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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-CSR

 

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811-06444

 

 

Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New York, NY 10018

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

 

Marc A. De Oliveira

Franklin Templeton

100 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 877-6LM-FUND/656-3863

Date of fiscal year end: August 31

Date of reporting period: February 29, 2024

 

 

 


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ITEM 1.

REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS.

The Semi-Annual Report to Stockholders is filed herewith.


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LOGO

 

Semi-Annual Report

 

 

February 29, 2024

 

CLEARBRIDGE

AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND

 

 

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted new regulations that will result in changes to the design and delivery of annual and semi-annual shareholder reports beginning in July 2024.

If you have previously elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will continue to do so and need not take any action.

Otherwise, paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports will be mailed to you beginning in July 2024. If you would like to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically instead of by mail, you may make that request at any time by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, enrolling at franklintempleton.com.

You may access franklintempleton.com by scanning the code below.

 

LOGO

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE


Table of Contents
What’s inside      
Letter from the president     III  
Performance review     V  
Fund at a glance     1  
Fund expenses     2  
Schedule of investments     4  
Statement of assets and liabilities     8  
Statement of operations     10  
Statements of changes in net assets     11  
Financial highlights     12  
Notes to financial statements     18  

Fund objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

 

 

II    ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund


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Letter from the president

 

LOGO

 

Dear Shareholder,

We are pleased to provide the semi-annual report of ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund for the six-month reporting period ended February 29, 2024. Please read on for Fund performance information during the Fund’s reporting period.

Special shareholder notices

Effective May 1, 2024, the Fund will be renamed ClearBridge Growth Fund. There will be no change to the Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies or investment policies as a result of the name change. Effective May 1, 2024, the Russell Midcap Growth Index will replace the Russell 3000 Growth Index as the Fund’s benchmark. The Fund’s subadviser, ClearBridge Investments, LLC, believes the Russell Midcap Growth Index will provide a better representation of the universe of securities in which the Fund invests. For more information, please see the Fund’s prospectus supplement dated February 9, 2024.

Effective May 1, 2024, Amanda Leithe, CFA, will join the Fund’s portfolio management team. For more information, please see the Fund’s prospectus supplement dated March 25, 2024.

As always, we remain committed to providing you with excellent service and a full spectrum of investment choices. We also remain committed to supplementing the support you receive from your financial advisor. One way we accomplish this is through our website, www.franklintempleton.com. Here you can gain immediate access to market and investment information, including:

 

 

Fund prices and performance,

 

 

Market insights and commentaries from our portfolio managers, and

 

 

A host of educational resources.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund   III


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Letter from the president (cont’d)

 

 

We look forward to helping you meet your financial goals.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Jane Trust, CFA

President and Chief Executive Officer

March 28, 2024

 

IV    ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund


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Performance review

 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024, Class A shares of ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund, excluding sales charges, returned 13.71%. The Fund’s unmanaged benchmark, the Russell 3000 Growth Indexi, returned 17.79% for the same period.

 

Performance Snapshot as of February 29, 2024 (unaudited)  
(excluding sales charges)   6 months  
ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund:  

Class A

    13.71

Class C

    13.29

Class FI

    13.70

Class R

    13.53

Class I

    13.88

Class IS

    13.93
Russell 3000 Growth Index     17.79

The performance shown represents past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and current performance may be higher or lower than the performance shown above. Principal value and investment returns will fluctuate and investors’ shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. To obtain performance data current to the most recent month-end, please visit our website at www.franklintempleton.com.

All share class returns assume the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, at net asset value and the deduction of all Fund expenses. Returns have not been adjusted to include sales charges that may apply or the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions. If sales charges were reflected, the performance quoted would be lower. Performance figures for periods shorter than one year represent cumulative figures and are not annualized.

Fund performance figures reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which the performance would have been lower.

 

Total Annual Operating Expenses (unaudited)

As of the Fund’s current prospectus dated December 29, 2023, the gross total annual fund operating expense ratios for Class A, Class C, Class FI, Class R, Class I and Class IS shares were 1.14%, 1.86%, 1.07%, 1.42%, 0.83% and 0.74%, respectively.

Actual expenses may be higher. For example, expenses may be higher than those shown if average net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and Fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund   V


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Performance review (cont’d)

 

As always, thank you for your confidence in our stewardship of your assets.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Jane Trust, CFA

President and Chief Executive Officer

March 28, 2024

RISKS: Equity securities are subject to market and price fluctuations. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in small- and mid-cap companies, which may be more volatile than an investment that focuses only on large-cap companies. The Fund may focus its investments in certain companies, industries or market sectors, increasing its vulnerability to market volatility. Foreign securities are subject to certain risks of overseas investing, including currency fluctuations and social, political and economic uncertainties, which could result in significant market fluctuations. These risks are magnified in emerging markets. Emerging market countries tend to have economic, political and legal systems that are less developed and are less stable than those of more developed countries. The market values of securities or other assets will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, due to changes in general market conditions, overall economic trends or events, governmental actions or intervention, actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve or foreign central banks, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, armed conflicts, economic sanctions and countermeasures in response to sanctions, major cybersecurity events, investor sentiment, the global and domestic effects of a pandemic, and other factors that may or may not be related to the issuer of the security or other asset. Please see the Fund’s prospectus for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and the Fund’s investment strategies.

All investments are subject to risk including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. Please note that an investor cannot invest directly in an index.

 

i 

The Russell 3000 Growth Index measures the performance of the broad growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 3000 Index companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. (A price-to-book ratio is the price of a stock compared to the difference between a company’s assets and liabilities.) The Russell 3000 Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the U.S. equity market.

 

VI    ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund


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Fund at a glance (unaudited)

 

Investment breakdown (%) as a percent of total investments

 

LOGO

 

The bar graph above represents the composition of the Fund’s investments as of February 29, 2024 and August 31, 2023. The Fund is actively managed. As a result, the composition of the Fund’s investments is subject to change at any time.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       1  


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Fund expenses (unaudited)

 

Example

As a shareholder of the Fund, you may incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including front-end and back-end sales charges (loads) on purchase payments; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; service and/or distribution (12b-1) fees; and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested on September 1, 2023 and held for the six months ended February 29, 2024.

Actual expenses

The table below titled “Based on actual total return” provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information provided in this table, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. To estimate the expenses you paid on your account, divide your ending account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 ending account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period”.

Hypothetical example for comparison purposes

The table below titled “Based on hypothetical total return” provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5.00% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use the information provided in this table to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare the 5.00% hypothetical example relating to the Fund with the 5.00% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table below are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as front-end or back-end sales charges (loads). Therefore, the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 Based on actual total return1                 Based on hypothetical total return1  
    

Actual

Total Return

Without

Sales

Charge2

   

Beginning

Account

Value

   

Ending

Account

Value

   

Annualized

Expense

Ratio

   

Expenses

Paid

During

the

Period3

              

Hypothetical

Annualized

Total Return

   

Beginning

Account

Value

   

Ending

Account

Value

   

Annualized

Expense

Ratio

   

Expenses

Paid

During

the

Period3

 
Class A     13.71   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,137.10       1.14   $ 6.06       Class A     5.00   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.19       1.14   $ 5.72  
Class C     13.29       1,000.00       1,132.90       1.89       10.02       Class C     5.00       1,000.00       1,015.47       1.89       9.47  
Class FI     13.70       1,000.00       1,137.00       1.16       6.16       Class FI     5.00       1,000.00       1,019.10       1.16       5.82  
Class R     13.53       1,000.00       1,135.30       1.45       7.70       Class R     5.00       1,000.00       1,017.65       1.45       7.27  
Class I     13.88       1,000.00       1,138.80       0.84       4.47       Class I     5.00       1,000.00       1,020.69       0.84       4.22  
Class IS     13.93       1,000.00       1,139.30       0.75       3.99       Class IS     5.00       1,000.00       1,021.13       0.75       3.77  

 

2     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


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1 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024.

 

2 

Assumes the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the deduction of the applicable sales charge with respect to Class A shares or the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) with respect to Class C shares. Total return is not annualized, as it may not be representative of the total return for the year. Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

3 

Expenses (net of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements) are equal to each class’ respective annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent fiscal half-year (182), then divided by 366.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       3  


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Schedule of investments (unaudited)

February 29, 2024

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund

 

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security    Shares      Value  
Common Stocks — 99.8%                  
Communication Services — 13.0%                  

Diversified Telecommunication Services — 0.0%††

                 

GCI Liberty Inc., Class A Shares (Escrow)

     370,293      $ 0 *(a)(b)(c) 

Entertainment — 6.5%

                 

Liberty Media Corp.-Liberty Formula One, Class C Shares

     698,195        50,800,668  * 

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.

     917,972        35,332,742  * 

Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.

     688,469        129,562,981  * 

TKO Group Holdings Inc.

     888,460        74,390,756  

Total Entertainment

 

     290,087,147  

Interactive Media & Services — 2.8%

                 

Match Group Inc.

     196,211        7,071,444  * 

Meta Platforms Inc., Class A Shares

     65,981        32,339,268  

Pinterest Inc., Class A Shares

     2,407,152        88,342,478  * 

Total Interactive Media & Services

 

     127,753,190  

Media — 3.7%

                 

Comcast Corp., Class A Shares

     3,915,497        167,779,047  

Total Communication Services

 

     585,619,384  
Consumer Discretionary — 6.5%         

Broadline Retail — 0.9%

        

Etsy Inc.

     550,002        39,429,643 * 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 3.4%

        

Airbnb Inc., Class A Shares

     656,936        103,447,712  * 

Starbucks Corp.

     518,400        49,196,160  

Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

              152,643,872  

Specialty Retail — 2.2%

        

TJX Cos. Inc.

     916,400        90,851,896  

Tractor Supply Co.

     38,900        9,893,048  

Total Specialty Retail

              100,744,944  

Total Consumer Discretionary

              292,818,459  
Consumer Staples — 1.7%         

Beverages — 1.5%

        

Diageo PLC, ADR

     446,291        67,300,683  

Personal Care Products — 0.2%

                 

e.l.f. Beauty Inc.

     52,900        11,031,237 * 

Total Consumer Staples

              78,331,920  
Financials — 2.0%         

Capital Markets — 2.0%

        

Cohen & Steers Inc.

     1,197,282        88,060,091  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

4     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


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ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund

 

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security    Shares      Value  
Health Care — 22.8%                  

Biotechnology — 13.8%

                 

AbbVie Inc.

     526,325        $92,659,516  

Biogen Inc.

     430,362        93,384,250  * 

Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc.

     1,655,237        74,833,265  * 

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.

     436,003        22,550,075  * 

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.

     807,796        339,872,089  * 

Total Biotechnology

              623,299,195  

Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 0.8%

                 

Insulet Corp.

     224,000        36,736,000 * 

Health Care Providers & Services — 5.8%

                 

UnitedHealth Group Inc.

     529,996        261,606,026  

Health Care Technology — 0.7%

                 

Doximity Inc., Class A Shares

     1,129,790        31,893,972 * 

Life Sciences Tools & Services — 1.7%

                 

Charles River Laboratories International Inc.

     300,014        76,260,559 * 

Total Health Care

              1,029,795,752  
Industrials — 8.8%                  

Aerospace & Defense — 3.5%

                 

L3Harris Technologies Inc.

     737,367        156,071,099  

Building Products — 2.5%

                 

Johnson Controls International PLC

     1,922,019        113,918,066  

Commercial Services & Supplies — 1.2%

                 

Cintas Corp.

     89,100        56,009,151  

Ground Transportation — 0.2%

                 

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.

     15,400        6,814,192  

Professional Services — 0.4%

                 

Paylocity Holding Corp.

     112,200        18,918,042 * 

Trading Companies & Distributors — 1.0%

                 

W.W. Grainger Inc.

     48,300        47,018,118  

Total Industrials

              398,748,668  
Information Technology — 43.3%                  

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components — 5.2%

                 

TE Connectivity Ltd.

     1,639,292        235,336,760  

IT Services — 5.3%

                 

Accenture PLC, Class A Shares

     267,725        100,337,975  

MongoDB Inc.

     98,900        44,265,662  * 

Snowflake Inc., Class A Shares

     495,213        93,238,704  * 

Total IT Services

              237,842,341  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       5  


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

February 29, 2024

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund

 

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security            Shares      Value  

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 9.2%

                          

Broadcom Inc.

              269,557      $ 350,556,183  

Wolfspeed Inc.

              2,393,374        62,275,591

Total Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment

                       412,831,774  

Software — 21.5%

                          

Autodesk Inc.

              1,053,721        272,039,151

CrowdStrike Holdings Inc., Class A Shares

              985,513        319,454,039

DocuSign Inc.

              401,489        21,387,319

Dolby Laboratories Inc., Class A Shares

              762,623        61,772,463  

HubSpot Inc.

              335,471        207,592,809

ServiceNow Inc.

              115,800        89,321,172

Total Software

                       971,566,953  

Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals — 2.1%

                          

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC

              638,158        59,380,602  

Western Digital Corp.

              586,411        34,873,862

Total Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals

                       94,254,464  

Total Information Technology

                       1,951,832,292  
Materials — 1.7%                           

Metals & Mining — 1.7%

                          

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

              1,983,802        75,007,554  

Total Investments before Short-Term Investments (Cost — $1,856,777,899)

 

     4,500,214,120  
      Rate                  
Short-Term Investments — 0.3%                           

JPMorgan 100% U.S. Treasury Securities Money Market Fund, Institutional Class

     5.167      6,708,614        6,708,614  (d) 

Western Asset Premier Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves, Premium Shares

     5.259      6,708,614        6,708,614  (d)(e) 

Total Short-Term Investments (Cost — $13,417,228)

                       13,417,228  

Total Investments — 100.1% (Cost — $1,870,195,127)

                       4,513,631,348  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.1)%

                       (4,843,102)  

Total Net Assets — 100.0%

                     $ 4,508,788,246  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

6     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


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ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund

 

††

Represents less than 0.1%.

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a) 

Security is fair valued in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 1).

 

(b) 

Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs (Note 1).

 

(c) 

Value is less than $1.

 

(d) 

Rate shown is one-day yield as of the end of the reporting period.

 

(e) 

In this instance, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, an “Affiliated Company” represents Fund ownership of at least 5% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Fund. At February 29, 2024, the total market value of investments in Affiliated Companies was $6,708,614 and the cost was $6,708,614 (Note 8).

 

Abbreviation(s) used in this schedule:

ADR — American Depositary Receipts

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       7  


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Statement of assets and liabilities (unaudited)

February 29, 2024

 

Assets:         

Investments in unaffiliated securities, at value (Cost — $1,863,486,513)

   $ 4,506,922,734  

Investments in affiliated securities, at value (Cost — $6,708,614)

     6,708,614  

Dividends receivable from unaffiliated investments

     2,270,552  

Receivable for Fund shares sold

     732,463  

Dividends receivable from affiliated investments

     10,530  

Prepaid expenses

     35,989  

Total Assets

     4,516,680,882  
Liabilities:         

Payable for Fund shares repurchased

     3,178,535  

Investment management fee payable

     2,572,228  

Transfer agent fees payable

     1,049,740  

Service and/or distribution fees payable

     847,489  

Trustees’ fees payable

     50,657  

Accrued expenses

     193,987  

Total Liabilities

     7,892,636  
Total Net Assets    $ 4,508,788,246  
Net Assets:         

Par value (Note 7)

   $ 415  

Paid-in capital in excess of par value

     1,605,155,269  

Total distributable earnings (loss)

     2,903,632,562  
Total Net Assets    $ 4,508,788,246  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

8     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


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Net Assets:         

Class A

   $ 4,051,283,546  

Class C

   $ 42,061,007  

Class FI

   $ 1,472,462  

Class R

   $ 18,544,657  

Class I

   $ 332,076,534  

Class IS

   $ 63,350,040  
Shares Outstanding:         

Class A

     37,561,124  

Class C

     875,265  

Class FI

     13,453  

Class R

     184,938  

Class I

     2,386,149  

Class IS

     443,652  
Net Asset Value:         

Class A (and redemption price)

   $ 107.86  

Class C*

   $ 48.06  

Class FI (and redemption price)

   $ 109.45  

Class R (and redemption price)

   $ 100.27  

Class I (and redemption price)

   $ 139.17  

Class IS (and redemption price)

   $ 142.79  
Maximum Public Offering Price Per Share:         

Class A (based on maximum initial sales charge of 5.50%)

   $ 114.14  

 

*

Redemption price per share is NAV of Class C shares reduced by a 1.00% CDSC if shares are redeemed within one year from purchase payment (Note 2).

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       9  


Table of Contents

Statement of operations (unaudited)

For the Six Months Ended February 29, 2024

 

Investment Income:         

Dividends from unaffiliated investments

   $ 25,168,280  

Dividends from affiliated investments

     359,589  

Total Investment Income

     25,527,869  
Expenses:         

Investment management fee (Note 2)

     15,202,845  

Service and/or distribution fees (Notes 2 and 5)

     4,993,725  

Transfer agent fees (Notes 2 and 5)

     3,067,103  

Trustees’ fees

     146,913  

Registration fees

     70,093  

Fund accounting fees

     55,065  

Legal fees

     48,478  

Shareholder reports

     41,634  

Audit and tax fees

     31,826  

Interest expense

     30,950  

Commitment fees (Note 9)

     18,127  

Insurance

     14,582  

Custody fees

     7,894  

Miscellaneous expenses

     21,034  

Total Expenses

     23,750,269  

Less: Fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements (Notes 2 and 5)

     (6,130)  

Net Expenses

     23,744,139  
Net Investment Income      1,783,730  
Realized and Unrealized Gain on Investments (Notes 1 and 3):         

Net Realized Gain From Unaffiliated Investment Transactions

     426,749,347  

Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) From Unaffiliated Investments

     128,786,806  
Net Gain on Investments      555,536,153  
Increase in Net Assets From Operations    $ 557,319,883  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

10     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

Statements of changes in net assets

 

 

For the Six Months Ended February 29, 2024 (unaudited)

and the Year Ended August 31, 2023

   2024      2023  
Operations:                  

Net investment income

   $ 1,783,730      $ 6,559,514  

Net realized gain

     426,749,347        397,550,758  

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

     128,786,806        (108,933,194

Increase in Net Assets From Operations

     557,319,883        295,177,078  
Distributions to Shareholders From (Notes 1 and 6):                  

Total distributable earnings

     (544,857,563)        (566,953,035)  

Decrease in Net Assets From Distributions to Shareholders

     (544,857,563)        (566,953,035)  
Fund Share Transactions (Note 7):                  

Net proceeds from sale of shares

     123,750,375        225,134,024  

Reinvestment of distributions

     535,397,721        555,224,789  

Cost of shares repurchased

     (447,512,358)        (806,838,532)  

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets From Fund Share Transactions

     211,635,738        (26,479,719)  

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

     224,098,058        (298,255,676)  
Net Assets:                  

Beginning of period

     4,284,690,188        4,582,945,864  

End of period

   $ 4,508,788,246      $ 4,284,690,188  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       11  


Table of Contents

Financial highlights

 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended August 31,
unless otherwise noted:
 
Class A Shares1   20242     2023     2022     2021      2020     2019  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $108.23       $115.82       $197.76       $177.10        $175.73       $224.85  
Income (loss) from operations:             

Net investment income (loss)

    0.03       0.14       (0.23)       (0.05)        0.40       0.63  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    13.99       7.34       (42.93)       53.05        23.23       (19.51)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    14.02       7.48       (43.16)       53.00        23.63       (18.88)  
Less distributions from:             

Net investment income

    (0.15)                   (0.32)        (0.83)       (0.40)  

Net realized gains

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)        (21.43)       (29.84)  

Total distributions

    (14.39)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.34)        (22.26)       (30.24)  
Net asset value, end of period     $107.86       $108.23       $115.82       $197.76        $177.10       $175.73  

Total return3

    13.71     7.24     (25.33)     33.03      13.94     (8.22)
Net assets, end of period (millions)     $4,051       $3,804       $3,945       $5,837        $4,830       $4,776  
Ratios to average net assets:             

Gross expenses

    1.14 %4      1.14     1.12     1.11      1.13     1.12

Net expenses5,6

    1.14 4      1.14       1.12       1.11        1.13       1.12  

Net investment income (loss)

    0.06 4      0.13       (0.16)       (0.03)        0.24       0.34  
Portfolio turnover rate     7     10     21     8 %7       2     2 %7 

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024 (unaudited).

 

3 

Performance figures, exclusive of sales charges, may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

4 

Annualized.

 

5 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class A shares did not exceed 1.25%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2025 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

6 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

7 

Excludes securities delivered as a result of a redemption in-kind.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

12     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended August 31,
unless otherwise noted:
 
Class C Shares1   20242     2023     2022     2021      2020     2019  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $55.68       $67.22       $133.37       $129.21        $133.78       $179.73  
Income (loss) from operations:             

Net investment loss

    (0.17)       (0.32)       (0.76)       (0.91)        (0.55)       (0.42)  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    6.79       3.85       (26.61)       37.09        17.41       (15.69)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    6.62       3.53       (27.37)       36.18        16.86       (16.11)  
Less distributions from:             

Net realized gains

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)        (21.43)       (29.84)  

Total distributions

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)        (21.43)       (29.84)  
Net asset value, end of period     $48.06       $55.68       $67.22       $133.37        $129.21       $133.78  

Total return3

    13.29     6.49     (25.84)     32.05      13.16     (8.86)
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $42,061       $49,377       $88,126       $202,551        $256,352       $403,645  
Ratios to average net assets:             

Gross expenses

    1.89 %4      1.86     1.83     1.84      1.82     1.81

Net expenses5,6

    1.89 4      1.86       1.83       1.84        1.82       1.81  

Net investment loss

    (0.66) 4      (0.55)       (0.87)       (0.71)        (0.43)       (0.29)  
Portfolio turnover rate     7     10     21     8 %7       2     2 %7 

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024 (unaudited).

 

3 

Performance figures, exclusive of CDSC, may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

4 

Annualized.

 

5 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class C shares did not exceed 2.00%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2025 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

6 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

7 

Excludes securities delivered as a result of a redemption in-kind.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       13  


Table of Contents

Financial highlights (cont’d)

 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended August 31,
unless otherwise noted:
 
Class FI Shares1   20242     2023     2022     2021     2020     2019  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $109.72       $117.13       $199.72       $178.54       $176.90       $226.03  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income (loss)

    0.02       0.23       (0.40)       (0.12)       0.42       0.88  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    14.19       7.43       (43.41)       53.53       23.35       (19.82)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    14.21       7.66       (43.81)       53.41       23.77       (18.94)  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

    (0.24)                   (0.21)       (0.70)       (0.35)  

Net realized gains

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)       (21.43)       (29.84)  

Total distributions

    (14.48)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.23)       (22.13)       (30.19)  
Net asset value, end of period     $109.45       $109.72       $117.13       $199.72       $178.54       $176.90  

Total return3

    13.70     7.33     (25.42)     32.97     13.93     (8.21)
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $1,472       $1,319       $2,056       $4,737       $4,185       $6,668  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    1.16 %4      1.07     1.24     1.15     1.15     1.11

Net expenses5

    1.16 4,6      1.07 6      1.24 6      1.15 6      1.14 6      1.11  

Net investment income (loss)

    0.03 4      0.22       (0.27)       (0.06)       0.24       0.46  
Portfolio turnover rate     7     10     21     8 %7      2     2 %7 

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024 (unaudited).

 

3 

Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

4 

Annualized.

 

5 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class FI shares did not exceed 1.25%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2025 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

6 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

7 

Excludes securities delivered as a result of a redemption in-kind.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

14     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended August 31,
unless otherwise noted:
 
Class R Shares1   20242     2023     2022     2021     2020     2019  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $101.56       $109.88       $190.32       $171.73       $170.89       $219.67  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income (loss)

    (0.12)       (0.15)       (0.67)       (0.58)       (0.07)       0.11  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    13.07       6.90       (40.99)       51.19       22.51       (19.05)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    12.95       6.75       (41.66)       50.61       22.44       (18.94)  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

                            (0.17)        

Net realized gains

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)       (21.43)       (29.84)  

Total distributions

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)       (21.60)       (29.84)  
Net asset value, end of period     $100.27       $101.56       $109.88       $190.32       $171.73       $170.89  

Total return3

    13.53     6.94     (25.57)     32.59     13.60     (8.49)
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $18,545       $17,116       $18,336       $28,047       $33,618       $47,501  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    1.45 %4      1.42     1.45     1.44     1.42     1.42

Net expenses5

    1.45 4,6      1.42 6      1.45 6      1.44 6      1.42 6      1.42  

Net investment income (loss)

    (0.24) 4      (0.15)       (0.49)       (0.32)       (0.04)       0.06  
Portfolio turnover rate     7     10     21     8 %7      2     2 %7 

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024 (unaudited).

 

3 

Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

4 

Annualized.

 

5 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class R shares did not exceed 1.50%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2025 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

6 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

7 

Excludes securities delivered as a result of a redemption in-kind.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       15  


Table of Contents

Financial highlights (cont’d)

 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended August 31,

unless otherwise noted:

 
Class I Shares1   20242     2023     2022     2021     2020     2019  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $135.85       $141.17       $231.08       $202.02       $197.40       $248.42  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income

    0.26       0.61       0.26       0.62       1.13       1.44  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    17.76       9.14       (51.39)       61.24       26.18       (21.64)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    18.02       9.75       (51.13)       61.86       27.31       (20.20)  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

    (0.46)                   (0.78)       (1.26)       (0.98)  

Net realized gains

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)       (21.43)       (29.84)  

Total distributions

    (14.70)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.80)       (22.69)       (30.82)  
Net asset value, end of period     $139.17       $135.85       $141.17       $231.08       $202.02       $197.40  

Total return3

    13.88     7.58     (25.09)     33.42     14.31     (7.92)
Net assets, end of period (millions)     $332       $360       $462       $894       $896       $1,385  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    0.84 %4      0.83     0.81     0.82     0.81     0.79

Net expenses5

    0.84 4,6      0.83 6      0.81 6      0.82 6      0.81 6      0.79  

Net investment income

    0.39 4      0.46       0.15       0.29       0.58       0.69  
Portfolio turnover rate     7     10     21     8 %7      2     2 %7 

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024 (unaudited).

 

3 

Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

4 

Annualized.

 

5 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class I shares did not exceed 0.90%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2025 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

6 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

7 

Excludes securities delivered as a result of a redemption in-kind.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

16     ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended August 31,

unless otherwise noted:

 
Class IS Shares1   20242     2023     2022     2021      2020     2019  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $139.09       $144.07       $234.70       $204.72        $199.81       $251.11  
Income (loss) from operations:             

Net investment income

    0.30       0.73       0.48       1.05        1.26       1.64  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    18.23       9.36       (52.33)       61.88        26.55       (21.93)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    18.53       10.09       (51.85)       62.93        27.81       (20.29)  
Less distributions from:             

Net investment income

    (0.59)                   (0.93)        (1.47)       (1.17)  

Net realized gains

    (14.24)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.02)        (21.43)       (29.84)  

Total distributions

    (14.83)       (15.07)       (38.78)       (32.95)        (22.90)       (31.01)  
Net asset value, end of period     $142.79       $139.09       $144.07       $234.70        $204.72       $199.81  

Total return3

    13.93     7.67     (25.00)     33.51      14.40     (7.86)
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $63,350       $53,402       $67,498       $192,685        $491,366       $547,281  
Ratios to average net assets:             

Gross expenses

    0.75 %4      0.74     0.69     0.74      0.73     0.72

Net expenses5

    0.75 4,6      0.74 6      0.69 6      0.74 6       0.73 6      0.72  

Net investment income

    0.45 4      0.54       0.27       0.48        0.64       0.78  
Portfolio turnover rate     7     10     21     8 %7       2     2 %7 

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024 (unaudited).

 

3 

Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

4 

Annualized.

 

5 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class IS shares did not exceed 0.80%. In addition, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class IS shares did not exceed the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class I shares. These expense limitation arrangements cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2025 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

6 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

7 

Excludes securities delivered as a result of a redemption in-kind.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund 2024 Semi-Annual Report       17  


Table of Contents

Notes to financial statements (unaudited)

 

1. Organization and significant accounting policies

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund (the “Fund”) is a separate diversified investment series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust (the “Trust”). The Trust, a Maryland statutory trust, is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company.

The Fund follows the accounting and reporting guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services — Investment Companies (“ASC 946”). The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), including, but not limited to, ASC 946. Estimates and assumptions are required to be made regarding assets, liabilities and changes in net assets resulting from operations when financial statements are prepared. Changes in the economic environment, financial markets and any other parameters used in determining these estimates could cause actual results to differ. Subsequent events have been evaluated through the date the financial statements were issued.

(a) Investment valuation. Equity securities for which market quotations are available are valued at the last reported sales price or official closing price on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. The valuations for fixed income securities (which may include, but are not limited to, corporate, government, municipal, mortgage-backed, collateralized mortgage obligations and asset-backed securities) and certain derivative instruments are typically the prices supplied by independent third party pricing services, which may use market prices or broker/dealer quotations or a variety of valuation techniques and methodologies. The independent third party pricing services typically use inputs that are observable such as issuer details, interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, credit risks/spreads, default rates and quoted prices for similar securities. Investments in open-end funds are valued at the closing net asset value per share of each fund on the day of valuation. When the Fund holds securities or other assets that are denominated in a foreign currency, the Fund will normally use the currency exchange rates as of 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). If independent third party pricing services are unable to supply prices for a portfolio investment, or if the prices supplied are deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined by the manager using quotations from one or more broker/dealers or at the transaction price if the security has recently been purchased and no value has yet been obtained from a pricing service or pricing broker. When reliable prices are not readily available, such as when the value of a security has been significantly affected by events after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded, but before the Fund calculates its net asset value, the Fund values these securities as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.

Pursuant to policies adopted by the Board of Trustees, the Fund’s manager has been designated as the valuation designee and is responsible for the oversight of the daily valuation process. The Fund’s manager is assisted by the Global Fund Valuation Committee (the “Valuation Committee”). The Valuation Committee is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the Fund’s pricing policies, and reporting to the Fund’s manager and the Board of Trustees. When determining the reliability of third

 

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party pricing information for investments owned by the Fund, the Valuation Committee, among other things, conducts due diligence reviews of pricing vendors, monitors the daily change in prices and reviews transactions among market participants.

The Valuation Committee will consider pricing methodologies it deems relevant and appropriate when making fair value determinations. Examples of possible methodologies include, but are not limited to, multiple of earnings; discount from market of a similar freely traded security; discounted cash-flow analysis; book value or a multiple thereof; risk premium/yield analysis; yield to maturity; and/or fundamental investment analysis. The Valuation Committee will also consider factors it deems relevant and appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances. Examples of possible factors include, but are not limited to, the type of security; the issuer’s financial statements; the purchase price of the security; the discount from market value of unrestricted securities of the same class at the time of purchase; analysts’ research and observations from financial institutions; information regarding any transactions or offers with respect to the security; the existence of merger proposals or tender offers affecting the security; the price and extent of public trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable companies; and the existence of a shelf registration for restricted securities.

For each portfolio security that has been fair valued pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board of Trustees, the fair value price is compared against the last available and next available market quotations. The Valuation Committee reviews the results of such back testing monthly and fair valuation occurrences are reported to the Board of Trustees quarterly.

The Fund uses valuation techniques to measure fair value that are consistent with the market approach and/or income approach, depending on the type of security and the particular circumstance. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable securities. The income approach uses valuation techniques to discount estimated future cash flows to present value.

GAAP establishes a disclosure hierarchy that categorizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to value assets and liabilities at measurement date. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:

 

 

Level 1 — unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

 

Level 2 — other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

 

 

Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)

The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used in valuing the Fund’s assets carried at fair value:

 

ASSETS  
Description  

Quoted Prices

(Level 1)

   

Other Significant

Observable Inputs

(Level 2)

   

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

(Level 3)

    Total  
Long-Term Investments:                                

Common Stocks†:

                               

Communication Services

  $ 585,619,384           $ 0   $ 585,619,384  

Other Common Stocks

    3,914,594,736                   3,914,594,736  
Total Long-Term Investments     4,500,214,120             0     4,500,214,120  
Short-Term Investments†     13,417,228                   13,417,228  
Total Investments   $ 4,513,631,348           $ 0   $ 4,513,631,348  

 

See Schedule of Investments for additional detailed categorizations.

 

*

Amount represents less than $1.

(b) Foreign investment risks. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities may involve risks not present in domestic investments. Since securities may be denominated in foreign currencies, may require settlement in foreign currencies or may pay interest or dividends in foreign currencies, changes in the relationship of these foreign currencies to the U.S. dollar can significantly affect the value of the investments and earnings of the Fund. Foreign investments may also subject the Fund to foreign government exchange restrictions, expropriation, taxation or other political, social or economic developments, all of which affect the market and/or credit risk of the investments.

(c) Security transactions and investment income. Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Interest income (including interest income from payment-in-kind securities) is recorded on the accrual basis. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts on debt securities are recorded to interest income over the lives of the respective securities, except for premiums on certain callable debt securities, which are amortized to the earliest call date. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date for dividends received in cash and/or securities. Foreign dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date or as soon as practicable after the Fund determines the existence of a dividend declaration after exercising reasonable due diligence. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method. To the extent any issuer defaults or a credit event occurs that impacts the issuer, the Fund may halt any additional interest income accruals and consider the realizability of interest accrued up to the date of default or credit event.

(d) Distributions to shareholders. Distributions from net investment income and distributions of net realized gains, if any, are declared at least annually. Distributions to shareholders of the Fund are recorded on the ex-dividend date and are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.

 

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(e) Share class accounting. Investment income, common expenses and realized/ unrealized gains (losses) on investments are allocated to the various classes of the Fund on the basis of daily net assets of each class. Fees relating to a specific class are charged directly to that share class.

(f) Compensating balance arrangements. The Fund has an arrangement with its custodian bank whereby a portion of the custodian’s fees is paid indirectly by credits earned on the Fund’s cash on deposit with the bank.

(g) Federal and other taxes. It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the federal income and excise tax requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies. Accordingly, the Fund intends to distribute its taxable income and net realized gains, if any, to shareholders in accordance with timing requirements imposed by the Code. Therefore, no federal or state income tax provision is required in the Fund’s financial statements.

Management has analyzed the Fund’s tax positions taken on income tax returns for all open tax years and has concluded that as of August 31, 2023, no provision for income tax is required in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s federal and state income and federal excise tax returns for tax years for which the applicable statutes of limitations have not expired are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and state departments of revenue.

(h) Reclassification. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be reclassified to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.

2. Investment management agreement and other transactions with affiliates

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC (“FTFA”) (formerly known as Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC prior to November 30, 2023) is the Fund’s investment manager and ClearBridge Investments, LLC (“ClearBridge”) is the Fund’s subadviser. Western Asset Management Company, LLC (“Western Asset”) manages the portion of the Fund’s cash and short-term instruments allocated to it. FTFA, ClearBridge and Western Asset are indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin Resources”).

Under the investment management agreement, the Fund pays an investment management fee, calculated daily and paid monthly, in accordance with the following breakpoint schedule:

 

Average Daily Net Assets      Annual Rate  
First $1 billion        0.750
Next $1 billion        0.725  
Next $3 billion        0.700  
Next $5 billion        0.675  
Over $10 billion        0.650  

FTFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Fund. FTFA delegates to the subadviser the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund, except for the

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

management of the portion of the cash and short-term instruments allocated to Western Asset. For its services, FTFA pays ClearBridge a fee monthly, at an annual rate equal to 70% of the net management fee it receives from the Fund. For Western Asset’s services to the Fund, FTFA pays Western Asset monthly 0.02% of the portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets that are allocated to Western Asset by FTFA.

As a result of expense limitation arrangements between the Fund and FTFA, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class A, Class C, Class FI, Class R, Class I and Class IS shares did not exceed 1.25%, 2.00%, 1.25%, 1.50%, 0.90% and 0.80%, respectively. In addition, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class IS shares did not exceed the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class I shares. These expense limitation arrangements cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2025 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund (the “affiliated money market fund waiver”). The affiliated money market fund waiver is not subject to the recapture provision discussed below.

During the six months ended February 29, 2024, fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed amounted to $6,130, all of which was an affiliated money market fund waiver.

FTFA is permitted to recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class during the same fiscal year if the class’ total annual fund operating expenses have fallen to a level below the expense limitation (“expense cap”) in effect at the time the fees were earned or the expenses incurred. In no case will FTFA recapture any amount that would result, on any particular business day of the Fund, in the class’ total annual fund operating expenses exceeding the expense cap or any other lower limit then in effect.

Franklin Distributors, LLC (“Franklin Distributors”) serves as the Fund’s sole and exclusive distributor. Franklin Distributors is an indirect, wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Franklin Resources. Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC (“Investor Services”) serves as the Fund’s shareholder servicing agent and acts as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend-paying agent. Investor Services is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources. Each class of shares of the Fund pays transfer agent fees to Investor Services for its performance of shareholder servicing obligations. Investor Services charges account-based fees based on the number of individual shareholder accounts, as well as a fixed percentage fee based on the total account-based fees charged. In addition, each class reimburses Investor Services for out of pocket expenses incurred. For the six months ended February 29, 2024, the Fund incurred transfer agent fees as reported on the Statement of Operations, of which $41,348 was earned by Investor Services.

There is a maximum initial sales charge of 5.50% for Class A shares. Class C shares have a 1.00% CDSC, which applies if redemption occurs within 12 months from purchase payment. In certain cases, Class A shares have a 1.00% CDSC, which applies if redemption occurs within 18 months from purchase payment. This CDSC only applies to those purchases of Class A shares, which, when combined with current holdings of other shares of funds sold by Franklin Distributors, equal or exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate. These purchases do not incur an initial sales charge.

 

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For the six months ended February 29, 2024, sales charges retained by and CDSCs paid to Franklin Distributors and its affiliates, if any, were as follows:

 

        Class A        Class C  
Sales charges      $ 213,973           
CDSCs        2,272        $ 59  

All officers and one Trustee of the Trust are employees of Franklin Resources or its affiliates and do not receive compensation from the Trust.

3. Investments

During the six months ended February 29, 2024, the aggregate cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments (excluding short-term investments) were as follows:

 

Purchases      $ 296,844,790  
Sales        625,909,253  

At February 29, 2024, the aggregate cost of investments and the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments for federal income tax purposes were substantially as follows:

 

      Cost     

Gross

Unrealized

Appreciation

    

Gross

Unrealized

Depreciation

    

Net

Unrealized

Appreciation

 
Securities    $ 1,870,195,127      $ 2,753,540,131      $ (110,103,910)      $ 2,643,436,221  

4. Derivative instruments and hedging activities

During the six months ended February 29, 2024, the Fund did not invest in derivative instruments.

5. Class specific expenses, waivers and/or expense reimbursements

The Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 shareholder services and distribution plan and under that plan the Fund pays service and/or distribution fees with respect to its Class A, Class C, Class FI and Class R shares calculated at the annual rate of 0.25%, 1.00%, 0.25% and 0.50% of the average daily net assets of each class, respectively. Service and/or distribution fees are accrued daily and paid monthly.

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

For the six months ended February 29, 2024, class specific expenses were as follows:

 

       

Service and/or

Distribution Fees

      

Transfer Agent

Fees

 
Class A      $ 4,729,442        $ 2,847,779  
Class C        219,839          32,533  
Class FI        1,700          1,164  
Class R        42,744          17,543  
Class I                 166,513  
Class IS                 1,571  
Total      $ 4,993,725          $3,067,103  

For the six months ended February 29, 2024, waivers and/or expense reimbursements by class were as follows:

 

       

Waivers/Expense

Reimbursements

 
Class A      $ 5,464  
Class C        65  
Class FI        2  
Class R        25  
Class I        492  
Class IS        82  
Total      $ 6,130  

6. Distributions to shareholders by class

 

       

Six Months Ended

February 29, 2024

      

Year Ended

August 31, 2023

 
Net Investment Income:                      
Class A      $ 5,167,260           
Class C                  
Class FI        2,967           
Class R                  
Class I        1,078,638           
Class IS        251,166           
Total      $ 6,500,031           
Net Realized Gains:                      
Class A      $ 485,194,851        $ 497,391,673  
Class C        10,908,780          16,894,279  
Class FI        176,189          219,513  
Class R        2,335,872          2,407,017  
Class I        33,629,469          43,551,851  
Class IS        6,112,371          6,488,702  
Total      $ 538,357,532        $ 566,953,035  

 

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7. Shares of beneficial interest

At February 29, 2024, the Trust had an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest authorized with a par value of $0.00001 per share. The Fund has the ability to issue multiple classes of shares. Each class of shares represents an identical interest and has the same rights, except that each class bears certain direct expenses, including those specifically related to the distribution of its shares.

Transactions in shares of each class were as follows:

 

     Six Months Ended
February 29, 2024
     Year Ended
August 31, 2023
 
      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Class A                                    
Shares sold      746,663      $ 78,664,406        1,540,095      $ 163,447,744  
Shares issued on reinvestment      4,746,295        484,549,306        4,802,018        490,093,988  
Shares repurchased      (3,078,638)        (324,205,256)        (5,258,813)        (557,770,336)  
Net increase      2,414,320      $ 239,008,456        1,083,300      $ 95,771,396  
Class C                                    
Shares sold      30,818      $ 1,517,770        52,847      $ 2,930,893  
Shares issued on reinvestment      233,778        10,650,913        315,412        16,644,318  
Shares repurchased      (276,159)        (13,929,593)        (792,357)        (44,869,878)  
Net decrease      (11,563)      $ (1,760,910)        (424,098)      $ (25,294,667)  
Class FI                                    
Shares sold      1,291      $ 139,526        2,384      $ 255,373  
Shares issued on reinvestment      1,729        179,156        2,124        219,513  
Shares repurchased      (1,587)        (170,173)        (10,042)        (1,072,825)  
Net increase (decrease)      1,433      $ 148,509        (5,534)      $ (597,939)  
Class R                                    
Shares sold      11,379      $ 1,116,147        25,335      $ 2,547,777  
Shares issued on reinvestment      24,429        2,320,252        24,963        2,395,159  
Shares repurchased      (19,402)        (1,903,662)        (48,632)        (4,864,830)  
Net increase      16,406      $ 1,532,737        1,666      $ 78,106  
Class I                                    
Shares sold      219,018      $ 29,283,192        363,667      $ 47,419,347  
Shares issued on reinvestment      241,064        31,736,087        311,660        39,836,421  
Shares repurchased      (720,846)        (96,432,646)        (1,298,940)        (171,982,021)  
Net decrease      (260,764)      $ (35,413,367)        (623,613)      $ (84,726,253)  
Class IS                                    
Shares sold      94,604      $ 13,029,334        63,402      $ 8,532,890  
Shares issued on reinvestment      44,147        5,962,007        46,146        6,035,390  
Shares repurchased      (79,037)        (10,871,028)        (194,130)        (26,278,642)  
Net increase (decrease)      59,714      $ 8,120,313        (84,582)      $ (11,710,362)  

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

8. Transactions with affiliated company

As defined by the 1940 Act, an affiliated company is one in which the Fund owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Fund. The following company was considered an affiliated company for all or some portion of the six months ended February 29, 2024. The following transactions were effected in such company for the six months ended February 29, 2024.

 

     Affiliate                              
     Value at                              
     August 31,      Purchased      Sold  
      2023      Cost      Shares      Proceeds      Shares  
Western Asset Premier Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves, Premium Shares      $4,795,701        $140,829,000        140,829,000        $138,916,087        138,916,087  

 

(cont’d)   

Realized

Gain (Loss)

    

Dividend

Income

    

Net Increase

(Decrease) in

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

    

Affiliate

Value at

February 29,

2024

 
Western Asset Premier Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves, Premium Shares             $359,589               $6,708,614  

9. Redemption facility

The Fund, together with other U.S. registered and foreign investment funds (collectively, the “Borrowers”) managed by Franklin Resources or its affiliates, is a borrower in a joint syndicated senior unsecured credit facility totaling $2.675 billion (the “Global Credit Facility”). The Global Credit Facility provides a source of funds to the Borrowers for temporary and emergency purposes, including the ability to meet future unanticipated or unusually large redemption requests. Unless renewed, the Global Credit Facility will terminate on January 31, 2025.

Under the terms of the Global Credit Facility, the Fund shall, in addition to interest charged on any borrowings made by the Fund and other costs incurred by the Fund, pay its share of fees and expenses incurred in connection with the implementation and maintenance of the Global Credit Facility, based upon its relative share of the aggregate net assets of all the Borrowers, including an annual commitment fee of 0.15% based upon the unused portion of the Global Credit Facility. These fees are reflected in the Statement of Operations. The Fund did not utilize the Global Credit Facility during the six months ended February 29, 2024.

10. Recent accounting pronouncement

In June 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) — Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions. The amendments in the ASU clarify that a contractual restriction on the sale of an equity

 

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security is not considered part of the unit of account of the equity security and, therefore, should not be considered in measuring fair value. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2023, with the option of early adoption. Management has reviewed the requirements and believes that the adoption of the ASU will not have a material impact on the financial statements.

11. Subsequent event

Effective May 1, 2024, the Fund’s name will be changed to ClearBridge Growth Fund.

 

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ClearBridge

Aggressive Growth Fund

 

Trustees

Andrew L. Breech

Stephen R. Gross

Susan M. Heilbron

Arnold L. Lehman

Robin J. W. Masters

Ken Miller

G. Peter O’Brien*

Chair

Thomas F. Schlafly

Jane Trust

Investment manager

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC**

Subadviser

ClearBridge Investments, LLC

Distributor

Franklin Distributors, LLC

Custodian

The Bank of New York Mellon

Transfer agent

Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC

3344 Quality Drive

Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-7313

Independent registered public accounting firm

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Baltimore, MD

 

*

Effective February 7, 2024, Mr. O’Brien became Chair of the Board.

**

Formerly known as Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC.

 

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund

The Fund is a separate investment series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Maryland statutory trust.

ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund

Legg Mason Funds

620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor

New York, NY 10018

 

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. To obtain information on Form N-PORT, shareholders can call the Fund at 877-6LM-FUND/656-3863.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the prior 12-month period ended June 30th of each year and a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies related to portfolio transactions are available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 877-6LM-FUND/656-3863, (2) at www.franklintempleton.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of ClearBridge Aggressive Growth Fund. This report is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors in the Fund unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

Investors should consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the Fund. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

www.franklintempleton.com

© 2024 Franklin Distributors, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.


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Franklin Templeton Funds Privacy and Security Notice

 

Your Privacy Is Our Priority

Franklin Templeton* is committed to safeguarding your personal information. This notice is designed to provide you with a summary of the non-public personal information Franklin Templeton may collect and maintain about current or former individual investors; our policy regarding the use of that information; and the measures we take to safeguard the information. We do not sell individual investors’ non-public personal information to anyone and only share it as described in this notice.

Information We Collect

 

When you invest with us, you provide us with your non-public personal information. We collect and use this information to service your accounts and respond to your requests. The non-public personal information we may collect falls into the following categories:

 

 

Information we receive from you or your financial intermediary on applications or other forms, whether we receive the form in writing or electronically. For example, this information may include your name, address, tax identification number, birth date, investment selection, beneficiary information, and your personal bank account information and/or email address if you have provided that information.

 

 

Information about your transactions and account history with us, or with other companies that are part of Franklin Templeton, including transactions you request on our website or in our app. This category also includes your communications to us concerning your investments.

 

 

Information we receive from third parties (for example, to update your address if you move, obtain or verify your email address or obtain additional information to verify your identity).

 

 

Information collected from you online, such as your IP address or device ID and data gathered from your browsing activity and location. (For example, we may use cookies to collect device and browser information so our website recognizes your online preferences and device information.) Our website contains more information about cookies and similar technologies and ways you may limit them.

 

 

Other general information that we may obtain about you such as demographic information.

Disclosure Policy

To better service your accounts and process transactions or services you requested, we may share non-public personal information with other Franklin Templeton companies. From time to time we may also send you information about products/services offered by other Franklin Templeton companies although we will not share your non-public personal information with these companies without first offering you the opportunity to prevent that sharing.

We will only share non-public personal information with outside parties in the limited circumstances permitted by law. For example, this includes situations where we need to share information with companies who work on our behalf to service or maintain your account or

 

NOT PART OF THE SEMI-ANNUAL  REPORT


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Franklin Templeton Funds Privacy and Security Notice (cont’d)

 

process transactions you requested, when the disclosure is to companies assisting us with our own marketing efforts, when the disclosure is to a party representing you, or when required by law (for example, in response to legal process). Additionally, we will ensure that any outside companies working on our behalf, or with whom we have joint marketing agreements, are under contractual obligations to protect the confidentiality of your information, and to use it only to provide the services we asked them to perform.

Confidentiality and Security

Our employees are required to follow procedures with respect to maintaining the confidentiality of our investors’ non-public personal information. Additionally, we maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect the information. This includes performing ongoing evaluations of our systems containing investor information and making changes when appropriate.

At all times, you may view our current privacy notice on our website at https://www.franklintempleton.com/help/privacy-policy or contact us for a copy at (800) 632-2301.

*For purposes of this privacy notice Franklin Templeton shall refer to the following entities:

Fiduciary Trust International of the South (FTIOS), as custodian for individual retirement plans Franklin Advisers, Inc.

Franklin Distributors, LLC, including as program manager of the Franklin Templeton 529 College Savings Plan and the NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan

Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC

Franklin, Templeton and Mutual Series Funds

Franklin Templeton Institutional, LLC

Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Canada

Franklin Templeton Investments Management, Limited UK

Legg Mason Funds

Templeton Asset Management, Limited

Templeton Global Advisors, Limited

Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC

If you are a customer of other Franklin Templeton affiliates and you receive notices from them, you will need to read those notices separately.

 

NOT PART OF THE SEMI-ANNUAL  REPORT


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www.franklintempleton.com

© 2024 Franklin Distributors, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.

FD02208 4/24 SR24-4844


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ITEM 2.

CODE OF ETHICS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 3.

AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 4.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 5.

AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 6.

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

Included herein under Item 1.

 

ITEM 7.

DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 8.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 9.

PURCHASES OF SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 10.

SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 11.

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

  (a)

The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a- 3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

  (b)

There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.


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ITEM 12.

DISCLOSURE OF SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 13.

RECOVERY OF ERRONEOUSLY AWARDED COMPENSATION.

 

  (a)

Not applicable.

 

  (b)

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 14.

EXHIBITS.

(a) (1) Not applicable.

Exhibit 99.CODE ETH

(a) (2) Certifications pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.CERT

(b) Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.906CERT

 


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, there unto duly authorized.

 

Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust
By:  

/s/ Jane Trust

  Jane Trust
  Chief Executive Officer
Date:   April 23, 2024

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By:  

/s/ Jane Trust

  Jane Trust
  Chief Executive Officer
Date:   April 23, 2024
By:  

/s/ Christopher Berarducci

  Christopher Berarducci
  Principal Financial Officer
Date:   April 23, 2024

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

CERTIFICATIONS 302

CERTIFICATIONS 906