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:  811-05984

The New Ireland Fund, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

One Boston Place

201 Washington St. 36^th Floor

Boston, MA 02108
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

KBI Global Investors (North America) Ltd.

One Boston Place

201 Washington St. 36^th Floor

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code

Date of fiscal year end: October 31

Date of reporting period: January 31, 2018

 

 

Item 1. Schedule of Investments.

 

The New Ireland Fund, Inc.
Portfolio Holdings (unaudited)
							Value (U.S.)
January 31, 2018			Shares				(Note A)
COMMON STOCKS (98.95%)
COMMON STOCKS OF IRISH COMPANIES (92.42%)
Airlines (11.80%)
Ryanair Holdings PLC *				305,800			$	6,329,070
Ryanair Holdings PLC - Sponsored ADR *				20,097				2,466,103
								8,795,173
Banks (8.46%)
AIB Group PLC				322,141				2,245,756
Bank of Ireland Group PLC *				416,058				4,060,164
								6,305,920
Building Products (4.88%)
Kingspan Group PLC				78,698				3,634,741
Construction Materials (23.55%)
CRH PLC				472,695				17,559,389
Containers & Packaging (3.92%)
Smurfit Kappa Group PLC				83,365				2,924,979
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) (2.61%)
Green, REIT, PLC				985,416				1,947,733
Food & Staples Retailing (2.08%)
Total Produce PLC				531,447				1,550,582
Food Products (6.71%)
Glanbia PLC				124,047				2,120,738
Greencore Group PLC				466,850				1,289,256
Kerry Group PLC, Series A				13,425				1,429,273
Origin Enterprises PLC				21,273				159,791
								4,999,058
Health Care Providers & Services (2.00%)
UDG Healthcare PLC				127,750				1,488,270
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure (8.07%)
Dalata Hotel Group PLC *				352,017				2,556,739
Paddy Power Betfair PLC				29,862				3,462,841
								6,019,580
Household Durables (2.02%)
Glenveagh Properties PLC *				1,000,000				1,507,251
Industrial Conglomerates (4.93%)
DCC PLC				7,173				754,168
IPL Plastics PLC *				1,119,140				2,917,901
								3,672,069
Internet & Catalog Retail (2.02%)
Hostelworld Group PLC				291,870				1,503,849

Life Sciences Tools & Services (1.21%)
Malin Corp PLC *			81,980				905,868
Machinery (0.57%)
Mincon Group PLC			281,545				422,961
Marine (1.70%)
Irish Continental Group PLC - UTS			177,922				1,270,177
Multi-Utilities (1.00%)
Greencoat Renewables PLC *			563,089				748,045
Pharmaceuticals (0.65%)
Amryt Pharma PLC *			1,804,917				481,795
Professional Services (0.11%)
CPL Resources PLC			10,693				82,576
Specialty Retail (2.09%)
Applegreen PLC			213,937				1,556,504
Trading Companies & Distributors (2.04%)
Grafton Group PLC			135,392				1,519,628
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS OF IRISH COMPANIES
(Cost $44,645,063)							68,896,148
COMMON STOCKS OF FRENCH COMPANIES (4.21%)
Building Products (2.31%)
Cie de St-Gobain			29,692				1,725,803
Multi-Utilities (1.90%)
Veolia Environnement SA			56,110				1,413,478
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS OF FRENCH COMPANIES
(Cost $2,256,663)							3,139,281
COMMON STOCKS OF UNITED STATES COMPANIES (2.32%)
Commercial Services & Supplies (2.32%)
Covanta Holding Corp.			105,698				1,728,162
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS OF UNITED STATES COMPANIES
(Cost $1,810,097)							1,728,162
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $48,711,823)						$	73,763,591
TOTAL INVESTMENTS (98.95%)							73,763,591
(Cost 48,711,823)
OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (1.05%)							782,482
NET ASSETS (100.00%)						$	74,546,073

*	Non-income producing security.
ADR	American Depositary Receipt traded in U.S. dollars.
REIT	Real Estate Investment Trust
UTS	Units

 

A. Valuation and Investment Practices:

 

Security Valuation:  Securities listed on a stock exchange for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the closing prices on the date of valuation, or if no such closing prices are available, at the last bid price quoted on such day. If there are no such quotations available for the date of valuation, the last available closing price will be used. The value of securities and other assets for which no market quotations are readily available, or whose values have been materially affected by events occurring before the Funds’ pricing time but after the close of the securities’ primary markets, are valued by methods deemed by the Board of Directors to represent fair value. Short-term securities that mature in 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost.

Fair Value Measurements:  As described above, the Fund utilizes various methods to measure the fair value of most of its investments on a recurring basis. U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) establishes a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation methods. The three levels of inputs are:

 

Level 1 –

unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access.

The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.

The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.

At the end of each fiscal quarter, management evaluates the Level 2 and Level 3 assets and liabilities, if any, for changes in liquidity, including but not limited to: whether a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price, the depth and consistency of prices from third party services, and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the Level 1 and Level 2 assets and liabilities on quarterly basis for changes in listing or delistings on national exchanges.

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.  Transfers in and out of levels are recognized at market value at the end of period.  The Summary of inputs used to value the Fund's net assets as of January 31, 2018 is as follows:

			Total Value at 01/31/2018				Level 1 Quoted Price				Level 2 Significant Observable Input				Level 3 Significant Unobservable Input
Investments in Securities
Common Stocks*
Industrial Conglomerates			$	3,672,069			$	754,168			$	2,917,901			$	-
Machinery				422,961				-				422,961				-
Other Industries				69,668,561				69,668,561				-				-
Total Investments ^			$	73,763,591			$	70,422,729			$	3,340,862			$	-
* See Portfolio Holdings detail for country breakout.
^ Portfolio holdings are disclosed individually on the Schedule of Investments.
At the end of the period ended January 31, 2018, investments with a total aggregate value of $82,576 were transferred
from Level 2 to Level 1 because the securities traded on the last day of the period.
At the end of the period ended January 31, 2018, investments with a total aggregate value of $3,340,862 were transferred
from Level 1 to Level 2 because the securities did not trade on the last day of the period.

Currency Translations:  The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Foreign currency amounts are translated into U.S. dollars at the spot rate of such currencies against U.S. dollars by obtaining from Interactive Data Corp. each day the current 4:00 pm New York time spot rate and future rate (the future rates are quoted in 30-day increments) on foreign currency contracts. Net realized foreign currency gains and losses resulting from changes in exchange rates include foreign currency gains and losses between trade date and settlement date on investment securities transactions, foreign currency transactions, and the difference between the amounts of interest and dividends recorded on the books of the Fund and the amount actually received. The portion of foreign currency gains and losses related to fluctuation in exchange rates between the initial purchase trade date and subsequent sale trade date is included in realized gains and losses on security transactions.

Securities Transactions:  Securities transactions are recorded based on their trade date.  Realized gains and losses from securities sold are recorded on the identified cost basis.

B. Income Tax Information

 

The cost basis of investments for federal income tax purposes at January 31, 2018 was as follows*:

 

Cost of investments		$	48,711,823
Gross unrealized appreciation on investments			22,971,706
Gross unrealized depreciation on investments			(723,145)
Net unrealized appreciation on investments			22,248,561
Net unrealized appreciation on foreign currency			2,803,208
Net unrealized appreciation		$	25,051,769

 

*Because tax adjustments are calculated annually at the end of the Fund’s fiscal year, the above table does not reflect tax adjustments for the current fiscal year.  For the previous fiscal year’s federal income tax information, please refer to the Notes to Financial Statements section in the Fund’s most recent annual report.

C.  Risk Factors

Investing in the Fund may involve certain risks including, but not limited to, those described below.

The prices of securities held by the Fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the companies whose securities are owned by the Fund; conditions affecting the general economy; overall market changes; local, regional or global political, social or economic instability; and currency, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations. The growth-oriented, equity-type securities generally purchased by the Fund may involve large price swings and potential for loss.

 

Investments in securities issued by entities based outside the Unites States may also be affected by currency controls; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transactions costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in developing countries.

 

Item 2. Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)

The Registrant’s President and Treasurer 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”)) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and Rule 13a-15(b) or Rule 15d‑15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15(d)).

(b)

There were no changes in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the Registrant's last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

Item 3. Exhibits.

 

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)).  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.

 

By (Signature and Title) /s/ Sean Hawkshaw              

                                           Sean Hawkshaw, President

 

Date  March 23, 2018                                                       

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

 

By (Signature and Title)  /s/ Sean Hawkshaw             

                                            Sean Hawkshaw, President

Date  March 23, 2018                                                       

By (Signature and Title)  /s/ Leila Long                       

                                            Lelia Long, Treasurer

Date  March 23, 2018