Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strateg
 
 
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form N-Q
QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
811-22380
Investment Company Act File Number
Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Two International Place Boston, MA 02110
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Maureen A. Gemma
Two International Place Boston, MA 02110
(Name and Address of Agent for Services)
(617) 482-8260
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
December 31
Date of Fiscal Year End
September 30, 2011
Date of Reporting Period
 
 

 


 

Item 1. Schedule of Investments

 


 

Eaton Vance
Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund
September 30, 2011
 
PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS (Unaudited)
 
Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities — 77.2%
 
                 
    Principal
       
    Amount
       
Security   (000’s omitted)     Value  
Bond Bank — 2.0%
               
Vermont Municipal Bond Bank, 4.00%, 12/1/17
  $ 2,515     $ 2,886,842  
Vermont Municipal Bond Bank, 5.00%, 12/1/19
    705       865,148  
                 
            $ 3,751,990  
                 
Education — 2.8%
               
Alabama Public School and College Authority, 5.00%, 12/1/17
  $ 2,395     $ 2,872,611  
Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, (Harvard University), 5.00%, 10/15/20
    2,000       2,486,520  
                 
            $ 5,359,131  
                 
Escrowed/Prerefunded — 1.5%
               
Harris County, TX, Flood Control District, Prerefunded to 10/1/14, 5.25%, 10/1/20
  $ 2,545     $ 2,896,643  
                 
            $ 2,896,643  
                 
General Obligations — 36.6%
               
Alexandria, VA, 4.00%, 7/1/16
  $ 2,980     $ 3,399,137  
Beaufort County, SC, School District, 5.00%, 3/1/19
    5,370       6,502,801  
Bedford, MA, 4.00%, 8/15/16
    1,380       1,578,127  
Carrollton, TX, 3.00%, 8/15/15
    100       108,657  
Charleston County, SC, School District, 5.00%, 2/1/19(1)
    7,020       8,484,793  
Dakota County, MN, Community Development Agency, 3.00%, 1/1/13
    150       154,802  
Dakota County, MN, Community Development Agency, 3.00%, 1/1/14
    900       950,859  
Florida Board of Education, 5.00%, 6/1/17
    2,010       2,389,387  
Frederick County, MD, 4.00%, 2/1/15
    555       616,355  
Georgia, 4.00%, 9/1/16
    3,500       3,999,345  
Georgia, 5.00%, 7/1/17
    600       723,768  
Georgia, 5.00%, 7/1/19
    3,070       3,774,074  
Hoover, AL, Board of Education Capital Outlay Warrants, 5.00%, 2/15/14
    2,815       3,089,125  
Hopkinton, MA, 4.00%, 7/15/16
    240       271,570  
Howard County, MD, 4.00%, 2/15/21
    1,000       1,141,410  
Liberty Hill, TX, Independent School District, (PSF Guaranteed), 0.00%, 8/1/21
    515       390,365  
Loudoun County, VA, 5.00%, 12/1/17
    2,015       2,457,736  
Maricopa County, AZ, Community College District, 3.00%, 7/1/18
    1,605       1,731,169  
Massachusetts, 5.50%, 10/1/15
    400       474,088  
Montgomery County, MD, 5.00%, 9/1/15
    3,330       3,740,156  
Montgomery County, MD, 5.00%, 8/1/20
    1,365       1,691,999  
Morris County, NJ, 5.00%, 2/15/14
    1,650       1,825,692  
New York, 5.00%, 4/15/15
    500       575,285  
Richardson, TX, 5.00%, 2/15/18
    2,790       3,358,741  
United Independent School District, TX, 5.00%, 8/15/20
    2,000       2,424,060  
Utah, 5.00%, 7/1/19
    8,300       10,223,774  
Wake, NC, 5.00%, 3/1/21
    1,000       1,242,790  
Wisconsin, 5.00%, 5/1/20
    2,255       2,737,660  
                 
            $ 70,057,725  
                 
Insured-Escrowed/Prerefunded — 5.3%
               
Anchorage, AK, (FGIC), Prerefunded to 9/1/13, 5.00%, 9/1/20
  $ 1,750     $ 1,904,403  
Benton County, WA, School District No. 400, (AGM), Prerefunded to 6/1/13, 5.00%, 12/1/20
    6,055       6,521,356  
Houston, TX, Water & Sewer System Revenue, (AGM), Escrowed to Maturity, 0.00%, 12/1/20
    2,050       1,657,097  
                 
            $ 10,082,856  
                 
 
1


 

                 
    Principal
       
    Amount
       
Security   (000’s omitted)     Value  
Insured-General Obligations — 0.4%
               
Houston, TX, (NPFG), 5.25%, 3/1/14
  $ 785     $ 874,254  
                 
            $ 874,254  
                 
Insured-Transportation — 0.6%
               
New York State Thruway Authority, (AGM), 5.00%, 3/15/14
  $ 1,000     $ 1,108,740  
                 
            $ 1,108,740  
                 
Special Tax Revenue — 5.9%
               
New York State Urban Development Corp., 5.00%, 1/1/15
  $ 2,125     $ 2,398,891  
New York State Urban Development Corp., 5.00%, 12/15/17
    7,415       8,919,578  
                 
            $ 11,318,469  
                 
Transportation — 17.3%
               
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, (Sales Tax), Prerefunded to 7/1/18, 5.00%, 7/1/31
  $ 5,000     $ 6,172,150  
New York City Transitional Finance Authority, (Future Tax), Prerefunded to 8/1/13, 5.00%, 8/1/21
    3,000       3,255,780  
New York State Thruway Authority, 5.00%, 4/1/18(2)
    20,000       23,655,000  
                 
            $ 33,082,930  
                 
Water and Sewer — 4.8%
               
Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust, 4.00%, 8/1/17
  $ 1,860     $ 2,137,847  
Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust, 5.25%, 8/1/21
    2,025       2,554,841  
New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, 5.00%, 9/1/18
    2,200       2,700,214  
Seattle, WA, Solid Waste Revenue, 5.00%, 8/1/21
    1,515       1,810,289  
                 
            $ 9,203,191  
                 
                 
Total Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities — 77.2%
(identified cost $142,089,914)
          $ 147,735,929  
                 
 
Call Options Purchased — 0.1%
 
                             
    Number of
  Strike
    Expiration
     
Security   Contracts   Price     Date   Value  
S&P 500 Index
    286     $ 1,265     10/22/11   $ 55,770  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,310     10/5/11      
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,305     10/6/11     1  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       1,285     10/7/11     59  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    290       1,310     10/11/11     125  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    266       1,330     10/13/11     66  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    264       1,340     10/14/11     49  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    267       1,340     10/18/11     301  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    292       1,320     10/19/11     1,603  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       1,305     10/26/11     12,785  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287       1,285     10/27/11     32,051  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287       1,285     10/28/11     35,318  
                         
         
Total Call Options Purchased
(identified cost $745,179)
 
$
138,128  
         
 
Put Options Purchased — 0.9%
 
                             
    Number of
  Strike
    Expiration
     
Security   Contracts   Price     Date   Value  
S&P 500 Index
    286     $ 945     10/22/11   $ 152,295  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,035     10/5/11     34,911  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,000     10/6/11     19,054  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       970     10/7/11     12,770  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    290       975     10/11/11     48,575  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    266       1,005     10/13/11     110,977  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    264       1,015     10/14/11     147,706  
 
2


 

                             
    Number of
  Strike
    Expiration
     
Security   Contracts   Price     Date   Value  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    267     $ 1,030     10/18/11   $ 268,601  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    292       1,015     10/19/11     258,968  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       995     10/26/11     315,222  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287       955     10/27/11     218,280  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287       950     10/28/11     220,666  
                         
         
Total Put Options Purchased
(identified cost $2,304,879)
 
$
1,808,025  
         
 
Short-Term Investments — 30.2%
 
Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities — 4.0%
 
                 
    Principal
       
    Amount
       
Security   (000’s omitted)     Value  
Texas, 2.50%, 8/30/12
  $ 7,500     $ 7,658,325  
                 
                 
Total Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities
(identified cost $7,652,092)
          $ 7,658,325  
                 
 
U.S. Treasury Obligations — 5.2%
 
                 
    Principal
       
    Amount
       
Security   (000’s omitted)     Value  
U.S. Treasury Bill, 0.105%, 12/29/11
  $ 10,000     $ 9,997,404  
                 
                 
Total U.S. Treasury Obligations
(identified cost $9,997,404)
          $ 9,997,404  
                 
 
Other Securities — 21.0%
 
                 
    Interest
       
Description   (000’s omitted)     Value  
Eaton Vance Cash Reserves Fund, LLC, 0.08%(3)
  $ 40,121     $ 40,120,811  
                 
                 
Total Other Securities
(identified cost $40,120,811)
          $ 40,120,811  
                 
                 
Total Short-Term Investments
(identified cost $57,770,307)
          $ 57,776,540  
                 
                 
Total Investments — 108.4%
(identified cost $202,910,279)
          $ 207,458,622  
                 
 
Call Options Written — (0.4)%
 
                             
    Number of
  Strike
    Expiration
     
Security   Contracts   Price     Date   Value  
S&P 500 Index
    286     $ 1,210     10/22/11   $ (281,710 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,255     10/5/11     (200 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,250     10/6/11     (926 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       1,230     10/7/11     (9,249 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    290       1,255     10/11/11     (8,337 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    266       1,270     10/13/11     (5,583 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    264       1,280     10/14/11     (4,041 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    267       1,280     10/18/11     (10,600 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    292       1,265     10/19/11     (27,777 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       1,250     10/26/11     (99,568 )
 
3


 

                             
    Number of
  Strike
    Expiration
     
Security   Contracts   Price     Date   Value  
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287     $ 1,230     10/27/11   $ (188,289 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287       1,230     10/28/11     (198,546 )
                         
         
Total Call Options Written
(premiums received $3,609,796)
 
$
(834,826 )
         
 
Put Options Written — (2.0)%
 
                             
    Number of
  Strike
    Expiration
     
Security   Contracts   Price     Date   Value  
S&P 500 Index
    286     $ 1,000     10/22/11   $ (284,570 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,090     10/5/11     (192,834 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    289       1,055     10/6/11     (95,428 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       1,025     10/7/11     (57,359 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    290       1,030     10/11/11     (143,392 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    266       1,065     10/13/11     (303,936 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    264       1,075     10/14/11     (380,339 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    267       1,090     10/18/11     (588,843 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    292       1,070     10/19/11     (524,219 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    288       1,050     10/26/11     (559,794 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287       1,010     10/27/11     (387,388 )
S&P 500 Index FLEX
    287       1,005     10/28/11     (386,484 )
                         
         
Total Put Options Written
(premiums received $3,968,881)
 
$
(3,904,586 )
         
         
Other Assets, Less Liabilities — (8.4)%
  $ (16,066,232 )
         
         
Net Assets — 100.0%
  $ 191,392,390  
         
 
             
The percentage shown for each investment category in the Portfolio of Investments is based on net assets.
         
AGM
  -   Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp.
         
FGIC
  -   Financial Guaranty Insurance Company.
         
FLEX
  -   FLexible EXchange traded option, representing a customized option contract with negotiated contract terms.
         
NPFG
  -   National Public Finance Guaranty Corp.
         
PSF
  -   Permanent School Fund
 
At September 30, 2011, the concentration of the Fund’s investments in the various states, determined as a percentage of net assets, is as follows:
             
             
        New York   20.9%
        Texas   10.2%
        Others, representing less than 10% individually   50.1%
 
The Fund invests primarily in debt securities issued by municipalities. The ability of the issuers of the debt securities to meet their obligations may be affected by economic developments in a specific industry or municipality. In order to reduce the risk associated with such economic developments, at September 30, 2011, 5.8% of total investments are backed by bond insurance of various financial institutions and financial guaranty assurance agencies. The aggregate percentage insured by an individual financial institution ranged from 0.4% to 4.5% of total investments.
         
(1)
      When-issued security.
         
(2)
      Security (or a portion thereof) has been pledged as collateral for written option contracts.
         
(3)
      Affiliated investment company available to Eaton Vance portfolios and funds which invests in high quality, U.S. dollar denominated money market instruments. The rate shown is the annualized seven-day yield as of September 30, 2011. Net income allocated from the investment in Eaton Vance Cash Reserves Fund, LLC for the fiscal year to date ended September 30, 2011 was $20,968.
 
The cost and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments of the Fund at September 30, 2011, as determined on a federal income tax basis, were as follows:
 
         
Aggregate cost
  $ 202,357,471  
         
Gross unrealized appreciation
  $ 6,581,658  
Gross unrealized depreciation
    (1,480,507 )
         
Net unrealized appreciation
  $ 5,101,151  
         
 
4


 

Written call and put options activity for the fiscal year to date ended September 30, 2011 was as follows:
 
                 
    Number of
    Premiums
 
    Contracts     Received  
Outstanding, beginning of period
    6,402     $ 3,679,826  
Options written
    60,182       44,617,228  
Options terminated in closing purchase transactions
    (11,912 )     (7,646,693 )
Options expired
    (47,886 )     (33,071,684 )
                 
Outstanding, end of period
    6,786     $ 7,578,677  
                 
 
At September 30, 2011, the Fund had sufficient cash and/or securities to cover commitments under these contracts.
 
The Fund is subject to equity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investments objectives. The Fund enters into a series of S&P 500 written call and put option spread transactions to enhance return while limiting any potential loss. A written call option spread on a stock index consists of selling call options on the index and buying an equal number of call options on the same index and with the same expiration, but with a higher exercise price. A written put option spread on a stock index consists of selling put options on an index and buying an equal number of put options on the same index and with the same expiration, but with a lower exercise price. Any net premiums received are reduced by the premiums paid on the purchased options. The risk of loss if written options expire in the money is limited to the difference in exercise price of the written and purchased option positions. The Fund’s use of option spreads rather than stand alone options, staggering roll dates across the option position portfolio, and utilizing exchange-traded options guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corporation, a market clearinghouse, serve to mitigate risk in its option strategy.
 
At September 30, 2011, the aggregate fair value of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) in an asset position and in a liability position and whose primary underlying risk exposure is equity price risk was $1,946,153 and $4,739,412, respectively.
 
Under generally accepted accounting principles for fair value measurements, a three-tier hierarchy to prioritize the assumptions, referred to as inputs, is used in valuation techniques to measure fair value. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad levels listed below.
 
  •   Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical investments
 
  •   Level 2 — other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)
 
  •   Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs (including a fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)
 
In cases where the inputs used to measure fair value fall in different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level disclosed is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
 
At September 30, 2011, the hierarchy of inputs used in valuing the Fund’s investments and open derivative instruments, which are carried at value, were as follows:
 
                                 
Asset Description   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total  
   
Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities
  $     $ 147,735,929     $     $ 147,735,929  
Call Options Purchased
    55,770       82,358             138,128  
Put Options Purchased
    152,295       1,655,730             1,808,025  
Short-Term Investments —
                               
Tax-Exempt Municipal Securities
          7,658,325             7,658,325  
U.S. Treasury Obligations
          9,997,404             9,997,404  
Other Securities
          40,120,811             40,120,811  
 
 
Total Investments
  $ 208,065     $ 207,250,557     $     $ 207,458,622  
 
 
                                 
Liability Description                        
   
Call Options Written
  $ (281,710 )   $ (553,116 )   $     $ (834,826 )
Put Options Written
          (3,904,586 )           (3,904,586 )
 
 
Total
  $ (281,710 )   $ (4,457,702 )   $     $ (4,739,412 )
 
 
 
5


 

The Fund held no investments or other financial instruments as of December 31, 2010 whose fair value was determined using Level 3 inputs. At September 30, 2011, the value of investments transferred between Level 1 and Level 2, if any, during the fiscal year to date then ended was not significant.
 
For information on the Fund’s policy regarding the valuation of investments and other significant accounting policies, please refer to the Fund’s most recent financial statements included in its semiannual or annual report to shareholders.
 
6


 

Item 2. Controls and Procedures
(a) It is the conclusion of the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer that the effectiveness of the registrant’s current disclosure controls and procedures (such disclosure controls and procedures having been evaluated within 90 days of the date of this filing) provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the registrant on this Form N-Q has been recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and that the information required to be disclosed by the registrant on this Form N-Q has been accumulated and communicated to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer in order to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(b) There have been no changes in the registrant’s internal controls over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter for which the report is being filed that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 


 

Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
         
Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond and Option Strategies Fund
 
By:   /s/ Payson F. Swaffield    
  Payson F. Swaffield   
  President   
 
Date: November 23, 2011
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/ Payson F. Swaffield    
  Payson F. Swaffield   
  President   
 
Date: November 23, 2011
         
 
By:   /s/ Barbara E. Campbell    
  Barbara E. Campbell   
  Treasurer   
 
Date: November 23, 2011