Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond & Option Strategies Fund

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form N-CSR

 

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act File Number: 811-22380

 

 

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Maureen A. Gemma

Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110

(Name and Address of Agent for Services)

 

 

(617) 482-8260

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

December 31

Date of Fiscal Year End

December 31, 2015

Date of Reporting Period

 

 

 


Item 1. Reports to Stockholders


LOGO

 

 

Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund (EXD)

Annual Report

December 31, 2015

 

 

 

 

LOGO


 

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Registration. Effective December 31, 2012, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) adopted certain regulatory changes that subject registered investment companies and advisers to regulation by the CFTC if a fund invests more than a prescribed level of its assets in certain CFTC-regulated instruments (including futures, certain options and swap agreements) or markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. The Fund has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act. Accordingly, neither the Fund nor the adviser with respect to the operation of the Fund is subject to CFTC regulation. Because of its management of other strategies, the Fund’s adviser is registered with the CFTC as a commodity pool operator and a commodity trading advisor.

Managed Distribution Plan. Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (Order), the Fund is authorized to distribute long-term capital gains to shareholders more frequently than once per year. Pursuant to the Order, the Fund’s Board of Trustees approved a Managed Distribution Plan (MDP) pursuant to which the Fund makes quarterly cash distributions to common shareholders, stated in terms of a fixed amount per common share.

The Fund currently distributes quarterly cash distributions equal to $0.290 per share in accordance with the MDP. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund’s investment performance from the amount of these distributions or from the terms of the MDP. The MDP will be subject to regular periodic review by the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Board may amend or terminate the MDP at any time without prior notice to Fund shareholders. However, at this time there are no reasonably foreseeable circumstances that might cause the termination of the MDP.

The Fund may distribute more than its net investment income and net realized capital gains and, therefore, a distribution may include a return of capital. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income.” With each distribution, the Fund will issue a notice to shareholders and a press release containing information about the amount and sources of the distribution and other related information. The amounts and sources of distributions contained in the notice and press release are only estimates and are not provided for tax purposes. The amounts and sources of the Fund’s distributions for tax purposes will be reported to shareholders on Form 1099-DIV for each calendar year.

Fund shares are not insured by the FDIC and are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, any depository institution. Shares are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal invested.


Annual Report December 31, 2015

Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

Table of Contents

 

Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance

     2   

Performance

     3   

Fund Profile

     3   

Endnotes and Additional Disclosures

     4   

Financial Statements

     5   

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     17   

Federal Tax Information

     18   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     19   

Management and Organization

     21   

Important Notices

     24   


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance1

 

 

Economic and Market Conditions

As the fiscal year began on January 1, 2015, municipal bonds were at the tail end of a rally that continued into the first month of the period ended December 31, 2015. U.S. 10-year Treasury and municipal rates hit their low for the period around the end of January 2015.

From February through June, municipal returns turned negative as a flood of new issuance, along with modest outflows from municipal mutual funds, put downward pressure on bond prices. Beginning in July 2015, however, municipal returns turned positive again and remained positive through the end of the fiscal year. For the period as a whole, municipal bond prices ended close to where they began, with total return derived primarily from interest income.

Going into the period, investors anticipated rising interest rates, driven by what was expected to be the Federal Reserve Board’s (the Fed’s) first rate hike since 2006. But strong worldwide demand for U.S Treasurys, fueled by concern about declining growth in the Eurozone, Japan and China, pushed Treasury rates down in the first month of the period, with municipal rates following.

Beginning in February 2015, however, rates in the short end of the yield curve began to creep upward, as investors believed the Fed was getting closer to a rate hike. Then in August 2015, China surprised the markets by devaluing its currency. Commodity prices continued to fall, as they had for most of the period, and the Fed decided not to take action in September. Against this backdrop, many asset classes experienced dramatic volatility in the closing months of the period. But the municipal market, a high quality asset class with a generally improving credit landscape, continued its steady rally despite a Fed rate hike in December. A combination of lower than expected new issue supply and strong inflows into municipal mutual funds in the final quarter of 2015 was an additional tailwind for the asset class.

For the one-year period as a whole, the municipal yield curve flattened. For AAA-rated5 issues, interest rates rose modestly in the one- to four-year part of the curve, declined slightly in the five- to 12-year area of the curve, and were generally unchanged across the 13- to 30-year part of the curve.

Fund Performance

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund (the Fund) had a total return of 10.36% at net asset value (NAV), outperforming the 2.43% return of the Fund’s benchmark, the Barclays 5 Year Municipal Bond Index (the Index).2

The Fund combines two complementary, uncorrelated strategies: a short-duration,6 high credit quality Bond Strategy and a rules-based Option Overlay Strategy. Both strategies are designed to provide tax-advantaged current income and capital gains. During the 12-month period, the Option Overlay Strategy was the primary driver of the Fund’s outperformance versus the Index, but the Bond Strategy, to a lesser extent, contributed to relative outperformance as well.

During the one-year period, the Bond Strategy was invested mainly in municipal bonds rated AAA and AA and maintained an overall portfolio duration between 3 and 4.5 years.

 

Whereas the Index was composed entirely of bonds with four to six years remaining to maturity, the Bond Strategy had a modest weighting in bonds with maturities shorter than four years and a significant weighting in bonds with maturities longer than six years. During the period, bonds with maturities longer than six years outperformed shorter maturity issues; as a result, yield curve positioning in the area of the curve beyond six years was a primary contributor to the Bond Strategy’s outperformance versus the Index. Another positive contributor was an allocation to taxable municipal bonds, which outperformed tax-exempt municipals during the first half of the period. The Fund’s taxable allocation was reduced during the summer of 2015, before taxable issues underperformed tax-exempt issues in the closing months of the period. Relative performance was also aided by actively trading securities to take advantage of inefficiencies within the municipal market. In contrast, the Bond Strategy’s holdings in the 1-4 year part of the yield curve, where interest rates rose and prices fell during the period, detracted from performance versus the Index.

The Fund’s Option Overlay Strategy employs a systematic, rules-based approach designed to capitalize on the general imbalance of natural buyers of stock index options over natural sellers of such options, while also attempting to limit the Fund’s maximum option loss potential. As a result of this imbalance, the returns generated by the Fund’s Option Overlay Strategy are intended to be generally uncorrelated with those of the S&P 500 Index. This strategy tends to perform well in range bound, flat, and moderately up or down equity markets, but underperform in strongly directional markets, either up or down.

For equities, the 12-month period as a whole was largely flat, albeit with significant up and down movements during the period, the most significant of which occurred in August through October. Overall, the writing of S&P 500 Index put spread and call spread options was beneficial to performance. The daily average of the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), a widely used measure of market expectations of near-term volatility, was higher in 2015 (16.68) than in 2014 (14.17), which was beneficial to option writing. Particularly strong periods for the Fund’s option writing occurred during the range-bound but relatively flat S&P 500 Index performance period from January through mid-August 2015, and in the more volatile period that corresponded with higher VIX levels during November and December 2015. As a result, performance of the Option Overlay Strategy was strongly positive for the 12-month period as a whole.

In contrast, however, the Fund’s option strategy delivered negative performance during dramatic short-term market movements in August and October 2015. In August, the S&P 500 Index declined about 11% in just over a week and the Fund’s put spread options hurt Fund performance. A subsequent market rally in October, which saw the S&P 500 Index gain about 8.3%, led the Fund’s call spread options to deliver negative performance. Nonetheless, for the 12-month period as a whole, performance of the Option Overlay Strategy was strongly positive.

 

 

  

See Endnotes and Additional Disclosures in this report.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Returns are historical and are calculated by determining the percentage change in net asset value (NAV) or market price (as applicable) with all distributions reinvested and includes management fees and other expenses. Fund performance at market price will differ from its results at NAV due to factors such as changing perceptions about the Fund, market conditions, fluctuations in supply and demand for Fund shares, or changes in Fund distributions. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance less than one year is cumulative. Performance is for the stated time period only; due to market volatility, current Fund performance may be lower or higher than the quoted return. For performance as of the most recent month-end, please refer to eatonvance.com.

 

  2  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Performance2

 

Portfolio Managers Ken Everding, Ph.D. and Jonathan Orseck, each of Parametric Risk Advisors, LLC; James H. Evans, CFA, Brian C. Barney, CFA and Devin J. Cooch, CFA

 

% Average Annual Total Returns    Inception Date      One Year      Five Years     

Since
Inception

 

Fund at NAV

     06/29/2010         10.36      5.58      4.69

Fund at Market Price

             8.40         4.25         2.25   

Barclays 5 Year Municipal Bond Index

             2.43      3.24      3.16

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index

             0.05         0.07         0.08   
           
% Premium/Discount to NAV3                                
              –12.22
           
Distributions4                                

Total Distributions per share for the period

            $ 1.16   

Distribution Rate at NAV

              8.10

Distribution Rate at Market Price

              9.23

Fund Profile

 

 

Credit Quality (% of bond holdings)5

 

 

 

LOGO

    

 

 

See Endnotes and Additional Disclosures in this report.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Returns are historical and are calculated by determining the percentage change in net asset value (NAV) or market price (as applicable) with all distributions reinvested and includes management fees and other expenses. Fund performance at market price will differ from its results at NAV due to factors such as changing perceptions about the Fund, market conditions, fluctuations in supply and demand for Fund shares, or changes in Fund distributions. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance less than one year is cumulative. Performance is for the stated time period only; due to market volatility, current Fund performance may be lower or higher than the quoted return. For performance as of the most recent month-end, please refer to eatonvance.com.

 

  3  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Endnotes and Additional Disclosures

 

 

1 

The views expressed in this report are those of the portfolio manager(s) and are current only through the date stated at the top of this page. These views are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions, and Eaton Vance and the Fund(s) disclaim any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied upon as investment advice and, because investment decisions are based on many factors, may not be relied upon as an indication of trading intent on behalf of any Eaton Vance fund. This commentary may contain statements that are not historical facts, referred to as “forward looking statements”. The Fund’s actual future results may differ significantly from those stated in any forward looking statement, depending on factors such as changes in securities or financial markets or general economic conditions, the volume of sales and purchases of Fund shares, the continuation of investment advisory, administrative and service contracts, and other risks discussed from time to time in the Fund’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

2 

Barclays 5 Year Municipal Bond Index is an unmanaged index of municipal bonds traded in the U.S. with maturities ranging from 4-6 years. BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index is an unmanaged index of U.S. Treasury securities maturing in 90 days. BofA Merrill Lynch® indices not for redistribution or other uses; provided “as is”, without warranties, and with no liability. Eaton Vance has prepared this report, BofAML does not endorse it, or guarantee, review, or endorse Eaton Vance’s products. S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of large-cap stocks commonly used as a measure of U.S. stock market performance. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) tracks the implied volatilities of a wide range of S&P 500 Index options. Unless otherwise stated, index returns do not reflect the effect of any applicable sales charges, commissions, expenses, taxes or leverage, as applicable. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Performance since inception for an index, if presented, is the performance since the Fund’s or oldest share class’ inception, as applicable.

 

3 

The shares of the Fund often trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. The discount or premium of the Fund may vary over time and may be higher or lower than what is quoted in this report. For up-to-date premium/discount information, please refer to http://eatonvance.com/closedend.

4 

The Distribution Rate is based on the Fund’s last regular distribution per share in the period (annualized) divided by the Fund’s NAV or market price at the end of the period. The Fund’s distributions may be comprised of amounts characterized for federal income tax purposes as qualified and non-qualified ordinary dividends, capital gains and nondividend distributions, also known as return of capital. For additional information about nondividend distributions, please refer to Eaton Vance Closed-End Fund Distribution Notices (19a) posted on our website, eatonvance.com. The Fund will determine the federal income tax character of distributions paid to a shareholder after the end of the calendar year. This is reported on the IRS form 1099-DIV and provided to the shareholder shortly after each year-end. For information about the tax character of distributions made in prior calendar years, please refer to Performance-Tax Character of Distributions on the Fund’s webpage available at eatonvance.com. In recent years, a significant portion of the Fund’s distributions has been characterized as a return of capital. The Fund’s distributions are determined by the investment adviser based on its current assessment of the Fund’s long-term return potential. As portfolio and market conditions change, the rate of distributions paid by the Fund could change.

 

5 

Ratings are based on Moody’s, S&P or Fitch, as applicable. If securities are rated differently by the ratings agencies, the higher rating is applied. Ratings, which are subject to change, apply to the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying securities and not to the Fund or its shares. Credit ratings measure the quality of a bond based on the issuer’s creditworthiness, with ratings ranging from AAA, being the highest, to D, being the lowest based on S&P’s measures. Ratings of BBB or higher by S&P or Fitch (Baa or higher by Moody’s) are considered to be investment- grade quality. Credit ratings are based largely on the ratings agency’s analysis at the time of rating. The rating assigned to any particular security is not necessarily a reflection of the issuer’s current financial condition and does not necessarily reflect its assessment of the volatility of a security’s market value or of the liquidity of an investment in the security. Holdings designated as “Not Rated” are not rated by the national ratings agencies stated above.

 

6 

Duration is a measure of the expected change in price of a bond — in percentage terms — given a one percent change in interest rates, all else being constant. Securities with lower durations tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes.

 

   Fund profile subject to change due to active management.

   Important Notice to Shareholders

   Effective December 1, 2015, Brian C. Barney, CFA and Devin J. Cooch, CFA joined the portfolio management team of the Fund.

 

   Additionally, effective September 30, 2015, the Fund changed its primary benchmark to the Barclays 5 Year Municipal Bond Index because the investment adviser believes it is more closely aligned with the Fund’s investment objective and strategies.
 

 

  4  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Portfolio of Investments

 

 

Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities — 92.2%   
   
Security   Principal
Amount
(000’s omitted)
    Value  

Bond Bank — 3.0%

  

Oklahoma Water Resources Board, 2.00%, 4/1/19

  $ 750      $ 772,703   

Vermont Municipal Bond Bank, 4.00%, 12/1/17(1)

    2,515        2,668,993   

Vermont Municipal Bond Bank, 5.00%, 12/1/19

    705        806,703   
                 
  $ 4,248,399   
                 

Education — 4.9%

  

Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, (Harvard University), 5.00%, 10/15/20

  $ 2,000      $ 2,349,100   

University of North Texas, 5.00%, 4/15/17

    305        321,562   

University of North Texas, 5.00%, 4/15/18

    290        315,943   

University of North Texas, 5.00%, 4/15/21

    300        353,547   

University of Texas, 5.00%, 7/1/20(2)

    1,000        1,163,680   

University of Virginia, 5.00%, 8/1/21

    2,000        2,397,080   
                 
  $ 6,900,912   
                 

Electric Utilities — 4.4%

  

California Department of Water Resources, Power Supply Revenue, 5.00%, 5/1/22

  $ 5,000      $ 6,087,250   
                 
  $ 6,087,250   
                 

Escrowed / Prerefunded — 4.1%

  

Maryland, Prerefunded to 8/1/19, 5.00%, 8/1/20

  $ 5,000      $ 5,677,900   
                 
  $ 5,677,900   
                 

General Obligations — 42.8%

  

Acalanes Union High School District, CA, 5.00%, 8/1/21(2)

  $ 1,000      $ 1,167,250   

Arkansas, 5.00%, 6/15/21

    5,000        5,958,600   

Beaufort County, SC, School District, 5.00%, 3/1/19(1)

    5,370        6,024,173   

Birdville, TX, Independent School District, (PSF Guaranteed), 0.00%, 2/15/19

    635        611,086   

California, 5.00%, 8/1/21

    2,500        2,988,150   

Florida Board of Education, Full Faith and Credit, Capital Outlay, 5.00%, 6/1/17

    2,010        2,132,449   

Florida Board of Education, Full Faith and Credit, Capital Outlay, 5.00%, 6/1/22

    3,050        3,540,440   

Georgia, 5.00%, 7/1/17

    600        638,616   

Georgia, 5.00%, 7/1/19

    3,070        3,486,783   

Hopkinton, MA, 4.00%, 7/15/16

    240        244,262   

Liberty Hill, TX, Independent School District, (PSF Guaranteed), 0.00%, 8/1/21

    315        286,937   

Maryland, 5.00%, 3/1/22

    2,000        2,419,820   
Security   Principal
Amount
(000’s omitted)
    Value  

General Obligations (continued)

  

New Hampshire, 5.00%, 12/1/23

  $ 3,050      $ 3,797,616   

Northwest Independent School District, TX,
(PSF Guaranteed), 0.00%, 2/15/18

    1,445        1,412,878   

Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, (Unemployment Compensation Revenue), 5.00%, 1/1/20

    875        994,114   

Richardson, TX, 5.00%, 2/15/18

    2,890        3,140,736   

Rose Tree Media School District, PA, 3.00%, 2/1/20

    500        532,270   

SCAGO Educational Facilities Corp. for Pickens School District, SC, 5.00%, 12/1/22

    2,150        2,570,927   

St. Tammany Parish Wide School District No. 12, LA, 4.00%, 3/1/21

    1,070        1,197,523   

Texas Public Finance Authority, 5.00%, 10/1/20

    2,500        2,926,900   

Utah, Series 2011A, 5.00%, 7/1/19

    3,300        3,748,008   

Washington, 5.00%, 8/1/21

    5,000        5,954,850   

Wisconsin, 5.00%, 5/1/20

    2,255        2,611,967   

Wisconsin, 5.00%, 5/1/21

    1,000        1,186,850   
                 
  $ 59,573,205   
                 

Hospital — 5.9%

  

Allen County, OH, Hospital Facilities, (Catholic Health Partners), 5.00%, 9/1/20(1)

  $ 6,500      $ 7,479,225   

Middlesex County, NJ, 2.00%, 6/1/21

    755        770,289   
                 
  $ 8,249,514   
                 

Lease Revenue / Certificates of Participation — 6.9%

  

Arizona School Facilities Board, 5.00%, 9/1/20

  $ 2,900      $ 3,355,735   

California Public Works Board, 5.00%, 9/1/20

    4,470        5,212,735   

Orange County, FL, School Board, 5.00%, 8/1/16

    500        513,305   

Orange County, FL, School Board, 5.00%, 8/1/19

    500        566,030   
                 
  $ 9,647,805   
                 

Special Tax Revenue — 1.0%

  

Contra Costa Transportation Authority, CA, Sales Tax Revenue, 5.00%, 3/1/21

  $ 1,165      $ 1,388,855   
                 
  $ 1,388,855   
                 

Transportation — 9.9%

  

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Sales Tax Revenue, 5.25%, 7/1/21

  $ 1,350      $ 1,628,613   

Massachusetts, (Rail Enhancement Program), 5.00%, 6/1/22

    1,000        1,214,440   

New York State Thruway Authority, 5.00%, 4/1/18(1)

    10,000        10,902,900   
                 
  $ 13,745,953   
                 
 

 

  5   See Notes to Financial Statements.


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Portfolio of Investments — continued

 

 

Security   Principal
Amount
(000’s omitted)
    Value  
         

Water and Sewer — 9.3%

  

Charlotte, NC, Water and Sewer Revenue, 5.00%, 7/1/22

  $ 1,810      $ 2,201,611   

Honolulu City and County, HI, Wastewater System Revenue, 5.00%, 7/1/22

    2,985        3,337,887   

Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust, 4.00%, 8/1/17

    1,860        1,956,571   

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, 0.39% to 3/27/18 (Put Date), 7/1/36(3)

    3,750        3,731,325   

Seattle, WA, Solid Waste Revenue, 5.00%, 8/1/21

    1,415        1,677,696   
                 
  $ 12,905,090   
                 

Total Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities — 92.2%
(identified cost $124,483,191)

   

  $ 128,424,883   
                 
Taxable Municipal Securities — 6.7%   
   
Security   Principal
Amount
(000’s omitted)
    Value  

Education — 5.0%

  

University of California, 3.154%, 5/15/21

  $ 2,395      $ 2,529,216   

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 0.759%, 12/1/16

    1,255        1,254,523   

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1.798%, 12/1/18

    1,540        1,562,084   

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2.098%, 12/1/19

    1,135        1,149,868   

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2.355%, 12/1/20

    500        507,285   
                 
  $ 7,002,976   
                 

General Obligations — 1.7%

  

Mississippi, 2.859%, 11/1/23

  $ 1,000      $ 1,011,140   

Olentangy, OH, Local School District, Series A, 5.00%, 12/1/19

    1,200        1,341,984   
                 
  $ 2,353,124   
                 

Total Taxable Municipal Securities — 6.7%
(identified cost $9,236,202)

    $ 9,356,100   
                 
Call Options Purchased — 0.0%(4)   
       
Description   Number of
Contracts
    Strike
Price
    Expiration
Date
    Value  

S&P 500 Index

    114      $ 2,195        1/8/16      $ 1,140   

S&P 500 Index

    115        2,180        1/15/16        3,162   

S&P 500 Index

    111        2,205        1/22/16        1,388   

S&P 500 Index

    112        2,205        1/29/16        2,240   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        2,225        1/4/16        0   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        2,215        1/6/16        0   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    114        2,185        1/11/16        40   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    113        2,220        1/13/16        14   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    115        2,170        1/19/16        2,310   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        2,205        1/20/16        496   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        2,200        1/25/16        1,747   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        2,225        1/27/16        1,029   
                                 

Total Call Options Purchased
(identified cost $54,912)

   

    $ 13,566   
                                 
Put Options Purchased — 0.1%   
       
Description   Number of
Contracts
    Strike
Price
    Expiration
Date
    Value  

S&P 500 Index

    114      $ 1,775        1/8/16      $ 3,705   

S&P 500 Index

    115        1,805        1/15/16        9,200   

S&P 500 Index

    111        1,855        1/22/16        33,022   

S&P 500 Index

    112        1,830        1/29/16        44,240   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        1,865        1/4/16        31   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        1,850        1/6/16        210   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    114        1,760        1/11/16        437   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    113        1,855        1/13/16        5,954   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    115        1,775        1/19/16        5,049   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        1,855        1/20/16        19,601   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        1,835        1/25/16        25,404   

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        1,865        1/27/16        44,020   
                                 

Total Put Options Purchased
(identified cost $480,357)

   

  $ 190,873   
                                 
Short-Term Investments — 2.7%   
   
Description   Interest
(000’s omitted)
    Value  

Eaton Vance Cash Reserves Fund, LLC,
0.37%(5)

  $ 3,684      $ 3,683,788   
                 

Total Short-Term Investments — 2.7%
(identified cost $3,683,788)

    $ 3,683,788   
                 

Total Investments — 101.7%
(identified cost $137,938,450)

    $ 141,669,210   
                 
 

 

  6   See Notes to Financial Statements.


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Portfolio of Investments — continued

 

 

 

Call Options Written — (0.5)%   
       
Description   Number of
Contracts
    Strike
Price
    Expiration
Date
    Value  

S&P 500 Index

    114      $ 2,095        1/8/16      $ (15,960

S&P 500 Index

    115        2,080        1/15/16        (90,275

S&P 500 Index

    111        2,105        1/22/16        (48,840

S&P 500 Index

    112        2,105        1/29/16        (85,680

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        2,125        1/4/16        (52

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        2,115        1/6/16        (1,693

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    114        2,085        1/11/16        (66,824

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    113        2,120        1/13/16        (13,437

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    115        2,070        1/19/16        (195,804

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        2,105        1/20/16        (64,233

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        2,100        1/25/16        (102,504

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        2,125        1/27/16        (47,803
                                 

Total Call Options Written — (0.5)%
(premiums received $1,299,218)

   

  $ (733,105
                                 
Put Options Written — (0.5)%   
       
Description   Number of
Contracts
    Strike
Price
    Expiration
Date
    Value  

S&P 500 Index

    114      $ 1,875        1/8/16      $ (7,125

S&P 500 Index

    115        1,905        1/15/16        (33,350

S&P 500 Index

    111        1,955        1/22/16        (111,555

S&P 500 Index

    112        1,930        1/29/16        (122,640

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        1,965        1/4/16        (5,489

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        1,950        1/6/16        (10,128

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    114        1,860        1/11/16        (3,945

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    113        1,955        1/13/16        (49,305

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    115        1,875        1/19/16        (24,698

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        1,955        1/20/16        (89,697

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    112        1,935        1/25/16        (93,780

S&P 500 Index FLEX

    111        1,965        1/27/16        (144,811
                                 

Total Put Options Written — (0.5)%
(premiums received $1,284,548)

   

  $ (696,523
                                 

Other Assets, Less Liabilities — (0.7)%

    $ (913,330
             

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $ 139,326,252   
             

The percentage shown for each investment category in the Portfolio of Investments is based on net assets.

At December 31, 2015, the concentration of the Fund’s investments in the various states, determined as a percentage of net assets, is as follows:

 

California      16.6%   
Others, representing less than 10% individually      82.3%   
(1) 

Security (or a portion thereof) has been pledged as collateral for written option contracts.

 

(2) 

When-issued or delayed delivery security.

 

(3) 

Variable rate security. The stated interest rate represents the rate in effect at December 31, 2015.

 

(4) 

Amount is less than 0.05%.

 

(5) 

Affiliated investment company, available to Eaton Vance portfolios and funds, which invests in high quality, U.S. dollar denominated money market instruments. The rate shown is the annualized seven-day yield as of December 31, 2015.

 

Abbreviations:
FLEX     FLexible EXchange traded option, representing a customized option contract with negotiated contract terms.
PSF     Permanent School Fund
 

 

  7   See Notes to Financial Statements.


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

 

Assets   December 31, 2015  

Unaffiliated investments, at value (identified cost, $134,254,662)

  $ 137,985,422   

Affiliated investment, at value (identified cost, $3,683,788)

    3,683,788   

Interest receivable

    1,498,861   

Interest receivable from affiliated investment

    1,072   

Receivable for premiums on written options

    214,721   

Total assets

  $ 143,383,864   
Liabilities        

Written options outstanding, at value (premiums received, $2,583,766)

  $ 1,429,628   

Payable for investments purchased

    43,998   

Payable for when-issued/delayed delivery securities

    2,326,280   

Payable to affiliates:

 

Investment adviser and administration fee

    148,397   

Trustees’ fees

    2,150   

Accrued expenses

    107,159   

Total liabilities

  $ 4,057,612   

Net Assets

  $ 139,326,252   
Sources of Net Assets        

Common shares, $0.01 par value, unlimited number of shares authorized

  $ 97,316   

Additional paid-in capital

    135,164,525   

Accumulated net realized loss

    (820,487

Net unrealized appreciation

    4,884,898   

Net Assets

  $ 139,326,252   
Common Shares Outstanding     9,731,586   
Net Asset Value        

Net assets ÷ common shares issued and outstanding

  $ 14.32   

 

  8   See Notes to Financial Statements.


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Investment Income  

Year Ended

December 31, 2015

 

Interest

  $ 3,011,224   

Interest allocated from affiliated investment

    12,927   

Expenses allocated from affiliated investment

    (913

Total investment income

  $ 3,023,238   
Expenses        

Investment adviser and administration fee

  $ 1,828,551   

Trustees’ fees and expenses

    8,352   

Custodian fee

    110,293   

Transfer and dividend disbursing agent fees

    18,265   

Legal and accounting services

    59,074   

Printing and postage

    32,924   

Miscellaneous

    32,182   

Total expenses

  $ 2,089,641   

Deduct —

 

Reduction of custodian fee

  $ 5   

Total expense reductions

  $ 5   

Net expenses

  $ 2,089,636   

Net investment income

  $ 933,602   
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)        

Net realized gain (loss) —

 

Investment transactions

  $ (4,889,666

Investment transactions allocated from affiliated investment

    5   

Written options

    16,112,729   

Net realized gain

  $ 11,223,068   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) —

 

Investments

  $ (952,313

Written options

    588,947   

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  $ (363,366

Net realized and unrealized gain

  $ 10,859,702   

Net increase in net assets from operations

  $ 11,793,304   

 

  9   See Notes to Financial Statements.


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets   2015     2014  

From operations —

   

Net investment income

  $ 933,602      $ 920,619   

Net realized gain (loss) from investment transactions and written options

    11,223,068        (535,901

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) from investments and written options

    (363,366     2,575,306   

Net increase in net assets from operations

  $ 11,793,304      $ 2,960,024   

Distributions to common shareholders —

   

From net investment income

  $ (933,173   $ (921,107

From net realized gain

    (2,483,159       

Tax return of capital

    (8,173,038     (13,753,393

Total distributions to common shareholders

  $ (11,589,370   $ (14,674,500

Capital share transactions —

   

Cost of shares repurchased (see Note 5)

  $ (8,512,403   $ (2,321,821

Net decrease in net assets from capital share transactions

  $ (8,512,403   $ (2,321,821

Net decrease in net assets

  $ (8,308,469   $ (14,036,297
Net Assets                

At beginning of year

  $ 147,634,721      $ 161,671,018   

At end of year

  $ 139,326,252      $ 147,634,721   
Accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income
included in net assets
               

At end of year

  $      $ (3,638,875

 

  10   See Notes to Financial Statements.


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
     2015     2014     2013     2012     2011  

Net asset value — Beginning of year

  $ 14.200      $ 15.300      $ 18.290      $ 18.430      $ 17.890   
Income (Loss) From Operations                                        

Net investment income(1)

  $ 0.093      $ 0.088      $ 0.073      $ 0.038      $ 0.060   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    1.065        0.184        (1.363     1.522        2.180   

Total income (loss) from operations

  $ 1.158      $ 0.272      $ (1.290   $ 1.560      $ 2.240   
Less Distributions                                        

From net investment income

  $ (0.093   $ (0.088   $ (0.074   $ (0.037   $ (0.060

From net realized gain

    (0.249                   (1.525     (0.898

Tax return of capital

    (0.818     (1.312     (1.626     (0.138     (0.742

Total distributions

  $ (1.160   $ (1.400   $ (1.700   $ (1.700   $ (1.700

Anti-dilutive effect of share repurchase program (see Note 5)(1)

  $ 0.122      $ 0.028      $      $      $   

Net asset value — End of year

  $ 14.320      $ 14.200      $ 15.300      $ 18.290      $ 18.430   

Market value — End of year

  $ 12.570      $ 12.690      $ 14.200      $ 17.670      $ 16.550   

Total Investment Return on Net Asset Value(2)

    10.36     2.67     (6.81 )%      9.23     13.69

Total Investment Return on Market Value(2)

    8.40     (1.14 )%      (10.47 )%      17.45     9.23
Ratios/Supplemental Data                                        

Net assets, end of year (000’s omitted)

  $ 139,326      $ 147,635      $ 161,671      $ 193,069      $ 194,508   

Ratios (as a percentage of average daily net assets):

         

Expenses(3)

    1.43     1.42     1.43     1.42     1.43

Net investment income

    0.64     0.58     0.44     0.21     0.33

Portfolio Turnover

    35     52     51     14     59

 

(1) 

Computed using average shares outstanding.

 

(2) 

Returns are historical and are calculated by determining the percentage change in net asset value or market value with all distributions reinvested. Distributions are assumed to be reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan.

 

(3) 

Excludes the effect of custody fee credits, if any, of less than 0.005%.

 

  11   See Notes to Financial Statements.


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

 

1  Significant Accounting Policies

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund (the Fund) is a Massachusetts business trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide tax-advantaged current income and gains.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies of the Fund. The policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946.

A  Investment Valuation — The following methodologies are used to determine the market value or fair value of investments.

Debt Obligations. Debt obligations (including short-term obligations with a remaining maturity of more than sixty days) are generally valued on the basis of valuations provided by third party pricing services, as derived from such services’ pricing models. Inputs to the models may include, but are not limited to, reported trades, executable bid and asked prices, broker/dealer quotations, prices or yields of securities with similar characteristics, interest rates, anticipated prepayments, benchmark curves or information pertaining to the issuer, as well as industry and economic events. The pricing services may use a matrix approach, which considers information regarding securities with similar characteristics to determine the valuation for a security. Short-term obligations purchased with a remaining maturity of sixty days or less are generally valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.

Derivatives. Exchange-traded options (other than FLexible EXchange traded options) are valued at the mean between the bid and asked prices at valuation time as reported by the Options Price Reporting Authority for U.S. listed options or by the relevant exchange or board of trade for non-U.S. listed options. Over-the-counter options and FLexible EXchange traded options traded at the Chicago Board Options Exchange are valued by a third party pricing service using techniques that consider factors including the value of the underlying instrument, the volatility of the underlying instrument and the period of time until option expiration.

Affiliated Fund. The Fund may invest in Eaton Vance Cash Reserves Fund, LLC (Cash Reserves Fund), an affiliated investment company managed by Eaton Vance Management (EVM). The value of the Fund’s investment in Cash Reserves Fund reflects the Fund’s proportionate interest in its net assets. Cash Reserves Fund generally values its investment securities utilizing the amortized cost valuation technique in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. This technique involves initially valuing a portfolio security at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium. If amortized cost is determined not to approximate fair value, Cash Reserves Fund may value its investment securities in the same manner as debt obligations described above.

Fair Valuation. Investments for which valuations or market quotations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable are valued at fair value using methods determined in good faith by or at the direction of the Trustees of the Fund in a manner that fairly reflects the security’s value, or the amount that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale in the ordinary course. Each such determination is based on a consideration of relevant factors, which are likely to vary from one pricing context to another. These factors may include, but are not limited to, the type of security, the existence of any contractual restrictions on the security’s disposition, the price and extent of public trading in similar securities of the issuer or of comparable companies or entities, quotations or relevant information obtained from broker/dealers or other market participants, information obtained from the issuer, analysts, and/or the appropriate stock exchange (for exchange-traded securities), an analysis of the company’s or entity’s financial condition, and an evaluation of the forces that influence the issuer and the market(s) in which the security is purchased and sold.

B  Investment Transactions — Investment transactions for financial statement purposes are accounted for on a trade date basis. Realized gains and losses on investments sold are determined on the basis of identified cost.

C  Income — Interest income is recorded on the basis of interest accrued, adjusted for amortization of premium or accretion of discount.

D  Federal Taxes — The Fund’s policy is to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute to shareholders each year substantially all of its net investment income, and all or substantially all of its net realized capital gains. Accordingly, no provision for federal income or excise tax is necessary. The Fund intends to satisfy conditions which will enable it to designate distributions from the interest income generated by its investments in non-taxable municipal securities, which are exempt from regular federal income tax when received by the Fund, as exempt-interest dividends. The portion of such interest, if any, earned on private activity bonds issued after August 7, 1986, may be considered a tax preference item to shareholders.

As of December 31, 2015, the Fund had no uncertain tax positions that would require financial statement recognition, de-recognition, or disclosure. The Fund files a U.S. federal income tax return annually after its fiscal year-end, which is subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for a period of three years from the date of filing.

E  Expense Reduction — State Street Bank and Trust Company (SSBT) serves as custodian of the Fund. Pursuant to the custodian agreement, SSBT receives a fee reduced by credits, which are determined based on the average daily cash balance the Fund maintains with SSBT. All credit balances, if any, used to reduce the Fund’s custodian fees are reported as a reduction of expenses in the Statement of Operations.

 

  12  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Notes to Financial Statements — continued

 

 

F  Legal Fees — Legal fees and other related expenses incurred as part of negotiations of the terms and requirement of capital infusions, or that are expected to result in the restructuring of, or a plan of reorganization for, an investment are recorded as realized losses. Ongoing expenditures to protect or enhance an investment are treated as operating expenses.

G  Use of Estimates — The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expense during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

H  Indemnifications — Under the Fund’s organizational documents, its officers and Trustees may be indemnified against certain liabilities and expenses arising out of the performance of their duties to the Fund. Under Massachusetts law, if certain conditions prevail, shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust (such as the Fund) could be deemed to have personal liability for the obligations of the Fund. However, the Fund’s Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of liability on the part of Fund shareholders and the By-laws provide that the Fund shall assume the defense on behalf of any Fund shareholders. Moreover, the By-laws also provide for indemnification out of Fund property of any shareholder held personally liable solely by reason of being or having been a shareholder for all loss or expense arising from such liability. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Fund enters into agreements with service providers that may contain indemnification clauses. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred.

I  Written Options — Upon the writing of a call or a put option, the premium received by the Fund is included in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as a liability. The amount of the liability is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current market value of the option written, in accordance with the Fund’s policies on investment valuations discussed above. Premiums received from writing options which expire are treated as realized gains. Premiums received from writing options which are exercised or are closed are added to or offset against the proceeds or amount paid on the transaction to determine the realized gain or loss. When an index option is exercised, the Fund is required to deliver an amount of cash determined by the excess of the strike price of the option over the value of the index (in the case of a put) or the excess of the value of the index over the strike price of the option (in the case of a call) at contract termination. If a put option on a security is exercised, the premium reduces the cost basis of the securities purchased by the Fund. The Fund, as a writer of an option, may have no control over whether the underlying securities or other assets may be sold (call) or purchased (put) and, as a result, bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the securities or other assets underlying the written option. The Fund may also bear the risk of not being able to enter into a closing transaction if a liquid secondary market does not exist.

J  Purchased Options — Upon the purchase of a call or put option, the premium paid by the Fund is included in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an investment. The amount of the investment is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current market value of the option purchased, in accordance with the Fund’s policies on investment valuations discussed above. As the purchaser of an index option, the Fund has the right to receive a cash payment equal to any depreciation in the value of the index below the strike price of the option (in the case of a put) or equal to any appreciation in the value of the index over the strike price of the option (in the case of a call) as of the valuation date of the option. If an option which the Fund had purchased expires on the stipulated expiration date, the Fund will realize a loss in the amount of the cost of the option. If the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction, the Fund will realize a gain or loss, depending on whether the sales proceeds from the closing sale transaction are greater or less than the cost of the option. If the Fund exercises a put option on a security, it will realize a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying security, and the proceeds from such sale will be decreased by the premium originally paid. If the Fund exercises a call option on a security, the cost of the security which the Fund purchases upon exercise will be increased by the premium originally paid. The risk associated with purchasing options is limited to the premium originally paid.

K  When-Issued Securities and Delayed Delivery Transactions — The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery or when-issued basis. Payment and delivery may take place after the customary settlement period for that security. At the time the transaction is negotiated, the price of the security that will be delivered is fixed. The Fund maintains security positions for these commitments such that sufficient liquid assets will be available to make payments upon settlement. Securities purchased on a delayed delivery or when-issued basis are marked-to-market daily and begin earning interest on settlement date. Losses may arise due to changes in the market value of the underlying securities or if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.

2  Distributions to Shareholders and Income Tax Information

Subject to its Managed Distribution Plan, the Fund intends to make quarterly distributions from its net investment income, net capital gain (which is the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) and other sources. The Fund intends to distribute all or substantially all of its net realized capital gains. Distributions are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions to shareholders are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP. As required by U.S. GAAP, only distributions in excess of tax basis earnings and profits are reported in the financial statements as a return of capital. Permanent differences between book and tax accounting relating to distributions are reclassified to paid-in capital. For tax purposes, distributions from short-term capital gains are considered to be from ordinary income. Distributions in any year may include a substantial return of capital component.

 

  13  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Notes to Financial Statements — continued

 

 

The tax character of distributions declared for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was as follows:

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
     2015      2014  

Distributions declared from:

    

Tax-exempt income

  $ 780,243       $ 847,748   

Ordinary income

  $ 152,930       $ 73,359   

Long-term capital gains

  $ 2,483,159       $   

Tax return of capital

  $ 8,173,038       $ 13,753,393   

During the year ended December 31, 2015, accumulated net realized loss was decreased by $429, accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income was decreased by $3,638,446 and paid-in capital was decreased by $3,638,875 due to differences between book and tax accounting, primarily for premium amortization, accretion of market discount, the timing of recognizing distributions to shareholders and investments in partnerships. These reclassifications had no effect on the net assets or net asset value per share of the Fund.

As of December 31, 2015, the components of distributable earnings (accumulated losses) and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Net unrealized appreciation

  $ 4,064,411   

The differences between components of distributable earnings (accumulated losses) on a tax basis and the amounts reflected in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities are primarily due to option contracts, investments in partnerships, premium amortization and accretion of market discount.

The cost and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments of the Fund at December 31, 2015, as determined on a federal income tax basis, were as follows:

 

Aggregate cost

  $ 137,400,360   

Gross unrealized appreciation

  $ 4,424,407   

Gross unrealized depreciation

    (359,996

Net unrealized appreciation

  $ 4,064,411   

3  Investment Adviser and Administration Fee and Other Transactions with Affiliates

The investment adviser and administration fee is earned by EVM as compensation for management, investment advisory and administrative services rendered to the Fund. The fee is computed at an annual rate of 1.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets up to and including $1.5 billion and at reduced rates on daily net assets over $1.5 billion, and is payable monthly. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the investment adviser and administration fee amounted to $1,828,551 or 1.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Fund invests its cash in Cash Reserves Fund. EVM does not currently receive a fee for advisory services provided to Cash Reserves Fund. Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement, EVM has delegated a portion of the investment management to Parametric Risk Advisors LLC (PRA), an indirect affiliate of EVM. EVM pays PRA a portion of its advisory and administration fee for sub-advisory services provided to the Fund.

Trustees and officers of the Fund who are members of EVM’s organization receive remuneration for their services to the Fund out of the investment adviser and administration fee. Trustees of the Fund who are not affiliated with EVM may elect to defer receipt of all or a percentage of their annual fees in accordance with the terms of the Trustees Deferred Compensation Plan. For the year ended December 31, 2015, no significant amounts have been deferred. Certain officers and Trustees of the Fund are officers of EVM.

4  Purchases and Sales of Investments

Purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations and including maturities, aggregated $49,161,407 and $57,762,554, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2015.

 

  14  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Notes to Financial Statements — continued

 

 

5  Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

The Fund may issue common shares pursuant to its dividend reinvestment plan. There were no common shares issued by the Fund for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

On November 11, 2013, the Board of Trustees of the Fund authorized the repurchase by the Fund of up to 10% of its then currently outstanding common shares in open-market transactions at a discount to net asset value. The repurchase program does not obligate the Fund to purchase a specific amount of shares. During the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Fund repurchased 665,200 and 170,000, respectively, of its common shares under the share repurchase program at a cost, including brokerage commissions, of $8,512,403 and $2,321,821, respectively, and an average price per share of $12.80 and $13.66, respectively. The weighted average discount per share to NAV on these repurchases amounted to 12.62% and 11.06% for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively.

6  Financial Instruments

The Fund may trade in financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of its investing activities. These financial instruments may include written options and may involve, to a varying degree, elements of risk in excess of the amounts recognized for financial statement purposes. The notional or contractual amounts of these instruments represent the investment the Fund has in particular classes of financial instruments and do not necessarily represent the amounts potentially subject to risk. The measurement of the risks associated with these instruments is meaningful only when all related and offsetting transactions are considered. A summary of obligations under these financial instruments at December 31, 2015 is included in the Portfolio of Investments. At December 31, 2015, the Fund had sufficient cash and/or securities to cover commitments under these contracts.

Written options activity for the year ended December 31, 2015 was as follows:

 

     Number of
Contracts
     Premiums
Received
 

Outstanding, beginning of year

    2,790       $ 2,314,180   

Options written

    36,778         32,219,449   

Options terminated in closing purchase transactions

    (3,840      (3,528,751

Options expired

    (33,024      (28,421,112

Outstanding, end of year

    2,704       $ 2,583,766   

The Fund is subject to equity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective. The Fund enters into a series of S&P 500 written call and put option spread transactions to enhance return while limiting any potential loss. A written call option spread on a stock index consists of selling call options on the index and buying an equal number of call options on the same index and with the same expiration, but with a higher exercise price. A written put option spread on a stock index consists of selling put options on an index and buying an equal number of put options on the same index and with the same expiration, but with a lower exercise price. Any net premiums received are reduced by the premiums paid on the purchased options. The risk of loss if written options expire in the money is limited to the difference in exercise price of the written and purchased option positions. The Fund’s use of option spreads rather than stand alone options, staggering roll dates across the option position portfolio, and utilizing exchange-traded options guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corporation, a market clearinghouse, serve to mitigate risk in its option strategy.

The fair value of open derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) and whose primary underlying risk exposure is equity price risk at December 31, 2015 was as follows:

 

    Fair Value  
Derivative   Asset Derivative(1)      Liability Derivative(2)  

Purchased options

  $ 204,439       $   

Written options

            (1,429,628

Total

  $ 204,439       $ (1,429,628

 

(1) 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities location: Unaffiliated investments, at value.

 

(2) 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities location: Written options outstanding, at value.

 

  15  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Notes to Financial Statements — continued

 

 

The effect of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) on the Statement of Operations and whose primary underlying risk exposure is equity price risk for the year ended December 31, 2015 was as follows:

 

Derivative   Realized Gain (Loss)
on Derivatives Recognized
in Income
(1)
     Change in Unrealized
Appreciation (Depreciation) on
Derivatives Recognized in Income
(2)
 

Purchased options

  $ (6,176,406    $ (60,674

Written options

    16,112,729         588,947   

Total

  $ 9,936,323       $ 528,273   

 

(1) 

Statement of Operations location: Net realized gain (loss) – Investment transactions and Written options, respectively.

 

(2) 

Statement of Operations location: Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) – Investments and Written options, respectively.

The average number of purchased options contracts outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2015, which is indicative of the volume of this derivative type, was 2,791 contracts.

7  Fair Value Measurements

Under generally accepted accounting principles for fair value measurements, a three-tier hierarchy to prioritize the assumptions, referred to as inputs, is used in valuation techniques to measure fair value. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad levels listed below.

 

 

Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

 

Level 2 – other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

 

 

Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including a fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)

In cases where the inputs used to measure fair value fall in different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level disclosed is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

At December 31, 2015, the hierarchy of inputs used in valuing the Fund’s investments and open derivative instruments, which are carried at value, were as follows:

 

Asset Description   Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities

  $       $ 128,424,883       $         —       $ 128,424,883   

Taxable Municipal Securities

            9,356,100                 9,356,100   

Call Options Purchased

    7,930         5,636                 13,566   

Put Options Purchased

    90,167         100,706                 190,873   

Short-Term Investments

            3,683,788                 3,683,788   

Total Investments

  $ 98,097       $ 141,571,113       $       $ 141,669,210   

Liability Description

                                  

Call Options Written

  $ (240,755    $ (492,350    $       $ (733,105

Put Options Written

    (274,670      (421,853              (696,523

Total

  $ (515,425    $ (914,203    $       $ (1,429,628

The Fund held no investments or other financial instruments as of December 31, 2014 whose fair value was determined using Level 3 inputs. At December 31, 2015, there were no investments transferred between Level 1 and Level 2 during the year then ended.

 

  16  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

 

To the Trustees and Shareholders of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund:

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund (the “Fund”), including the portfolio of investments, as of December 31, 2015, and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2015, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; where replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, such financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund as of December 31, 2015, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

February 19, 2016

 

  17  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Federal Tax Information (Unaudited)

 

 

The Form 1099-DIV you received in February 2016 showed the tax status of all distributions paid to your account in calendar year 2015. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund. As required by the Internal Revenue Code and/or regulations, shareholders must be notified regarding exempt-interest dividends and capital gains dividends.

Exempt-Interest Dividends.  For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Fund designates $780,243 of dividends from net investment income as an exempt-interest dividend.

Capital Gains Dividends.  The Fund hereby designates as a capital gain dividend with respect to the taxable year ended December 31, 2015, $2,483,159 or, if subsequently determined to be different, the net capital gain of such year.

 

  18  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

 

 

The Fund offers a dividend reinvestment plan (Plan) pursuant to which shareholders automatically have distributions reinvested in common shares (Shares) of the Fund unless they elect otherwise through their investment dealer. On the distribution payment date, if the NAV per Share is equal to or less than the market price per Share plus estimated brokerage commissions, then new Shares will be issued. The number of Shares shall be determined by the greater of the NAV per Share or 95% of the market price. Otherwise, Shares generally will be purchased on the open market by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the Plan agent (Agent). Distributions subject to income tax (if any) are taxable whether or not Shares are reinvested.

If your Shares are in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee, you can ask the firm or nominee to participate in the Plan on your behalf. If the nominee does not offer the Plan, you will need to request that the Fund’s transfer agent re-register your Shares in your name or you will not be able to participate.

The Agent’s service fee for handling distributions will be paid by the Fund. Plan participants will be charged their pro rata share of brokerage commissions on all open-market purchases.

Plan participants may withdraw from the Plan at any time by writing to the Agent at the address noted on the following page. If you withdraw, you will receive Shares in your name for all Shares credited to your account under the Plan. If a participant elects by written notice to the Agent to sell part or all of his or her Shares and remit the proceeds, the Agent is authorized to deduct a $5.00 fee plus brokerage commissions from the proceeds.

If you wish to participate in the Plan and your Shares are held in your own name, you may complete the form on the following page and deliver it to the Agent. Any inquiries regarding the Plan can be directed to the Agent at 1-866-439-6787.

 

  19  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Application for Participation in Dividend Reinvestment Plan

 

 

 

This form is for shareholders who hold their common shares in their own names. If your common shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee, you should contact your nominee to see if it will participate in the Plan on your behalf. If you wish to participate in the Plan, but your brokerage firm, bank, or nominee is unable to participate on your behalf, you should request that your common shares be re-registered in your own name which will enable your participation in the Plan.

The following authorization and appointment is given with the understanding that I may terminate it at any time by terminating my participation in the Plan as provided in the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

 

Please print exact name on account:

 

Shareholder signature                                                           Date

 

Shareholder signature                                                           Date

Please sign exactly as your common shares are registered. All persons whose names appear on the share certificate must sign.

YOU SHOULD NOT RETURN THIS FORM IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE YOUR DISTRIBUTIONS IN CASH. THIS IS NOT A PROXY.

This authorization form, when signed, should be mailed to the following address:

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

c/o American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

P.O. Box 922

Wall Street Station

New York, NY 10269-0560

 

 

Number of Employees

The Fund is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a closed-end management investment company and has no employees.

Number of Shareholders

As of December 31, 2015, Fund records indicate that there are 2 registered shareholders and approximately 4,211 shareholders owning the Fund shares in street name, such as through brokers, banks, and financial intermediaries.

If you are a street name shareholder and wish to receive Fund reports directly, which contain important information about the Fund, please write or call:

Eaton Vance Distributors, Inc.

Two International Place

Boston, MA 02110

1-800-262-1122

New York Stock Exchange symbol

The New York Stock Exchange symbol is EXD.

 

  20  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Management and Organization

 

 

Fund Management.  The Trustees of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund (the Fund) are responsible for the overall management and supervision of the Fund’s affairs. The Trustees and officers of the Fund are listed below. Except as indicated, each individual has held the office shown or other offices in the same company for the last five years. The “Noninterested Trustees” consist of those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. The business address of each Trustee and officer is Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. As used below, “EVC” refers to Eaton Vance Corp., “EV” refers to Eaton Vance, Inc., “EVM” refers to Eaton Vance Management, “BMR” refers to Boston Management and Research, “EVMI” refers to Eaton Vance Management (International) Limited and “EVD” refers to Eaton Vance Distributors, Inc. EVC and EV are the corporate parent and trustee, respectively, of EVM and BMR. EVMI is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of EVC. EVD is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EVC. Each officer affiliated with Eaton Vance may hold a position with other Eaton Vance affiliates that is comparable to his or her position with EVM listed below. Each Trustee oversees 174 portfolios in the Eaton Vance Complex (including all master and feeder funds in a master feeder structure). Each officer serves as an officer of certain other Eaton Vance funds. Each Trustee serves for a three year term. Each officer serves until his or her successor is elected.

 

Name and Year of Birth   

Position(s)

with the

Fund

    

Term Expiring;

Trustee Since(1)

    

Principal Occupation(s) and Directorships

During Past Five Years and Other Relevant Experience

Interested Trustee

            

Thomas E. Faust Jr.

1958

  

Class I

Trustee

    

Until 2017.

Trustee since 2007.

    

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of EVC, Director and President of EV, Chief Executive Officer and President of EVM and BMR, and Director of EVD and EVMI. Trustee and/or officer of 174 registered investment companies. Mr. Faust is an interested person because of his positions with EVM, BMR, EVD, EVMI, EVC and EV, which are affiliates of the Fund.

Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) Director of EVC and Hexavest Inc. (investment management firm).

            

Noninterested Trustees

            

Scott E. Eston

1956

  

Class I

Trustee

    

Until 2017.

Trustee since 2011.

    

Private investor. Formerly held various positions at Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo and Co., L.L.C. (investment management firm) (1997-2009), including Chief Operating Officer (2002-2009), Chief Financial Officer (1997-2009) and Chairman of the Executive Committee (2002-2008); President and Principal Executive Officer, GMO Trust (open-end registered investment company) (2006-2009). Former Partner, Coopers and Lybrand L.L.P. (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) (an independent registered public accounting firm) (1987-1997).

Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) None.

Cynthia E. Frost

1961

  

Class I

Trustee

    

Until 2017.

Trustee since 2014.

    

Private investor. Formerly, Chief Investment Officer of Brown University (university endowment) (2000-2012); Portfolio Strategist for Duke Management Company (university endowment manager) (1995-2000); Managing Director, Cambridge Associates (investment consulting company) (1989-1995); Consultant, Bain and Company (management consulting firm) (1987-1989); Senior Equity Analyst, BA Investment Management Company (1983-1985).

Directorships in the Last Five Years. None.

George J. Gorman

1952

  

Class II

Trustee

    

Until 2018.

Trustee since 2014.

    

Principal at George J. Gorman LLC (consulting firm). Formerly, Senior Partner at Ernst & Young LLP (public accounting firm) (1974-2009).

Directorships in the Last Five Years. Formerly, Trustee of the Bank of America Money Market Funds Series Trust (2011-2014) and of the Ashmore Funds (2010-2014).

Valerie A. Mosley

1960

  

Class III

Trustee

    

Until 2016.

Trustee since 2014.

    

Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of Valmo Ventures (a consulting and investment firm). Former Partner and Senior Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Investment Strategist at Wellington Management Company, LLP (investment management firm) (1992-2012). Former Chief Investment Officer, PG Corbin Asset Management (1990-1992). Formerly worked in institutional corporate bond sales at Kidder Peabody (1986-1990).

Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) Director of Dynex Capital, Inc. (mortgage REIT) (since 2013).

 

  21  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Management and Organization — continued

 

 

Name and Year of Birth   

Position(s)

with the

Fund

    

Term Expiring;

Trustee Since(1)

    

Principal Occupation(s) and Directorships

During Past Five Years and Other Relevant Experience

Noninterested Trustees (continued)

William H. Park

1947

   Vice-Chairperson of the Board Class II Trustee     

Until 2018.

Vice-Chairperson of the Board since 2016 and Trustee since 2003.

    

Private investor. Formerly, Consultant (2012-2014). Formerly, Chief Financial Officer, Aveon Group L.P. (investment management firm) (2010-2011). Formerly, Vice Chairman, Commercial Industrial Finance Corp. (specialty finance company) (2006-2010). Formerly, President and Chief Executive Officer, Prizm Capital Management, LLC (investment management firm) (2002-2005). Formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, United Asset Management Corporation (investment management firm) (1982-2001). Formerly, Senior Manager, Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) (an independent registered public accounting firm) (1972-1981).

Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) None.

Helen Frame Peters

1948

  

Class III

Trustee

    

Until 2016.

Trustee since 2008.

    

Professor of Finance, Carroll School of Management, Boston College. Formerly, Dean, Carroll School of Management, Boston College (2000-2002). Formerly, Chief Investment Officer, Fixed Income, Scudder Kemper Investments (investment management firm) (1998-1999). Formerly, Chief Investment Officer, Equity and Fixed Income, Colonial Management Associates (investment management firm) (1991-1998).

Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) Formerly, Director of BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. (wholesale club retailer) (2004-2011). Formerly, Trustee of SPDR Index Shares Funds and SPDR Series Trust (exchange traded funds) (2000-2009). Formerly, Director of Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (a bank for banks) (2007-2009).

Susan J. Sutherland(3)

1957

  

Class II

Trustee

    

Until 2018.

Trustee since 2015.

    

Private investor. Formerly, Associate, Counsel and Partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (law firm) (1982-2013).

Directorships in the Last Five Years. Formerly, Director of Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. (global provider of customized insurance and reinsurance products) (2013-2015).

Harriett Tee Taggart

1948

  

Class II

Trustee

    

Until 2018.

Trustee since 2011.

    

Managing Director, Taggart Associates (a professional practice firm). Formerly, Partner and Senior Vice President, Wellington Management Company, LLP (investment management firm) (1983-2006).

Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) Director of Albemarle Corporation (chemicals manufacturer) (since 2007) and The Hanover Group (specialty property and casualty insurance company) (since 2009). Formerly, Director of Lubrizol Corporation (specialty chemicals) (2007-2011).

Ralph F. Verni

1943

   Chairperson of the Board and
Class III Trustee
    

Until 2016.

Chairperson of the Board since 2007 and Trustee since 2005.

    

Consultant and private investor. Formerly, Chief Investment Officer (1982-1992), Chief Financial Officer (1988-1990) and Director (1982-1992), New England Life. Formerly, Chairperson, New England Mutual Funds (1982-1992). Formerly, President and Chief Executive Officer, State Street Management & Research (1992-2000). Formerly, Chairperson, State Street Research Mutual Funds (1992-2000). Formerly, Director, W.P. Carey, LLC (1998-2004) and First Pioneer Farm Credit Corp. (2002-2006).

Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) None.

            

Principal Officers who are not Trustees

Name and Year of Birth   

Position(s)

with the

Fund

    

Officer

Since(4)

    

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

Payson F. Swaffield

1956

   President      2003      Vice President and Chief Income Investment Officer of EVM and BMR.

Maureen A. Gemma

1960

   Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer      2005      Vice President of EVM and BMR.

James F. Kirchner

1967

   Treasurer      2007      Vice President of EVM and BMR.

 

  22  


Eaton Vance

Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

December 31, 2015

 

Management and Organization — continued

 

 

 

Name and Year of Birth   

Position(s)

with the

Fund

    

Officer

Since(4)

    

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

Principal Officers who are not Trustees (continued)

Paul M. O’Neil

1953

   Chief Compliance Officer      2004      Vice President of EVM and BMR.

 

(1) 

Year first appointed to serve as Trustee for a fund in the Eaton Vance family of funds. Each Trustee has served continuously since appointment unless indicated otherwise. Each Trustee holds office until the annual meeting for the year in which his or her term expires and until his or her successor is elected and qualified, subject to a prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

(2) 

During their respective tenures, the Trustees (except for Mmes. Frost and Sutherland and Mr. Gorman) also served as Board members of one or more of the following funds (which operated in the years noted): eUnitsTM 2 Year U.S. Market Participation Trust: Upside to Cap / Buffered Downside (launched in 2012 and terminated in 2014); eUnitsTM 2 Year U.S. Market Participation Trust II: Upside to Cap / Buffered Downside (launched in 2012 and terminated in 2014); and Eaton Vance National Municipal Income Trust (launched in 1998 and terminated in 2009). However, Ms. Mosley did not serve as a Board member of eUnitsTM 2 Year U.S. Market Participation Trust: Upside to Cap / Buffered Downside (launched in 2012 and terminated in 2014).

(3) 

Ms. Sutherland began serving as a Trustee effective May 1, 2015.

(4) 

Year first elected to serve as officer of a fund in the Eaton Vance family of funds when the officer has served continuously. Otherwise, year of most recent election as an officer of a fund in the Eaton Vance family of funds. Titles may have changed since initial election.

 

  23  


Eaton Vance Funds

 

IMPORTANT NOTICES

 

 

Privacy.  The Eaton Vance organization is committed to ensuring your financial privacy. Each of the financial institutions identified below has in effect the following policy (“Privacy Policy”) with respect to nonpublic personal information about its customers:

 

 

Only such information received from you, through application forms or otherwise, and information about your Eaton Vance fund transactions will be collected. This may include information such as name, address, social security number, tax status, account balances and transactions.

 

 

None of such information about you (or former customers) will be disclosed to anyone, except as permitted by law (which includes disclosure to employees necessary to service your account). In the normal course of servicing a customer’s account, Eaton Vance may share information with unaffiliated third parties that perform various required services such as transfer agents, custodians and broker-dealers.

 

 

Policies and procedures (including physical, electronic and procedural safeguards) are in place that are designed to protect the confidentiality of such information.

 

 

We reserve the right to change our Privacy Policy at any time upon proper notification to you. Customers may want to review our Privacy Policy periodically for changes by accessing the link on our homepage: www.eatonvance.com.

Our pledge of privacy applies to the following entities within the Eaton Vance organization: the Eaton Vance Family of Funds, Eaton Vance Management, Eaton Vance Investment Counsel, Eaton Vance Distributors, Inc., Eaton Vance Trust Company, Eaton Vance Management (International) Limited, Eaton Vance Management’s Real Estate Investment Group and Boston Management and Research. In addition, our Privacy Policy applies only to those Eaton Vance customers who are individuals and who have a direct relationship with us. If a customer’s account (i.e., fund shares) is held in the name of a third-party financial advisor/broker-dealer, it is likely that only such advisor’s privacy policies apply to the customer. This notice supersedes all previously issued privacy disclosures. For more information about Eaton Vance’s Privacy Policy, please call 1-800-262-1122.

Delivery of Shareholder Documents.  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permits funds to deliver only one copy of shareholder documents, including prospectuses, proxy statements and shareholder reports, to fund investors with multiple accounts at the same residential or post office box address. This practice is often called “householding” and it helps eliminate duplicate mailings to shareholders. Eaton Vance, or your financial advisor, may household the mailing of your documents indefinitely unless you instruct Eaton Vance, or your financial advisor, otherwise. If you would prefer that your Eaton Vance documents not be householded, please contact Eaton Vance at 1-800-262-1122, or contact your financial advisor. Your instructions that householding not apply to delivery of your Eaton Vance documents will be effective within 30 days of receipt by Eaton Vance or your financial advisor.

Portfolio Holdings.  Each Eaton Vance Fund and its underlying Portfolio(s) (if applicable) will file a schedule of portfolio holdings on Form N-Q with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year. The Form N-Q will be available on the Eaton Vance website at www.eatonvance.com, by calling Eaton Vance at 1-800-262-1122 or in the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Form N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. (call 1-800-732-0330 for information on the operation of the public reference room).

Proxy Voting.  From time to time, funds are required to vote proxies related to the securities held by the funds. The Eaton Vance Funds or their underlying Portfolios (if applicable) vote proxies according to a set of policies and procedures approved by the Funds’ and Portfolios’ Boards. You may obtain a description of these policies and procedures and information on how the Funds or Portfolios voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30, without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-262-1122 and by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Share Repurchase Program.  The Fund’s Board of Trustees has approved a share repurchase program authorizing the Fund to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding common shares as of the approved date in open-market transactions at a discount to net asset value. The repurchase program does not obligate the Fund to purchase a specific amount of shares. The Fund’s repurchase activity, including the number of shares purchased, average price and average discount to net asset value, is disclosed in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.

Additional Notice to Shareholders.  If applicable, a Fund may also redeem or purchase its outstanding preferred shares in order to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements, borrowing or rating agency requirements or for other purposes as it deems appropriate or necessary.

Closed-End Fund Information.  Eaton Vance closed-end funds make fund performance data and certain information about portfolio characteristics available on the Eaton Vance website shortly after the end of each month. Other information about the funds is available on the website. The funds’ net asset value per share is readily accessible on the Eaton Vance website. Portfolio holdings for the most recent month-end are also posted to the website approximately 30 days following the end of the month. This information is available at www.eatonvance.com on the fund information pages under “Individual Investors — Closed-End Funds”.

 

  24  


Investment Adviser and Administrator

Eaton Vance Management

Two International Place

Boston, MA 02110

Sub-Adviser

Parametric Risk Advisors LLC

518 Riverside Avenue

Westport, CT 06880

Custodian

State Street Bank and Trust Company

State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

Transfer Agent

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11219

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Deloitte & Touche LLP

200 Berkeley Street

Boston, MA 02116-5022

Fund Offices

Two International Place

Boston, MA 02110

 


LOGO

4583    12.31.15


Item 2. Code of Ethics

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics applicable to its Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer. The registrant undertakes to provide a copy of such code of ethics to any person upon request, without charge, by calling 1-800-262-1122.

 

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert

The registrant’s Board has designated William H. Park, an independent trustee, as its audit committee financial expert. Mr. Park is a certified public accountant who is a private investor. Previously, he served as a consultant, as the Chief Financial Officer of Aveon Group, L.P. (an investment management firm), as the Vice Chairman of Commercial Industrial Finance Corp. (specialty finance company), as President and Chief Executive Officer of Prizm Capital Management, LLC (investment management firm), as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Asset Management Corporation (an institutional investment management firm) and as a Senior Manager at Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) (an independent registered public accounting firm).


Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

(a) –(d)

The following table presents the aggregate fees billed to the registrant for the registrant’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015 by the registrant’s principal accountant, Deloitte & Touche LLP (“D&T”), for professional services rendered for the audit of the registrant’s annual financial statements and fees billed for other services rendered by D&T during such periods.

 

Fiscal Years Ended

   12/31/14      12/31/15  

Audit Fees

   $ 45,410       $ 47,584   

Audit-Related Fees(1)

   $ 0       $ 0   

Tax Fees(2)

   $ 9,250       $ 9,013   

All Other Fees(3)

   $ 0       $ 0   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 54,660       $ 56,597   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)  Audit-related fees consist of the aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of financial statements and are not reported under the category of audit fees.
(2)  Tax fees consist of the aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant relating to tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning and specifically include fees for tax return preparation and other related tax compliance/planning matters.
(3)  All other fees consist of the aggregate fees billed for products and services provided by the principal accountant other than audit, audit-related, and tax services.

(e)(1) The registrant’s audit committee has adopted policies and procedures relating to the pre-approval of services provided by the registrant’s principal accountant (the “Pre-Approval Policies”). The Pre-Approval Policies establish a framework intended to assist the audit committee in the proper discharge of its pre-approval responsibilities. As a general matter, the Pre-Approval Policies (i) specify certain types of audit, audit-related, tax, and other services determined to be pre-approved by the audit committee; and (ii) delineate specific procedures governing the mechanics of the pre-approval process, including the approval and monitoring of audit and non-audit service fees. Unless a service is specifically pre-approved under the Pre-Approval Policies, it must be separately pre-approved by the audit committee.

The Pre-Approval Policies and the types of audit and non-audit services pre-approved therein must be reviewed and ratified by the registrant’s audit committee at least annually. The registrant’s audit committee maintains full responsibility for the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the work of the registrant’s principal accountant.

(e)(2) No services described in paragraphs (b)-(d) above were approved by the registrant’s audit committee pursuant to the “de minimis exception” set forth in Rule 2-01(c)(7)(i)(C) of Regulation S-X.

(f) Not applicable.

(g) The following table presents (i) the aggregate non-audit fees (i.e., fees for audit-related, tax, and other services) billed to the registrant by D&T for the registrant’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015; and (ii) the aggregate non-audit fees (i.e., fees for audit-related, tax, and other services) billed to the Eaton Vance organization by D&T for the same time periods.


Fiscal Years Ended

   12/31/14      12/31/15  

Registrant

   $ 9,250       $ 9,013   

Eaton Vance(1)

   $ 99,750       $ 56,434   

 

(1)  The investment adviser to the registrant, as well as any of its affiliates that provide ongoing services to the registrant, are subsidiaries of Eaton Vance Corp.

(h) The registrant’s audit committee has considered whether the provision by the registrant’s principal accountant of non-audit services to the registrant’s investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to Rule 2-01(c)(7)(ii) of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

 

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants

The registrant has a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. William H. Park (Chair), Scott E. Eston, Cynthia E. Frost and Ralph F. Verni are the members of the registrant’s audit committee.

 

Item 6. Schedule of Investments

Please see schedule of investments contained in the Report to Stockholders included under Item 1 of this Form N-CSR.

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a proxy voting policy and procedure (the “Fund Policy”), pursuant to which the Trustees have delegated proxy voting responsibility to the Fund’s investment adviser and adopted the investment adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures (the “Policies”) which are described below. The Trustees will review the Fund’s proxy voting records from time to time and will annually consider approving the Policies for the upcoming year. In the event that a conflict of interest arises between the Fund’s shareholders and the investment adviser, the administrator, or any of their affiliates or any affiliate of the Fund, the investment adviser will generally refrain from voting the proxies related to the companies giving rise to such conflict until it consults with the Board’s Special Committee except as contemplated under the Fund Policy. The Board’s Special Committee will instruct the investment adviser on the appropriate course of action.

The Policies are designed to promote accountability of a company’s management to its shareholders and to align the interests of management with those shareholders. An independent proxy voting service (“Agent”), currently Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc., has been retained to assist in the voting of proxies through the provision of vote analysis, implementation and recordkeeping and disclosure services. The investment adviser will generally vote proxies through the Agent. The Agent is required to vote all proxies and/or refer them back to the investment adviser pursuant to the Policies. It is generally the policy of the investment adviser to vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Agent. The Agent shall refer to the investment adviser proxies relating to mergers and restructurings, and the disposition of assets, termination, liquidation and mergers contained in mutual fund proxies. The investment adviser will normally vote against anti-takeover measures and other proposals designed to limit the ability of shareholders to act on possible transactions, except in the


case of closed-end management investment companies. The investment adviser generally supports management on social and environmental proposals. The investment adviser may abstain from voting from time to time where it determines that the costs associated with voting a proxy outweighs the benefits derived from exercising the right to vote or the economic effect on shareholders interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant.

In addition, the investment adviser will monitor situations that may result in a conflict of interest between the Fund’s shareholders and the investment adviser, the administrator, or any of their affiliates or any affiliate of the Fund by maintaining a list of significant existing and prospective corporate clients. The investment adviser’s personnel responsible for reviewing and voting proxies on behalf of the Fund will report any proxy received or expected to be received from a company included on that list to the personnel of the investment adviser identified in the Policies. If such personnel expects to instruct the Agent to vote such proxies in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines of the Policies or the recommendation of the Agent, the personnel will consult with members of senior management of the investment adviser to determine if a material conflict of interests exists. If it is determined that a material conflict does exist, the investment adviser will seek instruction on how to vote from the Special Committee.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-262-1122, and (2) on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies

Eaton Vance Management (“EVM” or “Eaton Vance”) is the investment adviser to the Fund. EVM has engaged its indirect controlled affiliate, Parametric Risk Advisors LLC (“PRA”), as the sub-adviser to the Fund.

Brian C. Barney, Devin J. Cooch and James H. Evans are responsible for managing the Fund’s overall investment program, structuring and managing the Fund’s Bond Strategy, providing research support to the sub-adviser and supervising the performance of the sub-adviser. Mr. Barney is a Vice President and Director of Institutional Portfolio Strategies at EVM and has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since December 2015. Mr. Cooch is a Vice President of EVM and has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since December 2015. Mr. Evans is a Vice President and Director of Tax Advantaged Bond Strategies at EVM and has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June 2010. Kenneth Everding and Jonathan Orseck are the PRA portfolio managers responsible for developing, monitoring and implementing the Fund’s Option Overlay Strategy. Mr. Everding is a Vice President and Managing Director-Research of PRA and has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June 2010. Mr. Orseck is a Vice President and Managing Director-Operations of PRA and has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June 2010. Messrs. Barney, Cooch, Evans, Everding and Orseck have managed other Eaton Vance portfolios for more than five years. This information is provided as of the date of filing of this report.

The following table shows, as of the Fund’s most recent fiscal year end, the number of accounts each portfolio manager managed in each of the listed categories and the total assets (in millions of dollars) in the accounts managed within each category. The table also shows the number of accounts with respect to which the advisory fee is based on the performance of the account, if any, and the total assets (in millions of dollars) in those accounts.


     Number of
All
Accounts
     Total Assets of
All
Accounts
    Number of
Accounts
Paying a
Performance Fee
     Total Assets
of Accounts
Paying
a Performance Fee
 

Brian C. Barney

          

Registered Investment Companies

     6       $ 1,244.6        0       $ 0   

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0       $ 0        0       $ 0   

Other Accounts

     25       $ 2,164.7        0       $ 0   

Devin J. Cooch

          

Registered Investment Companies

     3       $ 689.7        0       $ 0   

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0       $ 0        0       $ 0   

Other Accounts

     23       $ 272.4        0       $ 0   

James H. Evans

          

Registered Investment Companies

     6       $ 1,244.6        0       $ 0   

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0       $ 0        0       $ 0   

Other Accounts

     0       $ 0        0       $ 0   

Kenneth Everding

          

Registered Investment Companies

     6       $ 514.7        0       $ 0   

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0       $ 0        0       $ 0   

Other Accounts

     336       $ 4,693.6 (1)      1       $ 100.0   

Jonathan Orseck

          

Registered Investment Companies

     6       $ 514.7        0       $ 0   

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0       $ 0        0       $ 0   

Other Accounts

     336       $ 4,693.6 (1)      1       $ 100.0   

 

(1)  For “Other Accounts” that are part of a wrap account program, the number of accounts is the number of sponsors for which the portfolio manager provides advisory services rather than the number of individual customer accounts within each wrap account program.


The following table shows the dollar range of Fund shares beneficially by each portfolio manager as of the Fund’s most recent fiscal year end.

 

Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of Equity
Securities Owned in the Fund

Brian C. Barney

   None

Devin J. Cooch

   None

James H. Evans

   None

Kenneth Everding

   None

Jonathan Orseck

   None

Potential for Conflicts of Interest. It is possible that conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager’s management of a Fund’s investments on the one hand and the investments of other accounts for which the portfolio manager is responsible on the other. For example, a portfolio manager may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time, resources and investment opportunities among the Fund and other accounts he or she advises. In addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions between a Fund and the other accounts, a portfolio manager may take action with respect to another account that differs from the action taken with respect to the Fund. In some cases, another account managed by a portfolio manager may compensate EVM or the sub-adviser based on the performance of the securities held by that account. The existence of such a performance based fee may create additional conflicts of interest for the portfolio manager in the allocation of management time, resources and investment opportunities. Whenever conflicts of interest arise, the portfolio manager will endeavor to exercise his or her discretion in a manner that he or she believes is equitable to all interested persons. EVM and the sub-adviser have adopted several policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts including a code of ethics and policies which govern EVM’s and the sub-adviser’s trading practices, including among other things the aggregation and allocation of trades among clients, brokerage allocation, cross trades and best execution.

Compensation Structure for EVM

Compensation of EVM’s portfolio managers and other investment professionals has three primary components: (1) a base salary, (2) an annual cash bonus, and (3) annual stock-based compensation consisting of options to purchase shares of Eaton Vance Corp.’s (“EVC’s”) nonvoting common stock and restricted shares of EVC’s nonvoting common stock. EVM’s investment professionals also receive certain retirement, insurance and other benefits that are broadly available to EVM’s employees. Compensation of EVM’s investment professionals is reviewed primarily on an annual basis. Cash bonuses, stock-based compensation awards, and adjustments in base salary are typically paid or put into effect at or shortly after the October 31st fiscal year end of EVC.

Method to Determine Compensation. EVM compensates its portfolio managers based primarily on the scale and complexity of their portfolio responsibilities and the total return performance of managed funds and accounts versus the benchmark(s) stated in the prospectus, as well as an appropriate peer group (as described below). In addition to rankings within peer groups of funds on the basis of absolute performance, consideration may also be given to relative risk-adjusted performance. Risk-adjusted performance measures include, but are not limited to, the Sharpe ratio (Sharpe ratio uses standard deviation and excess return to determine reward per unit of risk). Performance is normally based on periods ending on the September 30th preceding fiscal year end. Fund performance is normally evaluated primarily versus peer groups of funds as determined by Lipper Inc. and/or Morningstar, Inc. When a fund’s peer group as determined by Lipper or Morningstar is deemed by EVM’s management not to provide a fair comparison, performance may instead be evaluated primarily against a custom peer group or market index. In evaluating the performance of a fund and its manager, primary emphasis is normally placed on three-year performance, with secondary consideration of performance over


longer and shorter periods. A portion of the compensation payable to equity portfolio managers and investment professionals will be determined based on the ability of one or more accounts managed by such manager to achieve a specified target average annual gross return over a three year period in excess of the account benchmark. The cash bonus to be payable at the end of the three year term will be established at the inception of the term and will be adjusted positively or negatively to the extent that the average annual gross return varies from the specified target return. For funds that are tax-managed or otherwise have an objective of after-tax returns, performance is measured net of taxes. For other funds, performance is evaluated on a pre-tax basis. For funds with an investment objective other than total return (such as current income), consideration will also be given to the fund’s success in achieving its objective. For managers responsible for multiple funds and accounts, investment performance is evaluated on an aggregate basis, based on averages or weighted averages among managed funds and accounts. Funds and accounts that have performance-based advisory fees are not accorded disproportionate weightings in measuring aggregate portfolio manager performance.

The compensation of portfolio managers with other job responsibilities (such as heading an investment group or providing analytical support to other portfolios) will include consideration of the scope of such responsibilities and the managers’ performance in meeting them.

EVM seeks to compensate portfolio managers commensurate with their responsibilities and performance, and competitive with other firms within the investment management industry. EVM participates in investment-industry compensation surveys and utilizes survey data as a factor in determining salary, bonus and stock-based compensation levels for portfolio managers and other investment professionals. Salaries, bonuses and stock-based compensation are also influenced by the operating performance of EVM and its parent company. The overall annual cash bonus pool is generally based on a substantially fixed percentage of pre-bonus adjusted operating income. While the salaries of EVM’s portfolio managers are comparatively fixed, cash bonuses and stock-based compensation may fluctuate significantly from year to year, based on changes in manager performance and other factors as described herein. For a high performing portfolio manager, cash bonuses and stock-based compensation may represent a substantial portion of total compensation.

Compensation Structure for PRA

Compensation Structure for PRA. Compensation of PRA portfolio managers and other investment professionals has three primary components: (1) a base salary, (2) a cash bonus, and (3) possibly annual stock-based compensation consisting of options to purchase shares of EVC nonvoting common stock, restricted shares of EVC nonvoting common stock and, for certain individuals, grants of profit participation interests in PRA’s parent company Parametric Portfolio Associates, LLC. PRA investment professionals also receive certain retirement, insurance and other benefits that are broadly available to PRA employees. Compensation of PRA investment professionals is reviewed primarily on an annual basis. Stock-based compensation awards and adjustments in base salary and bonus are typically paid and/or put into effect at or shortly after fiscal year-end.

Method used to Determine Compensation. PRA seeks to compensate portfolio managers commensurate with their responsibilities and performance, and competitive with other firms within the investment management industry. The performance of portfolio managers is evaluated primarily based on success in achieving portfolio objectives for managed funds and accounts. The compensation of portfolio managers with other job responsibilities (such as product development) will include consideration of the scope of such responsibilities and the managers’ performance in meeting them.

Salaries, bonuses and stock-based compensation are also influenced by the operating performance of PRA, Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC, its parent company and EVC, Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC’s parent company. Cash bonuses overall are determined based on a target percentage of PRA profits. While the salaries of PRA portfolio managers are comparatively fixed, cash bonuses and stock-based compensation may fluctuate substantially from year-to-year, based on changes in financial performance and other factors.


Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers

REGISTRANT PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

 

Period*

   Total Number of
Shares Purchased
     Average Price
Paid per Share
     Total Number of Shares
Purchased as Part of
Publicly Announced
Programs
     Maximum Number
of Shares that May
Yet Be Purchased
Under the Programs
 

January 2015

     —           —           —           886,678   

February 2015

     —           —           —           886,678   

March 2015

     —           —           —           886,678   

April 2015

     90,000       $ 13.02         90,000         796,678   

May 2015

     122,700       $ 12.85         122,700         673,978   

June 2015

     117,300       $ 12.94         117,300         556,678   

July 2015

     41,500       $ 12.88         41,500         515,178   

August 2015

     158,500       $ 12.79         158,500         356,678   

September 2015

     113,500       $ 12.45         113,500         243,178   

October 2015

     19,700       $ 12.52         19,700         223,478   

November 2015

     —           —           —           223,478   

December 2015

     2,000       $ 12.39         2,000         221,478   

Total

     665,200       $ 12.80         665,200      

 

* On November 11, 2013, the Fund’s Board of Trustees approved a share repurchase program authorizing the Fund to repurchase up to 10% of its then currently outstanding common shares in open-market transactions at a discount to net asset value. The repurchase program was announced on November 15, 2013.

 

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

No material changes.

 

Item 11. Controls and Procedures

(a) It is the conclusion of the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer that the effectiveness of the registrant’s current disclosure controls and procedures (such disclosure controls and procedures having been evaluated within 90 days of the date of this filing) provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the registrant has been recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and that the information required to be disclosed by the registrant has been accumulated and communicated to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer in order to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(b) There have been no changes in the registrant’s internal controls over financial reporting during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12. Exhibits

 

(a)(1)

   Registrant’s Code of Ethics – Not applicable (please see Item 2).

(a)(2)(i)

   Treasurer’s Section 302 certification.

(a)(2)(ii)

   President’s Section 302 certification.

(b)

   Combined Section 906 certification.

(c)

   Registrant’s notices to shareholders pursuant to Registrant’s exemptive order granting an exemption from Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder regarding distributions paid pursuant to the Registrant’s Managed Distribution Plan.


Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund

 

By:

 

/s/ Payson F. Swaffield

  Payson F. Swaffield
  President

Date:

  February 12, 2016

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By:  

/s/ James F. Kirchner

  James F. Kirchner
  Treasurer
Date:   February 12, 2016
By:  

/s/ Payson F. Swaffield

  Payson F. Swaffield
  President
Date:   February 12, 2016