FAQs
What is the Swiss Helvetia Fund?
The Swiss Helvetia Fund, Inc. is a non-diversified, closed end investment company that invests in equity and equity-linked securities of Swiss companies. The Fund also may acquire and hold equity and equity-linked securities of non-Swiss companies in limited instances.
How can I buy shares of the Fund?
Shares of the Fund trade in the secondary market similar to a regular stock. They are not continuously issued or redeemed like shares of an open-end fund; hence they must be bought through your broker and cannot be purchased directly from the Fund. The shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "SWZ".
Does the Fund pay any distributions?
The Fund distributes to stockholders, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains. Distributions are made in cash or in common stock with the option to receive cash. The Fund will not declare dividends payable in common stock until any dilution resulting from the Fund's prior practice of declaring common stock dividends at a time when its common stock was trading at a discount to net asset value has been eliminated through the repurchase of the Fund's common stock at times when the Fund's net asset value exceeds its market price.
Click here for the distribution history of the Fund.
What type of the currency exposure does the Fund have?
The Fund's equity investments are denominated in Swiss francs. The cash and short-term investments are generally held in Swiss francs as well. The investment policy of the Fund is not to hedge the exposure to the Swiss Franc. As a result, investors in the Fund are fully exposed to fluctuations in the value of the Swiss franc relative to the U.S. dollar.
How do changes in the U.S. dollar / Swiss franc exchange rate affect the Fund's Net Asset Value?
The Fund benefits if the U.S. dollar weakens against the Swiss franc because the Fund's Net Asset Value (NAV) increases once translated (daily) into U.S. dollars. The market price of the Fund may not react to the same extent because it is by definition exposed to market forces (supply and demand of the stock). The market price movement may not reflect the NAV movements, hence the presence of a market price discount/premium to NAV.
Where can I get additional information about the Fund other than what is found on this website?
Morningstar provides information about the Fund, including certain considerations such as volatility measurements and other statistical risk measures for the Fund. You will find information following this link:
Morningstar
What is the Fund's performance?
Please follow this link: Performance