Investment objective & strategy
As of July 29, 2025 · prospectusObjective. The Fund seeks to provide a high level of current income exempt from regular federal income tax by investing in municipal instruments.
Strategy. In seeking high current income exempt from regular federal income tax, the Fund will invest in municipal instruments. A municipal instrument is a fixed-income obligation issued by a state, territory or possession of the United States (including the District of Columbia) or a political subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof. Interest income received by holders of municipal instruments is often exempt from the federal income tax and from the income tax of the state in which they are issued, although municipal instruments issued for certain purposes may not be tax-exempt. The municipal instruments in which the Fund invests may include: ? General obligation bonds secured by the issuers full faith, credit and taxing power; ? Revenue obligation bonds payable from the … In seeking high current income exempt from regular federal income tax, the Fund will invest in municipal instruments. A municipal instrument is a fixed-income obligation issued by a state, territory or possession of the United States (including the District of Columbia) or a political subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof. Interest income received by holders of municipal instruments is often exempt from the federal income tax and from the income tax of the state in which they are issued, although municipal instruments issued for certain purposes may not be tax-exempt. The municipal instruments in which the Fund invests may include: ? General obligation bonds secured by the issuers full faith, credit and taxing power; ? Revenue obligation bonds payable from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities; ? Industrial development bonds; ? Moral obligation bonds; ? Tax-exempt derivative instruments; ? Stand-by commitments; and ? Municipal instruments backed by letters of credit, insurance or other forms of credit enhancement issued by domestic or foreign banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. The Fund primarily invests in investment grade debt obligations (i.e., obligations rated within the top four rating categories by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO) or of comparable quality as determined by NTI). However, it may invest up to 15% of its net assets in obligations that are rated below-investment grade (commonly referred to as junk bonds). Credit ratings are determined at the time of purchase. Except in extraordinary circumstances, at least 80% of the Funds net assets will be invested in debt instruments that pay interest that is exempt from regular federal income tax. Alternative minimum tax (AMT) obligations (also known as private activity bonds), which pay interest that may be treated as an item of tax preference to shareholders under the federal AMT, will not be deemed to be eligible debt instruments for the purposes of determining whether the Fund meets this policy. For shareholders subject to AMT, a portion of the Funds dividends may be subject to federal tax. In buying and selling securities for the Fund, NTI uses a relative value approach. This approach involves an analysis of general economic and market conditions. It also involves the use of models that analyze and compare expected returns and assumed risks. Under the relative value approach, NTI will emphasize particular securities and types of securities (such as general obligation bonds, corporate-backed municipal bonds and revenue obligation bonds) that NTI believes will provide a favorable return in light of these risks. The Funds dollar-weighted average maturity, under normal circumstances, will range between three and ten years. NTI may engage in active trading, and will not consider portfolio turnover a limiting factor in making decisions for the Fund. In seeking to achieve its investment objective, the Fund may make significant investments in structured securities and also may invest in futures contracts, options and swaps, all of which are considered to be derivative instruments, for both hedging and non-hedging purposes.
Top holdings
As of March 31, 2026 · N-PORT| Security | Ticker | Value | % of fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARLSBAD UNIFIED SCHO STP | CARSCD | $14.46M | 1.22% |
| CITY OF PHOENIX CIV 5.00% | PHOGEN | $13.43M | 1.13% |
| FRANKLIN COUNTY CON 5.00% | FRAFAC | $11.96M | 1.01% |
| DENVER CO ARPT 5.50% 11/15/2035 @ | DENAPT | $11.15M | 0.94% |
| PATRIOTS EN GRP 5.25% MT | PEGUTL | $10.68M | 0.90% |
| NEW YORK NY | NYC | $10.36M | 0.87% |
| JEA WATER & SEWER S 5.00% | JACUTL | $10.29M | 0.87% |
| King County School District No. 401 Highline, Series 2017, GO Bonds | KINSCD | $10.17M | 0.86% |
| TN TGYPWR 12/01/2051 | TGYPWR | $10.10M | 0.85% |
| ARKANSAS DEV FIN AUTH ENVIRONM REGD V/R B/E AMT 4.00000000 | — | $9.95M | 0.84% |
Portfolio moves
Dec 31, 2025 → Mar 31, 2026How many positions this fund opened, exited, grew, trimmed, or left unchanged between its two most recent N-PORT snapshots — net changes between point-in-time reports, not a trade log.
Similar funds
Funds whose portfolios most overlap this one, by weight| Fund | Overlap | Net exp. |
|---|---|---|
| Tax-Exempt Fund · NOTEX | 24% | 0.46% |
| Limited Term Tax-Exempt Fund · NSITX | 8% | 0.45% |
| Limited Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund of America · LTEBX, LTXCX, LTXFX, LTEFX, FLTEX, TLTTX | 4% | 0.26% |
Advisers
| Firm | Role |
|---|---|
| NORTHERN TRUST INVESTMENTS, INC. | Adviser |
Footnotes
- Expense ratio as of July 29, 2025, from the fund's prospectus.
- Net assets and holdings count as of March 31, 2026, from the fund's N-PORT filing.
- Total return for calendar year 2025, before tax and after fund expenses. Computed by compounding the twelve monthly total returns the fund reported in its SEC N-PORT filings for 2025 (the latest prospectus does not yet chart this year).
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