.S. policymakers are likely to raise the benchmark interest rate sometime in the second half of 2015, leading any such move in Canada by some time.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series, Series H and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
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RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $54,000 (2014 – $37,000), or 11% (2014 – 10%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.4 From August 2013.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
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Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY VALUE FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.5 From August 2013.
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series H 1.60% 63% 37%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%Series I 0.60% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
Series H and Series I units have been available for sale to unitholders since August 2013, Advisor Series units since October 2010, and Series C, Series D, Series F and Series O units since December 2009.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Financials 39.0Energy 21.5Materials 7.9Consumer Discretionary 5.3Telecommunication Services 5.3Industrials 4.9Consumer Staples 4.3Utilities 2.2Information Technology 1.7Index Fund 1.0Health Care 0.7Cash/Other 6.2
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Royal Bank of Canada 6.7 Cash & Cash Equivalents 6.0 Toronto-Dominion Bank 5.4 Bank of Nova Scotia 4.6 Suncor Energy Inc. 3.5 Manulife Financial Corporation 3.1 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 3.1 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 2.8 Enbridge Inc. 2.8 Canadian National Railway Co. 2.8 Bank of Montreal 2.7 BCE Inc. 2.5 TransCanada Corp. 2.5 Magna International Inc., Class A 2.2 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 2.0 Sun Life Financial Inc. 1.7 Loblaw Companies Ltd. 1.6 TELUS Corp. 1.6 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 1.6 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.5 Power Corporation of Canada 1.5 Thomson Corp. 1.4 Cenovus Energy Inc. 1.4 Agrium Inc. 1.3 CGI Group Inc., Class A 1.3 Top 25 Holdings 67.6
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY UNDERLYING FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide significant long-term capital growth by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of Canadian common stocks. The Fund is expected to be used primarily as an underlying fund for other mutual funds but may also be sold directly to other investors.
To achieve the Fund’s investment objectives the portfolio manager will focus primarily on larger-capitalization stocks. The portfolio manager generally invests in growth companies that have superior management, industry leadership, a high level of profitability compared with competitors, a sound financial position, strong earnings growth and a reasonable valuation.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $2.6 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.6%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Canadian stocks rose slightly during the first half of 2015, as a decline in the second quarter offset gains recorded in the first quarter. Decisions by the portfolio manager had a positive impact on relative performance in seven of the 10 industry sectors, with the Industrials, Financials and Information Technology sectors contributing the most to relative performance.
The Industrials sector was the most significant contributor to returns during the period, driven by stock selection. In terms of security selection, a lack of relative exposure to Canadian Pacific Railway aided performance. In the Financials sector, a comparatively large position in Element Financial contributed to performance, while in the Information Technology sector, significant exposure to Kinaxis also aided performance.
The Utilities sector had the most negative impact on relative performance during the period due to significant positions in Canadian Utilities and TransAlta. The Telecommunication Services sector also had a negative impact on returns as Fund did not own BCE, which performed well.
Recent DevelopmentsStock gains in recent years have drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from the higher valuations that result from an environment of low interest rates, low inflation and improving confidence. As a result, equities have moved closer to fair value and valuations are now at their highest levels since before the financial crisis of 2008.
Strong returns and higher valuations naturally prompt investors to question how long the six-year-old equity rally can last. Valuations still appear reasonable in most regions of the world, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. In the view of the portfolio manager, however, earnings growth as opposed to rising valuations will have to play a greater role if the equity rally is to continue.
Related-Party TransactionsManager, Portfolio Advisor and RegistrarRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager, principal portfolio advisor and registrar of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM, as registrar, also keeps the records of who owns the units of the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorRBC GAM is the principal distributor of the Fund.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $44,000 (2014 – $154,000), or 5% (2014 – 13%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
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Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager, portfolio advisor and registrar of the Fund. No management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Financials 35.3Energy 21.1Materials 9.7Consumer Discretionary 8.3Industrials 7.3Health Care 6.0Consumer Staples 3.6Telecommunication Services 2.9Information Technology 2.6Utilities 2.0Index Fund 0.3Cash/Other 0.9
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Toronto-Dominion Bank 6.9 Royal Bank of Canada 6.9 Bank of Nova Scotia 5.4 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 5.3 Manulife Financial Corporation 4.1 Enbridge Inc. 3.6 Canadian National Railway Co. 3.3 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 3.0 Cenovus Energy Inc. 2.6 Suncor Energy Inc. 2.2 Bank of Montreal 2.0 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 1.8 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 1.8 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.8 TELUS Corp. 1.7 TransCanada Corp. 1.7 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 1.7 Magna International Inc., Class A 1.6 ARC Resources Ltd. 1.5 Encana Corp. 1.5 Agrium Inc. 1.4 Rogers Communications Inc., Class B 1.2 Thomson Corp. 1.1 Dollarama Inc. 1.0 CGI Group Inc., Class A 0.9 Top 25 Holdings 66.0
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY UNDERLYING FUND
Series O units have been available for sale to unitholders since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN EQUITY UNDERLYING FUND II
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of Canadian common stocks.
To achieve the Fund’s investment objectives the portfolio manager will focus primarily on stocks with market capitalization greater than $1 billion. The portfolio manager generally invests in growth companies that have superior management, industry leadership, a high level of profitability compared with competitors, a sound financial position, strong earnings growth and a reasonable valuation.
Results of OperationsThe Fund was launched on August 6, 2014, and its net asset value was $650 million as of June 30, 2015. Investment performance is not provided for a fund that has been available for less than one year.
Recent DevelopmentsStock gains in recent years have drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from the higher valuations that result from an environment of low interest rates, low inflation and improving confidence. As a result, equities have moved closer to fair value and valuations are now at their highest levels since before the financial crisis of 2008.
Strong returns and higher valuations naturally prompt investors to question how long the six-year-old equity rally can last. Valuations still appear reasonable in most regions of the world, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. In the view of the portfolio manager, however, earnings growth as opposed to rising valuations will have to play a greater role if the equity rally is to continue.
Related-Party TransactionsManager, Portfolio Advisor and RegistrarRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager, principal portfolio advisor and registrar of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM, as registrar, also keeps the records of who owns the units of the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorRBC GAM is the principal distributor of the Fund.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $36,000, or 3% of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From July 2014.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From July 2014.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager, portfolio advisor and registrar of the Fund. No management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.
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Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Royal Bank of Canada 6.3 Bank of Nova Scotia 6.0 Toronto-Dominion Bank 5.8 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 4.7 Manulife Financial Corporation 3.8 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 3.7 Canadian National Railway Co. 3.5 Enbridge Inc. 3.5 Cenovus Energy Inc. 3.0 Bank of Montreal 2.5 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 2.4 ARC Resources Ltd. 2.2 Cash & Cash Equivalents 2.1 Magna International Inc., Class A 2.1 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 2.0 Agrium Inc. 2.0 Encana Corp. 2.0 TELUS Corp. 1.8 Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. 1.7 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.6 Rogers Communications Inc., Class B 1.6 Suncor Energy Inc. 1.6 TransCanada Corp. 1.5 Canadian Utilities Ltd., Class A 1.5 Industrial Alliance Insurance & Financial Services Inc. 1.4 Top 25 Holdings 70.3
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
PAST PERFORMANCEInvestment performance in respect of a fund that has been available for less than one year is not provided. Series O units of this Fund were launched on August 11, 2014.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN GROWTH FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of Canadian common stocks. The Fund also may invest a portion of its assets in U.S. and international securities in order to achieve greater exposure to industries that are not well represented in Canada. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in companies that they believe, among other things, have a superior management team, a leadership position in their industry, a high level of profitability compared to their peers, and strong earnings potential.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $489 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 2.3%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global equity markets climbed in the first half of 2015, led by Asia and Europe. The U.S. and Canadian markets lagged. Central-bank activity continued to influence capital markets, as anticipation that the U.S. Federal Reserve would begin to tighten monetary policy later this year resulted in volatility in global bonds and currencies. In contrast, the European Central Bank’s asset-purchase program started in March, joining Japan in pursuit of extraordinary monetary policy aimed at stimulating growth.
During the first six months of this year, the best-performing sectors in the Fund were Industrials, Consumer Discretionary and Utilities. The Information Technology, Telecommunication Services and Materials sectors lagged. The Fund benefited from positions in Cara Operations, CRH Medical and Element Financial. The portfolio manager’s decision not to invest in Canadian Pacific Railway also contributed to performance. The Fund’s exposure to Valeant Pharmaceuticals aided performance, as a surge in the stock made it Canada’s third-largest company in terms of market capitalization.
Among the stocks added to the portfolio during the period were Alaris Royalty; Blackberry; Bombardier; Cara Operations; Clearwater; Cott; CRH Medical; Fairfax Financial; Intertain Group; Restaurant Brands International; Richmont Mines; Romarco Minerals; Secure Energy; and Yamana Gold. Positions that were eliminated from the portfolio were Altus Group; AutoCanada; Badger Daylighting; Barrick Gold; Catamaran; Eldorado Gold; GLG Life; Home Capital; Loyalist Group; National Bank; Performance Sports; Sandstorm Gold; Trinidad Drilling; and West Fraser Timber.
Recent DevelopmentsInterest rates bottomed during the first quarter, and while increasing during the second quarter, remain at historically low levels. Significant monetary stimulus by central banks in China, Europe and Japan, combined with the positive impact of low oil prices, support an outlook of re-accelerating economic growth.
Against this backdrop, the portfolio manager believes that corporate profits should continue to expand and, given current valuations, equity markets should provide moderate total returns. The biggest risks are likely to come from Europe, where improving economic performance could be negatively impacted by Greece’s debt problems. In addition, China continues to adjust to a lower-than-historical growth rate.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $24,000 (2014 – $9,000), or 17% (2014 – 4%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund during this period.
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Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN GROWTH FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since October 2008.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Royal Bank of Canada 6.0 Toronto-Dominion Bank 5.3 Bank of Nova Scotia 4.2 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 4.2 Cash & Cash Equivalents 4.1 Canadian National Railway Co. 3.8 Suncor Energy Inc. 2.8 Bank of Montreal 2.5 Manulife Financial Corporation 2.5 Enbridge Inc. 2.4 Magna International Inc., Class A 2.1 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 2.1 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 2.1 TransCanada Corp. 2.1 BCE Inc. 1.9 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 1.8 Power Corporation of Canada 1.7 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 1.6 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.3 Sun Life Financial Inc. 1.1 Agrium Inc. 1.0 Goldcorp Inc. 1.0 Cenovus Energy Inc. 0.9 Thomson Corp. 0.9 Element Financial Corp., Subscription Receipts 0.9 Top 25 Holdings 60.3
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN INCOME FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with capital preservation and a reasonably consistent level of income. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of dividend-paying Canadian common shares, high-quality units of Canadian income trusts or real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and other income-producing securities including bonds of the Canadian government, provincial governments and quality Canadian corporations and high quality money market securities including asset backed commercial paper. The Fund’s assets are concentrated in mid- and large-capitalization securities and it does not invest in businesses with excessive financial leverage.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $1.0 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units lost 0.1%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The Fund performed well in six of the 10 industry sectors, with the Industrials, Energy and Materials sectors being the most significant contributors to returns. Stocks that had a positive impact on performance were Agnico Eagle Mines, a gold-mining company, and Pattern Energy, a producer of renewable power.
The Telecommunication Services, Consumer Staples and Consumer Discretionary sectors had a slightly negative impact on relative performance during the period. In the Consumer Discretionary sector, the Fund’s lack of relative exposure to Magna International hurt performance as the stock continued to perform well on strong automobile sales. Two stocks in the Utilities sector, TransAlta and Canadian Utilities, hurt performance due to rising long-term interest rates and the possibility that the companies will be forced to retire coal-fired plants earlier than expected.
There were no material changes to the Fund’s strategy during the reporting period.
Portfolio turnover is normally high for this Fund, as the portfolio manager attempts to generate better returns through active sector and stock selection.
Recent DevelopmentsStock gains in recent years have drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from the higher valuations that result from an environment of low interest rates, low inflation and improving confidence. As a result, equities have moved closer to fair
value and valuations are now at their highest levels since before the financial crisis of 2008.
Strong returns and higher valuations naturally prompt investors to question how long the six-year-old equity rally can last. Valuations still appear reasonable in most regions of the world, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. In the view of the portfolio manager, however, earnings growth as opposed to rising valuations will have to play a greater role if the equity rally is to continue.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $51,000 (2014 – $126,000), or 3% (2014 – 12%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
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(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN INCOME FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, Series F units since June 2007, Series O units since September 2005, and Series D units since June 2005.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CANADIAN INCOME FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Royal Bank of Canada 7.2 Toronto-Dominion Bank 6.4 Bank of Nova Scotia 5.7 Bank of Montreal 4.2 Canadian National Railway Co. 3.9 Enbridge Inc. 3.8 Manulife Financial Corporation 3.6 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 3.4 Cenovus Energy Inc. 3.3 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 3.0 ARC Resources Ltd. 2.8 TransCanada Corp. 2.5 TELUS Corp. 2.1 Fortis Inc. 2.1 Rogers Communications Inc., Class B 2.1 Industrial Alliance Insurance & Financial Services Inc. 2.0 Sun Life Financial Inc. 2.0 Encana Corp. 1.9 Cash & Cash Equivalents 1.8 Brookfield Property Partners LP 1.8 Canadian Utilities Ltd., Class A 1.7 Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. 1.6 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.5 Keyera Corp. 1.5 Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners LP 1.4 Top 25 Holdings 73.3
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH VINTAGE FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth and dividend income by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of Canadian common stocks listed on the TSX. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager focuses on companies that earned a return on shareholders equity that is above average within their industry over the previous five to 10 years and maintained financial strength. The Fund’s investments may also emphasize small-capitalization securities when valuation levels are attractive.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $55 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 3.4%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Canadian stocks rose slightly during the first half of 2015, as a decline in the second quarter offset gains recorded in the first quarter. Decisions by the portfolio manager had a positive impact on relative performance in seven of the 10 industry sectors, with the Financials, Information Technology and Industrials sectors contributing the most to relative returns.
The Financials sector was the most significant contributor to performance during the period, driven in general by stock selection and exposure to Element Financial, which rose after signalling that a large acquisition may be in the offing. Stock selection was also strong in the Information Technology sector. The Fund benefited from a stake in Kinaxis, whose software products track the movement of goods (supply-chain management). Other large contributors to relative performance were positions in home-improvement retailer Rona and Valeant, a pharmaceuticals company.
The stocks that hurt returns most – Trinidad Drilling and Calfrac – were in the Energy sector, as falling oil prices over the past year reduced demand for the companies’ oil-field services. Cenovus, which produces and processes heavy oil from Alberta’s tar sands, had a negative impact on returns.
Recent DevelopmentsStock gains in recent years have drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from the higher valuations that result from an environment of low interest rates, low inflation and improving confidence. As a result, equities have moved closer to fair value and valuations are now at their highest levels since before the financial crisis of 2008.
Strong returns and higher valuations naturally prompt investors to question how long the six-year-old equity rally can last. Valuations still appear reasonable in most regions of the world, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. In the view of the portfolio manager, however, earnings growth as opposed to rising valuations will have to play a greater role if the equity rally is to continue.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $0 (2014 – $1,000), or 0% (2014 – 5%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
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(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 2.00% 50% 50%Advisor Series 2.00% 50% 50%Series D 1.25% 20% 80%Series F 1.00% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH VINTAGE FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2008.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Toronto-Dominion Bank 6.6 Royal Bank of Canada 6.4 Bank of Nova Scotia 5.4 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 4.9 Manulife Financial Corporation 3.4 Canadian National Railway Co. 2.8 Element Financial Corp. 2.2 Cenovus Energy Inc. 2.2 Enbridge Inc. 2.1 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 2.1 Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A 2.0 Trinidad Drilling Ltd. 1.9 RONA Inc. 1.9 Industrial Alliance Insurance & Financial Services Inc. 1.7 Badger Daylighting Ltd. 1.7 Cash & Cash Equivalents 1.6 Encana Corp. 1.6 Magna International Inc., Class A 1.5 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.5 TransCanada Corp. 1.3 Agrium Inc. 1.2 ARC Resources Ltd. 1.2 Silver Wheaton Corp. 1.1 Dollarama Inc. 1.1 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 1.1 Top 25 Holdings 60.5
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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U.S. EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth and income by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of dividend income-producing U.S. securities that have a relatively high yield. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in large-capitalization dividend-paying U.S. common shares and, to a lesser extent, preferred shares and bonds.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $197 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 5.4%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The U.S. market recorded modest returns during the period, setting a record high in May, amid expectations for stronger labour and housing markets. The market’s leading sectors were Health Care, Consumer Discretionary and Telecommunication Services. Health Care benefited from the performance of biotechnology stocks, as well as substantial merger and acquisition activity. Stronger consumer spending, reflected in the share gains in retailers such as Amazon.com, contributed to returns in the Consumer Discretionary sector, and AT&T’s strength helped performance in Telecommunication Services. The lagging sectors were Utilities and Energy. The Utilities sector declined amid expectations for higher interest rates. Real estate investment trusts (REITs), another area traditionally held for income, also declined substantially.
Stock selection in the Health Care and Information Technology sectors had a negative impact on performance. The stocks that had the most negative impact on returns were Alliance Resource Partners and Seagate Technology. The largest contribution to performance was stock selection in the Financials and Materials sectors. Stocks that contributed significantly to returns included Blackstone Group, AllianceBernstein, Leggett & Platt, Dow Chemical and Target.
Overall, the portfolio manager kept the number of holdings in the Fund unchanged. The sectors of greatest activity were Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary in response to the relative yield levels in these sectors. The new positions in the Fund were HSN, Target, Science Applications International, Broadridge Financial Solutions and Valero Energy. The portfolio manager added significantly to positions in Aflac and Microsoft. Large positions that were eliminated from the portfolio were DuPont, Seagate Technology,
MetLife, Raytheon and RPM International. Significant reductions were made to positions in Exelon and Leggett & Platt, and the proceeds were reinvested in stocks with a more attractive yield outlook.
Recent DevelopmentsThe portfolio manager expects muted stock-market gains over the remainder of the year. Valuations are fair, with an acceleration in corporate earnings resting on an improving domestic economy. The potential for rising interest rates, higher energy prices and further gains in the U.S. dollar could pose challenges for this scenario.
The portfolio manager focuses on attractively valued companies that maintain financial flexibility, have the ability to achieve above-average long-term growth and engage in shareholder-friendly activities such as stock repurchases and dividend increases. The portfolio manager looks particularly closely at companies that are able to generate superior dividend growth without compromising their ability to grow on a sustainable basis.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
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BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $22,000 (2014 – $0), or 47% (2014 – 0%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since October 2008.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
AbbVie Inc. 3.9 Cash & Cash Equivalents 3.8 Microsoft Corp. 3.7 General Electric Company 3.6 Johnson & Johnson 3.5 Merck & Co. Inc. 3.2 Wells Fargo & Company 3.2 United Technologies Corp. 3.1 Cisco Systems Inc. 3.1 Blackstone Group LP 3.1 Emerson Electric Co. 3.0 PepsiCo Inc. 2.9 JPMorgan Chase & Co. 2.9 AllianceBernstein Holding LP 2.8 Exxon Mobil Corp. 2.8 Verizon Communications Inc. 2.6 General Motors Co. 2.5 Apple Inc. 2.4 Public Service Enterprise Group 2.4 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 2.4 Aflac Inc. 2.3 Sonoco Products Company 2.2 Target Corporation 2.2 HSN Inc. 2.2 Intel Corp. 2.2 Top 25 Holdings 72.0
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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U.S. EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. MULTI-STYLE ALL-CAP EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
Sub-Advisor: RBC Global Asset Management (U.S.) Inc.
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing in shares of high-quality U.S. companies. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the sub-advisor invests in quality businesses that have a sustainable competitive advantage, a history of profitability, a solid financial position, opportunities for growth, and a capable management team. Emphasis is placed on a stock’s valuation, with effort to select those with relatively low valuations, given the breadth of the U.S. market.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $2.8 billion as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 10.8%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. U.S. equity markets continued to edge higher over the first half of 2015. Investors balanced a stable earnings outlook against the risk of a Greek debt default, and the possibility of higher domestic interest rates. A stronger U.S. dollar and falling energy-company profits held back broad market earnings, as a strong dollar made U.S. products more expensive abroad and reduced the foreign earnings of multinational companies.
In the Large Cap Growth strategy, security selection within the Information Technology, Consumer Discretionary and Energy sectors detracted from performance. Within the Information Technology sector, exposure to hardware/storage companies was a drag on performance, while in Energy, oil services, and exploration and production companies, were the laggards.
In the Large Cap Value strategy, outperformance was attributed to favourable stock selection within the Information Technology, Consumer Staples and Health Care sectors. However, this was slightly offset by adverse stock selection within Industrials and Utilities.
In the Mid Cap Growth strategy, underperformance was primarily due to unfavourable stock picks within the Health Care, Consumer Staples and Information Technology sectors. While strong sector allocation bets had a positive impact on returns, the effect was not enough to offset the negative impact of security selection.
The Mid Cap Value strategy contributed positively to returns as a result of favourable security selection and sector allocation decisions. Strong stock selection within the Information Technology, Financials and Materials sectors contributed positively to performance, along with an underweight in Utilities and overweight in Industrials.
In the Small Cap Core strategy, strong stock selection within the Industrials, Consumer Discretionary and Energy sectors had a positive impact on returns. However, this was more than offset by unfavourable sector allocation and stock selection decisions within Health Care and Financials.
Portfolio turnover was high for this Fund, as the portfolio manager attempted to generate better returns through active sector and stock selection.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
Sub-AdvisorRBC Global Asset Management (U.S.) Inc. is the sub-advisor and provides investment advice for the Fund.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
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Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $36,000 (2014 – $61,000), or 2% (2014 – 4%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2010.4 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2010.5 From October 2010.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. MULTI-STYLE ALL-CAP EQUITY FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, and Series C, Series D, Series F and Series O units since June 2010.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Information Technology 19.9Financials 17.2Consumer Discretionary 13.8Health Care 13.2Industrials 12.9Energy 6.5Consumer Staples 5.7Materials 4.4Utilities 3.0Telecommunication Services 1.3Cash/Other 2.1
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Apple Inc. 3.2 Cash & Cash Equivalents 2.0 Microsoft Corp. 1.6 CVS Health Corp. 1.4 The Walt Disney Company 1.2 Wells Fargo & Company 1.1 Pfizer Inc. 1.0 Hartford Financial Services Inc. 1.0 JPMorgan Chase & Co. 1.0 Exxon Mobil Corp. 1.0 Citigroup Inc. 1.0 AT&T Inc. 0.9 Facebook Inc., Class A 0.9 Occidental Petroleum Corp. 0.9 Amazon.com, Inc. 0.8 Cigna Corp. 0.8 Honeywell International Inc. 0.8 Target Corporation 0.8 Medtronic Plc. 0.8 Johnson & Johnson 0.8 Gilead Sciences Inc. 0.8 DTE Energy Company 0.8 BlackRock Inc. 0.7 Visa Inc., Class A 0.7 NXP Semiconductor N.V. 0.6 Top 25 Holdings 26.6
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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U.S. EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in shares of large-capitalization, high-quality U.S. companies. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in quality businesses that have a sustainable competitive advantage, a history of profitability, a solid financial position, opportunities for growth, and a capable management team. The portfolio manager places particular emphasis on a company’s long-term return on equity, as this measure is a key indicator of a company’s ability to consistently generate profits for shareholders. Additional emphasis is placed on a stock’s valuation, given the breadth of the U.S. market.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $572 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 6.8%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The U.S. market recorded modest returns during the period, setting a record high in May, amid expectations for stronger labour and housing markets. The market’s leading sectors were Health Care, Consumer Discretionary and Telecommunication Services. Health Care benefited from the performance of biotechnology stocks, as well as substantial merger and acquisition activity. Stronger consumer spending, reflected in the share gains in retailers such as Amazon.com, contributed to returns in the Consumer Discretionary sector, and AT&T’s strength helped performance in the Telecommunication Services sector. The lagging sectors were Utilities and Energy. The Utilities sector declined amid expectations for higher interest rates. Real estate investment trusts (REITs), another area traditionally held for income, also declined substantially.
Stock selection in the Industrials and Information Technology sectors had a negative impact on performance. The stocks that had the biggest negative impact on relative performance were Alliance Resource Partners and Walmart. The largest contributions to performance came from stock selection in the Financials sector. Stocks that contributed significantly to relative returns included Starz, Bank of the Ozarks, Gilead Sciences, Anthem and First Republic.
The portfolio manager reduced the number of holdings in the Fund during the period. The sectors of greatest activity were Health Care and Industrials in response to valuation changes. The largest new positions in the Fund were HSN, Roadrunner Transportation, Allergan,
Molina Healthcare and AMC Networks. The portfolio manager also added significantly to existing positions such as Bank of the Ozarks and Entergy on account of the improved outlook for earnings. Large positions that were eliminated from the Fund were Becton Dickinson, Raytheon, MetLife, DIRECTV and DuPont. A substantial reduction was made to the position in Continental Resources as holdings in the Energy sector were pared.
Recent DevelopmentsThe portfolio manager expects muted stock-market gains over the remainder of the year. Valuations are fair, with an acceleration in corporate earnings resting on an improving domestic economy. The potential for rising interest rates, higher energy prices and further gains in the U.S. dollar could pose challenges for this scenario.
The portfolio manager focuses on attractively valued companies that maintain financial flexibility, have the ability to achieve above-average long-term growth and engage in shareholder-friendly activities such as stock repurchases and dividend increases.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
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BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $30,000 (2014 – $6,000), or 29% (2014 – 2%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. EQUITY FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. EQUITY FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Apple Inc. 5.2 Wells Fargo & Company 4.3 Oracle Corporation 3.9 Johnson & Johnson 3.8 JPMorgan Chase & Co. 3.6 United Technologies Corp. 3.4 Google Inc., Class C 3.3 Bank of America Corp. 2.9 Gilead Sciences Inc. 2.8 Emerson Electric Co. 2.7 Cisco Systems Inc. 2.6 PepsiCo Inc. 2.6 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 2.3 Microsoft Corp. 2.3 Apache Corp. 2.2 Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Class B 2.1 Aflac Inc. 2.1 Bank of the Ozarks Inc. 2.1 Medtronic Plc. 2.0 General Motors Co. 2.0 Public Service Enterprise Group 1.9 American International Group Inc. 1.9 Verizon Communications Inc. 1.9 Johnson Controls Inc. 1.8 Starz - Liberty Capital 1.8 Top 25 Holdings 67.5
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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U.S. EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED U.S. EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with significant long-term capital growth primarily through exposure to a well-diversified portfolio of large-capitalization, high-quality U.S. companies, while minimizing currency risk. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in units of the Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Equity Fund (“the Underlying Fund”), as well as derivative instruments that are used to hedge against fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the Canadian dollar.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $43 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units lost 0.4%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The U.S. market recorded modest returns during the period, setting a record high in May, amid expectations for stronger labour and housing markets. The market’s leading sectors were Health Care, Consumer Discretionary and Telecommunication Services. Health Care benefited from the performance of biotechnology stocks, as well as substantial merger and acquisition activity. Stronger consumer spending, reflected in the share gains in retailers such as Amazon.com, contributed to returns in the Consumer Discretionary sector, and AT&T’s strength helped performance in the Telecommunication Services sector. The lagging sectors were Utilities and Energy. The Utilities sector declined amid expectations for higher interest rates. Real estate investment trusts (REITs), another area traditionally held for income, also declined substantially.
Stock selection in the Industrials and Information Technology sectors had a negative impact on performance. The stocks that had the biggest negative impact on relative performance were Alliance Resource Partners and Walmart. The largest contributions to performance came from stock selection in the Financials sector. Stocks that contributed significantly to relative returns included Starz, Bank of the Ozarks, Gilead Sciences, Anthem and First Republic.
The portfolio manager reduced the number of holdings in the Fund during the period. The sectors of greatest activity were Health Care and Industrials in response to valuation changes. The largest new positions in the Fund were HSN, Roadrunner Transportation, Allergan, Molina Healthcare and AMC Networks. The portfolio manager also added significantly to existing positions such as Bank of the Ozarks and Entergy on account of the improved outlook for earnings. Large
positions that were eliminated from the Fund were Becton Dickinson, Raytheon, MetLife, DIRECTV and DuPont. A substantial reduction was made to the position in Continental Resources as holdings in the Energy sector were pared.
The Fund’s currency-hedging mandate had a negative impact on returns, as the Fund was not able to take advantage of the rise in the U.S. dollar.
Recent DevelopmentsThe portfolio manager expects muted stock-market gains over the remainder of the year. Valuations are fair, with an acceleration in corporate earnings resting on an improving domestic economy. The potential for rising interest rates, higher energy prices and further gains in the U.S. dollar could pose challenges for this scenario.
The portfolio manager focuses on attractively valued companies that maintain financial flexibility, have the ability to achieve above-average long-term growth and engage in shareholder-friendly activities such as stock repurchases and dividend increases.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
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Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED U.S. EQUITY FUND
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED U.S. EQUITY FUND
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED U.S. EQUITY FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, Series F units since December 2007, and Series D and Series O units since June 2006.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED U.S. EQUITY FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Apple Inc. 5.2 Wells Fargo & Company 4.3 Oracle Corporation 3.9 Johnson & Johnson 3.8 JPMorgan Chase & Co. 3.6 United Technologies Corp. 3.4 Google Inc., Class C 3.3 Bank of America Corp. 2.9 Gilead Sciences Inc. 2.8 Emerson Electric Co. 2.7 Cisco Systems Inc. 2.6 PepsiCo Inc. 2.6 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 2.3 Microsoft Corp. 2.3 Apache Corp. 2.2 Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Class B 2.1 Aflac Inc. 2.1 Bank of the Ozarks Inc. 2.1 Medtronic Plc. 2.0 General Motors Co. 2.0 Public Service Enterprise Group 1.9 American International Group Inc. 1.9 Verizon Communications Inc. 1.9 Johnson Controls Inc. 1.8 Starz - Liberty Capital 1.8 Top 25 Holdings 67.5
* The Fund invests substantially all of its assets directly in the Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Equity Fund. The above are the Top 25 holdings of the Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Equity Fund.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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U.S. EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. GROWTH FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of shares of large-capitalization, high-quality North American companies, with an emphasis on U.S. stocks. Where applicable, Canadian and Mexican securities that possess particularly attractive fundamentals will be added to the portfolio. However, the Fund’s assets are primarily allocated to U.S. securities. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in businesses that they believe have a sustainable competitive advantage, promising growth opportunities, a history of profitability, a solid financial position, and a capable management team.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $124 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 10.7%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The U.S. market recorded modest returns during the period, setting a record high in May, amid expectations for stronger labour and housing markets. The market’s leading sectors were Health Care, Consumer Discretionary and Telecommunication Services. Health Care benefited from the performance of biotechnology stocks, as well as substantial merger and acquisition activity. Stronger consumer spending, reflected in the share gains in retailers such as Amazon.com, contributed to returns in the Consumer Discretionary sector, and AT&T’s strength helped performance in the Telecommunication Services sector. The lagging sectors were Utilities and Energy. The Utilities sector declined amid expectations for higher interest rates. Real estate investment trusts (REITs), another area traditionally held for income, also declined substantially.
Stock selection in the Financials and Energy sectors contributed the most to the Fund’s performance. Stocks that had a significantly positive impact on returns were Centene, Gilead Sciences, Bank of the Ozarks, First Republic and Starz. High relative exposure to the Industrials sector and a lack of exposure to the Consumer Discretionary sector had a negative impact on performance.
The portfolio manager kept the number of holdings in the Fund unchanged during the period. The sectors of greatest activity were Health Care and Financials, reflecting several trades that were made based on valuation. The largest new positions in the Fund were Expeditors International, Priceline, Molina Healthcare, Roadrunner Transportation and AMC Networks. The portfolio manager also added
significantly to existing positions in Aflac and Entergy. Large positions that were eliminated were Becton Dickinson, United Insurance, Seagate Technology, Spirit Airlines and Federated National. Significant reductions were made to positions in Cognizant and McGraw Hill Financial, both on account of valuation.
Recent DevelopmentsThe portfolio manager expects muted stock-market gains over the remainder of the year. Valuations are fair, with an acceleration in corporate earnings resting on an improving domestic economy. The potential for rising interest rates, higher energy prices and further gains in the U.S. dollar could pose challenges for this scenario.
The portfolio manager focuses on attractively valued companies that have an above-average ability to increase revenue and earnings with existing assets, and through acquisition.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $10,000 (2014 – $0), or 31% (2014 – 0%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
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Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH U.S. GROWTH FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since October 2008.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Information Technology 23.9Financials 17.6Health Care 17.0Consumer Discretionary 12.3Industrials 12.1Energy 7.3Consumer Staples 5.3Utilities 2.0Cash/Other 2.5
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Apple Inc. 5.7 Wells Fargo & Company 4.5 Google Inc., Class C 4.4 Johnson & Johnson 4.0 Gilead Sciences Inc. 3.8 PepsiCo Inc. 3.5 United Technologies Corp. 3.5 Oracle Corporation 3.3 Bank of the Ozarks Inc. 2.9 First Republic Bank 2.7 QUALCOMM Inc. 2.6 Cash & Cash Equivalents 2.5 Advance Auto Parts Inc. 2.4 Microsoft Corp. 2.4 Ross Stores Inc. 2.3 Schlumberger Ltd. 2.2 Aflac Inc. 2.1 Entergy Corp. 2.0 Factset Research Systems Inc. 2.0 First NBC Bank Holding Co. 1.8 Panera Bread Company 1.8 Generac Holdings Inc. 1.7 Celgene Corp. 1.7 Biogen Inc. 1.7 Varian Medical Systems Inc. 1.6 Top 25 Holdings 69.1
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH OVERSEAS EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
Sub-Advisor: RBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing in common stocks of companies located in countries outside North America, including countries in Europe, as well as Japan, Australia and the rest of the Far East. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the sub-advisor invests in companies that are attractively valued, possess sound fundamentals and have a strong market position.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $918 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 15.5%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global equity markets recorded significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. Most stark was the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansions experienced by other major economies. As a result, many investors anticipate an interest-rate increase by the U.S. Federal Reserve sometime in the second half of 2015, while Europe, Japan and China combatted weak output with looser monetary policies.
The Fund’s strongest-performing stocks included Santen Pharmaceutical, a Japanese producer of eye-care medicines; Naspers, a South African media company; and UBS Group, a Swiss bank and asset-management firm.
The stocks that had the most negative impact on relative returns were Aryzta, a global bakery company whose stock fell on concern about its plan to acquire a frozen-foods business; Kasikornbank, a Thai bank that grappled with the impact of a weak domestic currency and concerns about Thai banks in general; and Deutsche Post.
The sub-advisor sold Aryzta due to concern about the merits of its expansion plan. Positions in Rio Tinto, Novartis and Britvic were also sold over the period. Pernod-Ricard, Shire, Akzo Nobel, BT Group and Royal Dutch Shell were added to the portfolio.
A change in portfolio-management duties resulted in high portfolio turnover during the period.
Recent DevelopmentsThe effect of U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions are hindering global economic activity and recoveries in many countries and regions outside the U.S. In the short term, the effect
has been significant volatility in asset prices and currencies. Most currencies have continued to weaken versus the U.S. dollar, with the exceptions of the British pound, which gained after favourable election results in May, and the Swiss franc, which strengthened after the abandonment of its euro peg in January.
While equities look fairly valued, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the outlook for stocks. Lower oil prices benefit more economies than they penalize, and interest rates remain at historic lows. Higher equity valuations mean, however, that profit growth rather than valuation measures such as price-to-earnings ratios will be required to support returns.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
Sub-AdvisorRBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited is the sub-advisor and provides investment advice for the Fund.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. There were no related-party commissions.
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Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.85% 54% 46%Advisor Series 1.85% 54% 46%Series D 1.10% 23% 77%Series F 0.85% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH OVERSEAS EQUITY FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since June 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH OVERSEAS EQUITY FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix – Countries/Regions % of Net Asset Value
Europe ex-U.K. Equities 43.1U.K. Equities 21.2Japan Equities 16.1Pacific Rim ex-Japan Equities 14.3Middle East & Africa Equities 3.9Cash/Other 1.4
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Toyota Motor Corp. 4.2 Roche Holdings AG Genusscheine 4.0 InBev N.V. 4.0 Naspers Ltd. 3.9 Pernod-Ricard S.A. 3.8 Safran S.A. 3.8 Shire Plc. 3.8 Deutsche Post AG 3.7 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. ADR 3.6 AIA Group Ltd. 3.4 SMC Corp. 3.3 Continental AG 3.3 UBS Group AG 3.0 HDFC Bank Ltd. ADR 2.9 St James’s Place Plc. 2.7 Lloyds TSB Group Plc. 2.7 Astellas Pharma Inc. 2.7 Liberty Global Plc. 2.6 ASML Holding N.V. 2.3 Royal Dutch Shell Plc., B Shares 2.3 Admiral Group Plc. 2.2 Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. 2.2 Oil Search Ltd. 2.1 Nidec Corp. 2.1 Svenska Cellulosa AB 2.1 Top 25 Holdings 76.7
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED OVERSEAS EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth primarily through exposure to a diversified portfolio of companies located in countries outside North America, including countries in Europe, as well as Japan, Australia and the rest of the Far East, while minimizing fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies relative to the Canadian dollar. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests primarily in units of the Phillips, Hager & North Overseas Equity Fund (the “Underlying Fund”), as well as derivative instruments that are used to hedge against fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies relative to the Canadian dollar.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $168 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 9.7%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global equity markets recorded significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. Most stark was the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansions experienced by other major economies. As a result, many investors anticipate an interest-rate increase by the U.S. Federal Reserve sometime in the second half of 2015, while Europe, Japan and China combatted weak output with looser monetary policies.
The Fund’s strongest-performing stocks included Santen Pharmaceutical, a Japanese producer of eye-care medicines; Naspers, a South African media company; and UBS Group, a Swiss bank and asset-management firm.
The stocks that had the most negative impact on relative returns were Aryzta, a global bakery company whose stock fell on concern about its plan to acquire a frozen-foods business; Kasikornbank, a Thai bank that grappled with the impact of a weak domestic currency and concerns about Thai banks in general; and Deutsche Post.
The sub-advisor sold Aryzta due to concern about the merits of its expansion plan. Positions in Rio Tinto, Novartis and Britvic were also sold over the period. Pernod-Ricard, Shire, Akzo Nobel, BT Group and Royal Dutch Shell were added to the portfolio.
The Fund’s currency-hedging mandate had a negative impact on returns, as the Fund was not able to take advantage of the general rise in global currencies versus the Canadian dollar.
Recent DevelopmentsThe effect of U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions are hindering global economic activity and recoveries in many countries and regions outside the U.S. In the short term, the effect has been significant volatility in asset prices and currencies. Most currencies have continued to weaken versus the U.S. dollar, with the exceptions of the British pound, which gained after favourable election results in May, and the Swiss franc, which strengthened after the abandonment of its euro peg in January.
While equities look fairly valued, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the outlook for stocks. Lower oil prices benefit more economies than they penalize, and interest rates remain at historic lows. Higher equity valuations mean, however, that profit growth rather than valuation measures such as price-to-earnings ratios will be required to support returns.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
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Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
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Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.85% 54% 46%Advisor Series 1.85% 54% 46%Series D 1.10% 23% 77%Series F 0.85% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED OVERSEAS EQUITY FUND
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, Series F units since December 2007, and Series D and Series O units since June 2006.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED OVERSEAS EQUITY FUND
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix – Countries/Regions % of Net Asset Value
Europe ex-U.K. Equities 43.5U.K. Equities 21.5Japan Equities 16.4Pacific Rim ex-Japan Equities 14.5Middle East & Africa Equities 4.0Cash/Other 0.1
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH CURRENCY-HEDGED OVERSEAS EQUITY FUND
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Toyota Motor Corp. 4.2 Roche Holdings AG Genusscheine 4.0 InBev N.V. 4.0 Naspers Ltd. 3.9 Pernod-Ricard S.A. 3.8 Safran S.A. 3.8 Shire Plc. 3.8 Deutsche Post AG 3.7 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. ADR 3.6 AIA Group Ltd. 3.4 SMC Corp. 3.3 Continental AG 3.3 UBS Group AG 3.0 HDFC Bank Ltd. ADR 2.9 St James’s Place Plc. 2.7 Lloyds TSB Group Plc. 2.7 Astellas Pharma Inc. 2.7 Liberty Global Plc. 2.6 ASML Holding N.V. 2.3 Royal Dutch Shell Plc., B Shares 2.3 Admiral Group Plc. 2.2 Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. 2.2 Oil Search Ltd. 2.1 Nidec Corp. 2.1 Svenska Cellulosa AB 2.1 Top 25 Holdings 76.7
* The Fund invests substantially all of its assets directly in the Phillips, Hager & North Overseas Equity Fund. The above are the Top 25 holdings of the Phillips, Hager & North Overseas Equity Fund.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly, and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
Sub-Advisor: RBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in common stocks of companies in the world’s largest industrialized countries outside Canada, including the United States and countries in Europe, as well as Japan, Australia and the rest of the Far East. The sub-advisor invests primarily in companies that they believe have sound fundamentals, a strong market position, a history of profitability, a capable management team, and attractive valuations.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $105 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 13.0%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global equity markets recorded significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. Most stark was the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansions experienced by other major economies. As a result, many investors anticipate an interest-rate increase by the U.S. Federal Reserve sometime in the second half of 2015, while Europe, Japan and China combatted weak output with looser monetary policies.
The Fund’s strongest-performing stocks included Blackstone, a manager of alternative assets that continued to record strong revenue and invest in attractive private-equity assets; First Republic Bank, a U.S. bank that posted strong financial results; and Amazon, an online retailer.
The stocks that had the most negative impact on relative returns were ITC Holdings, which connects regional electricity grids in the U.S. The stock continued to face regulatory headwinds; and Kansas City Southern, the North American railway operator whose revenue from oil shipments declined and whose earnings were held back by the weaker Mexican peso.
The sub-advisor sold MEDNAX, Praxair and Cognizant during the period as their valuations reached levels that no longer made them attractive, and Aryzta was removed from the portfolio on concern about the merits of its expansion plan. Baxter International was also sold from the portfolio. Pernod-Ricard, Intuit, International Flavors & Fragrances and Shire were new additions to the portfolio.
A change in portfolio-management duties resulted in high portfolio turnover during the period.
Recent DevelopmentsThe effect of U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions are hindering global economic activity and recoveries in many countries and regions outside the U.S. In the short term, the effect has been significant volatility in asset prices and currencies. Most currencies have continued to weaken versus the U.S. dollar, with the exceptions of the British pound, which gained after favourable election results in May, and the Swiss franc, which strengthened after the abandonment of its euro peg in January.
While equities look fairly valued, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the outlook for stocks. Lower oil prices benefit more economies than they penalize, and interest rates remain at historic lows. Higher equity valuations mean, however, that profit growth rather than valuation measures such as price-to-earnings ratios will be required to support returns.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
Sub-AdvisorRBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited is the sub-advisor and provides investment advice for the Fund.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
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RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $14,000 (2014 – $0), or 15% (2014 – 0%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since December 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix – Countries/Regions % of Net Asset Value
United States Equities 52.7Europe ex-U.K. Equities 20.0Pacific Rim ex-Japan Equities 9.2U.K. Equities 6.7Japan Equities 3.6Middle East & Africa Equities 3.4Canadian Equities 3.0Cash/Other 1.4
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Toyota Motor Corp. 3.6 First Republic Bank 3.5 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 3.5 Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Class A 3.4 Google Inc., Class A 3.4 Naspers Ltd. 3.4 Danaher Corp. 3.4 TJX Companies Inc. 3.4 HDFC Bank Ltd. ADR 3.4 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. ADR 3.4 InBev N.V. 3.4 Amazon.com, Inc. 3.3 Intuit Inc. 3.3 Blackstone Group LP 3.3 Roche Holdings AG Genusscheine 3.1 Safran S.A. 3.1 Pernod-Ricard S.A. 3.1 International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. 3.1 Enbridge Inc. 3.0 Shire Plc. 2.9 EOG Resources Inc. 2.8 Deutsche Post AG 2.8 Amgen Inc. 2.8 ITC Holdings Corp. 2.6 AIA Group Ltd. 2.4 Top 25 Holdings 79.4
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
Sub-Advisor: RBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in common stocks of companies in the world’s largest industrialized countries outside Canada, including the United States and countries in Europe, as well as Japan, Australia and the rest of the Far East. The sub-advisor’s intention is that the securities of companies that conduct themselves in a socially responsible manner will be included in the portfolio. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the sub-advisor invests primarily in companies that they believe have sound fundamentals, a strong market position, a history of profitability, a capable management team, and attractive valuations.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $118 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 13.7%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Global equity markets recorded significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. Most stark was the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansions experienced by other major economies. As a result, many investors anticipate an interest-rate increase by the U.S. Federal Reserve sometime in the second half of 2015, while Europe, Japan and China combatted weak output with looser monetary policies.
The Fund’s strongest-performing stocks included Blackstone, a manager of alternative assets that continued to record strong revenue and invest in attractive private-equity assets; First Republic Bank, a U.S. bank that posted strong financial results; and UnitedHealth, a provider of health-benefit plans and services. The three companies are based in the U.S.
The stocks that had the most negative impact on relative returns were Kansas City Southern, the North American railway operator whose revenue from oil shipments declined and whose earnings were held back by the weaker Mexican peso; and ITC Holdings, which connects regional electricity grids in the U.S. and continued to face regulatory issues.
The sub-advisor sold MEDNAX and Cognizant during the period as their valuations reached levels that no longer made them attractive, and Aryzta was removed from the portfolio on concern about the merits of its expansion plan. Positions in Baxter International and Santen Pharmaceutical were also sold from the portfolio. Pernod-Ricard, Intuit and Astellas Pharma were new additions to the Fund.
A change in portfolio-management duties resulted in high portfolio turnover during the period.
Recent DevelopmentsThe effect of U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions are hindering global economic activity and recoveries in many countries and regions outside the U.S. In the short term, the effect has been significant volatility in asset prices and currencies. Most currencies have continued to weaken versus the U.S. dollar, with the exceptions of the British pound, which gained after favourable election results in May, and the Swiss franc, which strengthened after the abandonment of its euro peg in January.
While equities look fairly valued, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the outlook for stocks. Lower oil prices benefit more economies than they penalize, and interest rates remain at historic lows. Higher equity valuations mean, however, that profit growth rather than valuation measures such as price-to-earnings ratios will be required to support returns.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
Sub-AdvisorRBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited is the sub-advisor and provides investment advice for the Fund.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
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BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $14,000 (2014 – $0), or 21% (2014 – 0%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
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Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%)The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, and Series F units since December 2007.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
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SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix – Countries/Regions % of Net Asset Value
United States Equities 53.1Europe ex-U.K. Equities 17.1U.K. Equities 12.7Pacific Rim ex-Japan Equities 6.5Japan Equities 5.4Middle East & Africa Equities 3.4Cash/Other 1.8
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH COMMUNITY VALUES GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 4.2 First Republic Bank 3.7 Google Inc., Class A 3.6 Toyota Motor Corp. 3.6 Blackstone Group LP 3.6 Danaher Corp. 3.6 International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. 3.5 Amgen Inc. 3.5 Intuit Inc. 3.5 TJX Companies Inc. 3.4 Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Class A 3.4 Shire Plc. 3.4 Naspers Ltd. 3.4 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. ADR 3.3 Roche Holdings AG Genusscheine 3.2 ITC Holdings Corp. 3.0 Safran S.A. 2.9 Deutsche Post AG 2.8 HDFC Bank Ltd. ADR 2.8 Prudential Corporation Plc. 2.6 EOG Resources Inc. 2.6 Lloyds TSB Group Plc. 2.5 Kansas City Southern Industries Inc. 2.4 St James’s Place Plc. 2.2 ASML Holding N.V. 2.1 Top 25 Holdings 78.8
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2015 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2015 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $9 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 3.3%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. The Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Effective January 1, 2015, the management fee for Series D units has been reduced to 0.75% from 0.80%.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2015 FUND
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2015 FUND
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2011.4 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2015 FUND
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2015 FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2011.5 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 0.75% 31% 69%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2015 FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund 38.2 Phillips, Hager & North Bond Fund 23.5 RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund 21.2 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 6.2 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 6.2 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 3.7 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.6 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.4 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Series D units have been available for sale to unitholders since June 2011, and Series O units since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2020 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2020 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $20 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 4.4%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. Overall, the Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Effective January 1, 2015, the management fee for Series D units has been reduced to 0.80% from 0.85%.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2020 FUND
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2020 FUND
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2011.4 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2011.5 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 0.80% 29% 71%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2020 FUND
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Bonds 53.4United States Equities 19.3Canadian Equities 13.1Overseas Equities 12.0Cash/Other 2.2
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund 40.1 RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund 15.2 Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 10.4 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 6.4 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 6.4 RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 5.7 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 4.7 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 3.0 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 3.0 Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 2.1 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 1.9 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.6 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.5 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Series D units have been available for sale to unitholders since June 2011, and Series O units since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2025 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2025 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $20 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 5.0%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. Overall, the Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Effective January 1, 2015, the management fee for Series D units has been reduced to 0.85% from 0.90%.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2025 FUND
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2011.4 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2011.5 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 0.85% 28% 72%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2025 FUND
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Bonds 50.6United States Equities 20.5Overseas Equities 13.8Canadian Equities 13.2Cash/Other 1.9
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 33.1 Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund 14.6 RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund 10.2 RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 9.7 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 6.8 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 6.1 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 4.9 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 4.5 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 3.2 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 3.0 Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 2.8 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.6 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.5 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Series D units have been available for sale to unitholders since June 2011, and Series O units since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2030 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2030 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $18 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 5.3%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. Overall, the Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Effective January 1, 2015, the management fee for Series D units has been reduced to 0.90% from 0.95%.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2030 FUND
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2011.4 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2011.5 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 0.90% 26% 74%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2030 FUND
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Bonds 49.7United States Equities 20.9Overseas Equities 14.3Canadian Equities 13.2Cash/Other 1.9
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 44.8 RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 14.1 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 7.0 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 5.9 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 5.0 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 5.0 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 4.8 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 4.6 RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund 4.3 Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 3.4 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.6 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.5 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Series D units have been available for sale to unitholders since June 2011, and Series O units since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2035 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2035 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $23 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 6.0%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. Overall, the Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Effective January 1, 2015, the management fee for Series D units has been reduced to 0.95% from 1.00%.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
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Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2011.4 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2011.5 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 0.95% 25% 75%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2035 FUND
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Bonds 43.5United States Equities 23.4Overseas Equities 17.5Canadian Equities 13.5Cash/Other 2.1
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 38.8 RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 18.1 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 7.5 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 7.1 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 6.1 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 5.9 Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 5.0 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 5.0 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 4.8 RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund 0.8 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.5 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.4 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Series D units have been available for sale to unitholders since June 2011, and Series O units since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2040 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2040 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $21 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 6.2%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. Overall, the Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Effective January 1, 2015, the management fee for Series D units has been reduced to 1.00% from 1.05%.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2040 FUND
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2011.4 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2011.5 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 1.00% 24% 76%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Bonds 39.7United States Equities 24.5Overseas Equities 18.7Canadian Equities 15.0Cash/Other 2.1
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 34.9 RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 19.4 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 8.3 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 7.4 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 7.3 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 6.4 Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 5.5 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 5.0 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 4.8 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.5 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.5 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Series D units have been available for sale to unitholders since June 2011, and Series O units since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2045 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2045 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $41 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 7.0%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. Overall, the Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Effective January 1, 2015, the management fee for Series D units has been reduced to 1.05% from 1.10%.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
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Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2011.4 From January 2011.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2011.5 From January 2011.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 1.05% 23% 77%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
United States Equities 29.9Bonds 26.4Overseas Equities 23.5Canadian Equities 17.6Cash/Other 2.6
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 24.5 Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 21.5 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 10.2 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 8.7 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 8.7 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 8.1 Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 7.1 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 5.0 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 5.0 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.7 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.5 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Series D units have been available for sale to unitholders since June 2011, and Series O units since January 2011.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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TARGET DATE FUND
PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2050 FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to achieve a balance of income and long-term capital growth relative to its target retirement date of 2050 by investing primarily in investment funds that hold equity, fixed income, income trust and money market securities and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), or by investing directly in such securities.
The Fund invests primarily in underlying funds. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment strategies by investing in three broad asset classes: equities, fixed income, and Canadian or U.S. ETFs, either directly or indirectly through underlying funds. ETFs purchased by the Fund will initially be limited to those that track the investment performance of broad based real estate investment trust indices but may include other ETFs where permitted by applicable securities laws. At all times, the Fund will use a dynamic asset mix or glide path that adjusts the asset mix of the Fund on a quarterly basis relative to its target date.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $2 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 7.1%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
Evidence of a rebound in global developed-nation economic growth continued to mount, with statistics in key economies pointing to rising activity, increased consumer demand and job gains. However, recent key tailwinds for growth such as low oil prices and interest rates have faded somewhat, and overall global economic growth appears to have normalized after a sharp recovery. After a weak first quarter, the U.S. economy showed signs of rebounding, with employment strong, wages continuing to rise and the housing market experiencing solid sales and price increases. The Canadian economy continued to experience the effects of the oil-price collapse, leading the Bank of Canada (the “BOC”) to lower interest rates in January.
Key market-moving events for fixed income in the first half of 2015 included: the launch of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank to arrest deflationary pressures; the persistence of lower oil prices and their impact on oil production globally; slower-than-expected first-quarter growth in the U.S.; and concern that Greece would leave the Eurozone. Canadian bond yields reached near unprecedented lows shortly after the BOC interest-rate cut, which Governor Stephen Poloz called “insurance” against the impact of the rapid drop in oil prices that started last summer. All of the Fund’s fixed-income holdings had a positive impact on performance, led by
the Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund and the Phillips, Hager & North Inflation-Linked Bond Fund.
Global stocks experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2015. Much as in 2014, the major issues causing uncertainty included U.S. dollar strength, lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the difference in growth rates between the relatively fast-growing U.S. and the slower expansion experienced by other major economies was stark. North American equity markets underperformed international markets during the period. Overall, the Fund’s equity holdings had a positive impact on returns, led by the RBC Global Equity Focus Fund and RBC QUBE Low Volatility Global Equity Fund.
Recent DevelopmentsThe bull market in stocks has drawn considerable strength from a solid recovery in corporate profits and from higher valuations. However, equity valuations still appear reasonable in most regions, and a case could be made for them rising even higher. Earnings, though, will need to contribute more heavily to the next leg of the rally. The portfolio manager expects that slow, but steady, global growth and mild inflation will be maintained over the next few years. In this environment, corporate profits should continue to expand and allow equities to provide moderate total returns. Bond returns should lag given that yields continue to trade near historical lows in many regions, and even a gradual unwind in bond positions is likely to result in capital losses that will push total returns on sovereign fixed-income positions towards zero.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series D units.
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Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From June 2014.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
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PHILLIPS, HAGER & NORTH LIFETIME 2050 FUND
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between a high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as an annualized percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From June 2014.
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series D 1.10% 23% 77%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
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PAST PERFORMANCEInvestment performance in respect of a fund that has been available for less than one year is not provided. Series D and Series O units of this Fund were launched on August 11, 2014.
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
United States Equities 31.6Overseas Equities 25.3Bonds 20.0Canadian Equities 19.0Cash/Other 4.1
Top 25 Holdings* % of Net Asset Value
RBC Global Equity Focus Fund 26.9 Phillips, Hager & North Long Inflation-linked Bond Fund 15.2 RBC Emerging Markets Equity Fund 11.3 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Value Fund 9.6 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Equity Underlying Fund 9.6 RBC QUBE Global Equity Fund 8.9 Phillips, Hager & North U.S. Multi-Style All-Cap Equity Fund 7.7 Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond Fund 4.9 Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust Fund 4.6 Cash & Cash Equivalents 0.9 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 0.4 Total 100.0
* The Fund holds fewer than 25 holdings.
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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BALANCED FUND
BONAVISTA GLOBAL BALANCED FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital appreciation and income by primarily investing in a balanced global portfolio of Canadian and foreign equities, fixed income securities and money market instruments. To achieve the Fund’s fundamental investment objectives, the portfolio manager invests primarily in common stocks of high-quality companies, bonds of the Canadian government, provincial government, and high-quality Canadian corporations and money market securities including asset backed commercial paper.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $4 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units gained 3.3%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The Fund’s lack of relative exposure to bonds hurt performance during the period as fixed income performed better than Canadian equities, which is the Fund’s largest allocation. Canadian equities also performed worse than the Fund’s international and U.S. equity allocations in Canadian-dollar terms. The Fund’s international equity and fixed-income allocations performed well, while the U.S. and Canadian equity allocations lagged.
The Fund’s Canadian equity portfolio benefited from significant exposure to the Consumer Discretionary and Information Technology sectors, while performance was held back by a lack of relative exposure to Health Care and relatively high exposure to Financials.
A change in fixed-income portfolio-management duties resulted in higher-than-usual portfolio turnover.
Recent DevelopmentsInvestors still expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to begin increasing interest rates sometime in 2015, assuming economic growth is strong enough to support such a move. The Canadian economy, meanwhile, continues to slow with the sharp decline in energy prices, leading to a second rate cut in July. Short-term movements aside, the portfolio manager continues to believe that interest rates will begin to climb, and that equity markets appear attractive in relation to bonds. The Fund’s asset mix is positioned with greater exposure to Canadian, U.S. and international equities and a lesser position in Canadian bonds. Greece’s position in the Eurozone remains uncertain, as the common-currency bloc tries to work out a solution to the country’s debt problems.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. The former principal portfolio advisor of the Fund, BonaVista Asset Management Ltd., amalgamated with its parent company, RBC GAM, effective November 1, 2013. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. There were no related-party commissions.
Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
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(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
BONAVISTA GLOBAL BALANCED FUND
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 2.00% 50% 50%Advisor Series 2.00% 50% 50%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions
4 From October 2010.
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PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
BONAVISTA GLOBAL BALANCED FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, Series F units since December 2007, and Series D and Series O units since June 2006.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
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BONAVISTA GLOBAL BALANCED FUND
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Investment Mix % of Net Asset Value
Canadian Equities 37.4Bonds 23.2United States Equities 15.4Overseas Equities 15.2Mortgages 0.2Cash/Other 8.6
Top 25 Holdings % of Net Asset Value
Phillips, Hager & North Bond Fund 25.8 Phillips, Hager & North Overseas Equity Fund 15.4 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 4.9 Toronto-Dominion Bank 2.4 Bank of Nova Scotia 2.1 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 1.8 Suncor Energy Inc. 1.8 Royal Bank of Canada 1.6 Canadian National Railway Co. 1.4 Bank of Montreal 1.4 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 1.3 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 1.2 Manulife Financial Corporation 1.2 Cash & Cash Equivalents 1.1 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 1.1 Magna International Inc., Class A 1.1 Gildan Activewear Inc., Class A 1.0 Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. 0.9 Agrium Inc. 0.9 National Bank of Canada 0.8 Wells Fargo & Company 0.8 Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., Class A 0.7 Sun Life Financial Inc. 0.7 JPMorgan Chase & Co. 0.7 Home Capital Group Inc. 0.7 Top 25 Holdings 72.8
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
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CANADIAN EQUITY FUND
BONAVISTA CANADIAN EQUITY VALUE FUND
June 30, 2015
Portfolio Manager RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (“RBC GAM”)
This interim management report of fund performance (“MRFP”) contains financial highlights but does not contain either the complete interim financial statements or the complete annual financial statements of the Fund. You can get a copy of the financial statements at your request, and at no cost, by calling 1-800-661-6141, by writing to us at RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, Investment Funds Centre, 20th Floor, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N5, or by visiting our website at www.rbcgam.com/reports or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Security holders may also contact us using one of these methods to request a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting disclosure record, or quarterly portfolio disclosure.
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management is a division of RBC Global Asset Management Inc., the manager of the Fund and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”).
The Board of Directors of RBC Global Asset Management Inc. approved this interim management report of fund performance on August 12, 2015.
A Note on Forward-looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements about the Fund, its future performance, strategies or prospects, and possible future Fund action. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “suspect,” “outlook,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “objective” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both about the Fund and general economic factors, so it is possible that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made in relation to the Fund. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and market factors in Canada, the United States and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological changes, changes in laws and regulations, judicial or regulatory judgments, legal proceedings and catastrophic events.
The above list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Before making any investment decisions, we encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully. All opinions contained in forward-looking statements are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility.
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MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Investment Objective and StrategiesThe Fund seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing primarily in common shares of large-capitalization, high-quality Canadian companies and income trusts. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the portfolio manager invests in companies that they believe have a superior management team, a leadership position within their industry, a high level of profitability compared to their peers, and strong earnings potential.
Results of OperationsThe Fund’s net asset value was $19 million as of June 30, 2015.
Over the past six months, the Fund’s Series O units lost 0.5%. The Fund’s return is after the deduction of fees and expenses. See the Financial Highlights section for the management expense ratios and the Past Performance section for the returns of other series, if any, which may vary because of differences in management fees and expenses.
The Fund’s significant exposure to the Consumer Discretionary and Consumer Staples sectors had a positive impact on performance, while a significant allocation to the Financials sector had a negative impact. The Fund’s preference for Canadian banks was negative for returns, as bank stocks performed poorly, and the Fund’s lack of relative exposure to the Health Care sector had a significantly negative impact on relative performance. Individual holdings that contributed to performance included Agrium, Element Financial, Gildan Activewear and Methanex. Holdings that negatively impacted performance included Teck Resources, CIBC, Mitel and Open Text.
During the period, the Fund initiated a position in Restaurant Brands, a new company formed by the merger of Tim Hortons and Burger King. The management team at Burger King has an excellent track record and the portfolio manager believes that they will improve operating performance at Tim Hortons and develop a successful international expansion plan. During the period the Fund added to positions in AutoCanada, Genworth and Cenovus. Aside from the transactions described above, the structure of the portfolio did not materially change over the period.
Recent DevelopmentsInvestors still expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to begin increasing interest rates sometime in 2015, assuming economic growth is strong enough to support such a move, and the portfolio manager believes that interest rates will continue to climb from historically low levels. Oil prices remain depressed, and Canada’s economy continues to slow as a result. Greece’s position in the Eurozone remains uncertain, as the common-currency bloc tries to work out a solution to the country’s debt problems.
The portfolio manager does not foresee a significant change in strategy during the second half of the year. While equity valuations have increased from a year ago, the portfolio manager continues to find financially strong companies with rising earnings and dividends, at reasonable valuations. The portfolio manager believes the Fund is well positioned to withstand a rise in interest rates, given low exposure to real estate investment trusts, pipelines and utilities – areas that tend to lag when interest rates rise.
Related-Party TransactionsManager and Portfolio AdvisorRBC GAM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank and is the manager and principal portfolio advisor of the Fund. The former principal portfolio advisor of the Fund, BonaVista Asset Management Ltd., amalgamated with its parent company, RBC GAM, effective November 1, 2013. RBC GAM is responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day operations, provides investment advice and portfolio management services to the Fund and appoints distributors for the Fund. RBC GAM is paid a management fee by the Fund as compensation for its services. The Fund pays a fixed administration fee to RBC GAM, which, in turn, pays certain operating expenses of the Fund.
Affiliates of RBC GAM that provide services to the Fund in the course of their normal businesses are discussed below.
DistributorsRBC GAM, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Ltd., Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC Direct Investing Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are principal distributors of, or distribute certain series of units of, the Fund. Dealers receive an ongoing commission based on the total value of their clients’ Series C, Advisor Series and Series D units.
Trustee and CustodianRBC Investor Services Trust (”RBC IS”) is the trustee and custodian of the Fund.
RBC IS holds title to the Fund’s property on behalf of unitholders and holds the assets of the Fund.
RegistrarsRBC GAM and RBC IS are the registrars of the Fund and keep records of who owns units of the Fund.
BrokerageThe Fund has established standard brokerage agreements at market rates with related-party dealers. These related-party commissions were $0 (2014 – $1,000), or 0% (2014 – 25%) of the total transaction costs paid for this Fund.
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Other Related-Party TransactionsPursuant to applicable securities legislation, the Fund relied on the standing instructions from the Independent Review Committee with respect to one or more of the following transactions:
Related-Party Trading Activities(a) trades in securities of Royal Bank;
(b) investments in the securities of issuers for which a related-party dealer acted as an underwriter during the distribution of such securities and the 60-day period following the conclusion of such distribution of the underwritten securities to the public;
(c) purchases of equity and debt securities from or sales of equity or debt securities to a related-party dealer, where it acted as principal; and
Inter-Fund Trading(d) purchases or sales of securities of an issuer from or to another
investment fund or managed account managed by RBC GAM.
The applicable standing instructions require that Related-Party Trading Activities and Inter-Fund Trading be conducted in accordance with RBC GAM policy and that RBC GAM advise the Independent Review Committee of a material breach of any standing instruction. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Related-Party Trading Activities (i) is made free from any influence of Royal Bank or its associates or affiliates and without taking into account any consideration relevant to Royal Bank or its affiliates or associates, (ii) represents the business judgment of the portfolio manager, uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Fund, (iii) is in compliance with RBC GAM policies and procedures, and (iv) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Fund. RBC GAM policy requires that an investment decision in respect of Inter-Fund Trading is in the best interests of each Fund.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS The following tables show selected key financial information about the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past six months (noted by June 30, 2015), and for the past five years or for the periods since inception. This information is derived from the Fund’s unaudited interim financial statements and audited annual financial statements. For financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). For financial years prior to January 1, 2014, financial highlight information is derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). “Net Assets,” for the periods prior to 2014, are calculated in accordance with GAAP, and “Net Asset Value” is derived from the valuation method disclosed in the Phillips, Hager & North Funds Annual Information Form and is used for transactional purposes (see Ratios and Supplemental Data). All other calculations for the purposes of this MRFP are made using Net Asset Value. There is no significant difference between “Net Assets” and “Net Asset Value” under IFRS.
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Change in Net Assets Per Unit ($) (cont.)
Annual Distributions2
Increase (Decrease) from Operations1 From Total Realized Unrealized Income From Net Assets For the Year/ Net Assets Revenue Total Gains Gains (Excluding From Capital Return End of Period Ended Beginning of Year/Period (Loss) Expenses (Losses) (Losses) Total Dividends) Dividends Gains of Capital Total Year/Period
1 Net assets and distributions are based on the actual number of units outstanding at the relevant time. The increase/decrease from operations is based on the weighted average number of units outstanding over the financial period. This table is not intended to be a reconciliation of beginning to ending net assets per unit.
2 Distributions are reinvested in additional units of the Fund or paid in cash.3 From October 2010.† Initial offering net asset value per unit.
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
Management Fees RBC GAM is the manager and portfolio advisor of the Fund. Management fees of each series of the Fund are calculated at the annual percentages, before GST/HST, of the daily net asset value of each series of the Fund. The breakdown of the services received in consideration of the management fees for each series, as a percentage of the management fees, is as follows:
Breakdown of Services
Management Fees Distribution Other*
Series C 1.75% 57% 43%Advisor Series 1.75% 57% 43%Series D 1.00% 25% 75%Series F 0.75% – 100%
Series O – no management fees are paid by the Fund with respect to Series O units. Series O unitholders pay a negotiated fee directly to RBC GAM for investment-counselling services.* Includes all costs related to management, investment advisory services, general administration
and profit.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)
Ratios and Supplemental Data (cont.)
Net Asset Value Net Asset Value Number of Units Management MER Before Portfolio TradingAs at Per Unit ($) ($000s) Outstanding (000s) Expense Ratio (%)1 Absorption (%)1 Turnover Rate (%)2 Expense Ratio (%)3
1 The management expense ratio (“MER”) is based on expenses for the stated period, excluding commissions and other portfolio transaction costs, and is expressed as an annualized percentage of the daily average net asset value during the period. RBC GAM may, at its discretion and without notice to unitholders, waive or absorb certain operating expenses. MER includes the waiver or absorption by RBC GAM of certain operating expenses, while the MER before absorption shows the MER prior to operating expenses being waived or absorbed by RBC GAM.
2 The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate gives an indication of the level of activity employed by the portfolio manager. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of the year. The higher the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate in a year, the greater the trading costs payable by the Fund in the year, and the greater the chance of an investor receiving taxable capital gains in the year. There is not necessarily a relationship between high turnover rate and the performance of the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate is not applicable to money market funds.
3 The trading expense ratio represents total commissions and other portfolio transaction costs expressed as a percentage of daily average net asset value during the period. The trading expense ratio is not applicable to fixed-income transactions.
4 From October 2010.
BONAVISTA CANADIAN EQUITY VALUE FUND
292
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
PAST PERFORMANCEThe performance information shown assumes that all distributions made by the Fund in the periods shown were reinvested in additional units of the Fund and would be lower if distributions were not reinvested. The performance information does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution, optional charges or income taxes payable that would have reduced returns or performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund may perform in the future. A fund with more than 10 years of performance history is only permitted to disclose the past 10 years.
Year-by-Year Returns (%) The bar chart indicates the Fund’s performance for each of the years shown, and illustrates how the Fund’s performance has changed from year to year. The bar chart shows, in percentage terms, how much an investment made on the first day of each financial year would have grown or decreased by the end of the financial year or interim period.
BONAVISTA CANADIAN EQUITY VALUE FUND
Advisor Series units have been available for sale to unitholders since October 2010, Series C units since November 2008, Series F units since December 2007, and Series D and Series O units since June 2006.
Inception dates are not provided for series that have been in existence for more than 10 years.
Series D was known as Series A prior to November 17, 2008.
For the 12-month periods ended December 31 and the six-month period ended June 30, 2015.
293
2015 INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF FUND PERFORMANCE
SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO(after consideration of derivative products, if any) As at June 30, 2015
Toronto-Dominion Bank 6.4 Bank of Nova Scotia 5.0 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 5.0 Suncor Energy Inc. 4.6 Royal Bank of Canada 4.0 Bank of Montreal 3.9 Canadian National Railway Co. 3.8 Phillips, Hager & North Canadian Money Market Fund 3.5 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. 3.5 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 3.0 Magna International Inc., Class A 3.0 Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. 2.8 Manulife Financial Corporation 2.7 Gildan Activewear Inc., Class A 2.6 Agrium Inc. 2.5 Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., Class A 2.0 Home Capital Group Inc. 2.0 Mitel Networks Corp. 1.9 Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. 1.9 Open Text Corp. 1.9 Sun Life Financial Inc. 1.9 National Bank of Canada 1.8 Quebecor Inc., Class B 1.6 Thomson Corp. 1.4 Saputo Group Inc. 1.4 Top 25 Holdings 74.1
The Summary of Investment Portfolio may change due to ongoing portfolio transactions of the Fund. It is updated quarterly and may be obtained by calling our Investment Funds Centre at 1-800-661-6141, by viewing on our website, www.rbcgam.com/funds, or by emailing us at [email protected].
The Simplified Prospectus and other information about the underlying funds are available on SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
BONAVISTA CANADIAN EQUITY VALUE FUND
294
By Phone
Investors: 1-800-661-6141 Dealers: 1-800-662-0652
By Mail
Head office:
RBC Global Asset Management Inc. 155 Wellington Street WestSuite 2200Toronto, OntarioM5V 3K7
For general mutual fund enquiries, write to:
RBC Global Asset Management Inc. P.O. Box 7500, Station A Toronto, Ontario M5W 1P9
If you have questions regarding Phillips, Hager & North Funds, you can contact us using the following options: