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: 811-06650

 

Lord abbett research fund, inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

 

90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302

 

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

Thomas R. Phillips, Esq., Vice President & Assistant Secretary

90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302

 

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (800) 201-6984

 

Date of fiscal year end: 11/30

 

Date of reporting period: 11/30/2013

 
Item 1: Report(s) to Shareholders.

2 0 1 3

L O R D  A B B E T T

A N N U A L

R E P O R T

Lord Abbett

Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013

 

Table of Contents
     
1   A Letter to Shareholders
     
4   Investment Comparison
     
5   Information About Your Fund’s Expenses and Holdings Presented by Sector
     
7   Schedule of Investments
     
12   Statement of Assets and Liabilities
     
14   Statement of Operations
     
15   Statements of Changes in Net Assets
     
16   Financial Highlights
     
24   Notes to Financial Statements
     
34   Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
     
35   Supplemental Information to Shareholders

 
 

Lord Abbett Research Fund

Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund
Annual Report

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013

 

 

 

Daria L. Foster, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lord Abbett Funds, and E. Thayer Bigelow, Independent Chairman of the Lord Abbett Funds.

 

Dear Shareholders: We are pleased to provide you with this overview of the performance of Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013. On this page and the following pages, we discuss the major factors that influenced fiscal year performance. For detailed and more timely information about the Fund, please visit our Website at www.lordabbett.com, where you also can access the quarterly commentaries that provide updates on the Fund’s performance and other portfolio related updates.

 

Thank you for investing in Lord Abbett mutual funds. We value the trust that you place in us and look forward to serving your investment needs in the years to come.

 

Best regards.

 

Daria L. Foster

Director, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund returned 26.09%, reflecting performance at the net asset value (NAV) of Class A shares, with all distributions reinvested, compared to its benchmark, the S&P 500 ® Index, 1 which returned 30.30% over the same period.

 

Global equity markets rose during the 12-month period amid an ongoing housing recovery in the Unites States, rising corporate profits, accommodative

 

1

 

 

monetary policies, and economic stabilization in Europe. The equity market advance came in the face of a series of disruptive congressional showdowns, a two-week partial government shutdown, and concerns about growth in the largest emerging market economies. The Fund’s focus on dividend growth stocks, which have been less volatile than the broad market over the 10-year period ended on November 30, 2013, resulted in a portfolio with a lower risk profile than the S&P 500 ® Index as measured by the Fund’s portfolio beta. This positioning detracted from performance relative to the index as higher-risk stocks performed better than lower-risk stocks during the period.

 

The Fund’s position in International Business Machines, a global technology and business services firm, detracted from relative performance. The broad-based economic reform currently underway in China was challenging for the firm, as the reforms led to weak demand for hardware and lengthened sales cycles. Shares of Caterpiller, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment, underperformed the index return as weak demand for mining equipment led to disappointing operating results. The Fund’s overweight position in Coca-Cola Co., the global leader in the carbonated soft drink market, detracted from relative performance. The stock underperformed as consumers within developed markets have been shifting away from carbonated beverages in favor of healthier alternatives.

 

Shares of 3M Co., a diversified industrial and technology company, outperformed the index return during the period and contributed to relative performance. Management’s strategic investments in research and development have led to improvements in organic growth, particularly within emerging economies. The Fund’s overweight position in Walgreen Co., which operates pharmacies under the Walgreen, Duane Reade, and drugstore.com brands, contributed to relative performance during the period. Walgreen’s sales exceeded expectations during the period, and investors reacted positively to a partnership with a large drug wholesaler. The Fund’s position in defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. also contributed to relative performance. Despite military budget cuts, the firm’s missile and fire control unit generated better-than-expected sales, and the firm continued to return capital to shareholders with share buybacks and dividend increases.

 

The Fund’s portfolio is actively managed and, therefore, its holdings and the weightings of a particular issuer or particular sector as a percentage of portfolio assets are subject to change. Sectors may include many industries.

 

2

 

 

1 The S&P 500 ® Index is widely regarded as the standard for measuring large cap U.S. stock market performance and includes a representative sample of leading companies in leading industries.

 

Unless otherwise specified, indexes reflect total return, with all dividends reinvested. Indexes are unmanaged, do not reflect the deduction of fees or expenses, and are not available for direct investment.

 

Important Performance and Other Information

Performance data quoted in the following pages reflect past performance and are no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance quoted. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that shares, on any given day or when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. You can obtain performance data current to the most recent month end by calling Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388 or referring to www.lordabbett.com.

 

Except where noted, comparative Fund performance does not account for the deduction of sales charges and would be different if sales charges were included. The Fund offers classes of shares with distinct pricing options. For a full description of the differences in pricing alternatives, please see the Fund’s prospectus.

 

During certain periods shown, expense waivers and reimbursements were in place. Without such expense waivers and reimbursements, the Fund’s returns would have been lower.

 

The annual commentary above discusses the views of the Fund’s management and various portfolio holdings of the Fund as of November 30, 2013. These views and portfolio holdings may have changed after this date. Information provided in the commentary is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities. Because the Fund’s portfolio is actively managed and may change significantly, the Fund may no longer own the securities described above or may have otherwise changed its positions in the securities. For more recent information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings, please visit www.lordabbett.com.

 

A Note about Risk: See Notes to Financial Statements for a discussion of investment risks. For a more detailed discussion of the risks associated with the Fund, please see the Fund’s prospectus.

 

Mutual funds are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, banks, and are subject to investment risks including possible loss of principal amount invested.

 

3

 

 

Investment Comparison

 

Below is a comparison of a $10,000 investment in Class A shares with the same investment in both the S&P 500 ® Index and the S&P 900 ® 10-Year Dividend Growth Index, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The performance of other classes will be greater than or less than the performance shown in the graph below due to different sales loads and expenses applicable to such classes. The graph and performance table below do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. During certain periods, expenses of the Fund have been waived or reimbursed by Lord Abbett; without such waiver or reimbursement of expenses, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

 

 

The S&P 900 10-Year Dividend Growth Index is a custom index that, along with changes in the Fund’s investment strategy, the Fund began disclosing in its prospectus effective September 27, 2012. The graph shows the index’s performance from that date.

 

Average Annual Total Returns at Maximum Applicable
Sales Charge for the Periods Ended November 30, 2013

      1 Year   5 Years   10 Years   Life of
Class
Class A 3       18.86 %     14.41 %     7.61 %      
Class B 4       20.14 %     14.77 %     7.69 %      
Class C 5       24.14 %     15.02 %     7.54 %      
Class F 6       26.31 %     16.07 %           5.99 %
Class I 7       26.41 %     16.17 %     8.61 %      
Class P 8       25.81 %     15.64 %     8.13 %      
Class R2 9       25.64 %     15.51 %           5.59 %
Class R3 10       25.79 %     15.60 %           5.57 %

 

1 Reflects the deduction of the maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%.

2 Performance for each unmanaged index does not reflect any fees or expenses. The performance of each index is not necessarily representative of the Fund’s performance.

3 Total return, which is the percentage change in net asset value, after deduction of the maximum initial sales charge of 5.75% applicable to Class A shares, with all dividends and distributions reinvested for the periods shown ended November 30, 2013, is calculated using the SEC-required uniform method to compute such return.

4 Performance reflects the deduction of a CDSC of 5% for 1 year, 2% for 5 years and 0% for 10 years. Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares after approximately 8 years. (There is no initial sales charge for automatic conversions.)

5 The 1% CDSC for Class C shares normally applies before the first anniversary of the purchase date. Performance for other periods is at net asset value.

6 Class F shares commenced operations and performance for the Class began on September 28, 2007. Performance is at net asset value.

7 Performance is at net asset value.

8 Performance is at net asset value.

9 Class R2 shares commenced operations and performance for the Class began on September 28, 2007. Performance is at net asset value.

10 Class R3 shares commenced operations and performance for the Class began on September 28, 2007. Performance is at net asset value.

 

4

 
 

Expense Example

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments (these charges vary among the share classes); and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees (these charges vary among the share classes); and other Fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (June 1, 2013 through November 30, 2013).

 

Actual Expenses

 

For each class of the Fund, the first line of the table on the following page provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading titled “Expenses Paid During Period 6/1/13 – 11/30/13” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

For each class of the Fund, the second line of the table on the following page provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

5

 
 

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

 

    Beginning
Account
Value
  Ending
Account
Value
  Expenses
Paid During
Period
    6/1/13   11/30/13   6/1/13 -
11/30/13
Class A                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,113.80     $ 4.50  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.81     $ 4.31  
Class B                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,109.50     $ 8.46  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,017.04     $ 8.09  
Class C                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,109.80     $ 8.46  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,017.09     $ 8.09  
Class F                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,114.80     $ 3.71  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,021.57     $ 3.55  
Class I                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,115.30     $ 3.18  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,022.07     $ 3.04  
Class P                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,113.00     $ 5.56  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.80     $ 5.32  
Class R2                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,112.00     $ 6.35  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.06     $ 6.07  
Class R3                        
Actual   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,112.10     $ 5.82  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.58     $ 5.57  

 

For each class of the Fund, net expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for such class (0.85% for Class A, 1.60% for Classes B and C, 0.70% for Class F, 0.60% for Class I, 1.05% for Class P, 1.20% for Class R2 and 1.10% for Class R3) multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183/365 (to reflect one-half year period).

 

Portfolio Holdings Presented by Sector

November 30, 2013

 

Sector*   %**
Consumer Discretionary     13.12 %
Consumer Staples     19.88 %
Energy     10.25 %
Financials     6.43 %
Health Care     10.76 %
Industrials     19.74 %

 

Sector*   %**
Information Technology     4.98 %
Materials     8.03 %
Telecommunication Services     1.77 %
Utilities     4.57 %
Repurchase Agreement     0.47 %
Total     100.00 %

 

* A sector may comprise several industries.

** Represents percent of total investments.

 

6

 

Schedule of Investments

November 30, 2013

 

Investments   Shares   Fair
Value
(000)
 
COMMON STOCKS 99.29%          
           
Aerospace & Defense 5.69%          
Lockheed Martin Corp.   219,061   $ 31,035  
United Technologies Corp.   787,300     87,280  
Total         118,315  
             
Air Freight & Logistics 1.40%            
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.   373,064     21,873  
FedEx Corp.   52,035     7,217  
Total         29,090  
             
Beverages 5.89%            
Coca-Cola Co. (The)   1,688,379     67,856  
PepsiCo, Inc.   645,902     54,553  
Total         122,409  
             
Capital Markets 2.03%            
Eaton Vance Corp.   239,202     10,001  
Franklin Resources, Inc.   526,957     29,188  
SEI Investments Co.   90,279     3,032  
Total         42,221  
             
Chemicals 7.77%            
Albemarle Corp.   161,842     11,120  
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.   77,900     6,882  
Monsanto Co.   537,749     60,943  
PPG Industries, Inc.   168,468     31,008  
Praxair, Inc.   233,937     29,537  
RPM International, Inc.   168,159     6,659  
Sherwin-Williams Co. (The)   64,600     11,824  
Valspar Corp. (The)   50,766     3,585  
Total         161,558  
             
Commercial Banks 0.11%            
Commerce Bancshares, Inc.   49,264     2,223  
             
Commercial Services & Supplies 0.17%            
Cintas Corp.   64,596     3,585  

 

Investments   Shares   Fair
Value
(000)
 
Communications Equipment 0.97%          
Harris Corp.   67,900   $ 4,380  
QUALCOMM, Inc.   215,926     15,888  
Total         20,268  
             
Containers & Packaging 0.25%            
AptarGroup, Inc.   40,868     2,653  
Bemis Co., Inc.   63,211     2,467  
Total         5,120  
             
Distributors 0.40%            
Genuine Parts Co.   100,000     8,284  
             
Diversified Financial Services 0.46%            
McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.   129,194     9,625  
             
Diversified Telecommunication Services 1.66%            
AT&T, Inc.   981,764     34,568  
             
Electric: Utilities 3.45%            
NextEra Energy, Inc.   184,967     15,646  
Northeast Utilities   301,622     12,391  
PPL Corp.   558,569     17,154  
Southern Co. (The)   656,022     26,654  
Total         71,845  
             
Electrical Equipment 1.48%            
Emerson Electric Co.   458,488     30,714  
             
Energy Equipment & Services 0.33%            
Helmerich & Payne, Inc.   88,108     6,784  
             
Food & Staples Retailing 5.07%            
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.   997,571     80,813  
Walgreen Co.   414,819     24,558  
Total         105,371  
             
Food Products 1.44%            
Bunge Ltd.   199,471     15,982  
Flowers Foods, Inc.   201,500     4,378  
Hormel Foods Corp.   84,843     3,820  
McCormick & Co., Inc.   84,800     5,851  
Total         30,031  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 7
 

Schedule of Investments (continued)

November 30, 2013

 

Investments   Shares   Fair
Value
(000)
 
Gas Utilities 0.40%          
National Fuel Gas Co.   52,641   $ 3,552  
UGI Corp.   117,800     4,743  
Total         8,295  
             
Health Care Equipment & Supplies 4.29%            
Becton, Dickinson & Co.   212,780     23,106  
C.R. Bard, Inc.   142,097     19,734  
Medtronic, Inc.   494,703     28,356  
Stryker Corp.   242,700     18,062  
Total         89,258  
             
Health Care Providers & Services 1.15%            
Cardinal Health, Inc.   369,252     23,854  
             
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure 3.64%            
McDonald’s Corp.   777,126     75,669  
             
Household Durables 0.13%            
Leggett & Platt, Inc.   87,633     2,647  
             
Household Products 6.44%            
Colgate-Palmolive Co.   926,048     60,943  
Kimberly-Clark Corp.   466,215     50,892  
Procter & Gamble Co. (The)   260,977     21,980  
Total         133,815  
             
Industrial Conglomerates 4.15%            
3M Co.   624,410     83,365  
Carlisle Cos., Inc.   39,625     2,913  
Total         86,278  
             
Information Technology Services 3.49%            
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.   62,166     4,975  
International Business            
Machines Corp.   376,750     67,694  
Total         72,669  
             
Insurance 4.13%            
ACE Ltd. (Switzerland) (a)   377,221     38,771  
Aflac, Inc.   487,465     32,353  
Brown & Brown, Inc.   72,600     2,296  
Chubb Corp. (The)   48,100     4,639  

 

Investments   Shares   Fair
Value
(000)
 
Cincinnati Financial Corp.   39,575   $ 2,074  
HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.   62,035     2,852  
W.R. Berkley Corp.   68,278     2,990  
Total         85,975  
             
Leisure Equipment & Products 0.29%            
Polaris Industries, Inc.   45,609     6,087  
             
Machinery 5.48%            
Caterpillar, Inc.   657,205     55,599  
CLARCOR, Inc.   35,070     2,123  
Donaldson Co., Inc.   84,968     3,546  
Dover Corp.   26,100     2,368  
Graco, Inc.   47,931     3,702  
Illinois Tool Works, Inc.   162,688     12,947  
Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.   56,531     4,041  
Nordson Corp.   58,094     4,190  
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.   171,000     13,917  
Valmont Industries, Inc.   79,600     11,519  
Total         113,952  
             
Multi-Line Retail 1.99%            
Family Dollar Stores, Inc.   324,719     22,656  
Target Corp.   293,672     18,774  
Total         41,430  
             
Multi-Utilities 0.58%            
MDU Resources Group, Inc.   118,585     3,518  
SCANA Corp.   180,751     8,526  
Total         12,044  
             
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels 9.90%            
Chevron Corp.   294,562     36,066  
Energen Corp.   39,100     2,822  
EOG Resources, Inc.   179,317     29,587  
Exxon Mobil Corp.   404,083     37,774  
Murphy Oil Corp.   283,282     18,393  
Occidental Petroleum Corp.   855,197     81,210  
Total         205,852  

 

8 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Schedule of Investments (continued)

November 30, 2013

 

Investments   Shares   Fair
Value
(000)
 
Pharmaceuticals 5.29%          
AbbVie, Inc.   1,317,907   $ 63,852  
Johnson & Johnson   488,123     46,206  
Total         110,058  
             
Road & Rail 0.87%            
Norfolk Southern Corp.   207,518     18,197  
             
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment 0.36%            
Linear Technology Corp.   57,287     2,437  
Microchip Technology, Inc.   115,867     5,016  
Total         7,453  
             
Software 0.14%            
FactSet Research Systems,            
Inc.   24,960     2,821  
             
Specialty Retail 3.44%            
Lowe’s Cos., Inc.   462,575     21,963  
Ross Stores, Inc.   344,844     26,367  
TJX Cos., Inc. (The)   370,105     23,272  
Total         71,602  
             
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods 2.06%            
NIKE, Inc. Class B   236,110     18,686  
VF Corp.   103,016     24,165  
Total         42,851  
             
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance 0.15%            
People’s United Financial, Inc.   199,854     3,026  
             
Tobacco 1.00%            
Altria Group, Inc.   561,915     20,780  

 

Investments   Shares   Fair
Value
(000)
 
Trading Companies & Distributors 1.12%          
W.W. Grainger, Inc.   74,341   $ 19,174  
Watsco, Inc.   43,736     4,197  
Total         23,371  
             
Water Utilities 0.13%            
Aqua America, Inc.   108,811     2,619  
             
Wireless Telecommunication Services 0.10%            
Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.   73,621     2,047  
Total Common Stocks            
(cost $1,784,240,433)         2,064,661  
             
    Principal
Amount
(000)
       
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT 0.47%            
             
Repurchase Agreement            
Repurchase Agreement
dated 11/29/2013, Zero
Coupon due 12/2/2013
with Fixed Income Clearing
Corp. collateralized by
$9,495,000 of Federal Home
Loan Bank at 5.25% due
6/18/2014; value: $9,981,619;
proceeds: $9,782,749
(cost $9,782,749)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$9,783
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9,783
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total Investments in Securities 99.76%
(cost $1,794,023,182)
        2,074,444  
Cash and Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities (b) 0.24%         4,901  
Net Assets 100.00%       $ 2,079,345  

 

(a) Foreign security traded in U.S. dollars.
(b) Cash and Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities include net unrealized appreciation on futures contracts as follows on the next page:

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 9
 

Schedule of Investments (concluded)

November 30, 2013

 

Open Futures Contracts at November 30, 2013:

 

Type   Expiration   Contracts   Position     Fair Value     Unrealized
Appreciation
 
E-Mini S&P 500 Index   December 2013   91   Long     $8,208,655     $385,663  
                           

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of November 30, 2013 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value (1) :

 

Investment Type (2)(3)   Level 1
(000)
    Level 2
(000)
    Level 3
(000)
    Total
(000)
 
Common Stocks   $ 2,064,661     $       $–     $ 2,064,661  
Repurchase Agreement           9,783             9,783  
Total   $ 2,064,661     $ 9,783       $–     $ 2,074,444  
                                 
Other Financial Instruments                                
Futures Contracts                                
Assets   $ 386     $       $–     $ 386  
Liabilities                        
Total   $ 386     $       $–     $ 386  

 

(1) Refer to note 2(i) for a description of fair value measurements and the three-tier hierarchy of inputs.
(2) See Schedule of Investments for fair values in each industry and identification of foreign issuers and/or geography.
(3) There were no level transfers during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

10 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

This page is intentionally left blank.

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

November 30, 2013

 

ASSETS:      
Investments in securities, at fair value (cost $1,794,023,182)   $ 2,074,444,024  
Deposits with brokers for futures collateral     373,100  
Receivables:        
Investment securities sold     26,682,074  
Dividends     5,570,493  
Capital shares sold     2,784,398  
From advisor (See Note 3)     405,020  
Prepaid expenses and other assets     92,635  
Total assets     2,110,351,744  
LIABILITIES:        
Payables:        
Investment securities purchased     25,863,372  
Capital shares reacquired     2,746,571  
Management fee     1,085,101  
12b-1 distribution fees     591,027  
Directors’ fees     273,475  
Fund administration     68,196  
Variation margin     944  
Accrued expenses     377,637  
Total liabilities     31,006,323  
Net Assets   $ 2,079,345,421  
COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS:        
Paid-in capital   $ 1,751,013,657  
Undistributed net investment income     3,535,370  
Accumulated net realized gain on investments, futures contracts and foreign currency related transactions     43,989,090  
Net unrealized appreciation on investments, futures contracts and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies     280,807,304  
Net Assets   $ 2,079,345,421  

 

12 See Notes to Financial Statements.
 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (concluded)

November 30, 2013

 

Net assets by class:        
Class A Shares   $ 1,646,617,147  
Class B Shares   $ 43,235,159  
Class C Shares   $ 232,350,196  
Class F Shares   $ 96,398,378  
Class I Shares   $ 34,361,005  
Class P Shares   $ 2,355,292  
Class R2 Shares   $ 2,441,551  
Class R3 Shares   $ 21,586,693  
Outstanding shares by class:        
Class A Shares (300 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     105,773,343  
Class B Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     2,800,461  
Class C Shares (20 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     15,049,512  
Class F Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     6,196,125  
Class I Shares (100 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     2,194,289  
Class P Shares (20 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     150,814  
Class R2 Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     156,033  
Class R3 Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     1,390,968  
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share
(Net assets divided by outstanding shares):
       
Class A Shares-Net asset value     $15.57  
Class A Shares-Maximum offering price
(Net asset value plus sales charge of 5.75%)
    $16.52  
Class B Shares-Net asset value     $15.44  
Class C Shares-Net asset value     $15.44  
Class F Shares-Net asset value     $15.56  
Class I Shares-Net asset value     $15.66  
Class P Shares-Net asset value     $15.62  
Class R2 Shares-Net asset value     $15.65  
Class R3 Shares-Net asset value     $15.52  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 13
 

Statement of Operations

For the Year Ended November 30, 2013

 

Investment income:        
Dividends   $ 30,664,627  
Interest     394  
Total investment income     30,665,021  
Expenses:        
Management fee     8,574,507  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class A     2,493,783  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class B     289,757  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class C     1,025,387  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class F     43,916  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class P     6,469  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class R2     2,323  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class R3     25,546  
Shareholder servicing     1,475,656  
Fund administration     475,330  
Registration     119,656  
Reports to shareholders     117,128  
Custody     91,631  
Professional     65,666  
Directors’ fees     39,729  
Other     41,115  
Gross expenses     14,887,599  
Expense reductions (See Note 8)     (1,160 )
Management fee waived (See Note 3)     (3,869,304 )
Net expenses     11,017,135  
Net investment income     19,647,886  
Net realized and unrealized gain:        
Net realized gain on investments, futures contracts and foreign currency related transactions     107,366,696  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, futures contracts and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies     139,884,012  
Net realized and unrealized gain     247,250,708  
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting From Operations   $ 266,898,594  

 

14 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS   For the Year Ended
November 30, 2013
  For the Year Ended
November 30, 2012
 
Operations:              
Net investment income   $ 19,647,886   $ 23,942,336  
Net realized gain on investments, futures contracts and foreign currency related transactions     107,366,696     153,162,034  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, futures contracts and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies     139,884,012     (40,266,513 )
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations     266,898,594     136,837,857  
Distributions to shareholders from:              
Net investment income              
Class A     (22,898,774 )   (24,704,883 )
Class B     (511,054 )   (769,658 )
Class C     (1,473,734 )   (1,225,364 )
Class F     (828,581 )   (326,769 )
Class I     (174,137 )   (597,765 )
Class P     (33,659 )   (47,633 )
Class R2     (5,122 )   (2,817 )
Class R3     (100,195 )   (90,373 )
Total distributions to shareholders     (26,025,256 )   (27,765,262 )
Capital share transactions (Net of share conversions) (See Note 12):              
Net proceeds from sales of shares     439,706,623     146,642,458  
Net proceeds from reorganizations (See Note 13)     650,352,193      
Reinvestment of distributions     25,046,233     27,051,584  
Cost of shares reacquired     (241,730,526 )   (427,231,118 )
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from capital share transactions     873,374,523     (253,537,076 )
Net increase (decrease) in net assets     1,114,247,861     (144,464,481 )
NET ASSETS:              
Beginning of year   $ 965,097,560   $ 1,109,562,041  
End of year   $ 2,079,345,421   $ 965,097,560  
Undistributed net investment income   $ 3,535,370   $ 10,010,383  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 15
 

Financial Highlights

 

    Class A Shares
    Year Ended 11/30
    2013   2012   2011   2010   2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year   $12.66   $11.43   $11.26   $10.35   $ 8.66  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .24     .29     .29     .28     .34  
Net realized and unrealized gain     3.00     1.27     .17     .93     1.72  
Total from investment operations     3.24     1.56     .46     1.21     2.06  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.33 )   (.33 )   (.29 )   (.30 )   (.37 )
Net asset value, end of year   $15.57   $12.66   $11.43   $11.26   $10.35  
Total Return (b)     26.09 %   13.77 %   4.03 %   11.90 %   24.58 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived     .85 %   1.23 %   1.30 %   1.31 %   1.37 %
Expenses, including expense reductions and management fee waived     .85 %   1.23 %   1.30 %   1.31 %   1.37 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and management fee waived     1.18 %   1.31 %   1.30 %   1.31 %   1.37 %
Net investment income     1.73 %   2.33 %   2.45 %   2.64 %   3.66 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)   $ 1,646,617   $ 848,026   $ 898,508   $ 933,371   $ 974,791  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)   102.89 %   22.87 %   29.52 %   52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

16 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class B Shares
    Year Ended 11/30
    2013   2012   2011   2010   2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year   $12.55   $11.33   $11.16   $10.26   $ 8.59  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .14     .20     .21     .21     .27  
Net realized and unrealized gain     2.97     1.26     .17     .92     1.71  
Total from investment operations     3.11     1.46     .38     1.13     1.98  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.22 )   (.24 )   (.21 )   (.23 )   (.31 )
Net asset value, end of year   $15.44   $12.55   $11.33   $11.16   $10.26  
Total Return (b)     25.14 %   13.04 %   3.36 %   11.17 %   23.75 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived     1.60 %   1.90 %   1.95 %   1.96 %   2.02 %
Expenses, including expense reductions and management fee waived     1.60 %   1.90 %   1.95 %   1.96 %   2.02 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and management fee waived     1.93 %   1.98 %   1.95 %   1.96 %   2.02 %
Net investment income     1.00 %   1.67 %   1.78 %   1.99 %   3.00 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)   $ 43,235   $ 31,891   $ 39,643   $ 48,714   $ 53,941  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)   102.89 %   22.87 %   29.52 %   52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 17
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class C Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
    2013   2012   2011   2010   2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year   $12.57   $11.35   $11.18   $10.28   $ 8.60  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .14     .20     .21     .21     .28  
Net realized and unrealized gain     2.97     1.27     .17     .92     1.71  
Total from investment operations     3.11     1.47     .38     1.13     1.99  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.24 )   (.25 )   (.21 )   (.23 )   (.31 )
Net asset value, end of year   $15.44   $12.57   $11.35   $11.18   $10.28  
Total Return (b)     25.14 %   13.06 %   3.39 %   11.15 %   23.82 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and including
management fee waived
    1.60 %   1.88 %   1.94 %   1.96 %   2.02 %
Expenses, including expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    1.60 %   1.88 %   1.94 %   1.96 %   2.02 %
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    1.91 %   1.98 %   1.95 %   1.96 %   2.02 %
Net investment income     .97 %   1.67 %   1.82 %   1.99 %   3.02 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)   $ 232,350   $ 61,096   $ 57,695   $ 56,383   $ 59,267  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)   102.89 %   22.87 %   29.52 %   52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

18 See Notes to Financial Statements.
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class F Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
    2013   2012   2011   2010   2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year   $12.65   $11.43   $11.25   $10.34   $ 8.65  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .27     .31     .32     .31     .34  
Net realized and unrealized gain     2.99     1.27     .18     .93     1.75  
Total from investment operations     3.26     1.58     .50     1.24     2.09  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.35 )   (.36 )   (.32 )   (.33 )   (.40 )
Net asset value, end of year   $15.56   $12.65   $11.43   $11.25   $10.34  
Total Return (b)     26.31 %   13.97 %   4.39 %   12.09 %   25.05 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and including
management fee waived
    .70 %   .98 %   1.05 %   1.06 %   1.11 %
Expenses, including expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    .70 %   .98 %   1.05 %   1.06 %   1.11 %
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    1.02 %   1.08 %   1.06 %   1.06 %   1.11 %
Net investment income     1.86 %   2.57 %   2.70 %   2.91 %   3.66 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)   $ 96,398   $ 14,857   $ 8,251   $ 7,395   $ 4,238  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)   102.89 %   22.87 %   29.52 %   52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 19
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

      Class I Shares  
            Year Ended 11/30        
    2013   2012   2011   2010   2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year   $12.73   $11.50   $11.33   $10.41   $ 8.70  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .30     .30     .32     .32     .36  
Net realized and unrealized gain     3.00     1.30     .18     .94     1.75  
Total from investment operations     3.30     1.60     .50     1.26     2.11  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.37 )   (.37 )   (.33 )   (.34 )   (.40 )
Net asset value, end of year   $15.66   $12.73   $11.50   $11.33   $10.41  
Total Return (b)     26.41 %   14.08 %   4.37 %   12.33 %   25.13 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and including
management fee waived
    .60 %   .97 %   .95 %   .96 %   1.01 %
Expenses, including expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    .60 %   .97 %   .95 %   .96 %   1.01 %
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    .92 %   .98 %   .95 %   .96 %   1.01 %
Net investment income     2.06 %   2.54 %   2.72 %   2.98 %   3.91 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)   $34,361   $ 3,497   $100,317   $337,978   $309,336  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)   102.89 %   22.87 %   29.52 %   52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

20 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class P Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
    2013   2012   2011   2010   2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year   $12.70   $11.46   $11.29   $10.38   $ 8.68  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .22     .27     .28     .27     .33  
Net realized and unrealized gain     3.00     1.28     .16     .93     1.73  
Total from investment operations     3.22     1.55     .44     1.20     2.06  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.30 )   (.31 )   (.27 )   (.29 )   (.36 )
Net asset value, end of year   $15.62   $12.70   $11.46   $11.29   $10.38  
Total Return (b)     25.81 %   13.60 %   4.00 %   11.75 %   24.52 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and including
management fee waived
    1.05 %   1.35 %   1.40 %   1.41 %   1.46 %
Expenses, including expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    1.05 %   1.35 %   1.40 %   1.41 %   1.46 %
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    1.38 %   1.43 %   1.41 %   1.41 %   1.46 %
Net investment income     1.55 %   2.22 %   2.35 %   2.54 %   3.54 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)   $ 2,355   $ 1,638   $ 1,910   $ 2,191   $ 2,906  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)   102.89 %   22.87 %   29.52 %   52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 21
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class R2 Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
    2013   2012   2011   2010   2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year   $12.73   $11.49   $11.31   $10.40   $8.70  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .23     .26     .28     .26     .31  
Net realized and unrealized gain     2.98     1.28     .15     .92     1.75  
Total from investment operations     3.21     1.54     .43     1.18     2.06  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.29 )   (.30 )   (.25 )   (.27 )   (.36 )
Net asset value, end of year   $15.65   $12.73   $11.49   $11.31   $10.40  
Total Return (b)     25.64 %   13.46 %   3.90 %   11.56 %   24.47 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and including
management fee waived
    1.20 %   1.46 %   1.54 %   1.55 %   1.49 %
Expenses, including expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    1.20 %   1.46 %   1.54 %   1.55 %   1.49 %
Expenses, excluding expense
reductions and management
fee waived
    1.52 %   1.55 %   1.55 %   1.56 %   1.49 %
Net investment income     1.57 %   2.10 %   2.43 %   2.39 %   3.34 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)   $ 2,442   $ 112   $ 103   $ 30   $ 29  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)   102.89 %   22.87 %   29.52 %   52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

22 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (concluded)

 

      Class R3 Shares
      Year Ended 11/30
    2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                        
Net asset value, beginning of year     $12.62       $11.40       $11.24       $10.33       $ 8.65  
Investment operations:                                        
Net investment income (a)     .22       .26       .28       .27       .29  
Net realized and unrealized gain     2.98       1.27       .15       .93       1.76  
Total from investment operations     3.20       1.53       .43       1.20       2.05  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                        
Net investment income     (.30 )     (.31 )     (.27 )     (.29 )     (.37 )
Net asset value, end of year     $15.52       $12.62       $11.40       $11.24       $10.33  
Total Return (b)     25.79 %     13.57 %     3.91 %     11.73 %     24.46 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                        
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived     1.10 %     1.38 %     1.45 %     1.45 %     1.50 %
Expenses, including expense reductions and management fee waived     1.10 %     1.38 %     1.45 %     1.45 %     1.50 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and management fee waived     1.42 %     1.48 %     1.45 %     1.46 %     1.50 %
Net investment income     1.57 %     2.15 %     2.35 %     2.49 %     3.03 %
                                         
Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000)   $21,587     $3,980     $3,135     $2,116     $341  
Portfolio turnover rate     54.87 % (c)     102.89 %     22.87 %     29.52 %     52.24 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.
(c) Excludes purchases and sales of securities in connection with the acquisition of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund on November 22, 2013.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 23
 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1. ORGANIZATION

 

Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), as a diversified, open-end management investment company and was incorporated under Maryland law on April 6, 1992. The Company currently consists of three separate funds. This report covers one of the funds and its classes: Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund (the “Fund”).

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek current income and capital appreciation. The Fund has eight classes of shares: Class A, B, C, F, I, P, R2 and R3, each with different expenses and dividends. A front-end sales charge is normally added to the net asset value (“NAV”) for Class A shares. There is no front-end sales charge in the case of Class B, C, F, I, P, R2 and R3 shares, although there may be a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) in certain cases as follows: Class A shares purchased without a sales charge and redeemed before the first day of the month in which the one-year anniversary of the purchase falls (subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus); Class B shares redeemed before the sixth anniversary of purchase; and Class C shares redeemed before the first anniversary of purchase. Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares on the 25th day of the month (or, if the 25th day is not a business day, the next business day thereafter) following the eighth anniversary of the day on which the purchase order was accepted. The Fund no longer issues Class B shares for purchase. The Fund’s Class P shares are closed to substantially all investors, with certain exceptions as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus.

 

On November 22, 2013, Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund acquired the net assets of Lord Abbett Classic Stock Fund (“Classic Stock Fund”), which was another fund managed by the Company. Refer to Note 13 Reorganization for additional information.

 

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

(a) Investment Valuation– Under procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”), the Fund’s investment manager, has formed a Pricing Committee to administer the pricing and valuation of portfolio investments and to ensure that prices utilized reasonably reflect fair value. Among other things, these procedures allow the Fund to utilize independent pricing services, quotations from securities and financial instrument dealers and other market sources to determine fair value.
   
  Securities actively traded on any recognized U.S. or non-U.S. exchange or on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC are valued at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange or system on which they are principally traded. Events occurring after the close of trading on non-U.S. exchanges may result in adjustments to the valuation of foreign securities to reflect their fair value as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange LLC. The Fund may rely on an independent fair valuation service in adjusting the valuations of foreign securities. Unlisted equity securities are valued at the last quoted sale price or, if no sale price is available, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices. Exchange

 

24

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

  traded options and futures contracts are valued at the last sale price in the market where they are principally traded. If no sale has occurred, the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices is used.
   
  Securities for which prices are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined by the Pricing Committee and approved by the Board. The Pricing Committee considers a number of factors, including observable and unobservable inputs, when arriving at fair value. The Pricing Committee may use related or comparable assets or liabilities, recent transactions, market multiples, book values and other relevant information to determine fair value of portfolio investments. The Board or a designated committee thereof regularly reviews fair value determinations made by the Pricing Committee and employs techniques such as reviewing related market activity, reviewing inputs and assumptions, and retrospectively comparing prices of subsequent purchases and sales transactions to fair value determinations made by the Pricing Committee.
   
  Short-term securities with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are valued using the amortized cost method, which approximates fair value.
   
(b) Security Transactions– Security transactions are recorded as of the date that the securities are purchased or sold (trade date). Realized gains and losses on sales of portfolio securities are calculated using the identified-cost method. Realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day.
   
(c) Investment Income– Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis as earned. Discounts are accreted and premiums are amortized using the effective interest method and are included in Interest income on the Statement of Operations. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends have been provided for in accordance with the applicable country’s tax rules and rates. Investment income is allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day.
   
(d) Income Taxes– It is the policy of the Fund to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all taxable income and capital gains to its shareholders. Therefore, no income tax provision is required.
   
  The Fund files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The statute of limitations on the Fund’s filed U.S. federal tax returns remains open for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2010 through November 30, 2013. The statutes of limitations on the Company’s state and local tax returns may remain open for an additional year depending upon the jurisdiction.
   
(e) Expenses– Expenses incurred by the Company that do not specifically relate to an individual fund are generally allocated to the funds within the Company on a pro rata basis by relative net assets. Expenses, excluding class-specific expenses, are allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day. Class A, B, C, F, P, R2 and R3 shares bear their class-specific share of all expenses and fees relating to the Fund’s 12b-1 Distribution Plan.
   
(f) Foreign Transactions– The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars and transactions denominated in foreign currencies are recorded in the Fund’s records at the rate

 

25

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

  prevailing when earned or recorded. Asset and liability accounts that are denominated in foreign currencies are adjusted daily to reflect current exchange rates and any unrealized gain (loss) is included in Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, futures contracts and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. The resultant exchange gains and losses upon settlement of such transactions are included in Net realized gain on investments, futures contracts and foreign currency related transactions on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations arising as a result of changes in the foreign exchange rates from the changes in market prices of the securities.
   
  The Fund uses foreign currency exchange contracts to facilitate transactions in foreign-denominated securities. Losses from these transactions may arise from changes in the value of the foreign currency or if the counterparties do not perform under the contracts’ terms.
   
(g) Futures Contracts– The Fund may purchase and sell index futures contracts to manage cash, or as a substitute position for holding the underlying asset on which the instrument is based. At the time of entering into a futures transaction, an investor is required to deposit and maintain a specified amount of cash or eligible securities called “initial margin.” Subsequent payments made or received by the Fund called “variation margin” are made on a daily basis as the market price of the futures contract fluctuates. The Fund will record an unrealized gain (loss) based on the amount of variation margin. When a contract is closed, a realized gain (loss) is recorded equal to the difference between the opening and closing value of the contract. As of November 30, 2013, the Fund had open futures contracts.
   
(h) Repurchase Agreements– The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to securities. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which a fund acquires a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller (a bank or securities dealer) at an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon date. The Fund requires at all times that the repurchase agreement be collateralized by cash, or by securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies, its instrumentalities, or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises having a value equal to, or in excess of, the value of the repurchase agreement (including accrued interest). If the seller of the agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the fair value of these securities has declined, the Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the securities.
   
(i) Fair Value Measurements– Fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment or transferring a liability in an orderly transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. A three-tier hierarchy is used to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk—for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value (such as a pricing model) and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Observable inputs are 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. Unobservable inputs are based on the best information available in the circumstances.

 

26

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

  The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad Levels listed below:

 

  Level 1 –  unadjusted 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.); and
  Level 3 –  significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

  A summary of inputs used in valuing the Fund’s investments and other financial instruments as of November 30, 2013 and, if applicable, Level 1/Level 2 transfers and Level 3 rollforwards for the fiscal year then ended is included in the Fund’s Schedule of Investments.
   
  Changes in valuation techniques may result in transfers into or out of an assigned level within the three-tier hierarchy. All transfers between different levels within the three-tier hierarchy are deemed to have occurred as of the beginning of the reporting period. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

3. MANAGEMENT FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

 

Management Fee

 

The Company has a management agreement with Lord Abbett, pursuant to which Lord Abbett supplies the Fund with investment management services and executive and other personnel, provides office space and pays for ordinary and necessary office and clerical expenses relating to research and statistical work and supervision of the Fund’s investment portfolio.

 

The management fee is based on the Fund’s average daily net assets at the following annual rate:

 

    Effective
October 1, 2013
    Prior to
October 1, 2013
 
First $1 billion   .65 %   .75 %
Next $1 billion   .60 %   .70 %
Over $2 billion   .55 %   .65 %

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the effective management fee, net of waivers, was at an annualized rate of .40% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

In addition, Lord Abbett provides certain administrative services to the Fund pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement in return for a fee at an annual rate of .04% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 and continuing through March 31, 2015, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, waive all or a portion of its administrative fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund’s other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses for each class, excluding 12b-1 fees, do not exceed an annual rate of 0.60%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Board.

 

12b-1 Distribution Plan

The Fund has adopted a distribution plan with respect to Class A, B, C, F, P, R2 and R3 shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act, which provides for the payment of ongoing distribution and service fees to Lord Abbett Distributor LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of Lord Abbett. The following annual rates have been approved by the Board pursuant to the plan:

 

27

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

Fees*   Class A   Class B   Class C   Class F   Class P   Class R2   Class R3
Service   .25 %   .25 %   .25 %       .25 %   .25 %   .25 %
Distribution       .75 %   .75 %   .10 %   .20 %   .35 %   .25 %

 

* The Fund may designate a portion of the aggregate fee as attributable to service activities for purposes of calculating Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) sales charge limitations.

 

Class I shares do not have a distribution plan.

 

Commissions

Distributor received the following commissions on sales of shares of the Fund, after concessions were paid to authorized dealers, for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013:

 

Distributor
Commissions
  Dealers’
Concessions
$724,433   $3,925,494

 

Distributor received CDSCs of $13,467 and $5,716 for Class A and Class C shares, respectively, for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

A Director and certain of the Fund’s officers have an interest in Lord Abbett.

 

4. DISTRIBUTIONS AND CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS

 

Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least quarterly. Taxable net realized gains from investment transactions, reduced by allowable capital loss carryforwards, if any, are declared and distributed to shareholders at least annually. The capital loss carryforward amount, if any, is available to offset future net capital gains. Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amounts of dividends and distributions from net investment income and net realized capital gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These book/tax differences are either considered temporary or permanent in nature. To the extent these differences are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the components of net assets based on their federal tax basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassification. Dividends and distributions, which exceed earnings and profits for tax purposes, are reported as a tax return of capital.

 

Subsequent to the Fund’s fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, a long-term capital gain distribution of approximately $47,547,000 was declared by the Fund on December 11, 2013. The distribution was paid on December 18, 2013 to shareholders of record on December 17, 2013.

 

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 was as follows:

 

    Year Ended
11/30/2013
  Year Ended
11/30/2012
Distributions paid from:    
Ordinary income   $26,025,256   $27,765,262
Total distributions paid   $26,025,256   $27,765,262

 

28

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

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

 

Undistributed ordinary income - net   $ 3,808,845  
Undistributed long-term capital gains   $ 47,534,383  
Total undistributed earnings   $ 51,343,228  
Temporary differences     (273,475 )
Unrealized gains - net     277,262,011  
Total accumulated gains - net   $ 328,331,764  

 

As of November 30, 2013, the aggregate unrealized security gains and losses based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

Tax cost   $ 1,797,182,812  
Gross unrealized gain     289,734,805  
Gross unrealized loss     (12,473,593 )
Net unrealized security gain   $ 277,261,212  

 

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis unrealized gains (losses) is attributable to the tax treatment of wash sales.

 

Permanent items identified during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 have been reclassified among the components of net assets based on their tax basis treatment as follows:

 

Undistributed Net
Investment Income
  Accumulated
Net Realized
Gain
 
$21,051   $(21,051 )

 

The permanent differences are primarily attributable to the tax treatment of certain distributions received.

 

5. PORTFOLIO SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS

 

Purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 were as follows:

 

Purchases   Sales
$873,058,441   $669,400,117

 

There were no purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

6. DISCLOSURES ABOUT DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

 

The Fund entered into E-Mini S&P 500 Index futures contracts for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 (as described in note 2(g)) to manage cash. The Fund bears the risk that the underlying index will move unexpectedly, in which case the Fund may realize a loss. There is minimal counterparty credit risk to the Fund since futures are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as counterparty to all exchange traded futures, guarantees futures against default.

 

Realized gains of $212,399 and unrealized appreciation of $385,663 are included on the Statement of Operations related to futures contracts under the captions Net realized gain on investments, futures contracts and foreign currency related transactions and Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, futures contracts and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, respectively. The average number of futures contracts throughout the period was 25.

 

29

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

7. DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION

 

The Company’s officers and a Director, who are associated with Lord Abbett, do not receive any compensation from the Company for serving in such capacities. Independent Directors’ fees are allocated among all Lord Abbett-sponsored funds based on the net assets of each fund. There is an equity-based plan available to all Independent Directors under which Independent Directors must defer receipt of a portion of, and may elect to defer receipt of an additional portion of Directors’ fees. The deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in the funds. Such amounts and earnings accrued thereon are included in Directors’ fees on the Statement of Operations and in Directors’ fees payable on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and are not deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes until such amounts are paid.

 

8. EXPENSE REDUCTIONS

 

The Company has entered into an arrangement with its transfer agent and custodian, whereby credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances are used to reduce a portion of the Fund’s expenses.

 

9. LINE OF CREDIT

 

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund and certain other funds managed by Lord Abbett (the “participating funds”) participated in an unsecured revolving credit facility (“Facility”) with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“SSB”). The Facility is to be used for temporary or emergency purposes as an additional source of liquidity to fund redemptions of investor shares. The Board considers annual renewal of the Facility under terms that depend on market conditions at the time of the renewal. The amounts available under the Facility are (i) the lesser of either $250,000,000 or 33.33% of total assets per participating fund and (ii) $350,000,000 in the aggregate for all participating funds. The annual fee to maintain the Facility is .09% of the amount available under the Facility. Each participating fund pays its pro rata share based on the net assets of each participating fund. This amount is included in Other expenses on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. Any borrowings under this Facility will bear interest at current market rates as set forth in the credit agreement.

 

Effective July 1, 2013, the Fund and participating funds renewed the Facility through June 30, 2014 under the same terms as described above.

 

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, a participating fund also managed by Lord Abbett utilized the Facility and fully repaid its borrowings on June 13, 2013. As of November 30, 2013, there were no loans outstanding pursuant to this Facility.

 

10. CUSTODIAN AND ACCOUNTING AGENT

 

SSB is the Company’s custodian and accounting agent. SSB performs custodial, accounting and recordkeeping functions relating to portfolio transactions and calculating the Fund’s NAV.

 

30

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

11. INVESTMENT RISKS  

 

The Fund is subject to the general risks and considerations associated with equity investing. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities of large and mid-sized company stocks that have a history of growing their dividends, but there is no guarantee that a company will pay a dividend. The value of the Fund’s investments in equity securities will fluctuate in response to general economic conditions and to the changes in the prospects of particular companies and/or sectors in the economy. If the Fund’s fundamental research and quantitative analysis fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform its benchmark or other funds with the same investment objective or similar strategies, even in a risking market.

 

Large and mid-sized company stocks each may perform differently than the market as a whole and other types of stocks. This is because different types of stocks tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions. Mid-sized company stocks may be less able to weather economic shifts or other adverse developments than those of larger, more established companies.

 

The Fund’s exposure to foreign companies and markets presents increased market, liquidity, currency, political and other risks.

 

These factors can affect the Fund’s performance.

 

12. SUMMARY OF CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS   

 

Transactions in shares of capital stock were as follows:

 

          Year Ended           Year Ended  
    November 30, 2013     November 30, 2012  
Class A Shares   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  
Shares sold     18,776,456     $ 265,167,284       9,786,518     $ 119,298,611  
Converted from Class B*     647,078       9,035,149       443,964       5,481,067  
Reinvestment of distributions     1,693,594       22,571,926       2,017,555       24,395,455  
Shares reacquired     (13,920,362 )     (194,884,921 )     (23,862,375 )     (294,327,940 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    31,586,334       493,694,394              
Increase (decrease)     38,783,100     $ 595,583,832       (11,614,338 )   $ (145,152,807 )
                                 
Class B Shares                                
Shares sold     117,606     $ 1,630,353       132,932     $ 1,591,225  
Reinvestment of distributions     38,359       496,541       62,397       746,199  
Shares reacquired     (398,516 )     (5,502,368 )     (704,111 )     (8,576,564 )
Converted to Class A*     (652,456 )     (9,035,149 )     (447,770 )     (5,481,067 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    1,154,451       17,893,987              
Increase (decrease)     259,444     $ 5,483,364       (956,552 )   $ (11,720,207 )
                                 
Class C Shares                                
Shares sold     6,626,070     $ 93,835,239       1,023,093     $ 12,467,625  
Reinvestment of distributions     89,325       1,188,324       80,045       961,424  
Shares reacquired     (1,156,378 )     (16,238,713 )     (1,323,484 )     (16,061,981 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    4,629,695       71,760,278              
Increase (decrease)     10,188,712     $ 150,545,128       (220,346 )   $ (2,632,932 )

 

31

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

          Year Ended           Year Ended  
    November 30, 2013     November 30, 2012  
Class F Shares   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  
Shares sold     4,925,079     $ 69,448,973       799,173     $ 9,734,827  
Reinvestment of distributions     46,803       642,930       21,868       266,301  
Shares reacquired     (1,549,935 )     (22,035,211 )     (368,922 )     (4,489,802 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    1,599,938       24,991,028              
Increase     5,021,885     $ 73,047,720       452,119     $ 5,511,326  
                                 
Class I Shares                                
Shares sold     482,888     $ 6,713,487       169,278     $ 2,129,225  
Reinvestment of distributions     821       11,823       47,277       543,683  
Shares reacquired     (69,203 )     (1,020,073 )     (8,664,123 )     (102,242,419 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    1,505,148       23,660,924              
Increase (decrease)     1,919,654     $ 29,366,161       (8,447,568 )   $ (99,569,511 )
                                 
Class P Shares                                
Shares sold     11,690     $ 167,117       17,479     $ 214,388  
Reinvestment of distributions     2,546       33,659       3,935       47,633  
Shares reacquired     (56,859 )     (786,499 )     (59,024 )     (724,221 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    64,410       1,009,958              
Increase (decrease)     21,787     $ 424,235       (37,610 )   $ (462,200 )
                                 
Class R2 Shares                                
Shares sold     24,958     $ 339,790       3,413     $ 41,890  
Reinvestment of distributions     70       968       56       679  
Shares reacquired     (3,880 )     (55,182 )     (3,601 )     (43,946 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    126,070       1,980,559              
Increase (decrease)     147,218     $ 2,266,135       (132 )   $ (1,377 )
                                 
Class R3 Shares                                
Shares sold     168,776     $ 2,404,380       95,790     $ 1,164,667  
Reinvestment of distributions     7,535       100,062       7,458       90,210  
Shares reacquired     (86,563 )     (1,207,559 )     (62,854 )     (764,245 )
Shares issued in reorganization
(See Note 13)
    985,948       15,361,065              
Increase     1,075,696     $ 16,657,948       40,394     $ 490,632  

 

* Automatic conversion of Class B shares occurs on the 25th day of the month (or, if the 25th is not a business day, the next business day thereafter) following the eighth anniversary of the day on which the purchase order was accepted.

 

13. REORGANIZATION  

 

As of the close of business on November 22, 2013, the Fund acquired the net assets of Classic Stock Fund pursuant to a plan of reorganization approved by Classic Stock Fund’s shareholders on November 8, 2013. The reorganization permitted Classic Stock Fund shareholders to pursue a substantially similar investment goal, but as part of a larger fund with a lower expense ratio. The

 

32

 

Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)

 

acquisition was accomplished by a tax-free exchange whereas holders of 23,633,500 shares of Classic Stock Fund outstanding on November 22, 2013 received 41,651,994 shares (valued at $650,352,193) of the Fund. Classic Stock Fund’s net assets at the date of the acquisition, including $115,759,472 of unrealized appreciation, $118,694 of distributions in excess of net investment income, and $1,160,711 of accumulated net realized losses, were combined with those of the Fund. The cost basis of securities received from Classic Stock Fund was carried forward.

 

The total net assets of the Fund immediately before the transfer were $1,436,419,664. Total net assets of Classic Stock Fund immediately before the transfer were $650,352,193. Total net assets of the Fund immediately after the transfer were $2,086,771,857.

 

The following table illustrates share conversion ratios of the reorganization on November 22, 2013:

 

  Conversion
Class Ratio
A 1.777153
B 1.684206
C 1.684265
F 1.767125
I 1.767131
P 1.790855
R2 1.756423
R3 1.758074

 

Had the acquisition been completed on December 1, 2012, the beginning of the Fund’s current reporting period, the Fund’s condensed pro forma results of operations for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 would be as follows:

 

Net investment income $ 28,148,727
Net realized and unrealized gain   530,422,952
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations   558,571,679

 

The combined investment portfolios have been managed as a single integrated portfolio since the acquisition was completed. Revenue and earnings of Classic Stock Fund’s portfolio holdings have been included in the Fund’s Statement of Operations since the date of acquisition.

 

14. RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARD  

 

In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011–11 “Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” (“ASU 2011–11”). This disclosure requirement is intended to help investors and other financial statement users better assess the effect or potential effect of offsetting arrangements on a fund’s financial position. ASU 2011–11 requires entities to disclose both gross and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of assets and liabilities; and disclose instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting agreement. In addition, in January 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013–01 “Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” (“ASU 2013–01”), specifying exactly which transactions are subject to disclosures about offsetting. ASU 2011–11 and ASU 2013–01 are effective for public entities for interim and annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013. Management is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU 2011–11 and ASU 2013–01 will have on the Fund’s financial statement disclosures.

 

33

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. and the Shareholders of Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund:

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the schedule of investments, of the Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund, one of the three funds constituting the Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) 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 two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Company’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. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2013, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; where replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, such financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund of the Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. as of November 30, 2013, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
New York, New York
January 29, 2014

 

34

 

Basic Information About Management

 

The Board is responsible for the management of the business and affairs of the Company in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board. The Board also approves an investment adviser to the Fund and continues to monitor the cost and quality of the services the investment adviser provides, and annually considers whether to renew the contract with the adviser. Generally, each Director holds office until his/her successor is elected and qualified or until his/her earlier resignation or removal, as provided in the Company’s organizational documents.

 

Lord Abbett, a Delaware limited liability company, is the Company’s investment adviser. Designated Lord Abbett personnel are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

 

Interested Director

Ms. Foster is affiliated with Lord Abbett and is an “interested person” of the Company as defined in the Act. Ms. Foster is a director/trustee and officer of each of the 12 Lord Abbett-sponsored funds, which consist of 55 portfolios or series.

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
Daria L. Foster
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1954)
  Director and President since 2006; Chief Executive Officer since 2012     Principal Occupation: Managing Partner of Lord Abbett (since 2007), and was formerly Director of Marketing and Client Service, joined Lord Abbett in 1990.
        Other Directorships: None.

 

 

 

Independent Directors

The following Independent Directors also are directors/trustees of each of the 12 Lord Abbett-sponsored funds, which consist of 55 portfolios or series.

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
E. Thayer Bigelow
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1941)
  Director since 1996; Chairman since 2013   Principal Occupation: Managing General Partner, Bigelow Media, LLC (since 2000); Senior Adviser, Time Warner Inc. (1998 – 2000).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Crane Co. (since 1984) and Huttig Building Products Inc. (since 1998). Previously served as a director of R.H. Donnelley Inc. (2009 – 2010).
         
Robert B. Calhoun, Jr.
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1942)
  Director since 1998   Principal Occupation: Senior Advisor of Monitor Clipper Partners, a private equity investment fund (since 1997); President of Clipper Asset Management Corp. (1991 – 2009).

Other Directorships: Previously served as a director of Interstate Bakeries Corp. (1991 – 2008).

 

35

 

Basic Information About Management (continued)

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
Evelyn E. Guernsey
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1955)
  Director since 2011   Principal Occupation: CEO, Americas of J.P. Morgan Asset Management (2004 – 2010).

Other Directorships: None.
         
Julie A. Hill
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1946)
  Director since 2004   Principal Occupation: Owner and CEO of The Hill Company, a business consulting firm (since 1998).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of WellPoint, Inc., a health benefits company (since 1994). Previously served as a director of Lend Lease Corporation Limited, an international retail and residential property group (2006 – 2012).
         
Franklin W. Hobbs
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2001   Principal Occupation: Advisor of One Equity Partners, a private equity firm (since 2004).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director and Chairman of the Board of Ally Financial Inc., a financial services firm (since 2009), and as director of Molson Coors Brewing Company (since 2002).
         
James M. McTaggart
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2012   Principal Occupation: Independent management advisor and consultant (since 2012); Vice President, CRA International, Inc. (doing business as Charles River Associates), a global management consulting firm (2009 – 2012); Founder and Chairman of Marakon Associates, Inc., a strategy consulting firm (1978 – 2009); and Officer and Director of Trinsum Group, a holding company (2007 – 2009).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Blyth, Inc., a home products company (since 2004).
         
James L.L. Tullis
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2006   Principal Occupation: CEO of Tullis-Dickerson and Co. Inc., a venture capital management firm (since 1990); CEO of Tullis Health Investors Inc. (since 2012).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Crane Co. (since 1998). Previously served as a director of Synageva BioPharma Corp., a biopharmaceutical company (2009 – 2011).

 

 

 

Officers

None of the officers listed below have received compensation from the Company. All of the officers of the Company also may be officers of the other Lord Abbett-sponsored funds and maintain offices at 90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Unless otherwise indicated, the position(s) and title(s) listed under the “Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years” column indicate each officer’s position(s) and title(s) with Lord Abbett.

 

36

 

Basic Information About Management (continued)

 

Name and
Year of Birth
  Current Position
with the Company
  Length of Service
of Current
Position
  Principal Occupation
During the Past Five Years
Daria L. Foster
(1954)
  President and Chief Executive Officer   Elected as President in 2006 and Chief Executive Officer in 2012   Managing Partner of Lord Abbett (since 2007), and was formerly Director of Marketing and Client Service, joined Lord Abbett in 1990.
             
Robert I. Gerber
(1954)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2007   Partner and Chief Investment Officer (since 2007), joined Lord Abbett in 1997 as Director of Taxable Fixed Income Management.
             
Thomas B. Maher
(1967)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2013   Partner and Portfolio Manager, joined Lord Abbett in 2003.
             
Justin C. Maurer
(1969)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2013   Partner and Portfolio Manager, joined Lord Abbett in 2001.
             
Walter H. Prahl
(1958)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2012   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.
             
Frederick J. Ruvkun
(1957)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2012   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 2006.
             
Paul J. Volovich
(1973)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2004   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.
             

Joan A. Binstock
(1954)

  Chief Financial Officer and Vice President   Elected in 1999   Partner and Chief Financial and Operations Officer, joined Lord Abbett in 1999.
             

John K. Forst
(1960)

  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2005   Partner and Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2004.
             
Lawrence H. Kaplan
(1957)
  Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President and Secretary   Elected as Vice President and Secretary in 1997 and Chief Compliance Officer in 2013   Partner, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.
             
David J. Linsen
(1974)
  Vice President   Elected in 2008   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 2001.
             
A. Edward Oberhaus, III
(1959)
  Vice President   Elected in 1996   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1983.

 

37

 

Basic Information About Management (concluded)

 

Name and
Year of Birth
  Current Position
with the Company
  Length of Service
of Current
Position
  Principal Occupation
During the Past Five Years
Thomas R. Phillips
(1960)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2008   Partner and Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2006.
             
Lawrence B. Stoller
(1963)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2007   Partner and Senior Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2007.
             
Scott S. Wallner
(1955)
  AML Compliance Officer   Elected in 2011   Assistant General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2004.
             
Bernard J. Grzelak
(1971)
  Treasurer   Elected in 2003   Partner and Director of Fund Administration, joined Lord Abbett in 2003.

 

Please call 888-522-2388 for a copy of the statement of additional information, which contains further information about the Company’s Directors. It is available free upon request.

 

38

 

Householding

 

The Company has adopted a policy that allows it to send only one copy of the Fund’s prospectus, proxy material, annual report and semiannual report to certain shareholders residing at the same “household.” This reduces Fund expenses, which benefits you and other shareholders. If you need additional copies or do not want your mailings to be “householded,” please call Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388 or send a written request with your name, the name of your fund or funds and your account number or numbers to Lord Abbett Family of Funds, P.O. Box 219336, Kansas City, MO 64121.

 

Proxy Voting Policies, Procedures and Records

 

A description of the policies and procedures that Lord Abbett uses to vote proxies related to the Fund’s portfolio securities, and information on how Lord Abbett voted the Fund’s proxies during the 12-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, (i) by calling 888-522-2388; (ii) on Lord Abbett’s Website at www.lordabbett.com; and (iii) on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Website at www.sec.gov.

 

Shareholder Reports and Quarterly Portfolio Disclosure

 

The Fund is required to file its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for its first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-Q. Copies of the filings are available without charge, upon request on the SEC’s Website at www.sec.gov and may be available by calling Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388. You can also obtain copies of Form N-Q by visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 800-SEC-0330).

 

     
  Tax Information  
     
  84% of the ordinary income distributions paid by the Fund during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 is qualified dividend income. For corporate shareholders, only 81% of the Fund’s ordinary income distributions qualified for the dividends received deduction.  
     
  For foreign shareholders, 22% of the distributions paid by the Fund represents interest related dividends.  
     

 

39

 

 

 

 

 

 

This report, when not used for the general information of shareholders of the Fund, is to be distributed only if preceded or accompanied by a current fund prospectus.        
    Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc.    
Abbett mutual fund shares are distributed by
LORD ABBETT DISTRIBUTOR LLC.
  Lord Abbett Calibrated Dividend Growth Fund   CDG-2-1113
(01/14)
 

 

2013
L O R D  A B B E T T
A N N U A L
R E P O RT

 

Lord Abbett
Growth Opportunities Fund

 

 

 

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013

 

Table of Contents

     
1   A Letter to Shareholders
     
4   Investment Comparison
     
5   Information About Your Fund’s Expenses and Holdings Presented by Sector
     
7   Schedule of Investments
     
12   Statement of Assets and Liabilities
     
14   Statement of Operations
     
15   Statements of Changes in Net Assets
     
16   Financial Highlights
     
24   Notes to Financial Statements
     
33   Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
     
34   Supplemental Information to Shareholders
 

 

Lord Abbett Research Fund

Lord Abbett Growth Opportunities Fund
Annual Report

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013

 

 

Daria L. Foster, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lord Abbett Funds, and E. Thayer Bigelow, Independent Chairman of the Lord Abbett Funds.

 

Dear Shareholders: We are pleased to provide you with this overview of the performance of Lord Abbett Growth Opportunities Fund for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013. On this page and the following pages, we discuss the major factors that influenced fiscal year performance. For detailed and more timely information about the Fund, please visit our Website at www.lordabbett.com, where you also can access the quarterly commentaries that provide updates on the Fund’s performance and other portfolio related updates.

 

Thank you for investing in Lord Abbett mutual funds. We value the trust that you place in us and look forward to serving your investment needs in the years to come.

 

Best regards,

Daria L. Foster

Director, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund returned 34.16%, reflecting performance at the net asset value (NAV) of Class A shares, with all distributions reinvested, compared to its benchmark, the Russell Midcap ® Growth Index, 1 which returned 33.91% over the same period.

 

Equity markets made considerable gains in the trailing 12-month period. Following the conclusion of the U.S. presidential election in November and the last-minute resolution of the “fiscal cliff” in December, equity markets shook off challenges and marched significantly

 

1

 


higher. By November, broad market equity indexes had achieved new highs.

 

We have been encouraged by the strength and nature of the stock market rally during the period, and are pleased with the Fund’s ability to outperform in this environment. Security selection within the financials sector was a notable contributor to relative Fund performance. IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc., a network of regulated exchanges and clearing houses for financial and commodity markets, contributed to relative Fund performance within the sector. Shares of the company have moved higher throughout the year. Investors have benefited from increasing trading volume and the company’s recent purchase of the New York Stock Exchange. Asset manager Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. was also among the strongest contributors to relative Fund performance within the sector, as net asset flows continued to support strong revenue growth.

 

Within the health care sector, the Fund’s overweight and security selection also contributed to relative Fund performance. Actavis plc, a specialty pharmaceutical company that manufactures brand and biosimilar drugs, contributed to relative Fund performance within the sector. Shares rose after the company announced the purchase of specialty drug maker Warner Chilcott. Perrigo Co., a global health care supplier of drugs and infant formulas, also contributed to relative Fund performance. Sales rose more than 21% from the year-ago quarter in October 2013, sending Perrigo’s shares to all-time highs in the last month of the period.

 

Security selection within the energy sector detracted from relative Fund performance. Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc. and Cabot Oil and Gas Corp., developers of oil and natural gas, were among the largest detractors within the sector. Shares of Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc. declined after management reported production volumes lower than initially anticipated. Shares of Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. fell after a disappointing quarterly report; sales fell short of expectations.

 

Within the information technology sector, security selection was a detractor from relative Fund performance. Teradata Corp., a provider of data-warehousing solutions, was among the notable detractors from relative Fund performance within the sector. The company reported earnings and guidance below expectations, noting a softer than anticipated international business environment. Rackspace Hosting, Inc., a provider of cloud computing services, also saw its shares decline during the period. Although the company’s third quarter report indicated revenues had growth from the previous year, earnings fell short of estimates due to higher than anticipated expenses.

 

The Fund’s portfolio is actively managed and, therefore, its holdings and the weightings of a particular issuer or particular sector as a percentage of portfolio assets are subject to change. Sectors may include many industries.

 

2

 


1 The Russell Midcap ® Growth Index measures the performance of those Russell Midcap companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The stocks are also members of the Russell 1000 Growth index.

 

Unless otherwise specified, indexes reflect total return, with all dividends reinvested. Indexes are unmanaged, do not reflect the deduction of fees or expenses, and are not available for direct investment.

 

Important Performance and Other Information
Performance data quoted in the following pages reflect past performance and are no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance quoted. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that shares, on any given day or when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. You can obtain performance data current to the most recent month end by calling Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388 or referring to www.lordabbett.com.

 

Except where noted, comparative Fund performance does not account for the deduction of sales charges and would be different if sales charges were included. The Fund offers classes of shares with distinct pricing options. For a full description of the differences in pricing alternatives, please see the Fund’s prospectus.

 

During certain periods shown, expense waivers and reimbursements were in place. Without such expense waivers and reimbursements, the Fund’s returns would have been lower.

 

The annual commentary above discusses the views of the Fund’s management and various portfolio holdings of the Fund as of November 30, 2013. These views and portfolio holdings may have changed after this date. Information provided in the commentary is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities. Because the Fund’s portfolio is actively managed and may change significantly, the Fund may no longer own the securities described above or may have otherwise changed its positions in the securities. For more recent information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings, please visit www.lordabbett.com.

 

A Note about Risk: See Notes to Financial Statements for a discussion of investment risks. For a more detailed discussion of the risks associated with the Fund, please see the Fund’s prospectus.

 

Mutual funds are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, banks, and are subject to investment risks including possible loss of principal amount invested.

 

3

 

 

Investment Comparison

 

Below is a comparison of a $10,000 investment in Class A shares with the same investment in both the Russell Midcap ® Growth Index and the Russell Midcap ® Index, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The performance of other classes will be greater than or less than the performance shown in the graph below due to different sales loads and expenses applicable to such classes. The graph and performance table below do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. During certain periods, expenses of the Fund have been waived or reimbursed by Lord Abbett; without such waiver or reimbursement of expenses, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns at Maximum Applicable
Sales Charge for the Periods Ended November 30, 2013

 

    1 Year   5 Years   10 Years   Life of Class
Class A 3   26.44%   18.41%   8.03%  
Class B 4   28.40%   18.86%   8.12%  
Class C 5   32.34%   19.07%   7.99%  
Class F 6   34.54%   20.13%     7.34%
Class I 7   34.67%   20.24%   9.07%  
Class P 7   34.04%   19.71%   8.58%  
Class R2 8   33.87%   19.52%     6.82%
Class R3 9   34.01%   19.67%     6.94%

 

1 Reflects the deduction of the maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%.

2 Performance for each unmanaged index does not reflect any fees or expenses. The performance of each index is not necessarily representative of the Fund’s performance.

3 Total return, which is the percentage change in net asset value, after deduction of the maximum initial sales charge of 5.75% applicable to Class A shares, with all dividends and distributions reinvested for the periods shown ended November 30, 2013, is calculated using the SEC-required uniform method to compute such return.

4 Performance reflects the deduction of a CDSC of 5% for 1 year, 2% for 5 years and 0% for 10 years. Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares after approximately 8 years. (There is no initial sales charge for automatic conversions.) All returns for periods greater than 8 years reflect this conversion.

5 The 1% CDSC for Class C shares normally applies before the first anniversary of the purchase date. Performance for other periods is at net asset value.

6 Class F shares commenced operations and performance for the Class began on September 28, 2007. Performance is at net asset value.

7 Performance is at net asset value.

8 Class R2 shares commenced operations and performance for the Class began on September 28, 2007. Performance is at net asset value.

9 Class R3 shares commenced operations and performance for the Class began on September 28, 2007. Performance is at net asset value.

 

4

 

Expense Example

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments (these charges vary among the share classes); and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees (these charges vary among the share classes); and other Fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (June 1, 2013 through November 30, 2013).

 

Actual Expenses

 

For each class of the Fund, the first line of the table on the following page provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading titled “Expenses Paid During Period 6/1/13 – 11/30/13” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

For each class of the Fund, the second line of the table on the following page provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

5

 

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

 

    Beginning   Ending   Expenses  
    Account   Account   Paid During  
    Value   Value   Period  
            6/1/13 -  
    6/1/13   11/30/13   11/30/13  
Class A                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,139.20     $ 7.56    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,018.02     $ 7.13    
Class B                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,136.40     $ 10.98    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,014.79     $ 10.35    
Class C                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,135.90     $ 10.92    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,014.84     $ 10.30    
Class F                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,140.90     $ 6.23    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,019.27     $ 5.87    
Class I                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,141.40     $ 5.69    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,019.77     $ 5.37    
Class P                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,139.00     $ 8.10    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,017.51     $ 7.64    
Class R2                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,138.30     $ 8.90    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,016.76     $ 8.39    
Class R3                        
Actual     $1,000.00   $ 1,138.60     $ 8.31    
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)     $1,000.00   $ 1,017.28     $ 7.84    

 

For each class of the Fund, net expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for such class (1.41% for Class A, 2.05% for Class B, 2.04% for Class C, 1.16% for Class F, 1.06% for Class I, 1.51% for Class P, 1.66% for Class R2 and 1.55% for Class R3) multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183/365 (to reflect one-half year period).

 

 

Portfolio Holdings Presented by Sector

November 30, 2013

 

Sector*   %**    
Consumer Discretionary   29.33%    
Consumer Staples   4.07%    
Energy   3.57%    
Financials   9.35%    
Health Care   16.59%    
         
Sector*   %**    
Industrials   18.42 %    
Information Technology   15.81 %    
Materials   1.27 %    
Telecommunication Services   1.26 %    
Repurchase Agreement   0.33 %    
Total   100.00 %    

 

* A sector may comprise several industries.
** Represents percent of total investments.

 

6

 

Schedule of Investments

November 30, 2013

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
COMMON STOCKS 99.90%                
                 
Aerospace & Defense 1.55%                
B/E Aerospace, Inc.*     118,097     $ 10,274  
                 
Airlines 1.28%                
United Continental Holdings, Inc.*     215,922       8,475  
                 
Auto Components 1.51%                
BorgWarner, Inc.     93,370       10,006  
                 
Automobiles 1.42%                
Harley-Davidson, Inc.     140,880       9,442  
                 
Biotechnology 2.97%                
Alkermes plc (Ireland)* (a)     102,837       4,153  
BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc.*     65,613       4,618  
Incyte Corp.*     76,203       3,551  
Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*     29,349       1,138  
Medivation, Inc.*     46,110       2,905  
Pharmacyclics, Inc.*     26,920       3,352  
Total             19,717  
                 
Building Products 2.55%                
A.O. Smith Corp.     65,869       3,567  
Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc.     155,171       6,765  
Lennox International, Inc.     80,451       6,629  
Total             16,961  
                 
Capital Markets 3.08%                
Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.*     60,721       12,159  
Artisan Partners Asset Management, Inc.     49,887       3,079  
Invesco Ltd.     150,300       5,238  
Total             20,476  
                 
Chemicals 0.67%                
Celanese Corp. Series A     79,666       4,472  
                 
Commercial Banks 1.00%                
First Republic Bank     129,577       6,621  

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Communications Equipment 0.60%                
Ruckus Wireless, Inc.*     305,481     $ 3,984  
                 
Computers & Peripherals 0.50%                
NCR Corp.*     95,186       3,327  
                 
Construction & Engineering 0.73%                
KBR, Inc.     143,084       4,841  
                 
Containers & Packaging 0.60%                
Ball Corp.     79,305       3,964  
                 
Distributors 1.64%                
LKQ Corp.*     329,758       10,932  
                 
Diversified Financial Services 4.08%                
CBOE Holdings, Inc.     118,723       6,207  
IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc.*     66,514       14,187  
Moody’s Corp.     89,865       6,706  
Total             27,100  
                 
Electrical Equipment 3.25%                
AMETEK, Inc.     193,375       9,518  
Hubbell, Inc. Class B     46,421       5,009  
Rockwell Automation, Inc.     61,982       7,040  
Total             21,567  
                 
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components 0.99%                
IPG Photonics Corp.     36,649       2,658  
Trimble Navigation Ltd.*     122,978       3,923  
Total             6,581  
                 
Energy Equipment & Services 0.77%                
Oceaneering International, Inc.     65,889       5,086  
                 
Food & Staples Retailing 1.77%                
Kroger Co. (The)     186,537       7,788  
United Natural Foods, Inc.*     57,530       3,961  
Total             11,749  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 7
 

Schedule of Investments (continued)

November 30, 2013

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Food Products 2.31%                
Flowers Foods, Inc.     182,031     $ 3,956  
Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (The)*     73,992       6,118  
WhiteWave Foods Co. Class A*     248,394       5,283  
Total             15,357  
                 
Health Care Equipment & Supplies 1.29%                
C.R. Bard, Inc.     61,919       8,599  
                 
Health Care Providers & Services 4.10%                
Cardinal Health, Inc.     59,341       3,834  
DaVita HealthCare Partners, Inc.*     46,673       2,779  
Envision Healthcare Holdings, Inc.*     120,561       3,571  
Henry Schein, Inc.*     53,222       6,067  
Team Health Holdings, Inc.*     59,065       2,760  
Universal Health Services, Inc. Class B     100,017       8,245  
Total             27,256  
                 
Health Care Technology 1.34%                
Cerner Corp.*     154,862       8,900  
                 
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure 5.74%                
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.*     17,767       9,307  
Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc.     195,244       9,563  
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.     94,391       7,030  
Wyndham Worldwide Corp.     77,802       5,579  
Wynn Resorts Ltd.     40,282       6,682  
Total             38,161  
                 
Household Durables 1.26%                
Mohawk Industries, Inc.*     59,715       8,361  
                 
Information Technology Services 3.86%                
Alliance Data Systems Corp.*     44,256       10,721  
FleetCor Technologies, Inc.*     60,556       7,375  
Vantiv, Inc. Class A*     249,459       7,559  
Total             25,655  

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Insurance 1.22%                
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (The)     46,879     $ 1,670  
Lincoln National Corp.     125,247       6,429  
Total             8,099  
                 
Internet & Catalog Retail 2.27%                
Groupon, Inc.*     324,658       2,938  
Netflix, Inc.*     16,863       6,169  
TripAdvisor, Inc.*     64,655       5,710  
zulily, Inc. Class A*     8,395       294  
Total             15,111  
                 
Internet Software & Services 2.94%                
Akamai Technologies, Inc.*     93,670       4,189  
Pandora Media, Inc.*     239,144       6,792  
Twitter, Inc.*     81,187       3,375  
VeriSign, Inc.*     91,049       5,177  
Total             19,533  
                 
Leisure Equipment & Products 2.36%                
Hasbro, Inc.     133,765       7,199  
Polaris Industries, Inc.     63,819       8,518  
Total             15,717  
                 
Life Sciences Tools & Services 2.45%                
Agilent Technologies, Inc.     108,446       5,809  
Illumina, Inc.*     73,641       7,217  
Waters Corp.*     32,739       3,259  
Total             16,285  
                 
Machinery 5.67%                
Flowserve Corp.     130,450       9,312  
IDEX Corp.     138,315       9,866  
Ingersoll-Rand plc (Ireland) (a)     87,038       6,216  
SPX Corp.     58,665       5,552  
WABCO Holdings, Inc.*     75,687       6,706  
Total             37,652  
                 
Media 1.10%                
Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. Class A     97,881       7,301  

 

8 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Schedule of Investments (continued)

November 30, 2013

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Multi-Line Retail 1.27%                
Dollar General Corp.*     147,896     $ 8,421  
                 
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels 2.81%                
Concho Resources, Inc.*     47,659       4,953  
Diamondback Energy, Inc.*     26,380       1,312  
EQT Corp.     59,423       5,058  
Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc.*     99,973       2,698  
Range Resources Corp.     60,309       4,683  
Total             18,704  
                 
Pharmaceuticals 4.47%                
Actavis plc*     68,627       11,191  
Mylan, Inc.*     156,992       6,928  
Perrigo Co.     74,393       11,597  
Total             29,716  
                 
Professional Services 1.67%                
Towers Watson & Co. Class A     49,474       5,571  
Verisk Analytics, Inc. Class A*     85,259       5,551  
Total             11,122  
                 
Road & Rail 0.96%                
Kansas City Southern     52,480       6,351  
                 
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment 2.60%                
Avago Technologies Ltd. (Singapore) (a)     166,350       7,441  
Micron Technology, Inc.*     230,157       4,856  
NXP Semiconductors NV (Netherlands)* (a)     117,182       4,980  
Total             17,277  

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Software 5.38%                
Autodesk, Inc.*     58,752     $ 2,658  
Concur Technologies, Inc.*     39,551       3,840  
Electronic Arts, Inc.*     182,921       4,057  
Qlik Technologies, Inc.*     68,923       1,729  
Red Hat, Inc.*     113,119       5,300  
ServiceNow, Inc.*     155,380       8,252  
Splunk, Inc.*     58,826       4,245  
TIBCO Software, Inc.*     233,177       5,636  
Total             35,717  
                 
Specialty Retail 6.23%                
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.     112,141       6,338  
GNC Holdings, Inc. Class A     167,055       10,053  
Ross Stores, Inc.     121,511       9,291  
Tiffany & Co.     67,331       6,002  
Tractor Supply Co.     132,504       9,701  
Total             41,385  
                 
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods 3.57%                
Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. (Hong Kong)* (a)     87,188       7,110  
Ralph Lauren Corp.     38,446       6,737  
VF Corp.     42,101       9,876  
Total             23,723  
                 
Trading Companies & Distributors 0.81%                
WESCO International, Inc.*     62,729       5,393  
                 
Wireless Telecommunication Services 1.26%                
SBA Communications Corp. Class A*     98,474       8,387  
Total Common Stocks
(cost $514,319,338)
          $ 663,758  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 9
 

Schedule of Investments (concluded)

November 30, 2013

 

    Principal     Fair  
    Amount     Value  
Investments   (000)     (000)  
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT 0.33%                
                 
Repurchase Agreement                
Repurchase Agreement dated 11/29/2013, Zero Coupon due 12/2/2013 with Fixed Income Clearing Corp. collateralized by $2,110,000 of Federal Home Loan Bank at 5.25% due 6/18/2014; value: $2,218,138; proceeds: $2,172,190
(cost $2,172,190)
  $ 2,172     $ 2,172  
Total Investments in Securities 100.23%
(cost $516,491,528)
            665,930  
Liabilities in Excess of Cash and Other Assets (0.23)%             (1,504 )
Net Assets 100.00%           $ 664,426  

 

*   Non-income producing security.
(a)   Foreign security traded in U.S. dollars.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of November 30, 2013 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value (1) :

 

    Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total  
Investment Type (2)(3)   (000)     (000)     (000)     (000)  
Common Stocks   $ 663,758     $       $—     $ 663,758  
Repurchase Agreement           2,172             2,172  
Total   $ 663,758     $ 2,172       $—     $ 665,930  

 

(1)   Refer to note 2(h) for a description of fair value measurements and the three-tier hierarchy of inputs.
(2)   See Schedule of Investments for fair values in each industry and identification of foreign issuers and/or geography.
(3)   There were no level transfers during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

10 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

This page is intentionally left blank.

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

November 30, 2013

 

ASSETS:        
Investments in securities, at fair value (cost $516,491,528)   $ 65,929,941  
Cash     755,256  
Receivables:        
Investment securities sold     5,072,431  
Dividends     489,292  
Capital shares sold     303,913  
Prepaid expenses and other assets     50,748  
Total assets     672,601,581  
LIABILITIES:        
Payables:        
Investment securities purchased     6,590,355  
Capital shares reacquired     618,848  
Management fee     407,286  
12b-1 distribution fees     213,623  
Directors’ fees     93,107  
Fund administration     21,722  
To affiliate (See Note 3)     8,085  
Distributions payable     637  
Accrued expenses     221,820  
Total liabilities     8,175,483  
NET ASSETS   $ 664,426,098  
COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS:        
Paid-in capital   $ 406,018,862  
Accumulated net investment loss     (93,107 )
Accumulated net realized gain on investments     109,061,930  
Net unrealized appreciation on investments     149,438,413  
Net Assets   $ 664,426,098  

 

12 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (concluded)

November 30, 2013

 

Net assets by class:        
Class A Shares   $ 428,573,343  
Class B Shares   $ 16,020,090  
Class C Shares   $ 62,814,648  
Class F Shares   $ 17,738,831  
Class I Shares   $ 99,818,875  
Class P Shares   $ 4,723,324  
Class R2 Shares   $ 1,435,979  
Class R3 Shares   $ 33,301,008  
Outstanding shares by class:        
Class A Shares (100 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     16,672,945  
Class B Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     712,108  
Class C Shares (20 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     2,792,845  
Class F Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     678,264  
Class I Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     3,637,004  
Class P Shares (20 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     185,273  
Class R2 Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     56,822  
Class R3 Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     1,307,370  
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share        
(Net assets divided by outstanding shares):        
Class A Shares-Net asset value   $25.70  
Class A Shares-Maximum offering price        
(Net asset value plus sales charge of 5.75%)   $27.27  
Class B Shares-Net asset value   $22.50  
Class C Shares-Net asset value   $22.49  
Class F Shares-Net asset value   $26.15  
Class I Shares-Net asset value   $27.45  
Class P Shares-Net asset value   $25.49  
Class R2 Shares-Net asset value   $25.27  
Class R3 Shares-Net asset value   $25.47  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements. 13
 

Statement of Operations

For the Year Ended November 30, 2013

 

Investment income:      
Dividends   $ 5,391,748  
Total investment income     5,391,748  
Expenses:        
Management fee     4,521,224  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class A     1,368,215  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class B     172,575  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class C     561,492  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class F     15,877  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class P     20,786  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class R2     8,524  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class R3     165,971  
Shareholder servicing     1,226,240  
Fund administration     241,132  
Reports to shareholders     96,051  
Registration     87,906  
Subsidy (See Note 3)     73,385  
Professional     51,381  
Custody     27,421  
Directors’ fees     20,723  
Other     21,999  
Gross expenses     8,680,902  
Expense reductions (See Note 7)     (689 )
Net expenses     8,680,213  
Net investment loss     (3,288,465 )
Net realized and unrealized gain:        
Net realized gain on investments     118,626,384  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     60,797,930  
Net realized and unrealized gain     179,424,314  
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting From Operations   $ 176,135,849  

 

14 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

    For the Year Ended     For the Year Ended  
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS   November 30, 2013     November 30, 2012  
Operations:                
Net investment loss   $ (3,288,465 )   $ (3,151,720 )
Net realized gain on investments     118,626,384       4,522,726  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     60,797,930       36,142,849  
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations     176,135,849       37,513,855  
Distributions to shareholders from:                
Net realized gain                
Class A     (71,093 )     (57,249,604 )
Class B     (4,257 )     (4,741,520 )
Class C     (11,827 )     (9,503,812 )
Class F     (2,702 )     (2,098,553 )
Class I     (14,292 )     (8,753,376 )
Class P     (1,010 )     (1,190,196 )
Class R2     (305 )     (246,617 )
Class R3     (6,481 )     (4,051,050 )
Total distributions to shareholders     (111,967 )     (87,834,728 )
Capital share transactions (Net of share conversions) (See Note 11):          
Net proceeds from sales of shares     80,204,766       152,188,571  
Reinvestment of distributions     106,849       80,781,206  
Cost of shares reacquired     (143,148,401 )     (220,478,222 )
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from capital share transactions     (62,836,786 )     12,491,555  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets     113,187,096       (37,829,318 )
NET ASSETS:                
Beginning of year   $ 551,239,002     $ 589,068,320  
End of year   $ 664,426,098     $ 551,239,002  
Accumulated net investment loss   $ (93,107 )   $ (3,298,671 )

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 15
 

Financial Highlights

 

    Class A Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $19.16     $21.30     $21.44     $17.13     $12.93  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.12 )   (.09 )   (.14 )   (.12 )   (.08 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     6.66     1.12         4.43     4.84  
Total from investment operations     6.54     1.03     (.14 )   4.31     4.76  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $25.70     $19.16     $21.30     $21.44     $17.13  
Total Return (c)     34.16 %   6.96 %   (.65 )%   25.16 %   38.43 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.40 %   1.42 %   1.45 %   1.47 %   1.55 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.40 %   1.42 %   1.45 %   1.47 %   1.55 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.40 %   1.44 %   1.46 %   1.50 %   1.61 %
Net investment loss     (.51 )%   (.48 )%   (.64 )%   (.61 )%   (.57 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $428,573     $351,427     $389,211     $454,561     $414,930  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

16 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class B Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance              
Net asset value, beginning of year     $16.88     $19.27     $19.52     $15.70     $11.97  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.22 )   (.19 )   (.26 )   (.22 )   (.16 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     5.84     .97     .01     4.04     4.45  
Total from investment operations     5.62     .78     (.25 )   3.82     4.29  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $22.50     $16.88     $19.27     $19.52     $15.70  
Total Return (c)     33.40 %   6.22 %   (1.28 )%   24.33 %   37.55 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     2.05 %   2.07 %   2.09 %   2.12 %   2.20 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     2.05 %   2.07 %   2.09 %   2.12 %   2.20 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     2.05 %   2.09 %   2.11 %   2.15 %   2.27 %
Net investment loss     (1.12 )%   (1.14 )%   (1.27 )%   (1.28 )%   (1.22 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $16,020     $18,614     $29,129     $43,822     $51,703  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 17
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class C Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $16.87     $19.26     $19.51     $15.69     $11.96  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.23 )   (.19 )   (.26 )   (.22 )   (.16 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     5.85     .97     .01     4.04     4.45  
Total from investment operations     5.62     .78     (.25 )   3.82     4.29  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $22.49     $16.87     $19.26     $19.51     $15.69  
Total Return (c)     33.34 %   6.28 %   (1.28 )%   24.35 %   37.58 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     2.04 %   2.06 %   2.06 %   2.12 %   2.20 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     2.04 %   2.06 %   2.06 %   2.12 %   2.20 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     2.04 %   2.08 %   2.08 %   2.15 %   2.26 %
Net investment loss     (1.15 )%   (1.12 )%   (1.25 )%   (1.27 )%   (1.22 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $62,815     $51,427     $58,336     $64,376     $63,732  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $0.01.
(c) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

18 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class F Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance              
Net asset value, beginning of year     $19.44     $21.52     $21.61     $17.22     $12.96  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.06 )   (.04 )   (.09 )   (.06 )   (.05 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     6.77     1.13         4.45     4.87  
Total from investment operations     6.71     1.09     (.09 )   4.39     4.82  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $26.15     $19.44     $21.52     $21.61     $17.22  
Total Return (c)     34.54 %   7.20 %   (.42 )%   25.49 %   38.82 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.15 %   1.17 %   1.20 %   1.21 %   1.30 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.15 %   1.17 %   1.20 %   1.21 %   1.30 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.15 %   1.19 %   1.22 %   1.24 %   1.34 %
Net investment loss     (.27 )%   (.23 )%   (.41 )%   (.32 )%   (.35 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $17,739     $13,652     $14,594     $11,051     $2,362  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 19
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class I Shares
    Year Ended 11/30
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance            
Net asset value, beginning of year     $20.38     $22.38     $22.45     $17.87     $13.42  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.04 )   (.04 )   (.07 )   (.05 )   (.03 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     7.11     1.21         4.63     5.04  
Total from investment operations     7.07     1.17     (.07 )   4.58     5.01  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $27.45     $20.38     $22.38     $22.45     $17.87  
Total Return (c)     34.67 %   7.29 %   (.31 )%   25.63 %   38.91 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.06 %   1.07 %   1.10 %   1.11 %   1.20 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.06 %   1.07 %   1.10 %   1.11 %   1.20 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.06 %   1.09 %   1.12 %   1.15 %   1.25 %
Net investment loss     (.16 )%   (.18 )%   (.30 )%   (.25 )%   (.22 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $99,819     $78,051     $61,928     $54,970     $42,775  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

20 See Notes to Financial Statements.
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class P Shares
    Year Ended 11/30
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $19.02     $21.19     $21.35     $17.07     $12.90  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.13 )   (.11 )   (.17 )   (.14 )   (.09 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     6.60     1.11     .01     4.42     4.82  
Total from investment operations     6.47     1.00     (.16 )   4.28     4.73  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $25.49     $19.02     $21.19     $21.35     $17.07  
Total Return (c)     34.04 %   6.83 %   (.75 )%   25.07 %   38.28 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.51 %   1.53 %   1.55 %   1.57 %   1.65 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.51 %   1.53 %   1.55 %   1.57 %   1.65 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.51 %   1.54 %   1.57 %   1.60 %   1.72 %
Net investment loss     (.57 )%   (.60 )%   (.74 )%   (.73 )%   (.66 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $4,723     $5,017     $8,074     $8,477     $9,185  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 21
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class R2 Shares
    Year Ended 11/30
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $18.88     $21.09     $21.28     $17.04     $12.90  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.16 )   (.14 )   (.21 )   (.16 )   (.13 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     6.55     1.10     .02     4.40     4.83  
Total from investment operations     6.39     .96     (.19 )   4.24     4.70  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $25.27     $18.88     $21.09     $21.28     $17.04  
Total Return (c)     33.87 %   6.70 %   (.94 )%   24.88 %   38.04 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.66 %   1.67 %   1.70 %   1.71 %   1.80 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.66 %   1.67 %   1.70 %   1.71 %   1.80 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.66 %   1.69 %   1.72 %   1.75 %   1.83 %
Net investment loss     (.73 )%   (.74 )%   (.92 )%   (.86 )%   (.84 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $1,436     $1,515     $1,505     $1,330     $1,118  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

22 See Notes to Financial Statements.
 

Financial Highlights (concluded)

 

    Class R3 Shares
    Year Ended 11/30
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $19.01     $21.19     $21.36     $17.09     $12.91  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.15 )   (.12 )   (.18 )   (.13 )   (.12 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     6.61     1.11     .01     4.40     4.86  
Total from investment operations     6.46     .99     (.17 )   4.27     4.74  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (b)   (3.17 )           (.56 )
Net asset value, end of year     $25.47     $19.01     $21.19     $21.36     $17.09  
Total Return (c)     34.01 %   6.78 %   (.80 )%   24.99 %   38.33 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, excluding expense reductions and including management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.55 %   1.57 %   1.59 %   1.60 %   1.70 %
Expenses, including expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.55 %   1.57 %   1.59 %   1.60 %   1.70 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions, management fee waived and expenses reimbursed     1.55 %   1.58 %   1.61 %   1.64 %   1.72 %
Net investment loss     (.65 )%   (.63 )%   (.81 )%   (.70 )%   (.76 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $33,301     $31,535     $26,291     $14,684     $2,182  
Portfolio turnover rate     118.03 %   145.62 %   121.66 %   103.81 %   80.21 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements. 23
 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1. ORGANIZATION

 

Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), as a diversified, open-end management investment company and was incorporated under Maryland law on April 6, 1992. The Company currently consists of three separate funds. This report covers one of the funds and its classes: Lord Abbett Growth Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”).

 

The Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation. The Fund has eight classes of shares: Class A, B, C, F, I, P, R2 and R3, each with different expenses and dividends. A front-end sales charge is normally added to the net asset value (“NAV”) for Class A shares. There is no front-end sales charge in the case of Class B, C, F, I, P, R2 and R3 shares, although there may be a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) in certain cases as follows: Class A shares purchased without a sales charge and redeemed before the first day of the month in which the one-year anniversary of the purchase falls (subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus); Class B shares redeemed before the sixth anniversary of purchase; and Class C shares redeemed before the first anniversary of purchase. Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares on the 25th day of the month (or, if the 25th day is not a business day, the next business day thereafter) following the eighth anniversary of the day on which the purchase order was accepted. The Fund no longer issues Class B shares for purchase. The Fund’s Class P shares are closed to substantially all investors, with certain exceptions as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus.

 

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
   
(a) Investment Valuation– Under procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”), the Fund’s investment manager, has formed a Pricing Committee to administer the pricing and valuation of portfolio investments and to ensure that prices utilized reasonably reflect fair value. Among other things, these procedures allow the Fund to utilize independent pricing services, quotations from securities and financial instrument dealers and other market sources to determine fair value.
   
  Securities actively traded on any recognized U.S. or non-U.S. exchange or on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC are valued at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange or system on which they are principally traded. Events occurring after the close of trading on non-U.S. exchanges may result in adjustments to the valuation of foreign securities to reflect their fair value as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange LLC. The Fund may rely on an independent fair valuation service in adjusting the valuations of foreign securities. Unlisted equity securities are valued at the last quoted sale price or, if no sale price is available, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices.
   
  Securities for which prices are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined by the Pricing Committee and approved by the Board. The Pricing Committee considers a number of factors, including observable and unobservable inputs, when arriving at fair value. The

 

24

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

  Pricing Committee may use related or comparable assets or liabilities, recent transactions, market multiples, book values and other relevant information to determine fair value of portfolio investments. The Board or a designated committee thereof regularly reviews fair value determinations made by the Pricing Committee and employs techniques such as reviewing related market activity, reviewing inputs and assumptions, and retrospectively comparing prices of subsequent purchases and sales transactions to fair value determinations made by the Pricing Committee.
   
  Short-term securities with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are valued using the amortized cost method, which approximates fair value.
   
(b) Security Transactions– Security transactions are recorded as of the date that the securities are purchased or sold (trade date). Realized gains and losses on sales of portfolio securities are calculated using the identified-cost method. Realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day.
   
(c) Investment Income– Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis as earned. Discounts are accreted and premiums are amortized using the effective interest method and are included in Interest income on the Statement of Operations. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends have been provided for in accordance with the applicable country’s tax rules and rates. Investment income is allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day.
   
(d) Income Taxes– It is the policy of the Fund to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all taxable income and capital gains to its shareholders. Therefore, no income tax provision is required.
   
  The Fund files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The statute of limitations on the Fund’s filed U.S. federal tax returns remains open for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2010 through November 30, 2013. The statutes of limitations on the Company’s state and local tax returns may remain open for an additional year depending upon the jurisdiction.
   
(e) Expenses– Expenses incurred by the Company that do not specifically relate to an individual fund are generally allocated to the funds within the Company on a pro rata basis by relative net assets. Expenses, excluding class-specific expenses, are allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day. Class A, B, C, F, P, R2 and R3 shares bear their class-specific share of all expenses and fees relating to the Fund’s 12b-1 Distribution Plan.
   
(f) Foreign Transactions– The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars and transactions denominated in foreign currencies are recorded in the Fund’s records at the rate prevailing when earned or recorded. Asset and liability accounts that are denominated in foreign currencies are adjusted daily to reflect current exchange rates and any unrealized gain (loss) is included in Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. The resultant exchange gains and losses upon settlement of such transactions are included in Net realized gain on investments on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations arising as a result of changes in the foreign exchange rates from the changes in market prices of the securities.

 

25

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

(g) Repurchase Agreements– The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to securities. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which a fund acquires a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller (a bank or securities dealer) at an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon date. The Fund requires at all times that the repurchase agreement be collateralized by cash, or by securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies, its instrumentalities, or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises having a value equal to, or in excess of, the value of the repurchase agreement (including accrued interest). If the seller of the agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the fair value of these securities has declined, the Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the securities.
   
(h) Fair Value Measurements– Fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment or transferring a liability in an orderly transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. A three-tier hierarchy is used to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk—for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value (such as a pricing model) and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Observable inputs are 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. Unobservable inputs are based on the best information available in the circumstances. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad Levels listed below:

 

  Level 1 –  unadjusted 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.); and
       
  Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

  A summary of inputs used in valuing the Fund’s investments as of November 30, 2013 and, if applicable, Level 1/Level 2 transfers and Level 3 rollforwards for the fiscal year then ended is included in the Fund’s Schedule of Investments.
   
  Changes in valuation techniques may result in transfers into or out of an assigned level within the three-tier hierarchy. All transfers between different levels within the three-tier hierarchy are deemed to have occurred as of the beginning of the reporting period. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

3. MANAGEMENT FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

 

Management Fee

 

The Company has a management agreement with Lord Abbett, pursuant to which Lord Abbett supplies the Fund with investment management services and executive and other personnel, provides office space and pays for ordinary and necessary office and clerical expenses relating to research and statistical work and supervision of the Fund’s investment portfolio.

 

26

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

The Fund’s management fee is based on the Fund’s average daily net assets. Effective April 1, 2013, the management agreement was amended, resulting in the following annual rates:

 

    Effective
April 1, 2013
    Prior to
April 1, 2013
 
First $1 billion   .75 %   .75 %
Next $1 billion   .65 %   .70 %
Next $1 billion   .60 %   .65 %
Over $3 billion   .58 %   .60 %

 

In addition, Lord Abbett provides certain administrative services to the Fund pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement in return for a fee at an annual rate of .04% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

Effective April 1, 2013, and continuing through March 31, 2014, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, waive all or a portion of its administrative fee and reimburse the Fund’s other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses for each class, excluding 12b-1 fees, do not exceed an annual rate of 1.05%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Board.

 

Prior to April 1, 2013, Lord Abbett had contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund’s other expenses to the extent necessary so that the net annual operating expenses for each class, excluding 12b-1 fees, did not exceed an annual rate of 1.10%. This agreement expired at the inception of the new agreement described in the preceding paragraph.

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the effective management fee, net of waivers, was at an annualized rate of .75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

The Fund, along with certain other funds managed by Lord Abbett (collectively, the “Underlying Funds”), has entered into a Servicing Arrangement with Lord Abbett Diversified Equity Strategy Fund of Lord Abbett Investment Trust (a “Fund of Funds”), pursuant to which the Underlying Fund pays a portion of the expenses (excluding management fees and distribution and service fees) of the applicable Fund of Funds in proportion to the average daily value of the Underlying Fund shares owned by each Fund of Funds. Amounts paid pursuant to the Servicing Arrangement are included in Subsidy expense on the Fund’s Statement of Operations and Payable to affiliate on the Fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

As of November 30, 2013, the percentage of the Fund’s outstanding shares owned by Lord Abbett Diversified Equity Strategy Fund was 5.52%.

 

12b-1 Distribution Plan

 

The Fund has adopted a distribution plan with respect to Class A, B, C, F, P, R2 and R3 shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act, which provides for the payment of ongoing distribution and service fees to Lord Abbett Distributor LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of Lord Abbett. The following annual rates have been approved by the Board pursuant to the plan:

 

Fees*   Class A   Class B   Class C   Class F   Class P   Class R2   Class R3
Service   .25%   .25%   .25%     .25%   .25%   .25%
Distribution   .10%   .75%   .75%   .10%   .20%   .35%   .25%

 

* The Fund may designate a portion of the aggregate fee as attributable to service activities for purposes of calculating Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) sales charge limitations.

 

Class I shares do not have a distribution plan.

 

27

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

Commissions

 

Distributor received the following commissions on sales of shares of the Fund, after concessions were paid to authorized dealers, for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013:

 

Distributor     Dealers’
Commissions   Concessions
$67,936   $368,462

 

Distributor received CDSCs of $3,638 and $3,999 for Class A and Class C shares, respectively, for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

A Director and certain of the Fund’s officers have an interest in Lord Abbett.

 

4. DISTRIBUTIONS AND CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS

 

Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually. Taxable net realized gains from investment transactions, reduced by allowable capital loss carryforwards, if any, are declared and distributed to shareholders at least annually. The capital loss carryforward amount, if any, is available to offset future net capital gains. Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amounts of dividends and distributions from net investment income and net realized capital gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These book/tax differences are either considered temporary or permanent in nature. To the extent these differences are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the components of net assets based on their federal tax basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassification. Dividends and distributions, which exceed earnings and profits for tax purposes, are reported as a tax return of capital.

 

Subsequent to the Fund’s fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, short-term capital gain and long-term capital gain distributions of approximately $22,157,000 and $88,053,000, respectively, were declared by the Fund on December 11, 2013. The distributions were paid on December 18, 2013 to shareholders of record on December 17, 2013.

 

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 was as follows:

 

      Year Ended
11/30/2013
      Year Ended
11/30/2012
 
Distributions paid from:                
Net long-term capital gains   $ 111,967     $ 87,834,728  
Total distributions paid   $ 111,967     $ 87,834,728  

 

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

 

Undistributed ordinary income - net   $ 22,154,723  
Undistributed long-term capital gains   $ 88,052,219  
Total undistributed earnings   $ 110,206,942  
Temporary differences     (93,107 )
Unrealized gains - net     148,293,401  
Total accumulated gains - net   $ 258,407,236  

 

28

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

As of November 30, 2013, the aggregate unrealized security gains and losses based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

Tax cost   $ 517,636,540  
Gross unrealized gain     153,556,087  
Gross unrealized loss     (5,262,686 )
Net unrealized security gain   $ 148,293,401  

 

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis unrealized gains (losses) is attributable to the tax treatment of wash sales.

 

Permanent items identified during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 have been reclassified among the components of net assets based on their tax basis treatment as follows:

 

  Accumulated
  Net Investment
Loss
      Accumulated
Net Realized
  Gain
      Paid-in
Capital
 
$ 6,494,029     $ (7,641,820 )   $ 1,147,791  

 

The permanent differences are attributable to the tax treatment of certain distributions and net investment losses.

 

5. PORTFOLIO SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS

 

Purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 were as follows:

 

  Purchases     Sales
$ 709,844,796   $ 778,467,243

 

There were no purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

6. DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION

 

The Company’s officers and a Director, who are associated with Lord Abbett, do not receive any compensation from the Company for serving in such capacities. Independent Directors’ fees are allocated among all Lord Abbett-sponsored funds based on the net assets of each fund. There is an equity-based plan available to all Independent Directors under which Independent Directors must defer receipt of a portion of, and may elect to defer receipt of an additional portion of Directors’ fees. The deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in the funds. Such amounts and earnings accrued thereon are included in Directors’ fees on the Statement of Operations and in Directors’ fees payable on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and are not deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes until such amounts are paid.

 

7. EXPENSE REDUCTIONS

 

The Company has entered into an arrangement with its transfer agent and custodian, whereby credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances are used to reduce a portion of the Fund’s expenses.

 

29

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

8. LINE OF CREDIT

 

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund and certain other funds managed by Lord Abbett (the “participating funds”) participated in an unsecured revolving credit facility (“Facility”) with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“SSB”). The Facility is to be used for temporary or emergency purposes as an additional source of liquidity to fund redemptions of investor shares. The Board considers annual renewal of the Facility under terms that depend on market conditions at the time of the renewal. The amounts available under the Facility are (i) the lesser of either $250,000,000 or 33.33% of total assets per participating fund and (ii) $350,000,000 in the aggregate for all participating funds. The annual fee to maintain the Facility is .09% of the amount available under the Facility. Each participating fund pays its pro rata share based on the net assets of each participating fund. This amount is included in Other expenses on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. Any borrowings under this Facility will bear interest at current market rates as set forth in the credit agreement.

 

Effective July 1, 2013, the Fund and participating funds renewed the Facility through June 30, 2014 under the same terms as described above.

 

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, a participating fund also managed by Lord Abbett utilized the Facility and fully repaid its borrowings on June 13, 2013. As of November 30, 2013, there were no loans outstanding pursuant to this Facility.

 

9. CUSTODIAN AND ACCOUNTING AGENT

 

SSB is the Company’s custodian and accounting agent. SSB performs custodial, accounting and recordkeeping functions relating to portfolio transactions and calculating the Fund’s NAV.

 

10. INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The Fund is subject to the general risks and considerations associated with equity investing. The value of an investment will fluctuate in response to movements in the equity securities market in general, and to the changing prospects of individual companies in which the Fund invests. The Fund has particular risks associated with growth stocks. Growth companies may grow faster than other companies, which may result in more volatility in their stock prices. In addition, if the Fund’s assessment of a company’s potential for growth or market conditions is wrong, it could suffer losses or produce poor performance relative to other funds, even in a rising market. The Fund invests largely in mid-sized company stocks, which may be less able to weather economic shifts or other adverse developments than those of larger, more established companies.

 

These factors can affect the Fund’s performance.

 

11. SUMMARY OF CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS

 

Transactions in shares of beneficial interest were as follows:

 

          Year Ended           Year Ended  
    November 30, 2013     November 30, 2012  
Class A Shares   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  
Shares sold     1,555,043     $ 34,765,764       2,210,958     $ 42,057,029  
Converted from Class B*     168,467       3,736,131       350,232       6,672,835  
Reinvestment of distributions     3,537       69,274       3,162,088       52,964,981  
Shares reacquired     (3,397,663 )     (75,703,321 )     (5,652,178 )     (106,041,742 )
Increase (decrease)     (1,670,616 )   $ (37,132,152 )     71,100     $ (4,346,897 )

 

30

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

    Year Ended
November 30, 2013
    Year Ended
November 30, 2012
 
Class B Shares   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  
Shares sold     22,186     $ 417,053       65,014     $ 1,069,266  
Reinvestment of distributions     236       4,077       302,024       4,485,056  
Shares reacquired     (221,504 )     (4,294,950 )     (379,536 )     (6,392,126 )
Converted to Class A*     (191,827 )     (3,736,131 )     (396,198 )     (6,672,835 )
Decrease     (390,909 )   $ (7,609,951 )     (408,696 )   $ (7,510,639 )
                                 
Class C Shares                                
Shares sold     331,337     $ 6,536,352       413,471     $ 6,813,059  
Reinvestment of distributions     588       10,140       545,825       8,100,035  
Shares reacquired     (587,414 )     (11,438,752 )     (939,393 )     (15,786,152 )
Increase (decrease)     (255,489 )   $ (4,892,260 )     19,903     $ (873,058 )
                                 
Class F Shares                                
Shares sold     225,949     $ 5,201,019       356,321     $ 6,914,155  
Reinvestment of distributions     110       2,193       98,972       1,678,575  
Shares reacquired     (249,945 )     (5,769,142 )     (431,241 )     (8,308,596 )
Increase (decrease)     (23,886 )   $ (565,930 )     24,052     $ 284,134  
                                 
Class I Shares                                
Shares sold     972,722     $ 23,215,411       4,047,981     $ 81,054,289  
Reinvestment of distributions     641       13,357       460,054       8,175,152  
Shares reacquired     (1,165,320 )     (25,736,373 )     (3,446,344 )     (69,514,625 )
Increase (decrease)     (191,957 )   $ (2,507,605 )     1,061,691     $ 19,714,816  
                                 
Class P Shares                                
Shares sold     36,963     $ 824,478       46,480     $ 884,459  
Reinvestment of distributions     52       1,009       71,450       1,189,634  
Shares reacquired     (115,543 )     (2,473,382 )     (235,159 )     (4,461,801 )
Decrease     (78,528 )   $ (1,647,895 )     (117,229 )   $ (2,387,708 )
                                 
Class R2 Shares                                
Shares sold     14,598     $ 320,619       51,623     $ 977,694  
Reinvestment of distributions     10       201       8,265       136,785  
Shares reacquired     (38,024 )     (824,825 )     (51,020 )     (961,310 )
Increase (decrease)     (23,416 )   $ (504,005 )     8,868     $ 153,169  
                                 
Class R3 Shares                                
Shares sold     403,941     $ 8,924,070       654,968     $ 12,418,620  
Reinvestment of distributions     341       6,598       243,302       4,050,988  
Shares reacquired     (755,565 )     (16,907,656 )     (480,362 )     (9,011,870 )
Increase (decrease)     (351,283 )   $ (7,976,988 )     417,908     $ 7,457,738  

 

* Automatic conversion of Class B shares occurs on the 25th day of the month (or, if the 25th day is not a business day, the next business day thereafter) following the eighth anniversary of the day on which the purchase order was accepted.

 

31

 

Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)

 

12. RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARD

 

In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011–11 “Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” (“ASU 2011–11”). This disclosure requirement is intended to help investors and other financial statement users better assess the effect or potential effect of offsetting arrangements on a fund’s financial position. ASU 2011–11 requires entities to disclose both gross and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of assets and liabilities; and disclose instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting agreement. In addition, in January 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013–01 “Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” (“ASU 2013–01”), specifying exactly which transactions are subject to disclosures about offsetting. ASU 2011–11 and ASU 2013–01 are effective for public entities for interim and annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013. Management is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU 2011–11 and ASU 2013–01 will have on the Fund’s financial statement disclosures.

 

32

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. and the Shareholders of Lord Abbett Growth Opportunities Fund:

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the schedule of investments, of the Lord Abbett Growth Opportunities Fund, one of the three funds constituting the Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) 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 two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Company’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. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2013, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; where replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, such financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Lord Abbett Growth Opportunities Fund of the Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. as of November 30, 2013, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
New York, New York
January 29, 2014

 

33

 

Basic Information About Management

 

The Board is responsible for the management of the business and affairs of the Company in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board. The Board also approves an investment adviser to the Fund and continues to monitor the cost and quality of the services the investment adviser provides, and annually considers whether to renew the contract with the adviser. Generally, each Director holds office until his/her successor is elected and qualified or until his/her earlier resignation or removal, as provided in the Company’s organizational documents.

 

Lord Abbett, a Delaware limited liability company, is the Company’s investment adviser. Designated Lord Abbett personnel are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

 

Interested Director

 

Ms. Foster is affiliated with Lord Abbett and is an “interested person” of the Company as defined in the Act. Ms. Foster is a director/trustee and officer of each of the 12 Lord Abbett-sponsored funds, which consist of 55 portfolios or series.

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
Daria L. Foster
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1954)
  Director and President since 2006; Chief Executive Officer since 2012   Principal Occupation: Managing Partner of Lord Abbett (since 2007), and was formerly Director of Marketing and Client Service, joined Lord Abbett in 1990.

Other Directorships: None.

 

 

 

Independent Directors

 

The following Independent Directors also are directors/trustees of each of the 12 Lord Abbett-sponsored funds, which consist of 55 portfolios or series.

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
E. Thayer Bigelow
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1941)
  Director since 1996; Chairman since 2013   Principal Occupation: Managing General Partner, Bigelow Media, LLC (since 2000); Senior Adviser, Time Warner Inc. (1998 – 2000).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Crane Co. (since 1984) and Huttig Building Products Inc. (since 1998). Previously served as a director of R.H. Donnelley Inc. (2009 – 2010).
         
Robert B. Calhoun, Jr.
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1942)
  Director since 1998   Principal Occupation: Senior Advisor of Monitor Clipper Partners, a private equity investment fund (since 1997); President of Clipper Asset Management Corp. (1991 – 2009).

Other Directorships: Previously served as a director of Interstate Bakeries Corp. (1991 – 2008).

 

34

 

Basic Information About Management (continued)

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
Evelyn E. Guernsey
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1955)
  Director since 2011   Principal Occupation: CEO, Americas of J.P. Morgan Asset Management (2004 – 2010).

Other Directorships: None.
         
Julie A. Hill
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1946)
  Director since 2004   Principal Occupation: Owner and CEO of The Hill Company, a business consulting firm (since 1998).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of WellPoint, Inc., a health benefits company (since 1994). Previously served as a director of Lend Lease Corporation Limited, an international retail and residential property group (2006 – 2012).
         
Franklin W. Hobbs
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2001   Principal Occupation: Advisor of One Equity Partners, a private equity firm (since 2004).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director and Chairman of the Board of Ally Financial Inc., a financial services firm (since 2009), and as director of Molson Coors Brewing Company (since 2002).
         
James M. McTaggart
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2012   Principal Occupation: Independent management advisor and consultant (since 2012); Vice President, CRA International, Inc. (doing business as Charles River Associates), a global management consulting firm (2009 – 2012); Founder and Chairman of Marakon Associates, Inc., a strategy consulting firm (1978 – 2009); and Officer and Director of Trinsum Group, a holding company (2007 – 2009).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Blyth, Inc., a home products company (since 2004).
         
James L.L. Tullis
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2006   Principal Occupation: CEO of Tullis-Dickerson and Co. Inc., a venture capital management firm (since 1990); CEO of Tullis Health Investors Inc. (since 2012).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Crane Co. (since 1998). Previously served as a director of Synageva BioPharma Corp., a biopharmaceutical company (2009 – 2011).

 

35

 

Basic Information About Management (continued)

 

Officers

 

None of the officers listed below have received compensation from the Company. All of the officers of the Company also may be officers of the other Lord Abbett-sponsored funds and maintain offices at 90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Unless otherwise indicated, the position(s) and title(s) listed under the “Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years” column indicate each officer’s position(s) and title(s) with Lord Abbett.

 

Name and
Year of Birth
  Current Position
with the Company
  Length of Service
of Current
Position
  Principal Occupation
During the Past Five Years
Daria L. Foster
(1954)
  President and Chief Executive Officer   Elected as President in 2006 and Chief Executive Officer in 2012   Managing Partner of Lord Abbett (since 2007), and was formerly Director of Marketing and Client Service, joined Lord Abbett in 1990.
             
Robert I. Gerber
(1954)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2007   Partner and Chief Investment Officer (since 2007), joined Lord Abbett in 1997 as Director of Taxable Fixed Income Management.
             
Thomas B. Maher
(1967)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2013   Partner and Portfolio Manager, joined Lord Abbett in 2003.
             
Justin C. Maurer
(1969)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2013   Partner and Portfolio Manager, joined Lord Abbett in 2001.
             
Walter H. Prahl
(1958)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2012   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.
             
Frederick J. Ruvkun
(1957)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2012   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 2006.
             
Paul J. Volovich
(1973)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2004   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.
             
Joan A. Binstock
(1954)
  Chief Financial Officer and Vice President   Elected in 1999   Partner and Chief Financial and Operations Officer, joined Lord Abbett in 1999.
             
John K. Forst
(1960)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2005   Partner and Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2004.
             
Lawrence H. Kaplan
(1957)
  Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President and Secretary   Elected as Vice President and Secretary in 1997 and Chief Compliance Officer in 2013   Partner, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.

 

36

 

Basic Information About Management (concluded)

 

Name and Year of Birth   Current Position with the Company   Length of Service of Current Position   Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years
David J. Linsen
(1974)
  Vice President   Elected in 2008   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 2001.
             
A. Edward Oberhaus, III
(1959)
  Vice President   Elected in 1996   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1983 .
             
Thomas R. Phillips
(1960)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2008   Partner and Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2006.
             
Lawrence B. Stoller
(1963)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2007   Partner and Senior Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2007.
             
Scott S. Wallner
(1955)
  AML Compliance Officer   Elected in 2011   Assistant General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2004.
             
Bernard J. Grzelak
(1971)
  Treasurer   Elected in 2003   Partner and Director of Fund Administration, joined Lord Abbett in 2003.

 

Please call 888-522-2388 for a copy of the statement of additional information, which contains further information about the Company’s Directors. It is available free upon request.

 

37

 

Householding

 

The Company has adopted a policy that allows it to send only one copy of the Fund’s prospectus, proxy material, annual report and semiannual report to certain shareholders residing at the same “household.” This reduces Fund expenses, which benefits you and other shareholders. If you need additional copies or do not want your mailings to be “householded,” please call Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388 or send a written request with your name, the name of your fund or funds and your account number or numbers to Lord Abbett Family of Funds, P.O. Box 219336, Kansas City, MO 64121.

 

Proxy Voting Policies, Procedures and Records

 

A description of the policies and procedures that Lord Abbett uses to vote proxies related to the Fund’s portfolio securities, and information on how Lord Abbett voted the Fund’s proxies during the 12-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, (i) by calling 888-522-2388; (ii) on Lord Abbett’s Website at www.lordabbett.com; and (iii) on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Website at www.sec.gov.

 

Shareholder Reports and Quarterly Portfolio Disclosure

 

The Fund is required to file its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for its first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-Q. Copies of the filings are available without charge, upon request on the SEC’s Website at www.sec.gov and may be available by calling Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388. You can also obtain copies of Form N-Q by visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 800-SEC-0330).

 

     
  Tax Information  
     
  Of the distributions paid to shareholders during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, $111,967 represents long-term capital gains.  
     

 

38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This report, when not used for the general information of shareholders of the Fund, is to be distributed only if preceded or accompanied by a current fund prospectus.        
    Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc.    
Lord Abbett mutual fund shares are distributed by
LORD ABBETT DISTRIBUTOR LLC.
  Lord Abbett Growth Opportunities Fund   LAGOF-2-1113
(01/14)
 

2 0 1 3

L O R D  A B B E T T

A N N U A L

R E P O R T

Lord Abbett

Small Cap Value Fund

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013


 
Table of Contents
     
1   A Letter to Shareholders
     
4   Investment Comparison
     
5   Information About Your Fund’s Expenses and Holdings Presented by Sector
     
7   Schedule of Investments
     
12   Statement of Assets and Liabilities
     
14   Statement of Operations
     
15   Statements of Changes in Net Assets
     
16   Financial Highlights
     
24   Notes to Financial Statements
     
33   Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
     
34   Supplemental Information to Shareholders

 

 

Lord Abbett Research Fund
Lord Abbett Small Cap Value Fund
Annual Report

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013

 

 

 

Daria L. Foster, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lord Abbett Funds, and E. Thayer Bigelow, Independent Chairman of the Lord Abbett Funds.

 

Dear Shareholders: We are pleased to provide you with this overview of the performance of Lord Abbett Small Cap Value Fund for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013. On this page and the following pages, we discuss the major factors that influenced fiscal year performance. For detailed and more timely information about the Fund, please visit our Website at www.lordabbett.com, where you also can access the quarterly commentaries that provide updates on the Fund’s performance and other portfolio related updates.

 

Thank you for investing in Lord Abbett mutual funds. We value the trust that you place in us and look forward to serving your investment needs in the years to come.

 

Best regards,

 

Daria L. Foster

Director, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund returned 34.52%, reflecting performance at the net asset value (NAV) of Class A shares, with all distributions reinvested, compared to its benchmark, the Russell 2000 ® Value Index, 1 which returned 37.60% over the same period.

 

In a period marred by a series of congressional showdowns culminating in a two-week governmental shutdown, an escalating Syrian civil war, fears of a slowing Asian economy, and an ongoing European debt crisis, domestic equity markets could have very easily experienced

 

1

 

 

lackluster returns. Instead, positive investor sentiment, driven by a continuation of global accommodative monetary policy and a rebounding U.S. housing market, led to a significant and broad market rally for the trailing 12-month period. Meanwhile, in an anemic economic recovery, investors favored small capitalization companies over large and within the small cap space, growth companies over value.

 

For the period, the largest determinant of the Fund’s relative underperformance was security selection within the consumer discretionary sector, most notably Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. Shares of the hotel and travel businesses operator slid in February following a soft earnings report due primarily to higher-than-expected renovation costs. Investors also became worried that a previous bid to acquire the company would be rejected by management. We decided to close out the position in March because we believed that management had no plans to accept the offer. Security selection within the industrials sector was also a major component of the Fund’s relative underperformance. Within the sector, Titan International, Inc., a manufacturer of agriculture, mining, construction, and other off-highway tires, was a significant detractor. A confluence of concerns regarding management execution, labor negotiations, and industry headwinds led to a muted outlook from management and, subsequently, weak stock performance. Due to fundamental concerns, the position was liquidated in July.

 

In addition, the security that detracted most from the Fund’s relative performance was materials holding Axiall Corp. The company struggled with rising ethylene costs, deterioration in caustic soda and chlorine prices, and weaker-than-expected PVC piping demand, leading to lower investor confidence and uninspired stock performance. Due to fundamental concerns with the integrated chemicals and building products company, the position was exited in November 2013.

 

On a positive note, security selection within the financials sector contributed to the Fund’s relative performance. Within the sector, PacWest Bancorp and SVB Financial Group exhibited exemplary performance. Shares of PacWest Bancorp, the Fund’s top contributor, climbed higher as the Los Angeles-based bank holding company experienced a more favorable interest rate environment. Investors also lauded management’s July announcement to acquire a large commercial lender, as the acquisition showed potential to be highly accretive due to possible growth drivers and operational synergies. Also the beneficiary of a more favorable interest rate environment, SVB Financial Group, a California-based financial services company, saw its shares ascend during the period. The company, which caters to Silicon Valley-type businesses, also released a series of positive earnings reports. The strong performance was driven by expansion in net interest margin, improvements in loan growth, and revenue from venture capital investments.

 

2

 

 

In addition, the Fund’s underweight to real estate investment trusts (REITs) was a significant contributor to relative performance. The Fund had been underweight REITs throughout the period based on expensive valuations. This underweight proved advantageous when the industry sold off due to a spike in interest rates caused by the anticipation of a shift in monetary policy.

 

The Fund’s portfolio is actively managed and, therefore, its holdings and the weightings of a particular issuer or particular sector as a percentage of portfolio assets are subject to change. Sectors may include many industries.

 

1 The Russell 2000 ® Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 2000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

Unless otherwise specified, indexes reflect total return, with all dividends reinvested. Indexes are unmanaged, do not reflect the deduction of fees or expenses, and are not available for direct investment.

 

Important Performance and Other Information

Performance data quoted in the following pages reflect past performance and are no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance quoted. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that shares, on any given day or when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. You can obtain performance data current to the most recent month end by calling Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388 or referring to www.lordabbett.com.

 

Except where noted, comparative Fund performance does not account for the deduction of sales charges and would be different if sales charges were included. The Fund offers classes of shares with distinct pricing options. For a full description of the differences in pricing alternatives, please see the Fund’s prospectus.

 

The annual commentary above discusses the views of the Fund’s management and various portfolio holdings of the Fund as of November 30, 2013. These views and portfolio holdings may have changed after this date. Information provided in the commentary is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities. Because the Fund’s portfolio is actively managed and may change significantly, the Fund may no longer own the securities described above or may have otherwise changed its positions in the securities. For more recent information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings, please visit www.lordabbett.com.

 

A Note about Risk: See Notes to Financial Statements for a discussion of investment risks. For a more detailed discussion of the risks associated with the Fund, please see the Fund’s prospectus.

 

Mutual funds are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, banks, and are subject to investment risks including possible loss of principal amount invested.

 

3

 

 

Investment Comparison

 

Below is a comparison of a $10,000 investment in Class A shares with the same investment in both the Russell 2000 ® Value Index and the Russell 2000 ® Index, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The performance of other classes will be greater than or less than the performance shown in the graph below due to different sales loads and expenses applicable to such classes. The graph and performance table below do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns at Maximum Applicable
Sales Charge for the Periods Ended November 30, 2013

 

 

  1 Year   5 Years   10 Years Life of Class  
Class A 3   26.78%   17.47%   10.78%    
Class B 4   28.64%   17.84%   10.84%    
Class C 5   32.56%   18.05%   10.68%    
Class F 6   34.81%   19.10%     7.23%  
Class I 7   34.93%   19.22%   11.79%    
Class P 7   34.32%   18.68%   11.29%    
Class R2 8   34.08%   18.51%     9.30%  
Class R3 9   34.30%   18.65%     9.42%  

 

1 Reflects the deduction of the maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%.

2 Performance for each unmanaged index does not reflect any fees or expenses. The performance of each index is not necessarily representative of the Fund’s performance.

3 Total return, which is the percentage change in net asset value, after deduction of the maximum initial sales charge of 5.75% applicable to Class A shares, with all dividends and distributions reinvested for the periods shown ended November 30, 2013, is calculated using the SEC-required uniform method to compute such return.

4 Performance reflects the deduction of a CDSC of 5% for 1 year, 2% for 5 years and 0% for 10 years. Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares after approximately 8 years. (There is no initial sales charge for automatic conversions.) All returns for periods greater than 8 years reflect this conversion.

5 The 1% CDSC for Class C shares normally applies before the first anniversary of the purchase date. Performance for other periods is at net asset value.

6 Class F shares commenced operations and performance for the Class began on September 28, 2007. Performance is at net asset value.

7 Performance is at net asset value.

8 Class R2 shares commenced operations on March 24, 2008 and performance for the Class began March 31, 2008. Performance is at net asset value.

9 Class R3 shares commenced operations on March 24, 2008 and performance for the Class began March 31, 2008. Performance is at net asset value.

 

4

 

 

Expense Example

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments (these charges vary among the share classes); and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees (these charges vary among the share classes); and other Fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (June 1, 2013 through November 30, 2013).

 

Actual Expenses

 

For each class of the Fund, the first line of the tables on the following pages provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading titled “Expenses Paid During Period 6/1/13 – 11/30/13” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

For each class of the Fund, the second line of the tables on the following pages provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

5

 

 

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

 

    Beginning
Account
Value
  Ending
Account
Value
  Expenses
Paid During
Period
    6/1/13   11/30/13   6/1/13 – 11/30/13
Class A                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,133.60     $ 6.63  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,018.86     $ 6.28  
Class B                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,129.80     $ 10.36  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,015.36     $ 9.80  
Class C                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,129.40     $ 10.30  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,015.38     $ 9.75  
Class F                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,134.80     $ 5.57  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,019.88     $ 5.27  
Class I                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,135.20     $ 5.03  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,020.37     $ 4.76  
Class P                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,132.60     $ 7.43  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,018.11     $ 7.03  
Class R2                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,131.40     $ 7.48  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,018.07     $ 7.08  
Class R3                    
Actual   $1,000.00     $1,132.60     $ 7.59  
Hypothetical (5% Return Before Expenses)   $1,000.00     $1,017.93     $ 7.18  

 

For each class of the Fund, net expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for such class (1.24% for Class A, 1.94% for Class B, 1.93% for Class C, 1.04% for Class F, 0.94% for Class I, 1.39% for Class P, 1.40% for Class R2 and 1.42% for Class R3) multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183/365 (to reflect one-half year period).

 

 

Portfolio Holdings Presented by Sector

November 30, 2013

 

Sector * % **
Consumer Discretionary 10.87%
Consumer Staples 3.68%
Energy 6.48%
Financials 28.81%
Health Care 9.59%
Industrials 15.35%

 

Sector * % **
Information Technology 11.52%
Materials 8.22%
Utilities 4.94%
Repurchase Agreement 0.54%
Total 100.00%

 

  * A sector may comprise several industries.
** Represents percent of total investments.

 

6

 

Schedule of Investments

November 30, 2013

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
COMMON STOCKS 98.09%                
                 
Aerospace & Defense 2.05%                
Astronics Corp.*     148,600     $ 7,771  
Hexcel Corp.*     512,500       22,514  
Teledyne Technologies, Inc.*     437,100       40,532  
Total             70,817  
                 
Airlines 1.11%                
US Airways Group, Inc.*     1,634,421       38,376  
                 
Auto Components 0.97%                
Gentherm, Inc.*     416,800       10,070  
Tenneco, Inc.*     410,100       23,540  
Total             33,610  
                 
Capital Markets 1.71%                
Stifel Financial Corp.*     1,325,200       59,329  
                 
Chemicals 0.99%                
Minerals Technologies, Inc.     578,073       34,337  
                 
Commercial Banks 17.94%                
BBCN Bancorp, Inc.     2,335,600       38,981  
Boston Private Financial Holdings, Inc.     2,282,300       27,148  
City National Corp.     477,000       36,424  
Columbia Banking System, Inc.     1,367,700       37,913  
CVB Financial Corp.     965,900       15,589  
First Financial Holdings, Inc.     936,977       61,719  
FNB Corp.     1,228,621       15,616  
IBERIABANK Corp.     571,400       35,827  
PacWest Bancorp     1,583,100       65,129  
Prosperity Bancshares, Inc.     611,900       39,241  
Renasant Corp.     622,417       19,170  
Signature Bank*     362,000       38,462  
SVB Financial Group*     280,500       28,398  
UMB Financial Corp.     631,300       40,479  
Umpqua Holdings Corp.     2,516,900       46,336  
ViewPoint Financial Group, Inc.     799,100       20,281  

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Western Alliance Bancorp*   2,321,500     $ 53,905  
Total             620,618  
                 
Commercial Services & Supplies 0.91%                
Mobile Mini, Inc.*     233,300       9,425  
Steelcase, Inc. Class A     1,348,500       22,021  
Total             31,446  
                 
Computers & Peripherals 0.66%                
Electronics for Imaging, Inc.*     575,000       22,770  
                 
Construction & Engineering 1.99%                
Aegion Corp.*     145,548       3,169  
EMCOR Group, Inc.     636,700       25,296  
Primoris Services Corp.     667,700       19,203  
URS Corp.     407,300       21,167  
Total             68,835  
                 
Construction Materials 0.23%                
Caesarstone Sdot-Yam Ltd. (Israel) (a)     161,375       7,932  
                 
Containers & Packaging 1.77%                
AptarGroup, Inc.     396,600       25,747  
Berry Plastics Group, Inc.*     928,200       19,910  
Silgan Holdings, Inc.     333,700       15,601  
Total             61,258  
                 
Electric: Utilities 1.64%                
Cleco Corp.     338,600       15,477  
IDACORP, Inc.     800,900       41,391  
Total             56,868  
                 
Electrical Equipment 0.86%                
Encore Wire Corp.     420,800       21,133  
II-VI, Inc.*     530,646       8,676  
Total             29,809  
                 
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components 4.83%                
Anixter International, Inc.*     254,800       22,524  
Cognex Corp.     639,747       21,080  
Coherent, Inc.     812,500       56,095  
FARO Technologies, Inc.*     12,795       698  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 7
 

Schedule of Investments (continued)

November 30, 2013

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components (continued)                
Littelfuse, Inc.     454,700   $ 39,536  
Rogers Corp.*     434,100       27,266  
Total             167,199  
                 
Energy Equipment & Services 3.17%                
Bristow Group, Inc.     423,569       33,970  
Forum Energy Technologies, Inc.*     232,100       6,269  
GulfMark Offshore, Inc. Class A     353,100       17,429  
Hercules Offshore, Inc.*     2,099,800       13,418  
Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc.*     328,800       16,647  
Superior Energy Services, Inc.*     867,600       22,107  
Total             109,840  
                 
Food & Staples Retailing 1.99%                
Andersons, Inc. (The)     531,204       45,190  
Casey’s General Stores, Inc.     316,400       23,546  
Total             68,736  
                 
Food Products 1.64%                
Darling International, Inc.*     1,791,750       37,143  
Diamond Foods, Inc.*     788,900       19,517  
Total             56,660  
                 
Gas Utilities 3.23%                
Laclede Group, Inc. (The)     561,000       25,868  
New Jersey Resources Corp.     772,800       35,309  
Piedmont Natural Gas Co., Inc.     512,600       16,993  
South Jersey Industries, Inc.     590,400       33,475  
Total             111,645  
                 
Health Care Equipment & Supplies 3.14%                
Analogic Corp.     574,000       55,460  
Greatbatch, Inc.*     655,900       26,649  
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.     529,600       26,438  
Total             108,547  

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments     Shares       (000)
Health Care Providers & Services 5.25%                
Chemed Corp.     367,222     $ 28,618  
Hanger, Inc.*     1,223,000       47,501  
HealthSouth Corp.     793,600       28,403  
MEDNAX, Inc.*     329,800       36,542  
Team Health Holdings, Inc.*     870,600       40,683  
Total             181,747  
                 
Health Care Technology 0.35%                
Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc.*     803,500       12,004  
                 
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure 2.22%                
Bob Evans Farms, Inc.     457,789       25,448  
Cheesecake Factory, Inc. (The)     637,600       31,083  
Jack in the Box, Inc.*     428,100       20,271  
Total             76,802  
                 
Household Durables 0.93%                
La-Z-Boy, Inc.     1,104,053       32,305  
                 
Information Technology Services 1.48%                
ExlService Holdings, Inc.*     571,200       15,057  
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.     633,700       35,975  
Total             51,032  
                 
Insurance 3.30%                
Allied World Assurance Co.                
Holdings AG (Switzerland) (a)     412,600       46,479  
Argo Group International Holdings Ltd.     166,364       7,867  
Hilltop Holdings, Inc.*     814,400       19,310  
Maiden Holdings Ltd.     785,113       9,940  
ProAssurance Corp.     638,400       30,694  
Total             114,290  
                 
Machinery 4.57%                
Barnes Group, Inc.     1,567,000       57,195  
Oshkosh Corp.     1,448,100       70,595  
TriMas Corp.*     832,200       30,442  
Total             158,232  

 

8 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Schedule of Investments (continued)

November 30, 2013

 

          Fair  
          Value  
Investments   Shares     (000)  
Marine 0.84%                
Kirby Corp.*     309,500   $ 29,232  
                 
Media 1.21%                
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.     1,272,000       41,963  
                 
Metals & Mining 3.15%                
AMCOL International, Corp.     209,077       6,515  
Commercial Metals Co.     1,392,900       27,050  
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.     527,000       38,750  
RTI International Metals, Inc.*     1,054,800       36,781  
Total             109,096  
                 
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels 3.21%                
Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc.*     1,385,200       37,387  
Rex Energy Corp.*     1,640,900       31,472  
Sanchez Energy Corp.*     1,644,400       42,212  
Total             111,071  
                 
Paper & Forest Products 1.96%                
Boise Cascade Co.*     1,221,600       31,346  
KapStone Paper and Packaging Corp.     684,300       36,460  
Total             67,806  
                 
Pharmaceuticals 0.72%                
Medicines Co. (The)*     682,000       24,968  
                 
Real Estate Investment Trusts 4.23%                
Brandywine Realty Trust     643,700       8,548  
First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.     1,805,430       31,523  
LaSalle Hotel Properties     1,443,200       45,201  
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust     1,506,200       45,683  
Weingarten Realty Investors     535,200       15,275  
Total             146,230  
                 
Real Estate Management & Development 1.24%                
Kennedy-Wilson Holdings, Inc.     2,076,600       42,757  

 

             
          Fair  
          Value  
Investments     Shares       (000)
Road & Rail 0.74%                
Ryder System, Inc.     366,500     $ 25,596  
                 
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment 2.63%                
Hittite Microwave Corp.*     426,787       26,986  
Synaptics, Inc.*     563,300       28,452  
Teradyne, Inc.*     2,090,000       35,593  
Total             91,031  
                 
Software 1.77%                
Mentor Graphics Corp.     2,714,200       61,137  
                 
Specialty Retail 5.39%                
ANN INC.*     1,201,100       42,843  
Chico’s FAS, Inc.     1,144,299       21,387  
Genesco, Inc.*     425,700       31,889  
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.     234,500       16,052  
Penske Automotive Group, Inc.     662,600       29,433  
Pier 1 Imports, Inc.     991,500       22,101  
Select Comfort Corp.*     1,073,400       22,659  
Total             186,364  
                 
Trading Companies & Distributors 2.07%                
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.     420,000       20,320  
TAL International Group, Inc.*     336,115       18,365  
Textainer Group Holdings Ltd.     361,500       14,037  
WESCO International, Inc.*     218,900       18,821  
Total             71,543  
Total Common Stocks
(cost $2,489,991,016)
            3,393,838  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 9
 

Schedule of Investments (concluded)

November 30, 2013

 

    Principal     Fair  
    Amount     Value  
Investments   (000)     (000)  
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT 0.54%                
                 
Repurchase Agreement                
Repurchase Agreement
dated 11/29/2013, Zero
Coupon due 12/2/2013
with Fixed Income Clearing
Corp. collateralized by
$17,975,000 of Federal
Home Loan Bank at
5.25% due 6/18/2014;
value: $18,896,219;
proceeds: $18,525,200
(cost $18,525,200)
  $ 18,525     $ 18,525  
Total Investments in Securities 98.63 %
(cost $2,508,516,216)
            3,412,363  
Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities 1.37%             47,413  
Net Assets 100.00%           $ 3,459,776  

 

   * Non-income producing security.
(a) Foreign security traded in U.S. dollars.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of November 30, 2013 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value (1) :

 

    Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total  
Investment Type (2)(3)   (000)     (000)     (000)     (000)  
Common Stocks   $ 3,393,838     $       $—     $ 3,393,838  
Repurchase Agreement           18,525             18,525  
Total   $ 3,393,838     $ 18,525       $—     $ 3,412,363  

(1) Refer to note 2(h) for a description of fair value measurements and the three-tier hierarchy of inputs.
(2) See Schedule of Investments for fair values in each industry and identification of foreign issuers and/or geography.
(3) There were no level transfers during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

10 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

This page is intentionally left blank.

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

November 30, 2013

 

ASSETS:        
Investments in securities, at fair value (cost $2,508,516,216)   $ 3,412,363,189  
Receivables:        
Investment securities sold     61,871,238  
Dividends     2,533,722  
Capital shares sold     2,334,925  
Prepaid expenses and other assets     67,317  
Total assets     3,479,170,391  
LIABILITIES:        
Payables:        
Investment securities purchased     13,241,037  
Capital shares reacquired     2,287,072  
Management fee     2,092,255  
12b-1 distribution fees     441,984  
Directors’ fees     437,032  
Fund administration     114,861  
To affiliates (See Note 3)     24,035  
Accrued expenses     755,925  
Total liabilities     19,394,201  
NET ASSETS   $ 3,459,776,190  
COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS:        
Paid-in capital   $ 1,833,599,524  
Undistributed net investment income     1,096,172  
Accumulated net realized gain on investments     721,233,521  
Net unrealized appreciation on investments     903,846,973  
Net Assets   $ 3,459,776,190  

 

12 See Notes to Financial Statements.
 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (concluded)

November 30, 2013  

 

Net assets by class:        
Class A Shares   $ 1,253,919,664  
Class B Shares   $ 4,938,247  
Class C Shares   $ 44,246,422  
Class F Shares   $ 46,280,357  
Class I Shares   $ 1,923,377,535  
Class P Shares   $ 174,584,229  
Class R2 Shares   $ 267,741  
Class R3 Shares   $ 12,161,995  
Outstanding shares by class:        
Class A Shares (300 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     29,788,888  
Class B Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     137,678  
Class C Shares (20 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     1,232,952  
Class F Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     1,099,377  
Class I Shares (200 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     42,903,364  
Class P Shares (50 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     4,206,462  
Class R2 Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     6,450  
Class R3 Shares (30 million shares of common stock authorized, $.001 par value)     292,368  
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share
(Net assets divided by outstanding shares):
       
Class A Shares-Net asset value   $ 42.09  
Class A Shares-Maximum offering price
(Net asset value plus sales charge of 5.75%)
  $ 44.66  
Class B Shares-Net asset value   $ 35.87  
Class C Shares-Net asset value   $ 35.89  
Class F Shares-Net asset value   $ 42.10  
Class I Shares-Net asset value   $ 44.83  
Class P Shares-Net asset value   $ 41.50  
Class R2 Shares-Net asset value   $ 41.51  
Class R3 Shares-Net asset value   $ 41.60  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 13
 

Statement of Operations

For the Year Ended November 30, 2013

 

Investment income:        
Dividends (net of foreign withholding taxes of $38,711)   $ 45,237,172  
Interest and other     3,556  
Total investment income     45,240,728  
Expenses:        
Management fee     25,650,238  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class A     3,810,717  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class B     54,888  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class C     408,029  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class F     57,284  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class P     830,853  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class R2     22,533  
12b-1 distribution plan-Class R3     66,583  
Shareholder servicing     4,881,786  
Fund administration     1,408,585  
Subsidy (See Note 3)     370,875  
Reports to shareholders     161,757  
Directors’ fees     121,961  
Registration     107,426  
Custody     72,608  
Professional     68,918  
Other     77,592  
Gross expenses     38,172,633  
Expense reductions (See Note 7)     (3,338 )
Net expenses     38,169,295  
Net investment income     7,071,433  
Net realized and unrealized gain:        
Net realized gain on investments in unaffiliated issuers     833,794,027  
Net realized gain on investments in affiliated issuers     688,457  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     197,648,012  
Net realized and unrealized gain     1,032,130,496  
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting From Operations   $ 1,039,201,929  

 

14 See Notes to Financial Statements.
 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

    For the Year Ended     For the Year Ended  
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS   November 30, 2013     November 30, 2012  
Operations:                
Net investment income   $ 7,071,433     $ 26,433,254  
Net realized gain on investments in affiliated and unaffiliated issuers     834,482,484       206,371,681  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     197,648,012       79,002,408  
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations     1,039,201,929       311,807,343  
Distributions to shareholders from:                
Net investment income                
Class A     (9,106,295 )      
Class C     (64,809 )      
Class F     (509,970 )      
Class I     (18,526,508 )      
Class P     (1,048,215 )      
Class R2     (28,482 )      
Class R3     (57,505 )      
Net realized gain                
Class A     (28,188,535 )      
Class B     (165,109 )      
Class C     (1,003,927 )      
Class F     (1,183,708 )      
Class I     (39,673,471 )      
Class P     (4,316,043 )      
Class R2     (155,121 )      
Class R3     (265,780 )      
Total distributions to shareholders     (104,293,478 )      
Capital share transactions (Net of share conversions) (See Note 12):  
Net proceeds from sales of shares     496,471,086       566,164,388  
Reinvestment of distributions     96,343,411        
Cost of shares reacquired     (1,486,077,065 )     (1,119,226,837 )
Net decrease in net assets resulting from capital share transactions     (893,262,568 )     (553,062,449 )
Net increase (decrease) in net assets     41,645,883       (241,255,106 )
NET ASSETS:                
Beginning of year   $ 3,418,130,307     $ 3,659,385,413  
End of year   $ 3,459,776,190     $ 3,418,130,307  
Undistributed net investment income   $ 1,096,172     $ 23,933,507  

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 15
 

Financial Highlights

 

    Class A Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $32.24     $29.68     $28.93     $22.87     $18.32  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (loss) (a)     .02     .18     (.07 )   (b)   (.02 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     10.81     2.38     .82     6.06     4.62  
Total from investment operations     10.83     2.56     .75     6.06     4.60  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.24 )       (b)       (.05 )
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Total distributions     (.98 )       (b)       (.05 )
Net asset value, end of year     $42.09     $32.24     $29.68     $28.93     $22.87  
Total Return (c)     34.52 %   8.63 %   2.60 %   26.50 %   25.15 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     1.23 %   1.23 %   1.23 %   1.25 %   1.24 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     1.23 %   1.23 %   1.23 %   1.25 %   1.24 %
Net investment income (loss)     .05 %   .57 %   (.22 )%   (.01 )%   (.08 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $1,253,920     $1,247,956     $1,470,064     $1,608,846     $1,393,870  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

16 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class B Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $27.57     $25.56     $25.09     $19.97     $16.07  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.19 )   (.04 )   (.25 )   (.17 )   (.12 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     9.23     2.05     .72     5.29     4.02  
Total from investment operations     9.04     2.01     .47     5.12     3.90  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Net asset value, end of year     $35.87     $27.57     $25.56     $25.09     $19.97  
Total Return (b)     33.64 %   7.82 %   1.87 %   25.64 %   24.27 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     1.92 %   1.93 %   1.92 %   1.95 %   1.94 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     1.92 %   1.93 %   1.92 %   1.95 %   1.94 %
Net investment loss     (.61 )%   (.15 )%   (.91 )%   (.73 )%   (.73 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $4,938     $6,406     $9,612     $14,612     $15,917  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 17
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class C Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $27.63     $25.61     $25.14     $20.01     $16.10  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment loss (a)     (.21 )   (.03 )   (.24 )   (.17 )   (.13 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     9.26     2.05     .71     5.30     4.04  
Total from investment operations     9.05     2.02     .47     5.13     3.91  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.05 )                
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Total distributions     (.79 )                
Net asset value, end of year     $35.89     $27.63     $25.61     $25.14     $20.01  
Total Return (b)     33.56 %   7.89 %   1.87 %   25.64 %   24.29 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     1.93 %   1.92 %   1.92 %   1.95 %   1.94 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     1.93 %   1.92 %   1.92 %   1.95 %   1.94 %
Net investment loss     (.65 )%   (.12 )%   (.90 )%   (.72 )%   (.77 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $44,246     $37,988     $41,597     $46,980     $46,275  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return does not consider the effects of sales loads and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

18 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class F Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $32.26     $29.64     $28.90     $22.80     $18.30  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .09     .26     (b)   .05     (b)
Net realized and unrealized gain     10.81     2.36     .80     6.05     4.62  
Total from investment operations     10.90     2.62     .80     6.10     4.62  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.32 )       (.06 )       (.12 )
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Total distributions     (1.06 )       (.06 )       (.12 )
Net asset value, end of year     $42.10     $32.26     $29.64     $28.90     $22.80  
Total Return (c)     34.81 %   8.84 %   2.76 %   26.75 %   25.39 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     1.03 %   1.03 %   1.04 %   1.05 %   1.03 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     1.03 %   1.03 %   1.04 %   1.05 %   1.03 %
Net investment income (loss)     .24 %   .83 %   .01 %   .19 %   (.02 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $46,280     $52,084     $32,597     $27,236     $22,387  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Amount is less than $.01.
(c) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 19
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class I Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $34.28     $31.46     $30.67     $24.17     $19.38  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (a)     .14     .30     .03     .08     .05  
Net realized and unrealized gain     11.49     2.52     .85     6.42     4.87  
Total from investment operations     11.63     2.82     .88     6.50     4.92  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.34 )       (.09 )       (.13 )
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Total distributions     (1.08 )       (.09 )       (.13 )
Net asset value, end of year     $44.83     $34.28     $31.46     $30.67     $24.17  
Total Return (b)     34.93 %   8.96 %   2.84 %   26.89 %   25.55 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     .93 %   .93 %   .93 %   .95 %   .94 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     .93 %   .93 %   .93 %   .95 %   .94 %
Net investment income     .35 %   .88 %   .09 %   .30 %   .21 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $1,923,378     $1,862,546     $1,855,748     $1,692,837     $1,231,291  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

20 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class P Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $31.79     $29.31     $28.62     $22.66     $18.15  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (loss) (a)     (.03 )   .13     (.11 )   (.04 )   (.05 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     10.66     2.35     .80     6.00     4.57  
Total from investment operations     10.63     2.48     .69     5.96     4.52  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.18 )               (.01 )
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Total distributions     (.92 )               (.01 )
Net asset value, end of year     $41.50     $31.79     $29.31     $28.62     $22.66  
Total Return (b)     34.32 %   8.46 %   2.41 %   26.30 %   24.94 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     1.38 %   1.38 %   1.38 %   1.40 %   1.39 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     1.38 %   1.38 %   1.38 %   1.40 %   1.39 %
Net investment income (loss)     (.09 )%   .42 %   (.37 )%   (.16 )%   (.23 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $174,584     $192,603     $231,655     $295,973     $261,914  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 21
 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

    Class R2 Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $31.81     $29.37     $28.72     $22.77     $18.29  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (loss) (a)     .01     .09     (.11 )   (.11 )   (.10 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     10.57     2.35     .76     6.06     4.62  
Total from investment operations     10.58     2.44     .65     5.95     4.52  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.14 )               (.04 )
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Total distributions     (.88 )               (.04 )
Net asset value, end of year     $41.51     $31.81     $29.37     $28.72     $22.77  
Total Return (b)     34.08 %   8.31 %   2.26 %   26.13 %   24.77 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     1.53 %   1.53 %   1.56 %   1.54 %   1.52 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     1.53 %   1.53 %   1.56 %   1.54 %   1.52 %
Net investment income (loss)     .04 %   .28 %   (.38 )%   (.41 )%   (.48 )%
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $268     $6,910     $7,205     $78     $86  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

22 See Notes to Financial Statements.  
 

Financial Highlights (concluded)

 

    Class R3 Shares  
    Year Ended 11/30  
      2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
Per Share Operating Performance                                
Net asset value, beginning of year     $31.85     $29.38     $28.69     $22.73     $18.29  
Investment operations:                                
Net investment income (loss) (a)     (.05 )   .12     (.11 )   (.04 )   (.06 )
Net realized and unrealized gain     10.70     2.35     .80     6.00     4.60  
Total from investment operations     10.65     2.47     .69     5.96     4.54  
Distributions to shareholders from:                                
Net investment income     (.16 )               (.10 )
Net realized gain     (.74 )                
Total distributions     (.90 )               (.10 )
Net asset value, end of year     $41.60     $31.85     $29.38     $28.69     $22.73  
Total Return (b)     34.30 %   8.41 %   2.41 %   26.22 %   24.94 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets:                                
Expenses, including expense reductions     1.42 %   1.42 %   1.42 %   1.45 %   1.44 %
Expenses, excluding expense reductions     1.42 %   1.42 %   1.42 %   1.45 %   1.44 %
Net investment income (loss)     (.14 )%   .39 %   (.37 )%   (.16 )%   .30 %
                                 
Supplemental Data:                                
Net assets, end of year (000)     $12,162     $11,635     $10,907     $5,190     $1,995  
Portfolio turnover rate     71.13 %   28.91 %   41.95 %   42.28 %   68.63 %
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding during the year.
(b) Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions.

 

  See Notes to Financial Statements. 23
 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1. ORGANIZATION

 

Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), as a diversified, open-end management investment company and was incorporated under Maryland law on April 6, 1992. The Company currently consists of three separate funds. This report covers one of the funds and its classes: Small-Cap Value Series (“Small Cap Value Fund” or the “Fund”).

 

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation. The Fund has eight classes of shares: Class A, B, C, F, I, P, R2 and R3, each with different expenses and dividends. A front-end sales charge is normally added to the net asset value (“NAV”) for Class A shares. There is no front-end sales charge in the case of Class B, C, F, I, P, R2 and R3 shares, although there may be a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) in certain cases as follows: Class A shares purchased without a sales charge and redeemed before the first day of the month in which the one-year anniversary of the purchase falls (subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus); Class B shares redeemed before the sixth anniversary of purchase; and Class C shares redeemed before the first anniversary of purchase. Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares on the 25 th day of the month (or, if the 25th day is not a business day, the next business day thereafter) following the eighth anniversary of the day on which the purchase order was accepted. The Fund is open to certain new investors on a limited basis as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus. The Fund no longer issues Class B shares for purchase. The Fund’s Class P shares are closed to substantially all investors, with certain exceptions as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus.

 

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
   
(a) Investment Valuation– Under procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”), the Fund’s investment manager, has formed a Pricing Committee to administer the pricing and valuation of portfolio investments and to ensure that prices utilized reasonably reflect fair value. Among other things, these procedures allow the Fund to utilize independent pricing services, quotations from securities and financial instrument dealers and other market sources to determine fair value.
   
  Securities actively traded on any recognized U.S. or non-U.S. exchange or on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC are valued at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange or system on which they are principally traded. Events occurring after the close of trading on non-U.S. exchanges may result in adjustments to the valuation of foreign securities to reflect their fair value as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange LLC. The Fund may rely on an independent fair valuation service in adjusting the valuations of foreign securities. Unlisted equity securities are valued at the last quoted sale price or, if no sale price is available, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices.
   
  Securities for which prices are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined by the Pricing Committee and approved by the Board. The Pricing Committee considers a number

 

24

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

  of factors, including observable and unobservable inputs, when arriving at fair value. The Pricing Committee may use related or comparable assets or liabilities, recent transactions, market multiples, book values and other relevant information to determine fair value of portfolio investments. The Board or a designated committee thereof regularly reviews fair value determinations made by the Pricing Committee and employs techniques such as reviewing related market activity, reviewing inputs and assumptions, and retrospectively comparing prices of subsequent purchases and sales transactions to fair value determinations made by the Pricing Committee.
   
  Short-term securities with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are valued using the amortized cost method, which approximates fair value.
   
(b) Security Transactions– Security transactions are recorded as of the date that the securities are purchased or sold (trade date). Realized gains and losses on sales of portfolio securities are calculated using the identified-cost method. Realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day.
   
(c) Investment Income– Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis as earned. Discounts are accreted and premiums are amortized using the effective interest method and are included in Interest and other income on the Statement of Operations. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends have been provided for in accordance with the applicable country’s tax rules and rates. Investment income is allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day.
   
(d) Income Taxes– It is the policy of the Fund to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all taxable income and capital gains to its shareholders. Therefore, no income tax provision is required.
   
  The Fund files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The statute of limitations on the Fund’s filed U.S. federal tax returns remains open for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2010 through November 30, 2013. The statutes of limitations on the Company’s state and local tax returns may remain open for an additional year depending upon the jurisdiction.
   
(e) Expenses– Expenses incurred by the Company that do not specifically relate to an individual fund are generally allocated to the funds within the Company on a pro rata basis by relative net assets. Expenses, excluding class-specific expenses, are allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets at the beginning of the day. Class A, B, C, F, P, R2 and R3 shares bear their class-specific share of all expenses and fees relating to the Fund’s 12b-1 Distribution Plan.
   
(f) Foreign Transactions– The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars and transactions denominated in foreign currencies are recorded in the Fund’s records at the rate prevailing when earned or recorded. Asset and liability accounts that are denominated in foreign currencies are adjusted daily to reflect current exchange rates and any unrealized gain (loss) is included in Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. The resultant exchange gains and losses upon settlement of such transactions are included in Net realized gain on investments in unaffiliated issuers on

 

25

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

  the Fund’s Statement of Operations. The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations arising as a result of changes in the foreign exchange rates from the changes in market prices of the securities.
     
(g) Repurchase Agreements– The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to securities. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which a fund acquires a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller (a bank or securities dealer) at an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon date. The Fund requires at all times that the repurchase agreement be collateralized by cash, or by securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies, its instrumentalities, or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises having a value equal to, or in excess of, the value of the repurchase agreement (including accrued interest). If the seller of the agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the fair value of these securities has declined, the Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the securities.
     
(h) Fair Value Measurements– Fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment or transferring a liability in an orderly transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. A three-tier hierarchy is used to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk – for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value (such as a pricing model) and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Observable inputs are 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. Unobservable inputs are based on the best information available in the circumstances. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad Levels listed below:

 

  •     Level 1 unadjusted 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.); and
     
     Level 3 –  significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

  A summary of inputs used in valuing the Fund’s investments as of November 30, 2013 and, if applicable, Level 1/Level 2 transfers and Level 3 rollforwards for the fiscal year then ended is included in the Fund’s Schedule of Investments.
     
  Changes in valuation techniques may result in transfers into or out of an assigned level within the three-tier hierarchy. All transfers between different levels within the three-tier hierarchy are deemed to have occurred as of the beginning of the reporting period. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

26

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

3. MANAGEMENT FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

 

Management Fee

The Company has a management agreement with Lord Abbett, pursuant to which Lord Abbett supplies the Fund with investment management services and executive and other personnel, provides office space and pays for ordinary and necessary office and clerical expenses relating to research and statistical work and supervision of the Fund’s investment portfolio.

 

The management fee is based on the Fund’s average daily net assets at the following annual rates:

 

First $2 billion .75%
Over $2 billion .70%

 

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the effective management fee was at an annualized rate of 0.73% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

In addition, Lord Abbett provides certain administrative services to the Fund pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement in return for a fee at an annual rate of .04% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

The Fund, along with certain other funds managed by Lord Abbett (collectively, the “Underlying Funds”), has entered into a Servicing Arrangement with Lord Abbett Alpha Strategy Fund of Lord Abbett Securities Trust (a “Fund of Funds”), pursuant to which the Underlying Fund pays a portion of the expense (excluding management fees and distribution and service fees) of the applicable Fund of Funds in proportion to the average daily value of the Underlying Fund shares owned by each Fund of Funds. Amounts paid pursuant to the Servicing Arrangement are included in Subsidy expense on the Fund’s Statement of Operations and Payable to affiliates on the Fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

As of November 30, 2013, the percentage of the Fund’s outstanding shares owned by Lord Abbett Alpha Strategy Fund was 6.70%.

 

12b-1 Distribution Plan

The Fund has adopted a distribution plan with respect to Class A, B, C, F, P, R2 and R3 shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act, which provides for the payment of ongoing distribution and service fees to Lord Abbett Distributor LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of Lord Abbett. The following annual rates have been approved by the Board pursuant to the plan:

 

Fees*   Class A   Class B   Class C   Class F   Class P   Class R2   Class R3  
Service   .25 %   .25 %   .25 %       .25 %   .25 %   .25 %  
Distribution   .05 %   .75 %   .75 %   .10 %   .20 %   .35 %   .25 %  

 

* The Fund may designate a portion of the aggregate fee as attributable to service activities for purposes of calculating Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) sales charge limitations.

 

Class I shares do not have a distribution plan.

 

27

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

Commissions

Distributor received the following commissions on sales of shares of the Fund, after concessions were paid to authorized dealers, for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013:

 

Distributor Commissions   Dealers’ Concessions
$23,644   $131,569

 

Distributor received CDSCs of $1,128 and $0 for Class A and Class C shares, respectively, for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

A Director and certain of the Company’s officers have an interest in Lord Abbett.

 

4. DISTRIBUTIONS AND CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS

 

Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually. Taxable net realized gains from investment transactions, reduced by allowable capital loss carryforwards, if any, are declared and distributed to shareholders at least annually. The capital loss carryforward amount, if any, is available to offset future net capital gains. Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amounts of dividends and distributions from net investment income and net realized capital gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These book/tax differences are either considered temporary or permanent in nature. To the extent these differences are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the components of net assets based on their federal tax basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassification. Dividends and distributions, which exceed earnings and profits for tax purposes, are reported as a tax return of capital.

 

Subsequent to the Fund’s fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, net investment income, short-term capital gain, and long-term capital gain distributions of approximately $2,819,000, $68,585,000 and $652,112,000, respectively, were declared by the Fund on December 11, 2013. The distributions were paid on December 18, 2013 to shareholders of record on December 17, 2013.

 

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 was as follows:

 

    Year Ended
11/30/2013
  Year Ended
11/30/2012
 
Distributions paid from:              
Ordinary income   $ 29,330,235   $  
Net long-term capital gains     74,963,243      
Total distributions   $ 104,293,478   $  

 

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

 

Undistributed ordinary income – net   $ 71,394,861  
Undistributed long-term capital gains     652,111,635  
Total undistributed earnings     723,506,496  
Temporary differences     (437,032 )
Unrealized gains – net     903,107,202  
Total accumulated gains – net   $ 1,626,176,666  

 

28

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

As of November 30, 2013, the aggregate unrealized security gains and losses based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

Tax cost $ 2,509,255,987  
Gross unrealized gain   911,761,298  
Gross unrealized loss   (8,654,096 )
Net unrealized security gain $ 903,107,202  

 

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis unrealized gains (losses) is attributable to the tax treatment of certain securities and wash sales.

 

Permanent items identified during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 have been reclassified among the components of net assets based on their tax basis treatment as follows:

 

Undistributed     Accumulated      
Net Investment     Net Realized     Paid-in
Income     Gain     Capital
$(566,984 )   $(117,478,982 )   $118,045,966

 

The permanent differences are attributable to the tax treatment of certain distributions.

 

5. PORTFOLIO SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS

 

Purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 were as follows:

 

Purchases   Sales
$2,435,015,722   $3,420,127,810

 

There were no purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

 

6. DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION

 

The Company’s officers and a Director, who are associated with Lord Abbett, do not receive any compensation from the Company for serving in such capacities. Independent Directors’ fees are allocated among all Lord Abbett-sponsored funds based on the net assets of each fund. There is an equity-based plan available to all Independent Directors under which Independent Directors must defer receipt of a portion of, and may elect to defer receipt of an additional portion of Directors’ fees. The deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in the funds. Such amounts and earnings accrued thereon are included in Directors’ fees on the Statement of Operations and in Directors’ fees payable on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and are not deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes until such amounts are paid.

 

7. EXPENSE REDUCTIONS

 

The Company has entered into an arrangement with its transfer agent and custodian, whereby credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances are used to reduce a portion of the Fund’s expenses.

 

8. LINE OF CREDIT

 

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund and certain other funds managed by Lord Abbett (the “participating funds”) participated in an unsecured revolving credit facility (“Facility”) with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“SSB”). The Facility is to be used for

 

29

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

temporary or emergency purposes as an additional source of liquidity to fund redemptions of investor shares. The Board considers annual renewal of the Facility under terms that depend on market conditions at the time of the renewal. The amounts available under the Facility are (i) the lesser of either $250,000,000 or 33.33% of total assets per participating fund and (ii) $350,000,000 in the aggregate for all participating funds. The annual fee to maintain the Facility is .09% of the amount available under the Facility. Each participating fund pays its pro rata share based on the net assets of each participating fund. This amount is included in Other expenses on the Fund’s Statement of Operations. Any borrowings under this Facility will bear interest at current market rates as set forth in the credit agreement.

 

Effective July 1, 2013, the Fund and participating funds renewed the Facility through June 30, 2014 under the same terms as described above.

 

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, a participating fund also managed by Lord Abbett utilized the Facility and fully repaid its borrowings on June 13, 2013. As of November 30, 2013, there were no loans outstanding pursuant to this Facility.

 

9. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATED ISSUERS

 

An affiliated issuer is one in which a fund has ownership of at least 5% of the outstanding voting securities of the underlying issuer at any point during the fiscal year. The Fund had the following transactions with affiliated issuers for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013:

 

Affiliated
Issuer
  Balance of
Shares
Held at
11/30/2012
  Gross
Additions
  Gross
Sales
    Balance of
Shares
Held at
11/30/2013
  Fair
Value at
11/30/2013
  Net
Realized
Gain
12/1/2012
to
11/30/2013
(a)   Dividend
Income
12/1/2012
to
11/30/2013
(a)
Koppers Holdings, Inc. (b)     1,045,200         (1,045,200 )       $   $ 367,706     $  
Navigators Group, Inc. (The) (b)     773,400         (773,400 )             320,751        
Total                             $   $ 688,457     $  

 

(a) Represents realized gains and dividend income earned only when the issuer was an affiliate of the Fund.
(b) No longer an affiliated issuer as of November 30, 2013.

 

10. CUSTODIAN AND ACCOUNTING AGENT

 

SSB is the Company’s custodian and accounting agent. SSB performs custodial, accounting and recordkeeping functions relating to portfolio transactions and calculating the Fund’s NAV.

 

11. INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The Fund is subject to the general risks and considerations associated with equity investing, as well as the particular risks associated with small company value stocks. The value of an investment will fluctuate in response to movements in the equity securities market in general and to the changing prospects of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Small company value stocks may perform differently than the market as a whole and other types of stocks, such as large company stocks or growth stocks. The market may fail to recognize the intrinsic value of particular value stocks for a long time. In addition, small cap company stocks may be more volatile and less liquid

 

30

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

than large cap company stocks. Also, if the Fund’s assessment of a company’s value or prospects for exceeding earnings expectations or market conditions is wrong, the Fund could suffer losses or produce poor performance relative to other funds, even in a rising market.

 

These factors can affect the Fund’s performance.

 

12. SUMMARY OF CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS

 

Transactions in shares by capital stock were as follows:

 

          Year Ended           Year Ended  
    November 30, 2013     November 30, 2012  
Class A Shares   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  
Shares sold     5,129,907     $ 186,569,254       5,713,997     $ 181,265,210  
Converted from Class B*     42,571       1,547,735       72,612       2,334,823  
Reinvestment of distributions     1,050,275       33,598,304              
Shares reacquired     (15,139,331 )     (555,902,777 )     (16,613,976 )     (522,964,712 )
Decrease     (8,916,578 )   $ (334,187,484 )     (10,827,367 )   $ (339,364,679 )
                                 
Class B Shares                                
Shares sold     5,445     $ 179,548       15,402     $ 429,152  
Reinvestment of distributions     5,789       158,860              
Shares reacquired     (56,166 )     (1,729,227 )     (74,519 )     (2,022,813 )
Converted to Class A*     (49,771 )     (1,547,735 )     (84,622 )     (2,334,823 )
Decrease     (94,703 )   $ (2,938,554 )     (143,739 )   $ (3,928,484 )
                                 
Class C Shares                                
Shares sold     61,449     $ 1,980,852       29,892     $ 800,198  
Reinvestment of distributions     27,590       757,626              
Shares reacquired     (231,075 )     (7,263,109 )     (279,264 )     (7,569,382 )
Decrease     (142,036 )   $ (4,524,631 )     (249,372 )   $ (6,769,184 )
                                 
Class F Shares                                
Shares sold     237,584     $ 8,585,192       994,332     $ 32,099,457  
Reinvestment of distributions     38,136       1,217,697              
Shares reacquired     (790,861 )     (30,739,857 )     (479,727 )     (15,131,390 )
Increase (decrease)     (515,141 )   $ (20,936,968 )     514,605     $ 16,968,067  
                                 
Class I Shares                                
Shares sold     7,114,851     $ 272,587,932       9,616,276     $ 319,564,156  
Reinvestment of distributions     1,610,986       54,741,286              
Shares reacquired     (20,155,168 )     (780,309,881 )     (14,269,916 )     (480,815,569 )
Decrease     (11,429,331 )   $ (452,980,663 )     (4,653,640 )   $ (161,251,413 )
                                 
Class P Shares                                
Shares sold     595,391     $ 21,355,336       771,469     $ 24,084,374  
Reinvestment of distributions     169,783       5,363,447              
Shares reacquired     (2,616,780 )     (93,676,049 )     (2,617,286 )     (81,658,131 )
Decrease     (1,851,606 )   $ (66,957,266 )     (1,845,817 )   $ (57,573,757 )

 

31

 

Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)

 

          Year Ended           Year Ended  
    November 30, 2013     November 30, 2012  
Class R2 Shares   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  
Shares sold     9,279     $ 327,573       24,587   $ 780,124  
Reinvestment of distributions     5,779       182,905              
Shares reacquired     (225,807 )     (8,199,961 )     (52,689 )     (1,664,769 )
Decrease     (210,749 )   $ (7,689,483 )     (28,102 )   $ (884,645 )
                                 
Class R3 Shares                                
Shares sold     137,353     $ 4,885,399       227,916   $ 7,141,717  
Reinvestment of distributions     10,208       323,286              
Shares reacquired     (220,461 )     (8,256,204 )     (233,944 )     (7,400,071 )
Decrease     (72,900 )   $ (3,047,519 )     (6,028 )   $ (258,354 )

* Automatic conversion of Class B shares occurs on the 25th day of the month (or, if the 25th day is not a business day, the next business day thereafter) following the eighth anniversary of the day on which the purchase order was accepted.

 

13. RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARD

 

In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-11 “Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” (“ASU 2011-11”). This disclosure requirement is intended to help investors and other financial statement users better assess the effect or potential effect of offsetting arrangements on a fund’s financial position. ASU 2011-11 requires entities to disclose both gross and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of assets and liabilities; and disclose instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting agreement. In addition, in January 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-01 “Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” (“ASU 2013-01”), specifying exactly which transactions are subject to disclosures about offsetting. ASU 2011-11 and ASU 2013-01 are effective for public entities for interim and annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013. Management is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU 2011-11 and ASU 2013-01 will have on the Fund’s financial statement disclosures.

 

32

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. and the Shareholders of Small-Cap Value Series:

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the schedule of investments, of the Small-Cap Value Series, one of the three funds constituting the Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) as of November 30, 2013, and the related statements of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Company’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. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2013, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; where replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, such financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Small-Cap Value Series of the Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc. as of November 30, 2013, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

New York, New York

January 29, 2014

 

33

 

Basic Information About Management

 

The Board is responsible for the management of the business and affairs of the Company in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board. The Board also approves an investment adviser to the Fund and continues to monitor the cost and quality of the services the investment adviser provides, and annually considers whether to renew the contract with the adviser. Generally, each Director holds office until his/her successor is elected and qualified or until his/her earlier resignation or removal, as provided in the Company’s organizational documents.

 

Lord Abbett, a Delaware limited liability company, is the Company’s investment adviser. Designated Lord Abbett personnel are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

 

Interested Directors

Ms. Foster is affiliated with Lord Abbett and is an “interested person” of the Company as defined in the Act. Ms. Foster is a director/trustee and officer of each of the 12 Lord Abbett-sponsored funds, which consist of 55 portfolios or series.

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
         
Daria L. Foster
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1954)
  Director and President
since 2006; Chief
Executive Officer
since 2012  
  Principal Occupation: Managing Partner of Lord Abbett (since 2007), and was formerly Director of Marketing and Client Service, joined Lord Abbett in 1990.

Other Directorships: None.

 

 

 

Independent Directors

The following Independent Directors also are directors/trustees of each of the 12 Lord Abbett-sponsored funds, which consist of 55 portfolios or series.

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
         
E. Thayer Bigelow
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1941)
  Director since 1996;
Chairman since 2013
  Principal Occupation: Managing General Partner, Bigelow Media, LLC (since 2000); Senior Adviser, Time Warner Inc. (1998 – 2000).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Crane Co. (since 1984) and Huttig Building Products Inc. (since 1998). Previously served as a director of R.H. Donnelley Inc. (2009 – 2010).
         
Robert B. Calhoun, Jr.
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1942)
  Director since 1998   Principal Occupation: Senior Advisor of Monitor Clipper Partners, a private equity investment fund (since 1997); President of Clipper Asset   Management Corp. (1991 – 2009).

Other Directorships: Previously served as a director of Interstate Bakeries Corp. (1991 – 2008).

 

34

 

Basic Information About Management (continued)

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth
  Current Position and
Length of Service
with the Company
  Principal Occupation and Other Directorships
During the Past Five Years
         
Evelyn E. Guernsey
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1955)
  Director since 2011  

Principal Occupation: CEO, Americas of J.P. Morgan Asset Management (2004 – 2010).

Other Directorships: None.

 

         
Julie A. Hill
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1946)
  Director since 2004  

Principal Occupation: Owner and CEO of The Hill Company, a business consulting firm (since 1998).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of WellPoint, Inc., a health benefits company (since 1994). Previously served as a director of Lend Lease Corporation Limited, an international retail and residential property group (2006 – 2012).

 

Franklin W. Hobbs
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2001  

Principal Occupation: Advisor of One Equity Partners, a private equity firm (since 2004).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director and Chairman of the Board of Ally Financial Inc., a financial services firm (since 2009), and as director of Molson Coors Brewing Company (since 2002).

 

James M. McTaggart
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2012   Principal Occupation: Independent management advisor and consultant (since 2012); Vice President,  CRA International, Inc. (doing business as Charles  River Associates), a global management consulting  firm (2009 – 2012); Founder and Chairman of Marakon Associates, Inc., a strategy consulting firm  (1978 – 2009); and Officer and Director of Trinsum  Group, a holding company (2007 – 2009).
         
        Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Blyth, Inc., a home products company (since 2004).
         
James L.L. Tullis
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
c/o Legal Dept.
90 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(1947)
  Director since 2006  

Principal Occupation: CEO of Tullis-Dickerson and Co. Inc., a venture capital management firm (since 1990); CEO of Tullis Health Investors Inc. (since 2012).

Other Directorships: Currently serves as director of Crane Co. (since 1998). Previously served as a director of Synageva BioPharma Corp., a biopharmaceutical company (2009 – 2011).

 

35

 

Basic Information About Management (continued)

 

Officers

None of the officers listed below have received compensation from the Company. All of the officers of the Company also may be officers of the other Lord Abbett-sponsored funds and maintain offices at 90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Unless otherwise indicated, the position(s) and title(s) listed under the “Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years” column indicate each officer’s position(s) and title(s) with Lord Abbett.

 

Name and
Year of Birth
  Current Position with
the Company
  Length of
Service of
Current Position
  Principal Occupation
During the Past
Five Years
             
Daria L. Foster
(1954)
  President and Chief
Executive Officer
  Elected as President in 2006 and Chief Executive Officer in 2012   Managing Partner of Lord Abbett (since 2007), and was formerly Director of Marketing and Client Service, joined Lord Abbett in 1990.
             
Robert I. Gerber
(1954)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2007   Partner and Chief Investment Officer (since 2007), joined Lord Abbett in 1997 as Director of Taxable Fixed Income Management.
             
Thomas B. Maher
(1967)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2013   Partner and Portfolio Manager, joined Lord Abbett in 2003.
             
Justin C. Maurer
(1969)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2013   Partner and Portfolio Manager, joined Lord Abbett in 2001.
             
Walter H. Prahl
(1958)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2012   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.
             
Frederick J. Ruvkun
(1957)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2012   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 2006.
             
Paul J. Volovich
(1973)
  Executive Vice President   Elected in 2004   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.
             
Joan A. Binstock
(1954)
  Chief Financial Officer  and Vice President   Elected in 1999   Partner and Chief Financial and Operations Officer, joined Lord Abbett in 1999.
             
John K. Forst
(1960)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2005   Partner and Deputy Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2004.
             
Lawrence H. Kaplan
(1957)
  Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President and Secretary   Elected as Vice President and Secretary in 1997 and Chief Compliance Officer in 2013   Partner, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer, joined Lord Abbett in 1997.

 

36

 

Basic Information About Management (concluded)

 

Name and
Year of Birth
  Current Position with
the Company
  Length of
Service of
Current Position
  Principal Occupation
During the Past
Five Years
             
David J. Linsen
(1974)
  Vice President   Elected in 2008   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 2001.
             
A. Edward Oberhaus, III
(1959)
  Vice President   Elected in 1996   Partner and Director, joined Lord Abbett in 1983.
             
Thomas R. Phillips
(1960)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2008   Partner and Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2006.
             
Lawrence B. Stoller
(1963)
  Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Elected in 2007   Partner and Senior Deputy General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2007.
             
Scott S. Wallner
(1955)
  AML Compliance Officer   Elected in 2011   Assistant General Counsel, joined Lord Abbett in 2004.
             
Bernard J. Grzelak
(1971)
  Treasurer   Elected in 2003   Partner and Director of Fund Administration, joined Lord Abbett in 2003.

 

Please call 888-522-2388 for a copy of the statement of additional information, which contains further information about the Company’s Directors. It is available free upon request.

 

37

 

Householding

 

The Company has adopted a policy that allows it to send only one copy of the Fund’s prospectus, proxy material, annual report and semiannual report to certain shareholders residing at the same “household.” This reduces Fund expenses, which benefits you and other shareholders. If you need additional copies or do not want your mailings to be “householded,” please call Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388 or send a written request with your name, the name of your fund or funds and your account number or numbers to Lord Abbett Family of Funds, P.O. Box 219336, Kansas City, MO 64121.

 

Proxy Voting Policies, Procedures and Records

 

A description of the policies and procedures that Lord Abbett uses to vote proxies related to the Fund’s portfolio securities, and information on how Lord Abbett voted the Fund’s proxies during the 12-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, (i) by calling 888-522-2388; (ii) on Lord Abbett’s Website at www.lordabbett.com; and (iii) on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Website at www.sec.gov.

 

Shareholder Reports and Quarterly Portfolio Disclosure

 

The Fund is required to file its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for its first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-Q. Copies of the filings are available without charge, upon request on the SEC’s Website at www.sec.gov and may be available by calling Lord Abbett at 888-522-2388. You can also obtain copies of Form N-Q by visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 800-SEC-0330).

 

Tax Information

 

100% of the ordinary income distributions paid by the Fund during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 is qualified dividend income. For corporate shareholders, 100% of the Fund’s ordinary income distributions qualified for the dividends received deduction.

 

In addition, of the distributions paid to shareholders during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, $74,963,243 represents long-term capital gains.

 

38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This report, when not used for the general information of shareholders of the Fund, is to be distributed only if preceded or accompanied by a current fund prospectus.

 

 


Lord Abbett mutual fund shares are distributed by
  Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc.   LARF-2-1113
LORD ABBETT DISTRIBUTOR LLC.  

Small-Cap Value Series

  (01/14)
 
Item 2: Code of Ethics.

 

  (a) In accordance with applicable requirements, the Registrant adopted a Sarbanes-Oxley Code of Ethics on June 19, 2003 that applies to the principal executive officer and senior financial officers of the Registrant (“Code of Ethics”). The Code of Ethics was in effect during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 (the “Period”).
     
  (b) Not applicable.
     
  (c) The Registrant has not amended the Code of Ethics as described in Form N-CSR during the Period.
     
  (d) The Registrant has not granted any waiver, including an implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Ethics as described in Form N-CSR during the Period.
     
  (e) Not applicable.
     
  (f) See Item 12(a)(1) concerning the filing of the Code of Ethics.

 

Item 3: Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

    The Registrant’s board of directors has determined that each of the following independent directors who are members of the audit committee is an audit committee financial expert: E. Thayer Bigelow and Robert B. Calhoun, Jr. Each of these persons is independent within the meaning of the Form N-CSR.

 

Item 4: Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

  Item 4: Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

In response to sections (a), (b), (c) and (d) of Item 4, the aggregate fees billed to the Registrant for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 by the Registrant’s principal accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, the member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and their respective affiliates (collectively, “Deloitte”) were as follows:

 

    Fiscal year ended:  
    2013     2012  
Audit Fees {a}   $ 127,000     $ 163,000  
Audit-Related Fees     - 0 -       - 0 -  
Total audit and audit-related fees     127,000       163,000  
                 
Tax Fees {b}     31,723       31,031  
All Other Fees     - 0 -       - 0 -  
                 
Total Fees   $ 158,723     $ 194,031  
 

{a} Consists of fees for audits of the Registrant’s annual financial statements.

 

{b} Fees for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 consist of fees for preparing the U.S. Income Tax Return for Regulated Investment Companies, New Jersey Corporation Business Tax Return, New Jersey Annual Report Form, U.S. Return of Excise Tax on Undistributed Income of Investment Companies, IRS Forms 1099-MISC and 1096 Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns.

 

(e) (1) Pursuant to Rule 2-01(c) (7) of Regulation S-X, the Registrant’s Audit Committee has adopted pre-approval policies and procedures. Such policies and procedures generally provide that the Audit Committee must pre-approve:

 

  · any audit, audit-related, tax, and other services to be provided to the Lord Abbett Funds, including the Registrant, and
  · any audit-related, tax, and other services to be provided to the Registrant’s investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to one or more Funds comprising the Registrant if the engagement relates directly to operations and financial reporting of a Fund, by the independent auditor to assure that the provision of such services does not impair the auditor’s independence.

 

The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to its Chairman, subject to a fee limit of $10,000 per event, and not to exceed $25,000 annually. The Chairman will report any pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. Unless a type of service to be provided by the independent auditor has received general pre-approval, it must be pre-approved by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

 

(e) (2) The Registrant’s Audit Committee has approved 100% of the services described in this Item 4 (b) through (d).

 

(f) Not applicable.

 

(g) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by Deloitte for services rendered to the Registrant are shown above in the response to Item 4 (a), (b), (c) and (d) as “All Other Fees”.

 

The aggregate non-audit fees billed by Deloitte for services rendered to the Registrant’s investment adviser, Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”), for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 were:

 

  Fiscal year ended:
  2013 2012
All Other Fees {a} $180,602 $178,975
 
 

 

{a} Consist of fees for Independent Services Auditors’ Report on Controls Placed in Operation and Tests of Operating Effectiveness related to Lord Abbett’s Asset Management Services (“SOC-1 Report”).

 

The aggregate non-audit fees billed by Deloitte for services rendered to entities under the common control of Lord Abbett for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 were:

 

  Fiscal year ended:
  2013 2012
All Other Fees $ - 0 - $ - 0 -

 

 

 

(h) The Registrant’s Audit Committee has considered the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Registrant’s investment adviser, and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, that were not pre-approved pursuant to Rule 2-01 (c)(7)(ii) of Regulation S-X and has determined that the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining Deloitte’s independence.

 

Item 5: Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
   
  Not applicable.
   
Item 6: Investments.
   
  Not applicable.
   
Item 7: Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
   
  Not applicable.
   
Item 8: Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
   
  Not applicable.
   
Item 9: Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
   
  Not applicable.
   
Item 10: Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
   
  Not applicable.
   
Item 11: Controls and Procedures.
 
  (a) Based on their evaluation of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Registrant have concluded that such disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed and effective to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to them by others within those entities.
     
  (b) There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12: Exhibits.

 

  (a)(1) The Lord Abbett Family of Funds Sarbanes Oxley Code of Ethics for the Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers is attached hereto as part of Ex-99. CODEETH.
     
  (a)(2) Certification of each Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant as required by Rule 30a-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 is attached hereto as a part of EX-99.CERT.
     
  (b) Certification of each Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant as required by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is provided as a part of EX-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, thereunto duly authorized.

 

    LORD ABBETT RESEARCH FUND, INC.
       
  By: /s/ Daria L. Foster  
    Daria L. Foster
    President and Chief Executive Officer
       
Date: January 27, 2014      
       
  By: /s/ Joan A. Binstock  
    Joan A. Binstock
    Chief Financial Officer and Vice President
       
Date: January 27, 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/ Daria L. Foster  
    Daria L. Foster
    President and Chief Executive Officer
       
Date: January 27, 2014      
       
  By: /s/ Joan A. Binstock  
    Joan A. Binstock
    Chief Financial Officer and Vice President
       
Date: January 27, 2014      
 
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