NPORT-EX 2 LMA3400LM093023.htm HTML

CLEARBRIDGE VARIABLE MID CAP PORTFOLIO

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited)    September 30, 2023

(Percentages shown based on Portfolio net assets)

 

SECURITY

   SHARES      VALUE  
COMMON STOCKS - 97.9%      
COMMUNICATION SERVICES - 3.5%      

Entertainment - 2.7%

     

Endeavor Group Holdings Inc., Class A Shares

     206,500      $ 4,109,350  

Live Nation Entertainment Inc.

     27,200        2,258,688
     

 

 

 

Total Entertainment

        6,368,038  
     

 

 

 

Interactive Media & Services - 0.8%

     

Pinterest Inc., Class A Shares

     68,300        1,846,149
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMUNICATION SERVICES

        8,214,187  
     

 

 

 
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY - 9.8%      

Automobile Components - 2.2%

     

Aptiv PLC

     54,300        5,353,437
     

 

 

 

Broadline Retail - 0.9%

     

Etsy Inc.

     33,800        2,182,804
     

 

 

 

Diversified Consumer Services - 0.9%

     

Service Corp. International

     37,100        2,119,894  
     

 

 

 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure - 1.4%

     

Expedia Group Inc.

     32,300        3,329,161
     

 

 

 

Leisure Products - 1.8%

     

Hasbro Inc.

     64,500        4,266,030  
     

 

 

 

Specialty Retail - 2.6%

     

Five Below Inc.

     14,300        2,300,870

Ross Stores Inc.

     34,300        3,874,185  
     

 

 

 

Total Specialty Retail

        6,175,055  
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

        23,426,381  
     

 

 

 
CONSUMER STAPLES - 7.9%      

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail - 5.5%

     

Casey’s General Stores Inc.

     20,300        5,511,856  

Performance Food Group Co.

     128,100        7,539,966
     

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail

        13,051,822  
     

 

 

 

Personal Care Products - 2.4%

     

Coty Inc., Class A Shares

     524,400        5,752,668
     

 

 

 

TOTAL CONSUMER STAPLES

        18,804,490  
     

 

 

 
ENERGY - 6.3%      

Energy Equipment & Services - 1.7%

     

Baker Hughes Co.

     56,200        1,984,984  

Noble Corp. PLC

     40,000        2,026,000  
     

 

 

 

Total Energy Equipment & Services

        4,010,984  
     

 

 

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

  ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio 2023 Quarterly Report      

 

 

1


CLEARBRIDGE VARIABLE MID CAP PORTFOLIO

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)    September 30, 2023

(Percentages shown based on Portfolio net assets)

 

SECURITY

   SHARES      VALUE  

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels - 4.6%

     

EQT Corp.

     88,000      $ 3,571,040  

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.

     32,400        7,437,420  
     

 

 

 

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

        11,008,460  
     

 

 

 

TOTAL ENERGY

        15,019,444  
     

 

 

 
FINANCIALS - 10.9%      

Banks - 1.6%

     

Fifth Third Bancorp

     43,600        1,104,388  

PNC Financial Services Group Inc.

     13,800        1,694,226  

US Bancorp

     32,900        1,087,674  
     

 

 

 

Total Banks

        3,886,288  
     

 

 

 

Capital Markets - 4.0%

     

Blue Owl Capital Inc.

     216,900        2,811,024  

Houlihan Lokey Inc.

     51,300        5,495,256  

Raymond James Financial Inc.

     12,000        1,205,160  
     

 

 

 

Total Capital Markets

        9,511,440  
     

 

 

 

Insurance - 5.3%

     

Arch Capital Group Ltd.

     70,900        5,651,439

Everest Group Ltd.

     3,600        1,338,012  

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.

     77,300        5,481,343  
     

 

 

 

Total Insurance

        12,470,794  
     

 

 

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

        25,868,522  
     

 

 

 
HEALTH CARE - 10.5%      

Biotechnology - 0.5%

     

Argenx SE, ADR

     2,600        1,278,238
     

 

 

 

Health Care Equipment & Supplies - 2.7%

     

IDEXX Laboratories Inc.

     3,200        1,399,264

STERIS PLC

     11,500        2,523,330  

Teleflex Inc.

     12,200        2,396,202  
     

 

 

 

Total Health Care Equipment & Supplies

        6,318,796  
     

 

 

 

Health Care Technology - 1.0%

     

Doximity Inc., Class A Shares

     106,000        2,249,320
     

 

 

 

Life Sciences Tools & Services - 6.3%

     

Avantor Inc.

     202,500        4,268,700

Bio-Techne Corp.

     41,100        2,797,677  

ICON PLC, ADR

     28,000        6,895,000

Maravai LifeSciences Holdings Inc., Class A Shares

     112,100        1,121,000
     

 

 

 

Total Life Sciences Tools & Services

        15,082,377  
     

 

 

 

TOTAL HEALTH CARE

        24,928,731  
     

 

 

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

 

 

2

  ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio 2023 Quarterly Report      


CLEARBRIDGE VARIABLE MID CAP PORTFOLIO

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)    September 30, 2023

(Percentages shown based on Portfolio net assets)

 

SECURITY

   SHARES      VALUE  
INDUSTRIALS - 21.2%      

Aerospace & Defense - 1.6%

     

CAE Inc.

     162,200      $ 3,787,370
     

 

 

 

Building Products - 3.9%

     

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc.

     20,200        2,299,366  

Masonite International Corp.

     32,000        2,983,040

Resideo Technologies Inc.

     260,000        4,108,000
     

 

 

 

Total Building Products

        9,390,406  
     

 

 

 

Commercial Services & Supplies - 1.9%

     

Clean Harbors Inc.

     26,600        4,451,776
     

 

 

 

Construction & Engineering - 4.9%

     

API Group Corp.

     179,800        4,662,214

WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp.

     169,500        7,049,505
     

 

 

 

Total Construction & Engineering

        11,711,719  
     

 

 

 

Electrical Equipment - 6.6%

     

Atkore Inc.

     26,000        3,878,940

Regal Rexnord Corp.

     52,800        7,544,064  

Vertiv Holdings Co.

     118,400        4,404,480  
     

 

 

 

Total Electrical Equipment

        15,827,484  
     

 

 

 

Machinery - 2.3%

     

ATS Corp.

     126,900        5,408,478
     

 

 

 

TOTAL INDUSTRIALS

        50,577,233  
     

 

 

 
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - 13.7%      

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components - 4.7%

     

CDW Corp.

     15,000        3,026,400  

Keysight Technologies Inc.

     31,700        4,194,227

Teledyne Technologies Inc.

     9,700        3,963,226
     

 

 

 

Total Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components

        11,183,853  
     

 

 

 

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment - 2.5%

     

Marvell Technology Inc.

     109,900        5,948,887  
     

 

 

 

Software - 6.5%

     

Aspen Technology Inc.

     13,300        2,716,658

Bentley Systems Inc., Class B Shares

     63,100        3,165,096  

Everbridge Inc.

     69,600        1,560,432

NCR Corp.

     158,800        4,282,836

Workiva Inc.

     36,500        3,698,910
     

 

 

 

Total Software

        15,423,932  
     

 

 

 

TOTAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

        32,556,672  
     

 

 

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

  ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio 2023 Quarterly Report      

 

 

3


CLEARBRIDGE VARIABLE MID CAP PORTFOLIO

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)    September 30, 2023

(Percentages shown based on Portfolio net assets)

 

SECURITY

         SHARES      VALUE  
MATERIALS - 4.9%        

Chemicals - 4.2%

       

Ashland Inc.

       66,100      $ 5,399,048  

Eastman Chemical Co.

       28,500        2,186,520  

Sensient Technologies Corp.

       41,200        2,409,376  
       

 

 

 

Total Chemicals

          9,994,944  
       

 

 

 

Containers & Packaging - 0.7%

       

Crown Holdings Inc.

       19,374        1,714,211  
       

 

 

 

TOTAL MATERIALS

          11,709,155  
       

 

 

 
REAL ESTATE - 5.4%        

Industrial REITs - 1.3%

       

Americold Realty Trust Inc.

       99,700        3,031,877  
       

 

 

 

Office REITs - 1.4%

       

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.

       33,400        3,343,340  
       

 

 

 

Real Estate Management & Development - 1.5%

       

CoStar Group Inc.

       45,600        3,506,184
       

 

 

 

Residential REITs - 1.2%

       

Sun Communities Inc.

       25,500        3,017,670  
       

 

 

 

TOTAL REAL ESTATE

          12,899,071  
       

 

 

 
UTILITIES - 3.8%        

Electric Utilities - 1.1%

       

Eversource Energy

       45,600        2,651,640  
       

 

 

 

Multi-Utilities - 2.7%

       

Ameren Corp.

       55,600        4,160,548  

DTE Energy Co.

       23,400        2,323,152  
       

 

 

 

Total Multi-Utilities

          6,483,700  
       

 

 

 

TOTAL UTILITIES

          9,135,340  
       

 

 

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS BEFORE SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost - $189,428,577)

 

     233,139,226  
       

 

 

 
     RATE               
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 2.9%        

JPMorgan 100% U.S. Treasury Securities Money Market Fund, Institutional Class

     5.204     3,478,972        3,478,972 (a) 

Western Asset Premier Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves, Premium Shares

     5.270     3,478,972        3,478,972 (a)(b) 
       

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost - $6,957,944)

          6,957,944  
       

 

 

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 100.8%
(Cost - $196,386,521)

          240,097,170  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets - (0.8)%

          (1,800,366
       

 

 

 

TOTAL NET ASSETS - 100.0%

        $ 238,296,804  
       

 

 

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

 

 

4

  ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio 2023 Quarterly Report      


CLEARBRIDGE VARIABLE MID CAP PORTFOLIO

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

Rate shown is one-day yield as of the end of the reporting period.

 

(b)

In this instance, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, an “Affiliated Company” represents Portfolio ownership of at least 5% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Portfolio. At September 30, 2023, the total market value of investments in Affiliated Companies was $3,478,972 and the cost was $3,478,972 (Note 2).

 

Abbreviation(s) used in this schedule:
ADR — American Depositary Receipts

This Schedule of Investments is unaudited and is intended to provide information about the Portfolio’s investments as of the date of the schedule. Other information regarding the Portfolio is available in the Portfolio’s most recent annual or semi-annual shareholder report.

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

  ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio 2023 Quarterly Report      

 

 

5


Notes to Schedule of Investments (unaudited)

 

1. Organization and significant accounting policies

ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio (the “Portfolio”) is a separate diversified investment series of Legg Mason Partners Variable Equity Trust (the “Trust”). The Trust, a Maryland statutory trust, is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company.

Shares of the Portfolio may only be purchased or redeemed through variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies offered by the separate accounts of participating insurance companies or through eligible pension or other qualified plans.

The Portfolio follows the accounting and reporting guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services – Investment Companies (“ASC 946”). The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Portfolio and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), including, but not limited to, ASC 946.

(a) Investment valuation. Equity securities for which market quotations are available are valued at the last reported sales price or official closing price on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. The valuations for fixed income securities (which may include, but are not limited to, corporate, government, municipal, mortgage-backed, collateralized mortgage obligations and asset-backed securities) and certain derivative instruments are typically the prices supplied by independent third party pricing services, which may use market prices or broker/dealer quotations or a variety of valuation techniques and methodologies. The independent third party pricing services typically use inputs that are observable such as issuer details, interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, credit risks/spreads, default rates and quoted prices for similar securities. Investments in open-end funds are valued at the closing net asset value per share of each fund on the day of valuation. When the Portfolio holds securities or other assets that are denominated in a foreign currency, the Portfolio will normally use the currency exchange rates as of 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). If independent third party pricing services are unable to supply prices for a portfolio investment, or if the prices supplied are deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined by the manager using quotations from one or more broker/dealers or at the transaction price if the security has recently been purchased and no value has yet been obtained from a pricing service or pricing broker. When reliable prices are not readily available, such as when the value of a security has been significantly affected by events after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded, but before the Portfolio calculates its net asset value, the Portfolio values these securities as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the Portfolio’s Board of Trustees.

 

 

 

6

   


Notes to Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

Pursuant to policies adopted by the Board of Trustees, the Portfolio’s manager has been designated as the valuation designee and is responsible for the oversight of the daily valuation process. The Portfolio’s manager is assisted by the Global Fund Valuation Committee (the “Valuation Committee”). The Valuation Committee is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the Portfolio’s pricing policies, and reporting to the Portfolio’s manager and the Board of Trustees. When determining the reliability of third party pricing information for investments owned by the Portfolio, the Valuation Committee, among other things, conducts due diligence reviews of pricing vendors, monitors the daily change in prices and reviews transactions among market participants.

The Valuation Committee will consider pricing methodologies it deems relevant and appropriate when making fair value determinations. Examples of possible methodologies include, but are not limited to, multiple of earnings; discount from market of a similar freely traded security; discounted cash-flow analysis; book value or a multiple thereof; risk premium/yield analysis; yield to maturity; and/or fundamental investment analysis. The Valuation Committee will also consider factors it deems relevant and appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances. Examples of possible factors include, but are not limited to, the type of security; the issuer’s financial statements; the purchase price of the security; the discount from market value of unrestricted securities of the same class at the time of purchase; analysts’ research and observations from financial institutions; information regarding any transactions or offers with respect to the security; the existence of merger proposals or tender offers affecting the security; the price and extent of public trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable companies; and the existence of a shelf registration for restricted securities.

For each portfolio security that has been fair valued pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board of Trustees, the fair value price is compared against the last available and next available market quotations. The Valuation Committee reviews the results of such back testing monthly and fair valuation occurrences are reported to the Board of Trustees quarterly.

The Portfolio uses valuation techniques to measure fair value that are consistent with the market approach and/or income approach, depending on the type of security and the particular circumstance. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable securities. The income approach uses valuation techniques to discount estimated future cash flows to present value.

 

   

 

 

7


Notes to Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

GAAP establishes a disclosure hierarchy that categorizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to value assets and liabilities at measurement date. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:

 

   

Level 1 – unadjusted 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 the Portfolio’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)

The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

The following is a summary of the inputs used in valuing the Portfolio’s assets carried at fair value:

 

ASSETS

 

DESCRIPTION

   QUOTED PRICES
(LEVEL 1)
     OTHER SIGNIFICANT
OBSERVABLE INPUTS
(LEVEL 2)
     SIGNIFICANT
UNOBSERVABLE
INPUTS
(LEVEL 3)
     TOTAL  

Common Stocks†

   $ 233,139,226        —          —        $ 233,139,226  

Short-Term Investments†

     6,957,944        —          —          6,957,944  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Investments

   $ 240,097,170        —          —        $ 240,097,170  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

See Schedule of Investments for additional detailed categorizations.

2. Transactions with affiliated company

As defined by the 1940 Act, an affiliated company is one in which the Portfolio owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Portfolio. The following company was considered an affiliated company for all or some portion of the period ended September 30, 2023. The following transactions were effected in such company for the period ended September 30, 2023.

 

            Purchased      Sold      Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Dividend
Income
     Net Increase
(Decrease) in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
     Affiliate
Value at
September 30,
2023
 
     Affiliate
Value at
December 31,
2022
     Cost      Shares      Cost      Shares  
Western Asset Premier Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves, Premium Shares    $ 1,013,014      $ 26,816,567        26,816,567      $ 24,350,609        24,350,609        —        $ 104,109        —        $ 3,478,972  

 

 

 

8