The Gabelli Value 25 Fund Inc.

Transcription

1 The Gabelli Value 25 Fund Inc. Shareholder Commentary September 30, 2015 (Y)our Portfolio Management Team To Our Shareholders, Mario J. Gabelli, CFA Christopher J. Marangi For the quarter ended September 30, 2015, the net asset value ( NAV ) per Class A Share of The Gabelli Value 25 Fund Inc. decreased 11.6% compared with a decrease of 6.4% and 7.0% for the Standard & Poor s ( S&P ) 500 Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, respectively. See page 2 for additional performance information. The Summer of Our Discontent The market declined in the third quarter, starting with a slide over the summer and continuing through much of September. Almost no segment of the market was left unscathed large caps and small caps, previous high fliers and stocks already beaten down, as well as nearly every sector and industry group finished the quarter lower. While many seeds sowed the correction, there are a few proximate causes. At the forefront is continued GDP growth deceleration in China, coupled with failed attempts by the government to prop up the stock market and the devaluation of the yuan. This has the secondary effect of impacting nearly any security or geography relating to commodities output, as prices for oil and other resources continued to slide on fears of oversupply and low global growth. Internationally, the continued conflict in Syria with refugees spilling into Europe and throughout the world is another market wildcard. The Fed's decision to leave rates unchanged in September further stoked the market s unease. This left investors with many questions, including whether the Fed thinks GDP growth will be lower than market expectations, whether other unintended consequences of keeping rates so low for so long will be able to be controlled, and whether the Fed will ever be able to extricate itself from its ultra-accommodative stance without real harm being done to the economy. Finally, heightened concerns over the market dynamics of lack of liquidity, exchange traded funds, flash trading, high frequency trading, and no short sale uptick rule all converged to put selling pressure on stocks. Focusing on fundamentals, the U.S. economic backdrop is relatively good. The U.S. consumer sector comprises about 70% of GDP. The U.S. consumer should benefit from lower gasoline and food prices, rising wages and home prices, and improving household balance sheets.

2 Comparative Results Average Annual Returns through September 30, 2015 (a) Since Inception Quarter 1 Year 5 Year 10 Year 15 Year (9/29/89) Class A (GABVX) (11.60)% (7.72)% 9.24% 5.85% 5.73% 10.12% With sales charge (b) (16.68) (13.02) S&P 500 Index (6.44) (0.61) Dow Jones Industrial Average (6.97) (2.12) Nasdaq Composite Index (7.07) Class AAA (GVCAX) (11.59) (7.73) Class C (GVCCX) (11.77) (8.42) With contingent deferred sales charge (c).... (12.65) (9.34) Class I (GVCIX) (11.49) (7.45) In the current prospectuses dated April 30, 2015, the expense ratios for Class AAA, A, C, and I Shares are 1.38%, 1.38%, 2.13%, and 1.13%, respectively. Class AAA and Class I Shares do not have a sales charge. The maximum sales charge for Class A Shares and Class C Shares is 5.75% and 1.00%, respectively. (a) Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Total returns and average annual returns reflect changes in share price, reinvestment of distributions, and are net of expenses. Investment returns and the principal value of an investment will fluctuate. When shares are redeemed, they may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data presented. Visit for performance information as of the most recent month end. The Fund imposes a 2% redemption fee on shares sold or exchanged within seven days after the date of purchase. Performance returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the Fund before investing. The prospectuses contain information about these and other matters and should be read carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus, please visit our website at The Class A Share NAVs are used to calculate performance for the periods prior to the issuance of Class AAA Shares on April 30, 2010, Class C Shares on March 15, 2000, and the Class I Shares on January 11, The actual performance of the Class C Shares would have been lower due to the additional fees and expenses associated with this class of shares. The actual performance of the Class AAA Shares and Class I Shares would have been higher due to lower expenses associated with these classes of shares. The S&P 500 Index is a market capitalization weighted index of 500 large capitalization stocks commonly used to represent the U.S. equity market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite Index are unmanaged indicators of stock market performance. Dividends are considered reinvested, except for the Nasdaq Composite Index. You cannot invest directly in an index. (b) Performance results include the effect of the maximum 5.75% sales charge at the beginning of the period. (c) Assuming payment of the 1% maximum contingent deferred sales charge imposed on redemptions made within one year of purchase. We have separated the portfolio managers commentary from the financial statements and investment portfolio due to corporate governance regulations stipulated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of We have done this to ensure that the content of the portfolio managers commentary is unrestricted. Both the commentary and the financial statements, including the portfolio of investments, will be available on our website at 2

3 The good news from all of this is, as value investors, our holdings now trade at even greater discounts to our estimates of Private Market Value. Financing is still available at extremely attractive rates and the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) boom continues. Financial engineering has left many of our holdings as pure-plays, ripe for consolidation. Finally, valuations are as attractive as we have seen in a long time. While the near term is uncertain and continued volatility would not surprise us, we are very positive about prospects for the Fund and its holdings in coming years. Deals, Deals and More Deals M&A activity has remained robust in 2015 with year to date activity at $3.2 trillion globally, up 32% from the first nine months of While the total value of announced M&A deals was down from second quarter 2015, the third quarter was again over $1 trillion in value, for the second consecutive quarter. U.S. M&A activity, at $1.5 trillion year to date, was particularly strong, up 46% over 2014 levels. Cross border M&A also continues to be strong at $1.1 trillion year to date, up 18% from last year. In September, New York area cable operator and longtime holding Cablevision Systems (4.4% of net assets as of September 30, 2015) agreed to be acquired by European telecommunications operator Altice for $34.90 per share in cash. The deal values Cablevision at approximately 9.6x our 2015 EBITDA estimate, which we believe is a good outcome for Cablevision shareholders. Let s Talk Stocks The following are stock specifics on selected holdings of our Fund. Favorable earnings prospects do not necessarily translate into higher stock prices, but they do express a positive trend that we believe will develop over time. Individual securities mentioned are not necessarily representative of the entire portfolio. For the following holdings, the share prices are listed first in United States dollars (USD) and second in the local currency, where applicable, and are presented as of September 30, Cablevision Systems Corp. (4.4% of net assets as of September 30, 2015) (CVC $32.47 NYSE) provides broadband, television, and phone service to approximately three million subscribers in the New York metropolitan area. An industry pioneer, CVC developed the most advanced cable plant in the country and converted over 70% of its subscribers into triple play (video, phone, and broadband) customers. After years as a potential acquisition candidate, in September 2015 Cablevision agreed to a sale to Altice for $34.90 per share in cash. The deal represents the culmination of efforts to surface value through transactions such as the spin-offs of Madison Square Garden (3.2%) and AMC Networks (1.7%) in February 2010 and June 2011, respectively. CBS Corp. (4.6%) (CBS $44.90 NYSE) operates the CBS television network and the premium cable network Showtime. It also owns twenty-nine local television stations and 130 radio stations. We believe that CBS has a number of opportunities to generate incremental non-advertising revenue from the sale of existing content to online video distributors and the retransmission of content agreements with traditional distributors. In addition, we expect a continued recovery in advertising to contribute to earnings growth. Finally, we believe that financial engineering, including the announced $3 billion share buyback, could act as a catalyst for shares. 3

4 DISH Network Corp. (1.6%) (DISH $58.34 NASDAQ) is the third largest pay television provider in the U.S. with approximately 14 million subscribers. As a satellite operator unburdened by local franchising requirements and wired plants, DISH can market and deliver video extremely efficiently across the entire country. As founder of the company, Charlie Ergen owns approximately 53% of DISH s shares and lends his strategic vision to its benefit. DISH has accumulated a significant spectrum position at attractive prices and unsuccessfully attempted to enter the mobility market via the acquisition of Sprint. DISH could monetize its spectrum through a sale of the spectrum or the whole company, or, more likely, a partnership with an existing wireless operator. Edgewell Personal Care Co. (1.4%) (EPC $81.60 NYSE), based in St. Louis, Missouri, is the personal care division of Energizer Holdings (0.6%), which split its personal care and household products divisions on July 1, Edgewell generates approximately $2.5 billion of revenue through its principal businesses: wet shaving, including Schick branded razors and blades, Edge and Skintimate shaving preparation and private label shaving products; sun care, including the Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic brands; feminine care, Playtex and o.b. tampons and Carefree and Stayfree liners and pads; and infant care, utilizing the Playtex and Diaper Genie brands. As a pure-play personal care company, Edgewell competes in high margin, attractive categories with leading brands. We expect management to focus on improving margins through product mix, restructuring savings, and operating leverage, which should afford it flexibility to reinvest in growth opportunities. At the outset, the company has estimated $830 million of net debt providing management with sufficient flexibility to invest in internal growth, make acquisitions, and/or repurchase shares. EPC is a likely acquisition target as a multinational competitor with a strong international infrastructure would benefit from scale, cost synergies, and the ability to accelerate international expansion. Honeywell International Inc. (3.3%) (HON $94.69 NYSE) operates as a diversified technology company with highly engineered products, including turbine propulsion engines, auxiliary power units, turbochargers, brake pads, environmental and combustion controls, sensors, security and life safety products, resins and chemicals, nuclear services, and process technology for the petrochemical and refining industries. One of the key drivers of HON s growth is that the company is constantly developing new products and services for the marketplace. One new product the company has developed is Solstice, a fluorocarbon with zero depleting ozone qualities and negligible global warming contribution. The product will be used in various aerosol applications and in the air conditioning systems of vehicles. Driven by consumer demand and European Union regulation, demand for Solstice is expected to increase significantly. A new service that the company is providing is connectivity in airplanes, as well as residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. In airplanes, HON has products across the entire connectivity chain, from hardware to apps and data services, which can provide high speed Internet service. In buildings, the company has a large installed base of devices, including security and fire systems, room controls, and smoke detectors that can be connected with smart devices to increase productivity, efficiency, and safety. These products and services should continue to drive HON s future earnings higher. Liberty Media Corp. (1.2%) (LMCK $34.46 NASDAQ), (0.6%) (LMCA $35.72 NASDAQ) is a diversified investment vehicle guided by cable television pioneer John Malone, the Chairman, and former Microsoft CFO Greg Maffei, the CEO. The company owns over half of satellite radio provider Sirius XM, 34% of Live Nation, the Atlanta Braves baseball club, and stakes in several other public and private entities. Malone and Maffei have created significant value for shareholders over the past several years as they tax efficiently distributed, traded, or sold interests in Discovery Communications (0.9%), News Corp. (0.5%), Time Warner Inc. (1.2%), DIRECTV, Starz, and QVC, among others. Liberty currently trades at a discount to the sum of the public values of its component parts and could pursue transactions, such as a merger with Sirius XM, to eliminate that discount. 4

5 Madison Square Garden Co. (3.2%) (MSG $72.14 NYSE) is an integrated sports and entertainment company that owns the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, The Forum, and that iconic New York venue, Madison Square Garden. These evergreen content and venue assets benefit from sustainable barriers to entry and long term secular growth. We believe the now complete transformation project, the rising value of sports franchises (as demonstrated by the sale of the Clippers), and share repurchases, should dramatically increase MSG s per share value. Republic Services Inc. (3.0%) (RSG $41.20 NYSE), based in Phoenix, Arizona, became the second largest solid waste company in North America after its acquisition of Allied Waste Industries in December Republic provides nonhazardous solid waste collection services for commercial, industrial, municipal, and residential customers in thirty-nine states and Puerto Rico. Republic serves more than 2,800 municipalities and operates 193 landfills, 200 transfer stations, 338 collection operations, and 66 recycling facilities. Since the Allied merger, Republic has benefited from synergies driven by route density, beneficial use of acquired assets, and reduction in redundant corporate overhead. Republic is committed to its core solid waste business. While other providers have strayed into alternative waste resource technologies and strategies, we view Republic s plan to remain steadfast in the traditional solid waste business positively. We expect continued solid waste growth acquisitions, earnings improvement, and incremental route density and internalization growth in already established markets to generate real value in the near to medium term, highlighting the company s potential. Swedish Match AB (3.1%) (SWMA $30.19/ SEK Stockholm Stock Exchange) produces tobacco products that include snus and snuff, chewing tobacco, cigars, and lights. The company has been benefiting from the growth of the smokeless tobacco market in both Scandinavia and the U.S., as public smoking bans and health concerns are driving consumers to seek alternative tobacco products to cigarettes. In October 2010, Swedish Match combined its European and premium cigar portfolios with Scandinavian cigar and pipe tobacco company STG, creating a new company that will benefit from enhanced scale and synergies. The company s standstill with STG expired in October 2014, so Swedish Match now has the flexibility to opportunistically monetize this asset. As a more focused company, we expect Swedish Match to grow sales and earnings over time as the smokeless tobacco category continues to develop. We also believe the company could be an attractive takeover candidate for a global tobacco company that wants to increase its presence in the smokeless segment. Xylem Inc. (1.4%) (XYL $32.85 NYSE) is a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and application of highly engineered technologies for the transportation, treatment, and testing of water. The company is expected to benefit from favorable long term fundamentals in the water industry, driven by scarcity, population growth, aging of the infrastructure, and the need to improve water quality. Further, with a large installed base of pumps and systems, the company is well positioned to increase aftermarket revenue, which currently represents roughly 40% of total revenues. Xylem s attractive business mix also generates strong cash flow, which is expected to support acquisitions across geographies and end markets and increase returns to shareholders. The company most recently provided a 5 year plan that outlined favorable organic growth and margin targets that Xylem believes it can achieve. Investment Scorecard The top contributors to performance during the third quarter included Cablevision Systems Corp. (+36%), which agreed to be acquired by Altice for $34.90 per share in cash; O Reilly Automotive (0.7% of net assets as of September 30, 2015) (+11%), which reported another strong quarter in Q2 and should benefit from lower gas prices for consumers; Energizer Holdings (+14%), which was spun-off from the old Energizer Holdings 5

6 on July 1 and rose on optimism about the company s prospects for margin improvement and cash generation; and H&R Block (0.8%) (+23%), which closed its divestiture of H&R Block Bank and announced a $3.5 billion share repurchase program through 2019, including a $1.5 billion self-tender it launched in September. Detractors from performance included media companies CBS (-21%), Viacom (5.5%) (-31%) and Grupo Televisa (1.3%) (-33%), all of which declined along with the broad media sector following subscriber losses by Disney s ESPN channel, which led to investor concern about growing cord-cutting by cable subscribers; Grupo Televisa (-33%), based in Mexico, was also hit by investor concerns about a slowdown in emerging markets. Other detractors from performance included Rolls Royce (1.5%) (-25%) which has had execution issues and suffers from concerns over a slowdown in aerospace cycle; Navistar (0.6%) (-44%), which has not recovered heavy truck market share as quickly as expected and Circor (1.1%) (-26%) which has meaningful exposure to energy markets. Conclusion While the third quarter was the market s most difficult in several years, there are many reasons to be optimistic about prospects for the Fund. Valuations are as attractive as have been seen in a long time, especially in sectors which are our core competency. Strong recent M&A activity reinforces our view that we are in a building "Fifth Wave" of takeover activity. We continue to stick to our long term investment philosophy and hope to use any opportunity Mr. Market provides to us. We seek high quality companies trading at a discount to Private Market Value the price an informed industrialist would pay to own an entire business. We also look for catalysts to surface value, such as a takeover of the company, financial engineering, new management, regulatory changes, or a change in cash flow allocation. October 12, 2015 Top Ten Holdings (Percent of Net Assets) September 30, 2015 Viacom Inc. 5.5% CBS Corp. 4.6% Cablevision Systems Corp. 4.4% Diageo plc 3.4% Honeywell International Inc. 3.3% The Madison Square Garden Co. 3.2% American Express Co. 3.1% Swedish Match AB 3.1% Republic Services Inc. 3.0% Sony Corp. 2.4% Note: The views expressed in this Shareholder Commentary reflect those of the Portfolio Managers only through the end of the period stated in this Shareholder Commentary. The Portfolio Managers views are subject to change at any time based on market and other conditions. The information in this Portfolio Managers Shareholder Commentary represents the opinions of the individual Portfolio Managers and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, or investment advice. Views expressed are those of the Portfolio Managers and may differ from those of other portfolio managers or of the Firm as a whole. This Shareholder Commentary does not constitute an offer of any transaction in any securities. Any recommendation contained herein may not be suitable for all investors. Information contained in this Shareholder Commentary has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable, but cannot be guaranteed. 6

7 Minimum Initial Investment $1,000 The Fund s minimum initial investment for regular accounts is $1,000. There are no subsequent investment minimums. No initial minimum is required for those establishing an Automatic Investment Plan. Additionally, the Fund and other Gabelli/GAMCO Funds are available through the no-transaction fee programs at many major brokerage firms. The Fund imposes a 2% redemption fee on shares sold or exchanged within seven days after the date of purchase. See the prospectuses for more details. Please visit us on the Internet. Our homepage at contains information about GAMCO Investors, Inc., the Gabelli/GAMCO Mutual Funds, IRAs, 401(k)s, current and historical quarterly reports, closing prices, and other current news. We welcome your comments and questions via at [email protected]. You may sign up for our alerts at and receive early notice of quarterly report availability, news events, media sightings, and mutual fund prices and performance. The Fund s daily net asset value is available in the financial press and each evening after 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) by calling 800-GABELLI ( ). Please call us during the business day, between 8:00 AM 7:00 PM (Eastern Time), for further information. e-delivery We are pleased to offer electronic delivery of Gabelli fund documents. Direct shareholders of our mutual funds can elect to receive their Annual and Semiannual Reports, Manager Commentaries, and Prospectus via e-delivery. For more information or to sign up for e-delivery, please visit our website at Multi-Cl ass Shares The Gabelli Value 25 Fund began offering additional classes of Fund shares on March 15, Class AAA are no-load shares available directly through selected broker/dealers. Class A and C Shares are offered to investors who seek advice through financial consultants. Class I Shares are available directly through the Fund s distributor or brokers that have entered into selling agreements specifically with respect to Class I Shares. The Board of Directors determined that expanding the types of Fund shares available through various distribution options will enhance the ability of the Fund to attract additional investors. Portfolio Management Team Biographies Mario J. Gabelli, CFA, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GAMCO Investors, Inc. that he founded in 1977 and Chief Investment Officer Value Portfolios of Gabelli Funds, LLC and GAMCO Asset Management Inc. Mr. Gabelli is a summa cum laude graduate of Fordham University and holds an MBA degree from Columbia Business School and Honorary Doctorates from Fordham University and Roger Williams University. Christopher J. Marangi joined Gabelli in 2003 as a research analyst. He currently serves as a portfolio manager of Gabelli Funds, LLC and manages several funds within the Gabelli/GAMCO Funds Complex. Mr. Marangi graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in Political Economy from Williams College and holds an MBA with honors from Columbia Business School. 7

8 THE GABELLI VALUE 25 FUND INC. One Corporate Center Rye, NY t 800-GABELLI ( ) f e [email protected] GABELLI.COM Net Asset Value per share available daily by calling 800-GABELLI after 7:00 P.M. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mario J. Gabelli, CFA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, GAMCO Investors, Inc. Anthony J. Colavita President, Anthony J. Colavita, P.C. Robert J. Morrissey Partner, Morrissey, Hawkins & Lynch Anthony R. Pustorino Certified Public Accountant, Professor Emeritus, Pace University Werner J. Roeder, MD Former Medical Director, Lawrence Hospital OFFICERS Bruce N. Alpert President Andrea R. Mango Secretary Agnes Mullady Treasurer Richard J. Walz Chief Compliance Officer DISTRIBUTOR G.distributors, LLC CUSTODIAN The Bank of New York Mellon TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT State Street Bank and Trust Company T H E G A B E L L I VA LU E 2 5 F U N D I N C. Shareholder Commentary September 30, 2015 LEGAL COUNSEL Paul Hastings LLP This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of The Gabelli Value 25 Fund Inc. It is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors unless preceded or accompanied by an effective prospectus. GAB409Q315SC