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: 811-09141
Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust
(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)
November 30
Date of Fiscal Year End
November 30, 2017
Date of Reporting Period
Item 1. Reports to Stockholders
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust (EVN)
Annual Report
November 30, 2017
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.
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 November 30, 2017
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
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 |
22 | |||
| Federal Tax Information |
23 | |||
| Dividend Reinvestment Plan |
24 | |||
| Management and Organization |
26 | |||
| Important Notices |
29 | |||
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance1
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 include 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 or equal to 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
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Performance2,3
Portfolio Manager Cynthia J. Clemson
| % Average Annual Total Returns | Inception Date | One Year | Five Years | Ten Years | ||||||||||||
| Fund at NAV |
01/29/1999 | 8.13 | % | 6.67 | % | 6.71 | % | |||||||||
| Fund at Market Price |
— | 5.70 | 3.66 | 6.74 | ||||||||||||
| Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond Index |
— | 5.58 | % | 2.55 | % | 4.37 | % | |||||||||
| Bloomberg Barclays Long (22+) Year Municipal Bond Index |
— | 8.23 | 3.63 | 5.17 | ||||||||||||
| % Premium/Discount to NAV4 | ||||||||||||||||
| –7.17 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Distributions5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total Distributions per share for the period |
$0.670 | |||||||||||||||
| Distribution Rate at NAV |
4.90 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Taxable-Equivalent Distribution Rate at NAV |
8.66 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Distribution Rate at Market Price |
5.28 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Taxable-Equivalent Distribution Rate at Market Price |
9.33 | % | ||||||||||||||
| % Total Leverage6 | ||||||||||||||||
| Auction Preferred Shares (APS) |
2.72 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred (iMTP) Shares |
12.51 | |||||||||||||||
| Residual Interest Bond (RIB) Financing |
26.81 | |||||||||||||||
Fund Profile
Credit Quality (% of total investments)7,8
* Amount is less than 0.05%.
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 include 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 or equal to 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
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Endnotes and Additional Disclosures
| 4 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Portfolio of Investments
| 5 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Portfolio of Investments — continued
| 6 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Portfolio of Investments — continued
| 7 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Portfolio of Investments — continued
| 8 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Portfolio of Investments — continued
| 9 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
| Assets | November 30, 2017 | |||
| Investments, at value (identified cost, $496,912,570) |
$ | 537,625,494 | ||
| Cash |
273,964 | |||
| Interest receivable |
6,593,970 | |||
| Receivable for investments sold |
3,313,777 | |||
| Total assets |
$ | 547,807,205 | ||
| Liabilities | ||||
| Payable for floating rate notes issued (net of unamortized deferred debt issuance costs of $28,554) |
$ | 145,992,171 | ||
| Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares, at liquidation value (net of unamortized deferred offering costs of $297,691) |
67,702,309 | |||
| Payable for when-issued securities |
3,175,612 | |||
| Payable to affiliates: |
||||
| Investment adviser fee |
231,149 | |||
| Administration fee |
79,706 | |||
| Trustees’ fees |
4,448 | |||
| Interest expense and fees payable |
585,114 | |||
| Accrued expenses |
179,664 | |||
| Total liabilities |
$ | 217,950,173 | ||
| Auction preferred shares at liquidation value plus cumulative unpaid dividends |
$ | 14,777,090 | ||
| Net assets applicable to common shares |
$ | 315,079,942 | ||
| Sources of Net Assets | ||||
| Common shares, $0.01 par value, unlimited number of shares authorized |
$ | 237,823 | ||
| Additional paid-in capital |
295,725,381 | |||
| Accumulated net realized loss |
(22,196,773 | ) | ||
| Accumulated undistributed net investment income |
600,587 | |||
| Net unrealized appreciation |
40,712,924 | |||
| Net assets applicable to common shares |
$ | 315,079,942 | ||
| Auction Preferred Shares Issued and Outstanding (Liquidation preference of $25,000 per share) |
591 | |||
| Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares Issued and Outstanding (Liquidation preference of $25,000 per share) |
2,720 | |||
| Common Shares Outstanding | 23,782,344 | |||
| Net Asset Value Per Common Share | ||||
| Net assets applicable to common shares ÷ common shares issued and outstanding |
$ | 13.25 | ||
| 10 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Statement of Operations
| Investment Income | Year Ended November 30, 2017 |
|||
| Interest |
$ | 24,444,762 | ||
| Dividends |
41,992 | |||
| Total investment income |
$ | 24,486,754 | ||
| Expenses | ||||
| Investment adviser fee |
$ | 2,821,218 | ||
| Administration fee |
949,962 | |||
| Trustees’ fees and expenses |
26,908 | |||
| Custodian fee |
112,719 | |||
| Transfer and dividend disbursing agent fees |
19,415 | |||
| Legal and accounting services |
98,736 | |||
| Printing and postage |
31,697 | |||
| Interest expense and fees |
3,927,427 | |||
| Auction preferred shares service fee |
14,946 | |||
| Miscellaneous |
122,224 | |||
| Total expenses |
$ | 8,125,252 | ||
| Net investment income |
$ | 16,361,502 | ||
| Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | ||||
| Net realized gain (loss) — |
||||
| Investment transactions |
$ | 895,824 | ||
| Net realized gain |
$ | 895,824 | ||
| Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) — |
||||
| Investments |
$ | 6,824,834 | ||
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
$ | 6,824,834 | ||
| Net realized and unrealized gain |
$ | 7,720,658 | ||
| Distributions to auction preferred shareholders |
||||
| From net investment income |
$ | (198,346 | ) | |
| Net increase in net assets from operations |
$ | 23,883,814 | ||
| 11 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
| Year Ended November 30, | ||||||||
| Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets | 2017 | 2016 | ||||||
| From operations — |
||||||||
| Net investment income |
$ | 16,361,502 | $ | 18,229,639 | ||||
| Net realized gain |
895,824 | 2,616,496 | ||||||
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
6,824,834 | (10,592,932 | ) | |||||
| Distributions to auction preferred shareholders — |
||||||||
| From net investment income |
(198,346 | ) | (197,904 | ) | ||||
| Discount on redemption and repurchase of auction preferred shares |
— | 5,795,625 | ||||||
| Net increase in net assets from operations |
$ | 23,883,814 | $ | 15,850,924 | ||||
| Distributions to common shareholders — |
||||||||
| From net investment income |
$ | (15,938,927 | ) | $ | (18,383,705 | ) | ||
| Total distributions to common shareholders |
$ | (15,938,927 | ) | $ | (18,383,705 | ) | ||
| Capital share transactions — |
||||||||
| Reinvestment of distributions to common shareholders |
$ | — | $ | 313,421 | ||||
| Net increase in net assets from capital share transactions |
$ | — | $ | 313,421 | ||||
| Net increase (decrease) in net assets |
$ | 7,944,887 | $ | (2,219,360 | ) | |||
| Net Assets Applicable to Common Shares | ||||||||
| At beginning of year |
$ | 307,135,055 | $ | 309,354,415 | ||||
| At end of year |
$ | 315,079,942 | $ | 307,135,055 | ||||
| Accumulated undistributed net investment income included in net assets applicable to common shares |
||||||||
| At end of year |
$ | 600,587 | $ | 217,073 | ||||
| 12 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Statement of Cash Flows
| Cash Flows From Operating Activities | Year Ended November 30, 2017 |
|||
| Net increase in net assets from operations |
$ | 23,883,814 | ||
| Distributions to auction preferred shareholders |
198,346 | |||
| Net increase in net assets from operations excluding distributions to auction preferred shareholders |
$ | 24,082,160 | ||
| Adjustments to reconcile net increase in net assets from operations to net cash provided by operating activities: |
||||
| Investments purchased |
(40,857,279 | ) | ||
| Investments sold |
42,032,494 | |||
| Net amortization/accretion of premium (discount) |
(2,658,246 | ) | ||
| Amortization of deferred debt issuance costs |
1,960 | |||
| Amortization of deferred offering costs on Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares |
169,561 | |||
| Increase in interest receivable |
(57,804 | ) | ||
| Increase in payable to affiliate for investment adviser fee |
10,593 | |||
| Increase in payable to affiliate for administration fee |
5,569 | |||
| Increase in payable to affiliate for Trustees’ fees |
266 | |||
| Increase in interest expense and fees payable |
87,338 | |||
| Increase in accrued expenses |
7,434 | |||
| Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation from investments |
(6,824,834 | ) | ||
| Net realized gain from investments |
(895,824 | ) | ||
| Net cash provided by operating activities |
$ | 15,103,388 | ||
| Cash Flows From Financing Activities | ||||
| Distributions paid to common shareholders, net of reinvestments |
$ | (15,938,927 | ) | |
| Cash distributions paid to auction preferred shareholders |
(197,313 | ) | ||
| Repayment of secured borrowings |
(1,660,000 | ) | ||
| Net cash used in financing activities |
$ | (17,796,240 | ) | |
| Net decrease in cash |
$ | (2,692,852 | ) | |
| Cash at beginning of year |
$ | 2,966,816 | ||
| Cash at end of year |
$ | 273,964 | ||
| Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: | ||||
| Cash paid for interest and fees on floating rate notes issued and Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares |
$ | 3,668,568 | ||
| 13 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Financial Highlights
Selected data for a common share outstanding during the periods stated
| Year Ended November 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | ||||||||||||||||
| Net asset value — Beginning of year (Common shares) |
$ | 12.910 | $ | 13.020 | $ | 12.950 | $ | 10.540 | $ | 13.360 | ||||||||||
| Income (Loss) From Operations | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net investment income(1) |
$ | 0.688 | $ | 0.767 | $ | 0.886 | $ | 0.886 | $ | 0.885 | ||||||||||
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) |
0.330 | (0.340 | ) | 0.082 | 2.423 | (2.778 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Distributions to APS shareholders(1) |
||||||||||||||||||||
| From net investment income |
(0.008 | ) | (0.008 | ) | (0.007 | ) | (0.005 | ) | (0.009 | ) | ||||||||||
| Discount on redemption and repurchase of APS(1) |
— | 0.244 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| Total income (loss) from operations |
$ | 1.010 | $ | 0.663 | $ | 0.961 | $ | 3.304 | $ | (1.902 | ) | |||||||||
| Less Distributions to Common Shareholders | ||||||||||||||||||||
| From net investment income |
$ | (0.670 | ) | $ | (0.773 | ) | $ | (0.892 | ) | $ | (0.900 | ) | $ | (0.930 | ) | |||||
| Total distributions to common shareholders |
$ | (0.670 | ) | $ | (0.773 | ) | $ | (0.892 | ) | $ | (0.900 | ) | $ | (0.930 | ) | |||||
| Premium from common shares sold through shelf offering (see Note 7)(1) |
$ | — | $ | — | $ | 0.001 | $ | 0.006 | $ | 0.012 | ||||||||||
| Net asset value — End of year (Common shares) |
$ | 13.250 | $ | 12.910 | $ | 13.020 | $ | 12.950 | $ | 10.540 | ||||||||||
| Market value — End of year (Common shares) |
$ | 12.300 | $ | 12.260 | $ | 13.390 | $ | 13.350 | $ | 10.530 | ||||||||||
| Total Investment Return on Net Asset Value(2) |
8.13 | % | 4.91 | %(3) | 7.60 | % | 32.67 | % | (14.69 | )% | ||||||||||
| Total Investment Return on Market Value(2) |
5.70 | % | (3.13 | )% | 7.42 | % | 36.79 | % | (20.43 | )% | ||||||||||
| 14 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Financial Highlights — continued
Selected data for a common share outstanding during the periods stated
| Year Ended November 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |||||||||||||||
| Net assets applicable to common shares, end of year (000’s omitted) |
$ | 315,080 | $ | 307,135 | $ | 309,354 | $ | 307,074 | $ | 246,295 | ||||||||||
| Ratios (as a percentage of average daily net assets applicable to common shares):(4)† |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Expenses excluding interest and fees(5) |
1.33 | % | 1.30 | % | 1.43 | % | 1.55 | % | 1.63 | % | ||||||||||
| Interest and fee expense(6) |
1.25 | % | 0.83 | % | 0.33 | % | 0.30 | % | 0.33 | % | ||||||||||
| Total expenses(5) |
2.58 | % | 2.13 | % | 1.76 | % | 1.85 | % | 1.96 | % | ||||||||||
| Net investment income |
5.19 | % | 5.54 | % | 6.84 | % | 7.49 | % | 7.49 | % | ||||||||||
| Portfolio Turnover |
8 | % | 4 | % | 21 | % | 36 | % | 42 | % | ||||||||||
| Senior Securities: |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Total preferred shares outstanding(7) |
3,311 | 3,311 | 4,806 | 4,806 | 4,806 | |||||||||||||||
| Asset coverage per preferred share(8) |
$ | 120,162 | $ | 117,762 | $ | 89,369 | $ | 88,894 | $ | 76,248 | ||||||||||
| Involuntary liquidation preference per preferred share(9) |
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | ||||||||||
| Approximate market value per preferred share(9) |
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | ||||||||||
| (1) | Computed using average common 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 Trust’s dividend reinvestment plan. |
| (3) | The total return based on net asset value reflects the impact of the tender and repurchase by the Trust of a portion of its APS at 94.5% of the per share liquidation preference. Absent this transaction, the total return based on net asset value would have been 2.93%. |
| (4) | Ratios do not reflect the effect of dividend payments to APS shareholders. |
| (5) | Excludes the effect of custody fee credits, if any, of less than 0.005%. Effective September 1, 2015, custody fee credits, which were earned on cash deposit balances, were discontinued by the custodian. |
| (6) | Interest and fee expense relates to the liability for floating rate notes issued in conjunction with residual interest bond transactions (see Note 1G) and iMTP Shares issued to redeem a portion of the Trust’s APS (see Note 3). |
| (7) | Preferred shares represent iMTP Shares and APS as of November 30, 2017 and 2016 and APS as of November 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013. |
| (8) | Calculated by subtracting the Trust’s total liabilities (not including the preferred shares) from the Trust’s total assets, and dividing the result by the number of preferred shares outstanding. |
| (9) | Plus accumulated and unpaid dividends. |
| † | Ratios based on net assets applicable to common shares plus preferred shares (iMTP Shares and APS, as applicable) are presented below. Ratios do not reflect the effect of dividend payments to APS shareholders and exclude the effect of custody fee credits, if any. |
| Year Ended November 30, | ||||||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | ||||||
| Expenses excluding interest and fees |
1.05% | 1.02% | 1.04% | 1.08% | 1.13% | |||||
| Interest and fee expense |
0.99% | 0.65% | 0.23% | 0.21% | 0.23% | |||||
| Total expenses |
2.04% | 1.67% | 1.27% | 1.29% | 1.36% | |||||
| Net investment income |
4.11% | 4.33% | 4.92% | 5.23% | 5.18% | |||||
APS – Auction Preferred Shares
iMTP Shares – Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares
| 15 | See Notes to Financial Statements. |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements
1 Significant Accounting Policies
Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust (the Trust) 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 Trust seeks to provide current income exempt from regular federal income tax.
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies of the Trust. The policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). The Trust 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 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 for which a valuation from a third party pricing service is not readily available may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.
Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares. Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares are valued 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 Trust in a manner that fairly reflects the security’s value, or the amount that the Trust 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 and Related Income — 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. Interest income is recorded on the basis of interest accrued, adjusted for amortization of premium or accretion of discount. Dividends on Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares are accrued daily based on rates that reset weekly.
C Federal Taxes — The Trust’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 taxable, if any, and tax-exempt 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 Trust intends to satisfy conditions which will enable it to designate distributions from the interest and dividend income generated by its investments in non-taxable municipal securities, which are exempt from regular federal income tax when received by the Trust, 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 November 30, 2017, the Trust had no uncertain tax positions that would require financial statement recognition, de-recognition, or disclosure. The Trust 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.
D 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.
E 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.
F Indemnifications — Under the Trust’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 Trust. Under Massachusetts law, if certain conditions prevail, shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust (such as the Trust) could be deemed to have personal liability for the obligations of the Trust. However, the Trust’s Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of liability on the part of Trust shareholders and the By-laws provide that the Trust shall assume the defense on behalf of any Trust shareholders. Moreover, the By-laws also provide for indemnification out of Trust 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 Trust enters into agreements with service providers that may contain indemnification clauses. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Trust that have not yet occurred.
| 16 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements — continued
G Floating Rate Notes Issued in Conjunction with Securities Held — The Trust may invest in residual interest bonds, also referred to as inverse floating rate securities, whereby the Trust may sell a variable or fixed rate bond for cash to a Special-Purpose Vehicle (the SPV), (which is generally organized as a trust), while at the same time, buying a residual interest in the assets and cash flows of the SPV. The bond is deposited into the SPV with the same CUSIP number as the bond sold to the SPV by the Trust, and which may have been, but is not required to be, the bond purchased from the Trust (the Bond). The SPV also issues floating rate notes (Floating Rate Notes) which are sold to third-parties. The residual interest bond held by the Trust gives the Trust the right (1) to cause the holders of the Floating Rate Notes to generally tender their notes at par, and (2) to have the Bond held by the SPV transferred to the Trust, thereby terminating the SPV. Should the Trust exercise such right, it would generally pay the SPV the par amount due on the Floating Rate Notes and exchange the residual interest bond for the underlying Bond. Pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles for transfers and servicing of financial assets and extinguishment of liabilities, the Trust accounts for the transaction described above as a secured borrowing by including the Bond in its Portfolio of Investments and the Floating Rate Notes (net of unamortized deferred debt issuance costs) as a liability under the caption “Payable for floating rate notes issued” in its Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The Floating Rate Notes have interest rates that generally reset weekly and their holders have the option to tender their notes to the SPV for redemption at par at each reset date. Accordingly, the fair value of the payable for floating rate notes issued approximates its carrying value. If measured at fair value, the payable for floating rate notes would have been considered as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy (see Note 8) at November 30, 2017. Interest expense related to the Trust’s liability with respect to Floating Rate Notes is recorded as incurred. The SPV may be terminated by the Trust, as noted above, or by the occurrence of certain termination events as defined in the trust agreement, such as a downgrade in the credit quality of the underlying Bond, bankruptcy of or payment failure by the issuer of the underlying Bond, the inability to remarket Floating Rate Notes that have been tendered due to insufficient buyers in the market, or the failure by the SPV to obtain renewal of the liquidity agreement under which liquidity support is provided for the Floating Rate Notes up to one year. Structuring fees paid to the liquidity provider upon the creation of an SPV have been recorded as debt issuance costs and are being amortized as interest expense to the expected maturity of the related trust. Unamortized structuring fees related to a terminated SPV are recorded as a realized loss on extinguishment of debt. At November 30, 2017, the amounts of the Trust’s Floating Rate Notes outstanding and the related collateral were $146,020,725 and $205,941,663, respectively. The range of interest rates on the Floating Rate Notes outstanding at November 30, 2017 was 0.98% to 1.29%. For the year ended November 30, 2017, the Trust’s average Floating Rate Notes outstanding and the average interest rate including fees and amortization of deferred debt issuance costs were $143,414,370 and 1.51%, respectively.
In certain circumstances, the Trust may enter into shortfall and forbearance agreements with brokers by which the Trust agrees to reimburse the broker for the difference between the liquidation value of the Bond held by the SPV and the liquidation value of the Floating Rate Notes, as well as any shortfalls in interest cash flows. The Trust had no shortfalls as of November 30, 2017.
The Trust may also purchase residual interest bonds in a secondary market transaction without first owning the underlying bond. Such transactions are not required to be treated as secured borrowings. Shortfall agreements, if any, related to residual interest bonds purchased in a secondary market transaction are disclosed in the Portfolio of Investments.
The Trust’s investment policies and restrictions expressly permit investments in residual interest bonds. Such bonds typically offer the potential for yields exceeding the yields available on fixed rate bonds with comparable credit quality and maturity. These securities tend to underperform the market for fixed rate bonds in a rising long-term interest rate environment, but tend to outperform the market for fixed rate bonds when long-term interest rates decline. The value and income of residual interest bonds are generally more volatile than that of a fixed rate bond. The Trust’s investment policies do not allow the Trust to borrow money except as permitted by the 1940 Act. Management believes that the Trust’s restrictions on borrowing money and issuing senior securities (other than as specifically permitted) do not apply to Floating Rate Notes issued by the SPV and included as a liability in the Trust’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities. As secured indebtedness issued by an SPV, Floating Rate Notes are distinct from the borrowings and senior securities to which the Trust’s restrictions apply. Residual interest bonds held by the Trust are securities exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933.
Final rules implementing section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Volcker Rule”) prohibit banking entities from engaging in proprietary trading of certain instruments and limit such entities’ investments in, and relationships with, covered funds (such as SPVs), as defined in the rules. The compliance date for the Volcker Rule for certain covered funds was July 21, 2015 while for other covered funds the compliance date was July 21, 2017, as announced on July 7, 2016. The Volcker Rule precludes banking entities and their affiliates from (i) sponsoring residual interest bond programs and (ii) continuing relationships with or services for existing residual interest bond programs. All residual interest bonds held by the Trust during the year ended November 30, 2017 were Volcker Rule compliant. The effects of the Volcker Rule may make it more difficult for the Trust to maintain current or desired levels of leverage and may cause the Trust to incur additional expenses to maintain its leverage.
H When-Issued Securities and Delayed Delivery Transactions — The Trust 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 Trust maintains cash and/or 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.
I Statement of Cash Flows — The cash amount shown in the Statement of Cash Flows of the Trust is the amount included in the Trust’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities and represents the unrestricted cash on hand at its custodian and does not include any short-term investments.
| 17 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements — continued
J New Accounting Pronouncement — During the year ended November 30, 2017, the Trust adopted the FASB’s Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03, which provides guidance to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs and became effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Pursuant to the new standard, the Trust is required to present debt issuance costs in its Statement of Assets and Liabilities as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the related debt liability. Prior to the change, such costs were presented by the Trust as a deferred asset. This change in accounting had no impact on the Trust’s net assets.
2 Auction Preferred Shares
The Trust issued 2,620 Series A and Series B Auction Preferred Shares (APS) on March 1, 1999 in a public offering. The Trust issued 806 Series C APS on May 28, 2009 in connection with the acquisition of Eaton Vance National Municipal Income Trust. Dividends on the APS, which accrue daily, are cumulative at rates which are reset every seven days by an auction, unless a special dividend period has been set. If the APS auctions do not successfully clear, the dividend payment rate over the next period for the APS holders is set at a specified maximum applicable rate until such time as the APS auctions are successful. The maximum applicable rate on the APS is 110% (150% for taxable distributions) of the greater of the 1) “AA” Financial Composite Commercial Paper Rate or 2) Taxable Equivalent of the Short-Term Municipal Obligation Rate on the date of the auction. The stated spread over the reference benchmark rate is determined based on the credit rating of the APS. Series of APS are identical in all respects except for the reset dates of the dividend rates.
The number of APS issued and outstanding as of November 30, 2017 was as follows:
| APS Issued and Outstanding |
||||
| Series A |
349 | |||
| Series B |
185 | |||
| Series C |
57 | |||
The APS are redeemable at the option of the Trust at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, on any dividend payment date. The APS, with the Trust’s other preferred shares (see Note 3), are also subject to mandatory redemption at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if the Trust is in default for an extended period on its asset maintenance requirements, as defined in the Trust’s By-laws and the 1940 Act, with respect to the preferred shares. The APS have a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends. The Trust pays an annual fee up to 0.15% of the liquidation value of the APS to broker/dealers as a service fee if the auctions are unsuccessful; otherwise, the annual fee is 0.25%.
On December 21, 2015, the Trust announced a tender offer to purchase up to 100% of its outstanding APS at a price per share equal to 94.5% of the APS liquidation preference of $25,000 per share (or $23,625 per share), plus any accrued but unpaid APS dividends. The tender offer expired on February 23, 2016. The number of APS accepted for repurchase pursuant to the tender offer was 1,651, 1,815 and 749 for Series A, Series B and Series C, respectively, and their liquidation preference was $39,004,875, $42,879,375 and $17,695,125, respectively. There were no transactions in APS during the year ended November 30, 2017.
3 Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares
On February 26, 2016, the Trust issued Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares (iMTP Shares) in a private offering to partially finance the tender offer for its outstanding APS (see Note 2). The number of new iMTP Shares issued was less than the APS accepted for payment pursuant to the tender offer, resulting in a reduction of its total leverage of approximately 4% of its total assets. The number of iMTP Shares issued and outstanding at November 30, 2017 was 2,720.
The iMTP Shares are a form of preferred shares that represent stock of the Trust. The iMTP Shares have a par value of $0.01 per share, a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, and a mandatory redemption date of September 1, 2019, unless earlier redeemed or repurchased by the Trust. Dividends on the iMTP Shares are determined weekly based upon the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Municipal Swap Index Rate plus a spread. Such spread to the SIFMA Municipal Swap Index Rate is determined based on the current credit rating of the iMTP Shares. At November 30, 2017, the spread to the SIFMA Municipal Swap Index Rate was 1.50%.
The iMTP Shares are subject to optional and mandatory redemption in certain circumstances. After February 28, 2017, the iMTP Shares are redeemable at the option of the Trust at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, plus an optional redemption premium. The optional redemption premium does not apply to redemptions on or after March 1, 2018. The iMTP Shares are also subject to mandatory redemption at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends (mandatory redemption price), if the Trust is in default for an extended period on its asset maintenance requirements with respect to its preferred shares. For so long as the iMTP Shares are outstanding,
| 18 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements — continued
the Trust’s effective leverage ratio is not permitted to exceed 45%. In order to comply with this requirement, the Trust may have to redeem all or a portion of its iMTP Shares and APS at the mandatory redemption price.
The holders of the iMTP Shares, APS and common shares have equal voting rights of one vote per share except that the holders of the iMTP Shares and APS, voting as a class, are entitled to elect two Trustees of the Trust. If the dividends on the iMTP Shares and APS remain unpaid in an amount equal to two full years’ dividends, the holders of the iMTP Shares and APS voting as a class have the right to elect a majority of the Trust’s Trustees.
For financial reporting purposes, the liquidation value of the iMTP Shares (net of unamortized deferred offering costs) is presented as a liability on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and unpaid dividends are included in interest expense and fees payable. Dividends accrued on iMTP Shares are treated as interest payments for financial reporting purposes and are included in interest expense and fees on the Statement of Operations. Costs incurred by the Trust in connection with its offering of iMTP Shares were capitalized as deferred offering costs and are being amortized to the mandatory redemption date of September 1, 2019.
The carrying amount of the iMTP Shares at November 30, 2017 represents its liquidation value, which approximates fair value. If measured at fair value, the iMTP Shares would have been considered as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy (see Note 8) at November 30, 2017.
The average liquidation preference of the iMTP Shares during the year ended November 30, 2017 was $68,000,000.
4 Distributions to Shareholders and Income Tax Information
The Trust intends to make monthly distributions of net investment income to common shareholders, after payment of any dividends on any outstanding APS and iMTP Shares. In addition, at least annually, the Trust intends to distribute all or substantially all of its net realized capital gains (reduced by available capital loss carryforwards from prior years). Distributions to common shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions to APS and iMTP shareholders are recorded daily and are payable at the end of each dividend period. The dividend rates for the APS at November 30, 2017, and the amount of dividends accrued (including capital gains, if any) to APS shareholders, average APS dividend rates, and dividend rate ranges for the year then ended were as follows:
| APS Dividend Rates at November 30, 2017 |
Dividends Accrued to APS Shareholders |
Average APS Dividend Rates |
Dividend Rate Ranges (%) |
|||||||||||||
| Series A |
1.59 | % | $ | 116,952 | 1.34 | % | 0.95–1.72 | |||||||||
| Series B |
1.56 | $ | 62,202 | 1.34 | 0.95–1.72 | |||||||||||
| Series C |
1.59 | $ | 19,192 | 1.35 | 0.95–1.72 | |||||||||||
Beginning February 13, 2008 and consistent with the patterns in the broader market for auction-rate securities, the Trust’s APS auctions were unsuccessful in clearing due to an imbalance of sell orders over bids to buy the APS. As a result, the dividend rates of the APS were reset to the maximum applicable rates. The table above reflects such maximum dividend rate for each series as of November 30, 2017.
The dividend rate for iMTP Shares at November 30, 2017, and the amount of dividends accrued to iMTP shareholders and average iMTP dividend rate for the year then ended were as follows:
| iMTP Dividend Rate at November 30, 2017 |
2.47 | % | ||
| Dividends Accrued to iMTP Shareholders |
$ | 1,596,612 | ||
| Average iMTP Dividend Rate |
2.35 | % |
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.
| 19 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements — continued
The tax character of distributions declared, including distributions on iMTP Shares that are treated as interest expense for financial reporting purposes, for the years ended November 30, 2017 and November 30, 2016 was as follows:
| Year Ended November 30, | ||||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | |||||||
| Distributions declared from: |
||||||||
| Tax-exempt income |
$ | 16,644,458 | $ | 18,652,528 | ||||
| Ordinary income |
$ | 1,089,427 | $ | 960,419 | ||||
During the year ended November 30, 2017, accumulated net realized loss was decreased by $19,058,933, accumulated undistributed net investment income was increased by $159,285 and paid-in capital was decreased by 19,218,218 due to expired capital loss carryforwards and differences between book and tax accounting, primarily for premium amortization, accretion of market discount, non-deductible expenses and the treatment of iMTP Shares as equity for tax purposes. These reclassifications had no effect on the net assets or net asset value per share of the Trust.
As of November 30, 2017, the components of distributable earnings (accumulated losses) on a tax basis were as follows:
| Undistributed tax-exempt income |
$ | 602,677 | ||
| Capital loss carryforwards |
$ | (26,228,051 | ) | |
| Net unrealized appreciation |
$ | 44,744,202 | ||
| Other temporary differences |
$ | (2,090 | ) |
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 wash sales, the timing of recognizing distributions to shareholders, premium amortization, accretion of market discount, defaulted bond interest and residual interest bonds.
At November 30, 2017, the Trust, for federal income tax purposes, had capital loss carryforwards of $26,228,051 which would reduce its taxable income arising from future net realized gains on investment transactions, if any, to the extent permitted by the Internal Revenue Code, and thus would reduce the amount of distributions to shareholders, which would otherwise be necessary to relieve the Trust of any liability for federal income or excise tax. Such capital loss carryforwards will expire on November 30, 2018 ($195,807) and November 30, 2019 ($26,032,244) and their character is short-term. Under tax regulations, capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 2010 are considered deferred capital losses and are treated as arising on the first day of the Trust’s next taxable year, retaining the same short-term or long-term character as when originally deferred. Deferred capital losses are required to be used prior to capital loss carryforwards, which carry an expiration date. As a result of this ordering rule, capital loss carryforwards may be more likely to expire unused.
During the year ended November 30, 2017, capital loss carryforwards of $64,660 were utilized to offset net realized gains by the Trust.
The cost and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments of the Trust at November 30, 2017, as determined on a federal income tax basis, were as follows:
| Aggregate cost |
$ | 346,860,566 | ||
| Gross unrealized appreciation |
$ | 49,749,985 | ||
| Gross unrealized depreciation |
(5,005,782 | ) | ||
| Net unrealized appreciation |
$ | 44,744,203 | ||
5 Investment Adviser Fee and Other Transactions with Affiliates
The investment adviser fee is earned by Eaton Vance Management (EVM) as compensation for investment advisory services rendered to the Trust. The fee is computed at an annual rate of 0.580% (0.595% prior to May 1, 2017) of the Trust’s average weekly gross assets and is payable monthly. Pursuant to a fee reduction agreement between the Trust and EVM that commenced on May 1, 2010, the annual adviser fee rate is reduced by 0.015% every May 1 thereafter for the next nineteen years. The fee reduction cannot be terminated or reduced without the approval of a majority vote of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of EVM or the Trust and by the vote of a majority of shareholders. Average weekly gross assets include the principal
| 20 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements — continued
amount of any indebtedness for money borrowed, including debt securities issued by the Trust, and the amount of any outstanding preferred shares issued by the Trust. Pursuant to a fee reduction agreement with EVM, average weekly gross assets are calculated by adding to net assets the liquidation value of the Trust’s APS and iMTP Shares then outstanding and the amount payable by the Trust to floating rate note holders, such adjustment being limited to the value of the APS outstanding prior to any APS redemptions by the Trust. The administration fee is earned by EVM for administering the business affairs of the Trust and is computed at an annual rate of 0.20% of the Trust’s average weekly gross assets. For the year ended November 30, 2017, the investment adviser fee and administration fee were $2,821,218 and $949,962, respectively.
Trustees and officers of the Trust who are members of EVM’s organization receive remuneration for their services to the Trust out of the investment adviser fee. Trustees of the Trust 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 November 30, 2017, no significant amounts have been deferred. Certain officers and Trustees of the Trust are officers of EVM.
6 Purchases and Sales of Investments
Purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, aggregated $43,354,070 and $45,191,271, respectively, for the year ended November 30, 2017.
7 Common Shares of Beneficial Interest and Shelf Offering
The Trust may issue common shares pursuant to its dividend reinvestment plan. There were no common shares issued by the Trust for the year ended November 30, 2017. Common shares issued by the Trust pursuant to its dividend reinvestment plan for the year ended November 30, 2016 were 22,672.
Pursuant to a registration statement filed with the SEC, the Trust is authorized to issue up to an additional 2,610,553 common shares through an equity shelf offering program (the “shelf offering”). Under the shelf offering, the Trust, subject to market conditions, may raise additional capital from time to time and in varying amounts and offering methods at a net price at or above the Trust’s net asset value per common share. During the years ended November 30, 2017 and November 30, 2016, there were no shares sold by the Trust pursuant to its shelf offering.
On November 11, 2013, the Board of Trustees of the Trust authorized the repurchase by the Trust 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 Trust to purchase a specific amount of shares. There were no repurchases of common shares by the Trust for the years ended November 30, 2017 and November 30, 2016.
8 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 November 30, 2017, the hierarchy of inputs used in valuing the Trust’s investments, which are carried at value, were as follows:
| Asset Description | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | ||||||||||||
| Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities |
$ | — | $ | 519,269,613 | $ | — | $ | 519,269,613 | ||||||||
| Taxable Municipal Securities |
— | 17,247,401 | — | 17,247,401 | ||||||||||||
| Corporate Bonds & Notes |
— | 1,108,480 | — | 1,108,480 | ||||||||||||
| Total Investments |
$ | — | $ | 537,625,494 | $ | — | $ | 537,625,494 | ||||||||
The Trust held no investments or other financial instruments as of November 30, 2016 whose fair value was determined using Level 3 inputs. At November 30, 2017, there were no investments transferred between Level 1 and Level 2 during the year then ended.
| 21 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Trustees and Shareholders of Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust:
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust (the “Trust”), including the portfolio of investments, as of November 30, 2017, and the related statements of operations and cash flows 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 Trust’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 Trust 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 Trust’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 November 30, 2017, 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 Municipal Income Trust as of November 30, 2017, the results of its operations and its cash flows 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
January 22, 2018
| 22 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Federal Tax Information (Unaudited)
The Form 1099-DIV you receive in February 2018 will show the tax status of all distributions paid to your account in calendar year 2017. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Trust. As required by the Internal Revenue Code and/or regulations, shareholders must be notified regarding exempt-interest dividends.
Exempt-Interest Dividends. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2017, the Trust designates 93.86% of distributions from net investment income as an exempt-interest dividend.
| 23 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
The Trust offers a dividend reinvestment plan (Plan) pursuant to which shareholders automatically have distributions reinvested in common shares (Shares) of the Trust 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 Trust’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 Trust. 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.
| 24 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
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 Municipal Income Trust
c/o American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC
P.O. Box 922
Wall Street Station
New York, NY 10269-0560
Number of Employees
The Trust 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 November 30, 2017, Trust records indicate that there are 57 registered shareholders and approximately 8,116 shareholders owning the Trust shares in street name, such as through brokers, banks, and financial intermediaries.
If you are a street name shareholder and wish to receive Trust reports directly, which contain important information about the Trust, 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 EVN.
| 25 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Management and Organization
Fund Management. The Trustees of Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust (the Trust) are responsible for the overall management and supervision of the Trust’s affairs. The Trustees and officers of the Trust 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 Trust, 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 and “EVD” refers to Eaton Vance Distributors, Inc. EVC and EV are the corporate parent and trustee, respectively, of EVM and BMR. 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 178 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 Trust |
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 II Trustee |
Until 2019. 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. Trustee and/or officer of 178 registered investment companies. Mr. Faust is an interested person because of his positions with EVM, BMR, EVD, EVC and EV, which are affiliates of the Trust. Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) Director of EVC and Hexavest Inc. (investment management firm). | |||
| Noninterested Trustees | ||||||
| Mark R. Fetting 1954 |
Class II Trustee |
Until 2019. Trustee since 2016. |
Private investor. Formerly held various positions at Legg Mason, Inc. (investment management firm) (2000-2012), including President, Chief Executive Officer, Director and Chairman (2008-2012), Senior Executive Vice President (2004-2008) and Executive Vice President (2001-2004). Formerly, President of Legg Mason family of funds (2001-2008). Formerly, Division President and Senior Officer of Prudential Financial Group, Inc. and related companies (investment management firm) (1991-2000). Directorships in the Last Five Years. Formerly, Director and Chairman of Legg Mason, Inc. (2008-2012); Director/Trustee and Chairman of Legg Mason family of funds (14 funds) (2008-2012); and Director/Trustee of the Royce family of funds (35 funds) (2001-2012). | |||
| Cynthia E. Frost 1961 |
Class I Trustee |
Until 2018. Trustee since 2014. |
Private investor. Formerly, Chief Investment Officer of Brown University (university endowment) (2000-2012); Formerly, Portfolio Strategist for Duke Management Company (university endowment manager) (1995-2000); Formerly, Managing Director, Cambridge Associates (investment consulting company) (1989-1995); Formerly, Consultant, Bain and Company (management consulting firm) (1987-1989); Formerly, Senior Equity Analyst, BA Investment Management Company (1983-1985). Directorships in the Last Five Years. None. | |||
| George J. Gorman 1952 |
Class I Trustee(3) |
Until 2018. Trustee since 2014. |
Principal at George J. Gorman LLC (consulting firm). Formerly, Senior Partner at Ernst & Young LLP (a registered public accounting firm) (1974-2009). Directorships in the Last Five Years. Formerly, Trustee of the BofA Funds Series Trust (11 funds) (2011-2014) and of the Ashmore Funds (9 funds) (2010-2014). | |||
| Valerie A. Mosley 1960 |
Class I Trustee |
Until 2018. 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). | |||
| 26 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Management and Organization — continued
| Name and Year of Birth | Position(s) with the Trust |
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 |
Chairperson of the Board and Class III Trustee(3) |
Until 2020. Chairperson of the Board since 2016 and Trustee since 2003. |
Private investor. Formerly, Consultant (management and transactional) (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) (a registered public accounting firm) (1972-1981). Directorships in the Last Five Years.(2) None. | |||
| Helen Frame Peters 1948 |
Class III Trustee |
Until 2020. 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 1957 |
Class I 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 III Trustee |
Until 2020. 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). | |||
| Scott E. Wennerholm 1959 |
Class II Trustee |
Until 2019. Trustee since 2016. |
Trustee at Wheelock College (postsecondary institution) (since 2012). Formerly, Consultant at GF Parish Group (executive recruiting firm) (2016-2017). Formerly, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at BNY Mellon Asset Management (investment management firm) (2005-2011). Formerly, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Natixis Global Asset Management (investment management firm) (1997-2004). Formerly, Vice President at Fidelity Investments Institutional Services (investment management firm) (1994-1997). Directorships in the Last Five Years. None. | |||
| Principal Officers who are not Trustees | ||||||
| Name and Year of Birth | Position(s) with the Trust |
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. Also Vice President of Calvert Research and Management (“CRM”). | |||
| Maureen A. Gemma 1960 |
Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer | 2005 | Vice President of EVM and BMR. Also Vice President of CRM. | |||
| James F. Kirchner 1967 |
Treasurer | 2007 | Vice President of EVM and BMR. Also Vice President of CRM. | |||
| 27 |
Eaton Vance
Municipal Income Trust
November 30, 2017
Management and Organization — continued
| Name and Year of Birth | Position(s) with the Trust |
Officer Since(4) |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years | |||
| Principal Officers who are not Trustees (continued) | ||||||
| Richard F. Froio 1968 |
Chief Compliance Officer | 2017 | Vice President of EVM and BMR since 2017. Formerly Deputy Chief Compliance Officer (Adviser/Funds) and Chief Compliance Officer (Distribution) at PIMCO (2012-2017) and Managing Director at BlackRock/Barclays Global Investors (2009-2012). | |||
| (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 Messrs. Fetting, Gorman and Wennerholm) 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) | Preferred Shares Trustee. |
| (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. |
| 28 |
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 Advisers International Ltd., 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. American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (“AST”), the closed-end funds transfer agent, or your financial advisor, may household the mailing of your documents indefinitely unless you instruct AST, or your financial advisor, otherwise. If you would prefer that your Eaton Vance documents not be householded, please contact AST or your financial advisor. Your instructions that householding not apply to delivery of your Eaton Vance documents will typically be effective within 30 days of receipt by AST 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”.
| 29 |
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
151 11.30.17
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. The registrant has amended the code of ethics as described in Form N-CSR during the period covered by this report to make clarifying changes consistent with Rule 21F-17 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The registrant has not granted any waiver, including an implicit waiver, from a provision of the code of ethics as described in Form N-CSR during the period covered by this report.
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
Rule 2-01(c)(1)(ii)(A) of Regulation S-X (the “Loan Rule”) prohibits an accounting firm, such as the Trust’s principal accountant, Deloitte & Touche LLP (“D&T”), from having certain financial relationships with their audit clients and affiliated entities. Specifically, the Loan Rule provides, in relevant part, that an accounting firm generally would not be independent if it or a “covered person” of the accounting firm (within the meaning of applicable SEC rules relating to auditor independence) receives a loan from a lender that is a “record or beneficial owner of more than ten percent of the audit client’s equity securities.” Based on information provided to the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees (the “Audit Committee”) of the Eaton Vance family of funds by D&T, certain relationships between D&T and its affiliates (“Deloitte Entities”) and one or more lenders who are record owners of shares of one or more funds within the Eaton Vance family of funds (the “Funds”) implicate the Loan Rule, calling into question D&T’s independence with respect to the Funds. The Funds are providing this disclosure to explain the facts and circumstances as well as D&T’s conclusions concerning D&T’s objectivity and impartiality with respect to the audits of the Funds notwithstanding the existence of one or more breaches of the Loan Rule.
On June 20, 2016, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued no-action relief to another mutual fund complex (see Fidelity Management & Research Company et al., No-Action Letter (June 20, 2016) (the “No-Action Letter”)) related to an auditor independence issue arising under the Loan Rule. In the No-Action Letter, the SEC indicated that it would not recommend enforcement action against the fund group if the auditor is not in compliance with the Loan Rule provided that: (1) the auditor has complied with PCAOB Rule 3526(b)(1) and 3526(b)(2); (2) the auditor’s non-compliance under the Loan Rule is with respect to certain lending relationships; and (3) notwithstanding such non-compliance, the auditor has concluded that it is objective and impartial with respect to the issues encompassed within its engagement as auditor of the funds.
Based on information provided by D&T to the Audit Committee, the requirements of the No-Action Letter appear to be met with respect to D&T’s lending relationships described above. Among other things, D&T has advised the Audit Committee of its conclusion that the consequences of the breach of the Loan Rule have been satisfactorily addressed, that D&T’s objectivity and impartiality in the planning and conduct of the audits of the Fund’s financial statements has not been compromised and that, notwithstanding the breach, D&T is in a
position to continue as the auditor for the Funds and D&T does not believe any actions need to be taken with respect to previously issued reports by D&T. D&T has advised the Audit Committee that these conclusions were based in part on its consideration of the No-Action Letter and other relevant information communicated to the Audit Committee.
(a)-(d)
The following table presents the aggregate fees billed to the registrant for the registrant’s fiscal years ended November 30, 2016 and November 30, 2017 by 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 |
11/30/16 | 11/30/17 | ||||||
| Audit Fees |
$ | 78,530 | $ | 78,930 | ||||
| Audit-Related Fees(1) |
$ | 3,500 | $ | 0 | ||||
| Tax Fees(2) |
$ | 15,969 | $ | 16,209 | ||||
| All Other Fees(3) |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total |
$ | 97,999 | $ | 95,139 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| (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 and specifically include fees incurred to satisfy the requirements of the underwriter in conjunction with the private offering of the registrant’s Institutional MuniFund Term Preferred Shares (iMTP Shares). |
| (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 November 30, 2016 and November 30, 2017; 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 |
11/30/16 | 11/30/17 | ||||||
| Registrant |
$ | 19,469 | $ | 16,209 | ||||
| Eaton Vance(1) |
$ | 48,500 | $ | 148,018 | ||||
| (1) | Eaton Vance Management, a subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp., acts as the registrant’s investment adviser and administrator. |
(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. George J. Gorman (Chair), Valerie A. Mosley, William H. Park and Scott E. Wennerholm 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 of the Fund. Cynthia J. Clemson is responsible for the overall and day-to-day management of the Fund’s investments. Ms. Clemson is a Vice President of EVM, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since July 2015 and is Co-Director of the Municipal Investments Group. She has managed other Eaton Vance portfolios for more than five years. This information is provided as of the date of filing this report.
The following table shows, as of the Fund’s most recent fiscal year end, the number of accounts the 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 |
|||||||||||
| Registered Investment Companies |
14 | $ | 4,055.3 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
1 | $ | 90.7 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||
| Other Accounts |
2 | $ | 2.4 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||
The following table shows the dollar range of Fund shares beneficially owned by the portfolio manager as of the Fund’s most recent fiscal year end.
| Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned in the Fund | |
| Cynthia J. Clemson |
None |
Potential for Conflicts of Interest. It is possible that conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager’s management of the Fund’s investments on the one hand and the investments of other accounts for which a 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 she advises. In addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions between the Fund and the other accounts, the 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 the investment 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 her discretion in a manner that she believes is equitable to all interested persons. EVM has adopted several policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts including a code of ethics and policies that govern the investment adviser’s trading practices, including among other things the aggregation and allocation of trades among clients, brokerage allocations, 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 non-cash compensation consisting of options to purchase shares of Eaton Vance Corp.’s (“EVC’s”) nonvoting common stock, restricted shares of EVC’s nonvoting common stock and a Deferred Alpha Incentive Plan, which pays a deferred cash award tied to future excess returns in certain equity strategy portfolios. 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.
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers
No such purchases this period.
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. | |
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 Municipal Income Trust
| By: | /s/ Payson F. Swaffield | |
| Payson F. Swaffield | ||
| President | ||
| Date: | January 25, 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: | /s/ James F. Kirchner | |
| James F. Kirchner | ||
| Treasurer | ||
| Date: | January 25, 2018 | |
| By: | /s/ Payson F. Swaffield | |
| Payson F. Swaffield | ||
| President | ||
| Date: | January 25, 2018 | |