Variant Alternative Income Fund (NICHX)

Income done differently

As of September 30, 2024

For use with accredited investors only  

Inception date = October 2, 2017

Past performance is not indicative of future results

Year to date
return  

2.56%

1-year
return  

5.35%

3-year
return  

7.65%

5-year
return  

8.30%

Since
inception  

8.41%

1-year distribution
rate  

12.14%

Overview

The Variant Alternative Income Fund, a closed-end interval fund, offers investors efficient access to a diversified portfolio of unconventional income-generating assets. The Fund invests in niche market opportunities with strong cash flow characteristics and low correlations to public equity and bond markets. The Fund’s primary objective is to provide a high level of current income. Capital appreciation will be considered a secondary objective. Variant, an innovator in alternative income investing, is led by an investment team with decades of experience investing in market niches. Interval funds provide investors such features as daily pricing, 1099 tax reporting, and quarterly liquidity with a fund-level gate of 5-25% of NAV. The interval fund structure allows accredited investors the opportunity to access less liquid, potentially higher yielding alternative investments.

Portfolio

Portfolio composition by asset class  

Performance

As of September 30, 2024

Inception date = October 2, 2017

Since inception return  
Net performance  
1 yr3 yr5 yrSI
Variant | NICHX5.35%7.65%8.30%8.41%
T-bills | BBG 1-3 Mo5.56%3.49%2.33%2.23%
IG bonds | BBG Agg11.57%-1.39%0.33%1.47%
High yield | BBG HY15.74%3.10%4.72%4.71%
Equity | S&P 50036.33%11.89%15.96%14.48%
Monthly returns  
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYTD
20170.120.190.420.73
20180.630.310.110.480.620.870.840.440.470.640.870.747.26
20190.480.591.980.821.051.071.351.070.520.760.641.2412.22
20201.170.48-0.50-0.270.870.340.760.080.560.720.451.065.87
20211.100.940.920.901.590.961.720.720.650.720.720.7212.29
20220.680.600.720.860.490.630.570.880.770.810.490.898.71
20230.770.690.610.590.760.710.930.580.760.820.781.099.50
20240.600.670.910.81-3.190.780.810.580.632.56
Year to date returns  
NICHXBBG AggBBG HYS&P 500
Q4170.730.390.476.64
20187.260.01-2.08-4.39
201912.228.7214.3231.48
20205.877.517.1118.39
202112.29-1.545.2828.68
20228.71-13.01-11.19-18.13
20239.505.5313.4526.26
20242.564.458.0022.08

The performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results.  Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted.  Returns assume reinvestment of dividends and capital gains. 

Fund Highlights  

As of September 30, 2024
Fund structureInterval closed-end fund
Fund assets$2,831 million
QualificationsAccredited Investor  
Subscriptions / NAVDaily
RedemptionsQtrly 5% of Fund NAV  
Management fee0.95%  
Share classInstitutional
Ticker / CUSIPNICHX / 92220Q103
Fund launchOctober 1, 2018
Min. investment$1,000,000 (Firm level)
Gross expense ratio1.72%
Net expense ratio1.72%  
AdministratorUMB Fund Services
CounselFaegre Drinker
AuditorCohen & Company
DistributorUMB Distribution Services, LLC
DistributionsQuarterly  
Tax reporting1099  

Documents

thumbnail of Variant New Account App Combined

Account Application

thumbnail of Variant IRA Application

IRA Account Application

thumbnail of Variant Alternative Income Fund NICHX Factsheet 2023 12

Fact Sheet

Distribution History

2024 Redemption Dates

Prospectus

Statement of Additional Information

thumbnail of fp0085958-1_Variant_SAR_2023_Final_web VAIF

Semi-Annual Report October 31, 2023

thumbnail of ea0206966-01_Variant Alternative Income Fund_N-CSR_WebReady

Annual Report April 30, 2024

California Lender License Number: 60DBO-185300

The Variant Alternative Income Fund (the “Fund”) is a continuously-offered, non-diversified, registered closed-end fund with limited liquidity. There is no guarantee the Fund will achieve its objective.  An investment in the Fund should only be made by investors who understand the risks involved, who are able to withstand the loss of the entire amount invested and who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares.  A prospective investor must meet the definition of “accredited investor” under Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933.

Important Risks: Shares are an illiquid investment. You should generally not expect to be able to sell your Shares (other than through the repurchase process), regardless of how the Fund performs. Although the Fund is required to implement a Share repurchase program only a limited number of Shares will be eligible for repurchase by the Fund.

An investment in the Fund is speculative, involves substantial risks, including the risk that the entire amount invested may be lost, and should not constitute a complete investment program. The Fund may leverage its investments by borrowing, use of swap agreements, options or other derivative instruments. The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company, meaning it may be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. In addition, the fund is subject to investment related risks of the underlying funds, general economic and market condition risk.

Alternative investments provide limited liquidity and include, among other things, the risks inherent in investing in securities, futures, commodities and derivatives, using leverage and engaging in short sales.  The Fund’s investment performance depends, at least in part, on how its assets are allocated and reallocated among asset classes and strategies. Such allocation could result in the Fund holding asset classes or investments that perform poorly or underperform.  Investments and investment transactions are subject to various counterparty risks. The counterparties to transactions in over the-counter or “inter-dealer” markets are typically subject to lesser credit evaluation and regulatory oversight compared to members of “exchange-based” markets. This may increase the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing the Fund to suffer losses.  The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security.  A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity.

BEFORE INVESTING YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE FUND’S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, RISKS, CHARGES AND EXPENSES.  THIS AND OTHER INFORMATION IS IN THE PROSPECTUS, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM (877) 770-7717 OR WWW.VARIANTINVESTMENTS.COM.  PLEASE READ THE PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU INVEST.

Funds Distributed by UMB Distribution Services, LLC.  Not affiliated with Variant Investments