BNY Mellon Investment Management Announces Realignment of Several of Its Investment Firms and Anticipated Changes to the Portfolio Management Arrangements for Certain BNY Mellon Municipal Bond Closed-end Funds

Rhea-AI Summary

BNY Mellon Investment Management has announced a realignment among its investment firms to strengthen their specialized capabilities. This will affect portfolio management for BNY Mellon Municipal Income, Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, and Strategic Municipals, effective in Q3 2021, pending regulatory approval. Portfolio managers from Mellon will transition to Insight North America as sub-advisers, continuing their management of the funds with no anticipated changes to investment objectives or strategies. No increase in management fees is expected.

Positive

• No material changes to the Funds' investment objectives or strategies.
• No reduction in the level of services provided to the Funds.
• No increase in management fees due to the engagement of Insight North America.

Negative

• None.

BNY Mellon Investment Management announced today that, in partnership and agreement with several of its investment firms, it is realigning those firms to enhance their specialist capabilities. The realignment will change the portfolio management arrangements for BNY Mellon Municipal Income, Inc., BNY Mellon Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. and BNY Mellon Strategic Municipals, Inc. (each, a "Fund").

More specifically, as a result of this realignment, which is scheduled to occur, subject to regulatory requirements, in the third quarter of 2021 (the "Effective Date"), portfolio managers responsible for managing the Funds' investments who are employees of Mellon Investments Corporation ("Mellon") in a dual employment arrangement with BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. ("BNYM Investment Adviser"), the Funds' investment adviser, will become employees of Insight North America LLC ("INA"), which, like Mellon, is an affiliate of BNYM Investment Adviser, and will no longer be employees of Mellon. Consequently, effective as of the Effective Date and subject to the approval of each Fund's board of directors, BNYM Investment Adviser will engage INA to serve as the Fund's sub-adviser, pursuant to a sub-investment advisory agreement between BNYM Investment Adviser and INA. As each Fund's sub-adviser, INA will provide the day-to-day management of the Fund's investments, subject to BNYM Investment Adviser's supervision and approval. It is currently anticipated that each Fund's portfolio managers who are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's investments will continue to manage the Fund's investments as of the Effective Date. It is also currently anticipated that there will be no material changes to any Fund's investment objective, strategies or policies, no reduction in the nature or level of services provided to the Funds, and no increase in the management fee payable by a Fund as a result of the engagement of INA as the Fund's sub-adviser. BNYM Investment Adviser (and not the Funds) will pay INA for its sub-advisory services.

Important Information

BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc., the investment adviser for the Funds, is part of BNY Mellon Investment Management. BNY Mellon Investment Management is one of the world's leading investment management organizations, with US $2.2 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2020. BNY Mellon Investment Management encompasses BNY Mellon's affiliated investment management firms and global distribution companies. Through an investor-first approach, BNY Mellon Investment Management brings to clients the best of both worlds: specialist expertise from eight world-class investment firms offering solutions across every major asset class, backed by the strength, stability, and global presence of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK), one of the world's most trusted investment partners, which has US $41.1 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration as of December 31, 2020.

Insight North America LLC is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation registered in the United States with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") as an investment adviser. INA is part of the group of affiliated companies providing investment advisory services under the brand "Insight Investment" or "Insight". Investment advisory services in North America are provided through two different investment advisers registered with the SEC using the brand Insight Investment: INA and Insight Investment International Limited. The North American investment advisers are associated with other global investment managers that also (individually and collectively) use the corporate brand Insight Investment and may be referred to as "Insight" or "Insight Investment." INA's principal office is located at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166. As of December 31, 2020, INA managed approximately $47.8 billion of assets. Collectively, the investment managers that comprise Insight Investment are responsible for $1.029 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2020.¹

BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and may also be used as a generic term to reference the Corporation as a whole or its various subsidiaries generally. Additional information on BNY Mellon Investment Management is available on www.im.bnymellon.com. BNY Mellon Investment Management's website is intended to allow investors public access to information regarding the Funds and does not, and is not intended to, incorporate the website in this release.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. Each Fund's investment returns and principal values will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual future results or occurrences may differ significantly from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, market developments, legal and regulatory developments and other additional risks and uncertainties. The Funds and BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. undertake no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

This release is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security.

^{___________________________
1} Assets under management (AUM) is represented by the value of a client's assets or liabilities managed by Insight. These will primarily be the mark-to-market value of investments managed by Insight, including collateral if applicable. Where a client mandate requires Insight to manage some or all of a client's liabilities, AUM will be equal to the value of the client's specific liability benchmark and/or the notional value of other risk exposure through the use of derivatives.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210210005606/en/

FAQ

What is the purpose of BNY Mellon's recent realignment for DMF, DSM, and LEO?

The realignment aims to enhance specialist capabilities among its investment firms.

When will the changes to BNY Mellon Municipal Income, Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, and Strategic Municipals take effect?

The changes are scheduled to occur in Q3 2021, subject to regulatory approval.

Who will manage the BNY Mellon Funds after the realignment?

Insight North America will serve as the sub-adviser for managing the funds' investments.

Will there be any changes to the management fees for the Funds DMF, DSM, and LEO?

No increase in management fees is expected as a result of the engagement of Insight North America.