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Proxy Voting Policies

Ceredex Value Advisors LLC Proxy Policy

Under SEC Rule 206(4)-6, investment advisors have fiduciary obligations to their clients if the advisors have authority to vote their clients’ proxies. Under our standard contractual agreements, Ceredex Value Advisors LLC (“Ceredex” or the “Firm”) is authorized to vote proxies on behalf of client accounts.

The rule requires an investment advisor that exercises voting authority over client proxies to adopt policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the advisor: 1) votes proxies in the best interests of clients, 2) discloses information about those policies and procedures, 3) discloses how clients may obtain information regarding individual security proxy votes cast on their behalf, and 4) maintains appropriate records relating to actual proxy voting. 

The Firm has a Proxy Committee (“Committee”) that is responsible for establishing policies and procedures reasonably designed to enable the Firm to ethically and effectively discharge its fiduciary obligation to vote all applicable proxies on behalf of all client accounts and funds where the Firm has proxy voting authority and ensure compliance with all the requirements. Annually (or more often as needed), the Committee will review, reaffirm and/or amend guidelines, strategies and proxy policies for all client accounts, funds and product lines.

The firm votes all shares per the firm Proxy Guidelines unless the client chooses custom guidelines. In the case that a ballot item is not covered under the policy or is coded as case-by-case in Ceredex’s proxy guidelines, a research analyst or portfolio manager will review the available information and will utilize such information, along with knowledge of the company, to make a vote recommendation to the Proxy Committee. The Proxy Committee members consider the information and recommendation and will then vote on that ballot item.

The Firm utilizes a third-party proxy service provider for support services related to the Firm’s proxy voting processes/procedures, which include, but are not limited to:

  1. The collection of proxy material from our clients’ custodians.

  2. The review of proxy proposals and appropriate voting recommendations on behalf of the Firm.

  3. The facilitation of proxy voting, reconciliation, and disclosure, in accordance with the Firm’s proxy policies and the Committee’s direction.

  4. Recordkeeping and voting record retention.

The Firm will continue to utilize all available resources to make well-informed and qualified proxy vote decisions.

As reflected in the Firm’s proxy guidelines, the Committee will vote proxies in a manner deemed to be in the best economic interest of its clients, as a whole, as shareholders and beneficiaries of those actions.

The Committee recognizes that each proxy vote must be evaluated on its own merits. Factors such as a company’s organizational structure, executive and operational management, Board of Directors structure, corporate culture and governance process, and the impact of economic, environmental and social implications remain considerations in our voting decisions. 

The Committee will consider client-specific preferences and/or develop and apply criteria unique to its client base and product lines, where appropriate. As needed, the Firm will communicate this information to its service provider so those clients’ proxies will be voted accordingly.  The Committee will review the service provider’s capabilities as agent for the contracted services noted above.

An Independent, Objective Approach to Proxy Issues

The Firm maintains its own proxy guidelines for U.S. domestic proxy voting issues. ERISA accounts will be voted in accordance with the Firm’s U.S. Domestic Proxy Guidelines; as such guidelines include ERISA-specific guidelines and requirements.

The Firm currently provides and maintains the following standard proxy voting guidelines:

U.S. Domestic Proxy Guidelines (applied to both ERISA- and Non-ERISA-related accounts and funds)

Exceptions to Policy

The Firm may choose not to vote proxies in certain situations, or for certain accounts, such as but not limited to when the cost of voting would exceed any anticipated benefit to the respective client(s); when a proxy is received for a client account that has been terminated; when a proxy is received for a security no longer managed; and/or when the exercise of voting rights could restrict the ability of an account’s portfolio manager to freely trade the security in question (for example, in certain foreign jurisdictions known as “blocking markets”).

Conflicts of Interest

Due to the Firm’s diversified client base and product lines, the Committee may determine a potential conflict exists in connection with a proxy vote.  The Committee will determine how to address the conflict that may include voting strictly in accordance with policy, voting with management, and/or allowing the third-party service provider to vote in accordance with its guidelines. 

Additional conflicts of interest will be evaluated by the Committee on an individual basis.

Although the Firm does its best to alleviate or diffuse known conflicts, there is no guarantee that all situations have been or will be mitigated through proxy policy incorporation.  

Securities Lending Program

The Firm manages assets for several clients (including the Virtus Funds in the Virtus Asset Trust (“Virtus Funds”)) that engage in “securities lending” programs. In a typical securities lending program, clients or funds lend securities from their accounts/portfolios to approved broker-dealers against cash collateral. On behalf of clients and the Virtus Funds, the Firm seeks to balance the economic benefits of continuing to participate in an open securities lending transaction against the inability to vote proxies. On behalf of clients and the Virtus Funds, the Firm will call loaned securities back to vote proxies, or to otherwise obtain rights to vote or consent with respect to a material event affecting securities on loan when the advisor believes it is necessary to vote. 

Additional Information

Records Related to Proxy Voting

All proxy voting records, including policy and procedures, proxy statements, votes cast and any correspondence relative thereto will be maintained in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (as amended) and pursuant to the Firm’s Data Retention Policy.

Firm Clients

Individual client Proxy Voting records are available to clients upon request. Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are available on the firm’s website. For any information related to proxy voting, or to obtain information about specific voting issues, please e-mail at: [email protected].

Virtus Funds Shareholders

Shareholders of the Virtus Funds may request fund-related proxy voting information by calling 1-800-243-1574.