nvq
 
 
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM N-Q
QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY
Investment Company Act file number   811-22003                         
Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
     333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606     
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Kevin J. McCarthy—Vice President and Secretary
     333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606     
(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:      312-917-7700     
Date of fiscal year end:             12/31      
Date of reporting period:    9/30/2009   
Form N-Q is to be used by management investment companies, other than small business investment companies registered on Form N-5 (§§ 239.24 and 274.5 of this chapter), to file reports with the Commission, not later than 60 days after the close of the first and third fiscal quarters, pursuant to rule 30b1-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30b1-5). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-Q in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.
A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-Q, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-Q unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to the Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.
 
 

 


 

Item 1. Schedule of Investments
Portfolio of Investments (Unaudited)
Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund (JCE)
September 30, 2009
                             
Shares     Description (1)               Value  
 
 
       
Common Stocks – 97.5%
                   
 
       
Aerospace & Defense – 1.5%
 
 
                   
  1,500    
Boeing Company
              $ 81,225  
  700    
General Dynamics Corporation
                45,220  
  17,900    
Goodrich Corporation
                972,686  
  5,500    
Honeywell International Inc.
                204,325  
  1,000    
ITT Industries, Inc.
                52,150  
  10,200    
Lockheed Martin Corporation
                796,416  
  800    
Precision Castparts Corporation
                81,496  
  800    
Raytheon Company
                38,376  
  10,400    
Rockwell Collins, Inc.
                528,320  
  4,400    
United Technologies Corporation
                268,092  
 
 
Total Aerospace & Defense
                3,068,306  
   
 
 
                   
 
Air Freight & Logistics – 0.4%
 
 
                   
  5,500    
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
                317,625  
  7,800    
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.
                274,170  
  3,100    
United Parcel Service, Inc., Class B
                175,057  
 
 
Total Air Freight & Logistics
                766,852  
   
 
 
                   
 
Auto Components – 0.3%
 
 
                   
  36,100    
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, (2)
                614,783  
 
 
 
                   
 
Automobiles – 0.3%
 
 
                   
  78,100    
Ford Motor Company, (2)
                563,101  
  2,400    
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
                55,200  
 
 
Total Automobiles
                618,301  
   
 
 
                   
 
Beverages – 2.4%
 
 
                   
  900    
Brown-Forman Corporation
                43,398  
  33,700    
Coca-Cola Company
                1,809,690  
  41,500    
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.
                888,515  
  1,600    
Constellation Brands, Inc., Class A, (2)
                24,240  
  2,600    
Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, (2)
                74,750  
  13,600    
Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc.
                495,584  
  26,100    
PepsiCo, Inc.
                1,531,026  
 
 
Total Beverages
                4,867,203  
   
 
 
                   
 
Biotechnology – 1.0%
 
 
                   
  21,400    
Amgen Inc., (2)
                1,288,922  
  5,100    
Biogen Idec Inc., (2)
                257,652  
  2,400    
Celgene Corporation, (2)
                134,160  
  3,200    
Cephalon, Inc., (2)
                186,368  
  1,700    
Genzyme Corporation, (2)
                96,441  
  2,900    
Gilead Sciences, Inc., (2)
                135,082  
 
 
Total Biotechnology
                2,098,625  
   
 
 
                   
 
Building Products – 0.0%
 
 
                   
  2,600    
Masco Corporation
                33,592  
 
 
 
                   
 
Capital Markets – 2.9%
 
 
                   
  13,300    
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
                483,189  
  23,900    
Bank of New York Company, Inc.
                692,861  
  19,700    
Charles Schwab Corporation
                377,255  
  17,300    
Federated Investors Inc.
                456,201  
  1,800    
Franklin Resources, Inc.
                181,080  
  5,100    
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
                940,185  
  16,400    
Invesco LTD
                373,264  
  6,700    
Legg Mason, Inc.
                207,901  
  20,200    
Morgan Stanley
                623,776  
  6,500    
Northern Trust Corporation
                378,040  
  18,800    
State Street Corporation
                988,880  
  2,700    
T. Rowe Price Group Inc.
                123,390  
 
 
Total Capital Markets
                5,826,022  
   
 
 
                   
 
Chemicals – 0.7%
 
 
                   
  2,100    
Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
                162,918  
  1,400    
Airgas, Inc.
                67,718  
  600    
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.
                51,738  
  900    
E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
                28,926  
  7,800    
Ecolab Inc.
                360,594  
  1,600    
FMC Corporation
                90,000  
  3,800    
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
                144,134  
  2,000    
Monsanto Company
                154,800  
  2,700    
PPG Industries, Inc.
                157,167  
  3,000    
Praxair, Inc.
                245,070  
  800    
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation
                43,184  
 
 
Total Chemicals
                1,506,249  
   
 
 
                   
 
Commercial Banks – 2.5%
 
 
                   
  20,000    
BB&T Corporation
                544,800  
  8,700    
Comerica Incorporated
                258,129  
  30,800    
Fifth Third Bancorp.
                312,004  
  24,681    
First Horizon National Corporation, (2)
                326,534  
  51,300    
Huntington BancShares Inc.
                241,623  
  32,300    
KeyCorp.
                209,950  
  2,100    
M&T Bank Corporation
                130,872  
  34,900    
Marshall and Ilsley Corporation
                281,643  
  16,900    
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
                821,171  
  10,500    
Regions Financial Corporation
                65,205  
  13,400    
U.S. Bancorp
                292,924  
  51,350    
Wells Fargo & Company
                1,447,043  
  10,400    
Zions Bancorporation
                186,888  
 
 
Total Commercial Banks
                5,118,786  
   
 
 
                   
 
Commercial Services & Supplies – 1.3%
 
 
                   
  14,900    
Cintas Corporation
                451,619  
  26,900    
Iron Mountain Inc., (2)
                717,154  
  4,500    
Pitney Bowes Inc.
                111,825  
  335    
Republic Services, Inc.
                8,901  
  1,200    
Stericycle Inc., (2)
                58,140  
  41,100    
Waste Management, Inc.
                1,225,602  
 
 
Total Commercial Services & Supplies
                2,573,241  
   
 
 
                   
 
Communications Equipment – 2.3%
 
 
                   
  13,500    
Ciena Corporation, (2)
                219,780  
  98,100    
Cisco Systems, Inc., (2)
                2,309,274  
  33,200    
JDS Uniphase Corporation, (2)
                236,052  
  6,100    
Juniper Networks Inc., (2)
                164,822  
  39,100    
Motorola, Inc.
                335,869  
  24,800    
QUALCOMM, Inc.
                1,115,504  
  33,900    
Tellabs Inc., (2)
                234,588  
 
 
Total Communications Equipment
                4,615,889  
   
 
 
                   
 
Computers & Peripherals – 4.2%
 
 
                   
  8,700    
Apple, Inc., (2)
                1,612,719  
  24,000    
EMC Corporation, (2)
                408,960  
  47,400    
Hewlett-Packard Company
                2,237,754  
  24,500    
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
                2,930,445  
  7,700    
Network Appliance Inc., (2)
                205,436  
  14,100    
SanDisk Corporation, (2)
                305,970  
  41,200    
Sun Microsystems Inc., (2)
                374,508  
  4,000    
Teradata Corporation, (2)
                110,080  
  12,700    
Western Digital Corporation, (2)
                463,931  
 
 
Total Computers & Peripherals
                8,649,803  
   
 
 
                   
 
Construction & Engineering – 0.4%
 
 
                   
  10,300    
Fluor Corporation
                523,755  
  6,300    
Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., (2)
                289,485  
  500    
Quanta Services Incorporated, (2)
                11,065  
 
 
Total Construction & Engineering
                824,305  
   
 
 
                   
 
Construction Materials – 0.0%
 
 
                   
  1,800    
Vulcan Materials Company
                97,326  
 
 
 
                   
 
Consumer Finance – 0.7%
 
 
                   
  12,400    
American Express Company
                420,360  
  12,300    
Capital One Financial Corporation
                439,479  
  21,500    
Discover Financial Services
                348,945  
  24,800    
SLM Corporation, (2)
                216,256  
 
 
Total Consumer Finance
                1,425,040  
   
 
 
                   
 
Containers & Packaging – 0.7%
 
 
                   
  14,100    
Ball Corporation
                693,720  
  10,200    
Bemis Company, Inc.
                264,282  
  6,900    
Owens-Illinois, Inc., (2)
                254,610  
  3,200    
Pactiv Corporation, (2)
                83,360  
  6,600    
Sealed Air Corporation
                129,558  
 
 
Total Containers & Packaging
                1,425,530  
   
 
 
                   
 
Distributors – 0.2%
 
 
                   
  12,700    
Genuine Parts Company
                483,362  
 
 
 
                   
 
Diversified Consumer Services – 0.1%
 
 
                   
  10,100    
H & R Block Inc.
                185,638  
 
 
 
                   
 
Diversified Financial Services – 2.6%
 
 
                   
  50,600    
Bank of America Corporation
                856,152  
  33,600    
Citigroup Inc.
                162,624  
  2,200    
CME Group, Inc.
                678,018  
  4,600    
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., (2)
                447,074  
  36,005    
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
                1,577,739  
  25,400    
Moody’s Corporation
                519,684  
  15,400    
Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., (2)
                324,170  
  22,900    
New York Stock Exchange Euronext
                661,581  
 
 
Total Diversified Financial Services
                5,227,042  
   
 
 
                   
 
Diversified Telecommunication Services – 5.0%
 
 
                   
  241,900    
AT&T Inc.
                6,533,719  
  19,128    
CenturyTel, Inc.
                642,701  
  142,600    
Qwest Communications International Inc.
                543,306  
  76,900    
Verizon Communications Inc.
                2,327,763  
  4,900    
Windstream Corporation
                49,637  
 
 
Total Diversified Telecommunication Services
                10,097,126  
   
 
 
                   
 
Electric Utilities – 2.6%
 
 
                   
  6,400    
American Electric Power Company, Inc.
                198,336  
  16,900    
Duke Energy Corporation
                266,006  
  1,200    
Entergy Corporation
                95,832  
  25,800    
FPL Group, Inc.
                1,424,934  
  32,900    
Northeast Utilities
                781,046  
  20,100    
Pinnacle West Capital Corporation
                659,682  
  7,400    
PPL Corporation
                224,516  
  24,400    
Progress Energy, Inc.
                953,064  
  21,000    
Southern Company
                665,070  
 
 
Total Electric Utilities
                5,268,486  
   
 
 
                   
 
Electrical Equipment – 0.3%
 
 
                   
  2,700    
Emerson Electric Company
                108,216  
  9,600    
Rockwell Automation, Inc.
                408,960  
 
 
Total Electrical Equipment
                517,176  
   
 
 
                   
 
Electronic Equipment & Instruments – 0.3%
 
 
                   
  39,500    
Corning Incorporated
                604,745  
  1,300    
Molex Inc.
                27,144  
 
 
Total Electronic Equipment & Instruments
                631,889  
   
 
 
                   
 
Energy Equipment & Services – 0.7%
 
 
                   
  3,100    
BJ Services Company
                60,233  
  1,100    
Cooper Cameron Corporation, (2)
                41,602  
  200    
Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.
                19,104  
  2,400    
FMC Technologies Inc., (2)
                125,376  
  10,300    
National-Oilwell Varco Inc., (2)
                444,239  
  10,300    
Schlumberger Limited
                613,880  
  900    
Smith International, Inc.
                25,830  
 
 
Total Energy Equipment & Services
                1,330,264  
   
 
 
                   
 
Food & Staples Retailing – 2.4%
 
 
                   
  6,400    
CVS Caremark Corporation
                228,736  
  51,400    
Kroger Co.
                1,060,896  
  2,000    
Safeway Inc.
                39,440  
  3,600    
SUPERVALU INC.
                54,216  
  16,300    
Sysco Corporation
                405,055  
  6,000    
Walgreen Co.
                224,820  
  51,900    
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
                2,547,771  
  13,400    
Whole Foods Market, Inc., (2)
                408,566  
 
 
Total Food & Staples Retailing
                4,969,500  
   
 
 
                   
 
Food Products – 3.1%
 
 
                   
  9,300    
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
                271,746  
  2,900    
Campbell Soup Company
                94,598  
  1,800    
ConAgra Foods, Inc.
                39,024  
  3,600    
Dean Foods Company, (2)
                64,044  
  16,600    
General Mills, Inc.
                1,068,708  
  14,100    
H.J. Heinz Company
                560,475  
  24,200    
Hershey Foods Corporation
                940,412  
  10,800    
Hormel Foods Corporation
                383,616  
  8,100    
JM Smucker Company
                429,381  
  15,000    
Kellogg Company
                738,450  
  60,100    
Kraft Foods Inc.
                1,578,827  
  1,800    
Sara Lee Corporation
                20,052  
  14,100    
Tyson Foods, Inc., Class A
                178,083  
 
 
Total Food Products
                6,367,416  
   
 
 
                   
 
Gas Utilities – 0.4%
 
 
                   
  16,200    
EQT Corporation
                690,120  
  4,100    
Questar Corporation
                153,996  
 
 
Total Gas Utilities
                844,116  
   
 
 
                   
 
Health Care Equipment & Supplies – 0.5%
 
 
                   
  13,300    
Baxter International, Inc.
                758,233  
  600    
Becton, Dickinson and Company
                41,850  
  5,000    
Boston Scientific Corporation, (2)
                52,950  
  600    
C. R. Bard, Inc.
                47,166  
  300    
DENTSPLY International Inc.
                10,362  
  1,800    
Stryker Corporation
                81,774  
  900    
Varian Medical Systems, Inc., (2)
                37,917  
 
 
Total Health Care Equipment & Supplies
                1,030,252  
   
 
 
                   
 
Health Care Providers & Services – 2.3%
 
 
                   
  1,500    
Aetna Inc.
                41,745  
  12,400    
AmerisourceBergen Corporation
                277,512  
  7,300    
CIGNA Corporation
                205,057  
  4,100    
Coventry Health Care, Inc., (2)
                81,836  
  5,200    
Davita Inc., (2)
                294,528  
  1,300    
Express Scripts, Inc., (2)
                100,854  
  9,000    
Humana Inc., (2)
                335,700  
  11,600    
Medco Health Solutions, Inc., (2)
                641,596  
  17,700    
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
                923,763  
  31,800    
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
                796,272  
  19,100    
Wellpoint Inc., (2)
                904,576  
 
 
Total Health Care Providers & Services
                4,603,439  
   
 
 
                   
 
Health Care Technology – 0.0%
 
 
                   
  2,100    
IMS Health Incorporated
                32,235  
 
 
 
                   
 
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure – 3.1%
 
 
                   
  4,900    
Carnival Corporation
                163,072  
  21,200    
Darden Restaurants, Inc.
                723,556  
  40,200    
International Game Technology
                863,496  
  16,032    
Marriott International, Inc., Class A
                442,317  
  39,100    
McDonald’s Corporation
                2,231,437  
  35,100    
Starbucks Corporation, (2)
                724,815  
  3,200    
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
                105,696  
  10,300    
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
                168,096  
  3,800    
Wynn Resorts Ltd, (2)
                269,382  
  17,000    
YUM! Brands, Inc.
                573,920  
 
 
Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure
                6,265,787  
   
 
 
                   
 
Household Durables – 0.5%
 
 
                   
  19,600    
D.R. Horton, Inc.
                223,636  
  1,100    
Harman International Industries Inc.
                37,268  
  11,700    
KB Home
                194,337  
  2,600    
Leggett and Platt Inc.
                50,440  
  18,800    
Lennar Corporation, Class A
                267,900  
  19,192    
Pulte Corporation, (2)
                210,920  
 
 
Total Household Durables
                984,501  
   
 
 
                   
 
Household Products – 3.5%
 
 
                   
  14,600    
Clorox Company
                858,772  
  11,300    
Colgate-Palmolive Company
                861,964  
  10,600    
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
                625,188  
  81,300    
Procter & Gamble Company
                4,708,896  
 
 
Total Household Products
                7,054,820  
   
 
 
                   
 
Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders – 0.2%
 
 
                   
  9,700    
AES Corporation, (2)
                143,754  
  6,000    
Constellation Energy Group
                194,220  
 
 
Total Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders
                337,974  
   
 
 
                   
 
Industrial Conglomerates – 1.7%
 
 
                   
  7,300    
3M Co.
                538,740  
  173,700    
General Electric Company
                2,852,154  
 
 
Total Industrial Conglomerates
                3,390,894  
   
 
 
                   
 
Insurance – 3.3%
 
 
                   
  3,600    
AFLAC Incorporated
                153,864  
  3,000    
American International Group, (2)
                132,330  
  9,400    
Chubb Corporation
                473,854  
  29,900    
Cincinnati Financial Corporation
                777,101  
  10,500    
Genworth Financial Inc., Class A
                125,475  
  13,900    
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
                368,350  
  16,700    
Lincoln National Corporation
                432,697  
  20,600    
Loews Corporation
                705,550  
  1,700    
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
                42,041  
  6,500    
MBIA Inc., (2)
                50,440  
  18,200    
MetLife, Inc.
                692,874  
  7,300    
Principal Financial Group, Inc.
                199,947  
  26,100    
Progressive Corporation, (2)
                432,738  
  15,200    
Prudential Financial, Inc.
                758,632  
  2,000    
Torchmark Corporation
                86,860  
  15,800    
Travelers Companies, Inc.
                777,834  
  6,500    
Unum Group
                139,360  
  20,200    
XL Capital Ltd, Class A
                352,692  
 
 
Total Insurance
                6,702,639  
   
 
 
                   
 
Internet & Catalog Retail – 0.6%
 
 
                   
  7,200    
Amazon.com, Inc., (2)
                672,192  
  21,700    
Expedia, Inc., (2)
                519,715  
 
 
Total Internet & Catalog Retail
                1,191,907  
   
 
 
                   
 
Internet Software & Services – 1.0%
 
 
                   
  24,500    
Akamai Technologies, Inc., (2)
                482,160  
  6,700    
eBay Inc., (2)
                158,187  
  2,000    
Google Inc., Class A, (2)
                991,700  
  2,700    
VeriSign, Inc., (2)
                63,963  
  21,300    
Yahoo! Inc., (2)
                379,353  
 
 
Total Internet Software & Services
                2,075,363  
   
 
 
                   
 
IT Services – 2.3%
 
 
                   
  6,600    
Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., (2)
                357,522  
  42,700    
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
                1,678,110  
  11,600    
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, Class A, (2)
                448,456  
  10,600    
Computer Sciences Corporation, (2)
                558,726  
  9,400    
Convergys Corporation, (2)
                93,436  
  6,900    
Fidelity National Information Services
                176,019  
  6,800    
Fiserv, Inc., (2)
                327,760  
  1,600    
MasterCard, Inc.
                323,440  
  14,000    
Paychex, Inc.
                406,700  
  20,900    
Total System Services Inc.
                336,699  
  2,800    
Western Union Company
                52,976  
 
 
Total IT Services
                4,759,844  
   
 
 
                   
 
Leisure Equipment & Products – 0.0%
 
 
                   
  3,100    
Mattel, Inc.
                57,226  
 
 
 
                   
 
Life Sciences Tools & Services – 0.0%
 
 
                   
  900    
Life Technologies Corporation, (2)
                41,895  
 
 
 
                   
 
Machinery – 0.7%
 
 
                   
  900    
Caterpillar Inc.
                46,197  
  700    
Cummins Inc.
                31,367  
  12,300    
Deere & Company
                527,916  
  2,000    
Dover Corporation
                77,520  
  300    
Flowserve Corporation
                29,562  
  7,000    
Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
                298,970  
  2,800    
PACCAR Inc.
                105,588  
  1,400    
Parker Hannifin Corporation
                72,576  
  4,100    
Stanley Works
                175,029  
 
 
Total Machinery
                1,364,725  
   
 
 
                   
 
Media – 2.6%
 
 
                   
  1,200    
CBS Corporation, Class B
                14,460  
  122,300    
Comcast Corporation, Class A
                2,065,647  
  31,200    
DIRECTV Group, Inc., (2)
                860,496  
  14,600    
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
                367,044  
  6,900    
Meredith Corporation
                206,586  
  21,800    
News Corporation, Class A
                261,382  
  1,200    
Omnicom Group, Inc.
                44,328  
  1,200    
Time Warner Cable, Class A
                51,708  
  6,066    
Time Warner Inc.
                174,579  
  26,500    
Viacom Inc., Class B, (2)
                743,060  
  22,500    
Walt Disney Company
                617,850  
 
 
Total Media
                5,407,140  
   
 
 
                   
 
Metals & Mining – 1.0%
 
 
                   
  1,900    
AK Steel Holding Corporation
                37,487  
  14,500    
Allegheny Technologies, Inc.
                507,355  
  7,100    
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc.
                487,131  
  6,700    
Newmont Mining Corporation
                294,934  
  14,400    
Nucor Corporation
                676,944  
 
 
Total Metals & Mining
                2,003,851  
   
 
 
                   
 
Multiline Retail – 0.8%
 
 
                   
  4,300    
Family Dollar Stores, Inc.
                113,520  
  5,300    
Federated Department Stores, Inc.
                96,937  
  4,200    
J.C. Penney Company, Inc.
                141,750  
  17,200    
Kohl’s Corporation, (2)
                981,260  
  7,500    
Nordstrom, Inc.
                229,050  
  2,700    
Target Corporation
                126,036  
 
 
Total Multiline Retail
                1,688,553  
   
 
 
                   
 
Multi-Utilities – 3.9%
 
 
                   
  9,400    
Ameren Corporation
                237,632  
  37,800    
CMS Energy Corporation
                506,520  
  48,400    
Consolidated Edison, Inc.
                1,981,496  
  12,700    
DTE Energy Company
                446,278  
  300    
Integrys Energy Group, Inc.
                10,767  
  29,300    
PG&E Corporation
                1,186,357  
  6,500    
Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated
                204,360  
  19,400    
Scana Corporation
                677,060  
  14,600    
Sempra Energy
                727,226  
  1,200    
TECO Energy, Inc.
                16,896  
  16,000    
Wisconsin Energy Corporation
                722,720  
  66,100    
Xcel Energy, Inc.
                1,271,764  
 
 
Total Multi-Utilities
                7,989,076  
   
 
 
                   
 
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels – 10.1%
 
 
                   
  6,100    
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
                382,653  
  600    
Apache Corporation
                55,098  
  13,100    
Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation
                468,325  
  7,200    
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
                204,480  
  51,600    
Chevron Corporation
                3,634,188  
  13,300    
ConocoPhillips
                600,628  
  6,300    
CONSOL Energy Inc.
                284,193  
  27,700    
Denbury Resources Inc., (2)
                419,101  
  400    
Devon Energy Corporation
                26,932  
  2,500    
El Paso Corporation
                25,800  
  2,500    
EOG Resources, Inc.
                208,775  
  153,700    
Exxon Mobil Corporation
                10,545,357  
  900    
Hess Corporation
                48,114  
  7,600    
Marathon Oil Corporation
                242,440  
  4,700    
Massey Energy Company
                131,083  
  1,700    
Murphy Oil Corporation
                97,869  
  12,200    
Occidental Petroleum Corporation
                956,480  
  9,900    
Peabody Energy Corporation
                368,478  
  700    
Pioneer Natural Resources Company
                25,403  
  8,200    
Range Resources Corporation
                404,752  
  10,900    
Southwestern Energy Company, (2)
                465,212  
  5,700    
Sunoco, Inc.
                162,165  
  18,600    
Tesoro Corporation
                278,628  
  8,100    
Valero Energy Corporation
                157,059  
  2,100    
Williams Companies, Inc.
                37,527  
  8,500    
XTO Energy, Inc.
                351,220  
 
 
Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels
                20,581,960  
   
 
 
                   
 
Pharmaceuticals – 8.2%
 
 
                   
  33,700    
Abbott Laboratories
                1,667,139  
  8,100    
Allergan, Inc.
                459,756  
  104,200    
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
                2,346,584  
  2,200    
Eli Lilly and Company
                72,666  
  9,200    
Forest Laboratories, Inc., (2)
                270,848  
  72,600    
Johnson & Johnson
                4,420,614  
  4,500    
King Pharmaceuticals Inc., (2)
                48,465  
  54,300    
Merck & Co. Inc.
                1,717,509  
  39,800    
Mylan Laboratories Inc., (2)
                637,198  
  115,400    
Pfizer Inc.
                1,909,870  
  56,900    
Schering-Plough Corporation
                1,607,425  
  7,000    
Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., (2)
                256,480  
  27,300    
Wyeth
                1,326,234  
 
 
Total Pharmaceuticals
                16,740,788  
   
 
 
                   
 
Professional Services – 0.2%
 
 
                   
  2,200    
Dun and Bradstreet Inc.
                165,704  
  8,300    
Monster Worldwide Inc., (2)
                145,084  
  4,000    
Robert Half International Inc.
                100,080  
 
 
Total Professional Services
                410,868  
   
 
 
                   
 
Real Estate – 0.6%
 
 
                   
  422    
AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
                30,692  
  1,200    
Equity Residential
                36,840  
  12,600    
Health Care Property Investors Inc.
                362,124  
  16,600    
Host Hotels & Resorts Inc.
                195,382  
  1,200    
Plum Creek Timber Company
                36,768  
  6,500    
Public Storage, Inc.
                489,060  
  319    
Simon Property Group, Inc.
                22,148  
  2,500    
Ventas Inc.
                96,250  
  180    
Vornado Realty Trust
                11,594  
 
 
Total Real Estate
                1,280,858  
   
 
 
                   
 
Real Estate Management & Development – 0.2%
 
 
                   
  26,900    
CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc., Class A, (2)
                315,806  
 
 
 
                   
 
Road & Rail – 0.4%
 
 
                   
  5,300    
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation
                423,099  
  5,300    
Norfolk Southern Corporation
                228,483  
  3,600    
Union Pacific Corporation
                210,060  
 
 
Total Road & Rail
                861,642  
   
 
 
                   
 
Semiconductors & Equipment – 2.3%
 
 
                   
  53,900    
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., (2)
                305,074  
  8,100    
Altera Corporation
                166,131  
  2,000    
Analog Devices, Inc.
                55,160  
  24,100    
Broadcom Corporation, Class A, (2)
                739,629  
  43,600    
Intel Corporation
                853,252  
  5,200    
KLA-Tencor Corporation
                186,472  
  6,200    
Linear Technology Corporation
                171,306  
  14,000    
MEMC Electronic Materials, (2)
                232,820  
  49,200    
Micron Technology, Inc., (2)
                403,440  
  15,800    
Novellus Systems, Inc., (2)
                331,484  
  45,000    
NVIDIA Corporation, (2)
                676,350  
  16,500    
Teradyne Inc., (2)
                152,625  
  2,400    
Texas Instruments Incorporated
                56,856  
  15,600    
Xilinx, Inc.
                365,352  
 
 
Total Semiconductors & Equipment
                4,695,951  
   
 
 
                   
 
Software – 3.2%
 
 
                   
  1,200    
Adobe Systems Incorporated, (2)
                39,648  
  26,200    
BMC Software, Inc., (2)
                983,286  
  6,800    
CA Inc.
                149,532  
  7,000    
Citrix Systems, (2)
                274,610  
  26,600    
Intuit, Inc., (2)
                758,100  
  8,200    
McAfee Inc., (2)
                359,078  
  43,400    
Microsoft Corporation
                1,123,626  
  99,100    
Oracle Corporation
                2,065,244  
  7,500    
Red Hat, Inc., (2)
                207,300  
  2,300    
Salesforce.com, Inc., (2)
                130,939  
  25,000    
Symantec Corporation, (2)
                411,750  
 
 
Total Software
                6,503,113  
   
 
 
                   
 
Specialty Retail – 3.2%
 
 
                   
  2,900    
Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Class A
                95,352  
  13,500    
AutoNation Inc., (2)
                244,080  
  5,900    
AutoZone, Inc., (2)
                862,698  
  10,800    
Bed Bath and Beyond Inc., (2)
                405,432  
  14,800    
Best Buy Co., Inc.
                555,296  
  11,200    
Gap, Inc.
                239,680  
  43,900    
Home Depot, Inc.
                1,169,496  
  22,100    
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
                462,774  
  48,300    
Office Depot, Inc., (2)
                319,746  
  29,800    
O’Reilly Automotive Inc., (2)
                1,076,972  
  5,900    
RadioShack Corporation
                97,763  
  9,400    
Sherwin-Williams Company
                565,504  
  9,500    
Staples, Inc.
                220,590  
  2,900    
TJX Companies, Inc.
                107,735  
 
 
Total Specialty Retail
                6,423,118  
   
 
 
                   
 
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods – 0.3%
 
 
                   
  5,700    
Coach, Inc.
                187,644  
  3,800    
Nike, Inc., Class B
                245,860  
  2,200    
VF Corporation
                159,346  
 
 
Total Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods
                592,850  
   
 
 
                   
 
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance – 0.4%
 
 
                   
  22,400    
Hudson City Bancorp, Inc.
                294,560  
  38,500    
People’s United Financial, Inc.
                599,060  
 
 
Total Thrifts & Mortgage Finance
                893,620  
   
 
 
                   
 
Tobacco – 0.8%
 
 
                   
  23,800    
Altria Group, Inc.
                423,878  
  3,600    
Lorillard Inc.
                267,480  
  16,100    
Philip Morris International
                784,714  
  1,500    
Reynolds American Inc.
                66,780  
 
 
Total Tobacco
                1,542,852  
   
 
 
                   
 
Trading Companies & Distributors – 0.3%
 
 
                   
  2,100    
Fastenal Company
                81,270  
  6,900    
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
                616,584  
 
 
Total Trading Companies & Distributors
                697,854  
   
 
 
                   
 
Wireless Telecommunication Services – 0.0%
 
 
                   
  1,600    
Metropcs Communications Inc., (2)
                14,976  
  17,400    
Sprint Nextel Corporation, (2)
                68,730  
 
 
Total Wireless Telecommunication Services
                83,706  
   
 
Total Common Stocks (cost $179,263,665)
                198,658,975  
   
                             
Principal                        
Amount (000)     Description (1)   Coupon   Maturity   Ratings (3)   Value  
 
 
 
                   
        Short-Term Investments – 4.6%
 
 
                   
 
U.S. Government and Agency Obligations – 3.0%
                   
 
 
                   
$ 6,000    
U.S. Treasury Bills (4)
  0.000%   10/15/09   AAA   $ 5,999,958  
 
 
 
                   
 
Repurchase Agreements – 1.6%
                   
 
 
                   
  3,351    
Repurchase Agreement with State Street Bank, dated 09/30/09, repurchase price $3,351,298, collateralized by $3,425,000 U.S. Treasury Bills, 0.000%, due 3/11/10, value $3,422,603
  0.010%   10/01/09   N/A     3,351,297  
 
$ 9,351    
Total Short-Term Investments (cost $9,350,935)
                9,351,255  
 
 
Total Investments (cost $188,614,600) – 102.1%
                208,010,230  
   
                             
Number of         Notional   Expiration   Strike      
Contracts     Type   Amount (5)   Date   Price   Value  
 
 
 
                   
 
Call Options Written – (0.3)%
                   
 
 
                   
  (455,953 )  
Custom Basket 1 NASDAQ
  $  (45,595,273)   10/22/09   $105.0   $ (331,341 )
  (441,137 )  
Custom Basket 2 NASDAQ
  (44,113,745)   10/29/09   105.0     (350,748 )
 
  (897,090 )  
Total Call Options Written (premiums received $592,672)
  (89,709,018)             (682,089 )
 
 
Other Assets Less Liabilities – (1.8)%
                (3,588,694 )
   
 
Net Assets – 100%
              $ 203,739,447  
   
Investments in Derivatives
Futures Contracts outstanding at September 30, 2009:
                                         
                                    Unrealized  
    Contract     Number     Contract           Appreciation  
Type   Position     of Contracts     Expiration     Value     (Depreciation)  
 
S&P 500 Index
  Long       125       12/09       $6,580,625       $154,313  
 
Fair Value Measurements
In determining the value of the Fund’s investments various inputs are used. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:
Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2 – Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs (including management’s assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
The following is a summary of the Fund’s fair value measurements as of September 30, 2009:
                                 
    Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total  
 
 
Investments:
                               
Common Stocks
  $ 198,658,975     $     $     $ 198,658,975  
Short-Term Investments
    9,351,255                   9,351,255  
Call Options Written
          (682,089 )           (682,089 )  
Derivatives:
                               
Futures Contracts*
    154,313                   154,313  
 
Total
  $ 208,164,543     $ (682,089 )   $     $ 207,482,454  
 
* Represents net unrealized appreciation (depreciation).
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
During the current fiscal period, the Fund adopted amendments to authoritative guidance under GAAP on disclosures about derivative instruments and hedging activities. This guidance is intended to enhance financial statement disclosures for derivative instruments and hedging activities and enable investors to understand: a) how and why a fund uses derivative instruments; b) how derivative instruments are accounted for; and c) how derivative instruments affect a fund's financial position, results of operations and cash flows, if any. The Fund records derivative instruments at fair value with changes in fair value recognized on the Statement of Operations, when applicable. Even though the Fund's investments in derivatives may represent economic hedges, under this guidance they are considered to be non-hedge transactions for financial reporting purposes.
The table below presents the fair value of all derivative instruments held by the Fund as of September 30, 2009, the location of these instruments on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, and the primary underlying risk exposure.
                                       
            Location on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Underlying   Derivative     Asset Derivatives     Liability Derivatives
Risk Exposure   Instrument     Location     Value     Location     Value
 
Equity Price
  Options         $     Call options written, at value   $ 682,089
 
Equity Price
  Futures contracts     Receivable for variation
margin on futures
contracts*
    154,313            
 
Total
                  $ 154,313             $ 682,089
 
* Value represents cumulative appreciation (depreciation) of futures contracts as reported in the Portfolio of Investments and not the deposits    with brokers, if any, or the receivable or payable for variation margin presented on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.
Income Tax Information
The following information is presented on an income tax basis. Differences between amounts for financial statement and federal income tax purposes are primarily due to timing differences in recognizing certain gains and losses on investment transactions and the recognition of unrealized gain or loss for tax (mark-to-market) on futures contracts. To the extent that differences arise that are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities presented in the annual report, based on their federal tax basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassification. Temporary and permanent differences do not impact the net asset value of the Fund.
At September 30, 2009, the cost of investments (excluding call options written) was $194,618,779.
Gross unrealized appreciation and gross unrealized depreciation of investments (excluding call options written) at September 30, 2009, were as follows:
         
 
 
       
Gross unrealized:
       
Appreciation
  $ 25,898,746  
Depreciation
    (12,507,295 )
 
       
 
 
       
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments
  $ 13,391,451  
 
       
 
     
 (1)  
All percentages shown in the Portfolio of Investments are based on net assets.
   
 
 (2)  
Non-income producing; issuer has not declared a dividend within the past twelve months.
   
 
 (3)  
Ratings: Using the higher of Standard & Poor’s Group (“Standard & Poor’s”) or Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) rating. Rating below BBB by Standard & Poor’s or Baa by Moody’s are considered to be below investment grade.
   
 
 (4)  
Investment, or portion of investment, has been pledged to collateralize the net payment obligations for call options written and investments in derivatives.
   
 
 (5)  
For disclosure purposes, Notional Amount is calculated by multiplying the Number of Contracts by $100.
   
 
N/A  
Not applicable.


 

Item 2. Controls and Procedures.
  a.   The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, 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”) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) 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 controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and Rule 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15(b)).
 
  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 (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the registrant’s last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 3. Exhibits.
File as exhibits as part of this Form a separate certification for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)), exactly as set forth below: EX-99 CERT Attached hereto.

 


 

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, thereunto duly authorized.
(Registrant)           Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund          
         
     
By (Signature and Title)  /s/ Kevin J. McCarthy    
  Kevin J. McCarthy  
  Vice President and Secretary   
 
Date November 27, 2009
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 (Signature and Title)  /s/ Gifford R. Zimmerman    
  Gifford R. Zimmerman   
  Chief Administrative Officer (principal executive officer)   
 
Date November 27, 2009
         
     
By (Signature and Title)  /s/ Stephen D. Foy    
  Stephen D. Foy   
  Vice President and Controller (principal financial officer)   
 
Date November 27, 2009