Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

 

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 811-07362

 

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

 

Robert I. Frenkel, Esq.

Legg Mason & Co., LLC

100 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (888) 777-0102

Date of fiscal year end: November 30

Date of reporting period: November 30, 2013

 

 

 


ITEM 1. REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS.

The Annual Report to Stockholders is filed herewith.


LOGO

 

 

Annual Report   November 30, 2013

WESTERN ASSET

MUNICIPAL PARTNERS FUND INC. (MNP)

 

 

 

LOGO

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE


What’s inside      
Letter from the chairman     II   
Investment commentary     III   
Fund overview     1   
Fund at a glance     5   
Spread duration     6   
Effective duration     7   
Schedule of investments     8   
Statement of assets and liabilities     16   
Statement of operations     17   
Statements of changes in net assets     18   
Financial highlights     19   
Notes to financial statements     21   
Report of independent registered public accounting firm     29   
Board approval of management agreement and sub-advisory agreement     30   
Additional information     36   
Annual chief executive officer and principal financial officer certifications     43   
Other shareholder communications regarding accounting matters     44   
Dividend reinvestment plan     45   
Important tax information     47   

Fund objectives

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to seek a high level of current income which is exempt from regular federal income taxes,* consistent with the preservation of capital. As a secondary investment objective, the Fund intends to enhance portfolio value by purchasing tax-exempt securities that, in the opinion of the investment manager, may appreciate in value relative to other similar obligations in the marketplace.

 

* Certain investors may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax (“AMT”), and state and local taxes will apply. Capital gains, if any, are fully taxable. Please consult your personal tax or legal adviser.

 

Letter from the chairman

 

LOGO

 

Dear Shareholder,

We are pleased to provide the annual report of Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. for the twelve-month reporting period ended November 30, 2013. Please read on for a detailed look at prevailing economic and market conditions during the Fund’s reporting period and to learn how those conditions have affected Fund performance.

As always, we remain committed to providing you with excellent service and a full spectrum of investment choices. We also remain committed to supplementing the support you receive from your financial advisor. One way we accomplish this is through our website, www.lmcef.com. Here you can gain immediate access to market and investment information, including:

 

Ÿ  

Fund prices and performance,

 

Ÿ  

Market insights and commentaries from our portfolio managers, and

 

Ÿ  

A host of educational resources.

We look forward to helping you meet your financial goals.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Kenneth D. Fuller

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

December 27, 2013

 

II    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


Investment commentary

 

Economic review

The U.S. economy continued to grow over the twelve months ended November 30, 2013 (the “reporting period”). Looking back, U.S. gross domestic product (“GDP”)i growth, as reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, was an anemic 0.1% during the fourth quarter of 2012. This weakness was partially driven by moderating private inventory investment and federal government spending. Economic growth then accelerated, as first quarter 2013 GDP growth was 1.1%, supported by strengthening consumer spending. GDP growth in the second quarter further improved to 2.5%. This was partially due to increases in exports and non-residential fixed investments, along with a smaller decline in federal government spending versus the previous quarter. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s final reading for third quarter 2013 GDP growth, released after the reporting period ended, was 4.1%. Stronger growth was driven, in part, by an increase in private inventory investment, a deceleration in imports and accelerating state and local government spending.

The U.S. job market improved during the reporting period, although unemployment remained elevated from a historical perspective. When the period began, unemployment, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, was 7.8%. Unemployment fell to 7.7% in February 2013 and edged lower over much of the next seven months to reach 7.2% in September 2013. After rising to 7.3% in October, unemployment then fell to 7.0% in November, its lowest reading since November 2008. Falling unemployment during the period was partially due to a decline in the workforce participation rate, which was 63% in November, close to its lowest level since 1978.

While sales of existing-homes have declined in recent months given rising mortgage rates, home prices continued to move higher. According to the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”), existing-home sales fell 4.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis in November 2013 versus the previous month and were 1.2% lower than in November 2012. However, the NAR reported that the median existing-home price for all housing types was $196,300 in November 2013, up 9.4% from November 2012. The inventory of homes available for sale in November 2013 was 0.9% lower than the previous month at a 5.1 month supply at the current sales pace and was 5.0% higher than in November 2012.

The manufacturing sector expanded during the majority of the reporting period, although it experienced a temporary soft patch. Based on the Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (“PMI”)ii, manufacturing expanded during the first five months of the reporting period. It then contracted in May 2013, with a PMI of 49.0 (a reading below 50 indicates a contraction, whereas a reading above 50 indicates an expansion). This represented the PMI’s lowest reading since June 2009. However, this was a short-term setback, as the PMI rose over the next six months and was 57.3 in November, the best reading since April 2011.

The Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”)iii took a number of actions as it sought to meet its dual mandate of fostering maximum employment and price stability. As has been the case since December 2008, the Fed kept the federal funds rateiv at a historically low

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   III


Investment commentary (cont’d)

 

range between zero and 0.25%. At its meeting in December 2012, the Fed announced that it would continue purchasing $40 billion per month of agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), as well as initially purchasing $45 billion per month of longer-term Treasuries. At its meeting that ended on June 19, 2013, the Fed did not make any material changes to its official policy statement. However, in a press conference following the meeting, Fed Chairman Bernanke said “…the Committee currently anticipates that it would be appropriate to moderate the monthly pace of purchases later this year; and if the subsequent data remain broadly aligned with our current expectations for the economy, we would continue to reduce the pace of purchases in measured steps through the first half of next year, ending purchases around midyear.” In a surprise to many investors, at its meeting that ended on September 18, 2013, the Fed did not taper its asset purchase program and said that it “…decided to await more evidence that progress will be sustained before adjusting the pace of its purchases.” Fed Chairman Bernanke also brought up the potential for a partial government shutdown on October 1 and the debt ceiling debate as reasons for maintaining its current policy. As expected, at its meeting that concluded on October 30, 2013, the Fed maintained its asset purchase program. Finally, at the Fed’s meeting that concluded on December 18, 2013, after the reporting period ended, the Fed announced that it would begin reducing its monthly asset purchases, saying “In light of the cumulative progress toward maximum employment and the improvement in the outlook for labor market conditions, the Committee decided to modestly reduce the pace of its asset purchases. Beginning in January, the Committee will add to its holdings of agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $35 billion per month rather than $40 billion per month, and will add to its holdings of longer-term Treasury securities at a pace of $40 billion per month rather than $45 billion per month.”

As always, thank you for your confidence in our stewardship of your assets.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Kenneth D. Fuller

Chairman, President and

Chief Executive Officer

December 27, 2013

All investments are subject to risk including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

i 

Gross domestic product (“GDP”) is the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time.

 

ii 

The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI is based on a survey of purchasing executives who buy the raw materials for manufacturing at more than 350 companies. It offers an early reading on the health of the manufacturing sector.

 

iii 

The Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”) is responsible for the formulation of policies designed to promote economic growth, full employment, stable prices and a sustainable pattern of international trade and payments.

 

iv 

The federal funds rate is the rate charged by one depository institution on an overnight sale of immediately available funds (balances at the Federal Reserve) to another depository institution; the rate may vary from depository institution to depository institution and from day to day.

 

IV    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


Fund overview

 

Q. What is the Fund’s investment strategy?

A. The Fund’s primary investment objective is to seek a high level of current income which is exempt from regular federal income taxes, consistent with the preservation of capital. As a secondary investment objective, the Fund intends to enhance portfolio value by purchasing tax-exempt securities that, in the opinion of the Fund’s investment manager, may appreciate in value relative to other similar obligations in the marketplace. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests substantially all of its assets in a diversified portfolio of tax-exempt securities. The Fund invests primarily in tax exempt securities that are rated investment grade at the time of purchase by at least one rating agency and that the investment manager believes do not involve undue risk to income or principal. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities rated below investment grade at the time of purchase. The Fund may use a variety of derivative instruments as part of its investment strategy, or for hedging or risk management purposes.

At Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”), the Fund’s subadviser, we utilize a fixed-income team approach, with decisions derived from interaction among various investment management sector specialists. The sector teams are comprised of Western Asset’s senior portfolio management personnel, research analysts and an in-house economist. Under this team approach, management of client fixed-income portfolios will reflect a consensus of interdisciplinary views within the Western Asset organization. The individuals responsible for development of investment strategy, day-to-day portfolio management, oversight and coordination of the Fund are Stephen A. Walsh, Robert E. Amodeo, David T. Fare and Dennis J. McNamara. It is anticipated that Mr. Walsh will step down as a member of the Fund’s portfolio management team effective on or about March 31, 2014 and that S. Kenneth Leech will join the Fund’s portfolio management team at that time. Mr. Leech has been employed by Western Asset as an investment professional for more than 20 years.

Q. What were the overall market conditions during the Fund’s reporting period?

A. The spread sectors (non-Treasuries) experienced several periods of heightened risk aversion and generated mixed results versus equal-duration Treasuries over the twelve months ended November 30, 2013. Risk aversion was prevalent at times given shifting economic data, geopolitical issues, signs of shifting monetary policy by the Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”)i and the U.S government’s sixteen-day partial shutdown which ended on October 16, 2013.

Both short- and long-term Treasury yields moved higher during the twelve months ended November 30, 2013. Two-year Treasury yields rose from 0.25% at the beginning of the period to 0.28% at the end of the period. Their peak of 0.52% occurred on September 5, 2013 and they were as low as 0.20% in early May 2013. Ten-year Treasury yields were 1.62% at the beginning of the period and 2.75% at the end of the period. Their peak of 2.98% also occurred on September 5, 2013 and their low of 1.59% took place on December 6, 2012.

The municipal bond market underperformed its taxable bond counterpart during the twelve months ended November 30, 2013.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   1


Fund overview (cont’d)

 

Over that period, the Barclays Municipal Bond Indexii and the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Indexiii fell 3.51% and 1.60%, respectively. The municipal bond market lagged the taxable bond market during seven of the twelve months covered by this report. In addition to the negative impact of higher interest rates, investor sentiment for municipal bonds was weak at times given a number of well publicized events.

Q. How did we respond to these changing market conditions?

A. There were several changes to the Fund during the reporting period. We pared the Fund’s allocation to Puerto Rico in order to reduce its overall risk exposure. During the reporting period, we utilized leverage in the Fund. This detracted from results given the municipal market’s weak results. We ended the period with leverage from preferred shares as a percentage of gross assets of roughly 37%. The Fund opportunistically employed the use of short U.S. Treasury futures on several occasions during the reporting period to manage duration.iv This strategy contributed to the Fund’s performance.

Performance review

For the twelve months ended November 30, 2013, Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. returned -7.97% based on its net asset value (“NAV”)v and -22.01% based on its New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) market price per share. The Fund’s unmanaged benchmark, the Barclays Municipal Bond Index, returned -3.51% for the same period. The Lipper General & Insured Municipal Debt (Leveraged) Closed-End Funds Category Averagevi returned -9.53% over the same time frame. Please note that Lipper performance returns are based on each fund’s NAV.

Certain investors may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, and state and local taxes will apply. Capital gains, if any, are fully taxable. Please consult your personal tax or legal adviser.

During the twelve-month period, the Fund made distributions to common stock shareholders totaling $0.92 per share.* The performance table shows the Fund’s twelve-month total return based on its NAV and market price as of November 30, 2013. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

Performance Snapshot as of November 30, 2013  
Price Per Share   12-Month
Total Return**
 
$15.03 (NAV)     -7.97 %† 
$13.37 (Market Price)     -22.01 %‡ 

All figures represent past performance and are not a guarantee of future results.

** Total returns are based on changes in NAV or market price, respectively. Returns reflect the deduction of all Fund expenses, including management fees, operating expenses, and other Fund expenses. Returns do not reflect the deduction of brokerage commissions or taxes that investors may pay on distributions or the sale of shares.

† Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions at NAV.

‡ Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions in additional shares in accordance with the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

 

 

* Distributions paid by the Fund may be comprised of income, capital gains and/or return of capital. For the character of distributions paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, please refer to page 19 of this report.

 

2    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Q. What were the leading contributors to performance?

A. The largest contributor to the Fund’s relative performance during the reporting period was its use of Treasury futures, as they helped to reduce the portfolio’s duration amid the rising interest rate environment.

The Fund’s underweight to holdings in Puerto Rico was positive for results as Commonwealth bonds underperformed the benchmark during the reporting period (interest from bonds issued in certain territories, such as Puerto Rico, are tax-exempt in all states).

Elsewhere, security selection of bonds issued by the state of Illinois contributed to performance.

Q. What were the leading detractors from performance?

A. The largest detractor from relative performance during the reporting period was the Fund’s duration positioning. In particular, having a duration that was longer than that of the benchmark was not rewarded as rates moved higher during the reporting period.

Also negatively impacting the Fund’s performance were its overweight exposure to lower rated investment grade municipal bonds and its underweight to AA-rated and AAA-rated municipal bonds were negative for results as lower rated securities underperformed their higher rated counterparts.

In addition, having an underweight to Pre-refundedvii securities detracted from results as these higher rated securities outperformed the benchmark.

Looking for additional information?

The Fund is traded under the symbol “MNP” and its closing market price is available in most newspapers under the NYSE listings. The daily NAV is available on-line under the symbol “XMNPX” on most financial websites. Barron’s and the Wall Street Journal’s Monday edition both carry closed-end fund tables that provide additional information. In addition, the Fund issues a quarterly press release that can be found on most major financial websites as well as www.lmcef.com

In a continuing effort to provide information concerning the Fund, shareholders may call 1-888-777-0102 (toll free), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, for the Fund’s current NAV, market price and other information.

Thank you for your investment in Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. As always, we appreciate that you have chosen us to manage your assets and we remain focused on achieving the Fund’s investment goals.

Sincerely,

Western Asset Management Company

December 17, 2013

RISKS: An investment in the Fund is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the principal amount that you invest in the Fund. Diversification does not assure against market loss. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall, reducing the value of the Fund’s fixed-income securities. Lower-rated, higher-yielding bonds are subject to greater credit risk than higher-rated obligations. Municipal securities purchased by the Fund may be adversely affected by changes in the financial condition of municipal issuers and insurers, regulatory and political developments, uncertainties and public perceptions, and other factors. The Fund may use derivatives, such as options and

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   3


Fund overview (cont’d)

 

futures, which can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses, and have a potentially large impact on Fund performance.

The mention of sector breakdowns is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation to purchase or sell any securities. The information provided regarding such sectors is not a sufficient basis upon which to make an investment decision. Investors seeking financial advice regarding the appropriateness of investing in any securities or investment strategies discussed should consult their financial professional. Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time and may not be representative of the portfolio managers’ current or future investments. The Fund’s portfolio composition is subject to change at any time.

All investments are subject to risk including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. Please note that an investor cannot invest directly in an index.

The information provided is not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results or investment advice. Views expressed may differ from those of the firm as a whole.

 

i 

The Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”) is responsible for the formulation of policies designed to promote economic growth, full employment, stable prices and a sustainable pattern of international trade and payments.

 

ii 

The Barclays Municipal Bond Index is a market value weighted index of investment grade municipal bonds with maturities of one year or more.

 

iii 

The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Index is a broad-based bond index comprised of government, corporate, mortgage- and asset-backed issues, rated investment grade or higher, and having at least one year to maturity.

 

iv 

Duration is the measure of the price sensitivity of a fixed-income security to an interest rate change of 100 basis points. Calculation is based on the weighted average of the present values for all cash flows.

 

v 

Net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated by subtracting total liabilities and outstanding preferred stock (if any) from the closing value of all securities held by the Fund (plus all other assets) and dividing the result (total investments) by the total number of the common shares outstanding. The NAV fluctuates with changes in the market prices of securities in which the Fund has invested. However, the price at which an investor may buy or sell shares of the Fund is the Fund’s market price as determined by supply of and demand for the Fund’s shares.

 

vi 

Lipper, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reuters, provides independent insight on global collective investments. Returns are based on the twelve-month period ended November 30, 2013, including the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, calculated among the 74 funds in the Fund’s Lipper category.

 

vii 

A pre-refunded bond is a bond in which the original security has been replaced by an escrow, usually consisting of treasuries or agencies, which has been structured to pay principal and interest and any call premium, either to a call date (in the case of a pre-refunded bond), or to maturity (in the case of an escrowed to maturity bond).

 

4    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Fund at a glance (unaudited)

 

Investment breakdown (%) as a percent of total investments

 

LOGO

 

The bar graph above represents the composition of the Fund’s investments as of November 30, 2013 and November 30, 2012 and does not include derivatives such as futures contracts. The Fund is actively managed. As a result, the composition of the Fund’s investments is subject to change at any time.
* Prior year percentages have been restated to reflect current period classifications.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   5


Spread duration (unaudited)

 

Economic exposureNovember 30, 2013

 

LOGO

Spread duration measures the sensitivity to changes in spreads. The spread over Treasuries is the annual risk-premium demanded by investors to hold non-Treasury securities. Spread duration is quantified as the % change in price resulting from a 100 basis points change in spreads. For a security with positive spread duration, an increase in spreads would result in a price decline and a decline in spreads would result in a price increase. This chart highlights the market sector exposure of the Fund’s sectors relative to the selected benchmark sectors as of the end of the reporting period.

 

Benchmark   — Barclays Municipal Bond Index
MNP   — Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

6    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Effective duration (unaudited)

 

Interest rate exposureNovember 30, 2013

 

LOGO

 

Total Effective Duration

MNP   —8.03 years
Benchmark   —8.37 years

Effective duration measures the sensitivity to changes in relevant interest rates. Effective duration is quantified as the % change in price resulting from a 100 basis points change in interest rates. For a security with positive effective duration, an increase in interest rates would result in a price decline and a decline in interest rates would result in a price increase. This chart highlights the interest rate exposure of the Fund’s sectors relative to the selected benchmark sectors as of the end of the reporting period.

 

Benchmark   — Barclays Municipal Bond Index
MNP   — Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   7


Schedule of investments

November 30, 2013

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount
    Value  
Municipal Bonds — 155.8%                                

Alabama — 0.2%

                               

Jefferson County, AL, Sewer Revenue, Warrants

    6.000     10/1/42      $ 250,000      $ 229,840  (a) 

Alaska — 1.7%

                               

Valdez, AK, Marine Terminal Revenue, BP Pipelines Inc. Project

    5.000     1/1/21        2,150,000        2,470,973   

Arizona — 2.0%

                               

Glendale, AZ, Transportation Excise Tax Revenue, NATL

    5.000     7/1/28        2,855,000        2,970,371   

California — 22.7%

                               

Bay Area Toll Authority, CA, Toll Bridge Revenue, San Francisco Bay Area

    1.160     4/1/24        3,000,000        2,997,330  (b)(c) 

California Health Facilities Financing Authority Revenue:

                               

Catholic Healthcare West

    5.250     3/1/24        2,500,000        2,645,500   

Catholic Healthcare West

    5.625     7/1/32        5,000,000        5,123,450   

California State PCFA, Water Furnishing Revenue

    5.000     11/21/45        2,500,000        2,143,100   

California State, GO

    0.818     12/1/17        1,000,000        999,970  (b)(c) 

California Statewide CDA Revenue, Insured Health Facility L.A., Jewish Home, CA, Mortgage Insurance

    5.000     11/15/28        1,500,000        1,544,505   

Los Angeles County, CA, MTA Revenue, Union Station Project

    0.376     7/1/27        300,000        273,947  (b) 

Los Angeles County, CA, Public Works Financing Authority, Lease Revenue, Multiple Capital Projects II

    5.000     8/1/30        2,500,000        2,625,250   

Los Angeles, CA, Department of Water & Power Revenue, Power Systems, Subordinated, AGM

    5.000     7/1/35        2,500,000        2,587,250   

Lower Tule River, CA, Irrigation District Revenue, COP

    5.000     8/1/40        1,000,000        934,390   

M-S-R Energy Authority, CA, Gas Revenue

    7.000     11/1/34        2,490,000        3,108,690   

M-S-R Energy Authority, CA, Gas Revenue

    6.500     11/1/39        3,000,000        3,546,660   

Riverside County, CA, Transportation Commission Sales Tax Revenue, Limited Tax

    5.250     6/1/39        250,000        267,945   

Riverside County, CA, Transportation Commission Toll Revenue:

                               

Senior Lien

    5.750     6/1/44        100,000        100,072   

Senior Lien

    5.750     6/1/48        200,000        197,340   

Turlock, CA, Irrigation District Revenue

    5.000     1/1/35        2,500,000        2,536,500   

Turlock, CA, Public Financing Authority, Tax Allocation Revenue, AGM

    5.000     9/1/30        1,500,000        1,461,705   

Total California

                            33,093,604   

Colorado — 8.0%

                               

Colorado Health Facilities Authority Revenue:

                               

Poudre Valley Health Care

    5.000     3/1/25        2,850,000        2,902,754   

Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System Inc.

    5.250     1/1/25        3,500,000        3,782,765  (d) 

Public Authority for Colorado Energy, Natural Gas Purchase Revenue

    5.750     11/15/18        340,000        367,567   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

8    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount
    Value  

Colorado — continued

                               

Public Authority for Colorado Energy, Natural Gas Purchase Revenue

    6.500     11/15/38      $ 4,000,000      $ 4,690,800   

Total Colorado

                            11,743,886   

Florida — 3.5%

                               

Miami-Dade County, FL, GO, Seaport

    5.000     10/1/23        2,315,000        2,530,897   

Orlando & Orange County, FL, Expressway Authority Revenue

    5.000     7/1/30        2,000,000        2,089,860   

Seminole Tribe Florida Special Obligation Revenue

    5.250     10/1/27        500,000        516,560  (e) 

Total Florida

                            5,137,317   

Illinois — 14.9%

                               

Chicago, IL, Midway Airport Revenue:

                               

NATL

    5.500     1/1/29        2,000,000        2,003,960   

NATL

    5.625     1/1/29        3,750,000        3,753,862  (f) 

Chicago, IL, Park District, GO, Refunding, FGIC

    5.000     1/1/29        5,000,000        5,163,900   

Chicago, IL, Public Building Commission, Building Revenue, Chicago School Reform, FGIC

    5.250     12/1/18        1,000,000        1,137,860   

Illinois Health Facilities Authority Revenue:

                               

Refunding, Lutheran General Health System

    7.000     4/1/14        505,000        512,893   

South Suburban Hospital Project

    7.000     2/15/18        380,000        431,251  (g) 

Illinois Municipal Electric Agency Power Supply, FGIC

    5.250     2/1/28        4,145,000        4,330,862   

Illinois State, GO, First Series, AGM

    5.500     5/1/16        1,500,000        1,645,500   

Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority, IL, Dedicated State Tax Revenue, McCormick Place, AGM

    5.000     6/15/50        3,000,000        2,855,250   

Total Illinois

                            21,835,338   

Indiana — 2.1%

                               

Indiana Finance Authority Midwestern Disaster Relief Revenue, Ohio Valley Electric Corp. Project

    5.000     6/1/39        1,000,000        935,780   

Indianapolis, IN, Local Public Improvement Bond Bank

    5.000     6/1/27        2,000,000        2,133,700   

Total Indiana

                            3,069,480   

Iowa — 1.8%

                               

Iowa State Finance Authority Midwestern Disaster Area Revenue:

                               

Iowa Fertilizer Co. Project

    5.000     12/1/19        1,110,000        1,072,115   

Iowa Fertilizer Co. Project

    5.250     12/1/25        1,790,000        1,604,234   

Total Iowa

                            2,676,349   

Maryland — 2.4%

                               

Maryland State EDC, EDR, Transportation Facilities Project

    5.750     6/1/35        1,000,000        1,007,580   

Maryland State Health & Higher EFA Revenue Bonds, Suburban Hospital

    5.500     7/1/16        2,500,000        2,567,700   

Total Maryland

                            3,575,280   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   9


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

November 30, 2013

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount
    Value  

Massachusetts — 1.0%

                               

Massachusetts State Water Pollution Abatement Trust Revenue, MWRA Program, Unrefunded Balance

    5.750     8/1/29      $ 355,000      $ 356,047   

Massachusetts State Water Resources Authority, NATL

    5.000     8/1/34        1,000,000        1,045,790   

Total Massachusetts

                            1,401,837   

Michigan — 5.3%

                               

Detroit, MI, GO, District State Aid

    5.250     11/1/24        3,500,000        3,595,655   

Detroit, MI, Water Supply System Revenue, Senior Lien, NATL

    5.000     7/1/34        500,000        453,955   

Michigan State Building Authority Revenue, Facilities Program

    5.250     10/15/47        250,000        252,863   

Michigan State Hospital Finance Authority Revenue, McLaren Health Care Corp.

    5.750     5/15/38        2,000,000        2,142,100   

Wayne County, MI, Airport Authority Revenue, Detroit Metropolitan Airport

    5.000     12/1/18        1,170,000        1,316,987  (f) 

Total Michigan

                            7,761,560   

Missouri — 1.4%

                               

Boone County, MO, Hospital Revenue, Boone Hospital Center

    5.375     8/1/38        2,000,000        2,037,340   

Nevada — 1.5%

                               

Clark County, NV, GO, AMBAC

    5.000     11/1/21        2,000,000        2,169,840   

New Jersey — 9.8%

                               

New Jersey State EDA Revenue

    5.000     6/15/29        500,000        497,320   

New Jersey State EDA Revenue:

                               

Continental Airlines Project

    5.250     9/15/29        2,000,000        1,883,160  (f) 

Private Activity-Goethals Bridge Replacement Project

    5.375     1/1/43        1,000,000        991,960  (f) 

School Facilities Construction

    1.660     3/1/28        2,500,000        2,435,125  (b) 

New Jersey State Transportation Trust Fund Authority Revenue, Transportation Program

    5.000     6/15/38        6,000,000        6,104,100   

New Jersey State Turnpike Authority Revenue

    0.730     1/1/18        2,500,000        2,470,725  (b)(c) 

Total New Jersey

                            14,382,390   

New York — 27.6%

                               

Brooklyn Arena, NY, Local Development Corp., Barclays Center Project

    6.250     7/15/40        1,000,000        1,047,930   

Liberty, NY, Development Corporation Revenue, Goldman Sachs Headquarters

    5.250     10/1/35        3,045,000        3,195,057   

MTA, NY, Revenue

    5.000     11/15/25        1,000,000        1,088,780   

MTA, NY, Revenue

    5.250     11/15/40        1,000,000        1,028,070   

Nassau County, NY, Industrial Development Agency Revenue, Continuing Care Retirement, Amsterdam at Harborside

    6.700     1/1/43        360,000        195,664   

New York City, NY, Municipal Water Finance Authority, Water & Sewer System Revenue, Second General Resolution Fiscal 2011

    5.000     6/15/31        4,850,000        5,154,919   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

10    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount
    Value  

New York — continued

                               

New York City, NY, TFA Revenue, Unrefunded Balance, Future Tax Secured

    5.500     11/15/17      $ 15,000      $ 15,055   

New York Liberty Development Corp., Liberty Revenue:

                               

4 World Trade Center LLC Project

    5.750     11/15/51        2,000,000        2,132,420   

Second Priority, Bank of America Tower

    5.125     1/15/44        2,500,000        2,561,100   

New York State Dormitory Authority Revenue:

                               

Court Facilities Lease, NYC Issue, Non-State Supported Debt, AMBAC

    5.500     5/15/30        3,365,000        3,811,906   

Non-State Supported Debt, Columbia University

    5.000     7/1/38        2,000,000        2,114,480   

New York State Energy Research & Development Authority Revenue, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp.

    0.415     7/1/29        2,520,000        2,272,967  (b) 

New York State Thruway Authority, Second General Highway & Bridge Trust Fund, AMBAC

    5.000     4/1/26        4,700,000        5,030,551   

New York State Urban Development Corp. Revenue, State Personal Income Tax

    5.000     3/15/26        5,000,000        5,437,300   

Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

    5.000     1/15/41        5,000,000        5,153,600   

Total New York

                            40,239,799   

North Carolina — 4.4%

                               

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, NC, Health Care System Revenue, Carolinas Healthcare System

    5.000     1/15/31        5,000,000        5,202,600   

North Carolina Medical Care Commission Health Care Facilities Revenue, Novant Health Obligation Group

    5.000     11/1/39        1,200,000        1,203,804   

Total North Carolina

                            6,406,404   

Ohio — 3.6%

                               

Northeast, OH, Regional Sewer District Revenue, Waste Water Revenue Improvement

    5.000     11/15/43        4,040,000        4,206,610  (d) 

Ohio State Air Quality Development Authority Revenue, FirstEnergy Generation Corp.

    5.700     8/1/20        1,000,000        1,105,220   

Total Ohio

                            5,311,830   

Oklahoma — 1.4%

                               

Grand River Dam Authority, OK, Revenue

    5.250     6/1/40        2,000,000        2,107,780   

Oregon — 0.9%

                               

Multnomah County, OR, Hospital Facilities Authority Revenue, Providence Health Systems

    5.250     10/1/18        1,250,000        1,302,000  (h) 

Pennsylvania — 6.1%

                               

Central Bradford, PA, Progress Authority Revenue, Guthrie Healthcare Systems

    5.000     12/1/26        5,130,000        5,452,677   

Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, Sewer Sludge Disposal Revenue, Philadelphia Biosolids Facility

    6.250     1/1/32        500,000        492,005   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   11


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

November 30, 2013

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount
    Value  

Pennsylvania — continued

                               

Philadelphia, PA, Gas Works Revenue, 7th General Ordinance, AMBAC

    5.000     10/1/17      $ 2,685,000      $ 2,989,560   

Total Pennsylvania

                            8,934,242   

Puerto Rico — 1.3%

                               

Puerto Rico Industrial, Tourist, Educational, Medical & Environmental Control Facilities Financing Authority Revenue, Ana G. Mendez University System Project

    5.375     4/1/42        500,000        358,365   

Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corp., Sales Tax Revenue

    5.250     8/1/40        1,850,000        1,548,524   

Total Puerto Rico

                            1,906,889   

Rhode Island — 1.0%

                               

Rhode Island State Clean Water Finance Agency Water PCR, Revolving Fund Pooled Loan

    5.000     10/1/24        1,265,000        1,457,710   

Tennessee — 5.6%

                               

Clarksville, TN, Natural Gas Acquisition Corp., Gas Revenue

    5.000     12/15/20        2,030,000        2,211,705   

Tennessee Energy Acquisition Corp., Gas Revenue

    5.000     2/1/20        3,555,000        3,819,421   

Tennessee Energy Acquisition Corp., Gas Revenue

    5.000     2/1/21        2,000,000        2,140,020   

Total Tennessee

                            8,171,146   

Texas — 15.5%

                               

Austin, TX, Water & Wastewater System Revenue

    5.000     11/15/26        2,500,000        2,764,725   

Austin, TX, Water & Wastewater System Revenue

    5.125     11/15/28        2,210,000        2,407,463   

Beaumont, TX, ISD, GO, School Building, PSF

    5.000     2/15/33        1,100,000        1,167,243   

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, International Airport Revenue, Joint Improvement

    5.000     11/1/38        2,000,000        1,906,820  (f) 

Grand Parkway Transportation Corp., TX, System Toll Revenue, Convertible CAB, Step Bond

    0.000     10/1/36        2,000,000        1,186,700  (b) 

Harris County, TX, Health Facilities Development Corp., Hospital Revenue, Memorial Hermann Healthcare Systems

    5.250     12/1/18        2,960,000        3,105,573  (h) 

Harris County, TX, Metropolitan Transit Authority Sales & Use Tax

    5.000     11/1/36        3,125,000        3,240,500   

Kemp, TX, ISD, GO, School Building

    5.250     2/15/33        3,450,000        3,667,488   

Mesquite, TX, ISD, GO:

                               

PSFG

    0.000     8/15/27        505,000        271,397  (h) 

PSFG

    0.000     8/15/27        495,000        260,420   

North Texas Tollway Authority Revenue

    5.750     1/1/40        2,500,000        2,624,550   

Total Texas

                            22,602,879   

Washington — 5.4%

                               

Port of Seattle, WA, Revenue

    5.000     8/1/25        2,395,000        2,661,228   

Port of Seattle, WA, Revenue, Refunding, Intermediate Lien, NATL

    5.000     3/1/30        2,000,000        2,032,140   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

12    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount
    Value  

Washington — continued

                               

Washington State Health Care Facilities Authority Revenue, PeaceHealth

    5.000     11/1/28      $ 3,000,000      $ 3,121,140   

Total Washington

                            7,814,508   

Wisconsin — 4.7%

                               

Public Finance Authority, WI, Airport Facilities Revenue, Transportation Infrastructure Properties LLC

    5.000     7/1/42        4,000,000        3,461,120  (f) 

Wisconsin State HEFA Revenue, SSM Health Care Corp.

    5.000     6/1/25        3,110,000        3,375,034   

Total Wisconsin

                            6,836,154   

Total Investments before Short-Term Investments (Cost — $221,252,496)

  

    227,646,746   
Short-Term Investments — 0.1%                                

New York — 0.1%

                               

New York City, NY, TFA Revenue, New York City Recovery Project Revenue, Subordinated, LIQ-Dexia Credit Local
(Cost — $120,000)

    0.370     11/1/22        120,000        120,000  (i)(j) 

Total Investments — 155.9% (Cost — $221,372,496#)

                            227,766,746   

Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, at Liquidation Value — (58.2)%

  

    (85,000,000

Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities — 2.3%

                            3,293,294   

Total Net Assets — 100.0%

                          $ 146,060,040   

 

(a) 

Security is purchased on a when-issued basis.

 

(b) 

Variable rate security. Interest rate disclosed is as of the most recent information available.

 

(c) 

Maturity date shown represents the mandatory tender date.

 

(d) 

All or a portion of this security is held at the broker as collateral for open futures contracts.

 

(e) 

Security is exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. This security may be resold in transactions that are exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. This security has been deemed liquid pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Directors, unless otherwise noted.

 

(f) 

Income from this issue is considered a preference item for purposes of calculating the alternative minimum tax (“AMT”).

 

(g) 

Bonds are escrowed to maturity by government securities and/or U.S. government agency securities and are considered by the manager to be triple-A rated even if issuer has not applied for new ratings.

 

(h) 

Pre-Refunded bonds are escrowed with U.S. government obligations and/or U.S. government agency securities and are considered by the manager to be triple-A rated even if issuer has not applied for new ratings.

 

(i) 

Variable rate demand obligations have a demand feature under which the Fund can tender them back to the issuer or liquidity provider on no more than 7 days notice.

 

(j) 

Maturity date shown is the final maturity date. The security may be sold back to the issuer before final maturity.

 

# Aggregate cost for federal income tax purposes is $221,307,739.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   13


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

November 30, 2013

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

 

Abbreviations used in this schedule:

AGM   — Assured Guaranty Municipal Corporation — Insured Bonds
AMBAC   — American Municipal Bond Assurance Corporation — Insured Bonds
CAB   — Capital Appreciation Bonds
CDA   — Communities Development Authority
COP   — Certificates of Participation
EDA   — Economic Development Authority
EDC   — Economic Development Corporation
EDR   — Economic Development Revenue
EFA   — Educational Facilities Authority
FGIC   — Financial Guaranty Insurance Company — Insured Bonds
GO   — General Obligation
HEFA   — Health & Educational Facilities Authority
ISD   — Independent School District
LIQ   — Liquidity Facility
MTA   — Metropolitan Transportation Authority
MWRA   — Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
NATL   — National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation — Insured Bonds
PCFA   — Pollution Control Financing Authority
PCR   — Pollution Control Revenue
PSF   — Permanent School Fund
PSFG   — Permanent School Fund Guaranty
TFA   — Transitional Finance Authority

 

Summary of Investments by Industry† (unaudited)       
Health care      18.4
Industrial revenue      17.6   
Transportation      16.8   
Special tax obligation      11.2   
Water & sewer      8.9   
Local general obligation      8.1   
Leasing      6.5   
Power      6.4   
Pre-refunded/escrowed to maturity      2.2   
Education      2.2   
State general obligation      1.2   
Other      0.2   
Solid waste/resource recovery      0.2   
Short-term investments      0.1   
       100.0

 

As a percentage of total investments. Please note that Fund holdings are as of November 30, 2013 and are subject to change.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

14    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

 

Ratings Table* (unaudited)       
Standard & Poor’s/Moody’s/Fitch**         
AAA/Aaa      7.6
AA/Aa      41.7   
A      41.2   
BBB/Baa      6.9   
BB/Ba      1.3   
B/B      0.8   
A-1/VMIG 1      0.1   
NR      0.4   
       100.0

 

* As a percentage of total investments.

 

** The ratings shown are based on each portfolio security’s rating as determined by Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s or Fitch, each a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”). These ratings are the opinions of the NRSRO and are not measures of quality or guarantees of performance. Securities may be rated by other NRSROs, and these ratings may be higher or lower. In the event that a security is rated by multiple NRSROs and receives different ratings, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the highest rating category received from a NRSRO.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   15


Statement of assets and liabilities

November 30, 2013

 

Assets:         

Investments, at value (Cost — $221,372,496)

   $ 227,766,746   

Cash

     326,734   

Interest receivable

     3,188,634   

Receivable for securities sold

     202,349   

Prepaid expenses

     25,369   

Total Assets

     231,509,832   
Liabilities:         

Payable for securities purchased

     235,328   

Investment management fee payable

     104,579   

Distributions payable to Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stockholders

     3,679   

Payable to broker — variation margin on open futures contracts

     20   

Accrued expenses

     106,186   

Total Liabilities

     449,792   

Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock (1,700 shares authorized and issued at $50,000 per share) (Note 5)

     85,000,000   
Total Net Assets    $ 146,060,040   
Net Assets:         

Par value ($0.001 par value; 9,719,063 shares issued and outstanding; 100,000,000 shares authorized)

   $ 9,719   

Paid-in capital in excess of par value

     135,567,168   

Undistributed net investment income

     4,717,800   

Accumulated net realized loss on investments and futures contracts

     (649,097)   

Net unrealized appreciation on investments and futures contracts

     6,414,450   
Total Net Assets    $ 146,060,040   
Shares Outstanding      9,719,063   
Net Asset Value      $15.03   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

16    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Statement of operations

For the Year Ended November 30, 2013

 

Investment Income:         

Interest

   $ 10,245,896   
Expenses:         

Investment management fee (Note 2)

     1,321,152   

Auction Participation Fees (Note 5)

     164,111   

Audit and tax

     114,090   

Transfer agent fees

     38,380   

Shareholder reports

     35,155   

Legal fees

     33,238   

Directors’ fees

     25,009   

Stock exchange listing fees

     19,504   

Fund accounting fees

     15,687   

Rating agency fees

     14,577   

Custody fees

     13,151   

Auction agent fees

     10,800   

Insurance

     4,378   

Miscellaneous expenses

     10,227   

Total Expenses

     1,819,459   
Net Investment Income      8,426,437   
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments and Futures Contracts (Notes 1, 3 and 4):         

Net Realized Gain (Loss) From:

        

Investment transactions

     (1,150,128)   

Futures contracts

     377,133   

Net Realized Loss

     (772,995)   

Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) From:

        

Investments

     (20,736,905)   

Futures contracts

     135,579   

Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

     (20,601,326)   
Net Loss on Investments and Futures Contracts      (21,374,321)   
Distributions Paid to Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stockholders from (Notes 1 and 5):   

Net Investment Income

     (132,095)   

Net Realized Gains

     (19,788)   

Total Distributions Paid to Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stockholders

     (151,883)   
Decrease in Net Assets from Operations    $ (13,099,767)   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   17


Statements of changes in net assets

 

 

For the Years Ended November 30,   2013      2012  
Operations:                 

Net investment income

  $ 8,426,437       $ 8,839,906   

Net realized gain (loss)

    (772,995)         1,210,985   

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    (20,601,326)         18,435,242   
Distributions paid to Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stockholders From:                 

Net investment income

    (132,095)         (218,195)   

Net realized gains

    (19,788)         (2,091)   

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets From Operations

    (13,099,767)         28,265,847   
Distributions to Shareholders From (Note 1):                 

Net investment income

    (8,164,013)         (8,163,706)   

Net realized gains

    (789,188)         (69,312)   

Decrease in Net Assets From Distributions to Common Shareholders

    (8,953,201)         (8,233,018)   

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

    (22,052,968)         20,032,829   
Net Assets:                 

Beginning of year

    168,113,008         148,080,179   

End of year*

  $ 146,060,040       $ 168,113,008   

*   Includes undistributed net investment income of:

    $4,717,800         $4,606,296   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

18    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Financial highlights

 

For a share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended November 30,
unless otherwise noted:
 
     20131     20121     20111     20101     20091,2     20081,3  
Net asset value, beginning of year     $17.30        $15.24        $14.49        $14.41        $11.75        $14.55   
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income

    0.87        0.91        0.91        0.95        0.90        0.93   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (2.20)        2.02        0.70        (0.03)        2.45        (2.81)   

Distributions paid to auction rate cumulative preferred stockholders from:

                                               

Net investment income

    (0.02)        (0.02)        (0.03)        (0.04)        (0.05)        (0.29)   

Net realized gains

    (0.00) 4      (0.00) 4                           (0.02)   

Total income (loss) from operations

    (1.35)        2.91        1.58        0.88        3.30        (2.19)   
Distributions paid to common stock shareholders from:            

Net investment income

    (0.84)        (0.84)        (0.83)        (0.80)        (0.64)        (0.60)   

Net realized gains

    (0.08)        (0.01)                             (0.04)   

Total distributions

    (0.92)        (0.85)        (0.83)        (0.80)        (0.64)        (0.64)   

Increase in net asset value due to shares repurchased in tender offer

                                       0.03   
Net asset value, end of year     $15.03        $17.30        $15.24        $14.49        $14.41        $11.75   
Market price, end of year     $13.37        $18.20        $14.83        $13.87        $12.86        $9.69   

Total return, based on NAV5,6

    (7.97)     19.54     11.42     6.16     28.54     (15.35)

Total return, based on Market Price7

    (22.01)     29.08     13.54     14.19     39.80     (22.67)
Net assets, end of year (000s)     $146,060        $168,113        $148,080        $140,801        $140,082        $114,186   
Ratios to average net assets based on common shares outstanding:8            

Gross expenses

    1.17     1.14     1.25     1.24     1.37 %9      1.48

Net expenses10

    1.17        1.14        1.25        1.24        1.37 9      1.48   

Net investment income

    5.44        5.55        6.26        6.40        7.23 9      6.67   
Portfolio turnover rate     17     17     34     32     18     46
Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock:            

Total Amount Outstanding (000s)

    $85,000        $85,000        $85,000        $85,000        $85,000        $85,000   

Asset Coverage Per Share

    135,918        148,890        137,106        132,824        132,401        117,169   

Involuntary Liquidating Preference Per Share11

    50,000        50,000        50,000        50,000        50,000        50,000   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   19


Financial highlights (cont’d)

 

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the period January 1, 2009 through November 30, 2009.

 

3 

For the year ended December 31.

 

4 

Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

 

5 

Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

6 

The total return calculation assumes that distributions are reinvested at NAV. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

7 

The total return calculation assumes that distributions are reinvested in accordance with the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

8 

Calculated on the basis of average net assets of common stock shareholders. Ratios do not reflect the effect of dividend payments to preferred stockholders.

 

9 

Annualized.

 

10 

The impact of compensating balance arrangements, if any, was less than 0.01%.

 

11 

Excludes accumulated and unpaid distributions.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

20    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Notes to financial statements

 

1. Organization and significant accounting policies

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. (the “Fund”) was incorporated in Maryland on November 24, 1992 and is registered as a diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Board of Directors authorized 100 million shares of $0.001 par value common stock. The Fund’s primary investment objective is to seek a high level of current income which is exempt from federal income taxes, consistent with the preservation of capital. As a secondary investment objective, the Fund intends to enhance portfolio value by purchasing tax exempt securities that, in the opinion of the investment manager, may appreciate in value relative to other similar obligations in the marketplace.

The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Estimates and assumptions are required to be made regarding assets, liabilities and changes in net assets resulting from operations when financial statements are prepared. Changes in the economic environment, financial markets and any other parameters used in determining these estimates could cause actual results to differ. Subsequent events have been evaluated through the date the financial statements were issued.

(a) Investment valuation. The valuations for fixed income securities (which may include, but are not limited to, corporate, government, municipal, mortgage-backed, collateralized mortgage obligations and asset-backed securities) and certain derivative instruments are typically the prices supplied by independent third party pricing services, which may use market prices or broker/dealer quotations or a variety of valuation techniques and methodologies. The independent third party pricing services use inputs that are observable such as issuer details, interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, credit risks/spreads, default rates and quoted prices for similar securities. Short-term fixed income securities that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. Futures contracts are valued daily at the settlement price established by the board of trade or exchange on which they are traded. If independent third party pricing services are unable to supply prices for a portfolio investment, or if the prices supplied are deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined by the manager using quotations from one or more broker/dealers or at the transaction price if the security has recently been purchased and no value has yet been obtained from a pricing service or pricing broker. When reliable prices are not readily available, such as when the value of a security has been significantly affected by events after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded, but before the Fund calculates its net asset value, the Fund values these securities as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors is responsible for the valuation process and has delegated the supervision of the daily valuation process to the Legg Mason North American Fund Valuation Committee (the “Valuation Committee”). The Valuation Committee, pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board of Directors, is responsible for making fair value determinations,

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   21


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

evaluating the effectiveness of the Fund’s pricing policies, and reporting to the Board of Directors. When determining the reliability of third party pricing information for investments owned by the Fund, the Valuation Committee, among other things, conducts due diligence reviews of pricing vendors, monitors the daily change in prices and reviews transactions among market participants.

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

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

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

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

 

Ÿ  

Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

Ÿ  

Level 2 — other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

 

Ÿ  

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

 

22    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


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

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

 

ASSETS  
Description   Quoted Prices
(Level 1)
    Other Significant
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
    Total  
Municipal bonds†          $ 227,646,746             $ 227,646,746   
Short-term investments†            120,000               120,000   
Total investments          $ 227,766,746             $ 227,766,746   
Other financial instruments:                                

Futures contracts

  $ 20,200                    $ 20,200   
Total   $ 20,200      $ 227,766,746             $ 227,786,946   

 

See Schedule of Investments for additional detailed categorizations.

(b) Futures contracts. The Fund uses futures contracts generally to gain exposure to, or hedge against, changes in interest rates or gain exposure to, or hedge against, changes in certain asset classes. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.

Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit cash or cash equivalents with a broker in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the contract amount. This is known as the “initial margin” and subsequent payments (“variation margin”) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuation in the value of the contract. The daily changes in contract value are recorded as unrealized gains or losses in the Statement of Operations and the Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss when the contract is closed.

Futures contracts involve, to varying degrees, risk of loss in excess of the amounts reflected in the financial statements. In addition, there is the risk that the Fund may not be able to enter into a closing transaction because of an illiquid secondary market.

(c) Securities traded on a when-issued basis. The Fund may trade securities on a when-issued basis. In a when-issued transaction, the securities are purchased or sold by the Fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction.

Purchasing such securities involves risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to settlement. These securities are subject to market fluctuations and their current value is determined in the same manner as for other securities.

(d) Security transactions and investment income. Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Interest income, adjusted for amortization of premium

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   23


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

and accretion of discount, is recorded on the accrual basis. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method. To the extent any issuer defaults or a credit event occurs that impacts the issuer, the Fund may halt any additional interest income accruals and consider the realizability of interest accrued up to the date of default or credit event.

(e) Distributions to shareholders. Distributions from net investment income of the Fund, if any, are declared quarterly and paid on a monthly basis. The Fund intends to satisfy conditions that will enable interest from municipal securities, which is exempt from federal and certain state income taxes, to retain such tax-exempt status when distributed to the shareholders of the Fund. Distributions of net realized gains, if any, are taxable and are declared at least annually. Distributions to shareholders of the Fund are recorded on the ex-dividend date and are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. Distributions to preferred shareholders are accrued and paid on a weekly basis and are determined as described in Note 5.

(f) Compensating balance arrangements. The Fund has an arrangement with its custodian bank whereby a portion of the custodian’s fees is paid indirectly by credits earned on the Fund’s cash on deposit with the bank.

(g) Federal and other taxes. It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the federal income and excise tax requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies. Accordingly, the Fund intends to distribute its taxable income and net realized gains, if any, to shareholders in accordance with timing requirements imposed by the Code. Therefore, no federal or state income tax provision is required in the Fund’s financial statements.

Management has analyzed the Fund’s tax positions taken on income tax returns for all open tax years and has concluded that as of November 30, 2013, no provision for income tax is required in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s 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.

(h) Reclassification. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be reclassified to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset values per share. During the current year, the following reclassifications have been made:

 

        Undistributed Net
Investment Income
       Accumulated Net
Realized Loss
 
(a)      $ (18,825)         $ 18,825   

 

(a) 

Reclassifications are primarily due to differences between book and tax accretion of market discount on fixed income securities.

 

24    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


2. Investment management agreement and other transactions with affiliates

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) is the Fund’s investment manager and Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”) is the Fund’s subadviser. LMPFA and Western Asset are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”).

LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Fund. The Fund pays LMPFA an investment management fee, calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.55% of the Fund’s average weekly net assets. For purposes of calculating this fee, the liquidation value of any outstanding preferred stock of the Fund is not deducted in determining the Fund’s net assets.

LMPFA delegates to Western Asset the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund. For its services, LMPFA pays Western Asset 70% of the net management fee it receives from the Fund.

All officers and one Director of the Fund are employees of Legg Mason or its affiliates and do not receive compensation from the Fund.

3. Investments

During the year ended November 30, 2013, the aggregate cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments (excluding short-term investments) were as follows:

 

Purchases      $ 44,112,300   
Sales        40,792,038   

At November 30, 2013, the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments for federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

Gross unrealized appreciation      $ 9,176,687   
Gross unrealized depreciation        (2,717,680)   
Net unrealized appreciation      $ 6,459,007   

At November 30, 2013, the Fund had the following open futures contracts:

 

     Number of
Contracts
    Expiration
Date
    Basis
Value
    Market
Value
    Unrealized
Gain
 
Contracts to Sell:                                        
U.S. Treasury Ultra Long-Term Bonds     54        3/14      $ 7,080,700      $ 7,060,500      $ 20,200   

4. Derivative instruments and hedging activities

GAAP requires enhanced disclosure about an entity’s derivative and hedging activities.

Below is a table, grouped by derivative type, that provides information about the fair value and the location of derivatives within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at November 30, 2013.

 

ASSET DERIVATIVES1  
      Interest
Rate Risk
 
Futures contracts2    $ 20,200   

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   25


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

 

1 

Generally, the balance sheet location for asset derivatives is receivables/net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and for liability derivatives is payables/net unrealized appreciation (depreciation).

 

2 

Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) of futures contracts as reported in the footnotes. Only variation margin is reported within the receivables and/or payables on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

The following tables provide information about the effect of derivatives and hedging activities on the Fund’s Statement of Operations for the year ended November 30, 2013. The first table provides additional detail about the amounts and sources of gains (losses) realized on derivatives during the period. The second table provides additional information about the change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) resulting from the Fund’s derivatives and hedging activities during the period.

 

AMOUNT OF REALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON DERIVATIVES RECOGNIZED  
      Interest
Rate Risk
 
Futures contracts    $ 377,133   
CHANGE IN UNREALIZED APPRECIATION (DEPRECIATION) ON DERIVATIVES RECOGNIZED  
      Interest
Rate Risk
 
Futures contracts    $ 135,579   

During the year ended November 30, 2013, the volume of derivative activity for the Fund was as follows:

 

        Average Market
Value
 
Futures contracts (to sell)      $ 6,095,863   

5. Auction rate preferred stock

On April 2, 1993, the Fund closed its public offering of 800 shares of $0.001 par value Auction Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series M (“Preferred Stock”), at an offering price of $50,000 per share. On July 20, 2007, the Fund acquired the Preferred Stock of Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund II Inc. On October 1, 1993, Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund II Inc. closed its public offering of 900 shares of $0.001 par value Preferred Stock at an offering price of $50,000 per share. Thus, the Fund now has 1,700 shares of Preferred Stock outstanding. The Preferred Stock has a liquidation preference of $50,000 per share plus an amount equal to accumulated but unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared) and subject to certain restrictions, are redeemable in whole or in part.

Dividend rates generally reset every 7 days and are determined by auction procedures. The dividend rate cannot exceed a certain maximum rate, including in the event of a failed auction. The maximum rate is calculated using the higher of 110% of the taxable equivalent of the short-term municipal bond rate and 110% of the prevailing 30 day AA commercial paper rate. The Fund may pay higher maximum rates if the rating of the Fund’s Preferred Stock were to be lowered by the rating agencies. To the extent capital gains and other taxable income are allocated to holders of Preferred Shares for tax purposes, the Fund will likely have to pay higher dividends to holders of Preferred Shares to compensate them for the

 

26    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


increased tax liability to them resulting from such allocation. Due to failed auctions experienced by the Fund’s Preferred Stock starting on February 15, 2008, the Fund pays the applicable maximum rate. The dividend rates ranged from 0.083% to 0.377% during the year ended November 30, 2013. The weighted average dividend rate for the year ended November 30, 2013 was 0.179%. At November 30, 2013 the dividend rates was 0.122%.

After each auction, the auction agent will pay to each broker/dealer, from monies the Fund provides, a participation fee. For the period of the report and for all previous periods since the ARCPS have been outstanding, the participation fee has been paid at the annual rate of 0.25% of the purchase price of the ARCPS that the broker/dealer places at the auction. However, on August 3, 2009 and December 28, 2009, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGM”) and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc., respectively, reduced their participation fee to an annual rate of 0.05% of the purchase price of the ARCPS, in the case of a failed auction. Effective June 1, 2010, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC reduced its participation fee to an annual rate of 0.10% of the purchase price of the ARCPS, in the case of a failed auction. For the year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund paid $164,111 to participating broker/dealers.

The Fund is subject to certain restrictions relating to the Preferred Stock. The Fund may not declare dividends or make other distributions on shares of common stock or purchase any such shares if, at the time of the declaration, distribution or purchase, asset coverage with respect to the outstanding Preferred Stock would be less than 200%. The Preferred Stock is also subject to mandatory redemption at $50,000 per share plus any accumulated or unpaid dividends, whether or not declared, if certain requirements relating to the composition of the assets and liabilities of the Fund as set forth in its Articles Supplementary are not satisfied.

The Preferred Stock Shareholders are entitled to one vote per share and generally vote with the common stock shareholders but vote separately as a class to elect two directors and on certain matters affecting the rights of the Preferred Stock. The issuance of Preferred Stock poses certain risks to holders of common stock, including, among others, the possibility of greater market price volatility, and in certain market conditions, the yield to holders of common stock may be adversely affected. The Fund is required to maintain certain asset coverages with respect to the Preferred Stock. If the Fund fails to maintain these coverages and does not cure any such failure within the required time period, the Fund is required to redeem a requisite number of the Preferred Stock in order to meet the applicable requirement. The Preferred Stock is otherwise not redeemable by holders of the shares. Additionally, failure to meet the foregoing asset requirements would restrict the Fund’s ability to pay dividends to common shareholders.

6. Distributions subsequent to November 30, 2013

On November 14, 2013, the Fund’s Board of Directors declared three common share distributions from net investment income, each in the amount of $0.0700 per share, payable on December 27, 2013, January 31, 2014 and February 28, 2014 to shareholders of record on December 20, 2013, January 24, 2014 and February 21, 2014, respectively.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   27


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

7. Income tax information and distributions to shareholders

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended November 30, was as follows:

 

        2013        2012  
Distributions Paid From:                      
Tax-exempt income to common shareholders      $ 8,163,744         $ 8,160,975   
Tax-exempt income to auction rate cumulative preferred stockholders        132,095           218,110   
Total tax-exempt distributions      $ 8,295,839         $ 8,379,085   
Ordinary income to common shareholders      $ 74,134         $ 2,731   
Ordinary income to taxable auction rate cumulative preferred stockholders        1,612           85   
Net long-term capital gains to common shareholders        715,323           69,312   
Net long-term capital gains taxable to auction rate cumulative preferred stockholders        18,176           2,091   
Total taxable distributions      $ 809,245         $ 74,219   
Total distributions paid      $ 9,105,084         $ 8,453,304   

As of November 30, 2013, the components of accumulated earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Undistributed tax-exempt income — net

     $ 4,802,640   
Deferred capital losses*        (693,654)   
Other book/tax temporary differences(a)        (105,040)   
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)(b)        6,479,207   
Total accumulated earnings (losses) — net      $ 10,483,153   

 

* These capital losses have been deferred in the current year as either short-term or long-term losses. The losses will be deemed to occur on the first day of the next taxable year in the same character as they were originally deferred.

 

(a) 

Other book/tax temporary differences are attributable primarily to the realization for tax purposes of unrealized gains and book/tax differences in the timing of the deductibility of various expenses.

 

(b) 

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is attributable primarily to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales and the difference between book & tax accretion methods for market discount on fixed income securities.

 

28    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report


Report of independent registered public accounting firm

 

The Board of Directors and Shareholders

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.:

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. (the “Fund”), including the schedule of investments, as of November 30, 2013, and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years in the four-year period then ended, for the period from January 1, 2009 to November 30, 2009 and for the year ended December 31, 2008. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2013, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. as of November 30, 2013, and the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years in the four-year period then ended, for the period from January 1, 2009 to November 30, 2009 and for the year ended December 31, 2008, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

LOGO

New York, New York

January 23, 2014

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. 2013 Annual Report   29


Board approval of management agreement and sub-advisory agreement (unaudited)

 

Background

The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), requires that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. (the “Fund”), including a majority of its members that are not considered to be “interested persons” under the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”) voting separately, approve on an annual basis the continuation of the investment management contract (the “Management Agreement”) with the Fund’s manager, Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (the “Manager”), and the sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”) with the Manager’s affiliate, Western Asset Management Company (the “Sub-Adviser”). At a meeting (the “Contract Renewal Meeting”) held in-person on November 13 and 14, 2013, the Board, including the Independent Directors, considered and approved the continuation of each of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. To assist in its consideration of the renewals of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Board received and considered a variety of information (together with the information provided at the Contract Renewal Meeting, the “Contract Renewal Information”) about the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, as well as the management and sub-advisory arrangements for the Fund and the other closed-end funds in the same complex under the Board’s supervision (collectively, the “Legg Mason Closed-end Funds”), certain portions of which are discussed below. A presentation made by the Manager and the Sub-Adviser to the Board at the Contract Renewal Meeting in connection with its evaluations of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement encompassed the Fund and other Legg Mason Closed-end Funds. In addition to the Contract Renewal Information, the Board received performance and other information throughout the year related to the respective services rendered by the Manager and the Sub-Adviser to the Fund. The Board’s evaluation took into account the information received throughout the year and also reflected the knowledge and familiarity gained as members of the Board of the Fund and the other Legg Mason Closed-end Funds with respect to the services provided to the Fund by the Manager and the Sub-Adviser.

The Manager provides the Fund with investment advisory and administrative services pursuant to the Management Agreement and the Sub-Adviser provides the Fund with certain investment sub-advisory services pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement. The discussion below covers both the advisory and administrative functions being rendered by the Manager, each such function being encompassed by the Management Agreement, and the investment sub-advisory functions being rendered by the Sub-Adviser.

Board approval of management agreement and sub-advisory agreement

In its deliberations regarding renewal of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Board, including the Independent Directors, considered the factors below.

 

30    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


 

Nature, extent and quality of the services under the management agreement and sub-advisory agreement

The Board received and considered Contract Renewal Information regarding the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the Fund by the Manager and the Sub-Adviser under the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement, respectively, during the past year. The Board also reviewed Contract Renewal Information regarding the Fund’s compliance policies and procedures established pursuant to the 1940 Act.

The Board considered the qualifications, backgrounds and responsibilities of the Fund’s senior personnel and the portfolio management team primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund. The Board also considered, based on its knowledge of the Manager and its affiliates, the Contract Renewal Information and the Board’s discussions with the Manager and the Sub-Adviser at the Contract Renewal Meeting, the general reputation and investment performance records of the Manager and the Sub-Adviser and their affiliates and the financial resources available to the corporate parent of the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), to support their activities in respect of the Fund and the other Legg Mason Closed-end Funds.

The Board considered the responsibilities of the Manager and the Sub-Adviser under the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement, respectively, including the Manager’s coordination and oversight of the services provided to the Fund by the Sub-Adviser and others. The Management Agreement permits the Manager to delegate certain of its responsibilities, including its investment advisory duties thereunder, provided that the Manager, in each case, will supervise the activities of the delegee. Pursuant to this provision of the Management Agreement, the Manager does not provide day-to-day portfolio management services to the Fund. Rather, portfolio management services for the Fund are provided by the Sub-Adviser pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement.

In reaching its determinations regarding continuation of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Board took into account that Fund shareholders, in pursuing their investment goals and objectives, likely purchased their shares based upon the reputation and the investment style, philosophy and strategy of the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, as well as the resources available to the Manager and the Sub-Adviser.

The Board concluded that, overall, the nature, extent and quality of the management and other services provided to the Fund under the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement have been satisfactory under the circumstances.

Fund performance

The Board received and considered performance information and analyses (the “Lipper Performance Information”) for the Fund, as well as for a group of funds (the “Performance Universe”) selected by Lipper, Inc. (“Lipper”), an independent provider of investment company data. The Board was provided with a description of the methodology Lipper used to determine the similarity of the Fund with the funds included in the Performance Universe.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   31


Board approval of management agreement and sub-advisory agreement (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

The Performance Universe included the Fund and all leveraged general and insured municipal debt closed-end funds, as classified by Lipper, regardless of asset size. The Board noted that it had received and discussed with the Manager and the Sub-Adviser information throughout the year at periodic intervals comparing the Fund’s performance against its benchmark and its peer funds as selected by Lipper.

The Lipper Performance Information comparing the Fund’s performance to that of the Performance Universe based on net asset value per share showed, among other things, that the Fund’s performance for each of the 1- and 5-year periods ended June 30, 2013 was ranked in the second quintile of the Performance Universe for that period and in each case was better than the Performance Universe median. Its performance was ranked in the third quintile of the Performance Universe for the 3-year period ended June 30, 2013 and slightly trailed the median performance for the Performance Universe. Its performance for the 10-year period ended June 30, 2013 was ranked in the fourth quintile of the Performance Universe for that period and was slightly worse than the Performance Universe median. In these rankings, the first quintile represents funds with the best performance among the funds in the Performance Universe and the fifth quintile represents funds with poorest performance among funds in the Performance Universe. The Board also considered the Manager’s explanation of the Fund’s performance relative to the Performance Universe for the 10-year period which included a smaller portfolio allocation to lower-rated securities than other Performance Universe funds. In addition to the Fund’s performance relative to the Performance Universe, the Board considered the Fund’s performance in absolute terms and relative to its benchmark. On a net asset value basis, the Fund trailed its benchmark by 22 basis points for the 1-year period ended June 30, 2013 but outperformed its benchmark during the 3-, 5- and 10-year periods ended such date and did so significantly for the 3- and 5-year periods.

Based on the reviews and discussions of Fund performance with the Manager and the Sub-Adviser and considering other relevant factors, including those noted above, the Board concluded that, under the circumstances, continuation of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year period would be in the interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

Management fees and expense ratios

The Board reviewed and considered the management fee (the “Management Fee”) payable by the Fund to the Manager under the Management Agreement and the sub-advisory fee (the “Sub-Advisory Fee”) payable to the Sub-Adviser under the Sub-Advisory Agreement in light of the nature, extent and overall quality of the management, investment advisory and other services provided by the Manager and the Sub-Adviser. The Board noted that the Sub-Advisory Fee is paid by the Manager, not the Fund, and, accordingly, that the retention of the Sub-Adviser does not increase the fees or expenses otherwise incurred by the Fund’s shareholders.

Additionally, the Board received and considered information and analyses prepared by Lipper (the “Lipper Expense Information”) comparing the Management Fee and the Fund’s

 

32    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


 

overall expenses with those of funds in an expense universe (the “Expense Universe”) selected and provided by Lipper. The comparison was based upon the constituent funds’ latest fiscal years. The Expense Universe consisted of the Fund and eleven other leveraged general and insured municipal debt closed-end funds, as classified by Lipper, with net common share assets ranging from $67.4 million to $489.6 million. Five of the Expense Universe funds were larger than the Fund and six were smaller.

The Lipper Expense Information, comparing the Management Fee as well as the Fund’s actual total expenses to the Fund’s Expense Universe, showed, among other things, that the contractual Management Fee was ranked second among the Funds in the Expense Universe. The Fund’s actual Management Fee (i.e., giving effect to any voluntary fee waivers implemented by the Manager with respect to the Fund and by the managers of the other Expense Universe funds) on a common share assets-only basis was ranked fourth among funds in the Expense Universe and was ranked fifth among the Expense Universe funds on the basis of common share and leveraged assets. The Fund’s actual total expenses, whether on the basis of common share assets or on the basis of common share and leveraged assets, were ranked third among the funds in the Expense Universe. Each of the Fund’s expense components was better (i.e., lower) than or at the Expense Universe median for that expense component. The Board considered that the small number of funds in the Expense Universe made meaningful comparisons difficult.

The Board also reviewed Contract Renewal Information regarding fees charged by the Manager to other U.S. clients investing primarily in an asset class similar to that of the Fund, including, where applicable, institutional and separate accounts. The Board was advised that the fees paid by such institutional, separate account and other clients (collectively, “institutional clients”) generally are lower, and may be significantly lower, than the Management Fee. The Contract Renewal Information discussed the significant differences in scope of services provided to the Fund and to institutional clients. Among other things, institutional clients have fewer compliance, administration and other needs than the Fund and the Fund is subject not only to heightened regulatory requirements relative to institutional clients but also to requirements for listing on the New York Stock Exchange. The Contract Renewal Information noted further that the Fund is provided with administrative services, office facilities, Fund officers (including the Fund’s chief executive, chief financial and chief compliance officers), and that the Manager coordinates and oversees the provision of services to the Fund by other fund service providers. The Contract Renewal Information included information regarding management fees paid by open-end mutual funds in the same complex (the “Legg Mason Open-end Funds”) and such information indicated that the management fees paid by the Legg Mason Closed-end Funds generally were higher than those paid by the Legg Mason Open-end Funds. The Manager, in response to an inquiry by the Board as to the reasons for the fee differential, provided information as to differences between the services provided to the Fund and the other Legg Mason Closed-end Funds and the services provided to the Legg Mason Open-end Funds. The Board considered the fee comparisons in light of the different services provided in managing these other types of clients and funds.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   33


Board approval of management agreement and sub-advisory agreement (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

Taking all of the above into consideration, the Board determined that the Management Fee and the Sub-Advisory Fee were reasonable in light of the nature, extent and overall quality of the management, investment advisory and other services provided to the Fund under the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement.

Manager profitability

The Board, as part of the Contract Renewal Information, received an analysis of the profitability to the Manager and its affiliates in providing services to the Fund for the Manager’s fiscal years ended March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2012. The Board also received profitability information with respect to the Legg Mason fund complex as a whole. In addition, the Board received Contract Renewal Information with respect to the Manager’s revenue and cost allocation methodologies used in preparing such profitability data. The Board received a report from an outside consultant engaged by the Manager that had reviewed the Manager’s revenue and cost allocation methodologies. The profitability to the Sub-Adviser was not considered to be a material factor in the Board’s considerations since the Sub-Advisory Fee is paid by the Manager, not the Fund. The profitability analysis presented to the Board as part of the Contract Renewal Information indicated that profitability to the Manager had increased by 6% during the period covered by the analysis but remained at a level which the Board believed to be reasonable in light of the nature, extent and overall quality of the investment advisory and other services provided to the Fund and the favorable comparisons of the Fund’s expenses relative to the Expense Universe in the Lipper Expense Information.

Economies of scale

The Board received and discussed Contract Renewal Information concerning whether the Manager realizes economies of scale if the Fund’s assets grow. The Board noted that because the Fund is a closed-end fund with no current plans to seek additional assets beyond maintaining its dividend reinvestment plan, any significant growth in its assets generally will occur through appreciation in the value of the Fund’s investment portfolio, rather than sales of additional shares in the Fund. The Board determined that the Management Fee structure, which incorporates no breakpoints reducing the Management Fee at specified increased asset levels, was appropriate under present circumstances.

Other benefits to the manager and the sub-adviser

The Board considered other benefits received by the Manager, the Sub-Adviser and their affiliates as a result of their relationship with the Fund and did not regard such benefits as excessive.

*  *  *  *  *  *

In light of all of the foregoing and other relevant factors, the Board determined that, under the circumstances, continuation of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement would be consistent with the interests of the Fund and its shareholders and unanimously voted to continue each Agreement for a period of one additional year.

 

34    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


 

No single factor reviewed by the Board was identified by the Board as the principal factor in determining whether to approve continuation of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement, and each Board member attributed different weights to the various factors. The Independent Directors were advised by separate independent legal counsel throughout the process. Prior to the Contract Renewal Meeting, the Board received a memorandum prepared by the Manager discussing its responsibilities in connection with the proposed continuation of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement as part of the Contract Renewal Information and the Independent Directors separately received a memorandum discussing such responsibilities from their independent counsel. Prior to voting, the Independent Directors also discussed the proposed continuation of the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement in private sessions with their independent legal counsel at which no representatives of the Manager or Sub-Adviser were present.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   35


Additional information (unaudited)

Information about Directors and Officers

 

The business and affairs of Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. (the “Fund”) are conducted by management under the supervision and subject to the direction of its Board of Directors. The business address of each Director is c/o Kenneth D. Fuller, Legg Mason, 100 International Drive, 11th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Information pertaining to the Directors and officers of the Fund is set forth below.

 

Independent Directors:
Carol L. Colman
Year of birth   1946
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class I
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2002
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   President, Colman Consulting Company (consulting)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
Daniel P. Cronin
Year of birth   1946
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class II
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2002
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Retired; formerly, Associate General Counsel, Pfizer Inc. (prior to and including 2004)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
Paolo M. Cucchi
Year of birth   1941
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class II
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2007
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Professor of French and Italian at Drew University; formerly, Vice President and Dean of College of Liberal Arts at Drew University (1984 to 2009)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None

 

36    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


 

Independent Directors cont’d    
Leslie H. Gelb
Year of birth   1937
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class I
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2001
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   President Emeritus and Senior Board Fellow (since 2003), The Council on Foreign Relations; formerly, President, (prior to 2003), the Council on Foreign Relations; formerly, Columnist, Deputy Editorial Page Editor and Editor,
Op-Ed Page, The New York Times
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   Director of two registered investment companies advised by Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited (since 1994)
William R. Hutchinson
Year of birth   1942
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class III
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2003
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   President, W.R. Hutchinson & Associates Inc. (consulting) (since 2001)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   Director (Non-Executive Chairman of the Board (since December 1, 2009)), Associated Banc Corp. (banking) (since 1994)
Eileen A. Kamerick2
Year of birth   1958
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of Nominating and Audit Committees, Class III
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2013
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   CFO, Press Ganey Associates (health care informatics company) (since 2012); formerly Managing Director and CFO, Houlihan Lokey (international investment bank) (2010 to 2012); Senior Vice President, CFO & CLO, Tecta America Corp. (commercial roofing company) (2008 to 2010); Executive Vice President and CFO, Bearing Point Inc. (management and technology consulting firm) (2008); Executive Vice President, CFO and CAO Heidrick & Struggles (international executive search and leadership consulting firm) (2004 to 2008)
Number of portfolios in fund complex everseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   Director of Associated Banc-Corp (financial services company) (since 2007); Westell Technologies, Inc. (technology company) (since 2003)

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   37


Additional information (unaudited) (cont’d)

Information about Directors and Officers

 

 

Independent Directors cont’d
Riordan Roett
Year of birth   1938
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class I
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 1997
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   The Sarita and Don Johnston Professor of Political Science and Director of Western Hemisphere Studies, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, The John Hopkins University (since 1973)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
Jeswald W. Salacuse
Year of birth   1938
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class III
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2000
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Henry J. Braker Professor of Commercial Law, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University (since 1986); President and Member, Arbitration Tribunal, World Bank/ICSID (since 2004)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   Director of two registered investment companies advised by Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited (since 1993)
 

 

38    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


 

Interested Director and Officer:
Kenneth D. Fuller3
Year of birth   1958
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Class II
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2013
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”) (since 2013); Officer and/or Trustee/Director of 168 funds associated with Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) or its affiliates (since 2013); President and Chief Executive Officer of LM Asset Services, LLC (“LMAS”) and Legg Mason Fund Asset Management, Inc. (“LMFAM”) (formerly registered investment advisers) (since 2013); formerly, Senior Vice President of LMPFA (2012 to 2013); formerly, Director of Legg Mason & Co. (2012 to 2013); formerly, Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (2009 to 2012); formerly, Vice President — Equity Division of T. Rowe Price Associates (1993 to 2009), as well as Investment Analyst and Portfolio Manager for certain asset allocation accounts (2004 to 2009).
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   156
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
 
Additional Officers:

Ted P. Becker

Legg Mason

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

Year of birth   1951
Position(s) held with Fund1   Chief Compliance Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2006
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA (since 2006); Managing Director of Compliance of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006)

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   39


Additional information (unaudited) (cont’d)

Information about Directors and Officers

 

Additional Officers cont’d

Vanessa A. Williams

Legg Mason

100 First Stamford Place, 6th Floor, Stamford, CT 06902

Year of birth   1979
Position(s) with Fund1   Identity Theft Prevention Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2011
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2012); Identity Theft Prevention Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2011); formerly, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (2011 to 2013); formerly, Senior Compliance Officer of Legg Mason & Co. (2008 to 2011); formerly, Compliance Analyst of Legg Mason & Co. (2006 to 2008) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006)

Robert I. Frenkel

Legg Mason

100 First Stamford Place, 6th Floor, Stamford, CT 06902

Year of birth   1954
Position(s) held with Fund1   Secretary and Chief Legal Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2003
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason (since 2006); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (since 1994); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006)

Thomas C. Mandia

Legg Mason

100 First Stamford Place, 6th Floor, Stamford, CT 06902

Year of birth   1962
Position(s) held with Fund1   Assistant Secretary
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2006
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2005); Secretary of LMPFA (since 2006); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006); Secretary of LMAS (since 2002) and LMFAM (since 2013)

 

40    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


 

 

Additional Officers cont’d

Richard F. Sennett

Legg Mason

100 International Drive, 7th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202

Year of birth   1970
Position(s) held with Fund1   Principal Financial Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2011
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2011 and since 2013); Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co. and Senior Manager of the Treasury Policy group for Legg Mason & Co.’s Global Fiduciary Platform (since 2011); formerly, Chief Accountant within the SEC’s Division of Investment Management (2007 to 2011); formerly, Assistant Chief Accountant within the SEC’s Division of Investment Management (2002 to 2007)

Steven Frank

Legg Mason

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

Year of birth   1967
Position(s) held with Fund1   Treasurer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (since 2002); Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2010); formerly, Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (prior to 2010)

Jeanne M. Kelly

Legg Mason

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

Year of birth   1951
Position(s) held with Fund1   Senior Vice President
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2007
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Senior Vice President of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); Senior Vice President of LMPFA (since 2006) and LMFAM (since 2013); Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2005)

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   41


Additional information (unaudited) (cont’d)

Information about Directors and Officers

 

 

 

Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Fund within the meaning of Section (a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

1 

The Fund’s Board of Directors is divided into three classes: Class I, Class II and Class III. The terms of office of the Class I, II and III Directors expire at the Annual Meetings of Stockholders in the year 2015, year 2014 and year 2016, respectively, or thereafter in each case when their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. The Fund’s executive officers are chosen each year at the first meeting of the Fund’s Board of Directors following the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to hold office until the meeting of the Board following the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

 

2 

Effective February 1, 2013, Ms. Kamerick became a Director.

 

3 

Effective June 1, 2013, Mr. Fuller was appointed to the position of Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this date, R. Jay Gerken served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Gerken retired effective May 31, 2013, Mr. Fuller is an “interested person” of the Fund as defined in the 1940 Act because Mr. Fuller is an officer of LMPFA and certain of its affiliates.

 

42    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


Annual chief executive officer and

principal financial officer certifications (unaudited)

 

The Fund’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) has submitted to the NYSE the required annual certification and the Fund also has included the certifications of the Fund’s CEO and Principal Financial Officer required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the Fund’s Form N-CSR filed with the SEC for the period of this report.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   43


Other shareholder communications regarding accounting

matters (unaudited)

 

The Fund’s Audit Committee has established guidelines and procedures regarding the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters (collectively, “Accounting Matters”). Persons with complaints or concerns regarding Accounting Matters may submit their complaints to the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). Persons who are uncomfortable submitting complaints to the CCO, including complaints involving the CCO, may submit complaints directly to the Fund’s Audit Committee Chair. Complaints may be submitted on an anonymous basis.

The CCO may be contacted at:

Legg Mason & Co., LLC

Compliance Department

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor

New York, New York 10018

Complaints may also be submitted by telephone at 1-800-742-5274. Complaints submitted through this number will be received by the CCO.

 

44    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


Dividend reinvestment plan (unaudited)

 

Pursuant to certain rules of the SEC, the following additional disclosure is provided.

Pursuant to the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“Plan”), holders of Common Stock whose shares of Common Stock are registered in their own names will be deemed to have elected to have all distributions automatically reinvested by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Plan Agent”) in Fund shares pursuant to the Plan, unless they elect to receive distributions in cash. Holders of Common Stock who elect to receive distributions in cash will receive all distributions in cash by check in dollars mailed directly to the holder by the Plan Agent as dividend-paying agent. Holders of Common Stock who do not wish to have distributions automatically reinvested should notify the Plan Agent at the address below. Distributions with respect to Common Stock registered in the name of a bank, broker-dealer or other nominee (i.e., in “street name”) will be reinvested under the Plan unless the service is not provided by the bank, broker-dealer or other nominee or the holder elects to receive distributions in cash. Investors who own shares registered in the name of a bank, broker-dealer or other nominee should consult with such nominee as to participation in the Plan through such nominee, and may be required to have their shares registered in their own names in order to participate in the Plan.

The Plan Agent serves as agent for the holders of Common Stock in administering the Plan. After the Fund declares a distribution on the Common Stock or determines to make a capital gain distribution, the Plan Agent will, as agent for the participants, receive the cash payment and use it to buy the Fund’s Common Stock in the open market, on the NYSE or elsewhere, for the participants’ accounts. The Fund will not issue any new shares of Common Stock in connection with the Plan.

Participants have the option of making additional cash payments to the Plan Agent, monthly, in a minimum amount of $250, for investment in the Fund’s Common Stock. The Plan Agent will use all such funds received from participants to purchase shares of Common Stock in the open market on or about the first business day of each month. To avoid unnecessary cash accumulations, and also to allow ample time for receipt and processing by the Plan Agent, it is suggested that participants send in voluntary cash payments to be received by the Plan Agent approximately ten days before an applicable purchase date specified above. A participant may withdraw a voluntary cash payment by written notice, if the notice is received by the Plan Agent not less than 48 hours before such payment is to be invested.

The Plan Agent maintains all shareholder accounts in the Plan and furnishes written confirmations of all transactions in an account, including information needed by shareholders for personal and tax records. Shares of Common Stock in the account of each Plan participant will be held by the Plan Agent in the name of the participant, and each shareholder’s proxy will include those shares purchased pursuant to the Plan.

In the case of holders of Common Stock, such as banks, broker-dealers or other nominees, who hold shares for others who are beneficial owners, the Plan Agent will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of shares of Common Stock certified from time to time by

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   45


Dividend reinvestment plan (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

the holders as representing the total amount registered in such holders’ names and held for the account of beneficial owners that have not elected to receive distributions in cash.

There is no charge to participants for reinvesting of distributions or voluntary cash payments. The Plan Agent’s fees for the reinvestment of distributions and voluntary cash payments will be paid by the Fund. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to the Plan Agent’s open market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of distributions and voluntary cash payments made by the participant. The receipt of distributions under the Plan will not relieve participants of any income tax which may be payable on such distributions.

Participants may terminate their accounts under the Plan by notifying the Plan Agent in writing. Such termination will be effective immediately if notice in writing is received by the Plan Agent not less than ten days prior to any distribution record date. Upon termination, the Plan Agent will send the participant a certificate for the full shares held in the account and a cash adjustment for any fractional shares or, upon written instruction from the participant, the Plan Agent will sell part or all of the participant’s shares and remit the proceeds to the participant, less a $2.50 fee plus brokerage commission for the transaction.

Experience under the Plan may indicate that changes in the Plan are desirable. Accordingly, the Fund and the Plan Agent reserve the right to terminate the Plan as applied to any voluntary cash payments made and any distributions paid subsequent to notice of the termination sent to all participants in the Plan at least 30 days before the record date for the distribution. The Plan also may be amended by the Fund or the Plan Agent upon at least 30 days’ written notice to participants in the Plan.

All correspondence concerning the Plan should be directed to the Plan Agent at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219 or by telephone at 1-888-888-0151.

 

46    Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


Important tax information (unaudited)

 

Common Shareholders:

All of the net investment income distributions paid monthly by the Fund to common shareholders from January 2013 through October 2013 qualify as tax-exempt interest dividends for Federal income tax purposes. Additionally, 46.30% of the net investment income distribution paid to common shareholders of record on December 12, 2012 and 99.96% of the net investment income distribution paid to common shareholders of record on November 22, 2013 qualifies as a tax-exempt interest dividends for Federal income tax purposes.

Finally, the Fund paid a long-term capital gain distributions of $0.0736 per share to common shareholders of record on December 12, 2012.

Cumulative Auction Rate Preferred Stockholders:

All of the net investment income distributions paid weekly by the Fund to cumulative auction rate preferred stockholders from January 9, 2013 through November 30, 2013 qualify as tax-exempt interest dividends for Federal income tax purposes. Additionally, 20.57% of the net investment income distribution paid to cumulative auction rate preferred stockholders of record on January 7, 2013 qualifies as a tax-exempt interest dividends for Federal income tax purposes.

Finally, the Fund paid the following ordinary income and long-term capital gain distributions per share to cumulative auction rate preferred stockholders:

 

Record date      12/17/2012         12/24/2012         12/31/2012         1/7/2013   
Ordinary income    $ 0.29       $ 0.34       $ 0.29       $ 0.03   
Long-term capital gain      2.86         3.30         2.86         1.68   

The following information is applicable to non-U.S. resident shareholders:

The ordinary income distributions of $0.0076 per share paid to common shareholders of record on December 12, 2012 and $0.00003 per share paid to common shareholders of record on November 22, 2013 represent Qualified Net Interest Income eligible for exemption from U.S. withholding tax for non-resident aliens and foreign corporations.

Finally, the following distributions per share paid to cumulative auction rate preferred stockholders of record represent Qualified Net Interest Income eligible for exemption from U.S. withholding tax for non-resident aliens and foreign corporations:

 

Record date        12/17/2012           12/24/2012           12/31/2012           1/7/2013   
Ordinary income      $ 0.29         $ 0.34         $ 0.29         $ 0.03   

Please retain this information for your records.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.   47


Western Asset

Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

 

Directors

Carol L. Colman

Daniel P. Cronin

Paolo M. Cucchi

Kenneth D. Fuller*

Chairman

Leslie H. Gelb

William R. Hutchinson

Eileen A. Kamerick**

Riordan Roett

Jeswald W. Salacuse

Officers

Kenneth D. Fuller*

President and

Chief Executive Officer

Richard F. Sennett

Principal Financial Officer

Ted P. Becker

Chief Compliance Officer

Vanessa A. Williams

Identity Theft Prevention Officer

Robert I. Frenkel

Secretary and

Chief Legal Officer

Thomas C. Mandia

Assistant Secretary

Steven Frank

Treasurer

Jeanne M. Kelly

Senior Vice President

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

620 Eighth Avenue 49th Floor New York, NY 10018

Investment manager

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC

Subadviser

Western Asset Management Company

Custodian

State Street Bank and Trust Company

1 Lincoln Street Boston, MA 02111

Transfer agent

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219

Auction agent

Deutsche Bank

60 Wall Street New York, NY 10005

Independent registered public accounting firm

KPMG LLP 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154

Legal counsel

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP 425 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10017

New York Stock Exchange Symbol

MNP

 

* Effective June 1, 2013, Mr. Fuller became Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.

 

** Effective February 1, 2013, Ms. Kamerick became a Director.


Legg Mason Funds Privacy and Security Notice

 

Your Privacy and the Security of Your Personal Information is Very Important to the Legg Mason Funds

This Privacy and Security Notice (the “Privacy Notice”) addresses the Legg Mason Funds’ privacy and data protection practices with respect to nonpublic personal information the Funds receive. The Legg Mason Funds include any funds sold by the Funds’ distributor, Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC, as well as Legg Mason-sponsored closed-end funds and certain closed-end funds managed or sub-advised by Legg Mason or its affiliates. The provisions of this Privacy Notice apply to your information both while you are a shareholder and after you are no longer invested with the Funds.

The Type of Nonpublic Personal Information the Funds Collect About You

The Funds collect and maintain nonpublic personal information about you in connection with your shareholder account. Such information may include, but is not limited to:

 

Ÿ  

Personal information included on applications or other forms;

 

Ÿ  

Account balances, transactions, and mutual fund holdings and positions;

 

Ÿ  

Online account access user IDs, passwords, security challenge question responses; and

 

Ÿ  

Information received from consumer reporting agencies regarding credit history and creditworthiness (such as the amount of an individual’s total debt, payment history, etc.).

How the Funds Use Nonpublic Personal Information About You

The Funds do not sell or share your nonpublic personal information with third parties or with affiliates for their marketing purposes, or with other financial institutions or affiliates for joint marketing purposes, unless you have authorized the Funds to do so. The Funds do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about you except as may be required to perform transactions or services you have authorized or as permitted or required by law. The Funds may disclose information about you to:

 

Ÿ  

Employees, agents, and affiliates on a “need to know” basis to enable the Funds to conduct ordinary business or comply with obligations to government regulators;

 

Ÿ  

Service providers, including the Funds’ affiliates, who assist the Funds as part of the ordinary course of business (such as printing, mailing services, or processing or servicing your account with us) or otherwise perform services on the Funds’ behalf, including companies that may perform marketing services solely for the Funds;

 

Ÿ  

The Funds’ representatives such as legal counsel, accountants and auditors; and

 

Ÿ  

Fiduciaries or representatives acting on your behalf, such as an IRA custodian or trustee of a grantor trust.

 

NOT PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT


Legg Mason Funds Privacy and Security Notice (cont’d)

 

Except as otherwise permitted by applicable law, companies acting on the Funds’ behalf are contractually obligated to keep nonpublic personal information the Funds provide to them confidential and to use the information the Funds share only to provide the services the Funds ask them to perform.

The Funds may disclose nonpublic personal information about you when necessary to enforce their rights or protect against fraud, or as permitted or required by applicable law, such as in connection with a law enforcement or regulatory request, subpoena, or similar legal process. In the event of a corporate action or in the event a Fund service provider changes, the Funds may be required to disclose your nonpublic personal information to third parties. While it is the Funds’ practice to obtain protections for disclosed information in these types of transactions, the Funds cannot guarantee their privacy policy will remain unchanged.

Keeping You Informed of the Funds’ Privacy and Security Practices

The Funds will notify you annually of their privacy policy as required by federal law. While the Funds reserve the right to modify this policy at any time they will notify you promptly if this privacy policy changes.

The Funds’ Security Practices

The Funds maintain appropriate physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to guard your nonpublic personal information. The Funds’ internal data security policies restrict access to your nonpublic personal information to authorized employees, who may use your nonpublic personal information for Fund business purposes only.

Although the Funds strive to protect your nonpublic personal information, they cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you provide or transmit to them, and you do so at your own risk. In the event of a breach of the confidentiality or security of your nonpublic personal information, the Funds will attempt to notify you as necessary so you can take appropriate protective steps. If you have consented to the Funds using electronic communications or electronic delivery of statements, they may notify you under such circumstances using the most current email address you have on record with them.

In order for the Funds to provide effective service to you, keeping your account information accurate is very important. If you believe that your account information is incomplete, not accurate or not current, or if you have questions about the Funds’ privacy practices, write the Funds using the contact information on your account statements, email the Funds by clicking on the Contact Us section of the Funds’ website at www.leggmason.com, or contact the Fund at 1-888-777-0102.

Revised April 2011

 

NOT PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT


Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

620 Eighth Avenue

49th Floor

New York, NY 10018

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that from time to time the Fund may purchase at market prices shares of its common stock in the open market.

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Forms N-Q are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Funds Forms N-Q may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. To obtain information on Form N-Q from the Fund, shareholders can call 1-888-777-0102.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the prior 12-month period ended June 30th of each year and a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies related to portfolio transactions are available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-777-0102, (2) on the Fund’s website at www.lmcef.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

This report is transmitted to the shareholders of Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. for their information. This is not a prospectus, circular or representation intended for use in the purchase of shares of the Fund or any securities mentioned in this report.

American Stock

Transfer & Trust Company

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11219

 

WASX010711 1/14 SR13-2103


ITEM 2. CODE OF ETHICS.

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller.

 

ITEM 3. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

The Board of Directors of the registrant has determined that William R. Hutchinson, a member of the Board’s Audit Committee, possesses the technical attributes identified in Instruction 2(b) of Item 3 to Form N-CSR to qualify as an “audit committee financial expert,” and has designated Mr. Hutchinson as the Audit Committee’s financial expert. Mr. Hutchinson is an “independent” Director pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Item 3 to Form N-CSR.

 

ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

a) Audit Fees. The aggregate fees billed in the last two fiscal years ending November 30, 2012 and November 30, 2013 (the “Reporting Periods”) for professional services rendered by the Registrant’s principal accountant (the “Auditor”) for the audit of the Registrant’s annual financial statements, or services that are normally provided by the Auditor in connection with the statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for the Reporting Periods, were $94,050 in 2012 and $50,950 in 2013.

b) Audit-Related Fees. The aggregate fees billed in the Reporting Period for assurance and related services by the Auditor that are reasonably related to the performance of the Registrant’s financial statements were $14,200 in 2012 and $58,800 in 2013. These services consisted of procedures performed in connection with the Re-domiciliation of the various reviews of Prospectus supplements, and consent issuances related to the N-1A filings Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.

In addition, there were no Audit-Related Fees billed in the Reporting Period for assurance and related services by the Auditor to the Registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. “service affiliates”), that were reasonably related to the performance of the annual audit of the service affiliates. Accordingly, there were no such fees that required pre-approval by the Audit Committee for the Reporting Periods (prior to August 6, 2003 services provided by the Auditor were not required to be pre-approved).

(c) Tax Fees. The aggregate fees billed in the Reporting Periods for professional services rendered by the Auditor for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning (“Tax Services”) were $14,200 in 2012 and $7,100 in 2013. These services consisted of (i) review or preparation of U.S. federal, state, local and excise tax returns; (ii) U.S. federal, state and local tax planning, advice and assistance regarding statutory, regulatory or administrative developments, and (iii) tax advice regarding tax qualification matters and/or treatment of various financial instruments held or proposed to be acquired or held.

There were no fees billed for tax services by the Auditors to service affiliates during the Reporting Periods that required pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

d) All Other Fees. There were no other fees billed in the Reporting Periods for products and services provided by the Auditor, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Item 4 for the Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.


All Other Fees. There were no other non-audit services rendered by the Auditor to Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisors, LLC (“LMPFA”), and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with LMPFA that provided ongoing services to Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. requiring pre-approval by the Audit Committee in the Reporting Period.

(e) Audit Committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures described in paragraph (c) (7) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

(1) The Charter for the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of each registered investment company (the “Fund”) advised by LMPFA or one of their affiliates (each, an “Adviser”) requires that the Committee shall approve (a) all audit and permissible non-audit services to be provided to the Fund and (b) all permissible non-audit services to be provided by the Fund’s independent auditors to the Adviser and any Covered Service Providers if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund. The Committee may implement policies and procedures by which such services are approved other than by the full Committee.

The Committee shall not approve non-audit services that the Committee believes may impair the independence of the auditors. As of the date of the approval of this Audit Committee Charter, permissible non-audit services include any professional services (including tax services), that are not prohibited services as described below, provided to the Fund by the independent auditors, other than those provided to the Fund in connection with an audit or a review of the financial statements of the Fund. Permissible non-audit services may not include: (i) bookkeeping or other services related to the accounting records or financial statements of the Fund; (ii) financial information systems design and implementation; (iii) appraisal or valuation services, fairness opinions or contribution-in-kind reports; (iv) actuarial services; (v) internal audit outsourcing services; (vi) management functions or human resources; (vii) broker or dealer, investment adviser or investment banking services; (viii) legal services and expert services unrelated to the audit; and (ix) any other service the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board determines, by regulation, is impermissible.

Pre-approval by the Committee of any permissible non-audit services is not required so long as: (i) the aggregate amount of all such permissible non-audit services provided to the Fund, the Adviser and any service providers controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provide ongoing services to the Fund (“Covered Service Providers”) constitutes not more than 5% of the total amount of revenues paid to the independent auditors during the fiscal year in which the permissible non-audit services are provided to (a) the Fund, (b) the Adviser and (c) any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund during the fiscal year in which the services are provided that would have to be approved by the Committee; (ii) the permissible non-audit services were not recognized by the Fund at the time of the engagement to be non-audit services; and (iii) such services are promptly brought to the attention of the Committee and approved by the Committee (or its delegate(s)) prior to the completion of the audit.

(2) For the Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc., the percentage of fees that were approved by the audit committee, with respect to: Audit-Related Fees were 100% and 100% for 2012 and 2013; Tax Fees were 100% and 100% for 2012 and 2013; and Other Fees were 100% and 100% for 2012 and 2013.

(f) N/A

(g) Non-audit fees billed by the Auditor for services rendered to Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc., LMPFA and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with LMPFA that provides ongoing services to Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. during the reporting period were $0 in 2013.


(h) Yes. Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.’s Audit Committee has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to Service Affiliates, which were not pre-approved (not requiring pre-approval), is compatible with maintaining the Accountant’s independence. All services provided by the Auditor to the Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. or to Service Affiliates, which were required to be pre-approved, were pre-approved as required.

 

ITEM 5. AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

a) Registrant has a separately-designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)58(A) of the Exchange Act. The Audit Committee consists of the following Board members:

William R. Hutchinson

Paolo M. Cucchi

Daniel P. Cronin

Carol L. Colman

Leslie H. Gelb

Eileen A. Kamerick (Effective February 14, 2013)

Dr. Riordan Roett

Jeswald W. Salacuse

b) Not applicable

 

ITEM 6. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

Included herein under Item 1.

 

ITEM 7. DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted and are provided below. Information regarding how each fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 888-777-0102, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.lmcef.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Background

Western Asset Management Company (“WA” or “Western Asset”) have adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest


of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). Our authority to vote the proxies of our clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents, and our proxy voting guidelines have been tailored to reflect these specific contractual obligations. In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the Investment Manager.

In exercising its voting authority, Western Asset will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of its affiliates (except that WA may so consult and agree with each other) regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.

Policy

Western Asset’s proxy voting procedures are designed and implemented in a way that is reasonably expected to ensure that proxy matters are handled in the best interest of our clients. While the guidelines included in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration Western Asset’s contractual obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent Western Asset deems appropriate).

Procedures

Responsibility and Oversight

The Western Asset Legal and Compliance Department (“Legal and Compliance Department”) is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the Corporate Actions area of Investment Support (“Corporate Actions”). Research analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.

Client Authority

The Investment Management Agreement for each client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If an agreement is silent on proxy voting, but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the account represents assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Legal and Compliance Department maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.

Proxy Gathering

Registered owners of record, client custodians, client banks and trustees (“Proxy Recipients”) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward the materials to Corporate Actions.


Proxy Voting

Once proxy materials are received by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Legal and Compliance Department for coordination and the following actions:

 

  a. Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted.

 

  b. Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority.

 

  c. Legal and Compliance Department staff reviews proxy issues to determine any material conflicts of interest. (See conflicts of interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.)

 

  d. If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the client’s proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent third party.

 

  e. Legal and Compliance Department staff provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio manager to obtain their recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines contained in these procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analyst’s or portfolio manager’s basis for their decision is documented and maintained by the Legal and Compliance Department.

 

  f. Legal and Compliance Department staff votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions received in (d) or (e) and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials.

Timing

Western Asset personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.

Recordkeeping

Western Asset maintains records of proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL Bulletin 94-2. These records include:

 

  a. A copy of Western Asset’s policies and procedures.

 

  b. Copies of proxy statements received regarding client securities.

 

  c. A copy of any document created by Western Asset that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies.

 

  d. Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Asset’s written response to both verbal and written client requests.

 

  e. A proxy log including:

 

  1. Issuer name;

 

  2. Exchange ticker symbol of the issuer’s shares to be voted;


  3. Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) number for the shares to be voted;

 

  4. A brief identification of the matter voted on;

 

  5. Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer;

 

  6. Whether a vote was cast on the matter;

 

  7. A record of how the vote was cast; and

 

  8. Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuer’s management team.

Records are maintained in an easily accessible place for five years, the first two in Western Asset’s offices.

Disclosure

Part II of the WA Form ADV contains a description of Western Asset’s proxy policies. Clients will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures upon request. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their proxies have been voted.

Conflicts of Interest

All proxies are reviewed by the Legal and Compliance Department for material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:

 

  1. Whether Western Asset (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company;

 

  2. Whether Western Asset or an officer or director of Western Asset or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible for recommending the proxy vote (together, “Voting Persons”) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and

 

  3. Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders.

Voting Guidelines

Western Asset’s substantive voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the designated research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid in the decision making process.

Guidelines are grouped according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a company’s board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by shareholders for inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.

I. Board Approved Proposals

The vast majority of matters presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being implemented in public companies, Western Asset generally votes in


support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines related to certain board-approved proposals are as follows:

1. Matters relating to the Board of Directors

Western Asset votes proxies for the election of the company’s nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters relating to the board of directors with the following exceptions:

 

  a. Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent directors or the board does not have nominating, audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors.

 

  b. Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an independent director by the company and who has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director.

 

  c. Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings without valid reasons for absences.

 

  d. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors.

2. Matters relating to Executive Compensation

Western Asset generally favors compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a company’s long-term performance. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as follows:

 

  a. Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for stock option plans that will result in a minimal annual dilution.

 

  b. Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or repricing of underwater options.

 

  c. Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the stock’s current market price.

 

  d. Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for employee stock purchase plans that limit the discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less.

3. Matters relating to Capitalization

The management of a company’s capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes to a company’s capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.


  a. Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock.

 

  b. Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits).

 

  c. Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs.

4. Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions

Western Asset votes these issues on a case-by-case basis on board-approved transactions.

5. Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures

Western Asset votes against board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures except as follows:

 

  a. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans.

 

  b. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions.

6. Other Business Matters

Western Asset votes for board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the company’s name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.

 

  a. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a company’s charter or bylaws.

 

  b. Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting.

II. Shareholder Proposals

SEC regulations permit shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a company’s proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a company’s corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. Western Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company’s board of directors on all shareholder proposals, except as follows:

1. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans.

2. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are consistent with Western Asset’s proxy voting guidelines for board-approved proposals.

3. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.


III. Voting Shares of Investment Companies

Western Asset may utilize shares of open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts I and II above are voted in accordance with those guidelines.

1. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the role the fund plays in the clients’ portfolios.

2. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided.

IV. Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers

In the event Western Asset is required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers – i.e. issuers that are incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.

1. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of management.

2. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit and compensation committees.

3. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those established under U.S. federal law and the listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges, and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated.

4. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders do not have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders have preemptive rights.

Retirement Accounts

For accounts subject to ERISA, as well as other Retirement Accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued a bulletin that states that investment managers have the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another named fiduciary. Furthermore, unless Western Asset is expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the DOL has determined that the responsibility remains with the investment manager.

In order to comply with the DOL’s position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the obligation to vote proxies for its Retirement Accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that: (a) the right to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (b) Western Asset is precluded from voting proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the Retirement Account client and in accordance with any proxy voting guidelines provided by the client.


ITEM 8. INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

(a)(1):

 

NAME AND

ADDRESS

   LENGTH OF
TIME SERVED
  

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING

PAST 5 YEARS

Stephen A. Walsh

Western Asset 385 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101

   Since 2007    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; Deputy Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset since 2000.

David Fare

Western Asset 385 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101

   Since 2007    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; portfolio manager at Western Asset since 2005; prior to that time,
Mr. Fare was with Citigroup Asset Management or one of its affiliates since 1989.

Robert Amodeo

Western Asset

385 East Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91101

   Since 1999    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; portfolio manager at Western Asset since 2005; prior to that time,
Mr. Amodeo was a Managing Director and portfolio manager with Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc from 1992 to 2005.

Dennis J. McNamara

Western Asset

385 East Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91101

   Since 2012    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; portfolio manager at Western Asset since 2001.


(a)(2): DATA TO BE PROVIDED BY FINANCIAL CONTROL

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the above named fund’s investment professional responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team for the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of November 30, 2013.

Other Accounts Managed by Investment Professional

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund) for which the below named fund’s investment professional has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts where fees are based on performance is also indicated.

 

Name of PM

  

Type of Account

   Number of
Accounts
Managed
   Total Assets
Managed
   Number of
Accounts Managed
for which
Advisory Fee is
Performance-Based
   Assets
Managed for
which
Advisory Fee is
Performance-Based
Stephen A. Walsh‡    Other Registered Investment Companies    104    $188.9 billion    None    None
   Other Pooled Vehicles    248    $90.5 billion    9    $1.6 billion
   Other Accounts    710    $170.1 billion    58    $15.5 billion
Robert E. Amodeo‡    Other Registered Investment Companies    21    $16.0 billion    None    None
   Other Pooled Vehicles    None    None    None    None
   Other Accounts    16    $3.2 billion    None    None
David T. Fare‡    Other Registered Investment Companies    16    $13.7 billion    None    None
   Other Pooled Vehicles    None    None    None    None
   Other Accounts    2    $1.3 billion    None    None
Dennis McNamara‡    Other Registered Investment Companies    36    $145.7 billion    None    None
   Other Pooled Vehicles    27    $10.2 billion    1    $270 million
   Other Accounts    134    $47.0 billion    8    $1.5 billion

 

The numbers above reflect the overall number of portfolios managed by employees of Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”). Mr. Walsh is involved in the management of all the Firm’s portfolios, but they are not solely responsible for particular portfolios. Western Asset’s investment discipline emphasizes a team approach that combines the efforts of groups of specialists working in different market sectors. They are responsible for overseeing implementation of Western Asset’s overall investment ideas and coordinating the work of the various sector teams. This structure ensures that client portfolios benefit from a consensus that draws on the expertise of all team members.


(a)(3): Investment Professional Compensation

With respect to the compensation of the investment professionals, Western Asset’s compensation system assigns each employee a total compensation range, which is derived from annual market surveys that benchmark each role with its job function and peer universe. This method is designed to reward employees with total compensation reflective of the external market value of their skills, experience, and ability to produce desired results. Standard compensation includes competitive base salaries, generous employee benefits, and a retirement plan.

In addition, the subadviser’s employees are eligible for bonuses. These are structured to closely align the interests of employees with those of the subadviser, and are determined by the professional’s job function and pre-tax performance as measured by a formal review process. All bonuses are completely discretionary. The principal factor considered is an investment professional’s investment performance versus appropriate peer groups and benchmarks (e.g., a securities index and with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s Prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). Performance is reviewed on a 1, 3 and 5 year basis for compensation—with 3 years having the most emphasis. The subadviser may also measure an investment professional’s pre-tax investment performance against other benchmarks, as it determines appropriate. Because investment professionals are generally responsible for multiple accounts (including the funds) with similar investment strategies, they are generally compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of similar accounts, rather than a specific account. Other factors that may be considered when making bonus decisions include client service, business development, length of service to the subadviser, management or supervisory responsibilities, contributions to developing business strategy and overall contributions to the subadviser’s business.

Finally, in order to attract and retain top talent, all professionals are eligible for additional incentives in recognition of outstanding performance. These are determined based upon the factors described above and include Legg Mason stock options and long-term incentives that vest over a set period of time past the award date.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of Interest

The manager, the subadviser and investment professionals have interests which conflict with the interests of the fund. There is no guarantee that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to identify or mitigate these conflicts of interest.


Some examples of material conflicts of interest include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. An investment professional who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. An investment professional may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those funds and accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. Such an investment professional may make general determinations across multiple funds, rather than tailoring a unique approach for each fund. The effects of this conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular investment professional have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities; Aggregation of Orders. If an investment professional identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit the fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. Additionally, the subadviser may aggregate transaction orders for multiple accounts for purpose of execution. Such aggregation may cause the price or brokerage costs to be less favorable to a particular client than if similar transactions were not being executed concurrently for other accounts. In addition, the subadviser’s trade allocation policies may result in the fund’s orders not being fully executed or being delayed in execution.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, an investment professional may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the investment professional may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts. For example, an investment professional may determine that it would be in the interest of another account to sell a security that the fund holds long, potentially resulting in a decrease in the market value of the security held by the fund.

Cross Trades. Investment professionals may manage funds that engage in cross trades, where one of the manager’s funds or accounts sells a particular security to another fund or account managed by the same manager. Cross trades may pose conflicts of interest because of, for example, the possibility that one account sells a security to another account at a higher price than an independent third party would pay or otherwise enters into a transaction that it would not enter into with an independent party, such as the sale of a difficult-to-obtain security.

Selection of Broker/Dealers. Investment professionals may select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide the subadviser with brokerage and research services, These services may be taken into account in the selection of brokers and dealers whether a broker is being selected to effect a trade on an agency basis for a commission or (as is normally the case for the funds) whether a dealer is being selected to effect a trade on a principal basis. This may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees and/or execution at a less favorable price than might have otherwise been available. The services obtained may ultimately be more beneficial to certain of the manager’s funds or accounts than to others (but not necessarily to the funds that pay the increased commission or incur the less favorable execution). A decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could therefore yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed.

Variation in Financial and Other Benefits. A conflict of interest arises where the financial or other benefits available to an investment professional differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the amount or structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or an investment professional’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the investment professional might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the investment professional’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the investment professional in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the investment professional. An investment


professional may, for example, have an incentive to allocate favorable or limited opportunity investments or structure the timing of investments to favor such funds and/or accounts. Also, an investment professional’s or the manager’s or the subadviser’s desire to increase assets under management could influence the investment professional to keep a fund open for new investors without regard to potential benefits of closing the fund to new investors. Additionally, the investment professional might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an ownership interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have ownership interests. Conversely, if an investment professional does not personally hold an investment in the fund, the investment professional’s conflicts of interest with respect to the fund may be more acute.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, an investment professional may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of funds and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.


Investment Professional Securities Ownership

The table below identifies the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by the named investment professional as of November 30, 2013.

 

Investment Professional

   Dollar Range of
Portfolio
Securities
Beneficially
Owned
Stephen A. Walsh    A
David T. Fare    A
Robert Amodeo    B
Dennis McNamara    A

Dollar Range ownership is as follows:

A: none

B: $1 - $10,000

C: 10,001 - $50,000

D: $50,001 - $100,000

E: $100,001 - $500,000

F: $500,001 - $1 million

G: over $1 million

 

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.

Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 11. 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 second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.


ITEM 12. EXHIBITS.

(a) (1) Code of Ethics attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.CODE ETH

(a) (2) Certifications pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.CERT

(b) Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.906CERT


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, there unto duly authorized.

 

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.
By:  

/s/ Kenneth D. Fuller

  Kenneth D. Fuller
  Chief Executive Officer
  Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.
Date:   January 28, 2014

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:  

/s/ Kenneth D. Fuller

  Kenneth D. Fuller
  Chief Executive Officer
  Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.
Date:   January 28, 2014
By:  

/s/ Richard F. Sennett

  Richard F. Sennett
  Principal Financial Officer
  Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc.
Date:   January 28, 2014