NJV Nuveen New Jersey Municipal Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

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Table of Contents

Chair’s Letter
to Shareholders

Dear Shareholders,

The COVID-19 crisis is taking an unprecedented toll on our health, societies, economies and financial markets. Our thoughts are with all whose lives have been affected by the disease and its economic fallout. The extreme “social distancing” efforts needed to contain the coronavirus are causing a severe contraction in economic activity and amplifying market volatility, as global supply chains and consumer and business demand remain significantly disrupted. However, the full economic impact remains to be seen. The number of confirmed cases is still accelerating in the U.S. and other parts of the world, and previous epidemics offer few parallels to today’s situation. The spike in market volatility during March reflected great uncertainty, and while conditions have stabilized to some degree, we expect that large swings in both directions are likely to continue until there is more clarity.

While we do not want to understate the dampening effect on the global economy, differentiating short-term interruptions from the longer-lasting implications to the economy may provide opportunities. Some areas of the global economy were already on the mend prior to the coron-avirus epidemic. Momentum could pick up again as factories come back online and consumer demand resumes once the virus is under control and temporary bans on movement and travel are lifted. Central banks and governments around the world have announced economic stimulus measures. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark interest rate to near zero and introduced programs that helped revive the U.S. economy after the 2008 financial crisis. The U.S. government has approved three relief packages, including a $2 trillion-dollar package directly supporting businesses and individuals. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, called the CARES Act, provides direct payments and expanded unemployment benefits to individuals, loans and grants to small businesses, loans and other money to large corporations and funding for hospitals, public health, education and state and local governments. Additional aid will likely be approved in the months ahead.

In the meantime, patience and a long-term perspective are key for investors. When market fluctuations are the leading headlines day after day, it’s tempting to “do something.” However, your long-term goals can’t be met with short-term thinking. We encourage you to talk to your financial advisor, who can review your time horizon, risk tolerance and investment goals. On behalf of the other members of the Nuveen Fund Board, we look forward to continuing to earn your trust in the months and years ahead.

Sincerely,

Terence J. Toth
Chair of the Board
April 22, 2020

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Portfolio Manager’s Comments


Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund (NXJ)
Nuveen New Jersey Municipal Value Fund (NJV)
Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund (NQP)
Nuveen Pennsylvania Municipal Value Fund (NPN)

These Funds feature portfolio management by Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (NAM), an affiliate of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, the Funds’ investment adviser. Portfolio manager Paul L. Brennan, CFA, reviews U.S. economic and market conditions, key investment strategies and the twelve-month performance of the Nuveen New Jersey and Pennsylvania Funds. Paul assumed portfolio management responsibility for these four Funds in 2011.

What factors affected the U.S. economy and the national municipal bond market during the twelve-month reporting period ended February 29, 2020?

The longest economic expansion in U.S. history came to an abrupt halt in early 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. With large portions of the economy shut down, companies closing either temporarily or permanently, and nearly half of the U.S. population asked to stay home (as of March 2020, subsequent to the close of this reporting period), the economy is expected to show a deep contraction in the first quarter of 2020 and a dramatic increase in unemployment in the coming months.

In this twelve-month reporting period, however, the coronavirus had not yet had an impact on domestic economic indicators. Overall, economic growth remained steady over this reporting period. In the fourth quarter of 2019, gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of 2.1%, according to the “second” estimate by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. GDP measures the value of goods and services produced by the nation’s economy less the value of the goods and services used up in production, adjusted for price changes. In the final months of the year, the economy was boosted by moderate consumer spending, along with positive contributions from government spending and trade, which offset weakness in business investment. For 2019 as a whole, U.S. GDP grew 2.3%, a decline from 2.9% in 2018 and the slowest pace since 2016.

Consumer spending, the largest driver of the economy, remained well supported in this reporting period by low unemployment, wage gains and tax cuts. As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate fell to 3.5% in February 2020 from 3.8% in February 2019 and job gains averaged around 194,000 per month for the past twelve months. As the jobs market has

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This material is not intended to be a recommendation or investment advice, does not constitute a solicitation to buy, sell or hold a security or an investment strategy and is not provided in a fiduciary capacity. The information provided does not take into account the specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on an investor’s objectives and circumstances and in consultation with his or her advisors.

Certain statements in this report are forward-looking statements. Discussions of specific investments are for illustration only and are not intended as recommendations of individual investments. The forward-looking statements and other views expressed herein are those of the portfolio manager as of the date of this report. Actual future results or occurrences may differ significantly from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements, and the views expressed herein are subject to change at any time, due to numerous market and other factors. The Funds disclaim any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or views expressed herein.

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group (S&P), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s) or Fitch, Inc. (Fitch). This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings, while BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

Bond insurance guarantees only the payment of principal and interest on the bond when due, and not the value of the bonds themselves, which will fluctuate with the bond market and the financial success of the issuer and the insurer. Insurance relates specifically to the bonds in the portfolio and not to the share prices of a Fund. No representation is made as to the insurers’ ability to meet their commitments.

Refer to the Glossary of Terms Used in this Report for further definition of the terms used within this section.

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Portfolio Manager’s Comments (continued)

tightened, average hourly earnings grew at an annualized rate of 3.0% in February 2020. However, inflation remained subdued. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 2.3% over the twelve-month reporting period ended February 29, 2020 before seasonal adjustment.

Low mortgage rates and low inventory drove home prices moderately higher in this reporting period. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, which covers all nine U.S. census divisions, was up 3.9% year-over-year in January 2020 (most recent data available at the time this report was prepared). The 10-City and 20-City Composites reported year-over-year increases of 2.6% and 3.1%, respectively.

As data pointed to slower momentum in the overall economy, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) left rates unchanged throughout the first half of 2019 then cut rates by 0.25% at each of the July 2019, September 2019 and October 2019 policy committee meetings. Markets registered disappointment with the Fed’s explanation that the rate cuts were a “mid-cycle adjustment,” rather than a prolonged easing period, and its signal that there would be no additional rate cuts in 2019. Also in the latter half of 2019, the Fed announced it would stop shrinking its bond portfolio sooner than scheduled, as well as began buying short-term Treasury bills to help money markets operate smoothly and maintain short-term borrowing rates at low levels. Fed Chairman Powell emphasized that the Treasury bill purchases were not a form of quantitative easing. The Fed continued its Treasury bill buying in January 2020, as well as left its benchmark interest rate unchanged, while noting the emerging coronavirus risks. (Subsequent to the end of this reporting period and in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Fed enacted an array of emergency measures to stabilize the financial system and support the markets, including cutting its main interest rate to near zero, offering lending programs to aid small and large companies and allowing unlimited bond purchases, known as quantitative easing. Meanwhile, the U.S. government approved three aid packages, totaling more than $100 billion in funding to health agencies and employers offering paid leave and $2 trillion in direct payments to Americans, an expansion of unemployment insurance and loans to large and small businesses.)

While trade and tariff policy drove market sentiment for most of the twelve-month reporting period, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and its associated disease COVID-19 rapidly dwarfed all other market concerns as the reporting period was closing. Equity and commodity markets sold-off and safe-haven assets rallied as China and other countries initiated quarantines, restricted travel and shuttered factories and businesses. The potential economic shock was particularly difficult to assess, which amplified market volatility.

Prior to the virus outbreak, markets had become more bullish on the outlook for 2020 as trade policy and Brexit appeared to make progress at the end of 2019. The U.S. and China agreed on a partial trade deal, which included rolling back some tariffs, increasing China’s purchases of U.S. agriculture products and the consideration of intellectual property, technology and financial services rights. The “phase one” deal was signed on January 15, 2020. While much of the focus remained on the U.S.-China relationship, trade spats between the U.S. and Mexico, the European Union (EU), Brazil and Argentina also arose throughout the reporting period. In January 2020, the U.S. Congress fully approved the U.S., Mexico and Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement. With more clarity on trade deals, the trade-related deterioration in global manufacturing and export data was expected to improve. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has since upended those assumptions.

The U.K. officially left the EU on January 31, 2020. After former Prime Minister Theresa May was unable to secure a Brexit deal by the original March 29, 2019 deadline, she resigned as of June 7, 2019. When her successor, Boris Johnson, failed to meet the EU’s first deadline extension of October 31, 2019, the EU approved a “flextension” to January 31, 2020. The Conservative Party won a large

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majority in the December 2019 general election and Parliament passed the Brexit Bill days later, facilitating the U.K.’s exit at the end of January 2020. Britain must now redefine its relationship with the EU during the 11-month transition period.

Investors also remained watchful of local political dynamics around the world. In Italy, the prime minister unexpectedly resigned in August 2019, and the newly formed coalition government appeared to take a less antagonistic stance. Europe’s traditional centrist parties lost seats in the May 2019 Parliamentary elections and populist parties saw marginal gains. Europe also contended with the “yellow vest” protests in France, immigration policy concerns, Russian sanctions and political risk in Turkey. Anti-government protests erupted across Latin America, Hong Kong and Lebanon during 2019. Venezuela’s economic and political crisis deepened. Argentina surprised the market with the return of a less market-friendly administration. Brazil’s Bolsonaro administration achieved a legislative win on pension reform and kept the economy on a path of modest growth. The ruling parties in India and South Africa maintained their majorities, where slower economic growth could complicate their respective reform mandates.

Municipal bonds delivered strong performance over the twelve-month reporting period. The significant decline in interest rates was the main driver of higher municipal bond prices, with positive technical and fundamental conditions also supporting credit spread tightening. Signs that the economy’s momentum was slowing, a more dovish central bank policy, geopolitical tensions (especially regarding trade) and bouts of equity market volatility drove interest rates considerably lower over the reporting period. The U.S. Treasury market began pricing coronavirus risk toward the very end of the reporting period, with a steep fall in yields, but the municipal market registered a relatively smaller move at the time. The U.S. Treasury yield curve flattened overall, with a portion of the curve temporarily inverting from late August 2019 to late September 2019. The municipal yield curve also flattened overall, as yields on longer maturities fell more than those of shorter maturities. Despite concerns about the broader economic outlook, credit conditions remained favorable for municipal credits. State tax revenues have increased across the 50 states and a healthy housing market added to local government tax revenues. Defaults in 2019 were mainly confined to idiosyncratic situations.

Municipal bond gross issuance nationwide remained robust in this reporting period. The overall low level of interest rates encouraged issuers to continue to actively refund their outstanding debt. In these transactions the issuers are issuing new bonds and taking the bond proceeds and redeeming (calling) old bonds. These refunding transactions have ranged from 30% to 60% of total issuance over the past few years. Thus, the net issuance (all bonds issued less bonds redeemed) is actually much lower than the gross issuance. So, while gross issuance volume has been adequate, the net has not and this was an overall positive technical factor on municipal bond investment performance in recent years. Notably, taxable municipal bond issuance increased meaningfully in 2019. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 prohibits municipal issuers from issuing new tax-exempt bonds to pre-refund existing tax-exempt bonds. However, municipalities have taken advantage of the low interest rate environment and the strong demand for yield to issue taxable municipal debt, enabling them to save on net interest costs.

Demand for municipal bonds was robust in this reporting period, with consistently positive cash flows into municipal bond funds in calendar year 2019 and the first two months of 2020. (Fund flows turned more volatile after the close of the reporting period as markets began to assess the coronavirus impact.) Low interest rates in the U.S. and globally have continued to drive investors toward higher after-tax yielding assets, including U.S. municipal bonds. Additionally, as tax payers have begun to assess the impact of the 2017 tax law, which caps the state and local tax (SALT) deduction for individuals, there has been increased demand for tax-exempt municipal bonds in 2019 to date, especially in states with high income and/or property taxes.

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Portfolio Manager’s Comments (continued)

How were the economic and market environments in New Jersey and Pennsylvania during the twelve-month reporting period ended February 29, 2020?

New Jersey’s economy is improving but continues to trail peers. Several characteristics position the state to do quite well, such as its proximity to New York City’s extensive job market, a shoreline along the Atlantic coast that benefits from a strong tourism industry and two large transportation hubs in the Port of New York and New Jersey and Newark airport. However, for years following the recession, the state’s recovery fell short of many of its peers. New Jersey had the slowest job growth rate in the Northeast until the middle of 2015. In 2019, most major industries reported job gains, led by education and health services, professional and business services, trade, transportation and utilities, and leisure and hospitality, while the information and financial sectors lost jobs. In June 2019, New Jersey’s unemployment rate fell below the national average for the first time in more than two years. However, it has risen in recent months and as of February 2020, the state’s unemployment rate registered 3.8%, slightly higher than the national rate of 3.5%. The sluggishness of the state’s recovery exacerbated fiscal pressures caused by growing pension, health care and debt service payments. In the proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget, expenditures on these three line items constitute 25% of expenses, despite efforts to reduce health care costs in recent years. The $4.6 billion pension payment in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposed by Governor Murphy funds only 80% of the actuarially recommended contribution. New Jersey continues to be challenged by a structural budget gap and low reserves. For the third year in a row, the governor proposed implementing a millionaire’s tax to raise revenues. Positively, the budget proposes a $300 million deposit to the state’s rainy day fund, the second deposit in two years, after more than a decade without funding. For the state of New Jersey, its Fiscal Year end is June 30, 2020, although, subsequent to the close of this reporting period, the state is planning to extend the Fiscal Year to September 30, 2020, in order to give the state more time to pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2021. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the state’s budget will be impacted to a varying degree as tax receipts are reduced and the expense to fight the virus increases. The state carries an A- rating by S&P, A3 by Moody’s and A by Fitch, all with stable outlooks.

Pennsylvania has the sixth-largest economy among U.S. states, measured by a 2018 gross domestic product of $783 billion. Year-over-year job growth slowed in 2019 to 0.7%, down from 1.1% for 2018. The unemployment rate for the Commonwealth was 4.7% as of February 2020, compared to a national rate of 3.5%. Pennsylvania’s economy is fairly stable, which tends to track the national economy but with less volatility. During periods of national economic contraction, Pennsylvania will outperform the U.S. in areas such as growth in real personal income and employment. However, during periods of economic expansion, Pennsylvania will often lag the rate of growth of the national economy. The education and health care sectors represent an outsized 21.2% of total employment in the Commonwealth, compared with 15.9% for the nation. Approximately two-fifths of the net new jobs in the state are related to the health care industry. An aging population is driving this demand. Pennsylvania’s population is the seventh oldest in the U.S., as measured by the share of residents aged 55 and older. The aging population, coupled with very slow population growth in the state, will likely have negative implications for long-term job growth, overall economic performance and state revenues. Pennsylvania’s financial profile is weaker than most states. The Commonwealth has a history of late budget passage and structural deficits. The state has relied heavily on one-time revenue sources and borrowing to fund its increased spending. In 2018, the state issued almost $1.7 billion of deficit financing to plug part of its Fiscal Year 2017 budgetary gap of $3.2 billion. The state closed Fiscal Year 2018 with a modest operating surplus, enabling it to deposit $22 million into its rainy day fund. This was the first deposit to the rainy day fund since the recession. Fiscal Year 2019 also closed with a small general fund surplus of $22 million. On a budgetary basis, Pennsylvania’s 2019 year-end general fund balance, including its rainy day fund, was a narrow 1.27% of that year’s revenues. Fiscal Year 2020 year-to-date general fund collections are 1.2% above estimate, through the month of February 2020. The Governor’s proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget totals $36.1 billion, an increase of 4.2% over the prior year. The budget is balanced with no increases in taxes. For the state of Pennsylvania, its Fiscal Year end is June 30, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the state’s budget

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will be impacted to a varying degree as tax receipts are reduced and the expense to fight the virus increases. As of February 2020, Pennsylvania’s general obligation (GO) debt was rated Aa3 by Moody’s and A+ by S&P.

What key strategies were used to manage these Funds during the twelve-month reporting period ended February 29, 2020?

Each Fund seeks to provide current income exempt from both regular federal and designated state income taxes by investing primarily in a portfolio of municipal obligations issued by state and local government authorities within a single state or certain U.S. territories. Under normal market conditions, each Fund invests at least 80% of the sum of its net assets and the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes in municipal bonds that pay interest that is exempt from regular federal personal income tax and a single state’s personal income tax. The Funds may invest up to 20% in municipal securities that are exempt from regular federal income tax, but not from that single state’s income tax if, in the Sub-Adviser’s judgement, such purchases are expected to enhance the Fund’s after-tax total return potential. To the extent that the Funds invest in bonds of municipal issuers located in other states, each Fund may have income that is not exempt from state personal income tax.

Municipal bonds performed well in this reporting period as valuations benefited from the falling interest rate environment and favorable technical supply-demand conditions. The municipal bond market experienced historically robust demand in the reporting period, particularly in high tax states such as California, New York and New Jersey, that exceeded the moderate pace of issuance. The new limits on state and local tax, or SALT, deductions resulted in larger than expected tax burdens for some high income taxpayers, driving demand for the tax benefits offered by municipal bonds. The New Jersey and Pennsylvania municipal markets outperformed the national market over this reporting period, as measured by their respective state S&P Municipal Bond Indexes.

Our trading activity continued to focus on pursuing the Funds’ investment objectives. We continued to seek bonds in areas of the market that we expected to perform well as the economy continued to improve. Trading activity was somewhat lighter during this reporting period as the Funds were well positioned for the environment and the opportunities offered by the marketplace in the low interest rate environment were less appealing. Sector and credit quality positioning remained stable across the Funds, while we allowed their durations to drift slightly lower over the reporting period. In New Jersey, the Funds added health care, higher education, transportation and local general obligation (GO) bonds. Both Pennsylvania Funds bought single-family housing, health care, higher education and utilities bonds. NPN also added a water and sewer credit. We continued to limit the Funds’ exposure to each state’s GO bonds due to concerns about their fiscal health. To fund these purchases, we reinvested the proceeds primarily from called and maturing bonds.

NJV and NPN held more exposure to bonds with 2019 call dates than NXJ and NQP. As we sought to diversify call risk in NJV and NPN, we sold some of these bonds. The Funds also experienced an elevated level of refundings in their portfolios during calendar years 2018 and 2019. The two Funds were launched in 2009 when interest rates were higher and redemptions of bonds callable in 2019 was elevated in the low interest rate environment. While the bulk of this call activity is now behind NVJ and NPN, we should note that these trades have had a short-term negative impact on the two Funds’ earnings, as the older bonds, which were issued when prevailing interest rates were higher, are being replaced with the lower yielding bonds available in the current market.

As of February 29, 2020, the four Funds continued to use inverse floating rate securities. We employ inverse floaters for a variety of reasons, including duration management, income enhancement and total return enhancement. As part of our duration management strategies, the four Funds used U.S. Treasury futures and NXJ also used interest rate swaps as part of an overall portfolio construction strategy to manage portfolio duration and yield curve exposure. The hedging strategies performed as expected given the direction

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Portfolio Manager’s Comments (continued)

of interest rates during the reporting period. Although the Treasury futures detracted modestly from performance due to falling interest rates during this reporting period, they enabled the Funds to invest in longer duration bonds that were key contributors to performance and that helped support the Funds’ dividends. The forward interest rate swap positions were eliminated from NXJ prior to the end of the reporting period. The forward interest rate swaps had a negligible impact on the Fund’s performance during the reporting period.

How did the Funds perform during the twelve-month reporting period ended February 29, 2020?

The tables in each Fund’s Performance Overview and Holding Summaries section of this report provide the Funds’ total returns for the one-year, five-year and ten-year periods ended February 29, 2020. Each Fund’s total returns at common share net asset value (NAV) are compared with the performance of corresponding market indexes.

For the twelve-month reporting period ended February 29, 2020, the total returns on common share NAV for all four Funds outperformed the national S&P Municipal Bond Index and their respective state’s S&P Municipal Bond Index.

Given the substantial decline in interest rates, duration and yield curve positioning drove much of the Funds’ relative outperformance in the reporting period. The Funds’ longer overall durations and emphasis on intermediate and longer maturity bonds were advantageous as yields on the long end of the yield curve fell by a larger magnitude than yields on the shorter end.

The Funds’ credit quality positioning also contributed positively to performance, although to a lesser extent than duration and yield curve positioning. All four Funds held heavy allocations to lower rated, higher yielding bonds, particularly single A and BBB rated credits, as well as modest exposure to below investment grade bonds. The lower rated segments outperformed in this reporting period as investor demand for yield remained strong and credit conditions remained favorable.

Sector performance largely followed along credit quality lines, with the best performing sectors being those that include a higher proportion of lower rated bonds. The New Jersey Funds benefited from their allocations to the health care, housing and toll roads sectors, as well as New Jersey tobacco settlement bonds. For the Pennsylvania Funds, allocations to the health care, higher education, housing and toll road sectors were the most advantageous to performance. Least helpful to performance across the four Funds were the exposures to higher credit quality sectors such as local GOs (including county, city and school district issues) and pre-refunded bonds. The short maturities of pre-refunded bonds also contributed to their performance lag in this reporting period. Additionally, the four Funds employed U.S. Treasury futures as part of their duration management strategies (as mentioned in the key strategies discussion), which had a slightly negative impact on the total return performance of the Funds.

In addition, the use of regulatory leverage was a factor affecting the performance of NXJ and NQP. NJV and NPN do not use regulatory leverage. Leverage is discussed in more detail later in the Fund Leverage section of this report.

An Update on COVID-19 Coronavirus and its Impact on the Securities Markets

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has delivered a shock to the global economy. Containment efforts around the world have halted business and manufacturing operations and restricted people’s movement and travel. The disruptions to global supply chains, consumer demand, business investment and the global financial system are just beginning to be seen.

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Although the detection of the virus in China was made public in December 2019, markets did not start to fully acknowledge the risks and potential economic impact until the latter portion of February 2020, when outbreaks outside of China were first reported. Global stock markets began to sell off severely, reaching a bear market (a 20% drop from the previous high) within three weeks, the fastest bear market decline in history. Even certain parts of the bond market suffered, below investment grade municipal and corporate bonds generally dropped the furthest, mostly out of concerns for the continued financial stability of lower quality issuers. Demand for safe-haven assets, along with mounting recession fears, drove the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note below 1% in March 2020, an all-time low. Additionally, oil prices collapsed to an 18-year low on supply glut concerns, as shutdowns across the global economy sharply reduced oil demand while Saudi Arabia and Russia engaged in a price war.

Central banks and governments have responded with liquidity injections to ease the strain on financial systems and stimulus measures to buffer the shock to businesses and consumers. These measures have helped stabilize the markets over the short term, but volatility will likely remain elevated until the health crisis itself is under control (via fewer new cases, lower infection rates and/or verified treatments). There are still many unknowns and new information is incoming daily, compounding the difficulty of modeling outcomes for epidemiologists and economists alike.

After the end of the reporting period, the performance of each of the Funds in this report was negatively impacted by these events. Prices of municipal securities fell, which caused the leverage ratios of NXJ and NQP to increase markedly. After the U.S. Government took several actions to support the economy and the securities markets, those markets have largely normalized since the worst of the market dislocation in late March 2020, and bond prices have mostly recovered. However, it is possible that similar market dislocations will recur as the COVID-19 pandemic and society’s response to it plays out.

Additionally, the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is also very likely to negatively impact the state and local budgetary matters described earlier in the report, with states and localities being more likely to run budget deficits (or larger deficits) during the period of economic contraction stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nuveen, LLC and our portfolio management teams are monitoring the situation carefully and continuously refining our views and approaches to managing the Funds to best pursue investment objectives while mitigating risks through all market environments.

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Fund Leverage

IMPACT OF THE FUNDS’ LEVERAGE STRATEGIES ON PERFORMANCE

One important factor impacting the returns of the Funds’ common shares relative to their comparative benchmarks was the Funds’ use of leverage through their issuance of preferred shares and/or investments in inverse floating rate securities, which represent leveraged investments in underlying bonds. The Funds use leverage because our research has shown that, over time, leveraging provides opportunities for additional income. The opportunity arises when short-term rates that a Fund pays on its leveraging instruments are lower than the interest the Fund earns on its portfolio of long-term bonds that it has bought with the proceeds of that leverage. This has been particularly true in the recent market environment where short-term rates have been low by historical standards.

However, use of leverage can expose Fund common shares to additional price volatility. When a Fund uses leverage, the Fund’s common shares will experience a greater increase in their net asset value if the municipal bonds acquired through the use of leverage increase in value, but will also experience a correspondingly larger decline in their net asset value if the bonds acquired through leverage decline in value, which will make the shares’ net asset value more volatile, and total return performance more variable, over time.

In addition, common share income in levered funds will typically decrease in comparison to unlevered funds when short-term interest rates increase and increase when short-term interest rates decrease. In recent quarters, fund leverage expenses have generally tracked the overall movement of short-term tax-exempt interest rates. While fund leverage expenses are somewhat higher than their all-time lows after the 2007-2009 financial crisis, which has contributed to a reduction in common share net income and long-term total return potential, leverage nevertheless continues to provide the opportunity for incremental common share income. Management believes that the potential benefits from leverage continue to outweigh the associated increase in risk and volatility previously described.

Leverage from issuance of preferred shares had a positive impact on the performance of NXJ and NQP over the reporting period. The use of leverage through inverse floating rate securities had a positive impact on the performance of the Funds over the reporting period. Subsequent to the close of the reporting period, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant downturn in global economies and capital markets. As security prices fell, each Fund’s use of leverage impacted total returns negatively.

As of February 29, 2020, the Funds’ percentages of leverage are as shown in the accompanying table.

 

*  Effective Leverage is a Fund’s effective economic leverage, and includes both regulatory leverage and the leverage effects of certain derivative and other investments in a Fund’s portfolio that increase the Fund’s investment exposure. Currently, the leverage effects of Tender Option Bond (TOB) inverse floater holdings are included in effective leverage values, in addition to any regulatory leverage. Regulatory leverage consists of preferred shares issued or borrowings of a Fund. Both of these are part of a Fund’s capital structure. A Fund, however, may from time to time borrow on a typically transient basis in connection with its day-to-day operations, primarily in connection with the need to settle portfolio trades. Such incidental borrowings are excluded from the calculation of a Fund’s effective leverage ratio. Regulatory leverage is subject to asset coverage limits set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

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*  Preferred shares of the Fund featuring a floating rate dividend based on a predetermined formula or spread to an index rate. Includes the following preferred shares AMTP, iMTP, MFP-VRM and VRDP in Special Rate Mode, where applicable. See Notes to Financial Statements, Note 5 – Fund Shares, Preferred Shares for further details.

** Preferred shares of the Fund featuring floating rate dividends set by a remarketing agent via a regular remarketing. Includes the following preferred shares VRDP not in Special Rate Mode, MFP-VRRM and MFP-VRDM, where applicable. See Notes to Financial Statements, Note 5 – Fund Shares, Preferred Shares for further details.

Refer to Notes to Financial Statements, Note – 5 Fund Shares, Preferred Shares for further details on preferred shares and each Fund’s respective transactions.

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*  Distribution paid December 2019.

** Market Yield is based on the Fund’s current annualized monthly dividend divided by the Fund’s current market price as of the end of the reporting period. Taxable-Equivalent Yield represents the yield that must be earned on a fully taxable investment in order to equal the yield of the Fund on an after-tax basis. It is based on a combined federal and state income tax rate of 51.6% and 43.9% for the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Funds, respectively. Your actual combined federal and state income tax rate may differ from the assumed rate. The Taxable-Equivalent Yield also takes into account the percentage of the Fund’s income generated and paid by the Fund (based on payments made during the previous calendar year) that was either exempt from federal income tax but not from state income tax (e.g., income from an out-of-state municipal bond), or was exempt from neither federal nor state income tax. Separately, if the comparison were instead to investments that generate qualified dividend income, which is taxable at a rate lower than an individual’s ordinary graduated tax rate, the fund’s Taxable-Equivalent Yield would be lower.

Each Fund seeks to pay regular monthly dividends out of its net investment income at a rate that reflects its past and projected net income performance. To permit each Fund to maintain a more stable monthly dividend, the Fund may pay dividends at a rate that may be more or less than the amount of net income actually earned by the Fund during the period. Distributions to common shareholders are determined on a tax basis, which may differ from amounts recorded in the accounting records. In instances where the monthly dividend exceeds the earned net investment income, the Fund would report a negative undistributed net ordinary income. Refer to Note 6 – Income Tax Information for additional information regarding the amounts of undistributed net ordinary income and undistributed net long-term capital gains and the character of the actual distributions paid by the Fund during the period.

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All monthly dividends paid by each Fund during the current reporting period were paid from net investment income. If a portion of the Fund’s monthly distributions is sourced or comprised of elements other than net investment income, including capital gains and/or a return of capital, shareholders will be notified of those sources. For financial reporting purposes, the per share amounts of each Fund’s distributions for the reporting period are presented in this report’s Financial Highlights. For income tax purposes, distribution information for each Fund as of its most recent tax year end is presented in Note 6 – Income Tax Information within the Notes to Financial Statements of this report.

CHANGE IN METHOD OF PUBLISHING NUVEEN CLOSED-END FUND DISTRIBUTION AMOUNTS

During November 2019, the Nuveen Closed-End Funds discontinued the practice of announcing Fund distribution amounts and timing via press release. Instead, information about the Nuveen Closed-End Funds’ monthly and quarterly periodic distributions to shareholders are posted and can be found on Nuveen’s enhanced closed-end fund resource page, which is at www.nuveen.com/closed-end-fund-distributions, along with other Nuveen closed-end fund product updates. Shareholders can expect regular distribution information to be posted on www.nuveen.com on the first business day of each month. To ensure that our shareholders have timely access to the latest information, a subscribe function can be activated at this link here, or at this web page (www.nuveen.com/en-us/people/about-nuveen/for-the-media).

 

During the current reporting period, the Funds did not repurchase any of their outstanding common shares.

 

15

Risk Considerations and Investment Policy Updates

Risk Considerations

Fund shares are not guaranteed or endorsed by any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund (NXJ)

Investing in closed-end funds involves risk; principal loss is possible. There is no guarantee the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. Closed-end fund shares may frequently trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Debt or fixed income securities such as those held by the Fund, are subject to market risk, credit risk, interest rate risk, derivatives risk, liquidity risk, and income risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. Leverage increases return volatility and magnifies the Fund’s potential return and its risks; there is no guarantee a fund’s leverage strategy will be successful. State concentration makes the Fund more susceptible to local adverse economic, political, or regulatory changes affecting municipal bond issuers. These and other risk considerations such as inverse floater risk and tax risk are described in more detail on the Fund’s web page at www.nuveen.com/NXJ.

Nuveen New Jersey Municipal Value Fund (NJV)

Investing in closed-end funds involves risk; principal loss is possible. There is no guarantee the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. Closed-end fund shares may frequently trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Debt or fixed income securities such as those held by the Fund, are subject to market risk, credit risk, interest rate risk, derivatives risk, liquidity risk, and income risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. State concentration makes the Fund more susceptible to local adverse economic, political, or regulatory changes affecting municipal bond issuers. These and other risk considerations such as tax risk are described in more detail on the Fund’s web page at www.nuveen.com/NJV.

Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund (NQP)

Investing in closed-end funds involves risk; principal loss is possible. There is no guarantee the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. Closed-end fund shares may frequently trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Debt or fixed income securities such as those held by the Fund, are subject to market risk, credit risk, interest rate risk, derivatives risk, liquidity risk, and income risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. Leverage increases return volatility and magnifies the Fund’s potential return and its risks; there is no guarantee a fund’s leverage strategy will be successful. State concentration makes the Fund more susceptible to local adverse economic, political, or regulatory changes affecting municipal bond issuers. These and other risk considerations such as inverse floater risk and tax risk are described in more detail on the Fund’s web page at www.nuveen.com/NQP.

Nuveen Pennsylvania Municipal Value Fund (NPN)

Investing in closed-end funds involves risk; principal loss is possible. There is no guarantee the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. Closed-end fund shares may frequently trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Debt or fixed income securities such as those held by the Fund, are subject to market risk, credit risk, interest rate risk, derivatives risk, liquidity risk, and income risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. State concentration makes the Fund more susceptible to local adverse economic, political, or regulatory changes affecting municipal bond issuers. These and other risk considerations such as tax risk are described in more detail on the Fund’s web page at www.nuveen.com/NPN.

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Investment Policy Updates

Change in Investment Policy

Each of the Funds has recently adopted the following policy regarding limits to investments in illiquid securities:

While there are no such limits imposed by applicable regulations, certain Nuveen Closed-End Funds formerly had investment policies that placed limits on a Fund’s ability to invest in illiquid securities. All exchange-listed Nuveen Closed-End Funds now have no formal limit on their ability to invest in such illiquid securities, but each Fund’s portfolio management team will monitor such investments in the regular, overall management of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

New Temporary Investment Policy

Each of the Funds has adopted the following policy regarding its temporary investments.

Each Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies – for instance, by allocating up to 100% of its assets to cash equivalents, short-term investments, or municipal bonds that do not comply with a Fund’s Name Policy – in response to adverse or unusual market, economic, political or other conditions. Such conditions could include a temporary decline in the availability of municipal bonds that comply with a Fund’s Name Policy. During these periods, the weighted average maturity of a Fund’s investment portfolio may fall below the defined range described in the respective Fund Summary under “Principal Investment Strategies” and a Fund may not achieve its investment objective to distribute income that is exempt from regular federal and state personal income tax.

17

 

 

Past performance is not predictive of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the data shown. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders may have to pay on Fund distributions or upon the sale of Fund shares. Returns at NAV are net of Fund expenses, and assume reinvestment of distributions. Comparative index return information is provided for the Fund’s shares at NAV only. Indexes are not available for direct investment.

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This data relates to the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio of investments as of the end of the reporting period. It should not be construed as a measure of performance for the Fund itself. Holdings are subject to change.

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below-investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

 

 

19

 

 

Past performance is not predictive of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the data shown. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders may have to pay on Fund distributions or upon the sale of Fund shares. Returns at NAV are net of Fund expenses, and assume reinvestment of distributions. Comparative index return information is provided for the Fund’s shares at NAV only. Indexes are not available for direct investment.

20

This data relates to the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio of investments as of the end of the reporting period. It should not be construed as a measure of performance for the Fund itself. Holdings are subject to change.

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below-investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

 

 

21

 

 

Past performance is not predictive of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the data shown. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders may have to pay on Fund distributions or upon the sale of Fund shares. Returns at NAV are net of Fund expenses, and assume reinvestment of distributions. Comparative index return information is provided for the Fund’s shares at NAV only. Indexes are not available for direct investment.

22

This data relates to the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio of investments as of the end of the reporting period. It should not be construed as a measure of performance for the Fund itself. Holdings are subject to change.

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below-investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

 

 

23

 

 

Past performance is not predictive of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the data shown. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders may have to pay on Fund distributions or upon the sale of Fund shares. Returns at NAV are net of Fund expenses, and assume reinvestment of distributions. Comparative index return information is provided for the Fund’s shares at NAV only. Indexes are not available for direct investment.

24

This data relates to the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio of investments as of the end of the reporting period. It should not be construed as a measure of performance for the Fund itself. Holdings are subject to change.

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below-investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

 

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