AQUILA TAX-FREE TRUST OF ARIZONA

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

December 31, 2023

(unaudited)

 

Principal
Amount
  General Obligation Bonds (27.8%)   Ratings Moody's, S&P and Fitch   Value   (a)
    City (10.7%)            
    Buckeye Jackrabbit Trail Sanitary Sewer Improvement District            
$175,000   6.250%, 01/01/29   NR/A/NR   $177,664    
                 
    Chandler, Arizona            
3,850,000   5.000%, 07/01/24   Aaa/AAA/AAA   3,891,811    
                 
    Goodyear, Arizona            
2,000,000   3.000%, 07/01/40   Aa1/AA+/NR   1,815,060    
                 
    Goodyear McDowell Road Commercial Corridor Improvement District            
805,000   3.250%, 01/01/27 BAMAC Insured   Aa2/AA/NR   822,122    
                 
    Peoria, Arizona            
3,235,000   2.000%, 07/15/36   Aaa/NR/AAA   2,647,783    
                 
    Scottsdale, Arizona            
1,500,000   4.000%, 07/01/40   Aaa/AAA/NR   1,559,370    
                 
    Tempe, Arizona            
2,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/24   NR/AAA/AAA   2,021,020    
2,770,000   5.000%, 07/01/41   NR/AAA/AAA   3,180,985    
                 
    Tempe Improvement District (Pier Town Lake)            
1,000,000   5.000%, 01/01/29   Aa2/NR/NR   1,001,410    
                 
    Tucson, Arizona            
3,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/24   Aa3/AA/AAA   3,031,830    
    Total City       20,149,055    
                 
    Community College (0.5%)            
    Pinal Co. Community College District            
1,000,000   3.000%, 07/01/34   NR/AA-/NR   981,350    
                 
    County (4.1%)            
    Maricopa Co. Special Health Care District            
3,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/32   Aa3/NR/AA-   3,285,510    
1,500,000   5.000%, 07/01/34   Aa3/NR/AA-   1,633,125    
                 
    Yavapai Co. Jail District            
1,650,000   4.000%, 07/01/33 BAMAC Insured   NR/AA/AA   1,726,049    
                 
    Yuma Co. Free Library District            
1,000,000   4.000%, 07/01/29   Aa3/NR/AAA   1,019,330    
    Total County       7,664,014    
                 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

Principal
Amount
  General Obligation Bonds (continued)   Ratings Moody's, S&P and Fitch   Value   (a)
    School District (10.3%)            
    Gila Co. Unified School District No. 10 (Payson)            
$1,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/28   Aa2/NR/NR   $1,009,770    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Elementary School District No. 1 (Phoenix)            
1,455,000   5.000%, 07/01/41 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   1,637,733    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Elementary School District No. 40 (Glendale)            
2,050,000   2.000%, 07/01/35 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/AA+   1,734,833    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Elementary School District No. 59 (Laveen)            
1,120,000   5.000%, 07/01/26   Aa1/NR/NR   1,184,366    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Elementary School District No. 62 (Union)            
580,000   4.000%, 07/01/32 BAMAC Insured   NR/AA/NR   600,955    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Elementary School District No. 66 (Roosevelt)            
1,100,000   5.000%, 07/01/40 BAMAC Insured   A1/AA/NR   1,234,233    
                 
    Maricopa Co. High School District No. 214 (Tolleson)            
2,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/24   Aaa/AA/NR   2,020,240    
2,665,000   4.000%, 07/01/34   Aaa/AA/NR   2,812,801    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Unified School District No. 11 (Peoria)            
1,480,000   4.000%, 07/01/25   Aa3/AA-/NR   1,481,243    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Unified School District No. 41 (Gilbert)            
1,265,000   4.000%, 07/01/24   Aa1/AA-/NR   1,272,375    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Unified School District No. 48 (Scottsdale)            
2,350,000   3.000%, 07/01/34   Aa1/AA/NR   2,308,241    
                 
    Navajo Co. Unified School District No. 10 (Show Low)            
500,000   4.000%, 07/01/31 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   519,285    
                 
    Navajo Co. Unified School District No. 32 (Blue Ridge)            
400,000   5.000%, 07/01/29 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   430,432    
                 
    Pima Co. Unified School District No. 6 (Marana)            
1,000,000   4.000%, 07/01/37 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   1,022,920    
    Total School District       19,269,427    
                 
    Special District (2.2%)            
    Estrella Mountain Ranch Community Facilities District            
155,000   5.000%, 07/15/32 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   165,957    
                 
    Goodyear Community Facilities Utilities District No. 1            
500,000   4.000%, 07/15/28   Aa2/A-/NR   502,670    
                 
    Mystic Lake Pleasant Heights Community Facilities District            
470,000   3.000%, 07/15/28 BAMAC Insured   NR/AA/NR   471,029    
                 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

Principal
Amount
  General Obligation Bonds (continued)   Ratings Moody's, S&P and Fitch   Value   (a)
    Special District (continued)            
    Verrado Community Facilities District #1            
$2,020,000   5.000%, 07/15/26 BAMAC Insured   NR/AA/NR   $2,116,394    
                 
    Vistancia Community Facilities District            
850,000   4.000%, 07/15/25 BAMAC Insured   Aa2/AA/NR   864,663    
    Total Special District       4,120,713    
    Total General Obligation Bonds       52,184,559    
                 
    Revenue Bonds (61.9%)            
    Airport (7.6%)            
    Phoenix Civic Improvement Corp. Airport Bonds            
4,000,000   4.000%, 07/01/40   Aa3/A+/NR   4,048,440    
3,825,000   5.000%, 07/01/26 AMT   Aa2/AA-/NR   3,991,120    
2,595,000   5.000%, 07/01/27 AMT   Aa2/AA-/NR   2,761,651    
1,300,000   5.000%, 07/01/33 AMT   Aa3/A+/NR   1,421,394    
1,950,000   4.000%, 07/01/38 AMT   Aa3/A+/NR   1,961,427    
    Total Airport       14,184,032    
                 
    Charter Schools (2.4%)            
    Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Candeo Schools)            
500,000   3.375%, 07/01/41 State Enhanced   NR/AA-/NR   434,730    
                 
    Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Equitable Schools)            
1,000,000   5.000%, 11/01/28   NR/A/NR   1,084,500    
2,000,000   4.000%, 11/01/40   NR/A/NR   2,016,280    
                 
    Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Greathearts Academies)            
1,000,000   3.000%, 07/01/37 State Enhanced   NR/AA-/NR   916,130    
    Total Charter Schools       4,451,640    
                 
    Electric (4.0%)            
    Salt River Agricultural Improvement & Power District            
3,000,000   4.000%, 01/01/41   Aa1/AA+/NR   3,070,980    
4,000,000   5.000%, 01/01/47   Aa1/AA+/NR   4,482,600    
    Total Electric       7,553,580    
                 
    Excise Tax (5.6%)            
    Buckeye Excise Tax            
400,000   4.000%, 07/01/36   NR/AA+/AA   407,876    
                 
    Chandler Excise Tax            
2,875,000   5.000%, 07/01/26   Aaa/AAA/AAA   3,050,260    
                 
    Cottonwood Pledged Revenue Obligations            
500,000   5.000%, 07/01/30 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   514,620    
                 
    Flagstaff Pledged Revenue            
1,395,000   4.250%, 07/01/33   NR/AA/NR   1,443,351    
                 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

Principal
Amount
  Revenue Bonds (continued)   Ratings Moody's, S&P and Fitch   Value   (a)
    Excise Tax (continued)            
    Phoenix Civic Improvement Corp. (Civic Plaza)            
$2,000,000   5.500%, 07/01/27 BHAC/FGIC Insured   Aa1/AA+/NR   $2,204,600    
                 
    Santa Cruz Co. Jail District            
1,655,000   5.000%, 07/01/28 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   1,771,198    
                 
    Scottsdale Municipal Property Corp. (Aviation)            
1,100,000   5.000%, 07/01/28 AMT   Aa1/AAA/AA+   1,175,350    
    Total Excise Tax       10,567,255    
                 
    Healthcare (7.0%)            
    Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Phoenix Children's Hospital)            
1,000,000   3.000%, 02/01/45   A1/A+/AA-   805,740    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Industrial Development Authority (Banner Health)            
500,000   4.000%, 01/01/48   NR/AA-/AA-   483,515    
5,000,000   5.000%, 01/01/48   NR/AA-/AA-   5,069,850    
2,000,000   5.000%, 01/01/53   NR/AA-/AA-   2,085,800    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Industrial Development Authority (HonorHealth)            
2,250,000   4.125%, 09/01/38   A2/NR/A+   2,284,043    
2,000,000   3.000%, 09/01/51   A2/NR/A+   1,454,520    
                 
    Yavapai Co. Industrial Development Authority (Yavapai Regional Medical Center)            
1,000,000   5.250%, 08/01/33   A2/NR/A+   1,000,570    
    Total Healthcare       13,184,038    
                 
    Higher Education (7.6%)            
    Arizona Board of Regents (Arizona State University System) Green Bonds            
2,500,000   5.500%, 07/01/48   Aa2/AA/NR   2,906,400    
                 
    Arizona Board of Regents (Arizona State University System) VRDO***            
5,320,000   3.850%, 07/01/34   Aa2/AA/NR   5,320,000    
                 
    Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona System) Speed Stimulus Plan for Economic & Educational Development            
1,000,000   3.125%, 08/01/39   Aa3/A+/NR   905,120    
                 
    Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona System)            
2,500,000   5.000%, 06/01/30   Aa2/AA-/NR   2,575,575    
105,000   4.000%, 06/01/38   Aa2/AA-/NR   109,515    
                 
    Phoenix Industrial Development Authority (Downtown Phoenix Student Housing)            
400,000   5.000%, 07/01/33   Baa3/NR/NR   417,364    
1,250,000   5.000%, 07/01/42   Baa3/NR/NR   1,267,850    
                 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

Principal
Amount
  Revenue Bonds (continued)   Ratings Moody's, S&P and Fitch   Value   (a)
    Higher Education (continued)            
    Phoenix Industrial Development Authority (Downtown Phoenix Student Housing II)            
$250,000   5.000%, 07/01/27   Baa3/NR/NR   $259,908    
200,000   5.000%, 07/01/30   Baa3/NR/NR   211,706    
300,000   5.000%, 07/01/32   Baa3/NR/NR   316,404    
    Total Higher Education       14,289,842    
                 
    Housing (1.9%)            
    Arizona Industrial Development Authority Green Bond MTEB (Chandler Village Apartments Project)            
4,744,055   2.120%, 07/01/37 FNMA Insured Series 2020   Aaa/NR/NR   3,628,395    
                 
    Lease (2.7%)            
    Arizona Board of Regents (Northern Arizona University) COP            
600,000   5.000%, 09/01/27   A2/A/NR   601,140    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Unified School District No. 60 (Higley) COP            
1,000,000   4.250%, 06/01/47 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   1,003,590    
                 
    Nogales Municipal Development Authority, Inc.            
615,000   5.000%, 06/01/28 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   649,680    
810,000   4.000%, 06/01/33 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   846,531    
2,000,000   4.000%, 06/01/39 AGMC Insured   NR/AA/NR   2,041,360    
    Total Lease       5,142,301    
                 
    Pollution Control (2.4%)            
    Coconino Co. Pollution Control (Nevada Power Co.)            
2,000,000   4.125%, 09/01/32 AMT   A2/A/NR   2,018,200    
1,000,000   3.750%, 03/01/39   A2/A/NR   1,008,810    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Pollution Control (El Paso Electric Co.)            
375,000   3.600%, 02/01/40   Baa2/NR/BBB+   342,791    
250,000   3.600%, 04/01/40   Baa2/NR/BBB+   228,368    
                 
    Maricopa Co. Pollution Control (Southern California Edison Co.)            
1,000,000   2.400%, 06/01/35   A2/A-/A-   816,240    
    Total Pollution Control       4,414,409    
                 
    Resource Recovery (3.1%)            
    Chandler Industrial Development Authority (Intel Corporation Project)            
5,000,000   5.000%, 09/01/52 AMT   A2/A/NR   5,201,800    
                 
    Yavapai Co. Industrial Development Authority, (Waste Management Inc. Project)            
520,000   2.200%, 03/01/28 AMT (Mandatory Put Date 06/03/24)   NR/A-/NR   516,001    
    Total Resource Recovery       5,717,801    
                 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

Principal
Amount
  Revenue Bonds (continued)   Ratings Moody's, S&P and Fitch   Value   (a)
    Sales Tax (3.0%)            
    Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority (Multipurpose Stadium Facility Project)            
$5,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/30 BAMAC Insured   A1/AA/A   $5,617,700    
                 
    Senior Living Facilities (1.2%)            
    Arizona Industrial Development Authority, Second Tier (Great Lakes Senior Living Communities) †††            
620,000   5.000%, 01/01/28   NR/CCC-/NR   498,790    
555,000   5.000%, 01/01/29   NR/CCC-/NR   435,492    
1,205,000   5.000%, 01/01/30   NR/CCC-/NR   912,269    
655,000   4.000%, 01/01/33   NR/CCC-/NR   405,340    
    Total Senior Living Facilities       2,251,891    
                 
    Transportation (1.9%)            
    Arizona State Transportation Board Highway Revenue Refunding            
3,500,000   5.000%, 07/01/25   Aa1/AA+/NR   3,620,260    
                 
    Utility (5.2%)            
    Greater Arizona Development Authority Revenue            
500,000   5.000%, 08/01/28 AGMC Insured   A1/AA+/NR   500,660    
                 
    Mesa Utility System            
5,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/36   Aa3/A+/NR   6,051,600    
                 
    Salt Verde Finance Corp. Gas Revenue            
3,000,000   5.250%, 12/01/28   A3/BBB+/NR   3,203,820    
    Total Utility       9,756,080    
                 
    Water/Sewer (6.3%)            
    Phoenix Civic Improvement Corp. Junior Lien Water System Revenue            
1,500,000   5.500%, 07/01/24 Series 2001 NPFG/FGIC Insured   Aa2/AAA/NR   1,519,350    
3,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/36 Series 2016   Aa2/AAA/NR   3,144,240    
6,365,000   5.000%, 07/01/45 Series 2021A   Aa2/AAA/NR   7,062,413    
    Total Water/Sewer       11,726,003    
    Total Revenue Bonds       116,105,227    
                 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

Principal
Amount
  Pre-Refunded Bonds\ Escrowed to Maturity Bonds (5.7%)††   Ratings Moody's, S&P and Fitch   Value   (a)
    Pre-Refunded General Obligation\ Escrowed to Maturity Bonds (1.9%)            
    City (0.7%)            
    Tempe, Arizona            
$1,295,000   3.750%, 07/01/34   NR/NR/NR*   $1,313,454    
                 
    State (1.2%)            
    Arizona State COP            
2,220,000   5.000%, 10/01/24 ETM   Aa2/AA-/NR   2,255,098    
    Total Pre-Refunded General Obligation Bonds\ Escrowed to Maturity Bonds   3,568,552    
                 
    Pre-Refunded Revenue Bonds (3.8%)            
    Healthcare (1.1%)            
    Maricopa Co. Hospital Revenue (Sun Health)            
2,125,000   5.000%, 04/01/35   NR/NR/NR*   2,135,328    
                 
    Transportation (2.7%)            
    Arizona State Transportation Board Highway Revenue Refunding            
5,000,000   5.000%, 07/01/30   Aa1/AA+/NR   5,044,450    
    Total Pre-Refunded Revenue \ Escrowed to Maturity Bonds       7,179,778    
    Total Pre-Refunded Bonds       10,748,330    
    Total Municipal Bonds (cost $180,197,471)       179,038,116    
                 
Shares    Short-Term Investment (3.1%)            
5,774,155   Dreyfus Treasury Obligations Cash Management - Institutional Shares, 5.25%** (cost $5,774,155)   Aaa-mf/AAAm/NR   5,774,155    
                 
    Total Investments
(cost $185,971,626-note b)
  98.5%   184,812,271    
    Other assets less liabilities   1.5    2,869,192    
    Net Assets   100.0%     $187,681,463    

 

    Portfolio Distribution By Quality Rating   Percent of
Investments†
       
    Aaa of Moody's or AAA of S&P or Fitch   23.3%        
    Pre-refunded bonds\ ETM bonds††   6.0        
    Aa of Moody's or AA of S&P or Fitch   55.8        
    A of Moody's or S&P or Fitch   11.9        
    Baa of Moody's or BBB of Fitch   1.7        
    CCC of S&P   1.3        
        100%        

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

    PORTFOLIO ABBREVIATIONS            
    AGMC - Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp.            
    AMT - Alternative Minimum Tax            
    BAMAC - Build America Mutual Assurance Co.            
    BHAC - Berkshire Hathaway Assurance Corp.            
    COP- Certificates of Participation            
    ETM - Escrowed to Maturity            
    FGIC - Financial Guaranty Insurance Co.            
    FNMA - Federal National Mortgage Association            
    MTEB- Multifamily Tax-Exempt Mortgage-Backed Bonds            
    NPFG - National Public Finance Guarantee            
    NR - Not Rated            
    VRDO - Variable Rate Demand Obligation            

 

 

    *    Any security not rated ("NR") by any of the Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations ("NRSRO") has been determined by the Investment Adviser to have sufficient quality to be ranked in the top four credit ratings if a credit rating were to be assigned by a NRSRO.    
    **    The rate is an annualized seven-day yield at period end.    
    *** Variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs) are payable upon demand within the same day for securities with daily liquidity or seven days for securities with weekly liquidity.    
    †     Where applicable, calculated using the highest rating of the three NRSRO.  Percentages in this table do not include the Short-Term Investment.    
    ††   Pre-refunded bonds are bonds for which U.S. Government Obligations usually have been placed in escrow to retire the bonds at their earliest call date.  Escrowed to Maturity bonds are bonds where money has been placed in the escrow account which is used to pay principal and interest through the bond's originally scheduled maturity date.  Escrowed to Maturity are shown as ETM.  All other securities in the category are pre-refunded.    
    ††† Illiquid securities: Represents 1.2% of net assets.    

 

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 
 
 

 

AQUILA TAX-FREE TRUST OF ARIZONA

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2023

(unaudited)

 

 

(a)Securities valuation policies and other investment related disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference in the annual and semi-annual reports previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-CSR.

 

(b)At December 31, 2023, the net unrealized depreciation on investments, based on cost for federal income tax purposes of $185,455,362 amounted to $643,091, which consisted of aggregate gross unrealized appreciation of $3,079,954 and aggregate gross unrealized depreciation of $3,723,045.

 

(c)Fair Value Measurements: The Trust follows a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between market data obtained from independent sources (observable inputs) and the Trust’s own market assumptions (unobservable inputs). These inputs are used in determining the value of the Trust’s investments and are summarized in the following fair value hierarchy:

 

Level 1 –  Unadjusted quoted prices in inactive markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access.
   
Level 2 –  Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.
   
Level 3 –  Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available, representing the Trust’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability, and would be based on the best information available.

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the valuation inputs, representing 100% of the Trust’s investments, used to value the Trust’s net assets as of December 31, 2023:

 

Valuation Inputs+   Investments in
Securities
Level 1 – Quoted Prices – Short-Term Investment $ 5,774,155
Level 2 – Other Significant Observable Inputs - Municipal Bonds   179,038,116
Level 3 – Significant Unobservable Inputs  
Total $ 184,812,271

 

+ See schedule of investments for a detailed listing of securities.