Liberty All-Star Growth Fund

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number: 811-04537

LIBERTY ALL-STAR GROWTH FUND, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Erin Nelson

ALPS Fund Services, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 623-2577

Date of fiscal year end: December 31

Date of reporting period: July 1 – September 30, 2013


Item 1 – Schedule of Investments.


     SHARES      MARKET VALUE  

COMMON STOCKS (97.85%)

     

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY (16.69%)

     

Auto Components (0.54%)

     

BorgWarner, Inc.

     6,900       $ 699,591   
     

 

 

 

Automobiles (0.61%)

     

Tesla Motors, Inc.(a)

     1,300         251,446   

Thor Industries, Inc.

     9,413         546,331   
     

 

 

 
        797,777   
     

 

 

 

Distributors (1.04%)

     

LKQ Corp.(a)

     42,504         1,354,177   
     

 

 

 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure (3.29%)

     

Arcos Dorados Holdings, Inc., Class A

     66,500         788,025   

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.(a)

     15,057         432,437   

Chuy’s Holdings, Inc.(a)

     9,018         323,656   

Starbucks Corp.

     26,600         2,047,402   

Wynn Resorts Ltd.

     4,500         711,045   
     

 

 

 
        4,302,565   
     

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail (3.22%)

     

Amazon.com, Inc.(a)

     6,270         1,960,253   

priceline.com, Inc.(a)

     1,275         1,288,961   

RetailMeNot, Inc.(a)

     10,395         369,750   

Shutterfly, Inc.(a)

     10,488         586,070   
     

 

 

 
        4,205,034   
     

 

 

 

Leisure Equipment & Products (0.68%)

     

Polaris Industries, Inc.

     6,900         891,342   
     

 

 

 

Media (0.59%)

     

Discovery Communications, Inc., Class A(a)

     9,200         776,664   
     

 

 

 

Specialty Retail (3.50%)

     

CarMax, Inc.(a)

     8,150         395,031   

Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.

     18,700         998,206   

DSW, Inc., Class A

     10,350         883,062   

Francesca’s Holdings Corp.(a)

     43,099         803,365   

Tiffany & Co.

     13,345         1,022,494   

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.(a)

     3,900         465,894   
     

 

 

 
        4,568,052   
     

 

 

 

Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods (3.22%)

     

Deckers Outdoor Corp.(a)

     16,143         1,064,147   

Fifth & Pacific Cos., Inc.(a)

     42,250         1,061,742   

Under Armour, Inc., Class A(a)

     26,165         2,078,809   
     

 

 

 
        4,204,698   
     

 

 

 

CONSUMER STAPLES (4.00%)

     

Beverages (0.61%)

     

Monster Beverage Corp.(a)

     15,200         794,200   
     

 

 

 

Food & Staples Retailing (2.13%)

     

Costco Wholesale Corp.

     8,450         972,764   

The Fresh Market, Inc.(a)

     21,014         994,172   

PriceSmart, Inc.

     8,604         819,445   
     

 

 

 
        2,786,381   
     

 

 

 

Food Products (1.26%)

     

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.(a)

     13,450         1,037,264   

Mead Johnson Nutrition Co.

     8,250         612,645   
     

 

 

 
        1,649,909   
     

 

 

 


     SHARES      MARKET VALUE  

COMMON STOCKS (continued)

     

ENERGY (6.66%)

     

Energy Equipment & Services (6.66%)

     

Core Laboratories N.V.

     9,131       $ 1,545,056   

Dril-Quip, Inc.(a)

     17,540         2,012,715   

Forum Energy Technologies, Inc.(a)

     16,886         456,091   

Frank’s International N.V.(a)

     15,530         464,813   

Geospace Technologies Corp.(a)

     5,400         455,220   

National-Oilwell Varco, Inc.

     9,000         702,990   

Oceaneering International, Inc.

     20,400         1,657,296   

Schlumberger Ltd.

     15,845         1,400,064   
     

 

 

 
        8,694,245   
     

 

 

 

FINANCIALS (11.62%)

     

Capital Markets (3.33%)

     

The Charles Schwab Corp.

     34,250         724,045   

Financial Engines, Inc.

     17,952         1,067,067   

FXCM, Inc., Class A

     41,168         813,068   

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.

     12,400         891,932   

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.(a)

     5,285         859,552   
     

 

 

 
        4,355,664   
     

 

 

 

Commercial Banks (1.42%)

     

Signature Bank(a)

     20,334         1,860,968   
     

 

 

 

Diversified Financial Services (1.16%)

     

MarketAxess Holdings, Inc.

     11,500         690,460   

Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc.(a)

     13,656         818,540   
     

 

 

 
        1,509,000   
     

 

 

 

Insurance (2.51%)

     

ACE Ltd.

     26,400         2,469,984   

Greenlight Capital Re Ltd., Class A(a)

     28,614         813,782   
     

 

 

 
        3,283,766   
     

 

 

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (1.31%)

     

American Tower Corp.

     23,000         1,704,990   
     

 

 

 

Real Estate Management & Development (1.24%)

     

FirstService Corp.

     27,895         1,083,442   

Zillow, Inc., Class A(a)

     6,349         535,665   
     

 

 

 
        1,619,107   
     

 

 

 

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance (0.65%)

     

BofI Holding, Inc.(a)

     13,130         851,612   
     

 

 

 

HEALTH CARE (11.73%)

     

Biotechnology (3.70%)

     

Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

     20,650         379,960   

BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc.(a)

     24,205         1,748,085   

Celgene Corp.(a)

     7,400         1,139,082   

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

     36,650         434,302   

Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.(a)

     18,417         487,498   

Puma Biotechnology, Inc.(a)

     12,095         649,018   
     

 

 

 
        4,837,945   
     

 

 

 

Health Care Equipment & Supplies (1.76%)

     

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.(a)

     3,200         1,204,064   

Masimo Corp.

     21,345         568,631   

Neogen Corp.(a)

     8,683         527,232   
     

 

 

 
        2,299,927   
     

 

 

 


     SHARES      MARKET VALUE  

COMMON STOCKS (continued)

     

Health Care Providers & Services (1.19%)

     

ExamWorks Group, Inc.(a)

     44,047       $ 1,144,782   

Premier, Inc.(a)

     12,710         402,907   
     

 

 

 
        1,547,689   
     

 

 

 

Health Care Technology (3.42%)

     

athenahealth, Inc.(a)

     17,083         1,854,530   

Cerner Corp.(a)

     49,630         2,608,057   
     

 

 

 
        4,462,587   
     

 

 

 

Life Sciences Tools & Services (0.34%)

     

Illumina, Inc.(a)

     5,450         440,523   
     

 

 

 

Pharmaceuticals (1.32%)

     

Allergan, Inc.

     11,450         1,035,652   

Zoetis, Inc.

     22,265         692,887   
     

 

 

 
        1,728,539   
     

 

 

 

INDUSTRIALS (16.34%)

     

Aerospace & Defense (2.96%)

     

B/E Aerospace, Inc.(a)

     14,300         1,055,626   

HEICO Corp.

     10,442         707,341   

Precision Castparts Corp.

     6,600         1,499,784   

TransDigm Group, Inc.

     4,326         600,016   
     

 

 

 
        3,862,767   
     

 

 

 

Air Freight & Logistics (0.56%)

     

Echo Global Logistics, Inc.(a)

     35,249         738,114   
     

 

 

 

Commercial Services & Supplies (1.94%)

     

The Advisory Board Co.(a)

     17,030         1,012,944   

Waste Connections, Inc.

     33,392         1,516,331   
     

 

 

 
        2,529,275   
     

 

 

 

Electrical Equipment (0.80%)

     

AMETEK, Inc.

     9,500         437,190   

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

     5,700         609,558   
     

 

 

 
        1,046,748   
     

 

 

 

Machinery (4.28%)

     

AGCO Corp.

     10,550         637,431   

Cummins, Inc.

     6,350         843,724   

Graco, Inc.

     10,938         810,068   

Middleby Corp.(a)

     3,964         828,119   

Nordson Corp.

     8,300         611,129   

Rexnord Corp.(a)

     17,322         360,298   

WABCO Holdings, Inc.(a)

     10,050         846,813   

Wabtec Corp.

     10,450         656,992   
     

 

 

 
        5,594,574   
     

 

 

 

Professional Services (3.43%)

     

Huron Consulting Group, Inc.(a)

     13,068         687,508   

IHS, Inc., Class A(a)

     9,335         1,065,870   

Stantec, Inc.

     13,118         671,773   

Verisk Analytics, Inc., Class A(a)

     18,800         1,221,248   

WageWorks, Inc.(a)

     16,495         832,173   
     

 

 

 
        4,478,572   
     

 

 

 

Road & Rail (0.40%)

     

Landstar System, Inc.

     9,318         521,622   
     

 

 

 

Trading Companies & Distributors (1.97%)

     

Fastenal Co.

     36,420         1,830,105   


     SHARES      MARKET VALUE  

COMMON STOCKS (continued)

     

Trading Companies & Distributors (continued)

     

MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc., Class A

     9,100       $ 740,285   
     

 

 

 
        2,570,390   
     

 

 

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (28.71%)

     

Communications Equipment (3.37%)

     

InterDigital, Inc.

     6,879         256,793   

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.(a)

     16,798         769,684   

Polycom, Inc.(a)

     44,001         480,491   

QUALCOMM, Inc.

     30,965         2,085,803   

ViaSat, Inc.(a)

     12,700         809,625   
     

 

 

 
        4,402,396   
     

 

 

 

Electronic Equipment & Instruments (1.58%)

     

FARO Technologies, Inc.(a)

     15,546         655,575   

FEI Co.

     7,800         684,840   

IPG Photonics Corp.

     12,780         719,642   
     

 

 

 
        2,060,057   
     

 

 

 

Internet Software & Services (7.62%)

     

Envestnet, Inc.(a)

     30,499         945,469   

Equinix, Inc.(a)

     6,885         1,264,430   

Google, Inc., Class A(a)

     2,125         1,861,309   

LinkedIn Corp., Class A(a)

     9,100         2,239,146   

Liquidity Services, Inc.(a)

     39,511         1,325,989   

NIC, Inc.

     20,082         464,095   

SPS Commerce, Inc.(a)

     10,765         720,394   

Stamps.com, Inc.(a)

     24,762         1,137,319   
     

 

 

 
        9,958,151   
     

 

 

 

IT Services (2.55%)

     

ServiceSource International, Inc.(a)

     58,790         710,183   

VeriFone Systems, Inc.(a)

     41,587         950,679   

Visa, Inc., Class A

     8,715         1,665,436   
     

 

 

 
        3,326,298   
     

 

 

 

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment (2.61%)

     

ARM Holdings PLC(b)

     43,717         2,103,662   

Hittite Microwave Corp.(a)

     7,336         479,408   

NVIDIA Corp.

     52,750         820,790   
     

 

 

 
        3,403,860   
     

 

 

 

Software (10.98%)

     

ANSYS, Inc.(a)

     14,627         1,265,528   

Concur Technologies, Inc.(a)

     6,496         717,808   

FleetMatics Group PLC(a)

     25,046         940,477   

NetSuite, Inc.(a)

     6,200         669,228   

RealPage, Inc.(a)

     43,603         1,009,845   

Salesforce.com, Inc.(a)

     39,270         2,038,506   

ServiceNow, Inc.(a)

     13,700         711,715   

Solera Holdings, Inc.

     17,903         946,532   

Splunk, Inc.(a)

     35,717         2,144,449   

Tableau Software, Inc., Class A(a)

     3,752         267,292   

The Ultimate Software Group, Inc.(a)

     10,979         1,618,305   

VMware, Inc., Class A(a)

     11,350         918,215   

Workday, Inc., Class A(a)

     13,550         1,096,601   
     

 

 

 
        14,344,501   
     

 

 

 

MATERIALS (2.10%)

     

Chemicals (0.88%)

     

Praxair, Inc.

     9,625         1,157,021   
     

 

 

 

Metals & Mining (1.22%)

     

Allegheny Technologies, Inc.

     28,750         877,450   


     SHARES      MARKET VALUE  

COMMON STOCKS (continued)

     

Metals & Mining (continued)

     

Silver Wheaton Corp.

     28,705       $ 711,023   
     

 

 

 
        1,588,473   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(COST OF $87,096,123)

        127,809,771   
     

 

 

 
     PAR VALUE         

SHORT TERM INVESTMENT (2.63%)

     

REPURCHASE AGREEMENT (2.63%)

     

Repurchase agreement with State Street Bank & Trust Co., dated 09/30/13, due 10/01/13 at 0.01%, collateralized by Federal National Mortgage Association 3.00%, 03/15/43, market value of $3,506,914 (Repurchase proceeds of $3,431,001)

(COST OF $3,431,000)

   $ 3,431,000       $ 3,431,000   
     

 

 

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS (100.48%)

(COST OF $90,527,123)(c)

        131,240,771   

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS (-0.48%)

        (625,205)   
     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS (100.00%)

      $ 130,615,566   
     

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE

(23,527,776 SHARES OUTSTANDING)

      $ 5.55   
     

 

 

 

Notes to Schedule of Investments:

(a) Non-income producing security.
(b) American Depositary Receipt.
(c) Cost of investments for federal income tax purposes is $90,925,579.

Gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation at September 30, 2013 based on cost of investment for federal income tax purpose is as follows:

 

Gross unrealized appreciation

   $ 42,044,602      

Gross unrealized depreciation

     (1,729,410)      

 

Net unrealized appreciation

   $ 40,315,192      

 

For Fund compliance purposes, the Fund’s industry classifications refer to any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or ratings group indexes, and/or as defined by Fund management. This definition may not apply for purposes of this report, which may combine industry sub-classifications for reporting ease. Industries are shown as a percent of net assets.

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.


LIBERTY ALL STAR GROWTH FUND

Notes to Schedule of Investments

September 30, 2013 (unaudited)

Security Valuation

Equity securities including common stocks and exchange traded funds are valued at the last sale price at the close of the principal exchange on which they trade, except for securities listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”) exchange, which are valued at the NASDAQ official closing price. Unlisted securities or listed securities for which there were no sales during the day are valued at the closing bid price on such exchanges or over-the-counter markets.

Short-term debt obligations maturing in more than 60 days for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value. Short-term debt obligations maturing within 60 days are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.

Investments for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under consistently applied procedures approved by and under the general supervision of the Fund’s Board of Trustees.

Foreign Securities

The Fund may directly purchase securities of foreign issuers. Investing in securities of foreign issuers involves special risks not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. issuers. The risks include possible reevaluation of currencies, the inability to repatriate foreign currency, less complete financial information about companies and possible future adverse political and economic developments. Moreover, securities of many foreign issuers and their markets may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than those of securities of comparable U.S. issuers. For the period ended September 30, 2013, the Fund only held American Depositary Receipts and did not hold any securities denominated in foreign currencies.

Security Transactions

Security transactions are recorded on trade date. Cost is determined and gains/ (losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund engages in repurchase agreement transactions with institutions that the Fund’s investment advisor has determined are creditworthy. The Fund, through its custodian, receives delivery of underlying securities collateralizing a repurchase agreement. Collateral is at least equal, at all times, to the value of the repurchase obligation including interest. A repurchase agreement transaction involves certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty. These risks include possible delays or restrictions upon a Fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities and a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period while the Fund seeks to assert its rights.

Income Recognition

Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Corporate actions and dividend income are recorded on the ex-date.

Fair Value Measurements

The Fund discloses the classification of its fair value measurements following a three-tier hierarchy based on the inputs used to measure fair value. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset


or liability that are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on the best information available.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments as of the end of the reporting period. When inputs used fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The designated input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with these investments. These inputs are categorized in the following hierarchy under applicable financial accounting standards:

 

Level 1      Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical investments, unrestricted assets or liabilities that a Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date;
Level 2      Quoted prices which are not active, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable (either directly or indirectly) for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and
Level 3      Significant unobservable prices or inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.

The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of September 30, 2013. The Fund recognizes transfers between the levels as of the beginning of the annual period in which the transfer occurred.

 

     Valuation Inputs
Investments in Securities at Value*    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total

Common Stocks

   $ 127,809,771       $       $       $ 127,809,771     

Short Term Investment

             3,431,000                 3,431,000     

 

Total

   $ 127,809,771       $ 3,431,000       $       $ 131,240,771     

 

*See Schedule of Investments for industry classifications

For the period ended September 30, 2013, the Fund did not have any transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 securities. The Fund did not have any securities which used significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) in determining fair value during the period.

Indemnification

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties and which provide general indemnities. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims against the Fund. Also, under the Fund’s organizational documents and by contract, the Directors and Officers of the Fund are indemnified against certain liabilities that may arise out of their duties to the Fund. However, based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss due to these warranties and indemnities to be minimal.

Maryland Statutes

By resolution of the Board of Directors, the Fund has opted into the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act and the Maryland Business Combination Act. In general, the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act provides that “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition may not be voted except to the extent approved by shareholders at a meeting by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter (excluding shares owned by the acquiror and by officers or directors who are employees of the corporation). “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all


other shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within certain statutorily defined ranges (one-tenth but less than one-third, one-third but less than a majority, and more than a majority of the voting power). In general, the Maryland Business Combination Act prohibits an interested shareholder (a shareholder that holds 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding stock of the corporation) of a Maryland corporation from engaging in a business combination (generally defined to include a merger, consolidation, share exchange, sale of a substantial amount of assets, a transfer of the corporation’s securities and similar transactions to or with the interested shareholder or an entity affiliated with the interested shareholder) with the corporation for a period of five years after the most recent date on which the interested shareholder became an interested shareholder. At the time of adoption, March 19, 2009, the Board and the Fund were not aware of any shareholder that held control shares or that was an interested shareholder under the statutes.


Item 2 - Controls and Procedures.

 

  (a)    The registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have evaluated the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) within 90 days of this filing and have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of that date.
  (b)    There was no change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) during registrant’s last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 3 – Exhibits.
  Separate certifications for the registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, are attached as Ex99.CERT.


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.

 

  LIBERTY ALL-STAR GROWTH FUND, INC.
  By:   

/s/ William Parmentier

     William Parmentier
     President (principal executive officer)
  Date:    November 21, 2013

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/ William Parmentier

     William Parmentier
     President (principal executive officer)
  Date:    November 21, 2013
  By:   

/s/ Kimberly Storms

     Kimberly Storms
     Treasurer (principal financial officer)
  Date:    November 21, 2013