Form: N-Q

Quarterly Schedule of Portfolio Holdings of Registered Management Investment Company filed on Form N-Q

November 12, 2014



 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number 811-08025

SELF STORAGE GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

11 Hanover Square, 12th Floor
 
New York, NY
  10005
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)

John F. Ramírez, Esq.
Self Storage Group, Inc.
11 Hanover Square
New York, NY 10005
(Name and address of agent for service)
 
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 1-212-785-0900
 
Date of Fiscal Year End: December 31
 
Date of Reporting Period: September 30, 2014
 
 


 
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Item 1.  Schedule of Investments
   
SELF STORAGE GROUP, INC.
     
   
SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS
     
   
September 30, 2014
     
   
(Unaudited)
     
Member
         
Equity Interest
     
Value
 
   
REAL ESTATE OWNED (81.35%)
     
   
Self Storage Properties (81.35%)
     
  100%  
SSG Bolingbrook LLC (a) (b)
  $ 5,700,000  
  100%  
SSG Dolton LLC (a) (b)
    5,100,000  
  100%  
SSG Merrillville LLC (a) (b)
    5,100,000  
  100%  
SSG Rochester LLC (a) (b)
    4,850,000  
  100%  
SSG Sadsbury LLC (a) (b)
    4,900,000  
  100%  
SSG Summerville I LLC (a) (b)
    2,300,000  
  100%  
SSG Summerville II LLC (a) (b)
    1,400,000  
               
     
Total real estate owned (Cost $27,275,000)
    29,350,000  
               
Shares
 
COMMON STOCKS (9.39%)
       
     
Real Estate Investment Trusts (9.39%)
       
     
Diversified (2.07%)
       
  4,500  
Public Storage (c)
    746,280  
               
               
     
Industrial (7.32%)
       
  40,000  
CubeSmart (c)
    719,200  
  20,000  
Extra Space Storage, Inc. (c)
    1,031,400  
  12,000  
Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (c)
    892,320  
            2,642,920  
               
     
Total common stocks (Cost $2,314,474)
    3,389,200  
               
     
PREFERRED STOCKS (4.33%)
       
     
Real Estate Investment Trusts (4.33%)
       
     
Industrial (1.10%)
       
  15,000  
CubeSmart 7.75%, Series A (c)
    396,000  
               
     
Office (1.04%)
       
  15,000  
Duke Realty Corp. 6.50%, Series K (c)
    376,050  
               
     
Retail (2.19%)
       
  15,000  
Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, 8.25%, Series A (c)
    396,750  
  15,000  
Realty Income Corp., 6.625%, Series F (c)
    392,250  
            789,000  
               
     
Total preferred stocks (Cost $1,540,066)
    1,561,050  
               
Units
 
OTHER (1.44%)
       
  349,000  
DWS RREEF Real Estate Fund Liquidating Trust (b) (d)
    90,740  
  1,100,066  
DWS RREEF Real Estate Fund II Liquidating Trust (b) (d)
    429,026  
  2  
RMR Asia Pacific Fund Fractional shares (b)
    0  
               
     
Total other (Cost $ 0 )
    519,766  
               
Principal Amount
 
SHORT TERM INVESTMENT (3.81%)
       
$ 1,373,381  
State Street Bank and Trust Company Euro Time Deposit 0.0 % (Cost $1,373,381)
    1,373,381  
               
     
Total investments (Cost $32,502,921) (100.32%)
    36,193,397  
               
     
Liabilities in excess of other assets (-0.32%)
    (114,623 )
               
     
Net assets (100.00%)
  $ 36,078,774  
               
     
 Net asset value per share (applicable to 7,416,766 shares outstanding; 20,000,000 shares of $0.01 par value authorized)
  $ 4.86  
               
(a) Controlled affiliate.
       
(b) Illiquid and/or restricted security that has been fair valued.
       
(c) All or a portion of these securities have been segregated as collateral pursuant to the bank credit facility. As of
       
September 30, 2014, the value of securities pledged as collateral was $4,950,250 and there were no securities
       
on loan under the lending agreement.
       
(d) Non-income producing.
       
               
LLC
 
Limited Liability Company
       

 
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Notes to Schedule of Portfolio Investments (Unaudited)

Valuation of Investments
Portfolio securities are valued by various methods depending on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. Most equity securities for which the primary market is in the United States are valued at the official closing price, last sale price or, if no sale has occurred, at the closing bid price. Most equity securities for which the primary market is outside the United States are valued using the official closing price or the last sale price in the principal market in which they are traded. If the last sale price on the local exchange is unavailable, the last evaluated quote or closing bid price normally is used. Debt obligations with remaining maturities of 60 days or less generally are valued at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts when it can be reasonably concluded, at each time a valuation is determined, that the amortized cost value of such security is approximately the same as the fair value of the security as determined without the use of amortized cost valuation. Certain debt securities may be priced through pricing services that may utilize a matrix pricing system which takes into consideration factors such as yields, prices, maturities, call features, and ratings on comparable securities or according to prices quoted by a securities dealer that offers pricing services. Open end investment companies are valued at their net asset value. Foreign securities markets may be open on days when the U.S. markets are closed. For this reason, the value of any foreign securities owned by the Company could change on a day when stockholders cannot buy or sell shares of the Company. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or reliable and other assets may be valued as determined in good faith by the Valuation Committee (“VC”) of the Company under the direction of or pursuant to procedures approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. Due to the inherent uncertainty of valuation, such fair value pricing values may differ from the values that would have been used had a readily available market for the securities existed. These differences in valuation could be material. A security’s valuation may differ depending on the method used for determining value. The use of fair value pricing by the Company may cause the net asset value of its shares to differ from the net asset value that would be calculated using market prices. A fair value price is an estimate and there is no assurance that such price will be at or close to the price at which a security is next quoted or next trades.

Value Measurements
Inputs to valuation methods are prioritized by a three level hierarchy as follows:
 
• Level 1 – unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities including securities actively traded on a securities exchange.
 
• Level 2 –  observable inputs other than quoted prices included in level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability which may include quoted prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates, and similar data.
  
• Level 3 – unobservable inputs for the asset or liability including the Company’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability.
 
The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets for the security, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for investments categorized in level 3.
 
The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
 
The inputs or methodology used for valuing investments are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
 
The following is a description of the valuation techniques applied to the Company’s major categories of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
 
 
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Real estate assets – Real estate assets, including self storage facilities held indirectly through one or more wholly owned and controlled subsidiaries, are valued using fair value pricing as determined in good faith by the VC under the direction of or pursuant to procedures approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. Real estate assets may be valued by reference to, among other things, quarterly appraisals by an independent third party and additional factors which may include assessment of comparable recent acquisitions, changes in cash flows from the operation of the subject property, and material events affecting the operation of the property.

Restricted and/or illiquid securities – Restricted and/or illiquid securities for which quotations are not readily available or reliable may be valued with fair value pricing as determined in good faith by the VC under the direction of and pursuant to procedures approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. Restricted securities issued by publicly traded companies are generally valued at a discount to similar publicly traded securities. Restricted or illiquid securities issued by nonpublic entities may be valued by reference to comparable public entities or fundamental data relating to the issuer or both similar inputs. Depending on the relative significance of valuation inputs, these instruments may be categorized in either level 2 or level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Equity securities (common and preferred stock) – Most publicly traded equity securities are valued normally at the most recent official closing price, last sale price, evaluated quote, or closing bid price. To the extent these securities are actively traded and valuation adjustments are not applied, they may be categorized in level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Equities on inactive markets or valued by reference to similar instruments may be categorized in level 2.
 
 The following is a summary of the inputs used as of September 30, 2014 in valuing the Company’s assets. Refer to the Schedule of Portfolio Investments (unaudited) for detailed information on specific investments.


   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
                         
 Assets
                       
 Investments, at value
                       
     Real estate owned
  $ -     $ -     $ 29,350,000     $ 29,350,000  
     Common stocks
    3,389,200       -       -       3,389,200  
     Preferred stocks
    1,561,050       -       -       1,561,050  
     Other
    -       -       519,766       519,766  
     Short term investment
    -       1,373,381       -       1,373,381  
                                 
 Total investments, at value
  $ 4,950,250     $ 1,373,381     $ 29,869,766     $ 36,193,397  
 
There were no securities transferred from level 1 at December 31, 2013 to level 2 at September 30, 2014.

 
 
 
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The following is a reconciliation of level 3 assets including securities valued at zero:

   
Real Estate Owned
   
Other
   
Total
 
                   
Balance at December 31, 2013
  $ 27,437,500     $ 94,561     $ 27,532,061  
Cost of purchases
    300,000       -       300,000  
Sales
    -       -       -  
Transfers in to (out of) level 3
    -       -       -  
Change in unrealized appreciation
    1,612,500       425,205       2,037,705  
                         
Balance at September 30, 2014
  $ 29,350,000     $ 519,766     $ 29,869,766  
                         
Net change in unrealized appreciation attributable
                 
to assets held as level 3 at September 30, 2014
  $ 1,612,500     $ 425,205     $ 2,037,705  

The VC, under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors, considers various valuation approaches for valuing assets categorized within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. The factors used in determining the value of such assets may include, but are not limited to: marketability, professional appraisals of portfolio companies, company and industry results and outlooks, and general market conditions. The VC then recommends a value for each asset in light of all the information available. The determination of fair value involves subjective judgments. As a result, using fair value to price an asset may result in a price materially different from the price used by other investors or the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the asset. Significant changes in any of those inputs in isolation may result in a significantly lower or higher value measurement. The pricing of all fair value assets is reported to the Company’s Board of Directors.
 
In valuing the self storage properties owned through the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries as of September 30, 2014, the VC used a number of significant unobservable inputs to develop a range of possible values for the properties. It used a sales comparison approach which looks at recent sales of self storage properties considered similar to the subject property, an income capitalization approach which looks at discounted cash flow analysis based on certain assumptions regarding the property’s trend in income and expenses, and a cost approach which looks at recent comparable land sales in the subject area and the estimated replacement value of the existing buildings and site improvements.
 
The values obtained from weighting the three methods described above, with greater weight given to the sales comparison approach, were then discounted for the lack of marketability of the Company’s membership interest in each subsidiary, which represents the range of rates the VC believes market participants may apply. The resulting range of values, together with the underlying support, other information about each underlying property’s financial condition and results of operations and its industry outlook, were considered by the VC, which recommended a value for each subsidiary.
 
The following table presents additional information about valuation methodologies and inputs used for investments that are measured at fair value and categorized as level 3 as of September 30, 2014:


September 30, 2014
 
Fair Value
 
Primary Valuation Technique
Unobservable Input
 
Range
 
                 
REAL ESTATE OWNED        Self Storage Properties
  $ 29,350,000  
Income capitalization approach
Capitalization rates
    5% - 8 %
                     
OTHER
  $ 519,766  
Liquidating value
Discount rate for lack of marketability
    35% - 100 %

 
 
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Investments in Wholly-owned Subsidiaries
The following summary sets forth the Company’s membership equity ownership including membership equity capital additions and reductions, cash dividends received by the Company, and the value of each wholly-owned subsidiary as recorded in the schedule of portfolio investments as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2014.


   
Beginning
   
Membership Equity
   
Ending
         
Value
 
   
Equity Interest
   
Gross
   
Gross
   
Equity Interest
   
Dividend
   
September 30,
 
   
Percentage
   
Additions
   
Reductions
   
Percentage
   
Income
   
2014
 
                                     
SSG Bolingbrook LLC
    100%     $ -     $ -       100%     $ 319,000     $ 5,700,000  
SSG Dolton LLC
    100%     $ -     $ -       100%     $ 275,000     $ 5,100,000  
SSG Merrillville LLC
    100%     $ -     $ -       100%     $ 253,000     $ 5,100,000  
SSG Rochester LLC
    100%     $ -     $ -       100%     $ 286,000     $ 4,850,000  
SSG Sadsbury LLC
    100%     $ 300,000     $ -       100%     $ 257,000     $ 4,900,000  
SSG Summerville I LLC
    100%     $ -     $ -       100%     $ 13,000     $ 2,300,000  
SSG Summerville II LLC
    100%     $ -     $ -       100%     $ 22,000     $ 1,400,000  

The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries are each a controlled affiliate as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. A controlled affiliate is an issuer in which the Company’s holdings represent 25% or more of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer.

Illiquid and Restricted Investments
The Company holds investments that have a limited trading market and/or certain restrictions on trading and, therefore, may be illiquid and/or restricted. These investment holdings have been valued at fair value. Due to the inherent uncertainty of valuation, fair value pricing values may differ from the values that would have been used had a readily available market for the securities existed. These differences in valuation could be material. Illiquid and/or restricted investment holdings owned at September 30, 2014, were as follows:
 

 
Acquisition
           
 
Date
 
Cost
   
Value
 
               
SSG Bolingbrook LLC
6/27/13
  $ 5,700,000     $ 5,700,000  
SSG Dolton LLC
6/27/13
    5,100,000       5,100,000  
SSG Merrillville LLC
6/27/13
    4,825,000       5,100,000  
SSG Rochester LLC
12/24/12
    3,750,000       4,850,000  
SSG Sadsbury LLC
12/5/12
    4,300,000       4,900,000  
SSG Summerville I LLC
7/12/13
    2,300,000       2,300,000  
SSG Summerville II LLC
8/20/13
    1,300,000       1,400,000  
DWS RREEF Real Estate Fund Liquidating Trust
2009
    0       90,740  
DWS RREEF Real Estate Fund II Liquidating Trust
2009
    0       429,026  
RMR Asia Pacific Fund Fractional shares
2010
    0       0  
                   
      $ 27,275,000     $ 29,869,766  
                   
Percent of net assets
      75.60 %     82.79 %

 
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Cost for Federal Income Tax Purposes
As of September 30, 2014, for federal income tax purposes subject to change, the aggregate cost of investments was $32,502,921 and net unrealized appreciation was $3,690,476, comprised of gross unrealized appreciation of $3,694,511 and gross unrealized depreciation of $4,035. The aggregate cost of investments for tax purposes will depend upon the Company’s investment experience during the entirety of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations.




 
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Item 2.  Controls and Procedures

(a)  
The registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(b)  
There were no changes in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the registrant's last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Item 3. Exhibits

(a)  
Certifications of the registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act.

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.


Self Storage Group, Inc.
 
 
By: /s/ Mark C. Winmill
Mark C. Winmill, President

Date: November 11, 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/ Mark C. Winmill
Mark C. Winmill, President

Date: November 11, 2014
 
By: /s/ Thomas O'Malley
Thomas O'Malley, Chief Financial Officer

Date: November 11, 2014
 
 
Exhibit Index

(a)
Certifications of the registrant's principal executive and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act. (EX-99.CERT)

 
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