ntgnq.htm


 



UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


 
FORM N-Q
 
 
QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY
 




Investment Company Act file number 811-22409



Tortoise MLP Fund, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



11550 Ash Street, Suite 300, Leawood, KS 66211
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)



Terry Matlack
Diane Bono
11550 Ash Street, Suite 300, Leawood, KS 66211
(Name and address of agent for service)



913-981-1020
Registrant's telephone number, including area code



Date of fiscal year end: November 30


Date of reporting period:  August 31, 2016
 
 

 
 
Item 1. Schedule of Investments.
 
Tortoise MLP Fund, Inc.
           
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited)
           
               
     
August 31, 2016
 
     
Shares
   
Fair Value
 
Master Limited Partnerships - 162.8%(1)
           
Crude Oil Pipelines - 39.7%(1)
           
United States - 39.7%(1)
           
Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.
    2,954,562     $ 68,723,112  
Genesis Energy L.P.
    1,197,143       42,845,748  
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
    3,821,796       107,239,596  
Shell Midstream Partners, L.P.
    600,405       18,294,340  
Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P.
    2,671,434       79,074,446  
Tesoro Logistics LP
    1,026,024       49,208,111  
 
              365,385,353  
Natural Gas/Natural Gas Liquids Pipelines - 67.0%(1)
               
United States - 67.0%(1)
               
Columbia Pipeline Partners LP
    625,082       8,482,362  
Dominion Midstream Partners, LP
    548,376       13,961,653  
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.
    3,522,616       140,693,283  
Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
    4,502,106       118,855,598  
EQT Midstream Partners, LP
    1,168,004       91,816,795  
ONEOK Partners, L.P.
    2,621,417       101,579,909  
Spectra Energy Partners, LP
    2,256,493       102,963,776  
Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP
    819,012       37,740,073  
                616,093,449  
Natural Gas Gathering/Processing - 39.0%(1)
               
United States - 39.0%(1)
               
Antero Midstream Partners LP
    725,846       20,004,316  
DCP Midstream Partners, LP
    1,740,466       57,035,071  
EnLink Midstream Partners, LP
    3,067,916       54,148,717  
MPLX LP
    1,538,726       50,977,992  
Rice Midstream Partners LP
    513,608       11,741,079  
Western Gas Equity Partners, LP
    1,744       64,301  
Western Gas Partners, LP
    1,807,214       90,939,009  
Williams Partners L.P.
    1,933,677       73,673,094  
                358,583,579  
Refined Product Pipelines - 17.1%(1)
               
United States - 17.1%(1)
               
Buckeye Partners, L.P.
    1,039,397       73,028,033  
Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.
    869,301       61,137,939  
Phillips 66 Partners LP
    310,784       15,374,485  
Valero Energy Partners LP
    187,891       7,870,754  
                157,411,211  
                   
Total Master Limited Partnerships (Cost $1,329,163,959)
            1,497,473,592  
                   
Preferred Stock - 2.3%(1)
               
Natural Gas Gathering/Processing - 1.5%(1)
               
United States - 1.5%(1)
               
Targa Resources Corp., 9.500%(2)
    12,252       13,712,543  
                   
Oil and Gas Production - 0.8%(1)
               
United States - 0.8%(1)
               
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, 7.500%, 06/07/2018
    199,500       7,620,900  
                   
Total Preferred Stock (Cost $19,419,735)
            21,333,443  
                   
Warrants - 0.6%(1)
               
Natural Gas Gathering/Processing - 0.6%(1)
               
United States - 0.6%(1)
               
Targa Resources Corp. - Series A, $18.88, 03/16/2023(2)(3)
    172,018       3,928,073  
Targa Resources Corp. - Series B, $25.11, 03/16/2023(2)(3)
    82,946       1,405,416  
                   
Total Warrants (Cost $1,771,155)
            5,333,489  
                   
Short-Term Investment - 0.0%(1)
               
United States Investment Company - 0.0%(1)
               
Government & Agency Portfolio - Institutional Class, 0.29%(4) (Cost $161,155)
    161,155       161,155  
                   
Total Investments - 165.7%(1) (Cost $1,350,516,004)
            1,524,301,679  
Other Assets and Liabilities - (0.1)%(1)
            (1,493,521 )
Deferred Tax Liability - (17.4)%(1)
            (159,787,206 )
Credit Facility Borrowings - (5.3)%(1)
            (49,300,000 )
Senior Notes - (30.9)%(1)
            (284,000,000 )
Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Stock at Liquidation Value - (12.0)%(1)
            (110,000,000 )
Total Net Assets Applicable to Common Stockholders - 100.0%(1)
          $ 919,720,952  
                   
                   
(1)
Calculated as a percentage of net assets applicable to common stockholders.
         
(2)
Restricted securities have been fair valued in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Directors and have
 
 
a total fair value of $19,046,032, which represents 2.1% of net assets.
 
(3)
Non-income producing security.
               
(4)
Rate indicated is the current yield as of August 31, 2016.
               

 
 

 

Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of the Company’s investments and financial instruments.  These inputs are 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, market corroborated inputs, etc.)
Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including the Company's own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)
 
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

The following table provides the fair value measurements of applicable assets by level within the fair value hierarchy as of August 31, 2016.  These assets are measured on a recurring basis.

 
Description
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Assets
                       
Investments:
                       
Master Limited Partnerships(a)
  $ 1,497,473,592     $ -     $ -     $ 1,497,473,592  
Preferred Stock(a)
    7,620,900       -       13,712,543       21,333,443  
Warrants(a)
    -       -       5,333,489       5,333,489  
Short-Term Investment(b)
    161,155       -       -       161,155  
Total Assets
  $ 1,505,255,647     $ -     $ 19,046,032     $ 1,524,301,679  
 
(a)  
All other industry classifications are identified in the Schedule of Investments.
(b)  
Short-term investment is a sweep investment for cash balances.
 
The Company utilizes the beginning of reporting period method for determining transfers between levels.  During the period ended August 31, 2016, Rice Midstream Partners LP common units held by the Company in the amount of $5,680,382 were transferred from Level 2 to Level 1 when they converted into registered and unrestricted common units of Rice Midstream Partners LP.  There were no other transfers between levels for the Company during the period ended August 31, 2016.

Valuation Techniques
 
In general, and where applicable, the Company uses readily available market quotations based upon the last updated sales price from the principal market to determine fair value. The Company primarily owns securities that are listed on a securities exchange or are traded in the over-the-counter market. The Company values those securities at their last sale price on that exchange or over-the-counter market on the valuation date. If the security is listed on more than one exchange, the Company uses the price from the exchange that it considers to be the principal exchange on which the security is traded. Securities listed on the NASDAQ are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price, which may not necessarily represent the last sale price. If there has been no sale on such exchange or over-the-counter market on such day, the security is valued at the mean between the last bid price and last ask price on such day. These securities are categorized as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.
 
Restricted securities are subject to statutory or contractual restrictions on their public resale, which may make it more difficult to obtain a valuation and may limit the Company's ability to dispose of them. Investments in private placement securities and other securities for which market quotations are not readily available are valued in good faith by using certain fair value procedures. Such fair value procedures consider factors such as discounts to publicly traded issues, time until conversion date, securities with similar yields, quality, type of issue, coupon, duration and rating. If events occur that affect the value of the Company's portfolio securities before the net asset value has been calculated (a “significant event”), the portfolio securities so affected are generally priced using fair value procedures.

An equity security of a publicly traded company acquired in a private placement transaction without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), is subject to restrictions on resale that can affect the security's liquidity and fair value. If such a security is convertible into publicly-traded common shares, the security generally will be valued at the common share market price adjusted by a percentage discount due to the restrictions and categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. To the extent that such securities are convertible or otherwise become freely tradable within a time frame that may be reasonably determined, an amortization schedule may be used to determine the discount. If the security has characteristics that are dissimilar to the class of security that trades on the open market, the security will generally be valued and categorized as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.
 
Unobservable inputs shall be used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity.  Unobservable inputs shall reflect the Company’s own beliefs about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability (including assumptions about risk). Unobservable inputs shall be developed based on the best information available in the circumstances, which might include the Company’s own data. The Company’s own data shall be adjusted if information is reasonably available without undue cost and effort that indicates that market participants would use different assumptions.
 
The Company generally values debt securities at evaluated bid prices obtained from an independent third-party valuation service that utilizes a pricing matrix based upon yield data for securities with similar characteristics, or based on a direct written broker-dealer quotation from a dealer who has made a market in the security. Debt securities with 60 days or less to maturity at time of purchase are valued on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
 
The following table presents the Company’s assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the period ended August 31, 2016.
 
   
Preferred Stock
   
Warrants
 
Balance – beginning of period
  $ -     $ -  
Purchases
    10,848,405       1,771,155  
Return of capital
    (536,706 )     -  
Sales
    -       -  
Total realized gains
    -       -  
Change in unrealized gains
    3,400,844       3,562,334  
Balance – end of period
  $ 13,712,543     $ 5,333,489  

 
The $6,963,178 of unrealized gains relate to investments that are still held at the end of the reporting period.
 
Certain of the Company’s investments are restricted and are valued as determined in accordance with fair value procedures.  The following table shows the principal amount or shares, acquisition date(s), acquisition cost, fair value and the percent of net assets which the securities comprise at August 31, 2016.

Investment Security
 
 
 
Investment Type
 
Shares
 
Acquisition Date
 
Acquisition Cost
   
Fair Value
   
Fair Value as Percent of Net Assets
 
Targa Resources Corp., 9.500%
Preferred Stock
    12,252  
3/16/16
  $ 10,848,405     $ 13,712,543       1.5 %
Targa Resources Corp., Series A, $18.88, 03/16/2023
Warrants
    172,018  
3/16/16
    1,306,882       3,928,073       0.4  
Targa Resources Corp., Series B, $25.11, 03/16/2023
Warrants
    82,946  
3/16/16
    464,273       1,405,416       0.2  
                $ 12,619,560     $ 19,046,032       2.1 %
 
As of August 31, 2016, the aggregate cost of securities for federal income tax purposes was $963,018,757. The aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all securities in which there was an excess of fair value over tax cost was $570,454,110, the aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there was an excess of tax cost over fair value was $9,171,188 and the net unrealized appreciation was $561,282,922.


 
 

 


Item 2. Controls and Procedures.
 
(a)  
The registrant’s Chief Executive Officer and its Principal Financial Officer have concluded that the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report, based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(b)  
There was no change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the registrant's last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
 
Item 3. Exhibits.
 
Separate certifications for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)) are filed herewith.

 
 

 
 
 
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.


  Tortoise MLP Fund, Inc.  
       
Date: October 27, 2016
By:
  /s/ P. Bradley Adams  
    P. Bradley Adams  
    Chief Executive Officer   
       



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.

  Tortoise MLP Fund, Inc.  
       
Date: October 27, 2016
By:
  /s/ P. Bradley Adams  
    P. Bradley Adams  
    Chief Executive Officer   
       
  Tortoise MLP Fund, Inc.  
       
Date: October 27, 2016
By:
  /s/ Brent Behrens  
    Brent Behrens  
   
Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer