FLAHERTY & CRUMRINE TOTAL RETURN FUND INC

Regulatory Filings • Feb 4, 2022

N-CSR 1 flc-ncsr_113021.htm CERTIFIED ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORT flc-ncsr_113021 Document Created by Quality EDGAR Solutions Single Source System Ver. 7h3d0c70r.1.0 (tvnabbpndsdnf) [1642808942555-4784]

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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 811-21380

Flaherty & Crumrine Total Return Fund Incorporated

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(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

301 E. Colorado Boulevard, Suite 800

Pasadena, CA 91101

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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

R. Eric Chadwick

Flaherty & Crumrine Incorporated 301 E. Colorado Boulevard, Suite 800

Pasadena, CA 91101

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(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 626-795-7300

Date of fiscal year end: November 30

Date of reporting period: November 30, 2021

Form N-CSR is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30e-1). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-CSR in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-CSR, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-CSR unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.

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Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

(a) The Report to Shareholders is attached herewith.

(b) Not applicable.

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

(a) The registrant, as of the end of the period covered by this report, has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the registrant or a third party.

(c) There have been no amendments, during the period covered by this report, to a provision of the code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the registrant or a third party, and that relates to any element of the code of ethics description.

(d) The registrant has not granted any waivers, including an implicit waiver, from a provision of the code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the registrant or a third party, that relates to one or more of the items set forth in paragraph (b) of this item’s instructions.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

As of the end of the period covered by the report, the registrant’s board of directors has determined that David Gale, Morgan Gust and Karen H. Hogan are each qualified to serve as an audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee and that they all are “independent,” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

Audit Fees

(a) The aggregate fees billed for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the audit of the registrant’s annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years are $53,550 for 2021 and $50,500 for 2020.

Audit-Related Fees

(b) The aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under paragraph (a) of this Item are $0 for 2021 and $0 for 2020.

Tax Fees

(c) The aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning are $10,030 for 2021 and $9,465 for 2020. Services included the preparation and review of federal and state tax returns, excise tax returns, and tax distribution requirements.

All Other Fees

(d) The aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for products and services provided by the principal accountant, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Item are $26,000 for 2021 and $0 for 2020.

(e)(1) The Fund’s Audit Committee Charter states that the Audit Committee shall have the duty and power to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the auditors to the Fund, and all non-audit services to be provided by the auditors to the Fund’s investment adviser and any service providers controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Fund’s investment adviser that provide ongoing services to the Fund, if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund.

(e)(2) The percentage of services described in each of paragraphs (b) through (d) of this Item that were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X are as follows:

(b) N/A

(c) 0%

(d) N/A

(f) The percentage of hours expended on the principal accountant’s engagement to audit the registrant’s financial statements for the most recent fiscal year that were attributed to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant’s full-time, permanent employees was 0.

(g) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the registrant’s accountant for services rendered to the registrant, and rendered to the registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant for each of the last two fiscal years of the registrant was $0 for 2021 and $0 for 2020.

(h) Not applicable.

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

(a) The registrant has a separately designated audit committee consisting of all the independent directors of the registrant. The members of the audit committee are: David Gale, Morgan Gust and Karen H. Hogan.

(b) Not applicable.

Item 6. Investments.

(a) Schedule of Investments in securities of unaffiliated issuers as of the close of the reporting period is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1(a) of this form.

(b) Not applicable.

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

The Proxy Voting Policies are set forth below.

ADVISER PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Flaherty & Crumrine Incorporated (“FCI”) acts as discretionary investment adviser for various clients, including the following eight pooled investment vehicles (the “Funds”):

| As
adviser to the “U.S. Funds” | Flaherty
& Crumrine Preferred and Income Fund Incorporated |
| --- | --- |
| | Flaherty
& Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund Incorporated |
| | Flaherty
& Crumrine Preferred and Income Securities Fund Incorporated |
| | Flaherty
& Crumrine Total Return Fund Incorporated |
| | Flaherty
& Crumrine Dynamic Preferred and Income Fund Incorporated |
| As
sub-adviser to the “Canadian Funds” | Flaherty
& Crumrine Investment Grade Preferred Income Fund |
| As
sub-adviser to the “ETF” | Brompton
Flaherty & Crumrine Investment Grade Preferred ETF |
| As
sub-adviser to the “Mutual Fund” | Destra
Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Fund |

FCI’s authority to vote proxies for its clients is established through the delegation of discretionary authority under its investment advisory contracts and the U.S. Funds have adopted these policies and procedures for themselves.

Purpose

These policies and procedures are designed to satisfy FCI’s duties of care and loyalty to its clients with respect to monitoring corporate events and exercising proxy authority in the best interests of such clients.

In connection with this objective, these policies and procedures are designed to deal with potential complexities which may arise in cases where FCI’s interests conflict or appear to conflict with the interests of its clients.

These policies and procedures are also designed to communicate with clients the methods and rationale whereby FCI exercises proxy voting authority.

This document is available to any client or Fund shareholder upon request and FCI will make available to such clients and Fund shareholders the record of FCI’s votes promptly upon request and to the extent required by Federal law and regulations.

Fundamental Standard

FCI will be guided by the principle that, in those cases where it has proxy voting authority, it will vote proxies, and take such other corporate actions, consistent with the interest of its clients in a manner free of conflicts of interest.

General

These policies and procedures apply only where the client has granted discretionary authority with respect to proxy voting. Where FCI does not have authority, it will keep appropriate written records evidencing that such discretionary authority has not been granted.

FCI may choose not to keep written copies of proxy materials that are subject to SEC regulation and maintained in the SEC’s EDGAR database. In other instances, FCI will keep appropriate written records in its files or in reasonably accessible storage.

Similarly, FCI will keep in its files, or reasonably accessible storage, work papers and other materials that were significant to FCI in making a decision how to vote.

For purposes of decision making, FCI will assume that each ballot for which it casts votes is the only security of an issuer held by the client. Thus, when casting votes where FCI may have discretionary authority with regard to several different securities of the same issuer, it may vote securities “in favor” for those securities or classes where FCI has determined the matter in question to be beneficial while, at the same time, voting “against” for those securities or classes where FCI has determined the matter to be adverse. Such cases occasionally arise, for example, in those instances where a vote is required by both common and preferred shareholders, voting as separate classes, for a change in the terms regarding preferred stock issuance.

FCI will reach its voting decisions independently, after appropriate investigation. It does not generally intend to delegate its decision making or to rely on the recommendations of any third party, although it may take such recommendations into consideration. FCI may consult with such other experts, such as CPA’s, investment bankers, attorneys, etc., as it regards necessary to help it reach informed decisions.

FCI may determine not to vote a proxy for a debt or equity security: if (1) the effect on the applicable client’s economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is insignificant in relation to its portfolio; (2) the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the possible benefit to the applicable client, including without limitation situations where a jurisdiction imposes share blocking restrictions which may affect the ability to effect transactions in the related securities; or (3) FCI otherwise has determined that it is consistent with its fiduciary obligations not to vote the proxy.

Ultimately, all voting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, taking relevant considerations into account.

Voting of Common Stock Proxies

FCI categorizes matters as either routine or non-routine, which definition may or may not precisely conform to the definitions set forth by securities exchanges or other bodies categorizing such matters. Routine matters would include such things as the voting for directors and the ratification of auditors and most shareholder proposals regarding social, environmental, and corporate responsibility matters. FCI normally will vote in favor of management’s recommendations on these routine matters.

Non-routine matters might include, without limitation, such things as (1) amendments to management incentive plans, (2) the authorization of additional common or preferred stock, (3) initiation or termination of barriers to takeover or acquisition, (4) mergers or acquisitions, (5) changes in the state of incorporation, (6) corporate reorganizations, and (7) “contested” director slates. Non-routine matters will be voted on a case-by-case basis.

Voting of Preferred Stock Proxies and Exercising Consent Rights of Debt Securities

Preferred securities generally have voting rights only in the event that the issuer has not made timely payments of income and principal to shareholders or in the event that a corporation desires to effectuate some change in its articles of incorporation which might modify the rights of preferred stockholders.

Similarly, debt securities typically do not have express voting rights; however, issuers may seek consents to amendments of covenants or rights of the debt holders.

In deciding upon non-routine matters, having to do with the modification of the rights or protections, FCI will attempt, wherever possible, to assess the costs and benefits of such modifications.

In the case of the election of directors when timely payments to preferred shareholders have not been made (“contingent voting”), FCI will cast its votes on a case-by-case basis after investigation of the qualifications and independence of the persons standing for election.

Routine matters regarding preferred stock are the exception, rather than the rule, and typically arise when the preferred and common shareholders vote together as a class on such matters as election of directors. FCI will vote on a case-by-case basis, reflecting the principles set forth elsewhere in this document. However, in those instances (1) where the common shares of an issuer are held by a parent company and (2) where, because of that, the election outcome is not in doubt, FCI does not intend to vote such proxies since the time and costs would outweigh the benefits.

Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest between FCI and FCI’s clients may arise when FCI’s relationships with an issuer or with a related third party conflict or appear to conflict with the best interests of FCI’s clients.

FCI will indicate in its voting records available to clients whether or not a material conflict exists or appears to exist. In addition, FCI will communicate with the client (which means the independent Directors or Director(s) they may so designate in the case of the U.S. Funds and the investment adviser in the case of the Canadian Funds or the Mutual Fund) in instances when a material conflict of interest may be apparent. FCI must describe the conflict to the client and state FCI’s voting recommendation and the basis therefor. If the client considers there to be a reasonable basis for the proposed vote notwithstanding the conflict or, in the case of the Funds, that the recommendation was not affected by the conflict (without considering the merits of the proposal), FCI will vote in accordance with the recommendation it had made to the client.

In all such instances, FCI will keep reasonable documentation supporting its voting decisions and/or recommendations to clients.

Amendment of the Policies and Procedures

These policies and procedures may be modified at any time by action of the Board of Directors of FCI but will not become effective, in the case of the U.S. Funds, unless they are approved by majority vote of the non-interested directors of the U.S. Funds. Any such modifications will be sent to FCI’s clients by mail and/or other electronic means in a timely manner. These policies and procedures, and any amendments hereto, will be posted on the U.S. Funds’ websites and will be disclosed in reports to shareholders as required by law.

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

The following paragraphs provide certain information with respect to the portfolio managers of the Fund and the material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with their management of the investments of the Fund, on the one hand, and the investments of other client accounts for which they have responsibility, on the other hand. Certain other potential conflicts of interest with respect to personal trading and proxy voting are discussed above under “Item 2 - Code of Ethics” and “Item 7 - Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.”

(a)(1) Portfolio Managers

R. Eric Chadwick and Bradford S. Stone jointly serve as the Portfolio Managers of the Fund. Additional biographical information about the Portfolio Managers is available in the Annual Report included in Response to Item 1 above.

(a)(2) Other Accounts Managed By Portfolio Managers

The tables below illustrate other accounts where each of the above-mentioned two Portfolio Managers has significant day-to-day management responsibilities as of November 30, 2021:

| Name
of Portfolio Manager or Team Member | Type
of Accounts | Total #
of Accounts Managed | Total Assets (mm) | #
of Accounts Managed for which Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1.
R. Eric Chadwick | Other
Registered Investment Companies: | 5 | $3,115 | 0 |
| | Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 2 | $148 | 0 |
| | Other
Accounts: | 10 | $1,187 | 0 |
| 2.
Bradford S. Stone | Other
Registered Investment Companies: | 5 | $3,115 | 0 |
| | Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 2 | $148 | 0 |
| | Other
Accounts: | 10 | $1,187 | 0 |

Potential Conflicts of Interest

In addition to the Fund, the Portfolio Managers jointly manage accounts for four other closed-end funds, one mutual fund, two Canadian funds and other institutional clients. As a result, potential conflicts of interest may arise as follows:

● Allocation of Limited Time and Attention . The Portfolio Managers may devote unequal time and attention to the management of all accounts. As a result, the Portfolio Managers may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if they were to devote substantially more attention to the management of one account.

● Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities . If the Portfolio Managers identify an investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple accounts, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity because the opportunity may need to be allocated among other accounts.

● Pursuit of Differing Strategies . At times, the Portfolio Managers may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some accounts or may decide that certain of these accounts should take differing positions (i.e., may buy or sell the particular security at different times or the same time or in differing amounts) with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the Portfolio Manager may place separate transactions for one or more accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment of one or more other accounts.

● Variation in Compensation . A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the Portfolio Manager differ among accounts. While the Adviser only charges fees based on assets under management and does not receive a performance fee from any of its accounts, and while it strives to maintain uniform fee schedules, it does have different fee schedules based on the differing advisory services required by some accounts. Consequently, though the differences in such fee rates are slight, the Portfolio Managers may be motivated to favor certain accounts over others. In addition, the desire to maintain assets under management or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the Portfolio Managers in affording preferential treatment to those accounts that could most significantly benefit the Adviser.

The Adviser and the Fund have adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address the various conflicts of interest that may arise for the Adviser and its staff members. However, there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will be able to detect and prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may arise.

(a)(3) Portfolio Manager Compensation

Compensation is paid solely by the Adviser. Each Portfolio Manager receives the same fixed salary. In addition, each Portfolio Manager receives a bonus based on peer reviews of his performance and the total net investment advisory fees received by Flaherty & Crumrine Incorporated (which are in turn based on the value of its assets under management). The Portfolio Managers do not receive deferred compensation, but participate in a profit-sharing plan available to all employees of the Adviser; amounts are determined as a percentage of the employee’s eligible compensation for a calendar year based on IRS limitations. Each Portfolio Manager is also a shareholder of Flaherty & Crumrine Incorporated and receives quarterly dividends based on his equity interest in the company.

(a)(4) Disclosure of Securities Ownership

The following indicates the dollar range of beneficial ownership of shares by each Portfolio Manager as of November 30, 2021:

| Name | Dollar
Range of Fund Shares Beneficially Owned* |
| --- | --- |
| R.
Eric Chadwick | $50,001-$100,000 |
| Bradford
S. Stone | $50,001-$100,000 |

*Doesn’t include 4,198 shares held by Flaherty & Crumrine Incorporated of which each portfolio manager is a shareholder.

(b) Not applicable.

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

Not applicable.

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which the shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s board of directors, where those changes were implemented after the registrant last provided disclosure in response to the requirements of Item 407(c)(2)(iv) of Regulation S-K (17 CFR 229.407) (as required by Item 22(b)(15) of Schedule 14A (17 CFR 240.14a-101)), or this Item.

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

(a) The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) are effective, as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15(b)).

(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d))) that occurred during the 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. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

Item 13. Exhibits.

(a)(1) Code of ethics, or any amendment thereto, that is the subject of disclosure required by Item 2 is attached hereto.

(a)(2) Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto.

(a)(2)(1) Not applicable.

(a)(2)(2) Not applicable.

(b) Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the 1940 Act and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto.

(c) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

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.

(Registrant) Flaherty & Crumrine Total Return Fund Incorporated

By (Signature and Title)*
R. Eric Chadwick, Chief Executive Officer and President
(principal executive officer)

Date January 26, 2022

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

By (Signature and Title)*
R. Eric Chadwick, Chief Executive Officer and President
(principal executive officer)

Date January 26, 2022

By (Signature and Title)*
Bradford S. Stone, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer
and Vice President
(principal financial officer)

Date January 26, 2022

• Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.