Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc.

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number: 811-04537

LIBERTY ALL-STAR GROWTH FUND, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Tané T. Tyler

ALPS Fund Services, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 623-2577

Date of fiscal year end: December 31

Date of reporting period: January 1 – March 31, 2012


Item 1 – Schedule of Investments.


Liberty All-Star® Growth Fund    Schedule of Investments  
     SHARES      MARKET VALUE  

COMMON STOCKS (97.31%)

     

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY (13.62%)

     

Auto Components (0.71%)

     

BorgWarner, Inc.(a)

     12,200       $ 1,028,948   
     

 

 

 

Automobiles (0.37%)

     

Thor Industries, Inc.

     16,748         528,567   
     

 

 

 

Distributors (1.22%)

     

LKQ Corp.(a)

     56,577         1,763,505   
     

 

 

 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure (1.66%)

     

Arcos Dorados Holdings, Inc., Class A

     45,300         819,477   

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.(a)

     15,429         776,850   

Ctrip.com International Ltd.(a)(b)

     36,466         789,125   
     

 

 

 
        2,385,452   
     

 

 

 

Household Durables (0.58%)

     

Harman International Industries, Inc.

     17,967         841,035   
     

 

 

 

Internet & Catalog Retail (3.06%)

     

Amazon.com, Inc.(a)

     6,465         1,309,227   

priceline.com, Inc.(a)

     2,575         1,847,562   

Shutterfly, Inc.(a)

     17,023         533,331   

TripAdvisor, Inc.(a)

     20,200         720,534   
     

 

 

 
        4,410,654   
     

 

 

 

Specialty Retail (3.94%)

     

CarMax, Inc.(a)

     31,300         1,084,545   

Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.

     19,900         956,792   

Francesca’s Holdings Corp.(a)

     19,154         605,458   

Monro Muffler Brake, Inc.

     19,116         793,123   

Rue21, Inc.(a)

     55,375         1,624,702   

Teavana Holdings, Inc.(a)

     30,554         602,525   
     

 

 

 
        5,667,145   
     

 

 

 

Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods (2.08%)

     

Fossil, Inc.(a)

     8,200         1,082,236   

Gildan Activewear, Inc.

     30,400         837,520   

Michael Kors Holdings Ltd.(a)

     2,000         93,180   

Under Armour, Inc., Class A(a)

     10,416         979,104   
     

 

 

 
        2,992,040   
     

 

 

 

CONSUMER STAPLES (2.68%)

     

Food & Staples Retailing (1.12%)

     

Costco Wholesale Corp.

     11,750         1,066,900   

The Fresh Market, Inc.(a)

     7,577         363,317   

Pricesmart, Inc.

     2,404         175,036   
     

 

 

 
        1,605,253   
     

 

 

 

Food Products (1.56%)

     

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.(a)

     15,400         721,336  

Mead Johnson Nutrition Co.

     18,500         1,525,880   
     

 

 

 
        2,247,216   
     

 

 

 

ENERGY (9.05%)

     

Energy Equipment & Services (7.83%)

     

Core Laboratories N.V.

     19,371         2,548,642   

Dril-Quip, Inc.(a)

     9,805         637,521   

FMC Technologies, Inc.(a)

     49,300         2,485,706   

Lufkin Industries, Inc.

     15,932         1,284,916   

Oceaneering International, Inc.

     50,650         2,729,529   


Schlumberger Ltd.

     22,645         1,583,565   
     

 

 

 
        11,269,879   
     

 

 

 

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (1.22%)

     

Occidental Petroleum Corp.

     18,500         1,761,755  
     

 

 

 

FINANCIALS (9.61%)

     

Capital Markets (3.63%)

     

Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.(a)

     13,697         1,531,462   

The Charles Schwab Corp.

     62,900         903,873  

Financial Engines, Inc.(a)

     13,624         304,633  

FXCM, Inc., Class A

     40,647         528,004  

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.

     16,300         1,064,390  

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.(a)

     10,412         893,141  
     

 

 

 
        5,225,503   
     

 

 

 

Commercial Banks (1.25%)

     

Signature Bank(a)

     28,484         1,795,631  
     

 

 

 

Consumer Finance (0.57%)

     

Green Dot Corp., Class A(a)

     31,000         822,120  
     

 

 

 

Diversified Financial Services (1.04%)

     

MSCI, Inc., Class A(a)

     20,886         768,814  

Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc.(a)

     10,189         730,755  
     

 

 

 
        1,499,569   
     

 

 

 

Insurance (2.47%)

     

ACE Ltd.

     36,900         2,701,080  

Greenlight Capital Re Ltd., Class A(a)

     34,606         852,346  
     

 

 

 
        3,553,426   
     

 

 

 

Real Estate Management & Development (0.65%)

     

FirstService Corp.(a)

     30,824         944,447  
     

 

 

 

HEALTH CARE (11.93%)

     

Biotechnology (2.58%)

     

BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc.(a)

     52,075       $ 1,783,569   

Dendreon Corp.(a)

     39,000         415,545  

Human Genome Sciences, Inc.(a)

     100,008         824,066  

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

     18,800         250,228  

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

     10,900         447,009  
     

 

 

 
        3,720,417   
     

 

 

 

Health Care Equipment & Supplies (3.55%)

     

Accuray, Inc.(a)

     53,346         376,623  

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.(a)

     4,550         2,464,962  

Masimo Corp.(a)

     27,733         648,398  

Neogen Corp.(a)

     5,308         207,384  

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.(a)

     12,900         889,584  

Volcano Corp.(a)

     18,561         526,204  
     

 

 

 
        5,113,155   
     

 

 

 

Health Care Providers & Services (0.80%)

     

PSS World Medical, Inc.(a)

     28,031         710,306  

VCA Antech, Inc.(a)

     19,274         447,349  
     

 

 

 
        1,157,655   
     

 

 

 

Health Care Technology (2.10%)

     

athenahealth, Inc.(a)

     15,283         1,132,776  

Cerner Corp.(a)

     24,800         1,888,768  
     

 

 

 
        3,021,544   
     

 

 

 


Life Sciences Tools & Services (0.97%)

     

Life Technologies Corp.(a)

     28,650         1,398,693  
     

 

 

 

Pharmaceuticals (1.93%)

     

Allergan, Inc.

     18,250         1,741,597  

Mylan, Inc.(a)

     44,100         1,034,145  
     

 

 

 
        2,775,742   
     

 

 

 

INDUSTRIALS (14.51%)

     

Aerospace & Defense (2.59%)

     

Aerovironment, Inc.(a)

     14,317         383,839  

HEICO Corp.

     16,039         827,452  

Precision Castparts Corp.

     8,700         1,504,230  

TransDigm Group, Inc.(a)

     8,807         1,019,498  
     

 

 

 
        3,735,019   
     

 

 

 

Air Freight & Logistics (3.05%)

     

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.

     35,750         2,341,268  

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.

     44,200         2,055,742  
     

 

 

 
        4,397,010   
     

 

 

 

Commercial Services & Supplies (1.06%)

     

American Reprographics Co.(a)

     60,205       $ 324,505   

InnerWorkings, Inc.(a)

     28,567         332,806  

Waste Connections, Inc.

     26,678         867,835  
     

 

 

 
        1,525,146   
     

 

 

 

Electrical Equipment (1.48%)

     

II-VI, Inc.(a)

     28,520         674,498  

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

     18,200         1,450,540  
     

 

 

 
        2,125,038   
     

 

 

 

Machinery (1.10%)

     

Graco, Inc.

     16,677         884,882  

Middleby Corp.(a)

     6,846         692,678  
     

 

 

 
        1,577,560   
     

 

 

 

Professional Services (3.69%)

     

Huron Consulting Group, Inc.(a)

     18,127         680,850  

IHS, Inc., Class A(a)

     25,886         2,424,224  

Resources Connection, Inc.

     30,679         431,040  

Robert Half International, Inc.

     36,700         1,112,010  

Stantec, Inc.

     20,904         665,583  
     

 

 

 
        5,313,707   
     

 

 

 

Road & Rail (0.73%)

     

Landstar System, Inc.

     18,149         1,047,560  
     

 

 

 

Trading Companies & Distributors (0.81%)

     

Fastenal Co.

     21,614         1,169,317  
     

 

 

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (30.25%)

     

Communications Equipment (4.31%)

     

Aruba Networks, Inc.(a)

     34,500         768,660  

F5 Networks, Inc.(a)

     7,200         971,712  

InterDigital, Inc.

     13,640         475,491  

Polycom, Inc.(a)

     51,139         975,221  

QUALCOMM, Inc.

     44,265         3,010,905  
     

 

 

 
        6,201,989   
     

 

 

 

Computers & Peripherals (3.73%)

     

Apple, Inc.(a)

     7,160         4,292,205  

Fusion-io, Inc.(a)

     38,120         1,082,989  
     

 

 

 
        5,375,194   
     

 

 

 


Electronic Equipment & Instruments (1.92%)

     

FARO Technologies, Inc.(a)

     21,052         1,227,963  

FLIR Systems, Inc.

     8,956         226,676  

IPG Photonics Corp.(a)

     7,782         405,053  

M/A-COM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.(a)

     1,100         22,814  

National Instruments Corp.

     23,640         674,213   

Universal Display Corp.(a)

     5,800         211,874  
     

 

 

 
        2,768,593   
     

 

 

 

Internet Software & Services (5.68%)

     

Baidu, Inc.(a)(b)

     14,225         2,073,578  

ExactTarget, Inc.(a)

     300         7,800  

Google, Inc., Class A(a)

     3,060         1,962,194  

LinkedIn Corp., Class A(a)

     6,100         622,139  

Liquidity Services, Inc.(a)

     32,397         1,451,386  

NIC, Inc.

     18,842         228,554  

SINA Corp.(a)

     6,800         442,000  

VistaPrint Ltd.(a)

     18,433         712,436  

Youku, Inc.(a)(b)

     31,264         687,495  
     

 

 

 
        8,187,582   
     

 

 

 

IT Services (3.60%)

     

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Class A(a)

     19,150         1,473,593  

FleetCor Technologies, Inc.(a)

     9,990         387,312  

ServiceSource International, Inc.(a)

     35,475         549,153  

VeriFone Systems, Inc.(a)

     27,474         1,425,076  

Visa, Inc., Class A

     11,415         1,346,970   
     

 

 

 
        5,182,104   
     

 

 

 
     

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment (2.83%)

     

ARM Holdings PLC(b)

     74,117         2,096,770  

Avago Technologies Ltd.

     13,400         522,198  

Cavium, Inc.(a)

     28,788         890,701  

Hittite Microwave Corp.(a)

     10,318         560,370  
     

 

 

 
        4,070,039   
     

 

 

 

Software (8.18%)

     

ANSYS, Inc.(a)

     17,081         1,110,607  

Concur Technologies, Inc.(a)

     16,500         946,770  

QLIK Technologies, Inc.(a)

     35,977         1,151,264  

RealPage, Inc.(a)

     29,823         571,707  

Salesforce.com, Inc.(a)

     22,000         3,399,220  

Solera Holdings, Inc.

     26,077         1,196,673  

Ultimate Software Group, Inc.(a)

     13,246         970,667  

VMware, Inc., Class A(a)

     21,700         2,438,429  
     

 

 

 
        11,785,337   
     

 

 

 

MATERIALS (3.51%)

     

Chemicals (1.70%)

     

CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

     4,600         840,190  

Praxair, Inc.

     13,975         1,602,094  
     

 

 

 
        2,442,284   
     

 

 

 

Metals & Mining (1.81%)

     

Allegheny Technologies, Inc.

     22,200       $ 913,974   

Cliffs Natural Resources, Inc.

     11,100         768,786  

Silver Wheaton Corp.

     27,950         927,940  
     

 

 

 
        2,610,700   
     

 

 

 

TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES (1.61%)

     

Wireless Telecommunication Services (1.61%)

     

American Tower Corp., Class A

     36,900         2,325,438  
     

 

 

 


UTILITIES (0.54%)

     

Electric Utilities (0.54%)

     

ITC Holdings Corp.

     10,016         770,631  
     

 

 

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

     

(COST OF $106,859,573)

        140,139,599   
     

 

 

 
     PAR VALUE         

SHORT TERM INVESTMENT (2.75%)

     

REPURCHASE AGREEMENT (2.75%)

     

Repurchase agreement with State Street Bank & Trust Co., dated 03/31/12, due 04/02/12 at 0.01%, collateralized by Fannie Mae 3.07% 01/01/42, market value of $4,038,933

(Repurchase proceeds of $3,957,003)

(COST OF $3,957,000)

   $ 3,957,000        3,957,000  
     

 

 

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS (100.06%)

     

(COST OF $110,816,573)(c)

        144,096,599   

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS (-0.06%)

        (83,451
     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS (100.00%)

      $  144,013,148   
     

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE

     

(30,080,350 SHARES OUTSTANDING)

      $  4.79   
     

 

 

 

(a) Non-income producing security.

(b) American Depositary Receipt.

(c) Cost of investments for federal income tax purposes is $111,038,585.

Gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation at March 31, 2012 based on cost of investments for federal income tax purposes is as follows:

Gross unrealized appreciation

   $ 39,497,565   

Gross unrealized depreciation

     (6,439,551

Net unrealized appreciation

   $ 33,058,014   
          

Security Valuation

Equity securities including common stocks and exchange traded funds are valued at the last sale price at the close of the principal exchange on which they trade, except for securities listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”) exchange, which are valued at the NASDAQ official closing price. Unlisted securities or listed securities for which there were no sales during the day are valued at the closing bid price on such exchanges or over-the-counter markets.

Short-term debt obligations maturing in more than 60 days for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value. Short-term debt obligations maturing within 60 days are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.

Investments for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under consistently applied procedures approved by and under the general supervision of the Fund’s Board of Directors.

Foreign Securities

The Fund may directly purchase securities of foreign issuers. Investing in securities of foreign issuers involves special risks not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. issuers. The risks include possible reevaluation of currencies, the inability to repatriate foreign currency, less complete financial


information about companies and possible future adverse political and economic developments. Moreover, securities of many foreign issuers and their markets may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than those of securities of com parable U.S. issuers. For the period ended March 31, 2012, the Fund only held American Depository Receipts and did not hold any securities denominated in foreign currencies.

Security Transactions

Security transactions are recorded on trade date. Cost is determined and gains/losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund engages in repurchase agreement transactions with institutions that the Fund’s investment advisor has determined are creditworthy. The Fund, through its custodian, receives delivery of underlying securities collateralizing a repurchase agreement. Collateral is at least equal, at all times, to the value of the repurchase obligation including interest. A repurchase agreement transaction involves certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty. These risks include possible delays or restrictions upon a Fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities and a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period while the Fund seeks to assert its rights.

Income Recognition

Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Corporate actions and dividend income are recorded on the ex-date.

Fair Value Measurements

The Fund discloses the classification of its fair value measurements following a three-tier hierarchy based on the inputs used to measure fair value. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on the best information available.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments as of the end of the reporting period. When inputs used fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The designated input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with these investments. These inputs are categorized in the following hierarchy under applicable financial accounting standards:

 

Level 1 –

 

            Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical investments, unrestricted assets or liabilities that a Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date;

Level 2 –

 

            Quoted prices which are not active, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable (either directly or indirectly) for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and

Level 3 –

 

Significant unobservable prices or inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.

The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of March 31, 2012. The Fund recognizes transfers between the levels as of the beginning of the annual period in which the transfer occurred.


     Valuation Inputs         

Investments in

Securities at

Value*

   Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Common Stocks

   $ 140,139,599       $       $       $ 140,139,599   

Short Term Investment

             3,957,000                 3,957,000   

Total

   $ 140,139,599       $ 3,957,000       $       $ 144,096,599   
                                     

*See Schedule of Investments for industry classifications

For the period ended March 31, 2012, the Fund did not have any significant transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 securities. The Fund did not have any securities which used significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) in determining fair value.

Indemnification

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties and which provide general indemnities. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims against the Fund. Also, under the Fund’s organizational documents and by contract, the Directors and Officers of the Fund are indemnified against certain liabilities that may arise out of their duties to the Fund. However, based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss due to these warranties and indemnities to be minimal.

Maryland Statutes

By resolution of the Board of Directors, the Fund has opted into the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act and the Maryland Business Combination Act. In general, the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act provides that “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition may not be voted except to the extent approved by shareholders at a meeting by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter (excluding shares owned by the acquiror and by officers or directors who are employees of the corporation). “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within certain statutorily defined ranges (one-tenth but less than one-third, one-third but less than a majority, and more than a majority of the voting power). In general, the Maryland Business Combination Act prohibits an interested shareholder (a shareholder that holds 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding stock of the corporation) of a Maryland corporation from engaging in a business combination (generally defined to include a merger, consolidation, share exchange, sale of a substantial amount of assets, a transfer of the corporation’s securities and similar transactions to or with the interested shareholder or an entity affiliated with the interested shareholder) with the corporation for a period of five years after the most recent date on which the interested shareholder became an interested shareholder. At the time of adoption, March 19, 2009, the Board and the Fund were not aware of any shareholder that held control shares or that was an interested shareholder under the statutes.


Item 2 - Controls and Procedures.

 

  (a) The registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have evaluated the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) within 90 days of this filing and have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of that date.

 

  (b) There was no change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) during registrant’s last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Item 3 – Exhibits.

Separate certifications for the registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, are attached as Ex99.CERT.


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.

 

LIBERTY ALL-STAR GROWTH FUND, INC.
By:  

/s/ William Parmentier

  William Parmentier
  President (principal executive officer)
Date:   May 29, 2012

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/ William Parmentier

  William Parmentier
  President (principal executive officer)
Date:   May 29, 2012
By:  

/s/ Jeremy O. May

  Jeremy O. May
  Treasurer (principal financial officer)
Date:   May 29, 2012