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EX-31.02 - EX-31.02 - ML Winton FuturesAccess LLCa11-7503_1ex31d02.htm
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EX-13.01 - EX-13.01 - ML Winton FuturesAccess LLCa11-7503_1ex13d01.htm
EX-32.01 - EX-32.01 - ML Winton FuturesAccess LLCa11-7503_1ex32d01.htm
EX-32.02 - EX-32.02 - ML Winton FuturesAccess LLCa11-7503_1ex32d02.htm

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

FORM 10-K

 

x  Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended: December 31, 2010

 

or

 

o  Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Commission file number: 0-51084

 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

20-1227904

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation or organization)

 

Identification No.)

 

c/o Merrill Lynch Alternative Investments LLC

Four World Financial Center, 10th Floor

250 Vesey Street

New York, New York 10080

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

 

212-449-3517

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Units of Limited Liability Company Interest

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes o No x

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No x

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes o No o

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer o

 

Accelerated filer o

 

 

 

Non-accelerated filer x

 

Small reporting company o

(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

 

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No x

 

The Units of the limited liability company interest of the registrant are not publicly traded. Accordingly, there is no aggregate market value for the registrant’s outstanding equity that is readily determinable.

 

As of February 28, 2011 units of limited liability company interest with an aggregate Net Asset Value of $941,446,472 were outstanding and held by non-affiliates.

 

Documents Incorporated by Reference

 

The registrant’s 2010 Annual Report and Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms, the annual report to security holders for the year ended December 31, 2010, is incorporated by reference into Part II, Item 8, and Part IV hereof and filed as an Exhibit herewith. Copies of the annual report are available free of charge by contacting Alternative Investments Client Services at 1-866-MER-ALTS.

 

 

 



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2010 ON FORM 10-K

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

PAGE

 

PART I

 

 

 

 

Item 1.

Business

1

 

 

 

Item 1A.

Risk Factors

8

 

 

 

Item 1B.

Unresolved Staff Comments

11

 

 

 

Item 2.

Properties

11

 

 

 

Item 3.

Legal Proceedings

11

 

 

 

Item 4.

Removed and Reserved

11

 

 

 

 

PART II

 

 

 

 

Item 5.

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

11

 

 

 

Item 6.

Selected Financial Data

13

 

 

 

Item 7.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

21

 

 

 

Item 7A.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

30

 

 

 

Item 8.

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

34

 

 

 

Item 9.

Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

35

 

 

 

Item 9A.

Controls and Procedures

35

 

 

 

Item 9B.

Other Information

36

 

 

 

 

PART III

 

 

 

 

Item 10.

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

36

 

 

 

Item 11.

Executive Compensation

39

 

 

 

Item 12.

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

39

 

 

 

Item 13.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence

39

 

 

 

Item 14.

Principal Accounting Fees and Services

40

 

 

 

 

PART IV

 

 

 

 

Item 15.

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

41

 



 

PART I

 

Item 1:          Business

 

(a)                                  General Development of Business:

 

ML Winton FuturesAccess LLC (the “Fund”), a Merrill Lynch FuturesAccess Program (the “Program”) Fund was organized under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act on May 17, 2004 and commenced trading activities on February 1, 2005. The Fund issues new units of limited liability company interest (“Units”) at Net Asset Value per Unit (see Item 6 for discussion of net asset value and net asset value per unit for subscriptions and redemptions purposes hereinafter referred to as Net Asset Value and Net Asset Value per Unit) as of the beginning of each calendar month. The Fund engages in the speculative trading of futures, options on futures and forward contracts on a wide range of commodities. Winton Capital Management Limited (“Winton” or the “Trading Advisor”), is the Trading Advisor of the Fund.

 

Merrill Lynch Alternative Investments LLC (“MLAI”) is the sponsor (“Sponsor”) and manager (“Manager”) of the Fund. MLAI is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (“Merrill Lynch”).  Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merrill Lynch, is the Fund’s commodity broker. Merrill Lynch is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation.

 

The Program is a group of commodity pools sponsored by MLAI (each pool is a “Program Fund” or “FuturesAccess Fund” or collectively, “Program Funds”) each of which places substantially all of its assets in a managed futures or forward trading account managed by a single or multiple commodity trading advisors. Each Program Fund is generally similar in terms of fees, Classes of Units and redemption rights.  Each of the Program Funds implements a different trading strategy.

 

The Fund calculates the Net Asset Value per Unit of each Class of Units as of the close of business on the last business day of each calendar month and such other dates as MLAI may determine in its discretion. The Fund’s Net Asset Value as of any calculation date will generally equal the value of the Fund’s account under the management of its trading advisor as of such date, plus any other assets held by the Fund, minus accrued brokerage commissions, sponsor’s, management and performance fees, organizational expense amortization and any operating costs and other liabilities of the Fund.  MLAI is authorized to make all Net Asset Value determinations.

 

As of December 31, 2010, the Net Asset Value of the Fund was $897,470,308 and the Net Asset Value per Unit was, $1.6810 for Class A, $1.5862 for Class C, $1.6924 for Class D, $1.7078 for Class I, $1.6903 for Class DS and $1.7532 for Class DT.

 

The highest month-end Net Asset Value per Unit for Class A since Winton began trading the Fund was $1.6810 (December 31, 2010) and the lowest was $1.0223 (February 28, 2005).  The highest month-end Net Asset Value per Unit for Class C since Winton began trading the Fund was $1.5921 (January 31, 2009) and the lowest was $1.0214 (February 28, 2005).  The highest month-end Net Asset Value per Unit for Class I since Winton began trading the Fund was $1.7078 (December 31, 2010) and the lowest was $1.0226 (February 28, 2005).  The highest month-end Net Asset Value per Unit for Class D since Winton began trading the Fund was $1.6924 (December 31, 2010) and the lowest was $0.9601 (April 30, 2005).  The highest month-end Net Asset Value per Unit for Class DS since Winton began trading the Fund was $1.6903 (December 31, 2010) and the lowest was $1.0733 (March 31, 2007). The highest month-end Net Asset Value per Unit for Class DT since Winton began trading the Fund was $1.7532 (December 31, 2010) and the lowest was $1.1914 (May 31, 2007).

 

(b)                                 Financial Information about Segments:

 

The Fund’s business constitutes only one segment for financial reporting purposes, i.e., a speculative “commodity pool”. The Fund does not engage in sales of goods or services.

 



 

(c)                                  Narrative Description of Business:

 

Trading Advisor’s Trading Model

 

The Fund trades in the futures and forward markets with the objective of achieving substantial capital appreciation.

 

The Fund and MLAI have entered into an advisory agreement with Winton whereby Winton trades in the U.S. and international futures and forwards markets pursuant to the Winton Diversified Program (the “Trading Model”). Winton’s investment technique consists of trading a portfolio of over 100 contracts on major futures exchanges and forward markets worldwide, employing a computerized, technical, principally trend-following trading system. This system tracks the daily price movements and other data from these markets, and carries out certain computations to determine how long or short the portfolio should be to maximize profit within a certain range of risk. If rising prices are anticipated, a long position will be established; a short position will be established if prices are expected to fall.

 

The Trading Advisor of the Fund, may exercise discretion in connection with its technical trading program in order to enforce risk parameters, address extraordinary market events or as otherwise determined by the Trading Advisor. Although the Trading Advisor’s trading program is continually evolving, there were no fundamental or material charges to the trading program during the 2010 fiscal year.

 

Technical analysis refers to analysis based on data intrinsic to a market, such as price and volume. This is to be contrasted with fundamental analysis which relies on factors external to a market, such as supply and demand. The Trading Model does not use fundamental factors.

 

A trend-following system, such as the Trading Model, attempts to take advantage of the observable tendency of the markets to trend, and to tend to make exaggerated movements in both upward and downward directions as a result of such trends. The Trading Model has been developed by relating the probability of the size and direction of future price movements with certain indicators derived from past price movements which characterize the degree of trending of each market at any time.

 

Employees

 

The Fund has no employees.

 

Use of Proceeds and Cash Management Income

 

Subscription Proceeds

 

The Fund’s cash is used as security for and to pay the Fund’s trading losses as well as its expenses and redemptions. The primary use of the proceeds of the sale of the Units is to permit Winton to trade on a speculative basis in a wide range of different futures and forwards markets on behalf of the Fund.  While being used for this purpose, the Fund’s assets are also generally available for cash management, as more fully described below under “Cash Assets”.

 

Market Sectors

 

Winton trades in a variety of liquid U.S. and non-U.S. futures and forward contracts, including agricultural, currencies, energy, interest rates, metals and stock indices.

 

The Fund’s commitments to different types of markets — U.S. and non-U.S., regulated and non-regulated — differ substantially from time to time, as well as over time.  The Fund has no policy restricting its relative commitment to any of these different types of markets.

 

2



 

CONDENSED SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS

The Fund’s investments, defined as Net unrealized profit (loss) on open contracts in the Statements of Financial Condition, as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 are as follows:

 

December 31, 2010

 

 

 

Long Positions

 

Short Positions

 

Net Unrealized

 

 

 

 

 

Commodity Industry

 

Number of

 

Unrealized

 

Percent of

 

Number of

 

Unrealized

 

Percent of

 

Profit (Loss)

 

Percent of

 

 

 

Sector

 

Contracts

 

Profit (Loss)

 

Members’ Capital

 

Contracts

 

Profit (Loss)

 

Members’ Capital

 

on Open Positions

 

Members’ Capital

 

Maturity Dates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture

 

2,770

 

$

9,362,389

 

1.04

%

 

$

 

0.00

%

$

9,362,389

 

1.04

%

January 11 - May 11

 

Currencies

 

3,269

 

9,911,888

 

1.10

%

(635

)

(1,163,106

)

-0.13

%

8,748,782

 

0.97

%

March 11

 

Energy

 

874

 

1,810,141

 

0.20

%

(242

)

(588,535

)

-0.07

%

1,221,606

 

0.13

%

January 11 - April 11

 

Interest rates

 

2,590

 

262,053

 

0.03

%

(2,439

)

(1,599,666

)

-0.18

%

(1,337,613

)

-0.15

%

January 11 - March 13

 

Metals

 

1,431

 

12,256,554

 

1.37

%

(342

)

(3,589,079

)

-0.40

%

8,667,475

 

0.97

%

January 11 - November 11

 

Stock indices

 

3,909

 

817,965

 

0.09

%

(227

)

91,357

 

0.01

%

909,322

 

0.10

%

January 11 - March 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

$

34,420,990

 

3.83

%

 

 

$

(6,849,029

)

-0.77

%

$

27,571,961

 

3.06

%

 

 

 

December 31, 2009

 

 

 

Long Positions

 

Short Positions

 

Net Unrealized

 

 

 

 

 

Commodity Industry

 

Number of

 

Unrealized

 

Percent of

 

Number of

 

Unrealized

 

Percent of

 

Profit (Loss)

 

Percent of

 

 

 

Sector

 

Contracts

 

Profit (Loss)

 

Members’ Capital

 

Contracts

 

Profit (Loss)

 

Members’ Capital

 

on Open Positions

 

Members’ Capital

 

Maturity Dates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture

 

1,102

 

$

1,087,413

 

0.14

%

(989

)

$

(286,832

)

-0.04

%

$

800,581

 

0.10

%

January 10 - November 10

 

Currencies

 

2,892

 

(2,562,251

)

-0.34

%

(302

)

(169,839

)

-0.02

%

(2,732,090

)

-0.36

%

March 10

 

Energy

 

106

 

134,142

 

0.02

%

(255

)

(642,428

)

-0.09

%

(508,286

)

-0.07

%

January 10 - December 10

 

Interest rates

 

7,633

 

(179,602

)

-0.03

%

(460

)

17,539

 

0.00

%

(162,063

)

-0.03

%

January 10 - June 10

 

Metals

 

1,420

 

3,027,127

 

0.40

%

(106

)

(880,988

)

-0.13

%

2,146,139

 

0.27

%

January 10 - April 10

 

Stock indices

 

5,218

 

3,774,920

 

0.50

%

(16

)

(14,035

)

0.00

%

3,760,885

 

0.50

%

January 10 - March 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

$

5,281,749

 

0.69

%

 

 

$

(1,976,583

)

-0.28

%

$

3,305,166

 

0.41

%

 

 

 

No individual contract’s unrealized profit or loss comprised greater than 5% of Members’ Capital as of December 31, 2010 and 2009.

 

3



 

Market Types

 

The Fund trades on a variety of United States and foreign futures exchanges.  Substantially all of the Fund’s off-exchange trading takes place in the highly liquid, institutionally based, currency forward markets.

 

Many of the Fund’s currency trades are executed in the spot and forward foreign exchange markets (the “FX Markets”) where there are no direct execution costs.  Instead, the participants, banks and dealers in the FX Markets take a “spread” between the prices at which they are prepared to buy and sell a particular currency and such spreads are built into the pricing of the spot or forward contracts with the Fund.

 

Custody of Assets

 

Substantially all of the Fund’s assets are currently held in one or more Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) regulated customer accounts at MLPF&S.

 

Cash Assets

 

The Fund will generally earn interest, as described below, on its “Cash Assets”, which can be generally described as the cash actually held by the Fund plus its “open trade equity” (unrealized gain and loss marked to market daily on open positions).  Cash Assets are held primarily in U.S. dollars, and to a lesser extent in foreign currencies, and are comprised of the Fund’s cash balances which may be held in the offset accounts (as described below) — which include “open trade equity” (unrealized gain and loss on open positions) on United States futures contracts, which is paid into or out of the Fund’s account on a daily basis; the Fund’s cash balances in foreign currencies derived from its trading in non-U.S. dollar denominated futures and options contracts, which includes open trade equity on those exchanges which settle gains and losses on open positions in such contracts prior to closing out such positions.  Cash Assets do not include, and the Fund does not earn interest income on the Fund’s gains or losses on its open forward, commodity option and certain foreign futures positions since such gains and losses are not collected or paid until such positions are closed out.

 

The Fund’s Cash Assets may be greater than, less than or equal to the Fund’s Net Asset Value (on which the redemption value of the Units is based) primarily because Net Asset Value reflects all gains and losses on open positions as well as accrued but unpaid expenses.

 

Interest Earned on the Fund’s U.S. Dollar Cash Assets

 

The Fund’s U.S. dollar Cash Assets are held in cash at MLPF&S, which utilizes offset accounts.

 

Certain of the Fund’s U.S. dollar “Cash Assets” are held by MLPF&S in customer segregated accounts and primarily invested in CFTC-eligible investments (including, without limitation, commercial paper, U.S. government and government agency securities, prime non-U.S. government securities, corporate notes and money market funds). Cash Assets may also be maintained in “offset accounts” at major U.S. banks, interest bearing savings accounts maintained with major U.S. banks unaffiliated with Merrill Lynch and/or money market investment funds that are managed by third party managers, including affiliates of Merrill Lynch.

 

Offset accounts are non-interest bearing demand deposit accounts maintained with banks unaffiliated with Merrill Lynch. MLPF&S may in the future elect to maintain accounts of this nature with one or more of its affiliates. Offset account deposits reduce Merrill Lynch’s borrowing costs with such banks. An integral feature of the offset arrangements is that the participating banks specifically acknowledge that the offset accounts are for the benefit of MLPF&S’ customers, not subject to any Merrill Lynch liability.

 

To the extent that Cash Assets are placed with affiliates of Merrill Lynch, Merrill Lynch indirectly receives certain economic benefits and therefore has a conflict of interest in selecting such third parties. For example, Merrill Lynch may invest in money market funds managed by BlackRock, Inc. or its affiliates (“BlackRock”). Merrill Lynch is a stockholder in BlackRock and, therefore, potentially benefits from its economic interest in BlackRock whenever BlackRock receives compensation for managing Cash Assets invested in money market investment funds managed by BlackRock.

 

4



 

Interest Paid by Merrill Lynch on the Fund’s Non-U.S. Dollar Cash Assets

 

The Fund will generally earn interest, as described below, on its Cash Assets, which can be generally described as the cash actually held by the Fund, plus its “open trade equity” (unrealized gain and loss marked to market daily on open positions). Cash Assets are held primarily in U.S. dollars, and to a lesser extent in non-U.S. currencies, and comprise the following: (a) the Fund’s cash balances, plus open trade equity on U.S. futures; and (b) the Fund’s cash balances held in non-U.S. currencies as a result of realized profits and losses derived from its trading in non-U.S. dollar-denominated futures and options contracts, plus open trade equity on those exchanges which settle gains and losses on open positions in such contracts prior to closing out such positions.  Cash Assets do not include, and the Fund does not earn interest income on, the Fund’s gains or losses on its open forward, commodity option and certain non-U.S. futures positions as such gains and losses are not collected or paid until such positions are closed out.

 

The Fund’s Cash Assets may be greater than, less than or equal to the Fund’s Net Asset Value (on which the redemption value of the Units is based) primarily because Net Asset Value reflects all gains and losses on open positions as well as accrued but unpaid expenses.

 

MLPF&S intends to pay interest on the Fund’s Cash Assets (irrespective of how such Cash Assets are held or invested) at the most favorable rate payable by MLPF&S to accounts of Merrill Lynch affiliates, from time to time, although the actual rate paid to the Funds may be lower. In no event, however, will the rate so paid on such Cash Assets be less than 75% of such prevailing rate. MLPF&S retains the additional economic benefit derived from possession of the Fund’s Cash Assets.

 

MLPF&S, in the course of acting as commodity broker for the Fund, lends certain currencies to, and borrows certain currencies from, the Fund. In the course of doing so, MLPF&S both retains certain amounts of interest and receives other economic benefits. In doing so, MLPF&S follows its standard procedures (as such procedures may change over time) for paying interest on the assets of the commodity pools sponsored by MLAI and other MLPF&S affiliates and traded through MLPF&S.

 

Charges

 

The following table summarizes the charges incurred by the Fund for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008.

 

 

 

2010

 

2009

 

2008

 

Charges

 

Dollar
Amount

 

% of Average
Month-End
Net Assets

 

Dollar
Amount

 

% of Average
Month-End
Net Assets

 

Dollar
Amount

 

% of Average
Month-End
Net Assets

 

Other Expenses

 

$

1,248,555

 

0.16

%

$

1,349,841

 

0.18

%

$

1,848,834

 

0.25

%

Sponsor fees

 

9,798,981

 

1.22

%

9,536,904

 

1.24

%

10,272,451

 

1.42

%

Management fees

 

16,085,528

 

2.01

%

15,244,224

 

1.98

%

14,943,538

 

2.06

%

Performance fees

 

11,615,788

 

1.45

%

583

 

0.00

%

30,491,051

 

4.20

%

Total

 

$

38,748,852

 

4.84

%

$

26,131,552

 

3.39

%

$

57,555,874

 

7.93

%

 

The foregoing table does not reflect the bid-ask spreads paid by the Fund on its forward trading, or the benefits which may be derived by Merrill Lynch from the deposit of certain of the Fund’s U.S. dollar assets maintained at MLPF&S.

 

The Fund’s average month-end Net Assets Value during 2010, 2009 and 2008 equaled $801,023,454, $769,805,727 and $725,896,624, respectively.

 

During 2010, the interest expense for the Fund was $(923), or approximately 0.00% of the Fund’s average month-end Net Assets Value. During 2009, the Fund earned $51,172 in interest income, or approximately 0.01% of the Fund’s average month-end Net Assets Value. During 2008, the Fund earned $12,915,952 in interest income, or approximately 1.78% of the Fund’s average month-end Net Assets Value.

 

5



 

Description of Current Charges

 

Recipient

 

Nature of Payment

 

Amount of Payment

MLPF&S

 

Brokerage Commissions

 

During 2010, 2009 and 2008 and 2007 round-turn (each purchase and sale or sale and purchase of a single futures contract) rate of the Fund’s Brokerage Commissions was approximately $4.59, $6.50 and $7.16, respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

MLPF&S

 

Use of assets

 

Merrill Lynch may derive an economic benefit from the deposit of certain of the Fund’s U.S. dollar assets in accounts maintained at MLPF&S.

 

 

 

 

 

MLAI

 

Sponsor Fees

 

A flat-rate monthly charge of 0.125 of 1% (1.50% annual rate) on Class A units, flat-rate monthly charge of 0.2083 of 1% (2.50% annual rate) on Class C units, a flat-rate monthly charge of 0.0917 of 1% (1.10% annual rate) on Class I units (including the monthly interest credit and before reduction for accrued month-end redemptions, distributions, brokerage commissions, sponsor fees, management fees or performance fees, in each case as of the end of the month of determination). Class D, Class DS and Class DT do not pay a Sponsor fee.

 

 

 

 

 

MLPF&S

 

Sales Commissions

 

Class A Units are subject to a sales commission paid to MLPF&S ranging from 1.0% to 2.5%. Class D and Class I Units are subject to sales commissions up to 0.5%. The rate assessed to a given subscription is based upon the subscription amount. Sales commissions are deducted from proceeds prior to entering the Fund. Shares purchased and reflected in the Fund’s records are net of any commissions charged by MLPF&S. Class C, Class DS and Class DT Units are not subject to any sales commissions.

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch International Bank (“MLIB”) (or an affiliate); Other counterparties

 

Bid—ask spreads

 

Bid—ask spreads are not accounted for separately as an accounting item because bid-ask spreads are an integral part of the price paid or received on all contracts for generally accepted accounting principles.

 

 

 

 

 

MLIB (or an affiliate); Other counterparties

 

EFP differentials

 

Certain of the Fund’s currency trades may be executed in the form of “exchange of futures for physical” transactions, in which a counterparty (which may be MLIB or an affiliate) receives an additional “differential” spread for exchanging the Fund’s cash currency positions for equivalent futures positions.

 

6



 

Winton and MLAI

 

Annual performance fees

 

20% of any New Trading Profits generated by the Fund and allocated for Classes A, C, I, D and DS and 15% of any New Trading Profits, as defined, generated by the Fund and allocated for Class DT as a whole as of the end of each calendar year. MLAI receives 25% of the performance fees. “New Trading Profits” equal any increase in the Net Asset Value of the Fund, prior to reduction for any accrued performance fee, as of the current performance fee calculation date over the Fund’s “High Water Mark.”   The “High Water Mark” attributable to the Fund equals the highest Net Asset Value after reduction for the performance fee then paid, as of any preceding performance fee calculation date.  Net Asset Value, solely for purposes of calculating the performance fee, does not include any interest income earned by the Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Winton and MLAI

 

Management Fees

 

A flat rate monthly net charge of 0.1667 of 1% of the Fund’s month-end net assets (a 2% annual rate) except for Class DT which charges 1.50%. MLAI receives 25% of management fees.

 

 

 

 

 

Others

 

Operating expenses of the Fund including audit, legal and tax services.

 

Actual payments to third parties.

 

 

 

 

 

MLAI; Others

 

Ongoing Offering Costs reimbursed

 

Actual costs incurred.

 

Regulation

 

The CFTC has delegated to the National Futures Association (“NFA”) responsibility for the registration of “commodity trading advisors,” “commodity pool operators,” “futures commission merchants,” “introducing brokers” and their respective associated persons, and “floor brokers” and “floor traders.”  The Commodity Exchange Act requires commodity pool operators such as MLAI, commodity trading advisors such as the Trading Advisor and commodity brokers or futures commission merchants (“FCMs”) such as MLPF&S to be registered and to comply with various reporting and record keeping requirements.  CFTC regulations also require FCMs to maintain a minimum level of net capital.  In addition, the CFTC and certain commodities exchanges have established limits referred to as “speculative position limits” on the maximum net long or net short speculative positions that any person may hold or control in any particular futures or options contracts traded on U.S. commodities exchanges.  All accounts owned or managed by the Trading Advisor will be combined for position limit purposes.  The Trading Advisor could be required to liquidate positions in order to comply with such limits.  Any such liquidation could result in substantial costs to the Fund.  In addition, many futures exchanges impose limits beyond which the price of a futures contract may not trade during the course of a trading day, and there is a potential for a futures contract to reach its daily price limit for several days in a row, making it impossible for the Trading Advisor to liquidate a position and thereby experiencing dramatic losses.  Currency forward contracts currently are not subject to regulation by any U.S. government agency.

 

Other than in respect of the registration requirements pertaining to the Fund’s securities under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Fund is generally not subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  However, MLAI is registered as an “investment adviser” under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.  MLPF&S is also regulated by the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

 

7



 

(d)                                 Financial Information about Geographic Areas

 

The Fund does not engage in material operations in foreign countries, nor is a material portion of the Fund’s revenue derived from customers in foreign countries.

 

The Fund trades on a number of foreign commodity exchanges.  The Fund does not engage in the sales of goods or services.

 

Item 1A: Risk Factors

 

Past Performance Not Necessarily Indicative of Future Results

 

Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.  The Trading Advisor’s past performance may not be representative of how it may trade in the future for the Fund.

 

Volatile Markets; Highly Leveraged Trading

 

Futures and forward trading is highly leveraged, and market price levels are volatile and materially affected by unpredictable factors such as weather and governmental intervention.  The combination of leverage and volatility creates a high degree of risk.

 

Importance of General Market Conditions

 

Overall market or economic conditions — which neither MLAI nor the Trading Advisor can predict or control — have a material effect on the performance of any managed futures strategy.

 

Possibility of Additional Government or Market Regulation

 

Market disruptions and the dramatic increase in the capital allocated to alternative investment strategies during recent years have led to increased governmental as well as self-regulatory scrutiny of the alternative investment funds industry in general. In addition, certain legislation proposing greater regulation of the industry periodically is considered by the U.S. Congress, as well as the governing bodies of foreign jurisdictions. It is impossible to predict what, if any, changes in the regulations applicable to the Fund, MLAI the markets in which they trade and invest or the counterparties with which they do business may be instituted in the future. Any such regulation could have a material adverse impact on the profit potential of the Fund, as well as require increased transparency as to the identity of the Fund’s members.

 

Forward Trading

 

The Fund will trade in the forward markets, in addition to trading in the futures markets.  None of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the National Futures Association, futures exchanges or banking authorities currently regulates the forward markets, and accordingly such markets are not subject to the breadth of regulation applicable to the futures markets. The forward markets are over-the-counter, non- exchange,  traded markets, and in trading in these forward markets, the Fund will be dependent on the credit standing of the counterparties with which they trade, without the financial support of any clearinghouse system, as well as on the continued operation of the counterparties. This results in the risk that a counterparty may not settle a transaction with the Fund in accordance with its terms, because the counterparty is either unwilling or unable to do so, for example, because of a credit or liquidity problem affecting the counterparty, potentially resulting in significant loss.  In addition, the prices offered for the same forward contract may vary significantly among different forward market participants.  Forward markets counterparties are under no obligation to enter into forward transactions with the Fund, including transactions through which the Fund is attempting to liquidate open positions.

 

8



 

Effects of Speculative Position Limits

 

The CFTC and the U.S. commodities exchanges have established limits referred to as “speculative position limits” on the maximum net long or net short speculative positions that any person may hold or control in any particular futures or options contracts traded on U.S. commodities exchanges.  For example, the CFTC currently imposes speculative position limits on a number of agricultural commodities (e.g., corn, oats, wheat, soybeans and cotton). All commodity accounts controlled by the Trading Advisor and its principals and their affiliates are combined for speculative position limit purposes.  The Trading Advisor could be required to liquidate positions held for the Fund, or may not be able to fully implement trading instructions generated by its trading models, in order to comply with such limits.  Any such liquidation or limited implementation could result in substantial costs to the Fund.

 

Regulatory Change Could Restrict the Fund’s Operations

 

The Fund implements speculative, highly leveraged strategies.  From time to time there is governmental scrutiny of these types of strategies and political pressure to regulate their activities.  The CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the retroactive implementation of speculative position limits or higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. The regulation of futures, forward and option transactions in the United States is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action.  In addition, several U.S. legislators and the CFTC have expressed the concern that speculative futures traders, and commodity funds in particular, may be responsible for unwarranted and dramatic swings in the prices of commodities.  Non-U.S. governments have from time to time blamed the declines of their currencies on speculative currency trading and imposed restrictions on speculative trading in certain markets.

 

Regulatory changes could adversely affect the Fund by restricting its markets, limiting its trading and/or increasing the taxes to which investors are subject.  Adverse regulatory initiatives could develop suddenly and without notice.

 

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Reform Act”) was enacted in July 2010.  The Reform Act includes provisions that comprehensively regulate the over-the-counter derivatives markets for the first time.  The Reform Act requires that a substantial portion of over-the-counter derivatives be executed in regulated markets and submitted for clearing to regulated clearinghouses.  Those over-the-counter derivatives may include over-the-counter foreign exchange forwards and swaps which are traded by the Fund, although the U.S. Treasury has the discretion to exclude foreign exchange forwards and swaps from certain of the regulatory requirements. If these forwards and swaps are not so excluded, the Reform Act may require them to be cleared and may subject the Fund, the Trading Advisor, the Sponsor and/or the Fund’s counterparties to additional regulatory requirements including minimum initial and variation margin requirements, minimum capital requirements, registration with the SEC and/or the CFTC, new business conduct standards, disclosure requirements, reporting and recordkeeping requirements, transparency requirements, position limits, limitations on conflicts of interest and other regulatory burdens.  Some or all of these requirements may apply even if forwards and swaps are excluded by the U.S. Treasury.  These new regulatory burdens would further increase the dealers’ costs, which costs are expected to be passed through to other market participants such as the Fund in the form of higher fees and less favorable dealer marks.  They may also render certain strategies in which the Trading Advisor might otherwise engage impossible, or so costly that they will no longer be economical, to implement.

 

Additionally, the Reform Act, under what is commonly referred to as the “Volcker Rule,” may restrict banking entities or their affiliates, such as MLAI and certain other financial entities, from (i) purchasing units or other ownership interests in, or sponsoring, hedge funds or private equity funds (such as the Fund), with the exception of maintaining a de minimis investment, subject to certain other conditions and/or exceptions, (ii) engaging in proprietary trading and (iii) certain transactions involving conflicts of interest.  The regulations and interpretations with respect to the Reform Act have yet to be issued, and the full import of the Reform Act is not yet clear.  Once such regulations are issued and become effective, MLAI may take certain actions that it determines, in its sole discretion, to be necessary or advisable to comply with the Reform Act.  Such changes may include, but are not limited to, the complete or partial redemption or transfer of any Units held by MLAI and/or the compulsory redemption of U.S. persons from the Fund.  These actions may have a material adverse effect on the Fund and investors.

 

9



 

Increased Assets Under Management

 

There appears to be a tendency for the rates of return achieved by managed futures advisors to decline as assets under management increase.  The Trading Advisor has not agreed to limit the amount of additional equity which it may manage.

 

Trading Advisor Risk

 

The Fund is subject to the risk of the bad judgment, negligence or misconduct of its Trading Advisor.  There have been a number of instances in recent years in which private investment funds have incurred substantial losses due to Trading Advisor misconduct.

 

Changes in Trading Strategy

 

The Trading Advisor may make material changes in its trading strategies without the knowledge or seeking the approval of MLAI.

 

 

Illiquid Markets

 

Certain positions held by the Fund may become illiquid, preventing the Fund’s Trading Advisor from acquiring positions otherwise indicated by its strategy or making it impossible for the Trading Advisor to close out positions against which the market is moving.

 

Certain futures markets are subject to “daily price limits,” restricting the maximum amount by which the price of a particular contract can change during any given trading day.  Once a contract’s price has moved “the limit,” it may be impossible or economically non-viable to execute trades in such contract.  From time to time, prices have moved “the limit” for a number of consecutive days, making it impossible for traders against whose positions the market was moving to prevent large losses.

 

Trading on Non-U.S. Exchanges

 

The Trading Advisor may trade extensively on non-U.S. exchanges.  These exchanges are not regulated by any United States governmental agency.  The Fund could incur substantial losses trading on foreign exchanges to which it would not have been subject had its Trading Advisor limited its trading to U.S. markets.

 

The profits and losses derived from trading foreign futures and forwards will generally be denominated in foreign currencies; consequently, the Fund will be subject to a certain degree of exchange-rate risk in trading such contracts.

 

Risk of Loss Due to the Bankruptcy or Failure of Counterparties, Brokers and Exchanges

 

The Fund is subject to the risk of the insolvency of its counterparties (such as broker-dealers, futures commission merchants, exchanges, clearinghouses, banks or other financial institutions, including MLPF&S).  Consequently, losses to the Fund could develop and substantially affect performance if insolvency of any of these counterparties occurs.  The Fund’s assets could be lost or impounded during a counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings and a substantial portion or all of the Fund’s assets may become unavailable to it either permanently or for a matter of years.  Were any such bankruptcy or insolvency to occur or were the threat of such bankruptcy or insolvency here to occur, MLAI might decide to liquidate the Fund or suspend limit or otherwise alter trading, perhaps causing the Fund to miss significant profit opportunities. In connection with offshore futures and over-the-counter forward trading, there are increased risks in dealing with offshore brokers and unregulated trading counterparties, including the risk that assets may not benefit from the protection afforded to “customer funds” deposited with regulated brokers and dealers.

 

10



 

Item 1B:  Unresolved Staff Comments

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 2:          Properties

 

The Fund does not use any physical properties in the conduct of its business.

 

The Fund’s offices are the administrative offices of MLAI (Merrill Lynch Alternative Investments LLC, Four World Financial Center, 10th Floor, 250 Vesey Street, New York,, New York, 10080).  MLAI performs administrative services for the Fund from MLAI’s offices.

 

Item 3:          Legal Proceedings

 

None.

 

Item 4:          (Removed and Reserved)

 

PART II

 

Item 5:          Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

Item 5(a)

 

(a)                                  Market Information:

 

There is no established public trading market for the Units, and none is likely to develop.  Members may redeem Units on ten days written notice to MLAI as of the last day of each month at their Net Asset Value, subject to certain early redemption charges.

 

(b)                                 Holders:

 

As of December 31, 2010, there were 7,148 holders of Units including MLAI, none of whom owned 5% or more of the Fund’s Units.

 

(c)                                  Dividends:

 

MLAI has not made and does not contemplate making any distributions on the Units.

 

(d)                                 Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans:

 

Not applicable.

 

(e)                                  Performance Graph:

 

Not applicable.

 

11



 

(f)                                Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities:

 

Issuance to accredited investors pursuant to Regulation D and Section 4(6) under the Securities Act.  The selling agent of the following Class of Units was MLPF&S.

 

CLASS A

 

 

 

Subscription

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

Units

 

NAV (1)

 

Jan-10

 

$

556,716

 

368,979

 

$

1.5088

 

Feb-10

 

993,760

 

675,430

 

1.4713

 

Mar-10

 

827,770

 

551,002

 

1.5023

 

Apr-10

 

1,429,934

 

912,646

 

1.5668

 

May-10

 

1,213,233

 

764,096

 

1.5878

 

Jun-10

 

975,750

 

617,955

 

1.5790

 

Jul-10

 

798,827

 

498,955

 

1.6010

 

Aug-10

 

8,109,999

 

5,230,233

 

1.5506

 

Sep-10

 

8,651,920

 

5,327,865

 

1.6239

 

Oct-10

 

4,477,146

 

2,747,221

 

1.6297

 

Nov-10

 

6,946,074

 

4,167,811

 

1.6666

 

Dec-10

 

5,310,439

 

3,260,338

 

1.6288

 

Jan-11

 

3,708,669

 

2,206,228

 

1.6810

 

Feb-11

 

2,652,039

 

1,579,535

 

1.6790

 

 

CLASS C

 

 

 

Subscription

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

Units

 

NAV (1)

 

Jan-10

 

$

2,840,699

 

1,975,452

 

$

1.4380

 

Feb-10

 

8,747,139

 

6,243,051

 

1.4011

 

Mar-10

 

4,669,404

 

3,266,459

 

1.4295

 

Apr-10

 

4,488,838

 

3,013,452

 

1.4896

 

May-10

 

3,824,111

 

2,535,379

 

1.5083

 

Jun-10

 

4,131,162

 

2,756,680

 

1.4986

 

Jul-10

 

4,220,657

 

2,780,040

 

1.5182

 

Aug-10

 

8,033,542

 

5,467,970

 

1.4692

 

Sep-10

 

10,399,492

 

6,764,338

 

1.5374

 

Oct-10

 

9,197,509

 

5,966,210

 

1.5416

 

Nov-10

 

6,778,470

 

4,303,244

 

1.5752

 

Dec-10

 

7,702,942

 

5,008,089

 

1.5381

 

Jan-11

 

10,773,415

 

6,791,965

 

1.5862

 

Feb-11

 

10,825,271

 

6,838,453

 

1.5830

 

 

CLASS D

 

 

 

Subscription

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

Units

 

NAV (1)

 

Jan-10

 

$

4,627,153

 

3,092,190

 

$

1.4964

 

Feb-10

 

5,623,168

 

3,848,849

 

1.4610

 

Mar-10

 

600,000

 

401,687

 

1.4937

 

Apr-10

 

44,999

 

28,849

 

1.5598

 

May-10

 

 

 

1.5827

 

Jun-10

 

323,000

 

204,975

 

1.5758

 

Jul-10

 

 

 

1.5998

 

Aug-10

 

 

 

1.5514

 

Sep-10

 

999,999

 

614,703

 

1.6268

 

Oct-10

 

 

 

1.6346

 

Nov-10

 

749,999

 

448,108

 

1.6737

 

Dec-10

 

 

 

1.6377

 

Jan-11

 

7,474,997

 

4,416,803

 

1.6924

 

Feb-11

 

 

 

1.6925

 

 

CLASS I

 

 

 

Subscription

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

Units

 

NAV (1)

 

Jan-10

 

$

582,776

 

381,723

 

$

1.5267

 

Feb-10

 

797,710

 

535,664

 

1.4892

 

Mar-10

 

2,013,802

 

1,323,911

 

1.5211

 

Apr-10

 

213,824

 

134,735

 

1.5870

 

May-10

 

385,642

 

239,706

 

1.6088

 

Jun-10

 

374,216

 

233,828

 

1.6004

 

Jul-10

 

1,116,935

 

688,107

 

1.6232

 

Aug-10

 

558,062

 

354,866

 

1.5726

 

Sep-10

 

986,575

 

598,831

 

1.6475

 

Oct-10

 

238,613

 

144,264

 

1.6540

 

Nov-10

 

1,029,995

 

608,780

 

1.6919

 

Dec-10

 

2,844,949

 

1,719,938

 

1.6541

 

Jan-11

 

809,815

 

474,186

 

1.7078

 

Feb-11

 

425,991

 

249,658

 

1.7063

 

 

CLASS DS

 

 

 

Subscription

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

Units

 

NAV (1)

 

Jan-10

 

$

1,745,510

 

1,167,878

 

$

1.4946

 

Feb-10

 

637,381

 

436,802

 

1.4592

 

Mar-10

 

 

 

1.4919

 

Apr-10

 

1,372,782

 

881,175

 

1.5579

 

May-10

 

 

 

1.5807

 

Jun-10

 

 

 

1.5739

 

Jul-10

 

 

 

1.5978

 

Aug-10

 

649,853

 

419,395

 

1.5495

 

Sep-10

 

 

 

1.6248

 

Oct-10

 

4,103,062

 

2,513,207

 

1.6326

 

Nov-10

 

1,615,820

 

966,631

 

1.6716

 

Dec-10

 

799,264

 

488,636

 

1.6357

 

Jan-11

 

3,823,472

 

2,262,008

 

1.6903

 

Feb-11

 

 

 

1.6905

 

 

CLASS DT

 

 

 

Subscription

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

Units

 

NAV (1)

 

Jan-10

 

$

 

 

$

1.5377

 

Feb-10

 

 

 

1.5020

 

Mar-10

 

 

 

1.5362

 

Apr-10

 

 

 

1.6048

 

May-10

 

 

 

1.6291

 

Jun-10

 

 

 

1.6227

 

Jul-10

 

 

 

1.6480

 

Aug-10

 

 

 

1.5988

 

Sep-10

 

 

 

1.6788

 

Oct-10

 

 

 

1.6879

 

Nov-10

 

 

 

1.7314

 

Dec-10

 

 

 

1.6925

 

Jan-11

 

 

 

1.7532

 

Feb-11

 

 

 

1.7540

 

 


(1) Beginning of the month Net Asset Value

 

Class A Units are subject to a sales commission paid to MLPF&S ranging from 1.0% to 2.5%. Class D and Class I Units are subject to sales commissions up to 0.5%.  The rate assessed to a given subscription is based upon the subscription amount.  Sales commissions are directly deducted from subscription amounts.  Class C, Class DS and Class DT Units are not subject to any sales commissions.

 

12



 

Item 5(b)

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5(c)

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6:          Selected Financial Data

 

The following selected financial data has been derived from the financial statements of the Fund.

 

Statements of Operations

 

For the year
ended
December 31,
2010

 

For the year
ended
December 31,
2009

 

For the year
ended
December 31,
2008

 

For the year ended
December 31, 2007

 

For the year ended
December 31, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trading profit (loss)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Realized, net

 

$

106,905,362

 

$

(26,823,655

)

$

168,699,930

 

$

89,611,147

 

$

22,914,555

 

Change in unrealized, net

 

24,266,795

 

(11,425,948

)

6,796,965

 

(3,491,204

)

8,672,148

 

Brokerage commissions

 

(985,164

)

(772,176

)

(1,087,424

)

(1,996,947

)

(1,603,878

)

Total trading profit (loss)

 

130,186,993

 

(39,021,779

)

174,409,471

 

84,122,996

 

29,982,825

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INVESTMENT INCOME (EXPENSE):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

(923

)

51,172

 

12,915,952

 

24,566,411

 

10,650,742

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPENSES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management fees

 

16,085,528

 

15,244,224

 

14,943,538

 

9,953,107

 

4,555,234

 

Performance fees

 

11,615,788

 

583

 

30,491,051

 

14,101,642

 

5,417,903

 

Sponsor fees

 

9,798,981

 

9,536,904

 

10,272,451

 

7,766,920

 

4,248,731

 

Other

 

1,248,555

 

1,349,841

 

1,848,834

 

1,060,592

 

996,583

 

Total Expenses

 

38,748,852

 

26,131,552

 

57,555,874

 

32,882,261

 

15,218,451

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET INVESTMENT LOSS

 

(38,749,775

)

(26,080,380

)

(44,639,922

)

(8,315,850

)

(4,567,709

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET INCOME (LOSS)

 

$

91,437,218

 

$

(65,102,159

)

$

129,769,549

 

$

75,807,146

 

$

25,415,116

 

 

Balance Sheet Data

 

December 31,
2010

 

December 31,
2009

 

December 31,
2008

 

December 31, 2007

 

December 31, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members’ Capital

 

$

897,470,308

 

$

750,036,467

 

$

803,988,560

 

$

607,047,689

 

$

323,050,144

 

Net Asset Value per Class A Unit

 

1.6810

 

1.5088

 

1.6440

 

1.3772

 

1.2076

 

Net Asset Value per Class C Unit

 

1.5862

 

1.4380

 

1.5827

 

1.3391

 

1.1859

 

Net Asset Value per Class D Unit

 

1.6924

 

1.4964

 

1.6066

 

1.3258

 

1.1460

 

Net Asset Value per Class I Unit

 

1.7078

 

1.5267

 

1.6566

 

1.3821

 

1.2069

 

Net Asset Value per Class DS Unit

 

1.6903

 

1.4946

 

1.6046

 

1.3258

 

 

Net Asset Value per Class DT Unit

 

1.7532

 

1.5377

 

1.6425

 

1.3357

 

 

 

13



 

MLAI believes that the Net Asset Value used to calculate subscription and redemption value and report performance to investors throughout the year is useful information for the Members of the Fund.

 

MONTH-END NET ASSET VALUE PER INITIAL UNIT CLASS A

 

 

 

Jan.

 

Feb.

 

Mar.

 

Apr.

 

May

 

June

 

July

 

Aug.

 

Sept.

 

Oct.

 

Nov.

 

Dec.

 

2006

 

$

1.1029

 

$

1.0768

 

$

1.1124

 

$

1.1783

 

$

1.1326

 

$

1.1180

 

$

1.1124

 

$

1.1577

 

$

1.1428

 

$

1.1565

 

$

1.1869

 

$

1.2084

 

2007

 

$

1.2584

 

$

1.1800

 

$

1.1279

 

$

1.1924

 

$

1.2488

 

$

1.2678

 

$

1.2516

 

$

1.2421

 

$

1.3172

 

$

1.3458

 

$

1.3769

 

$

1.3777

 

2008

 

$

1.4285

 

$

1.5377

 

$

1.5208

 

$

1.5075

 

$

1.5302

 

$

1.6005

 

$

1.5348

 

$

1.4963

 

$

1.5000

 

$

1.5573

 

$

1.6179

 

$

1.6443

 

2009

 

$

1.6553

 

$

1.6464

 

$

1.6155

 

$

1.5632

 

$

1.5257

 

$

1.5024

 

$

1.4745

 

$

1.4752

 

$

1.5086

 

$

1.4850

 

$

1.5556

 

$

1.5088

 

2010

 

$

1.4713

 

$

1.5023

 

$

1.5668

 

$

1.5878

 

$

1.5790

 

$

1.6010

 

$

1.5506

 

$

1.6239

 

$

1.6297

 

$

1.6666

 

$

1.6288

 

$

1.6810

 

 

MONTH-END NET ASSET VALUE PER INITIAL UNIT CLASS C

 

 

 

Jan.

 

Feb.

 

Mar.

 

Apr.

 

May

 

June

 

July

 

Aug.

 

Sept.

 

Oct.

 

Nov.

 

Dec.

 

2006

 

$

1.0943

 

$

1.0675

 

$

1.1018

 

$

1.1659

 

$

1.1191

 

$

1.1041

 

$

1.0975

 

$

1.1413

 

$

1.1256

 

$

1.1381

 

$

1.1668

 

$

1.1864

 

2007

 

$

1.2345

 

$

1.1568

 

$

1.1047

 

$

1.1670

 

$

1.2212

 

$

1.2387

 

$

1.2219

 

$

1.2116

 

$

1.2837

 

$

1.3105

 

$

1.3397

 

$

1.3393

 

2008

 

$

1.3876

 

$

1.4924

 

$

1.4747

 

$

1.4607

 

$

1.4814

 

$

1.5482

 

$

1.4835

 

$

1.4450

 

$

1.4474

 

$

1.5015

 

$

1.5587

 

$

1.5829

 

2009

 

$

1.5921

 

$

1.5822

 

$

1.5513

 

$

1.4998

 

$

1.4626

 

$

1.4391

 

$

1.4112

 

$

1.4107

 

$

1.4415

 

$

1.4177

 

$

1.4838

 

$

1.4380

 

2010

 

$

1.4011

 

$

1.4295

 

$

1.4896

 

$

1.5083

 

$

1.4986

 

$

1.5182

 

$

1.4692

 

$

1.5374

 

$

1.5416

 

$

1.5752

 

$

1.5381

 

$

1.5862

 

 

MONTH-END NET ASSET VALUE PER INITIAL UNIT CLASS D

 

 

 

Jan.

 

Feb.

 

Mar.

 

Apr.

 

May

 

June

 

July

 

Aug.

 

Sept.

 

Oct.

 

Nov.

 

Dec.

 

2006

 

$

1.0360

 

$

1.0131

 

$

1.0479

 

$

1.1113

 

$

1.0646

 

$

1.0528

 

$

1.0489

 

$

1.0932

 

$

1.0808

 

$

1.0955

 

$

1.1255

 

$

1.1463

 

2007

 

$

1.1952

 

$

1.1216

 

$

1.0733

 

$

1.1362

 

$

1.1914

 

$

1.2110

 

$

1.1971

 

$

1.1894

 

$

1.2629

 

$

1.2919

 

$

1.3235

 

$

1.3259

 

2008

 

$

1.3765

 

$

1.4836

 

$

1.4691

 

$

1.4581

 

$

1.4819

 

$

1.5519

 

$

1.4903

 

$

1.4548

 

$

1.4602

 

$

1.5178

 

$

1.5787

 

$

1.6065

 

2009

 

$

1.6193

 

$

1.6126

 

$

1.5842

 

$

1.5349

 

$

1.4999

 

$

1.4789

 

$

1.4532

 

$

1.4558

 

$

1.4906

 

$

1.4691

 

$

1.5408

 

$

1.4964

 

2010

 

$

1.4610

 

$

1.4937

 

$

1.5598

 

$

1.5827

 

$

1.5758

 

$

1.5998

 

$

1.5514

 

$

1.6268

 

$

1.6346

 

$

1.6737

 

$

1.6377

 

$

1.6924

 

 

MONTH-END NET ASSET VALUE PER INITIAL UNIT CLASS I

 

 

 

Jan.

 

Feb.

 

Mar.

 

Apr.

 

May

 

June

 

July

 

Aug.

 

Sept.

 

Oct.

 

Nov.

 

Dec.

 

2006

 

$

1.0972

 

$

1.0715

 

$

1.1073

 

$

1.1732

 

$

1.1283

 

$

1.1154

 

$

1.1100

 

$

1.1558

 

$

1.1414

 

$

1.1553

 

$

1.1862

 

$

1.2079

 

2007

 

$

1.2583

 

$

1.1805

 

$

1.1287

 

$

1.1937

 

$

1.2505

 

$

1.2699

 

$

1.2542

 

$

1.2450

 

$

1.3207

 

$

1.3499

 

$

1.3816

 

$

1.3828

 

2008

 

$

1.4343

 

$

1.5444

 

$

1.5279

 

$

1.5151

 

$

1.5385

 

$

1.6098

 

$

1.5442

 

$

1.5059

 

$

1.5102

 

$

1.5684

 

$

1.6299

 

$

1.6571

 

2009

 

$

1.6687

 

$

1.6603

 

$

1.6297

 

$

1.5774

 

$

1.5401

 

$

1.5172

 

$

1.4894

 

$

1.4907

 

$

1.5250

 

$

1.5015

 

$

1.5734

 

$

1.5267

 

2010

 

$

1.4892

 

$

1.5211

 

$

1.5870

 

$

1.6088

 

$

1.6004

 

$

1.6232

 

$

1.5726

 

$

1.6475

 

$

1.6540

 

$

1.6919

 

$

1.6541

 

$

1.7078

 

 

MONTH-END NET ASSET VALUE PER INITIAL UNIT CLASS DS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan.

 

Feb.

 

Mar.

 

Apr.

 

May

 

June

 

July

 

Aug.

 

Sept.

 

Oct.

 

Nov.

 

Dec.

 

2007

 

n/a

 

n/a

 

$

1.0733

 

$

1.1362

 

$

1.1914

 

$

1.2109

 

$

1.1970

 

$

1.1894

 

$

1.2629

 

$

1.2919

 

$

1.3235

 

$

1.3258

 

2008

 

$

1.3765

 

$

1.4835

 

$

1.4690

 

$

1.4582

 

$

1.4817

 

$

1.5509

 

$

1.4900

 

$

1.4549

 

$

1.4602

 

$

1.5171

 

$

1.5773

 

$

1.6046

 

2009

 

$

1.6173

 

$

1.6106

 

$

1.5822

 

$

1.5329

 

$

1.4980

 

$

1.4771

 

$

1.4514

 

$

1.4540

 

$

1.4888

 

$

1.4673

 

$

1.5389

 

$

1.4946

 

2010

 

$

1.4592

 

$

1.4919

 

$

1.5579

 

$

1.5807

 

$

1.5739

 

$

1.5978

 

$

1.5495

 

$

1.6248

 

$

1.6326

 

$

1.6716

 

$

1.6357

 

$

1.6903

 

 

MONTH-END NET ASSET VALUE PER INITIAL UNIT CLASS DT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan.

 

Feb.

 

Mar.

 

Apr.

 

May

 

June

 

July

 

Aug.

 

Sept.

 

Oct.

 

Nov.

 

Dec.

 

2007

 

n/a

 

n/a

 

n/a

 

n/a

 

$

1.1914

 

$

1.2123

 

$

1.1971

 

$

1.1867

 

$

1.2679

 

$

1.2991

 

$

1.3330

 

$

1.3357

 

2008

 

$

1.3901

 

$

1.5051

 

$

1.4899

 

$

1.4785

 

$

1.5045

 

$

1.5802

 

$

1.5141

 

$

1.4761

 

$

1.4824

 

$

1.5452

 

$

1.6117

 

$

1.6423

 

2009

 

$

1.6568

 

$

1.6500

 

$

1.6217

 

$

1.5718

 

$

1.5367

 

$

1.5159

 

$

1.4902

 

$

1.4934

 

$

1.5298

 

$

1.5083

 

$

1.5827

 

$

1.5377

 

2010

 

$

1.5020

 

$

1.5362

 

$

1.6048

 

$

1.6291

 

$

1.6227

 

$

1.6480

 

$

1.5988

 

$

1.6788

 

$

1.6879

 

$

1.7314

 

$

1.6925

 

$

1.7532

 

 

14



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

(CLASS A UNITS) (5)

 

December 31, 2010

 

Type of Pool:  Single Advisor Non-“Principal Protected”(1)

Inception of Trading: February 2005

Aggregate Subscriptions:    $143,484,656

Current Capitalization: $ 109,831,571

Worst Monthly Drawdown(2):  (6.23)% (February 2007)

Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown(3):  (1.13)%  (February 2009 - October 2010)

 

Net Asset Value per Unit Class A, December 31, 2010:  $1.6810

 

Monthly Rates of Return (4)

 

Month

 

2010

 

2009

 

2008

 

2007

 

2006

 

January

 

(2.48

)%

.67

%

3.69

%

4.14

%

2.91

%

February

 

2.11

 

(0.54

)

7.64

 

(6.23

)

(2.37

)

March

 

4.29

 

(1.88

)

(1.10

)

(4.42

)

3.31

 

April

 

1.34

 

(3.24

)

(0.87

)

5.72

 

5.92

 

May

 

(0.55

)

(2.40

)

1.51

 

4.73

 

(3.88

)

June

 

1.39

 

(1.53

)

4.59

 

1.52

 

(1.29

)

July

 

(3.15

)

(1.86

)

(4.10

)

(1.27

)

(0.50

)

August

 

4.73

 

0.05

 

(2.51

)

(0.76

)

4.07

 

September

 

0.36

 

2.26

 

0.25

 

6.04

 

(1.29

)

October

 

2.26

 

(1.56

)

3.82

 

2.17

 

1.20

 

November

 

(2.27

)

4.75

 

3.89

 

2.32

 

2.63

 

December

 

3.20

 

(3.01

)

1.63

 

0.05

 

1.81

 

Compound Annual Rate of Return

 

11.41

%

(8.24

)%

19.36

%

14.01

%

12.76

%

 


(1) Certain funds are structured so as to guarantee to investors that their investment will be worth no less than a specified amount (typically, the initial purchase price) as of a date certain after the date of investment.  The CFTC refers to such funds as “principal protected”. The Fund has no such feature.

 

(2) Worst Monthly Drawdown represents the largest negative Monthly Rate of Return experienced since February 1, 2005 by the Fund; a drawdown is measured on the basis of month-end Net Asset Value only, and does not reflect intra-month figures.

 

(3) Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown represents the greatest percentage decline since February 1, 2005 from a month-end cumulative Monthly Rate of Return without such cumulative Monthly Rate of Return being equaled or exceeded as of a subsequent month-end.  For example, if the Monthly Rate of Return was (1)% in each of January and February, 1% in March and (2)% in April, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would still be continuing at the end of April in the amount of approximately (3)%, whereas if the Monthly Rate of Return had been approximately 3% in March, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would have ended as of the end of February at approximately the (2)% level.

 

(4) Monthly Rate of Return is the net performance of the Fund during the month of determination (including interest income and after all expenses have been accrued or paid) divided by the total capital of the Fund as of the beginning of such month.

 

(5) The information presented is based on Net Asset Value and Net Asset Value per Unit. The inception to date total return is 68.10%.

 

15



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

(CLASS C UNITS) (5)

 

December 31, 2010

 

Type of Pool:  Single Advisor Non-“Principal Protected”(1)

Inception of Trading: February 2005

Aggregate Subscriptions:    $525,216,292

Current Capitalization:   $352,964,317

Worst Monthly Drawdown(2):  (6.29)% (February 2007)

Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown(3):  (12.01)%  (February 2009 — January 2010)

 

Net Asset Value per Unit Class C, December 31, 2010:  $1.5862

 

Monthly Rates of Return (4)

 

Month

 

2010

 

2009

 

2008

 

2007

 

2006

 

January

 

(2.57

)%

.58

%

3.61

%

4.05

%

2.83

%

February

 

2.03

 

(0.62

)

7.55

 

(6.29

)

(2.45

)

March

 

4.20

 

(1.95

)

(1.19

)

(4.50

)

3.21

 

April

 

1.26

 

(3.32

)

(0.95

)

5.64

 

5.82

 

May

 

(0.64

)

(2.48

)

1.42

 

4.64

 

(4.01

)

June

 

1.31

 

(1.61

)

4.51

 

1.43

 

(1.34

)

July

 

(3.23

)

(1.94

)

(4.18

)

(1.36

)

(0.60

)

August

 

4.64

 

(0.04

)

(2.60

)

(0.84

)

3.99

 

September

 

0.27

 

2.18

 

0.17

 

5.95

 

(1.38

)

October

 

2.18

 

(1.65

)

3.74

 

2.09

 

1.11

 

November

 

(2.36

)

4.66

 

3.81

 

2.23

 

2.52

 

December

 

3.13

 

(3.09

)

1.55

 

(0.03

)

1.68

 

Compound Annual Rate of Return

 

10.31

%

(9.16

)%

18.19

%

12.89

%

11.48

%

 


(1) Certain funds are structured so as to guarantee to investors that their investment will be worth no less than a specified amount (typically, the initial purchase price) as of a date certain after the date of investment.  The CFTC refers to such funds as “principal protected”. The Fund has no such feature.

 

(2) Worst Monthly Drawdown represents the largest negative Monthly Rate of Return experienced since February 1, 2005 by the Fund; a drawdown is measured on the basis of month-end Net Asset Value only, and does not reflect intra-month figures.

 

(3) Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown represents the greatest percentage decline since February 1, 2005 from a month-end cumulative Monthly Rate of Return without such cumulative Monthly Rate of Return being equaled or exceeded as of a subsequent month-end.  For example, if the Monthly Rate of Return was (1)% in each of January and February, 1% in March and (2)% in April, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would still be continuing at the end of April in the amount of approximately (3)%, whereas if the Monthly Rate of Return had been approximately 3% in March, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would have ended as of the end of February at approximately the (2)% level.

 

(4) Monthly Rate of Return is the net performance of the Fund during the month of determination (including interest income and after all expenses have been accrued or paid) divided by the total capital of the Fund as of the beginning of such month.

 

(5) The information presented is based on Net Asset Value and Net Asset Value per Unit. The inception to date total return is 58.62%.

 

16



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

(CLASS D UNITS) (5)

 

December 31, 2010

 

Type of Pool:  Single Advisor Non-“Principal Protected”(1)

Inception of Trading: April 2005

Aggregate Subscriptions:    $159,086,576

Current Capitalization:   $138,000,547

Worst Monthly Drawdown(2):  (7.06)% (September 2005)

Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown(3):  (10.25)%  (February 2009 — August 2010)

 

Net Asset Value per Unit Class D, December 31, 2010:  $1.6924

 

Monthly Rates of Return (4)

 

Month

 

2010

 

2009

 

2008

 

2007

 

2006

 

January

 

(2.37

)%

.80

%

3.82

 

4.27

%

3.04

%

February

 

2.24

 

(0.41

)

7.78

 

(6.16

)

(2.21

)

March

 

4.43

 

(1.76

)

(0.98

)

(4.30

)

3.44

 

April

 

1.47

 

(3.11

)

(0.75

)

5.86

 

6.05

 

May

 

(0.44

)

(2.28

)

1.63

 

4.74

 

(4.20

)

June

 

1.52

 

(1.40

)

4.72

 

1.79

 

(1.11

)

July

 

(3.03

)

(1.74

)

(3.97

)

(1.15

)

(0.37

)

August

 

4.86

 

0.18

 

(2.38

)

(0.64

)

4.22

 

September

 

0.48

 

2.39

 

0.37

 

6.18

 

(1.13

)

October

 

2.39

 

(1.44

)

3.94

 

2.30

 

1.36

 

November

 

(2.15

)

4.88

 

4.01

 

2.45

 

2.74

 

December

 

3.34

 

(2.88

)

1.76

 

0.18

 

1.85

 

Compound Annual Rate of Return

 

13.10

%

(6.86

)%

21.15

%

15.64

%

14.01

%

 


(1) Certain funds are structured so as to guarantee to investors that their investment will be worth no less than a specified amount (typically, the initial purchase price) as of a date certain after the date of investment.  The CFTC refers to such funds as “principal protected”. The Fund has no such feature.

 

(2) Worst Monthly Drawdown represents the largest negative Monthly Rate of Return experienced since February 1, 2005 by the Fund; a drawdown is measured on the basis of month-end Net Asset Value only, and does not reflect intra-month figures.

 

(3) Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown represents the greatest percentage decline since April 1, 2005 from a month-end cumulative Monthly Rate of Return without such cumulative Monthly Rate of Return being equaled or exceeded as of a subsequent month-end.  For example, if the Monthly Rate of Return was (1)% in each of January and February, 1% in March and (2)% in April, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would still be continuing at the end of April in the amount of approximately (3)%, whereas if the Monthly Rate of Return had been approximately 3% in March, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would have ended as of the end of February at approximately the (2)% level.

 

(4) Monthly Rate of Return is the net performance of the Fund during the month of determination (including interest income and after all expenses have been accrued or paid) divided by the total capital of the Fund as of the beginning of such month.

 

(5) The information presented is based on Net Asset Value and Net Asset Value per Unit. The inception to date total return is 69.24%.

 

17



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

(CLASS I UNITS) (5)

 

December 31, 2010

 

Type of Pool:  Single Advisor Non-“Principal Protected”(1)

Inception of Trading: February 2005

Aggregate Subscriptions:    $98,426,581

Current Capitalization:   $68,871,557

Worst Monthly Drawdown(2):  (6.19)% (February 2007)

Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown(3):  (10.74)%  (February 2009 — October 2010)

 

Net Asset Value per Unit Class I, December 31, 2010:  $1.7078

 

Monthly Rates of Return (4)

 

Month

 

2010

 

2009

 

2008

 

2007

 

2006

 

January

 

(2.46

)%

.70

%

3.72

%

4.17

%

2.95

%

February

 

2.14

 

(0.50

)

7.68

 

(6.19

)

(2.34

)

March

 

4.33

 

(1.84

)

(1.07

)

(4.39

)

3.34

 

April

 

1.37

 

(3.21

)

(0.84

)

5.76

 

5.95

 

May

 

(0.52

)

(2.36

)

1.54

 

4.76

 

(3.83

)

June

 

1.42

 

(1.49

)

4.63

 

1.55

 

(1.14

)

July

 

(3.12

)

(1.83

)

(4.08

)

(1.24

)

(0.48

)

August

 

4.76

 

0.09

 

(2.48

)

(0.73

)

4.13

 

September

 

0.39

 

2.30

 

0.29

 

6.08

 

(1.25

)

October

 

2.29

 

(1.54

)

3.85

 

2.21

 

1.22

 

November

 

(2.23

)

4.79

 

3.92

 

2.35

 

2.67

 

December

 

3.25

 

(2.97

)

1.67

 

0.09

 

1.83

 

Compound Annual Rate of Return

 

11.86

%

(7.87

)%

19.82

%

14.48

%

13.33

%

 

 


(1) Certain funds are structured so as to guarantee to investors that their investment will be worth no less than a specified amount (typically, the initial purchase price) as of a date certain after the date of investment.  The CFTC refers to such funds as “principal protected”. The Fund has no such feature.

 

(2) Worst Monthly Drawdown represents the largest negative Monthly Rate of Return experienced since February 1, 2005 by the Fund; a drawdown is measured on the basis of month-end Net Asset Value only, and does not reflect intra-month figures.

 

(3) Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown represents the greatest percentage decline since February 1, 2005 from a month-end cumulative Monthly Rate of Return without such cumulative Monthly Rate of Return being equaled or exceeded as of a subsequent month-end.  For example, if the Monthly Rate of Return was (1)% in each of January and February, 1% in March and (2)% in April, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would still be continuing at the end of April in the amount of approximately (3)%, whereas if the Monthly Rate of Return had been approximately 3% in March, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would have ended as of the end of February at approximately the (2)% level.

 

(4) Monthly Rate of Return is the net performance of the Fund during the month of determination (including interest income and after all expenses have been accrued or paid) divided by the total capital of the Fund as of the beginning of such month.

 

(5) The information presented is based on Net Asset Value and Net Asset Value per Unit. The inception to date total return is 70.78%.

 

18



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

(CLASS DS UNITS) (5) (6)

 

December 31, 2010

 

Type of Pool:  Single Advisor Non-“Principal Protected”(1)

Inception of Trading: April 2007

Aggregate Subscriptions:    $169,244,293

Current Capitalization:   $182,235,678

Worst Monthly Drawdown(2):  (3.93)% (July 2008)

Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown(3):  (10.26)%  (February 2009 - August 2010)

 

Net Asset Value per Unit Class DS, December 31, 2010:  $1.6903

 

Monthly Rates of Return (4)

 

Month

 

2010

 

2009

 

2008

 

2007

 

January

 

(2.37

)%

.79

%

3.82

%

 

February

 

2.24

 

(0.41

)

7.77

 

 

March

 

4.42

 

(1.76

)

(0.98

)

 

April

 

1.46

 

(3.12

)

(0.74

)

5.86

%

May

 

(0.43

)

(2.28

)

1.61

 

5.50

 

June

 

1.52

 

(1.40

)

4.67

 

1.03

 

July

 

(3.02

)

(1.74

)

(3.93

)

(1.15

)

August

 

4.86

 

0.18

 

(2.36

)

(0.64

)

September

 

0.48

 

2.39

 

0.36

 

6.18

 

October

 

2.39

 

(1.44

)

3.90

 

2.30

 

November

 

(2.15

)

4.88

 

3.97

 

2.44

 

December

 

3.34

 

(2.88

)

1.73

 

0.18

 

Compound Annual Rate of Return

 

13.09

%

(6.86

)%

21.02

%

23.53

%

 


(1) Certain funds are structured so as to guarantee to investors that their investment will be worth no less than a specified amount (typically, the initial purchase price) as of a date certain after the date of investment.  The CFTC refers to such funds as “principal protected”. The Fund has no such feature.

 

(2) Worst Monthly Drawdown represents the largest negative Monthly Rate of Return experienced since February 1, 2005 by the Fund; a drawdown is measured on the basis of month-end Net Asset Value only, and does not reflect intra-month figures.

 

(3) Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown represents the greatest percentage decline since April 2007 from a month-end cumulative Monthly Rate of Return without such cumulative Monthly Rate of Return being equaled or exceeded as of a subsequent month-end.  For example, if the Monthly Rate of Return was (1)% in each of January and February, 1% in March and (2)% in April, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would still be continuing at the end of April in the amount of approximately (3)%, whereas if the Monthly Rate of Return had been approximately 3% in March, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would have ended as of the end of February at approximately the (2)% level.

 

(4) Monthly Rate of Return is the net performance of the Fund during the month of determination (including interest income and after all expenses have been accrued or paid) divided by the total capital of the Fund as of the beginning of such month.

 

(5) The information presented is based on Net Asset Value and Net Asset Value per Unit.  The inception to date total return is 69.03%.

 

(6)  Class DS was previously known as Class D-SM.

 

19



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

(CLASS DT UNITS) (5) (6)

 

December 31, 2010

 

Type of Pool:  Single Advisor Non-“Principal Protected”(1)

Inception of Trading: June 2007

Aggregate Subscriptions:    $117,627,489

Current Capitalization:   $45,566,638

Worst Monthly Drawdown(2):  (4.18)% (July 2008)

Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown(3):  (10.06)%  (February 2009 - August 2010)

 

Net Asset Value per Unit Class DT, December 31, 2010:  $1.7532

 

Monthly Rates of Return (4)

 

Month

 

2010

 

2009

 

2008

 

2007

 

January

 

(2.32

)%

.88

%

4.07

%

 

February

 

2.28

 

(0.41

)

8.27

 

 

March

 

4.47

 

(1.72

)

(1.01

)

 

April

 

1.51

 

(3.08

)

(0.77

)

 

May

 

(0.39

)

(2.23

)

1.76

 

 

June

 

1.56

 

(1.35

)

5.03

 

1.76

%

July

 

(2.99

)

(1.70

)

(4.18

)

(1.25

)

August

 

5.00

 

0.21

 

(2.51

)

(0.87

)

September

 

0.54

 

2.44

 

0.43

 

6.85

 

October

 

2.58

 

(1.41

)

4.24

 

2.46

 

November

 

(2.25

)

4.93

 

4.30

 

2.61

 

December

 

3.59

 

(2.84

)

1.90

 

0.20

 

Compound Annual Rate of Return

 

14.01

%

(6.38

)%

22.96

%

12.11

%

 


(1) Certain funds are structured so as to guarantee to investors that their investment will be worth no less than a specified amount (typically, the initial purchase price) as of a date certain after the date of investment.  The CFTC refers to such funds as “principal protected”. The Fund has no such feature.

 

(2) Worst Monthly Drawdown represents the largest negative Monthly Rate of Return experienced since July 1, 2007 by the Fund; a drawdown is measured on the basis of month-end Net Asset Value only, and does not reflect intra-month figures.

 

(3) Worst Peak-to-Valley Drawdown represents the greatest percentage decline since July 2007 from a month-end cumulative Monthly Rate of Return without such cumulative Monthly Rate of Return being equaled or exceeded as of a subsequent month-end.  For example, if the Monthly Rate of Return was (1)% in each of January and February, 1% in March and (2)% in April, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would still be continuing at the end of April in the amount of approximately (3)%, whereas if the Monthly Rate of Return had been approximately 3% in March, the Peak-to-Valley Drawdown would have ended as of the end of February at approximately the (2)% level.

 

(4) Monthly Rate of Return is the net performance of the Fund during the month of determination (including interest income and after all expenses have been accrued or paid) divided by the total capital of the Fund as of the beginning of such month.

 

(5) The information presented is based on Net Asset Value and Net Asset Value per Unit. The inception to date total return is 75.32%.

 

(6)  Class DT was previously known as Class D-TF.

 

20



 

Item 7:   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

Operational Overview

 

This performance summary is an outline description of how the Fund performed in the past, not necessarily any indication of how it will perform in the future.  In addition, the general causes to which certain price movements are attributed may not have caused such movements, but simply occurred at or about the same time.

 

The Fund is unlikely to be profitable in markets in which such trends do not occur.  Static or erratic prices are likely to result in losses.  Similarly, unexpected events (for example, a political upheaval, natural disaster or governmental intervention) can lead to major short-term losses, as well as gains.

 

While there can be no assurance that the Fund will be profitable under any given market condition, markets in which substantial and sustained price movements occur typically offer the best profit potential for the Fund.

 

Results of Operations

 

General

 

Winton’s objective in providing trading management services is to effect appreciation of the assets of its clients through the speculative trading of financial instruments of any kind, which includes without limitation: (i) futures contracts that are now traded, or may be traded in the future, on exchanges located in the United States and abroad and options on such futures contracts and (ii) foreign currencies, foreign currency futures contracts, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency forward contracts and options relating thereto.

 

Performance Summary

 

This performance summary is an outline description of how the Fund performed in the past, not necessarily any indication of how it will perform in the future.  In addition, the general causes to which certain price movements are attributed may or may not have caused such movements, but simply occurred at or about the same time.

 

Year ended December 31, 2010

 

 

 

Total Trading
Profit (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

Interest Rates

 

$

72,264,248

 

Agricultural

 

16,790,365

 

Currencies

 

33,042,299

 

Energy

 

(14,713,799

)

Metals

 

27,841,363

 

Stock Indices

 

(4,052,319

)

 

 

131,172,157

 

Change in Brokerage Commission Payable

 

(985,164

)

 

 

$

130,186,993

 

 

The Fund experienced a net trading profit before brokerage commissions and related fees for the year ended December 31, 2010 of $131,172,157. Profits were primarily attributable to the Fund trading in the interest rate, currencies, metals, and agriculture sectors posting profits while the stock indices and the energy sector posted losses.

 

The interest rate sector posted profits to the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the first quarter due to gains in the short term interest rates.  Losses were posted to the Fund at the end of the first quarter due to the lack of clear direction in the bond markets. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter as bond markets rallied. Despite the concerns over sovereign debt, a rally in government bonds continued in May resulting in profits posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter. Greek, Portuguese and Spanish bond yields have continued to rise in June reflecting continued skepticism about longer term viability. However, bond yields in the larger developed countries fell, as doubts about the cyclical recovery rose, in

 

21



 

part in response to weaker data, not least in China, but also in part due to uncertainty concerning the right course for policy. The second quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter. July saw the defensive mood of the previous two months reverse with a rally in global equities, a stalling of the rise in Government bonds and a further recovery in the euro. Short term interest rates, driven by falls in U.S. and the LIBOR rates, were the best performing sector. Profits continued to be posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter due to the rally in U.S. government bonds that has lasted since April 2010. The U.S. ten year note futures moved back to levels not seen since the end of 2008, while the German bund futures have moved far beyond their 2008 highs. Investors appear to be seeking comfort in the perceived safety of the fixed income markets. A U.S. government auction of 7 year securities at the end of August was completed at all time record low yields, with reports of strong private investor flows into bond funds. The start of September saw a sell-off in government bonds, in tandem with a rally in world equity markets. A statement by the U.S. Federal Reserve towards the end of the month drove expectations of further quantitative easing so government bonds resumed their upward ascent resulting in losses being posted to the Fund at the end of the third quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund throughout the fourth quarter. During the first week of October government bonds slowed before subsequently dropping. The first week of November the U. S. dollar fell and bonds rose and subsequently reversed resulting in losses posted to the Fund from the middle to the end of the fourth quarter.

 

The currency sector posted profits to the Fund. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the first quarter. The Fund reintroduced currency forwards trading on the Brazilian real and the Russian ruble due to the Fund’s intention to only use currency forwards when the Fund is unable to gain satisfactory liquidity in the futures markets. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the first quarter. Concerns over Greek Sovereign Debt and its impact on the euro formed the back drop to January’s trading as the euro continued its fall against the U.S. dollar and the short euro positions. Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the first quarter due to the continued concern over the economic situation in Greece with the risk of a similar story playing out in other European countries. The euro rallied for the first two weeks of March before reversing resulting in new lows for the year plus the weakness in the British sterling resulting in profits being posted to the Fund. The euro’s slide toward $1.32 in April was the biggest contributor to the sector’s posting profits to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter. Profits continued to be posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter with the trading program’s short positions in euro and British pound positions covering losses from long positions in the Australian and Canadian dollar. China announced that it was to break the China yuan’s strict U.S. dollar peg, paving the way for a controlled level of appreciation. The currency peg had strained relations between the U.S. and China which had been accused of holding its currency at an artificially low level so as to help domestic exporters at the expense of their foreign counterparts. The second quarter ended with losses being posted to the Fund. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter.  The currency sector was the least performing sector in July resulting in losses attributable to the price movements in the euro. Only to be reversed in August as price movements in the euro was opposite to those of the prior month resulting in profits being posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter. September’s pinnacle of excitement was the Bank of Japan intervening to sell the Japanese yen which had hit a 15 year high against the U.S. dollar. After a large one day fall in the Japanese yen U.S. dollar exchange rate, the market resumed its ascent, suggesting that the willingness of the Bank of Japan to intervene further may be tested. The third quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund for the currency sector in September. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The falling U.S. dollar reversed mid-month before recovering a little towards the end of month. The Japanese yen continued to rise, taking it above the levels at which the Bank of Japan had previously intervened in the foreign exchange markets. The portfolio rose during the first week of November as the U. S. dollar fell and subsequently reversed, resulting in losses being posted to the Fund in the middle of the fourth quarter. Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the fourth quarter as the markets were overcome with a dose of year-end optimism as memories of November’s Irish bailout faded. The Euro remained relatively steady after its previous month’s fall.

 

The metals sector posted profits to the Fund. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the first quarter. Poorer growth outlook resulted in many commodities markets selling off. The month of February was, to a large degree, dominated by news flow relating to the debt crisis within the Euro zone. The prevailing macroeconomic sentiment oscillated between risk aversion and inflationary concerns with the former being marginally dominant. As a result, the Fund posted profits in the middle of the first quarter. Profits were seen in industrial metals in March, especially nickel which reached a twenty two month high. The first quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund. The prices of base metals did not show any recovery after the major events in April which posted losses for the Fund but were offset by existing long positions in precious metals resulting in profits being posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter. The month of May began with a very difficult first week, which ultimately determined

 

22



 

the month-end result. Concerns about the euro continued and would spill over to the commodity markets in the beginning of May. The fear was that the instability in Europe would on a larger scale be harmful to economic growth resulting in losses being posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter. Precious metals continued to appreciate in June resulting in profits being posted to the Fund at the end of the second quarter.  Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter as the Fund’s trading program gave back a portion of the year’s gains with precious metals contributing to the losses. Price movements in gold were opposite to those of the prior month with precious metals contributing to profits being post to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter. Profits continued to be posted at the end of the third quarter as base metals moved higher at the end of September and gold prices hit fresh highs. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter as the buoyant gold price reversed mid October before recovering towards the end of month. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle through the end of the fourth quarter due to precious metals.

 

The agriculture sector posted profits to the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the first quarter due to long positions in the sugar markets, whose price rallied due to supply concerns. Losses were posted to the Fund in the middle of the first quarter. The longer term bull market in sugar reversed sharply from multi-year highs as output in both Brazil and India rose. Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the first quarter. Crops were up in March and the center of the action in the commodities markets has been sugar, where over the course of February and March it has gone from a 25 year high of around $29 down to $16. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning and end of the second quarter. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter due to short positions in grains. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the third quarter with crops contributing to the losses. In September grains moved higher and in cotton futures the market hit a 15 year high resulting in profits being posted to the Fund at the end of the third quarter. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter as the trading program was well positioned to profit from the unfolding market events. Profits were posted to the Fund from the middle to the end of the fourth quarter. The markets were overcome with a dose of year-end optimism in December as commodity markets rose.

 

The stock indices posted losses to the Fund. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the first quarter. January started well through the middle of the month. The Obama administration’s announcement of its intention to reduce speculative activities by banks started a sharp sell-off in equity markets, wiping out earlier gains. These losses occurred in long equity positions. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the first quarter. Stock Index futures posted modest gains, with positions sizably reduced from the previous month.  Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the first quarter. The stock markets put in a strong performance with the Dow Jones up, reaching a level not seen since September 2008. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter.  The major events in the second half of April, the closing of European airports due to the volcano ash problems, the indictment against Goldman Sachs by the Securities and Exchange Commission and when Standard & Poor downgraded Greece and Portugal were strongly felt in the stock markets. Many equity indices, especially European, did not recover from these shocks however, the markets in the United States especially in the small and midcap indices, showed the highest resilience resulting in profits being posted to the Fund. The most dramatic event in the month of May was the so called “flash crash” in U.S. equities on May 6th caused by an alleged trading irregularity resulting in losses being posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter. Equities continued their downward slide in June as concerns regarding European financial stability and global growth plagued markets. While stock indices globally rebounded slightly in the middle of June, the last two weeks were particularly volatile and stocks sold off resulting in losses being posted to the Fund at the end of the second quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the third quarter. August brought weak economic numbers creating fears that the recovery in the U.S. was losing traction.  Data released showed a substantial fall in the sales of existing U.S. homes in July, back to levels not seen for nearly 20 years. The fall in stock markets went back to levels not seen since the start of July. The third quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund. The start of September was a sell off in government bonds, in tandem with a rally in world equity markets. Equity markets in yet another reversal of fortune closed the month up. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter as Stock markets continued their September rally going into October. The first week of November stocks rose and subsequently reversed resulting in losses posted to the Fund in the middle of the fourth quarter. American equities rallied in December with the Standard and Poor’s 500 up for 2010 resulting in profits posted to the Fund at the end of the fourth quarter.

 

The energy sector posted losses to the Fund.  Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the first quarter due to poorer growth outlook resulting in many commodities markets selling off.  Also, oil prices faced additional downward pressure due to an increase in inventories and milder weather in the United

 

23



 

States. The first quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund as commodity markets generally follow the direction of stock markets and finished the month of March higher. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter resulting from purchases in liquid energy products. Due to the declining prices in the energy markets, which started in the beginning of May, purchases of crude oil, heating oil and gasoline provided the biggest contribution to the negative outcome of this sector resulting in losses posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter. The downward trends in the oil markets, initialized in May, did not continue in June resulting in losses being posted to the Fund. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter only to be reversed in August. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter as crude oil price movements were opposite to the prior month. In September, crude oil ended the month close to where it started resulting in losses being posted to the Fund at the end of the third quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter due to volatility in the market. The first week of November commodity prices rose and then subsequently reversed resulting in losses posted to the Fund in the middle of the fourth quarter. Commodity markets generally rose in December with crude oil ending the year back above $90 a barrel resulting in profits posted to the Fund at the end of the fourth quarter.

 

Year ended December 31, 2009

 

 

 

Total Trading
Profit (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

Interest Rates

 

$

(8,522,945

)

Agricultural

 

2,114,401

 

Currencies

 

(12,121,842

)

Energy

 

(12,677,833

)

Metals

 

3,421,909

 

Stock Indices

 

(10,463,293

)

 

 

(38,249,603

)

Change in Brokerage Commission Payable

 

(772,176

)

 

 

$

(39,021,779

)

 

The Fund experienced a net trading loss after brokerage commissions and related fees for the year ended December 31, 2009 of $39,021,779.  The Fund’s metals and agriculture sectors posting gains while the interest rates, stock indices, currencies and energy sectors posted losses.

 

Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the first quarter in metals as gold went lower against their recent trend. Losses were also posted to the Fund in the middle through the end of the first quarter as base metals retreated. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter to be offset with losses posted for the Fund from the middle to the end of the second quarter due to the commodity sector mixed with the main features being the vacillations in the gold price making it hard to gain headway. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter only which was offset with profits posted to the Fund throughout the remainder of the quarter. Gold was close to reaching an all time high at the end of the third quarter as the level of debt by governments created a fear of future inflation in debtor economies. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the fourth quarter as gold reached an all time high. Losses were posted to the Fund at the end of the fourth quarter due to a sharp reversal in gold giving up the gains that was made in the beginning through the middle of the fourth quarter.

 

24



 

Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the first quarter in the agriculture sector.  The continuing plunge in demand and concomitant build up in stock levels kept a lid on prices in February. Grain markets came under renewed price pressure as the Fund’s profits resulted from short positions in grains. Losses were posted to the Fund at the end of the first quarter due to volatility in the markets. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter as general trading conditions returned to something approaching normality with daily ranges more constrained and volatility declining. Losses were posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter due to the Fund having a mixture of long and shorts within the same sector i.e. long soybeans/short bean oil. Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the second quarter due to crops doing well. Overall, losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning and end of the third quarter due to volatility in the global markets. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning and the middle of the fourth quarter. However, the fourth quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund. In addition, meats trading registered overall gains for the year.

 

Losses were posted to the Fund in the interest rate sector at the beginning of the first quarter due to losses in bonds as yields rose in the United States. It is the Fund’s plan to gradually loosen up “Government Paper” only approach for the cash held by the Fund. The Fund intends to make a tactical shift to allocate small percentages to agency paper, corporate bonds and in due course commodity cash and carries. Yields in the 10 year bond markets firmed up fractionally but not enough to offset losses posted to the Fund in the middle of the first quarter. The macro economic background continued to weigh heavily on sentiment, and the discussion or implementation of aggressive “quantitative easing” by governments created sharp moves during the month of March. The short term rates continued to decline at the end of the first quarter resulting in profits being posted to the Fund. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter due to bond yields rising on the ten year U.S. Treasury note. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the quarter due to short positions in the German Government bund and long positions in the Australian ten year bond.  Losses were posted to the Fund at the end of the second quarter with the Fund losing in the bond sector and also in short term interest rates. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter. Uncertainty continued in the fixed income markets, with U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke tempering the optimism by saying that interest rates will need to remain low for “an extended period”. Against this background the Fund’s returns were dominated by losses in equity and bond sectors.  Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter due to continued economic recovery, with a further stream of positive data being released. At the annual Jackson Hole meeting of Central Bankers, they chose not to declare an end to the global economic crisis, with U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke stating that “critical challenges remain”. The U.S. Federal Reserve again committed to leaving interest rates near zero for an “extended period” while the Bank of England moved to continue its program of quantitative easing. Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the third quarter due to short term interest rates which registered further gains and became the Fund’s best performing sector for the year. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The rallying of asset prices and the U.S. dollar falling resulted in profits being posted to the Fund in the middle of the fourth quarter. Equity markets made new 2009 highs, bonds rallied and gold put in a stellar performance to reach a lifetime high. The surprise announcement that Dubai World was asking its bond holders to delay repayment led to a swift reversal in asset prices, giving back only a portion of the November’s profits.  A number of longer term trends reversed in December which gave back some of November’s gains with sharp reversals in bonds resulting in losses posted to the Fund.

 

Profits were posted to the Fund in stock indices at the beginning through the middle of the first quarter as the global financial and commodity markets worsened. No regions, countries, sectors or companies appeared to be immune from the recessionary conditions. Against this recessionary background and with volatility levels still elevated, the Fund kept a low margin exposure as profits were made in short positions in equities with most stock indices falling more than 10% in February. March proved a difficult month to navigate as markets either reversed previous direction or simply became range bound resulting in losses being posted to the Fund at the end of the first quarter. The stock indices sector posted losses for the Fund. The flurry of “green shoots” of recovery, which started mid March, began to wane (at least temporarily), and there was renewed talk of “yellow weeds” appearing. As such, equities came off their recent highs as the S&P ended flat and markets such as Russia fell from their highs resulting in losses posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter. The underlying structure of markets exposure for the Fund during May was somewhat out of sync such that the recent market action with the new sense of relative confidence has engendered losses posted to the Fund. Against this recessionary background and with volatility in global markets, the Fund posted profits at the end of the second quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter due to economic sentiment continuing to hang on the metaphor of “green shoots”. In August, the Dow Jones was up 46% from its March low. The last time that the Dow managed this level of return in the

 

25



 

space of six months was in 1975 when it staged a recovery from the 1973-74 stock market crash. During this move the Fund’s stock index systems were slow to reverse their short positions resulting in losses being posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter. Global stock indices continued their seemed rally into September causing much comment as to weather the moves were sustainable as it appeared they were the direct result of Government and Central Bank stimulus. Therefore, the third quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund. Equity markets opened the month of October with a selloff, rallying to make new 2009 highs and then promptly fell back to where they started at the beginning of the month resulting in losses being posted to the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the fourth quarter with the continuation of a number of longer term trends. The general theme was the rallying of asset prices and the U.S. dollar falling as equity markets made new 2009 highs. Global stock markets moved higher in the month of December resulting in profits being posted to the Fund at the end of the fourth quarter.

 

Profits were posted to the Fund in currencies at the beginning of the first quarter as the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen remain strong while the British sterling remained under pressure. Losses were posted to the Fund in the middle of the quarter from the fluctuating currency markets where losses occurred from the weakening of the U.S. dollar. The long exposure in the U.S. dollar was damaged by both the increasing indebtedness of the United States following President Obama’s latest fiscal stimulus package and rumors of it being sidelined as the reserve currency and the Japanese yen position also suffered posting losses to the Fund as the first quarter ended. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter due to the currency markets being in flux with the Japanese yen remaining steady and the U.S. dollar marginally low. Losses were posted to the Fund in the middle of the quarter from the fluctuating currency markets where losses occurred from the weakening of the U.S. dollar. The second quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund as the month of June was a “game of two halves” with a subtle and possibly significant change in recent investor appetite for risky assets being reversed. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning and end of the third quarter as currency positions continued to bring some diversification to the Fund with margin to equity rising. At the end of the third quarter, the currencies sector was the strongest sector due to the benefits from the falling U.S. dollar.  The U.S. dollar continued its fall with the euro going up and the Norwegian central bank became the first European Central Bank to raise its benchmark rate resulting in profits being posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The U.S. dollar continued to fall in November. The Japanese yen moved to a fourteen year high against the U.S. dollar, leading to the Bank of Japan making noises of intervention as profits were posted to the Fund in November. The U.S. dollar reversed its near year long decline, making currencies the worst performing sector in December. The fourth quarter ended with losses posted to the Fund.

 

The energy sector posted profits for the Fund throughout the first quarter as a rally in energy derived from crude oil prices. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter. Losses continued to be posted to the Fund in the middle of the second quarter as crude oil was up in May, despite inventories at nineteen year highs, demand falling and offshore floating storage estimated at over 100 million barrels.  Losses were posted to the Fund at the end of the second quarter as commodities retreated in June. The energy sector posted losses to the Fund throughout the third quarter with crude oil starting the quarter by falling $10 a barrel to $60 a barrel. At the end of the third quarter, system changes were focused on the energies sector, where a new forecasting variable was added, albeit at a very low weight. Crude oil briefly went above $80 a barrel only to fall back in October resulting in losses being posted to the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund in the middle of the fourth quarter with the continuation of a number of longer term trends. The general theme was the rallying of asset prices and the U.S. dollar falling. A number of longer term trends reversed in December resulting in losses being posted to the Fund at the end of the fourth quarter.

 

26



 

Year ended December 31, 2008

 

 

 

Total Trading
Profit (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

Interest Rates

 

$

78,006,545

 

Agricultural

 

677,429

 

Currencies

 

14,971,254

 

Energy

 

17,240,490

 

Metals

 

8,194,946

 

Stock Indices

 

55,223,686

 

 

 

174,314,350

 

Change in Brokerage Commission Payable

 

95,121

 

 

 

$

174,409,471

 

 

The Fund posted gains for the year in all sectors which are interest rates, stock indices, energy, currencies, metals and agriculture. Despite the disastrous market conditions in the financial markets during the fourth quarter, the Fund posted profits as it continued to operate a below normal level of risk out of respect for the market’s extreme behaviors.

 

The interest rates sector posted profits for the Fund. The Fund profited at the beginning of the year by rises in bonds and interest rate futures, led by the aggressive U.S. Federal Reserve cutting interest rates by a total of 125 basis points. Profits continued to be posted for the Fund through mid-quarter. The first quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund due to the U.S. Federal Reserve lowering overnight rates by 75 basis points to 2.25% which was the sixth reduction since September 2007. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter due to the Fund’s position in long term bonds. Small profits in short term interest rates were offset by equivalent losses in other bond positions in the middle of the quarter. Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the second quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter only to be reversed in the middle of the quarter due to the Fund’s position in long term bonds. The Fund profited from a long bias in bond futures as the 10 year bond yields declined. Profits continued to be posted to the Fund at the end of the third quarter as there was a renewed strength in Government bonds worldwide. The year ended with profits being posted to the Fund throughout the fourth quarter. In December, the 10 year note yields in the United States fell which helped the bond sector post profits to the Fund.

 

The stock indices posted profits for the Fund. The stock sector suffered the largest losses among the financial sectors as global equities experienced sharp losses to begin the New Year. Despite the overall volatility in global equities, the stock sector posted gains for the Fund mid-quarter through the end of the quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter through mid-quarter as financial markets continued to be range bound. June saw a further crystallization of market ranges which had been threatening to break out of their ranges for some time. There was a sharp decline in global equity markets, as the cumulative weight of poor financial figures, inflationary fears and an increase in negative sentiment combined to depress both G7  (seven industrialized nations of the world: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States of America) and the global markets. Most markets fell between 5-10% in June and a technical bear market looks to be in place in the United States where a 20% peak to trough decline has occurred. The Fund was well positioned to benefit from these conditions, with equity indices accounting for nearly half the monthly return as the quarter ended with profits being posted to the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter due to intervention from the Securities and Exchange Commission to restrict short selling and to prop up beleaguered institutions caused some short term effects, however, equity indices stabilized against the recent bear trend. Due to market volatility, losses were posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter. High volatility continued to cause the Fund to reduce positions so that the Fund’s margin exposure was at a record low which produced profits being posted to the Fund at the end of the quarter. The Fund’s short positions in the equity indices posted profits to the Fund in October and November. The year ended with the stock indices sector posting profits to the Fund in spite of the market volatility.

 

The energy sector posted profits for the Fund. Losses were posted for the Fund at the beginning of the first quarter from the falling back of energy prices from recent highs. The Fund experienced renewed strength in the commodity markets with long positions in the energy sectors posting profits for the Fund at the middle of the quarter

 

27



 

which continued through the end of the quarter. The energy sector was the stand out performer for the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter with crude oil, unleaded gasoline and natural gas markets all contributing to the profit. The continued boom in crude oil prices dominated the mid-quarter as the price has increased over 50% from the first week of February. Profits continued to be posted to the Fund at the end of the second quarter ended in particular with the renewed surge in crude oil. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter due to the fluctuation of crude oil moving from $140 per barrel up to $147 per barrel and then down to $125 per barrel . Losses continued to be posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter to the end as crude oil continued to fall in price. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter as crude oil continues to fluctuate in price.  Profits were posted to the Fund mid-quarter through the end of the quarter in spite of the crude oil continuing its sharp decline. Profits were posted to the Fund as the year ended due to the Fund’s short positions in the energy sector.

 

The currency sector posted profits for the Fund. Profits were posted for the Fund throughout the first quarter. The U.S. dollar renewed its overall decline mid-quarter with the Fund’s long positions in the Euro benefiting resulting in profits being posted for the Fund. The dominant theme at the end of the first quarter was the continued weakness of the U.S. dollar which the Fund exploited primarily with the U.S. dollar versus the Euro and the U.S. dollar versus the Japanese yen posting profits for the Fund. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter due to the United States dollar becoming range bound, albeit near its recent lows.  Profits were posted to the Fund mid-quarter through the end of the quarter due to the Fund’s long positions in currencies. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the third quarter as currencies were in a state of flux, as the Euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound all softened with the U.S. dollar rising. Losses continued to be posted to the Fund in the middle of the third quarter as the long standing negative trend in the U.S. dollar reversed and the U.S. dollar posted a significant recovery with the U.S. dollar index being up. The U.S. dollar continued to rally as the quarter ended posting losses for the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the fourth quarter due to the Fund’s long positions in the U.S. dollar versus the British pound and the Canadian dollar. Profits continued to be posted to the Fund mid-quarter in lieu of a volatile market. Currency markets were more erratic in December, with certain pairs reversing recent trends such as the British pound versus the Euro which caused a reduction in profits and losses in this sector.

 

The metals sector posted profits for the Fund. Profits were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the year. The Fund’s long positions in precious metals accounted for much of the gains posted for the Fund in the middle of the quarter. The Fund struggled in the final weeks of the first quarter with losses posted for the Fund from precious metals by the subsequent largest one day drop in gold since 1981. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter as trends in the markets ebbed and flowed. Gold resumed its uptrend mid-quarter as did a number of base metals posting profits to the Fund through the end of the second quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the third quarter as precious metals slipped under downward pressure. Profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the quarter in lieu of the global market volatility. Profits continued to be posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the fourth quarter as gold prices were up in November. A small loss was posted to the Fund at the end of the year due to the volatility in the global markets.

 

The agriculture sector posted profits for the Fund. Profits were posted for the Fund at the beginning of the first quarter through the middle of the quarter due to the Fund’s long positions in the sector. The reversal of the recent up trends in grains caused losses being posted for the Fund at the end of the first quarter. Profits were posted for the Fund at the beginning of the second quarter as grains were the top performer for the sector. Losses were posted to the Fund mid-quarter as grains were mixed, tending to net off against each other. Due to the escalation of grain prices profits were posted to the Fund at the end of the quarter. Losses were posted to the Fund at the beginning through the middle of the third quarter as grains sectors experienced dramatic price fluctuations. In the grain sector both corn and the soy complex fell significantly. Losses were posted to the Fund at the end of the third quarter due to the extreme volatility in the market. The year ended with profits being posted to the Fund in November only due to extreme global market volatility.

 

28



 

Variables Affecting Performance

 

The principal variables that determine the net performance of the Fund are gross profitability from the Fund’s trading activities and interest income.

 

The Fund currently earns interest based on the prevailing Fed Funds rate plus a spread for short cash positions and minus a spread for long cash positions.  The current short term interest rates have remained extremely low when compared with historical rates and thus has contributed negligible amounts to overall Fund performance.

 

During all periods set forth above in “Selected Financial Data”, the interest rates in many countries were at unusually low levels. In addition, low interest rates are frequently associated with reduced fixed income market volatility, and in static markets the Fund’s profit potential generally tends to be diminished.  On the other hand, during periods of higher interest rates, the relative attractiveness of a high risk investment such as the Fund may be reduced as compared to high yielding and much lower risk fixed-income investments.

 

The Fund’s Management Fees and Sponsor Fees are a percentage of the Fund’s assets. Brokerage Commissions, which are not based on a percentage of the Fund’s assets, are based on actual round turns.  Performance fees payable to Winton and MLAI are based on the New Trading Profits generated by the Fund excluding interest and after reduction of the Brokerage Commissions.

 

Unlike many investment fields, there is no meaningful distinction in the operation of the Fund between realized and unrealized profits.  Most of the contracts traded by the Fund are highly liquid and can be closed out at any time.

 

Except in unusual circumstances, factors—regulatory approvals, cost of goods sold, employee relations and the like—which often materially affect an operating business, have no material impact on the Fund.

 

Liquidity; Capital Resources

 

The Fund borrows only to a limited extent and only on a strictly short-term basis in order to finance losses on non-U.S. dollar denominated trading positions pending the conversion of the Fund’s U.S. dollar deposits. These borrowings are at a prevailing short-term rate in the relevant currency.

 

Substantially all of the Fund’s assets are held in cash. The Net Asset Value of the Fund’s cash is not affected by inflation. However, changes in interest rates could cause periods of strong up or down price trends, during which the Fund’s profit potential generally increases. Inflation in commodity prices could also generate price movements, which the strategies might successfully follow.

 

Because substantially all of the Fund’s assets are held in cash, the Fund should be able to close out any or all of its open trading positions and liquidate any or all of its securities holdings quickly and at market prices, except in very unusual circumstances. This permits the Fund to limit losses as well as reduce market exposure on short notice should its strategies indicate doing so. In addition, because there is a readily available market value for the Fund’s positions and assets, the Fund’s monthly Net Asset Value calculations are precise. Investors need to provide ten business days notice to receive the full redemption proceeds of their Units on the last business day of any month.

 

As a commodity pool, the Fund maintains an extremely large percentage of its assets in cash, which it must have available to post initial and variation margin on futures contracts.  This cash is also used to fund redemptions.  While the Fund has the ability to fund redemption proceeds from liquidating positions, as a practical matter positions are not liquidated to fund redemptions.  In the event that positions were liquidated to fund redemptions, MLAI, as the Manager of the Fund, has the ability to override decisions of the Trading Advisor to fund redemptions if necessary, but in practice the Trading Advisor would determine in its discretion which investments should be liquidated.

 

(The Fund has no applicable off-balance sheet arrangements or tabular disclosure of contractual obligations of the type described in Items 3.03(a)(4) and 3.03(a)(5) of Regulation S-K.)

 

29



 

Recent Accounting Developments

 

Recent accounting developments are discusses in Exhibit 13.01.

 

Item 7A: Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

Introduction

 

The Fund is a speculative commodity pool. The market sensitive instruments held by it are acquired for speculative trading purposes and all or substantially all of the Fund’s assets are subject to the risk of trading loss.  Unlike an operating company, the risk of market sensitive instruments is integral, not incidental, to the Fund’s main line of business.

 

Market movements result in frequent changes in the fair market value of the Fund’s open positions and, consequently, in its earnings and cash flow. The Fund’s market risk is influenced by a wide variety of factors, including the level and volatility of interest rates, exchange rates, equity price levels, the market value of financial instruments and contracts, the diversification effects among the Fund’s open positions and the liquidity of the markets in which it trades.

 

The Fund, under the direction of Winton, rapidly acquires and liquidates both long and short positions in a wide range of different markets.  Consequently, it is not possible to predict how a particular future market scenario will affect performance, and the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily indicative of its future results.

 

Value at Risk is a measure of the maximum amount which the Fund could reasonably be expected to lose in a given market sector. However, the inherent uncertainty of the Fund’s speculative trading and the recurrence in the markets traded by the Fund of market movements far exceeding expectations could result in actual trading or non-trading losses far beyond the indicated Value at Risk or the Fund’s experience to date (i.e. “risk of ruin”). In light of the foregoing, as well as the risks and uncertainties intrinsic to all future projections, the quantifications included in this section should not be considered to constitute any assurance or representation that the Fund’s losses in any market sector will be limited to Value at Risk or by the Fund’s attempts to manage its market risk.

 

Quantifying The Fund’s Trading Value At Risk

 

Quantitative Forward-Looking Statements

 

The following quantitative disclosures regarding the Fund’s market risk exposures contain “forward-looking statement” within the meaning of the safe harbor from civil liability provided for such statements by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (set forth in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).  All quantitative disclosures in this section are deemed to be forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor, except for statements of historical fact.

 

The Fund’s risk exposure in the various market sectors traded by Winton is quantified below in terms of Value at Risk.  Due to the Fund’s fair value accounting, any loss in the fair value of the Fund’s open positions is directly reflected in the Fund’s earnings (realized or unrealized) and cash flow (at least in the case of exchange-traded contracts in which profits and losses on open positions are settled daily through variation margin).

 

Exchange maintenance margin requirements have been used by the Fund as the measure of its Value at Risk.  Maintenance margin requirements are set by exchanges to equal or exceed the maximum loss in the fair value of any given contract incurred in 95%-99% of the one-day time periods included in the historical sample (generally approximately one year) researched for purposes of establishing margin levels.  The maintenance margin levels are established by dealers and exchanges using historical price studies as well as an assessment of current market volatility (including the implied volatility of the options on a given futures contract) and economic fundamentals to provide a probabilistic estimate of the maximum expected near-term one-day price fluctuation.

 

30



 

In the case of market sensitive instruments which are not exchange-traded (almost exclusively currencies in the case of the Fund), the margin requirements for the equivalent futures positions have been used as Value at Risk.  In those rare cases in which a futures-equivalent margin is not available, dealers’ margins have been used.

 

100% positive correlation in the different positions held in each market risk category has been assumed.  Consequently, the margin requirements applicable to the open contracts have been aggregated to determine each trading category’s aggregate Value at Risk.  The diversification effects resulting from the fact that the Fund’s positions are rarely, if ever, 100% positively correlated have not been reflected.

 

The Fund’s Trading Value at Risk in Different Market Sectors

 

The following table indicates the average, highest and lowest trading Value at Risk associated with the Fund’s open positions by market category for the fiscal periods. During the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, the Fund’s average month-end Net Asset Value was $801,023,454 and $769,805,727, respectively.

 

December 31, 2010

 

 

 

Average

 

% of Average

 

Highest Value

 

Lowest Value

 

Market Sector

 

Value at Risk

 

Capitalization

 

At Risk

 

At Risk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture

 

$

6,108,435

 

0.76

%

$

13,303,918

 

$

1,685,932

 

Currencies/FX

 

9,031,124

 

1.13

%

18,820,682

 

2,678,538

 

Energy

 

3,073,553

 

0.38

%

4,820,597

 

1,150,205

 

Interest Rates

 

14,768,549

 

1.84

%

26,598,736

 

6,417,324

 

Metals

 

11,194,755

 

1.40

%

23,221,359

 

1,815,893

 

Stock Indices

 

5,085,871

 

0.63

%

13,498,387

 

373,571

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

$

49,262,287

 

6.14

%

$

100,263,679

 

$

14,121,463

 

 

December 31, 2009

 

 

 

Average

 

% of Average

 

Highest Value

 

Lowest Value

 

 Market Sector 

 

Value at Risk

 

Capitalization

 

At Risk

 

At Risk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture

 

$

277,767

 

0.04

%

$

707,394

 

$

10,427

 

Currencies/FX

 

3,051,075

 

0.40

%

6,085,683

 

626,499

 

Energy

 

148,497

 

0.02

%

337,061

 

4,497

 

Interest Rates

 

35,281,296

 

4.58

%

42,048,600

 

30,410,845

 

Metals

 

729,766

 

0.09

%

2,416,942

 

58,410

 

Stock Indices

 

1,468,414

 

0.19

%

5,308,164

 

260,665

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

$

40,956,815

 

5.32

%

$

56,903,844

 

$

31,371,343

 

 

31



 

Material Limitations on Value at Risk as an Assessment of Market Risk

 

The face value of the market sector instruments held by the Fund is typically many times the applicable maintenance margin requirement (maintenance margin requirements generally ranging between approximately 1% and 10% of contract face value) as well as many times the capitalization of the Fund.  The magnitude of the Fund’s open positions creates a “risk of ruin” not typically found in most other investment vehicles.  Because of the size of its positions, certain market conditions — unusual, but historically recurring from time to time — could cause the Fund to incur severe losses over a short period of time.   The foregoing Value at Risk table — as well as the past performance of the Fund — gives no indication of this “risk of ruin.”

 

Non-Trading Risk

 

Foreign Currency Balances; Cash on Deposit with MLPF&S

 

The Fund has non-trading market risk on its foreign cash balances not needed for margin. However, these balances (as well as the market risk they represent) are immaterial.

 

The Fund also has non-trading market risk on the approximately 90%-95% of its assets which are held in cash at MLPF&S or BlackRock. The value of this cash is not interest rate sensitive, but there is cash flow risk in that if interest rates decline so will the cash flow generated on these monies.

 

Qualitative Disclosures Regarding Primary Trading Risk Exposures

 

The following qualitative disclosures regarding the Fund’s market risk exposures — except for (i) those disclosures that are statements of historical fact and (ii) the descriptions of how the Fund manages its primary market risk exposures — constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act. The Fund’s primary market risk exposures as well as the strategies used and to be used by MLAI and Winton for managing such exposures are subject to numerous uncertainties, contingencies and risks, any one of which could cause the actual results of the Fund’s risk controls to differ materially from the objectives of such strategies. Government interventions, defaults and expropriations, illiquid markets, the emergence of dominant fundamental factors, political upheavals, changes in historical price relationships, and an influx of new market participants, increased regulation and many other factors could result in material losses as well as in material changes to the risk exposures and the risk management strategies of the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s current market exposure and/or risk management strategies will not change materially or that any such strategies will be effective in either the short- or long-term. Investors must be prepared to lose all or substantially all of the time value of their investment in the Fund.

 

The following were the primary trading risk exposures of the Fund as of December 31, 2010, by market sector.

 

Interest Rates.

 

Interest rate movements directly affect the price of derivative sovereign bond positions held by the Fund and indirectly the value of its stock index and currency positions. Interest rate movements in one country as well as relative interest rate movements between countries materially impact the Fund’s profitability. The Fund’s primary interest rate exposure is to interest rate fluctuations in the United States and the other G-7 countries.  However, the Fund also takes positions in the government debt of smaller nations e.g., Australia. MLAI anticipates that G-7 interest rates will remain the primary market exposure of the Fund for the foreseeable future.

 

Currencies.

 

The Fund trades in a number of currencies. The Fund does not anticipate that the risk profile of the Fund’s currency sector will change significantly in the future. The currency trading Value at Risk figure includes foreign margin amounts converted into U.S. dollars with an incremental adjustment to reflect the exchange rate risk of maintaining Value at Risk in a functional currency other than U.S. dollars.

 

32



 

Stock Indices.

 

The Fund’s primary equity exposure is due to various equity index price movements. The Fund is primarily exposed to the risk of adverse price trends or static markets in the major U.S., European and Asian indices.

 

Metals.

 

The Fund’s metals market exposure is to fluctuations in both the price of precious and non-precious metals.

 

Agricultural Commodities.

 

The Fund’s primary agricultural commodities exposure is to agricultural price movements which are often directly affected by severe or unexpected weather conditions. Soybeans, grains, livestock, cotton, corn and coffee accounted for the substantial bulk of the Fund’s agricultural commodities exposure as of December 31, 2010.

 

Energy.

 

The Fund’s primary energy market exposure is to natural gas and crude oil price movements, often resulting from political developments in the Middle East. Oil prices can be volatile and substantial profits and losses have been and are expected to continue to be experienced in this market.

 

Qualitative Disclosures Regarding Non-Trading Risk Exposure

 

The following were the primary non-trading risk exposures of the Fund as of December 31, 2010.

 

Foreign Currency Balances.

 

The Fund’s primary foreign currency balances are in Australian dollars, British pounds and Euros.

 

U.S. Dollar Cash Balance.

 

The Fund holds U.S. dollars only in cash at MLPF&S or BlackRock. The Fund has immaterial cash flow interest rate risk on its cash on deposit with MLPF&S in that declining interest rates would cause the income from such cash to decline.

 

Qualitative Disclosures Regarding Means of Managing Risk Exposure

 

Trading Risk

 

MLAI has procedures in place intended to control market risk, although there can be no assurance that they will, in fact, succeed in doing so. While MLAI does not intervene in the markets to hedge or diversify the Fund’s market exposure, MLAI may urge Winton to reallocate positions in an attempt to avoid over-concentrations.  However, such interventions are unusual, except in cases in which it appears that Winton has begun to deviate from past practice and trading policies or to be trading erratically, MLAI’s basic control procedures consist simply of ongoing process of monitoring Winton with the market risk controls being applied by Winton.

 

Risk Management

 

Winton attempts to control risk in all aspects of Winton’s investment process — from confirmation of a trend to determining the optimal exposure in a given market, and to money management issues such as the startup or upgrade of investor accounts.  Winton double checks the accuracy of market data, and will not trade a market without multiple price sources for analytical input.  In constructing a portfolio, Winton seeks to control overall risk as well as the risk of any one position, and Winton trades only markets that have been identified as having positive performance characteristics.  Trading discipline requires plans for the exit of a market as well as for entry.  Winton factors the point of exit into the decision to enter (stop loss).  The size of Winton’s positions in a particular market is not a matter of how large a return can be generated but of how much risk it is willing to take relative to that expected return.

 

33



 

To attempt to reduce the risk of volatility while maintaining the potential for excellent performance, proprietary research is conducted on an ongoing basis to refine the Winton investment strategies.  Research may suggest substitution of alternative investment methodologies with respect to particular contracts; this may occur, for example, when the testing of a new methodology has indicated that its use might have resulted in different historical performance.  In addition, risk management research and analysis may suggest modifications regarding the relative weighting among various contracts, the addition or deletion of particular contracts for a program, or a change in position size in relation to account equity.  The weighting of capital committed to various markets in the investment programs is dynamic, and Winton may vary the weighting at its discretion as market conditions, liquidity, position limit considerations and other factors warrant.

 

Winton may determine that risks arise when markets are illiquid or erratic, which may occur cyclically during holiday seasons, or on the basis of irregularly occurring market events.  In such cases, Winton at its sole discretion may override computer-generated signals and may at times use discretion in the application of its quantitative models, which may affect performance positively or negatively.

 

Adjustments in position size in relation to account equity have been and continue to be an integral part of Winton’s investment strategy.  At its discretion, Winton may adjust the size of a position in relation to equity in certain markets or entire programs.  Such adjustments may be made at certain times for some programs but not for others.

 

Factors which may affect the decision to adjust the size of a position in relation to account equity include ongoing research, program volatility, assessments of current market volatility and risk exposure, subjective judgment, and evaluation of these and other general market conditions.

 

Non-Trading Risk

 

The Fund controls the non-trading exchange rate risk by regularly converting foreign balances back into U.S. dollars at least once per week, and more frequently if a particular foreign currency balance becomes unusually high.

 

The Fund has cash flow interest rate risk on its cash on deposit with MLPF&S and in the BlackRock sponsored money market mutual fund in that declining interest rates would cause the income from such cash to decline. However, a certain amount of cash or cash equivalents must be held by the Fund in order to facilitate margin payments and pay expenses and redemptions.  MLAI does not take any steps to limit the cash flow risk on its cash held on deposit at MLPF&S and in the BlackRock sponsored money market mutual fund.

 

Item 8: Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

Net Income (Loss) per quarter

Eight quarters through December 31, 2010

 

 

 

Fourth

 

Third

 

Second

 

First

 

Fourth

 

Third

 

Second

 

First

 

 

 

Quarter

 

Quarter

 

Quarter

 

Quarter

 

Quarter

 

Quarter

 

Quarter

 

Quarter

 

 

 

2010

 

2010

 

2010

 

2010

 

2009

 

2009

 

2009

 

2009

 

Total Income (Loss)

 

$

42,972,986

 

$

26,093,619

 

$

24,437,646

 

$

36,681,819

 

$

7,145,933

 

$

10,327,646

 

$

(49,513,184

)

$

(6,931,000

)

Total Expenses

 

15,088,725

 

10,848,705

 

6,532,155

 

6,279,267

 

6,342,199

 

6,357,059

 

6,509,738

 

6,922,556

 

Net Income (Loss)

 

$

27,884,261

 

$

15,244,914

 

$

17,905,491

 

$

30,402,552

 

$

803,734

 

$

3,970,586

 

$

(56,022,922

)

$

(13,853,556

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income (Loss) per weighted average Unit (a)

 

$

0.0518

 

$

0.0297

 

$

0.0349

 

$

0.0588

 

$

0.0016

 

$

0.0076

 

$

(0.1091

)

$

(0.0271

)

 


(a) The Net Income (Loss) per weighted average Unit is based on the weighted average of the total Units for each quarter.

 

The financial statements required by this Item are included in Exhibit 13.01.

 

34



 

The supplementary financial information (“information about oil and gas producing activities”) specified by Item 302 of Regulation S-K is not applicable.

 

Item 9: Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

 

There were no disagreements with the respective independent registered public accounting firms on accounting and financial disclosure.

 

Item 9A: Controls and Procedures

 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

MLAI’s Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, on behalf of the Fund, has evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures with respect to the Fund as of and for the year which ended December 31, 2010, and, based on its evaluation, has concluded that these disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

 

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting:

 

The Fund’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting.  The Fund’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed under the supervision of MLAI’s Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, on behalf of the Fund and is effected by management, other personnel and service providers to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and included those policy and procedures that:

 

·                  Pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Fund.

 

·                  Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Fund are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management of the Fund; and

 

·                  Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisitions, use or disposition of the Fund’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.  Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in condition, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

The Fund’s management assessed the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010.  In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in “Internal Control-Integrated Framework”.

 

Based on its assessment the Fund’s management concluded that at December 31, 2010, the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting was effective.

 

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

No change in internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2010 that has materially affected, or is reasonable likely to materially affect, the Fund’s internal control, over financial reporting.

 

35



 

Item 9B:  Other Information

 

Not applicable.

 

PART III

 

Item 10: Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

 

10(a) and 10(b)      Identification of Directors and Executive Officers:

 

As a limited liability company, the Fund has no officers or directors and is managed by MLAI. Trading decisions are made by Winton on behalf of the Fund.

 

The managers and executive officers of MLAI and their respective business backgrounds are as follows:

 

Justin C. Ferri

 

Chief Executive Officer, President and Manager

 

 

 

Barbra E. Kocsis

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

Deann Morgan

 

Vice President and Manager

 

 

 

James L. Costabile

 

Vice President and Manager

 

 

 

Paul D. Harris

 

Vice President and Manager

 

 

 

Colleen R. Rusch

 

Vice President and Manager

 

Justin C. Ferri is the Chief Executive Officer, President and Manager of MLAI. Mr. Ferri, 35 years old, has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of MLAI since August 2009. Mr. Ferri has been a Manager of MLAI and has been listed as a principal of MLAI since July 29, 2008. He has been registered with NFA as an associated person of MLAI since September 11, 2009. He also serves as Managing Director within the Merrill Lynch Global Wealth & Investment Management group and the Global Investments Solutions group (“GWIM” and “GIS,” respectively), responsible for heading GWIM’s Alternative Investments business. In addition, Mr. Ferri also serves as President of IQ Investment Advisors LLC (“IQ”), an indirect, wholly-owned investment adviser subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., and through December 10, 2010, served as President of each of IQ’s publicly traded closed-end mutual fund companies. Prior to his role in GIS, Mr. Ferri was a Director in the MLPF&S Global Private Client Market Investments & Origination group, and before that, he served as a Vice President and head of the MLPF&S Global Private Client Rampart Equity Derivatives team. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 2002, Mr. Ferri was a Vice President within the Quantitative Development group of mPower Advisors LLC from 1999 to 2002, and prior to that, he worked in the Private Client division of J.P. Morgan & Co. He holds a B.A. degree from Loyola College in Maryland.

 

Barbra E. Kocsis is the Chief Financial Officer for MLAI. Ms. Kocsis, 44 years old, has been the Chief Financial Officer of MLAI since October 2006. Ms. Kocsis has been listed with the NFA as a principal of MLAI since May 21, 2007 and is a Director within the Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Investment Management Services group, positions she has held since October 2006. Prior to serving in her current roles, she was the Fund Controller of MLAI from May 1999 to September 2006. Before joining MLAI, Ms. Kocsis held various accounting and tax positions at Derivatives Portfolio Management LLC from May 1992 until May 1999, at which time she held the position of accounting director. Prior to that, she was an associate at Coopers & Lybrand in both the audit and tax practices from September 1988 to February 1992. She graduated cum laude from Monmouth College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Accounting.

 

36



 

Deann Morgan is a Vice President and Manager of MLAI. Ms. Morgan, 41 years old, has been a Vice President of MLAI since March 2008 and Managing Director of GIS since January 2009. As Managing Director of GIS, Ms. Morgan heads Alternative Investments Origination. From April 2006 until March 2008, Ms. Morgan was a Director for Merrill Lynch’s Investments, Wealth Management & Insurance group, where she was responsible for origination of private equity and listed alternative investments. Between August 1999 and April 2006, Ms. Morgan worked for Merrill Lynch’s Investment Banking Group covering Asian corporate clients. She received her M.B.A. from University of Chicago and her B.B.A. from University of Michigan. Ms. Morgan has been registered with NFA as an associated person and listed as a principal of MLAI since August 21, 2009. Ms. Morgan has also been registered with NFA as an associated person of MLPF&S since April 13, 2009.

 

James L. Costabile, is a Vice President and Manager of MLAI.  Mr. Costabile, 34 years old, has been a Managing Director within the Global Investments Solutions group (“GIS”) responsible for alternative investment distribution for Merrill Lynch since June 2007 and US Trust since January 2009.  Mr. Costabile has been listed as a principal of MLAI since July 14, 2010.  He has also been registered with NFA as an associated person of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) since August 20, 2007.  Mr. Costabile was previously registered as an associated person of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. from November 13, 2003 to July 6, 2007.  As part of the MLAI management team, Mr. Costabile oversees a team of specialists responsible for supporting hedge funds, private equity and real asset offerings.  Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 2007, Mr. Costabile spent ten years with Citigroup Inc., most recently as a Managing Director for Citigroup Alternative Investments responsible for co-heading Smith Barney Alternative Investment Distribution from February 2005 to June 2007.  Prior to that, Mr. Costabile held a number of positions involving sales, marketing, product management and financial advisor training within different divisions of Citigroup, Inc. including: Citigroup Alternative Investments from May 2003 to February 2005 (sales manager for hedge funds, private equity funds, structured products and exchange funds); the Private Capital Group from February 2001 to May 2003 (sales desk manager for alternative funds for Smith Barney and Citi Private Bank); Salomon Smith Barney Alternative Investment Group from February 1999 to February 2001 (producing sales desk manager for alternative investment funds); Smith Barney Alternative Investments from March 1998 to February 1999 (sales desk supervisor for alternative investment funds) and Smith Barney Capital Management from November 1997 to March 1998 (participating in sales, marketing and product management).  Mr. Costabile received a B.S. from Fordham University and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation.

 

Paul D. Harris, is a Vice President and Manager of MLAI.  Mr. Harris, 40 years old, has been Managing Director and head of Strategy and Marketing in the Alternative Investment group within GIS since December 2009.  Mr. Harris has been listed as a principal of MLAI since August 26, 2010.  Mr. Harris is responsible for leading Strategy, Marketing and Information Management functional teams in developing alternative investment solutions, including hedge funds, managed futures, private equity and real assets investments for financial advisors.  Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in December 2009, Mr. Harris was a Managing Director at PH Investment Group, LLC from May 2008 to November 2009, and before that a Director at Bridgewater Associates from June 2007 to March 2008.  Mr. Harris was also a Director at Citigroup Alternative Investments and the Strategy and M&A team at Citigroup’s investment bank from January 2003 to January 2007.  From January 2002 to January 2003, Mr. Harris was the Director of Business Development at Pomona Capital.  In addition, Mr. Harris worked in strategic consulting as a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group from September 1999 to January 2002.  Mr. Harris began his career with Barclays Capital and Goldman Sachs in investment banking and capital markets in September 1992.  Mr. Harris holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics and Politics from Essex University, UK.

 

Colleen R. Rusch, is a Vice President and Manager of MLAI.  Ms. Rusch, 42 years old, has been a Director within GIS responsible for overseeing Merrill Lynch Global Wealth & Investment Management group’s Alternative Investments product and trading platform since 2007.  Ms. Rusch has applied to be listed as a principal of MLAI.  In addition, Ms. Rusch serves as Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President of IQ Investment Advisors LLC (“IQ”), an indirect wholly-owned investment adviser subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., and serves as Vice President and Secretary of each of IQ’s publicly-traded closed-end mutual funds. Prior to her role in GIS, Ms. Rusch was a Director in the MLPF&S Global Private Client - Market Investment & Origination Group (“MIO”) from July 2005 to 2007.  Prior to her role as a Director in MIO, Ms. Rusch was a Director of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers from January 2005 to July 2005 and a Vice President from April 1993 to December 2004.  Ms. Rusch holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Saint Peter’s College in New Jersey.

 

37



 

As of December 31, 2010, the principals of MLAI had no investment in the Fund, and MLAI’s interest in the Fund was valued at $32,147.

 

MLAI acts as the sponsor, general partner or manager to eight public futures funds whose units of limited partner or member interests are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: ML Aspect Futures Access LLC, ML Bluetrend FuturesAccess LLC, MAN AHL FuturesAccess LLC, ML Select Futures I L.P., ML Systematic Momentum FuturesAccess LLC, ML Transtrend DTP Enhanced FuturesAccess LLC, ML Trend-Following Futures Fund L.P, and ML Winton FuturesAccess LLC. Because MLAI serves as the sole sponsor, general partner or manager of each of these funds, the officers and managers of MLAI effectively manage them as officers and directors of such funds.

 

(c)           Identification of Certain Significant Employees:

 

None.

 

(d)           Family Relationships:

 

None.

 

(e)           Business Experience:

 

See Item 10(a) and (b) above.

 

(f)            Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings:

 

None.

 

(g)           Promoters and Control Persons:

 

Not applicable.

 

(h)           Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance:

 

Not contained herein.

 

Code of Ethics:

 

MLAI and Merrill Lynch have adopted a code of ethics which applies to the Fund’s (MLAI’s) principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions on behalf of the Fund.  A copy of the code of ethics is available to any person, without charge, upon request by calling 1-866-MER-ALTS.

 

Nominating Committee:

 

Not applicable.  (Neither the Fund nor MLAI has a nominating committee.)

 

Audit Committee; Audit Committee Financial Expert:

 

Not applicable.  (Neither the Fund nor MLAI has an audit committee. There are no listed shares of the Fund or MLAI.)

 

38



 

Item 11: Executive Compensation

 

The managers and officers of MLAI are remunerated by Merrill Lynch in their respective positions. The Fund does not itself have any officers, managers or employees.  The Fund pays Brokerage Commissions to an affiliate of MLAI and Sponsor Fees to MLAI.  MLAI or its affiliates may also receive certain economic benefits from possession of the Fund’s U.S. dollar assets.  The managers and officers receive no “other compensation” from the Fund, and the managers receive no compensation for serving as managers of MLAI.  There are no compensation plans or arrangements relating to a change in control of either the Fund or MLAI.

 

Item 12: Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

(a)                                  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners:

 

Not applicable. (The Units represent limited liability company interests. The Fund is managed by its Manager, MLAI.)

 

(b)           Security Ownership of Management:

 

As of December 31, 2010, MLAI owned 19,470 Units-equivalent member interests, which constituted 0.0036% of the total Units outstanding. The principals of MLAI did not own any Units, and Winton did not own any Units.

 

c)                                      Changes in Control:

 

None.

 

(d)                                 Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans:

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 13: Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence

 

(a)                                  Transactions between Merrill Lynch and the Fund

 

Some of the service providers to the Fund are affiliates of Merrill Lynch. However, none of the fees paid by the Fund to such Merrill Lynch affiliates were negotiated and such fees charged to the Fund might be higher

than would have been obtained in arms-length negotiations.

 

The Fund pays MLAI and MLPF&S and its affiliates Brokerage Commissions, Sponsor Fees, and Management Fees as well as bid-ask spreads on forward currency trades.  The Fund also pays MLPF&S interest on short-term loans extended by MLPF&S to cover losses on foreign currency positions.

 

Within the Merrill Lynch organization, MLAI is the beneficiary of the revenues received by different Merrill Lynch entities from the Fund.  MLAI controls the management of the Fund and serves as its promoter.  Although MLAI has not sold any assets, directly or indirectly, to the Fund, MLAI makes substantial profits from the Fund due to the foregoing revenues.

 

No loans have been, are or will be outstanding between MLAI or any of its principals and the Fund.

 

MLAI pays substantial selling commissions and trailing commissions to MLPF&S for distributing the Units.  MLAI is ultimately paid back for these expenditures from the revenues it receives from the Fund.

 

39



 

(b)                                 Certain Business Relationships:

 

MLPF&S, an affiliate of MLAI, acts as the principal commodity broker for the Fund.

 

In 2010, the Fund expensed:  (i) Brokerage Commissions of $985,164 to MLPF&S, $16,085,528 in Management Fees earned by Winton and MLAI; and (ii) Sponsor Fees of $9,798,981.  In addition, MLAI and its affiliates may have derived certain economic benefits from possession of a portion of the Fund’s assets, as well as from foreign exchange and EFP trading.

 

See Item 1(c), “Narrative Description of Business — Charges” and “— Description of Current Charges” for a discussion of other business dealings between MLAI affiliates and the Fund.

 

(c)                                  Indebtedness of Management:

 

None.

 

(d)                                 Transactions with Promoters:

 

Not applicable.

 

(e)                                  Director Independence:

 

No person who served as a manager of MLAI during 2010 would be considered independent (based on the definition of an independent director under the NASDAQ rules).

 

Item 14: Principal Accounting Fees and Services

 

(a)                                  Audit Fees

 

Aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in connection with the audit of the Fund’s financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 were $55,000 and $55,000, respectively.

 

Audit-Related Fees

 

There were no other audit-related fees billed for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 related to the Fund.

 

(b)                                 Tax Fees

 

No fees were billed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or any member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers and their respective affiliates for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 for professional services rendered to the Fund in connection with tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.

 

(c)                                  All Other Fees

 

Aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in connection with the quarterly review of the Fund’s financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 were $41,625 and $41,625, respectively.

 

Neither the Fund nor MLAI has an audit committee to pre-approve principal accountant fees and services.  In lieu of an audit committee, the managers and the principal financial officer pre-approve all billings prior to the commencement of services.

 

40



 

PART IV

 

Item 15: Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

 

 

Page:

1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

REPORTS OF REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRMS

1

 

 

 

 

Statements of Financial Condition as of December 31, 2010 and 2009

3

 

 

 

 

Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008

4

 

 

 

 

Statements of Changes in Members’ Capital for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008

5

 

 

 

 

Financial Data Highlights for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008

7

 

 

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements

10

 

2.

 

Financial Statement Schedules:

 

 

 

 

 

Financial statement schedules not included in this Form 10-K have been omitted for the reason that they are not required or are not applicable or that equivalent information has been included in the financial statements or notes thereto.

 

 

 

3.

 

Exhibits:

 

 

 

 

 

The following exhibits are incorporated by reference or are filed herewith to this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

 

Designation

 

Description

 

 

 

3.01

 

Certificate of Formation of ML Winton FuturesAccess LLC.

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.01:

 

Is incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.01 contained in the Registration Statement on Form 10 (File No. 000-51084) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, filed on December 20, 2004 (the “Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement”).

 

 

 

3.02

 

Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of ML Winton Futures Access LLC.

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.02:

 

Is incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.02 contained in the Registrant’s Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed on March 31, 2010.

 

 

 

10.01

 

Futures Customer Agreement between ML Winton FuturesAccess LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.

 

41



 

Exhibit 10.01:

 

Is incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.01 contained in Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 (File No. 000-51084) under the Securities Exchange Act, filed on February 12, 2008.

 

 

 

10.02

 

ML FuturesAccess Advisory Agreement by and among ML Winton FuturesAccess LLC, ML Winton FuturesAccess Ltd., Winton Capital Management Ltd., and Merrill Lynch Alternative Investments LLC.

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.02:

 

Is incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.02 contained in the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement.

 

 

 

13.01

 

2010 Annual Report and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

 

 

 

Exhibit 13.01:

 

Is filed herewith.

 

 

 

31.01 and 31.02

 

Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications

 

 

 

Exhibit 31.01 and 31.02:

 

Are filed herewith.

 

 

 

32.01 and 32.02

 

Section 1350 Certifications

 

 

 

Exhibit 32.01 and 32.02:

 

Are filed herewith.

 

42



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

 

By:  MERRILL LYNCH ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS LLC MANAGER

 

By:

/s/Justin C. Ferri

 

Justin C. Ferri

 

Chief Executive Officer, President and Manager

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed on March 15, 2011 by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities indicated.

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Justin C. Ferri

 

Chief Executive Officer, President and Manager

 

March 15, 2011

Justin C. Ferri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Barbra E. Kocsis

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

March 15, 2011

Barbra E. Kocsis

 

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Deann Morgan

 

Vice President and Manager

 

March 15, 2011

Deann Morgan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/James L. Costabile

 

Vice President and Manager

 

March 15, 2011

James L. Costabile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/Paul D. Harris

 

Vice President and Manager

 

March 15, 2011

Paul D. Harris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/Colleen R. Rusch

 

Vice President and Manager

 

March 15, 2011

Colleen R. Rusch

 

 

 

 

 

(Being the principal executive officer, the principal financial and accounting officer and a majority of the managers of Merrill Lynch Alternative Investments LLC)

 

43



 

ML WINTON FUTURESACCESS LLC

 

2010 FORM 10-K

 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

 

 

Exhibit

 

 

 

Exhibit 13.01

 

2010 Annual Report and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

 

 

Exhibit 31.01 and 31.02

 

Rule 13a - 14(a) / 15d - 14(a) Certifications

 

 

 

Exhibit 32.01 and 32.02

 

Sections 1350 Certifications