N-CSRS 1 d553940dncsrs.htm STERLING CAPITAL VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

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                  811-21682                
Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
434 Fayetteville Street, 5th Floor
                         Raleigh, NC 27601-0575                        
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
James T. Gillespie, President
Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds
434 Fayetteville Street, 5th Floor
                Raleigh, NC 27601-0575                
(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:   (800) 228-1872
Date of fiscal year end:   December 31
Date of reporting period:   June 30, 2013

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, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.


Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

The Report to Shareholders is attached herewith.


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

 

   Table of Contents

 

 

 


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Summary of Portfolio Holdings (Unaudited)

   June 30, 2013

 

 

 

Each Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Fund’s portfolio composition at June 30, 2013 was as follows :

 

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF (formerly known as Sterling Capital Select Equity VIF)    Percentage
of net assets
 

Consumer Discretionary

     17.1

Consumer Staples

     12.0

Energy

     18.6

Financials

     8.9

Health Care

     16.7

Industrials

     6.6

Information Technology

     13.1

Materials

     2.3

Cash Equivalents

     4.7
  

 

 

 
     100.0
  

 

 

 

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

  

Consumer Discretionary

     16.2

Consumer Staples

     2.5

Energy

     10.6

Financials

     3.2

Health Care

     19.2

Industrials

     8.1

Information Technology

     31.3

Materials

     4.4

Cash Equivalents

     3.9
  

 

 

 
     99.4
  

 

 

 

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

  

Asset Backed Securities

     5.4

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations

     9.5

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities

     19.1

Corporate Bonds

     40.8

Mortgage-Backed Securities

     10.2

Municipal Bonds

     7.0

Preferred Stocks

     2.9

U.S. Government Agencies

     3.8

U.S. Treasury Bonds

     1.7

Cash Equivalents

     0.2
  

 

 

 
     100.6
  

 

 

 

 

2


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Expense Example (Unaudited)

   June 30, 2013

 

 

 

As a shareholder of the Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses.

These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period from January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2013.

Actual Example

The table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information below, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the table under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

     Beginning
Account Value
1/1/13
   Ending
Account Value
6/30/13
   Expenses Paid
During Period
1/1/13 - 6/30/13*
   Expense Ratio
During Period
1/1/13 - 6/30/13

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   $1,000.00    $1,075.90    $5.97    1.16%

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

     1,000.00      1,104.90      6.99    1.34%

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

     1,000.00        972.30      6.06    1.24%

 

*

Expenses are equal to the average account value times the Fund’s annualized expense ratio multiplied by 181 (the number of days in the most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 (the number of days in the fiscal year). Expenses shown do not include annuity contract fees.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on each Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Funds’ actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

     Beginning
Account Value
1/1/13
   Ending
Account Value
6/30/13
   Expenses Paid
During Period
1/1/13 - 6/30/13*
   Expense Ratio
During Period
1/1/13 - 6/30/13

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   $1,000.00    $1,019.04    $5.81    1.16%

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

     1,000.00      1,018.15      6.71    1.34%

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

     1,000.00      1,018.65      6.21    1.24%

 

*

Expenses are equal to the average account value times the Fund’s annualized expense ratio multiplied by 181 (the number of days in the most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 (the number of days in the fiscal year). Expenses shown do not include annuity contract fees.

 

3


Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   Schedule of Portfolio Investments

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

    Shares    

            Fair Value      

COMMON STOCKS (95.3%)

  
  

Consumer Discretionary (17.1%)

  

6,130

   McDonald’s Corp.    $ 606,870   

8,955

   Omnicom Group, Inc.      563,001   

24,220

   Pearson PLC, ADR      433,780   

8,860

   Target Corp.      610,100   

7,309

   Time Warner Cable, Inc.      822,116   
     

 

 

 
        3,035,867   
     

 

 

 
  

Consumer Staples (12.0%)

  

10,595

   General Mills, Inc.      514,175   

7,570

   PepsiCo, Inc.      619,150   

4,635

   Philip Morris International, Inc.      401,484   

14,385

   Unilever PLC, ADR      581,873   
     

 

 

 
        2,116,682   
     

 

 

 
  

Energy (18.6%)

  

5,155

   Chevron Corp.      610,043   

11,440

   Ensco PLC, Class A      664,893   

17,090

   Kinder Morgan, Inc.      651,984   

7,560

   Occidental Petroleum Corp.      674,579   

20,105

   Spectra Energy Corp.      692,818   
     

 

 

 
        3,294,317   
     

 

 

 
  

Financials (8.9%)

  

1,270

   BlackRock, Inc.      326,199   

16,220

   MetLife, Inc.      742,227   

6,445

   Travelers Cos., Inc. (The)      515,084   
     

 

 

 
        1,583,510   
     

 

 

 
  

Health Care (16.7%)

  

9,635

   Abbott Laboratories      336,069   

6,630

   AbbVie, Inc.      274,084   

8,980

   Baxter International, Inc.      622,045   

8,500

   Novartis AG, ADR      601,035   

18,260

   Pfizer, Inc.      511,463   

7,405

   WellPoint, Inc.      606,025   
     

 

 

 
        2,950,721   
     

 

 

 

    Shares    

          Fair Value    

COMMON STOCKS — (continued)

  
  

Industrials (6.6%)

  

11,370

   Emerson Electric Co.    $ 620,120   

6,275

   United Parcel Service, Inc., Class B      542,662   
     

 

 

 
        1,162,782   
     

 

 

 
  

Information Technology (13.1%)

  

26,085

   Intel Corp.      631,779   

18,000

   Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.      500,040   

15,895

   Microsoft Corp.      548,854   

10,445

   QUALCOMM, Inc.      637,981   
     

 

 

 
        2,318,654   
     

 

 

 
  

Materials (2.3%)

  

10,680

   Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, Inc.      407,228   
     

 

 

 
  

Total Common Stocks
(Cost $16,077,736)

     16,869,761   
     

 

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANY (4.7%)

  

824,228

  

Federated Treasury Obligations Fund, Institutional Shares

     824,228   
     

 

 

 
  

Total Investment Company
(Cost $824,228)

     824,228   
     

 

 

 

Total Investments — 100.0%
(Cost $16,901,964)

     17,693,989   

Net Other Assets (Liabilities) — 0.0%

     4,413   
     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

   $ 17,698,402   
     

 

 

 

ADR — American Depositary Receipt

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

 

4


Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

   Schedule of Portfolio Investments

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

    Shares    

            Fair Value      

COMMON STOCKS (95.5%)

  
  

Consumer Discretionary (16.2%)

  

42,000

   Comcast Corp., Class A    $ 1,758,960   

24,000

   DIRECTV(a)      1,478,880   

93,000

   Ford Motor Co.      1,438,710   
     

 

 

 
        4,676,550   
     

 

 

 
  

Consumer Staples (2.5%)

  

26,000

   Mondelez International, Inc., Class A      741,780   
     

 

 

 
  

Energy (10.6%)

  

15,000

   Apache Corp.      1,257,450   

10,000

   EOG Resources, Inc.      1,316,800   

10,000

   Halliburton Co.      417,200   

2,000

   Williams Cos., Inc. (The)      64,940   
     

 

 

 
        3,056,390   
     

 

 

 
  

Financials (3.2%)

  

12,300

   Capital One Financial Corp.      772,563   

15,500

  

Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, LLC, Class A

     161,820   
     

 

 

 
        934,383   
     

 

 

 
  

Health Care (19.2%)

  

24,000

   Agilent Technologies, Inc.      1,026,240   

19,066

   Merck & Co., Inc.      885,615   

30,000

   Myriad Genetics, Inc.(a)      806,100   

34,000

  

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd., ADR

     1,332,800   

23,000

   UnitedHealth Group, Inc.      1,506,040   
     

 

 

 
        5,556,795   
     

 

 

 
  

Industrials (8.1%)

  

20,000

   ADT Corp. (The)(a)      797,000   

6,000

   FedEx Corp.      591,480   

17,493

   Nielsen Holdings NV      587,590   

6,000

   Ryder System, Inc.      364,740   
     

 

 

 
        2,340,810   
     

 

 

 
  

Information Technology (31.3%)

  

20,000

   Akamai Technologies, Inc.(a)      851,000   

    Shares    

            Fair Value      

COMMON STOCKS — (continued)

  
  

Information Technology — (continued)

  

2,800

   Apple, Inc.    $ 1,109,024   

20,000

  

Check Point Software Technologies, Ltd.(a)

     993,600   

65,000

   Cisco Systems, Inc.      1,580,150   

70,000

   Corning, Inc.      996,100   

30,000

   eBay, Inc.(a)      1,551,600   

19,000

   Intuit, Inc.      1,159,570   

44,000

   Nuance Communications, Inc.(a)      808,720   
     

 

 

 
        9,049,764   
     

 

 

 
  

Materials (4.4%)

  

26,000

   Newmont Mining Corp.      778,700   

53,000

   Yamana Gold, Inc.      504,030   
     

 

 

 
        1,282,730   
     

 

 

 
  

Total Common Stocks
(Cost $22,171,209)

     27,639,202   
     

 

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANY (3.9%)

  

1,127,258

  

Federated Treasury Obligations Fund, Institutional Shares

     1,127,258   
     

 

 

 
  

Total Investment Company
(Cost $1,127,258)

     1,127,258   
     

 

 

 

Total Investments — 99.4%
(Cost $23,298,467)

     28,766,460   

Net Other Assets (Liabilities) — 0.6%

     161,675   
     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

   $ 28,928,135   
     

 

 

 

 

 

(a)

Represents non-income producing security.

ADR — American Depositary Receipt

 

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

 

5


Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

   Schedule of Portfolio Investments

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Principal

Amount

          Fair Value    

ASSET BACKED SECURITIES (5.4%)

  
$  88,099   

Argent Securities, Inc. Pass Through Certificates, Series 2005-W3, Class A2D,
0.533%, 11/25/35(a)

   $ 80,709   
246,000   

Avis Budget Rental Car Funding AESOP, LLC, Series 2012-3A, Class A,
2.100%, 3/20/19(b)

     241,620   
174,000   

Chase Issuance Trust, Series 2008-A8,
Class A8, 1.393%, 5/15/17(a)

     177,136   
92,889   

Long Beach Mortgage Loan Trust,
Series 2006-WL2, Class 2A3, 0.393%, 1/25/36(a)

     83,620   
84,523   

Park Place Securities, Inc. Pass Through Certificates, Series 2005-WHQ1,
Class M2, 0.693%, 3/25/35(a)

     84,094   
181,894   

Securitized Asset Backed Receivables, LLC Trust, Series 2005-OP2, Class A2C, 0.513%, 10/25/35(a)

     167,780   
  

 

 

 
  

Total Asset Backed Securities
(Cost $851,748)

     834,959   
  

 

 

 

COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE
OBLIGATIONS (9.5%)

  
73,739   

Adjustable Rate Mortgage Trust, Series 2004-5, Class 4A1, 5.106%, 4/25/35(a)

     72,411   
50,360   

Banc of America Alternative Loan Trust, Series 2004-10, Class 1CB1, 6.000%, 11/25/34

     52,108   
98,281   

Banc of America Funding Trust, Series 2006-2, Class 3A1, 6.000%, 3/25/36

     97,526   
56,148   

Countrywide Alternative Loan Trust,
Series 2004-22CB, Class 1A1,
6.000%, 10/25/34

     58,208   
38,307   

Countrywide Home Loan Mortgage Pass Through Trust, Series 2002-38, Class A3, 5.000%, 2/25/18

     38,342   
42,997   

Fannie Mae, Series 2003-33, Class A,
4.000%, 5/25/33

     44,365   
40,847   

Fannie Mae, Series 2003-33, Class AQ,
4.000%, 5/25/33

     42,147   
66,668   

Freddie Mac, Series 3768, Class V,
4.000%, 11/15/23

     71,051   
163,159   

Freddie Mac, Series 4077, Class PJ,
3.500%, 11/15/40

     172,065   
58,167   

MASTR Alternative Loan Trust,
Series 2004-13, Class 3A1,
6.500%, 1/25/35

     59,021   
89,627   

PHHMC Trust, Series 2007-6, Class A1, 5.733%, 12/18/37(a)

     92,617   
27,024   

RAAC Trust, Series 2004-SP3, Class AI5, 4.890%, 12/25/32(a)

     27,238   
69,069   

RALI Trust, Series 2005-QR1, Class A, 6.000%, 10/25/34

     71,410   
45,833   

Residential Asset Securitization Trust, Series 2004-IP2, Class 4A, 2.703%, 12/25/34(a)

     44,745   
86,478   

Specialty Underwriting & Residential Finance Trust, Series 2004-AA1, Class 1A1, 5.000%, 10/25/34

     87,573   
115,164   

Structured Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2004-6, Class 4A1,
2.538%, 6/25/34(a)

     116,579   
52,909   

Structured Asset Securities Corp. Mortgage Pass Through Certificates, Series 2003-10,
Class A, 6.000%, 4/25/33

     56,101   
23,105   

Structured Asset Securities Corp. Trust, Series 2005-6, Class 5A1, 5.000%, 5/25/35

     23,671   

Principal

Amount

          Fair Value    

COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE
OBLIGATIONS — (continued)

  
$101,665   

Wells Fargo Mortgage Backed Securities Trust, Series 2004-BB, Class A2,
2.625%, 1/25/35(a)

   $ 98,218   
104,325   

Wells Fargo Mortgage Backed Securities Trust, Series 2005-AR16, Class 6A3,
2.649%, 10/25/35(a)

     101,307   
28,792   

Wells Fargo Mortgage Backed Securities Trust, Series 2007-16, Class 1A1,
6.000%, 12/28/37

     29,959   
  

 

 

 
  

Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligations
(Cost $1,419,569)

     1,456,662   
  

 

 

 

COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE-BACKED
SECURITIES (19.1%)

  
150,000   

Banc of America Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2006-3, Class A4,
5.889%, 7/10/44(a)

     166,366   
153,000   

Banc of America Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2006-5, Class A4, 5.414%, 9/10/47

     168,408   
8,151   

Banc of America Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2007-2, Class A2,
5.634%, 4/10/49(a)

     8,241   
73,000   

Banc of America Merrill Lynch Commercial Mortgage, Inc., Series 2005-1, Class AJ, 5.403%, 11/10/42(a)

     76,747   
40,000   

Banc of America Merrill Lynch Commercial Mortgage, Inc., Series 2005-3, Class AM, 4.727%, 7/10/43

     41,751   
50,000   

Bear Stearns Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2005-PWR9, Class A4B, 4.943%, 9/11/42

     52,791   
95,000   

CD Commercial Mortgage Trust,
Series 2005-CD1, Class AM,
5.392%, 7/15/44(a)

     101,273   
150,000   

CD Commercial Mortgage Trust,
Series 2007-CD4, Class A4,
5.322%, 12/11/49

     165,125   
95,000   

CD Mortgage Trust, Series 2006-CD3, Class A5, 5.617%, 10/15/48

     104,870   
100,000   

COMM Mortgage Trust, Series 2005-LP5, Class AJ, 5.046%, 5/10/43(a)

     104,889   
155,000   

COMM Mortgage Trust, Series 2006-C7, Class A4, 5.940%, 6/10/46(a)

     170,371   
117,000   

Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2005-GG5, Class AM, 5.277%, 4/10/37(a)

     124,334   
139,000   

Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Securities Corp., Series 2005-C1, Class AJ,
5.075%, 2/15/38(a)

     143,407   
101,000   

DBUBS Mortgage Trust, Series 2011-LC2A, Class A4, 4.537%, 7/10/44(b)

     107,604   
100,000   

GMAC Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc., Series 2005-C1, Class AM,
4.754%, 5/10/43

     104,864   
158,000   

GMAC Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc., Series 2006-C1, Class A4,
5.238%, 11/10/45(a)

     168,902   
100,000   

GS Mortgage Securities Corp. II,
Series 2013-KYO, Class A,
1.043%, 11/8/29(a)(b)

     98,933   
148,549   

JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2006-CB16, Class A4, 5.552%, 5/12/45

     163,776   
100,000   

JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Series Trust, Series 2013-FL3, Class A2,
0.893%, 4/15/28(a)(b)

     99,658   
150,000   

LB-UBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2007-C1, Class A4, 5.424%, 2/15/40

     166,667   
 

 

Continued

 

6


Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

   Schedule of Portfolio Investments — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Principal
Amount

        Fair Value  

COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE-BACKED
SECURITIES — (continued)

  
$28,000   

ML-CFC Commercial Mortgage Trust,
Series 2006-3, Class A3, 5.389%, 7/12/46(a)

   $ 27,878   
80,000   

Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust,
Series 2006-HQ8, Class AM, 5.646%, 3/12/44(a)

     86,867   
119,000   

Wachovia Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2005-C20, Class AMFX,
5.179%, 7/15/42(a)

     126,738   
44,373   

Wachovia Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2007-C30, Class A3,
5.246%, 12/15/43

     45,500   
74,263   

Wachovia Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2006-C27, Class A3,
5.765%, 7/15/45(a)

     80,228   
61,000   

Wachovia Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc. Pass Through Certificates, Series 2003-C8, Class E, 5.495%, 11/15/35(a)

     61,704   
150,000   

WF-RBS Commercial Mortgage Trust,
Series 2011-C2, Class B,
5.174%, 2/15/44(a)(b)

     159,945   
  

 

 

 
   Total Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Cost $2,929,769)      2,927,837   
  

 

 

 

CORPORATE BONDS (40.8%)

  
   Consumer Discretionary (3.9%)   
24,000   

Brinker International, Inc., 2.600%, 5/15/18

     23,490   
33,000   

CBS Corp., 8.875%, 5/15/19(c)

     42,529   
26,000   

Comcast Cable Communications Holdings, Inc., 9.455%, 11/15/22(c)

     36,791   
37,000   

Delphi Corp., 5.875%, 5/15/19

     39,313   
45,000   

Ford Motor Co., 7.450%, 7/16/31

     53,875   
65,000   

George Washington University (The),
3.485%, 9/15/22

     63,627   
34,000   

Interpublic Group of Cos., Inc. (The),
3.750%, 2/15/23

     31,575   
50,000   

Mohawk Industries, Inc., 3.850%, 2/1/23

     47,984   
27,000   

NBCUniversal Media, LLC, 5.950%, 4/1/41

     30,837   
29,500   

Nielsen Finance, LLC/Nielsen Finance Co., 4.500%, 10/1/20(b)

     28,320   
19,000   

Nordstrom, Inc., 6.250%, 1/15/18

     22,086   
26,000   

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.,
11.875%, 7/15/15

     30,160   
48,000   

Service Corp. International, 7.000%, 5/15/19

     50,760   
40,000   

Toll Brothers Finance Corp., 6.750%, 11/1/19

     45,200   
33,000   

Wyndham Worldwide Corp., 5.625%, 3/1/21

     35,363   
24,000   

Wyndham Worldwide Corp., 4.250%, 3/1/22

     23,374   
  

 

 

 
        605,284   
  

 

 

 
   Consumer Staples (0.9%)   
25,000   

Altria Group, Inc., 9.950%, 11/10/38

     37,000   
26,000   

CVS Caremark Corp., 6.125%, 9/15/39

     30,383   
58,000   

Lorillard Tobacco Co., 6.875%, 5/1/20(c)

     66,647   
  

 

 

 
        134,030   
  

 

 

 
   Energy (4.8%)   
55,000   

Atlas Pipeline Partners LP/Atlas Pipeline Finance Corp., 5.875%, 8/1/23(b)

     52,250   
70,000   

Boardwalk Pipelines LP, 3.375%, 2/1/23

     64,447   
28,000   

BP Capital Markets PLC, 1.375%, 11/6/17

     27,261   
30,000   

Buckeye Partners LP, 4.150%, 7/1/23

     29,188   
34,000   

Cameron International Corp., 6.375%, 7/15/18

     39,874   
42,000   

Chesapeake Energy Corp., 3.250%, 3/15/16

     41,790   

Principal
Amount

        Fair Value  

CORPORATE BONDS — (continued)

  
   Energy — (continued)   
$14,000   

Concho Resources, Inc., 5.500%, 4/1/23

   $ 13,790   
10,000   

Continental Resources, Inc., 4.500%, 4/15/23(b)

     9,725   
34,000   

Denbury Resources, Inc., 8.250%, 2/15/20

     36,720   
37,000   

Energy Transfer Partners LP,
9.000%, 4/15/19(c)

     47,072   
40,000   

Enterprise Products Operating, LLC,
5.950%, 2/1/41

     43,578   
32,000   

Hess Corp., 5.600%, 2/15/41

     32,832   
43,000   

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP,
3.950%, 9/1/22

     42,418   
32,000   

NuStar Logistics LP, 8.150%, 4/15/18(c)

     35,644   
27,000   

Petrobras Global Finance BV, 2.000%, 5/20/16

     26,439   
33,000   

Petrobras International Finance Co. - PifCo, 3.500%, 2/6/17(c)

     32,853   
30,000   

Petrohawk Energy Corp., 6.250%, 6/1/19

     32,925   
30,000   

Plains Exploration & Production Co.,
6.500%, 11/15/20

     31,806   
26,000   

Regency Energy Partners LP/Regency Energy Finance Corp., 6.500%, 7/15/21

     27,170   
41,000   

Schlumberger Investment SA,
3.300%, 9/14/21(b)(c)

     41,209   
30,000   

Western Gas Partners LP, 4.000%, 7/1/22

     29,121   
  

 

 

 
        738,112   
  

 

 

 
   Financials (24.2%)   
31,000   

Aflac, Inc., 8.500%, 5/15/19

     39,622   
33,000   

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., REIT, 4.600%, 4/1/22

     33,631   
94,000   

American International Group, Inc.,
3.800%, 3/22/17

     98,542   
54,000   

American Tower Corp., REIT,
3.500%, 1/31/23

     49,446   
39,000   

Associates Corp. of North America,
6.950%, 11/1/18

     46,188   
35,000   

Bank of America Corp., MTN, 5.875%, 2/7/42

     39,130   
31,000   

Bank of America Corp., Series K,
8.000%, 12/29/49(a)

     34,526   
40,000   

Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (The), STEP, 1.969%, 6/20/17

     40,238   
79,000   

Bear Stearns Cos., LLC (The),
5.550%, 1/22/17

     86,542   
33,000   

Blackstone Holdings Finance Co., LLC,
6.625%, 8/15/19(b)

     38,607   
40,000   

BNP Paribas SA, MTN, 3.250%, 3/3/23

     36,770   
32,000   

Carlyle Holdings Finance, LLC,
3.875%, 2/1/23(b)

     30,969   
51,000   

CBRE Services, Inc., 6.625%, 10/15/20

     53,805   
41,000   

CIT Group, Inc., 4.750%, 2/15/15(b)

     41,666   
26,000   

Citigroup, Inc., 5.875%, 1/30/42(c)

     28,608   
40,000   

CNA Financial Corp., 7.350%, 11/15/19(c)

     48,432   
36,000   

CNH Capital, LLC, 3.875%, 11/1/15

     36,180   
49,000   

Colonial Realty LP, 6.250%, 6/15/14(c)

     51,262   
39,000   

Cooperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen- Boerenleenbank BA, 3.875%, 2/8/22

     39,274   
46,000   

Corrections Corp. of America, REIT,
4.125%, 4/1/20(b)

     44,965   
45,000   

CubeSmart LP, REIT, 4.800%, 7/15/22

     46,705   
30,000   

Duke Realty LP, REIT, 7.375%, 2/15/15

     32,742   
7,000   

Federal Realty Investment Trust, 2.750%, 6/1/23

     6,344   
40,000   

Fifth Third Bancorp, 3.625%, 1/25/16(c)

     42,227   
20,000   

First American Financial Corp.,
4.300%, 2/1/23

     19,241   
 

 

Continued

 

7


Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

   Schedule of Portfolio Investments — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Principal
Amount

        Fair Value  

CORPORATE BONDS — (continued)

  
   Financials — (continued)   
$123,000   

General Electric Capital Corp., 5.300%, 2/11/21(c)

   $ 134,927   
24,000   

General Electric Capital Corp., GMTN,
6.875%, 1/10/39(c)

     29,578   
47,000   

General Motors Financial Co., Inc.,
2.750%, 5/15/16(b)

     46,236   
41,000   

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The), 6.250%, 2/1/41

     46,370   
43,000   

HCP, Inc., REIT, 6.000%, 1/30/17

     48,237   
61,000   

Health Care REIT, Inc., 4.125%, 4/1/19(c)

     63,805   
40,000   

Healthcare Realty Trust, Inc., REIT,
3.750%, 4/15/23

     37,258   
75,000   

Healthcare Trust of America Holdings LP, REIT, 3.700%, 4/15/23(b)

     70,412   
30,000   

Host Hotels & Resorts LP, REIT, Series D, 3.750%, 10/15/23

     27,514   
77,000   

HSBC Finance Corp., 6.676%, 1/15/21

     85,127   
55,000   

ING Bank NV, 4.000%, 3/15/16(b)

     58,016   
49,000   

ING US, Inc., 2.900%, 2/15/18(b)

     49,247   
28,000   

Invesco Finance PLC, 3.125%, 11/30/22

     26,119   
35,000   

Jefferies Group, LLC, 8.500%, 7/15/19

     42,175   
42,000   

Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc., 4.400%, 11/15/22

     41,213   
62,000   

JPMorgan Chase & Co., 4.350%, 8/15/21(c)

     64,588   
54,000   

JPMorgan Chase & Co., Series Q,
5.150%, 5/29/49(a)

     51,435   
47,000   

KeyCorp, MTN, 5.100%, 3/24/21(c)

     52,291   
38,000   

Kilroy Realty LP, REIT, 3.800%, 1/15/23

     35,596   
25,000   

Kimco Realty Corp., REIT, MTN,
5.783%, 3/15/16

     27,616   
40,000   

Lexington Realty Trust, REIT, 4.250%, 6/15/23(b)

     38,341   
30,000   

Macquarie Bank, Ltd., 5.000%, 2/22/17(b)

     32,145   
29,000   

Macquarie Bank, Ltd., 6.625%, 4/7/21(b)

     30,685   
34,000   

Markel Corp., 7.125%, 9/30/19

     40,346   
28,000   

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., 8.875%, 6/1/39(b)

     41,034   
84,000   

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., MTN,
6.875%, 4/25/18(c)

     96,678   
32,000   

MetLife, Inc., 7.717%, 2/15/19

     40,194   
128,000   

Morgan Stanley, 5.375%, 10/15/15

     137,021   
62,000   

Morgan Stanley, GMTN, 6.625%, 4/1/18(c)

     70,274   
138,000   

Murray Street Investment Trust I, STEP, 4.647%, 3/9/17(c)

     146,106   
53,000   

National City Corp., 6.875%, 5/15/19

     63,395   
33,000   

National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp., 4.750%, 4/30/43(a)

     32,093   
45,000   

Nationwide Financial Services, Inc.,
5.375%, 3/25/21(b)

     48,987   
10,000   

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co.,
9.375%, 8/15/39(b)

     13,531   
42,000   

OneBeacon US Holdings, Inc., 4.600%, 11/9/22(c)

     41,783   
36,000   

Pacific LifeCorp, 5.125%, 1/30/43(b)

     32,642   
42,000   

Principal Financial Group, Inc., 1.850%, 11/15/17

     41,248   
40,000   

Prudential Financial, Inc., 8.875%, 6/15/38(a)

     48,000   
27,000   

Prudential Financial, Inc., MTN, Series D, 7.375%, 6/15/19

     32,993   
32,000   

Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.,
5.625%, 3/15/17

     35,199   

Principal
Amount

        Fair Value  

CORPORATE BONDS — (continued)

  
   Financials — (continued)   
$30,000   

Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC,
5.000%, 10/1/14

   $ 30,674   
28,000   

Royal Bank of Scotland PLC (The),
5.625%, 8/24/20

     30,370   
45,000   

Simon Property Group LP, REIT,
10.350%, 4/1/19(c)

     62,322   
30,000   

Sirius International Group, Ltd.,
6.375%, 3/20/17(b)

     32,799   
30,000   

State Street Corp., 3.100%, 5/15/23

     28,100   
38,000   

SunTrust Banks, Inc., 3.500%, 1/20/17

     39,766   
26,000   

Swiss Re Solutions Holding Corp.,
7.000%, 2/15/26

     32,843   
43,000   

Transatlantic Holdings, Inc., 8.000%, 11/30/39 .

     56,078   
25,000   

Validus Holdings, Ltd., 8.875%, 1/26/40

     31,567   
49,000   

Ventas Realty LP/Ventas Capital Corp., REIT, 2.000%, 2/15/18

     47,431   
70,000   

Wachovia Corp., 5.625%, 10/15/16

     78,678   
37,000   

Wachovia Corp., 5.500%, 8/1/35

     38,115   
33,000   

WR Berkley Corp., 4.625%, 3/15/22

     33,991   
  

 

 

 
        3,708,851   
  

 

 

 
   Health Care (1.9%)   
26,000   

Cigna Corp., 5.375%, 2/15/42

     27,720   
36,000   

DaVita HealthCare Partners, Inc.,
6.625%, 11/1/20

     38,160   
42,000   

DENTSPLY International, Inc.,
2.750%, 8/15/16(c)

     43,121   
28,000   

Fresenius US Finance II, Inc.,
9.000%, 7/15/15(b)

     30,940   
24,000   

HCA, Inc., 8.500%, 4/15/19

     25,755   
28,000   

Mylan, Inc., 7.875%, 7/15/20(b)

     32,311   
47,000   

Teva Pharmaceutical Finance IV BV,
3.650%, 11/10/21(c)

     47,004   
44,000   

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International,
6.500%, 7/15/16(b)

     45,320   
  

 

 

 
        290,331   
  

 

 

 
   Industrials (2.1%)   
35,000   

Bombardier, Inc., 6.125%, 1/15/23(b)

     34,737   
29,000   

Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC,
4.950%, 9/15/41

     28,923   
23,000   

Equifax, Inc., 3.300%, 12/15/22

     21,590   
11,000   

Ingersoll-Rand Global Holding Co., Ltd.,
2.875%, 1/15/19(b)

     10,851   
34,000   

Iron Mountain, Inc., 5.750%, 8/15/24

     31,875   
44,000   

Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP/PTL Finance Corp., 3.125%, 5/11/15(b)

     45,465   
39,000   

Ryder System, Inc., MTN, 2.350%, 2/26/19

     37,726   
36,000   

Textron, Inc., 4.625%, 9/21/16

     38,947   
29,000   

United Rentals North America, Inc.,
10.250%, 11/15/19

     32,480   
35,000   

Verisk Analytics, Inc., 5.800%, 5/1/21(c)

     38,631   
  

 

 

 
        321,225   
  

 

 

 
   Materials (1.1%)   
35,000   

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., 5.450%, 3/15/43(b)

     30,865   
20,000   

Glencore Funding, LLC, 2.500%, 1/15/19(b)

     18,094   
31,000   

Lubrizol Corp., 8.875%, 2/1/19

     40,750   
23,000   

Newmont Mining Corp., 4.875%, 3/15/42

     17,733   
8,000   

Rio Tinto Finance USA PLC, 3.500%, 3/22/22

     7,714   
29,000   

Rock Tenn Co., 4.900%, 3/1/22

     29,889   
 

 

Continued

 

8


Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

   Schedule of Portfolio Investments — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Principal
Amount

        Fair Value  

CORPORATE BONDS — (continued)

  
   Materials — (continued)   
$  29,000   

Sealed Air Corp., 6.875%, 7/15/33(b)(c)

   $ 27,550   
  

 

 

 
        172,595   
  

 

 

 
   Telecommunication Services (0.8%)   
21,000   

British Telecommunications PLC,
9.625%, 12/15/30

     31,614   
34,000   

CC Holdings GS V, LLC/Crown Castle GS III Corp., 2.381%, 12/15/17

     33,460   
36,000   

SBA Telecommunications, Inc.,
5.750%, 7/15/20(b)

     36,090   
27,000   

Telefonica Emisiones SAU, 5.134%, 4/27/20(c)

     27,678   
  

 

 

 
        128,842   
  

 

 

 
   Utilities (1.1%)   
33,000   

CMS Energy Corp., 8.750%, 6/15/19

     42,576   
33,000   

Progress Energy, Inc., 3.150%, 4/1/22

     31,610   
15,000   

PSEG Power, LLC, 5.500%, 12/1/15

     16,505   
22,000   

PSEG Power, LLC, 2.750%, 9/15/16

     22,685   
54,000   

Puget Energy, Inc., 5.625%, 7/15/22

     57,251   
  

 

 

 
        170,627   
  

 

 

 
  

Total Corporate Bonds
(Cost $6,324,311)

     6,269,897   
  

 

 

 

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (10.2%)

  
   Fannie Mae (7.3%)   
6,627   

4.500%, 10/1/18, Pool #752030

     7,040   
11,005   

5.000%, 10/1/25, Pool #255894

     11,966   
198,000   

2.500%, 7/15/28(d)

     199,145   
148,456   

4.000%, 6/1/32, Pool #MA1089

     155,464   
3,247   

7.000%, 6/1/35, Pool #255820

     3,712   
18,310   

5.000%, 11/1/35, Pool #842402

     19,714   
20,878   

6.000%, 12/1/36, Pool #902054

     22,719   
142,400   

5.500%, 8/1/37, Pool #995082

     156,128   
54,319   

5.000%, 6/1/40, Pool #AD4927

     58,949   
52,731   

5.000%, 6/1/40, Pool #AD7860

     57,234   
106,435   

4.500%, 5/1/41, Pool #AI1023

     112,853   
140,514   

4.000%, 1/1/42, Pool #AK0685

     147,573   
164,000   

3.500%, 7/15/43(d)

     166,486   
  

 

 

 
        1,118,983   
  

 

 

 
   Freddie Mac (2.6%)   
10,496   

6.000%, 10/1/19, Pool #G11679

     11,198   
5,809   

5.500%, 10/1/21, Pool #G12425

     6,290   
1,803   

6.000%, 7/1/35, Pool #A36304

     1,976   
32,733   

6.500%, 12/1/37, Pool #A69955

     36,810   
81,571   

4.500%, 1/1/40, Pool #A90764

     85,885   
77,353   

3.803%, 7/1/40, Pool #1B4948(a)

     80,987   
164,006   

5.000%, 7/1/40, Pool #A93070

     176,616   
  

 

 

 
        399,762   
  

 

 

 
   Ginnie Mae (0.3%)   
47,776   

5.000%, 2/15/40, Pool #737037

     52,101   
  

 

 

 
  

    Total Mortgage-Backed Securities

    (Cost $1,553,930)

     1,570,846   
  

 

 

 

Principal
Amount

        Fair Value  

MUNICIPAL BONDS (7.0%)

  
   California (2.2%)   
$220,000   

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Build America Bonds, Water Utility Improvements Revenue, Callable 7/1/19 @ 100, 6.538%, 7/1/39

   $ 247,559   
65,000   

State of California, Build America Bonds, School Improvements G.O., 7.625%, 3/1/40

     87,249   
  

 

 

 
        334,808   
  

 

 

 
   Colorado (0.4%)   
55,000   

Colorado Housing & Finance Authority, Unemployment/Welfare Funding Revenue, Taxable, Series B, 1.600%, 5/15/16

     55,272   
  

 

 

 
   Connecticut (0.4%)   
60,000   

State of Connecticut, Public Improvements G.O., Taxable, Series B, 2.551%, 10/15/22

     56,842   
  

 

 

 
   Illinois (0.8%)   
130,000   

State of Illinois, Public Improvements Revenue, Taxable, 2.931%, 6/15/22

     126,368   
  

 

 

 
   New Jersey (0.3%)   
40,000   

New Jersey Economic Development Authority, School Facilities Construction, Refunding Revenue, Series 00, 1.648%, 3/1/18

     38,734   
  

 

 

 
   New York (1.7%)   
100,000   

New York State Environmental Facilities Corp., State Revolving Funds, Refunding Revenue, Taxable, Series C, 2.745%, 6/15/22

     94,159   
155,000   

New York, NY, Build America Bonds, Public Improvements G.O., 4.774%, 3/1/20

     172,906   
  

 

 

 
        267,065   
  

 

 

 
   Pennsylvania (0.4%)   
70,000   

Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, Refunding Revenue, Taxable, 3.664%, 4/15/22

     65,657   
  

 

 

 
   Washington (0.3%)   
45,000   

Port of Vancouver, WA, Refunding G.O., Limited Tax, Taxable, Series B, 2.714%, 12/1/21

     42,187   
  

 

 

 
   Wisconsin (0.5%)   
90,000   

Milwaukee County, WI, Pension Promissory Notes, Refunding G.O., Taxable, Callable 12/1/22 @ 100, 3.862%, 12/1/30

     84,566   
  

 

 

 
  

Total Municipal Bonds
(Cost $1,035,849)

     1,071,499   
  

 

 

 

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (3.8%)

  
   Fannie Mae (3.8%)   
410,000   

    7.125%, 1/15/30

     577,597   
  

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Government Agencies
(Cost $579,088)

     577,597   
  

 

 

 

U.S. TREASURY BONDS (1.7%)

  
273,000   

    3.125%, 2/15/43

     254,829   
  

 

 

 
  

Total U.S. Treasury Bonds
(Cost $256,325)

     254,829   
  

 

 

 
 

 

Continued

 

9


Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

   Schedule of Portfolio Investments — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

    Shares    

            Fair Value      

PREFERRED STOCKS (2.9%)

  

  

Consumer Staples (0.7%)

  
1   

HJ Heinz Finance Co., Series B,
8.000%(b)

   $ 101,281   
     

 

 

 
   Financials (1.8%)   
2,059   

Citigroup Capital XIII, 7.875%

     57,343   
295   

DDR Corp., Series H, REIT, 7.375%

     7,405   
1,150   

DDR Corp., Series K, REIT, 6.250%

     27,267   
2,080   

HSBC USA, Inc., Series H, 6.500%

     52,104   
1,592   

Merrill Lynch Preferred Capital Trust V, Series F, 7.280%

     40,023   
1,345   

National Retail Properties, Inc., REIT, Series D, 6.625%

     34,150   
2,286   

US Bancorp, Series F, 6.500%

     64,237   
     

 

 

 
        282,529   
     

 

 

 
   Telecommunication Services (0.2%)   
960   

Qwest Corp., 7.000%

     24,893   
     

 

 

 
   Utilities (0.2%)   
1,375   

Dominion Resources, Inc., Series A, 8.375%

     36,149   
     

 

 

 
  

Total Preferred Stocks
(Cost $447,137)

     444,852   
     

 

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANY (0.2%)

  

30,673   

Federated Treasury Obligations Fund, Institutional Shares

     30,673   
     

 

 

 
  

Total Investment Company
(Cost $30,673)

     30,673   
     

 

 

 
      Fair Value  

Total Investments — 100.6%
(Cost $15,428,399)

   $ 15,439,651   

Net Other Assets (Liabilities) — (0.6)%

     (88,867
  

 

 

 

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

   $ 15,350,784   
  

 

 

 

 

 

(a)

The interest rate for this variable rate note, which will change periodically, is based either on the prime rate or an index of market rates. The reflected rate is in effect as of June 30, 2013. The maturity date reflected is the final maturity date.

 

(b)

Rule 144A, Section 4(2) or other security which is restricted as to resale to qualified institutional investors. The Advisor, using Board approved procedures, has deemed these securities or a portion of these securities to be liquid.

 

(c)

Represents that all or a portion of the security was pledged as collateral for securities purchased on a when-issued basis.

 

(d)

Represents securities purchased on a when-issued basis. At June 30, 2013, total cost of investments purchased on a when-issued basis was $369,726.

G.O. — General Obligation

GMTN — Global Medium Term Note

MTN — Medium Term Note

REIT — Real Estate Investment Trust

STEP — Step Coupon Bond

 

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

 

10


 

 

 

 

(This page has been left blank intentionally.)


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Statements of Assets and Liabilities

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

      

Sterling Capital
Equity

Income VIF

       Sterling Capital
Special
Opportunities VIF
       Sterling Capital
Total Return
Bond VIF
 
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Assets:

              

Investments at fair value (a)

     $ 17,693,989         $ 28,766,460         $ 15,439,651   

Interest and dividends receivable

       16,768           18,298           144,486   

Receivable for investments sold

                 342,854           427,914   

Receivable for capital shares issued

       1,406                     141,526   

Prepaid and other expenses

       11,131           19,376           7,786   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total Assets

       17,723,294           29,146,988           16,161,363   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Liabilities:

              

Cash overdraft

                           1,618   

Payable for investments purchased

                           786,520   

Payable for capital shares redeemed

       2,243           173,943           466   

Accrued expenses and other payables:

              

Investment advisory fees

       8,394           19,759           5,907   

Administration fees

       1,413           2,411           1,253   

Audit fees

       8,041           13,925           7,399   

Compliance service fees

       23           41           22   

Trustee fees

       42           67           33   

Printing fees

       4,736           8,707           5,027   

Other fees

                           2,334   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

       24,892           218,853           810,579   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net Assets

     $ 17,698,402         $ 28,928,135         $ 15,350,784   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net Assets Consist of:

              

Capital

     $ 33,981,869         $ 17,235,470         $ 14,539,206   

Undistributed (distributions in excess of) net investment income

       (2,801        75,123           431,144   

Accumulated realized gain (loss)

       (17,072,691        6,149,549           369,182   

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

       792,025           5,467,993           11,252   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net Assets

     $ 17,698,402         $ 28,928,135         $ 15,350,784   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Shares of Beneficial Interest Outstanding (Unlimited number of shares authorized, no par value)

       1,829,269           1,560,039           1,508,690   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net Asset Value — offering and redemption price per share

     $ 9.68         $ 18.54         $ 10.17   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

(a) Investments at cost

     $   16,901,964         $ 23,298,467         $ 15,428,399   

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

 

12


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Statements of Operations

   For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

       Sterling Capital
Equity
Income VIF
       Sterling Capital
Special
Opportunities VIF
       Sterling Capital
Total Return
Bond VIF
 
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Investment Income:

              

Interest income

     $         $         $ 287,126   

Dividend income

       201,313           247,969           15,475   

Foreign taxes withheld

       (761        (4,244          
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total investment income

       200,552           243,725           302,601   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Expenses:

              

Investment advisory fees (See Note 4)

       62,594           123,061           40,766   

Administration fees (See Note 4)

       8,889           15,297           8,125   

Accounting out-of-pocket fees

       3,139           3,171           17,853   

Audit fees

       8,237           14,366           7,700   

Compliance service fees (See Note 4)

       111           195           104   

Custodian fees

       895           1,229           873   

Fund accounting fees (See Note 4)

       671           1,154           611   

Insurance fees

       9,975           17,079           9,153   

Legal fees

       7,965           13,921           7,431   

Printing fees

       5,770           8,420           4,932   

Transfer agent fees (See Note 4)

       2,881           5,047           2,747   

Trustee fees

       938           1,623           871   

Other fees

       1,224           1,936           1,179   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total expenses before waivers

       113,289           206,499           102,345   

Less expenses waived by the Investment Advisor (See Note 4)

       (9,606                  (1,191
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net expenses

       103,683           206,499           101,154   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income

       96,869           37,226           201,447   
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss):

              

Net realized gain from investments

       3,899,992           2,861,287           65,706   

Change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments

       (2,677,394        201,797           (701,471
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

       1,222,598           3,063,084           (635,765
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Change in net assets from operations

     $   1,319,467         $ 3,100,310         $ (434,318
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

 

13


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

 

 

 

      

Sterling Capital

Equity

Income VIF

 
    

 

 

 
       For the Six
Months Ended
June 30, 2013
(Unaudited)
      

For the

Year Ended
December 31,
2012

 
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

From Investment Activities:

         

Operations:

         

Net investment income

     $ 96,869         $ 207,550   

Net realized gain

       3,899,992           1,532,467   

Change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation

       (2,677,394        1,115,741   
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Change in net assets from operations

       1,319,467           2,855,758   
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Distributions to Shareholders From:

         

Net investment income

       (105,417        (192,318

Net realized gains

                   
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Change in net assets from shareholders distributions

       (105,417        (192,318
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Capital Transactions:

         

Proceeds from shares issued

       582,392           95,460   

Distributions reinvested

       105,417           192,318   

Value of shares redeemed

       (2,008,538        (6,429,972
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Change in net assets from capital transactions

       (1,320,729        (6,142,194
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Change in net assets

       (106,679        (3,478,754

Net Assets:

         

Beginning of period

       17,805,081           21,283,835   
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

End of period

     $ 17,698,402         $ 17,805,081   
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Undistributed (distributions in excess of) net investment income

     $ (2,801      $ 5,747   
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Share Transactions:

         

Issued

       60,314           10,701   

Reinvested

       10,884           21,560   

Redeemed

       (208,980        (733,268
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Change in Shares

       (137,782        (701,007
    

 

 

      

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

 

14


     

 

   

 

   

 

Sterling Capital

Special

Opportunities VIF

   

Sterling Capital

Total Return

Bond VIF

 

 

 

   

 

 

 
For the Six
Months Ended
June 30, 2013
(Unaudited)
    For the
Year Ended
December 31,
2012
    For the Six
Months Ended
June 30, 2013
(Unaudited)
    For the
Year Ended
December 31,
2012
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
               
               
$ 37,226      $ 116,720      $ 201,447      $ 436,970   
  2,861,287        3,344,125        65,706        490,488   
  201,797        1,217,194        (701,471     180,859   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
  3,100,310        4,678,039        (434,318     1,108,317   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
               
         (85,547     (248,274     (521,025
         (1,422,090            (518,065

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
         (1,507,637     (248,274     (1,039,090

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
               
  150,761        637,311        535,933        1,212,865   
         1,507,637        248,273        1,039,090   
  (5,251,648     (9,953,282     (2,199,448     (4,350,979

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
  (5,100,887     (7,808,334     (1,415,242     (2,099,024

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
  (2,000,577     (4,637,932     (2,097,834     (2,029,797
               
  30,928,712        35,566,644        17,448,618        19,478,415   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
$   28,928,135      $ 30,928,712      $ 15,350,784      $ 17,448,618   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
$ 75,123      $ 37,897      $ 431,144      $ 477,971   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
               
  8,615        38,231        51,243        113,176   
         90,840        23,668        97,428   
  (291,546     (601,876     (208,845     (404,427

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
  (282,931     (472,805     (133,934     (193,823

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

15


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Financial Highlights

 

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Funds’ financial performance for the past 5 years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

 

        Investment Activities   Distributions
    Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
  Net
investments
income (loss)(a)
  Net realized/
unrealized gains
(losses) on
investment
  Total from
Investment
Activities
  Net
investment
income
  Net realized
gains on
investments
  Total
Distributions

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

             

Six Months Ended June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

  $  9.05   0.05   0.64   0.69   (0.06)     (0.06)

Year Ended December 31, 2012

  $  7.98   0.09   1.07   1.16   (0.09)     (0.09)

Year Ended December 31, 2011

  $  8.41   0.09   (0.43)   (0.34)   (0.09)     (0.09)

Year Ended December 31, 2010

  $  7.61   0.09   0.81   0.90   (0.10)     (0.10)

Year Ended December 31, 2009

  $  6.49   0.07   1.12   1.19   (0.07)     (0.07)

Year Ended December 31, 2008

  $13.69   0.16   (4.63)   (4.47)   (0.16)   (2.57)   (2.73)

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

             

Six Months Ended June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

  $16.78   0.02   1.74   1.76      

Year Ended December 31, 2012

  $15.36      0.06(e)   2.13   2.19   (0.05)   (0.72)   (0.77)

Year Ended December 31, 2011

  $16.60   (0.01)   (0.61)   (0.62)     (0.62)   (0.62)

Year Ended December 31, 2010

  $14.29   (0.04)   2.36   2.32   (0.01)     (0.01)

Year Ended December 31, 2009

  $10.27   (0.03)   4.47   4.44     (0.42)   (0.42)

Year Ended December 31, 2008

  $16.03   0.02   (5.28)   (5.26)   (0.02)   (0.48)   (0.50)

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

             

Six Months Ended June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

  $10.62   0.13   (0.42)   (0.29)   (0.16)     (0.16)

Year Ended December 31, 2012

  $10.61   0.26   0.38   0.64   (0.31)   (0.32)   (0.63)

Year Ended December 31, 2011

  $10.73   0.36   0.28   0.64   (0.39)   (0.37)   (0.76)

Year Ended December 31, 2010

  $10.37   0.40   0.39   0.79   (0.41)   (0.02)   (0.43)

Year Ended December 31, 2009

  $  9.94   0.41   0.42   0.83   (0.40)     (0.40)

Year Ended December 31, 2008

  $10.02   0.41   (0.08)   0.33   (0.41)     (0.41)

 

*

During the periods certain fees were voluntarily waived (See Note 4 in the Notes to the Financial Statements). If such reductions had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(a)

Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(b)

Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(c)

Total return ratios assume reinvestment of distributions at net asset value. Total return ratios do not reflect charges pursuant to the terms of the insurance contracts funded by separate accounts that invest in the Fund’s shares.

(d)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)

For the year ended December 31, 2012, net investment income per share reflects a special dividend which amounted to $0.02 per share. Excluding the special dividend, the ratio of net investment income to average net assets would have been 0.25% per share.

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

 

16


 

 

 

 

         Ratios/Supplemental Data

Net Asset

Value,

End of

Period

   Total
Return(b)(c)
  Net Assets,
End of
Period (000)
   Ratio of
net expenses
to average
net assets(d)
  Ratio of net
investment
income (loss)
to average
net assets(d)
  Ratio of
expenses to
average
net assets*(d)
  Portfolio
turnover rate(b)
             

$  9.68

   7.59%   $17,698    1.16%   1.08%   1.27%   107.40%

$  9.05

   14.53%   $17,805    1.06%   1.04%   1.22%   64.31%

$  7.98

   (4.04)%   $21,284    0.97%   1.11%   1.21%   69.66%

$  8.41

   11.93%   $28,318    0.94%   1.22%   1.21%   63.34%

$  7.61

   18.50%   $32,124    1.00%   1.01%   1.24%   137.52%

$  6.49

   (37.43)%   $35,978    0.81%   1.52%   1.16%   49.73%
             

$18.54

   10.49%   $28,928    1.34%   0.24%   1.34%   22.10%

$16.78

   14.33%   $30,929    1.28%      0.34%(e)   1.28%   18.13%

$15.36

   (3.53)%   $35,567    1.25%   (0.05)%   1.25%   26.68%

$16.60

   16.24%   $43,344    1.24%   (0.28)%   1.27%   39.24%

$14.29

   43.53%   $40,162    1.26%   (0.28)%   1.29%   32.57%

$10.27

   (33.71)%   $26,684    1.10%   0.14%   1.18%   35.80%
             

$10.17

   (2.77)%   $15,351    1.24%   2.47%   1.26%   74.63%

$10.62

   6.10%   $17,449    1.16%   2.39%   1.20%   144.71%

$10.61

   6.10%   $19,478    1.07%   3.32%   1.17%   131.16%

$10.73

   7.73%   $21,397    1.07%   3.70%   1.20%   140.32%

$10.37

   8.57%   $22,062    0.94%   4.09%   1.24%   109.12%

$  9.94

   3.38%   $20,996    0.81%   4.11%   1.03%   152.74%

 

17


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Notes to Financial Statements

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

   1.

Organization:

Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds (the “Trust”) was organized on November 8, 2004, and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end investment company established as a Massachusetts business trust. The Trust commenced operations on May 1, 2005 and presently offers shares of Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF, Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF, and Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF (referred to individually as a “Fund” and collectively as the “Funds”). The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest without par value. Shares of the Funds are offered through variable annuity contracts offered through the separate accounts of participating insurance companies. All Funds are “diversified” funds.

Under the Trust’s organizational documents, its Officers and Trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust. In addition, in the normal course of business, the Funds may enter into contracts with their vendors and others that provide for general indemnifications. The Funds’ maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Funds. However, based on experience, the Funds expect that risk of loss to be remote.

 

   2.

Significant Accounting Policies:

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Funds in preparation of their financial statements. The policies are in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses for the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Standards — In June 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2013-08 (“ASU No. 2013-08”) that creates a two-tiered approach to assess whether an entity is an investment company. ASU No. 2013-08 will also require an investment company to measure noncontrolling ownership interests in other investment companies at fair value and will require additional disclosures relating to investment company status, any changes thereto and information about financial support provided or contractually required to be provided to any of the investment company’s investees. ASU No. 2013-08 is effective for financial statements with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2013 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Management is evaluating the impact of this guidance on the Funds’ financial statement disclosures.

Securities Valuation — Investments in securities, the principal market for which is a securities exchange or an over-the-counter market, are valued at their latest available sale price (except for those securities that are traded on NASDAQ, which will be valued at the NASDAQ official closing price) or in the absence of such a price, by reference to the latest available bid price in the principal market in which such securities are normally traded. The Funds may also use an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) to value certain securities, including the use of electronic and matrix techniques. Short-term obligations without significant credit risk that mature in 60 days or less are valued at either amortized cost or original cost plus interest, which approximates fair value. Investments in open-end investment companies are valued at their respective net asset values as reported by such companies. Investments in closed-end investment companies and exchange traded funds are valued at their market values based upon the latest available sale price or, absent such a price, by reference to the latest available bid prices in the principal market in which such securities are normally traded. The differences between cost and fair value of investments are reflected as either unrealized appreciation or depreciation. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable (e.g., an approved pricing service does not provide a price, a furnished price is in error, certain stale prices, or an event occurs that materially affects the furnished price) will be fair valued in accordance with procedures established in good faith under the general supervision of the Board. No securities were valued in accordance with these procedures as of June 30, 2013.

 

18


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Notes to Financial Statements — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Fair Value Measurements — The objective of a fair value measurement is to determine the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (an exit price). Accordingly, the fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described as follows:

• Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical securities

• Level 2 – based on other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

• Level 3 – based on significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. During the period ended June 30, 2013 there were no significant changes to the valuation policies and procedures.

The summary of inputs used to determine the fair value of each Fund’s investments as of June 30, 2013 is as follows:

 

Investments in Securities

   Level 1–
Quoted Prices
     Level 2–
Other Significant
Observable Inputs
     Level 3–
Significant
Unobservable Inputs
   Total  

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   $ 17,693,989(a)       $       $—    $ 17,693,989   

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

     28,766,460(a)                 —      28,766,460   

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

     374,241(b)         15,065,409(a)         —      15,439,650   

 

  (a)

Industries or security types are disclosed in the Schedules of Portfolio Investments.

  (b)

Represents investment companies and/or certain preferred stocks.

The Funds’ policy is to recognize transfers in and transfers out as of the beginning of the reporting period. There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the period ended June 30, 2013.

Security Transactions and Related Income — During the period, security transactions are accounted for no later than one business day after the trade date. For financial reporting purposes, however, security transactions as of the last business day of the reporting period are accounted for on the trade date. Interest income is recognized on the accrual basis and includes, where applicable, the amortization/accretion of premium or discount. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Gains or losses realized from sales of securities are determined by comparing the identified cost of the security lot sold with the net sales proceeds.

When-Issued and Forward Commitments — The Funds may purchase securities on a “when-issued” basis. The Funds record when-issued securities on the trade date and pledge assets with a value at least equal to the purchase commitment for payment of the securities purchased. The value of the securities underlying when-issued or forward commitments to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuation in their value, is taken into account when determining the net asset value of the Funds commencing with the date the Funds agree to purchase the securities. The Funds do not accrue interest or dividends on “when-issued” securities until the underlying securities are received.

Mortgage Dollar Rolls — Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF may sell mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contract to repurchase substantially similar (same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specific future date at an agreed-upon price. The market value of the securities that the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. Pools of mortgages collateralizing those securities may have different prepayment histories than those sold. During the period between the sale and repurchase, the Fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Proceeds of the sale will be invested in additional instruments for the Fund, and the income from these investments will generate income for the Fund. If such income does not exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain or loss that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the dollar roll, the use of this technique will diminish the investment performance of the Fund compared with what the performance would have been without the use of dollar rolls. The Funds account for mortgage dollar roll transactions as purchases and sales.

Expenses and Allocation Methodology — Expenses directly attributable to a Fund are charged to that Fund. Expenses not directly attributable to a Fund are allocated proportionately among all Funds daily in relation to the net assets of each Fund or on another reasonable basis. Expenses which are attributable to both the Funds and Sterling Capital Funds are allocated across the Funds and Sterling Capital Funds, based upon relative net assets or on another reasonable basis.

 

19


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Notes to Financial Statements — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

Distributions to Shareholders — Dividends from net investment income are declared and paid quarterly for the Funds, with the exception of Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF, in which case dividends from net investment income are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributable net realized gains, if any, are declared and distributed at least annually. Distributions to shareholders which exceed net investment income and net realized gains for tax purposes are reported as distributions of capital.

Federal Income Taxes — It is the policy of each Fund to continue to qualify as a Regulated Investment Company by complying with the provisions available to certain investment companies, as defined in applicable sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and to make distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains sufficient to relieve it from all, or substantially all, federal income taxes. Accordingly, no provision for federal income tax is required in the Funds’ financial statements.

 

   3.

Purchases and Sales of Securities:

Purchases and sales of securities (excluding U.S. Government Securities and securities maturing less than one year from acquisition) for the period ended June 30, 2013 were as follows:

 

     Purchases      Sales  

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   $ 18,663,259       $ 20,641,147   

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

     6,468,763         11,328,360   

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

     6,032,809         5,431,977   

Purchases and sales of U.S. Government Securities (excluding securities maturing less than one year from acquisition) for the period ended June 30, 2013 for the Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF were $6,593,220 and $8,257,086, respectively.

 

   4.

Related Party Transactions:

Under the terms of the investment advisory agreement, Sterling Capital Management LLC (“Sterling Capital” or the “Advisor”) is entitled to receive fees based on a percentage of the average daily net assets of the Funds. These fees are accrued daily and payable on a monthly basis and are reflected on the Statements of Operations as “Investment advisory fees.” Sterling Capital waived investment advisory fees and reimbursed certain expenses for the Funds referenced below which are not subject to recoupment, except as noted, and are included on the Statements of Operations as “Less expenses waived by the Investment Advisor.” Information regarding these transactions for the period ended June 30, 2013 is as follows:

 

     Contractual
Fee Rate
  Fee Rate after
Voluntary
Waivers

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

       0.70% 1,2       0.58% 1,2

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

       0.80%         0.80%  

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

       0.50% 2,3       0.46% 2,3

 

  1

The contractual fee rate was 0.70% and the fee rate after voluntary waivers was 0.60% prior to April 24, 2013.

  2 For a portion of the period ended June 30, 2013, Sterling Capital voluntarily reimbursed certain expenses of the Funds. Voluntary reimbursements of expenses are not subject to recoupment in subsequent fiscal periods, and may be discontinued at any time.
  3

The contractual fee rate was 0.50% and the fee rate after voluntary waivers was 0.50% prior to April 24, 2013.

Sterling Capital serves as the administrator to the Funds pursuant to an administration agreement. The Funds pay their portion of a fee to Sterling Capital for providing administration services based on the aggregate assets of the Funds and the Sterling Capital Funds, excluding the assets of Sterling Capital StrategicAllocation Conservative Fund, Sterling Capital StrategicAllocation Balanced Fund, Sterling Capital Strategic Allocation Growth Fund, at a rate of 0.1075% on the first $3.5 billion of average net assets, 0.075% on the next $1 billion of average net assets; 0.06% on the next $1.5 billion of average net assets; and 0.04% of average net assets over $6 billion. Expenses incurred are reflected on the Statements of Operations as “Administration fees.” Pursuant to a sub-administration agreement with Sterling Capital, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (“BNY Mellon” or the “Sub-Administrator”), serves as the sub-administrator to the Funds subject to the general supervision of the Board and Sterling Capital. For these services, BNY Mellon is entitled to a fee payable by Sterling Capital.

BNY Mellon serves as the Funds’ fund accountant and transfer agent and receives compensation by the Funds for these services. Expenses incurred are reflected on the Statements of Operations as “Fund accounting fees” and “Transfer agent fees.”

Sterling Capital’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) serves as the Funds’ CCO. The CCO’s compensation is reviewed and approved by the Funds’ Board and paid by Sterling Capital. However, the Funds reimburse Sterling Capital for their allocable portion of the CCO’s salary. Expenses incurred for the Funds are reflected on the Statements of Operations as “Compliance service fees.”

 

20


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Notes to Financial Statements — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

The Trust has adopted a Variable Contract Owner Servicing Plan (the “service plan”) under which the Funds may pay a fee computed daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Funds. A servicing agent may periodically waive all or a portion of its servicing fees. For the period ended June 30, 2013 the Funds did not participate in any service plan.

Certain Officers and a Trustee of the Funds are affiliated with Sterling Capital or the Sub-Administrator. Such Officers and Trustee receive no compensation from the Funds for serving in their respective roles. Each of the Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust who serve on the Board are compensated at the annual rate of $44,000 plus $5,000 for each regularly scheduled quarterly meeting attended, $4,000 for each special meeting attended in person and $1,500 for each special meeting attended by telephone, plus reimbursement for certain out of pocket expenses. The Trustee who is an interested person, as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Trust, but not affiliated with Sterling Capital is compensated at the annual rate of $44,000 plus $4,000 for each regularly scheduled quarterly meeting attended, $3,200 for each special meeting attended in person and $1,200 for each special meeting attended by telephone, plus reimbursement for certain out of pocket expenses. Each Trustee serving on a Committee of the Board receives a fee of $4,000 for each Committee meeting attended in person and $3,000 for each Committee meeting attended by telephone, plus reimbursement for certain out of pocket expenses. Committee meeting fees are only paid when such Committee meetings are not held in conjunction with a regular board meeting. Additionally, the Chairman of the Board and the Audit Committee Chairman each receive an annual retainer of $15,000, and the Chairman of the Nominations Committee receives additional compensation at the rate of $1,000 for each meeting over which he or she presides as Chairman. The fees are allocated across the Trust and the Sterling Capital Funds based upon relative net assets.

 

   5.

Line of Credit:

U.S. Bank, N.A. has made available a credit facility to the Funds, pursuant to a Credit Agreement (the “Agreement”). The primary purpose of the Agreement is to allow the Funds to avoid security liquidations that Sterling Capital believes are unfavorable to shareholders. Under the Agreement, Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF, Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF and Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF have a commitment amount of $2,800,000, $2,600,000, and $1,500,000, respectively. Outstanding principal amounts under the Agreement bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate minus two percent (2%), but never at a rate of less than one percent (1%) per annum. The Agreement expires on March 31, 2014. During the period ended June 30, 2013 the Funds did not utilize the line of credit.

 

   6.

Federal Tax Information:

Management evaluates its tax positions to determine if the tax positions taken meet the minimum recognition threshold in connection with accounting for uncertainties in income tax positions taken or expected to be taken for the purposes of measuring and recognizing tax liabilities in the financial statements. Recognition of tax benefits of an uncertain tax position is required only when the position is “more likely than not” to be sustained assuming examination by taxing authorities. The Funds recognize interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. During the period, the Funds did not incur any interest or penalties.

Management has analyzed the Funds’ tax positions taken on federal income tax returns for all open tax years (current year and prior three tax years), and has concluded that no provision for federal income tax is required in the Funds’ financial statements. The Funds’ federal and state income and federal excise tax returns for tax years for which the applicable statutes of limitations have not expired are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and state departments of revenue.

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, capital losses originating in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 (“post-enactment capital losses”) are carried forward indefinitely. Furthermore, post-enactment capital losses will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term capital losses as under previous law.

At December 31, 2012, the following Fund had net capital loss carryforwards available to offset future net capital gains, if any, to the extent provided by the Treasury regulations. To the extent that these carryforwards are used to offset future capital gains, it is probable that the gains that are offset will not be distributed to shareholders.

 

21


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   Notes to Financial Statements — (continued)

   June 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

 

 

 

     Amount      Expires  

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   $ 17,459,184         2016   

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

     3,263,903         2017   

The tax character of distributions paid to shareholders during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, were as follows:

 

     Distributions paid from         
     Ordinary
Income
     Net
Long-Term
Gains
     Total
Distributions
Paid*
 

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   $ 192,318       $       $ 192,318   

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

     85,547         1,422,090         1,507,637   

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

     542,470         496,620         1,039,090   

 

  *

Total Distributions paid may differ from the Statements of Changes in Net Assets because distributions are recognized when actually paid for tax purposes.

At June 30, 2013, federal income tax cost, gross unrealized appreciation and gross unrealized depreciation on securities were as follows:

 

     Tax Cost      Gross Tax
Unrealized
Appreciation
     Gross Tax
Unrealized
Depreciation
    Net Tax
Unrealized
Appreciation
 

Sterling Capital Equity Income VIF

   $ 16,901,964       $ 1,109,974       $ (317,949   $ 792,025   

Sterling Capital Special Opportunities VIF

     23,354,322         6,601,955         (1,189,817     5,412,138   

Sterling Capital Total Return Bond VIF

     15,430,908         300,522         (291,779     8,743   

 

   7.

Subsequent Events:

Management has evaluated the need for disclosure and/or adjustments resulting from subsequent events through the date the financial statements were issued, and has noted no events that require recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

22


Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

   June 30, 2013

 

 

 

 

Other Information (Unaudited)

A description of the policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-228-1872; and (ii) on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “Commission”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th is available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-228-1872 and (ii) on the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

The Funds file complete Schedules of Portfolio Holdings with the Commission for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Funds’ Form N-Q is filed with the Commission within 60 days of the end of the quarter to which it relates, and is available without charge on the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov, or may be reviewed and copied at the Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.

 

23


Item 2. Code of Ethics.

Not applicable.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

Not applicable.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

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 of this form.

 

(b) Not applicable.

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

             Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

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

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 shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s board of trustees, 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 officer and principal financial officer have concluded, based on their evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report, that the design and operation of such procedures are effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the registrant on Form N-CSR is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and that information required to be disclosed by the registrant in the reports that it files or submits on Form N-CSR is accumulated and communicated to the registrant’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

  (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 second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Item 12. Exhibits.

 

  (a)(1)

Not applicable.

 

  (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)(3)

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.


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)

 

              Sterling Capital Variable Insurance Funds

  

By (Signature and Title)

 

          /s/  James T. Gillespie

  
            James T. Gillespie, President   
            (principal executive officer)   

Date

 

    08/29/13

  

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)

 

          /s/  James T. Gillespie

  
            James T. Gillespie, President   
            (principal executive officer)   

Date

 

    08/29/13

  

By (Signature and Title)

 

          /s/  Kenneth R. Cotner

  
            Kenneth R. Cotner, Treasurer   
            (principal financial officer)   

Date

 

    08/29/13