Abrdn Global Income Fund and abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund announce a planned merger aimed at enhancing shareholder value and operational efficiency, pending shareholder approval in December 2025.
The boards of abrdn Global Income Fund, Inc. (ticker: NYSE American: FCO) and abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (ticker: NYSE American: FAX) have authorized a merger in which FCO will be merged into FAX. This reorganization is contingent upon obtaining shareholder approval from the FCO investors, with a special shareholder meeting scheduled for December 10, 2025. Shareholders recorded as of September 11, 2025, will be eligible to vote. Notably, FAX shareholders will not need to vote on the issuance of shares related to this merger.
According to the announced plan, there will be no alterations to FAX’s existing investment objectives or policies following the merger. The transaction is intended to be structured as a tax-free reorganization under U.S. federal income tax laws, which aims to benefit shareholders by avoiding immediate tax consequences. Both fund boards believe this merger serves the best interests of their respective shareholders.
Further detailed information, including terms and voting procedures, will be included in a combined prospectus and proxy statement filed with the SEC. This document will be accessible once the SEC declares it effective. Until then, the proxy statement remains subject to potential amendments or withdrawal.
This proposed merger follows recent activities in FAX, notably the completion of a private offering of Series B Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares (MRPS) on October 3, 2024. The Series B MRPS have a liquidation value of $100 million, and the net proceeds from this issuance are planned to support new investments, refinancing or repayment of existing debt, and general corporate purposes. Additionally, in September 2024, FAX executed a 1-for-6 reverse stock split, which was completed before the market opened on September 9, 2024, to adjust the share structure.
Shareholder engagement remains active, with FAX and FCO holding frequent annual meetings, including votes on director elections and governance issues. As with most closed-end funds, their shares trade on public exchanges and can fluctuate in value, sometimes trading at premiums or discounts relative to their net asset value. The merger is viewed as a strategic move to streamline operations and potentially enhance shareholder returns by consolidating resources and focusing on income opportunities within the Asia-Pacific region.
Overall, this merger signifies a notable development in the U.S. closed-end fund market, and its impact on fund performance and shareholder value will be closely observed.
References:
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Paragraph 1: GuruFocus, StockTitan
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Paragraph 2: Same sources as above.
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Paragraph 3: Same as above.
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Paragraph 4: NASDAQ Press Release, Kansas City Star, NewsObserver
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Paragraph 5: PRNewswire, WEDBUSH
Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://www.gurufocus.com/news/3104966/abrdn-global-income-fund-inc-fco-announces-a-proposed-merger-into-abrdn-asiapacific-income-fund-fax - Please view link - unable to able to access data
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aberdeen-investments-us-closed-end-funds-announce-results-of-annual-meeting-of-shareholders-302467712.html - On May 28, 2025, Aberdeen Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds held their Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Shareholders voted on various proposals, including the election of directors and the continuation of terms for certain directors. The meeting covered funds such as abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (FAX) and abrdn Global Income Fund, Inc. (FCO).
- https://www.stocktitan.net/news/FAX/abrdn-global-income-fund-inc-fco-announces-a-proposed-merger-into-hqheok8s56sy.html - abrdn Global Income Fund (FCO) and abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund (FAX) have announced a proposed merger, with FCO merging into FAX. The Boards of Directors of both funds have approved the reorganization, which requires FCO shareholder approval but not FAX shareholder approval. The merger is scheduled for a shareholder vote on December 10, 2025, with a record date of September 11, 2025. The transaction is intended to be structured as a tax-free reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Notably, there will be no changes to FAX's current investment objectives or policies as a result of the merger.
- https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/abrdn-asia-pacific-income-fund-inc-fax-announces-issuance-series-b-mandatory - On October 3, 2024, abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (FAX) announced the closing of a private offering of 4 million shares of Series B Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares due 2029. The Series B MRPS, with a liquidation value of $100 million, are rated AA- by Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC. Net proceeds from the Series B MRPS will be used to make new portfolio investments, refinancing or repayment of existing indebtedness, and for general purposes.
- https://www.kansascity.com/press-releases/article291175800.html - On August 19, 2024, abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (FAX) announced a 1-for-6 reverse stock split of the Fund's common stock. The reverse stock split was completed prior to the open of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on September 9, 2024, for common stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 6, 2024. Trading in shares of the Fund's common stock on a split-adjusted basis began at the open of trading on the NYSE on September 9, 2024.
- https://www.newsobserver.com/press-releases/article291175800.html - On August 19, 2024, abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (FAX) announced a 1-for-6 reverse stock split of the Fund's common stock. The reverse stock split was completed prior to the open of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on September 9, 2024, for common stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 6, 2024. Trading in shares of the Fund's common stock on a split-adjusted basis began at the open of trading on the NYSE on September 9, 2024.
- https://investor.wedbush.com/wedbush/article/accwirecq-2025-5-9-aberdeen-investments-us-closed-end-funds-announce-distribution-payment-details - On May 9, 2025, Aberdeen Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds announced distribution payment details. The distributions were paid on May 30, 2025, to all shareholders of record as of May 22, 2025. The announcement included funds such as abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (FAX) and abrdn Global Income Fund, Inc. (FCO).
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score: 10
Notes: The narrative is recent, dated September 11, 2025, and pertains to a proposed merger between FCO and FAX, with a special shareholder meeting scheduled for December 10, 2025. No earlier versions of this specific announcement were found, indicating high freshness.
Quotes check
Score: 10
Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes attributed to the fund boards, but no earlier instances of these specific quotes were found online, suggesting they are original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score: 7
Notes: The narrative originates from GuruFocus, a financial news website. While it is a known platform for financial news, it is not as widely recognised as major outlets like the Financial Times or Reuters. Therefore, the source's reliability is moderate.
Plausability check
Score: 9
Notes: The proposed merger aligns with recent activities of FAX, including the completion of a private offering of Series B Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares on October 3, 2024, and a 1-for-6 reverse stock split completed on September 9, 2024. These actions suggest strategic moves that could precede a merger. The narrative's claims are plausible and consistent with available information.
Overall assessment
Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary: The narrative is recent and original, with no evidence of recycled content. The quotes appear to be exclusive, and the source, while not a major outlet, is known for financial news. The claims made are plausible and consistent with recent activities of FAX, indicating a high level of confidence in the narrative's credibility.