N-Q 1 midas.htm midas.htm

 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act File Number: 811-04316

MIDAS SERIES TRUST
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

11 Hanover Square, 12th Floor
New York, NY
 
10005
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)


John F. Ramírez, Esq.
Midas Series Trust
11 Hanover Square
New York, NY 10005
(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 1-212-785-0900
 

 
 

Date of fiscal year end: December 31

Date of reporting period: March 31, 2015
 

 
 

 

 
1

 
 
Item 1. Schedule of Investments

   
MIDAS FUND
     
   
SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS
     
   
March 31, 2015
     
   
(Unaudited)
     
           
 Common Stocks (89.29%)
 
     
Shares
     
Value
 
   
Major Precious Metals Producers (48.75%)
     
  25,712  
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
  $ 718,393  
  55,000  
AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. ADR (a) (b)
    513,700  
  45,000  
Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A.
    455,850  
  55,000  
Goldcorp Inc. (a)
    996,600  
  100,000  
Kinross Gold Corp. (b)
    224,000  
  50,000  
Newmont Mining Corporation (a)
    1,085,500  
  15,000  
Randgold Resources Limited  ADR (a)
    1,039,050  
  27,500  
Rio Tinto plc ADR (a)
    1,138,500  
  115,000  
Yamana Gold Inc.
    412,850  
            6,584,443  
               
     
Intermediate Precious Metals Producers (16.98%)
       
  200,000  
B2Gold Corp. (b)
    304,000  
  85,000  
Detour Gold Corp. (a) (b)
    721,477  
  125,000  
Eldorado Gold Corp. Ltd. (a)
    573,750  
  125,000  
New Gold Inc. (b)
    423,750  
  1,145,001  
Resolute Mining Ltd. (a) (b)
    271,163  
            2,294,140  
               
     
Junior Precious Metals Producers (4.34%)
       
  100,000  
Alamos Gold Inc. (a)
    585,867  
               
               
     
Exploration and Project Development Companies (10.97%)
       
  120,632  
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. Class A (b) (c)
    70,103  
  67,863  
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. Class B (b) (c)
    39,437  
  500,000  
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (a) (b)
    193,050  
  1,500,000  
Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (a) (b)
    841,050  
  1,000,000  
Romarco Minerals Inc. (a) (b)
    337,700  
            1,481,340  
               
     
Other Natural Resources Companies (8.25%)
       
  19,000  
BHP Billiton Limited (a)
    882,930  
  17,500  
Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.
    231,307  
            1,114,237  
               
Total common stocks (Cost $33,333,121)     12,060,027  
               
Money Market Fund (11.05%)
       
  1,493,131  
SSgA Money Market Fund, 7 day annualized yield 0.00% (Cost $1,493,131)
    1,493,131  
               
Total investments (Cost $34,826,252) (100.34%)     13,553,158  
               
Liabilities in excess of other assets (-0.34%)     (45,936 )
               
Net assets (100.00%)  
 
  $ 13,507,222  
               
               
(a) All or a portion of these securities, have been segregated as collateral pursuant to the bank
 
credit facility. As of March 31, 2015, the value of securities pledged as collateral was
       
$8,953,980 and there were no securities on loan under the lending agreement.
       
(b) Non-income producing.
       
(c) Illiquid and/or restricted security that has been fair valued.
       
               
ADR means "American Depositary Receipt."
       


 
2

 

   
MIDAS MAGIC
     
   
SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS
     
   
March 31, 2015
     
   
(Unaudited)
     
           
Common Stocks (120.67%)
     
Shares
     
Value
 
   
Cable & Other Pay Television Services (1.83%)
     
  4,000  
Viacom Inc. (a)
  $ 273,200  
               
     
Cigarettes (2.02%)
       
  4,000  
Philip Morris International, Inc.
    301,320  
               
     
Computer Communications Equipment (5.81%)
       
  20,000  
Cisco Systems, Inc. (a)
    550,500  
  14,000  
Juniper Networks, Inc.
    316,120  
            866,620  
     
Computer & Office Equipment (2.15%)
       
  2,000  
International Business Machines Corporation
    321,000  
               
     
Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (6.94%)
       
  36,000  
General Electric Company (a)
    893,160  
  5,000  
Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    141,700  
            1,034,860  
               
     
Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (21.40%)
       
  20,000  
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. Class B (a) (b)
    2,886,400  
  6,000  
W.R. Berkley Corporation
    303,060  
            3,189,460  
               
     
Information Retrieval Services (6.70%)
       
  1,800  
Google Inc. Class A (a) (b)
    998,460  
               
     
Investment Advice (6.11%)
       
  13,000  
Apollo Global Management, LLC
    280,800  
  40,000  
Fortress Investment Group LLC
    322,800  
  6,000  
Franklin Resources, Inc. (a)
    307,920  
            911,520  
               
     
Leather & Leather Products (1.67%)
       
  6,000  
Coach, Inc. (a)
    248,580  
               
     
Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (6.48%)
       
  10,000  
Daimler AG
    966,050  
               
     
National Commercial Banks (10.07%)
       
  19,400  
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (a)
    1,175,252  
  6,000  
Wells Fargo & Company (a)
    326,400  
            1,501,652  
               
     
Office Furniture (1.58%)
       
  22,500  
Kimball International Inc. Class B
    235,800  
               
     
Petroleum Refining (1.71%)
       
  3,000  
Exxon Mobil Corp.
    255,000  
               
     
Pharmaceutical Preparations (8.42%)
       
  11,000  
Johnson & Johnson (a)
    1,106,600  
  3,000  
Sanofi ADR
    148,320  
            1,254,920  
               
     
Printed Circuit Boards (1.60%)
       
  16,875  
Kimball Electronics, Inc. (b)
    238,612  
               
     
Real Estate (1.57%)
       
  10,000  
NorthStar Asset Management Group Inc.
    233,400  
               
     
Real Estate Investment Trusts (3.10%)
       
  10,000  
NorthStar Realty Finance Corp.
    181,200  
  8,000  
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.
    281,360  
            462,560  
               
     
Retail -  Drug Stores and Proprietary Stores (2.33%)
       
  4,000  
Express Scripts Holding Company (a) (b)
    347,080  
               
     
Retail - Family Clothing Stores (2.25%)
       
  7,750  
The GAP, Inc.
    335,807  
               
     
Services - Business Services (17.39%)
       
  30,000  
MasterCard Incorporated
    2,591,700  
               
     
Services - Medical Laboratories (2.37%)
       
  2,800  
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (a) (b)
    353,052  
               
     
Services - Prepackaged Software (2.19%)
       
  10,000  
CA, Inc.
    326,100  
               
     
Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (2.89%)
       
  3,000  
Becton, Dickinson and Company (a)
    430,770  
               
     
Wholesale - Electronic Parts & Equipment (2.09%)
       
  7,000  
Avnet, Inc.
    311,500  
               
Total common stocks (Cost $10,432,764)
    17,989,023  
               
Money Market Fund (0.03%)
       
  3,778  
SSgA Money Market Fund, 7 day annualized yield 0.00% (Cost $3,778 )
    3,778  
               
Total investments (Cost $10,436,542) (120.70%)
    17,992,801  
               
Liabilities in excess of other assets (-20.70%)
    (3,085,567 )
               
Net assets (100.00%)
  $ 14,907,234  
               
               
(a) All or a portion of these securities have been segregated as collateral pursuant to the bank credit facility.
 
As of March 31, 2015, the value of securities pledged as collateral was $9,897,474 and there
       
were no securities on loan under the lending agreement.
       
(b) Non-income producing.
       

 
3

 

   
MIDAS PERPETUAL PORTFOLIO
     
   
SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS
     
   
March 31, 2015
     
   
(Unaudited)
     
           
Shares
     
Value
 
Gold (27.20%)
         
  13,450  
SPDR Gold Trust (a) (b) (Cost $1,386,282)
  $ 1,528,727  
               
Silver (6.98%)
           
  24,643  
iShares Silver Trust (a) (b) (Cost $302,396)
    392,563  
               
Swiss Franc Assets (25.23%) (c)
       
  907,000  
Switzerland Government 2.50% Notes, due 3/12/16
    962,508  
  400,000  
Switzerland Government 3.00% Notes, due 1/8/18
    455,803  
               
Total Swiss franc assets (Cost $1,382,251)
    1,418,311  
               
Hard Asset Securities (19.50%)
       
Agricultural Chemicals (3.23%)
       
  2,678  
Syngenta AG ADR(a)
    181,595  
               
Conglomerate (4.36%)
       
  6,000  
Loews Corp.
    244,980  
               
Metal Mining (5.30%)
       
  1,800  
BHP Billiton Limited (a)
    83,646  
  10,000  
First Quantum Minerals Ltd.
    121,200  
  2,249  
Rio Tinto plc ADR
    93,109  
            297,955  
               
Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (0.87%)
       
  2,694  
Sociedad Quimica Y Minera De Chile S.A.
    49,166  
               
Petroleum Refining (1.51%)
       
  1,000  
Exxon Mobil Corp.
    85,000  
               
Real Estate Investment Trusts (1.25%)
       
  2,000  
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.
    70,340  
               
Steel Works, Blast Furnaces & Rolling Mills (2.98%)
       
  3,519  
Nucor Corp. (a)
    167,258  
               
Total hard asset securities (Cost $1,421,235)
    1,096,294  
               
Large Capitalization Growth Stocks (37.11%)
       
Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4.45%)
       
  7,400  
Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc.
    250,416  
               
Cigarettes (1.34%)
       
  1,000  
Philip Morris International, Inc.
    75,330  
               
Computer & Office Equipment (5.57%)
       
  1,950  
International Business Machines Corporation
    312,975  
               
Finance Services (1.39%)
       
  1,000  
American Express Company
    78,120  
               
Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (4.56%)
       
  5,000  
Volkswagen AG
    256,250  
               
Pharmaceutical Preparations (10.74%)
       
  4,500  
Merck & Co., Inc.
    258,660  
  3,000  
Novartis AG ADR (a)
    295,830  
  1,000  
Sanofi ADR
    49,440  
            603,930  
               
Retail - Variety Stores (4.83%)
       
  3,300  
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (a)
    271,425  
               
Soap, Detergent, Cleaning Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (4.23%)
       
  2,900  
The Procter & Gamble Company
    237,626  
               
Total large capitalization growth stocks (Cost $1,905,335)
    2,086,072  
               
Money Market Fund (0.02%)
       
  1,100  
SSgA Money Market Fund, 7 day annualized yield 0.00% (Cost $1,100)
    1,100  
               
Total investments (Cost $6,398,599) (116.04%)
    6,523,067  
               
Liabilities in excess of other assets (-16.04%)
    (901,804 )
               
Net assets (100.00%)
  $ 5,621,263  
               
               
(a) All or a portion of these securities have been segregated as collateral pursuant to the bank credit facility.
 
 As of March 31, 2015, the value of securities pledged as collateral was $2,528,917 and there were
 
 no securities on loan under the lending agreement.
       
(b) Non-income producing.
       
(c) Principal amount denominated in Swiss francs.
       
               
ADR means "American Depositary Receipt."
       


 
4

 

Notes to Schedule of Portfolio Investments (Unaudited)

Valuation of Investments
Portfolio securities are valued by various methods depending on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. Most equity securities for which the primary market is in the United States are valued at the official closing price, last sale price or, if no sale has occurred, at the closing bid price. Most equity securities for which the primary market is outside the United States are valued using the official closing price or the last sale price in the principal market in which they are traded. If the last sale price on the local exchange is unavailable, the last evaluated quote or closing bid price normally is used. Gold and silver bullion are valued at 4:00 p.m. ET, at the mean between the last bid and asked quotations of the Bloomberg Composite (NY) Spot Price for that metal. Certain debt securities may be priced through pricing services that may utilize a matrix pricing system which takes into consideration factors such as yields, prices, maturities, call features, and ratings on comparable securities or according to prices quoted by a securities dealer that offers pricing services. Open end investment companies are valued at their net asset value. Foreign securities markets may be open on days when the U.S. markets are closed. For this reason, the value of any foreign securities owned by a Fund could change on a day when shareholders cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or reliable and other assets may be valued as determined in good faith by Midas Management Corporation, the Investment Manager under the direction of or pursuant to procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. Due to the inherent uncertainty of valuation, such fair value pricing values may differ from the values that would have been used had a readily available market for the securities existed. These differences in valuation could be material. A security’s valuation may differ depending on the method used for determining value. The use of fair value pricing by a Fund may cause the net asset value of its shares to differ from the net asset value that would be calculated using market prices. A fair value price is an estimate and there is no assurance that such price will be at or close to the price at which a security is next quoted or next trades.

Value Measurements
Inputs to valuation methods are prioritized by a three level hierarchy as follows:
 
• Level 1 - unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities including securities actively traded on a securities exchange.
 
• Level 2 - observable inputs other than quoted prices included in level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability which may include quoted prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates, and similar data.
 
• Level 3 - unobservable inputs for the asset or liability including the Fund’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability.
 
The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets for the security, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for investments categorized in level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The inputs and methodology used for valuing investments are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
 
The following is a description of the valuation techniques applied to a Fund’s major categories of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
 
Equity securities (common and preferred stock) – Most publicly traded equity securities are valued normally at the most recent official closing price, last sale price, evaluated quote, or closing bid price. To the extent
 
 
5

 
 
these securities are actively traded and valuation adjustments are not applied, they may be categorized in level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Equities on inactive markets or valued by reference to similar instruments may be categorized in level 2.
 
Bonds – The fair value of bonds is estimated using various techniques, which may consider, among other things, recently executed transactions in securities of the issuer or comparable issuers, market price quotations (where observable), bond spreads, and fundamental data relating to the issuer. Although most bonds may be categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, in instances where lower relative consideration is placed on transaction prices, quotations, or similar observable inputs, they may be categorized in level 3.
 
Restricted and/or illiquid securities – Restricted and/or illiquid securities for which quotations are not readily available or reliable may be valued with fair value pricing as determined in good faith by the Investment Manager under the direction of or pursuant to procedures approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Restricted securities issued by publicly traded companies are generally valued at a discount to similar publicly traded securities. Restricted or illiquid securities issued by nonpublic entities may be valued by reference to comparable public entities or fundamental data relating to the issuer or both or similar inputs. Depending on the relative significance of valuation inputs, these instruments may be categorized in either level 2 or level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of March 31, 2015 in valuing each Fund’s assets. Refer to each Fund’s Schedule of Portfolio Investments for detailed information on specific investments.

MIDAS FUND
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Assets
       
 
Investments, at value
       
   
Common stocks
$ 11,950,487
$  109,540
$        -
$ 12,060,027
   
Money market fund
     1,493,131
-                 
          -
     1,493,131
 
Total investments, at value
$ 13,443,618
$  109,540
$        -
$ 13,553,158


MIDAS MAGIC
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Assets
       
 
Investments, at value
       
   
Common stocks
$ 17,989,023
$         -
$        -
$ 17,989,023
   
Money market fund
            3,778
           -
          -
            3,778
 
Total investments, at value
$ 17,992,801
$         -
$        -
$ 17,992,801


MIDAS PERPETUAL PORTFOLIO
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Assets
       
 
Investments, at value
       
   
Gold
$ 1,528,727
$            -    
$        -
$ 1,528,727
   
Silver
      392,563
          -
          -
      392,563
   
Swiss franc assets
            -
   1,418,311
          -
   1,418,311
   
Hard asset securities
   1,096,294
          -
          -
   1,096,294
   
Large capitalization growth stocks
   2,086,072
          -
          -
   2,086,072
   
Money market fund
          1,100
          -
          -
          1,100
 
Total investments, at value
$ 5,104,756
$ 1,418,311
$        -
$ 6,523,067



 
6

 



There were no securities that transferred from level 1 at December 31, 2014 to level 2 at March 31, 2015 for any of the Funds.

Cost for Federal Income Tax Purposes
The aggregate cost of investments for tax purposes will depend upon each Fund’s investment experience during the entirety of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. As of March 31, 2015, for federal income tax purposes, subject to changes, the aggregate cost, gross unrealized appreciation (depreciation), and net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments are summarized as follows:
 
   
Federal Income
   
Gross Unrealized
   
Net Unrealized
 
   
Tax Cost
   
Appreciation
   
(Depreciation)
   
Appreciation (Depreciation)
 
Midas Fund
  $ 34,826,252     $ 109,540     $ (21,382,634 )   $ (21,273,094 )
Midas Magic
  $ 10,436,542     $ 7,783,017     $ ( 226,758 )   $ 7,556,259  
Midas Perpetual Portfolio
  $ 6,398,599     $ 509,948     $ ( 385,480 )   $ 124,468  

Illiquid and Restricted Securities
Midas Fund owns securities categorized in level 2 which have a limited trading market and/or certain restrictions on trading and, therefore, may be illiquid and/or restricted. Such securities have been valued using fair value pricing. Due to the inherent uncertainty of valuation, fair value pricing values may differ from the values that would have been used had a readily available market for the securities existed. These differences in valuation could be material. Illiquid and/or restricted securities owned as of March 31, 2015 were as follows:
 
 
Acquisition Date
Cost
Value
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. Class A
4/30/97
$             0
$ 70,103
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. Class B
4/30/97
               0
   39,437
Total
 
$             0
$109,540
Percent of net assets
 
0.0%
1.0%

Portfolio Concentration
Each Fund operates as a “non-diversified” investment company, which means that the portion of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer is not limited by the Act and the amount of the outstanding voting securities of a particular issuer held by a Fund is not limited. Each Fund, however, currently intends to continue to conduct its operations so as to qualify as a “regulated investment company” for purposes of the IRC, which currently requires that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year, with respect to 50% of a Fund’s total assets, the Fund limits to 5% the portion of its total assets invested in the securities of a single issuer. There are no such limitations with respect to the balance of a Fund’s portfolio, although no single investment can exceed 25% of a Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase. A more concentrated portfolio may cause a Fund’s net asset value to be more volatile and thus may subject shareholders to more risk. As of March 31, 2015, Midas Magic held approximately 19% and 17% of its net assets in Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. and MasterCard Incorporated, respectively, primarily as a result of market appreciation since the time of purchase. Thus, the volatility of the Fund’s net assets value and its performance in general, depends disproportionately more on the respective performance of a single issuer than that of a more diversified fund.

Foreign Securities Risk
Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve special risks which include changes in foreign exchange rates and the possibility of future adverse political and economic developments, which could adversely affect the value of such securities. Moreover, securities of foreign issuers and traded in foreign markets may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than those of U.S. issuers and markets.

 
7

 


Item 2.  Controls and Procedures

(a)  
The registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(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) that occurred during the registrant's last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Item 3. Exhibits

(a)  
Certifications of the registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act.

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.
 
Midas Series Trust

By: /s/ Thomas B. Winmill
Thomas B. Winmill, President

Date: May 21, 2015
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

By: /s/ Thomas B. Winmill
Thomas B. Winmill, President

Date: May 21, 2015
 
By: /s/ Thomas O'Malley
Thomas O'Malley, Chief Financial Officer
 
Date: May 21, 2015
 
Exhibit Index
 
 
(a)
Certifications of the registrant's principal executive and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act. (EX-99.CERT)

 

 
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