This website is hosted by Axel Merk in his capacity as shareholder of ASA

Substantial Shareholder Costs

A history of imposing extraordinary costs on shareholders through conflict-driven governance

Imposed Millions in Costs on Shareholders

Over $9 million in extraordinary expenses were imposed on shareholders across fiscal 2024 and 2025 following allegations and governance disputes driven by Saba’s hand-picked directors.

The allegations used to justify why these actions were charged to the Fund were never proven. Additional background regarding these allegations and related governance disputes is available at the proxy campaign I ran last year at savasa.com/saba.

In addition, every service provider replacement increased ongoing costs to the Fund.

Back to: Undermining ASA: Saba's Conduct

If you are a shareholder, regulators should hear directly from you. File a complaint with the SEC to help ensure these actions receive immediate scrutiny before further harm occurs.

Saba is proposing to the Board that it hand-picked to repurpose ASA into a Saba-managed BDC-style investment vehicle with management fees and profit-sharing arrangements. File a complaint with the SEC to help protect ASA shareholders. As of this writing, ASA’s Board has not announced how it will proceed. The advisory agreement expires June 30. Shareholders need to act now.

Axel Merk owns over 300,000 shares of ASA Gold and Precious Metals Limited. He also serves as President and Chief Investment Officer of Merk Investments LLC, the Fund's investment adviser. He recently resigned as Chief Operating Officer of ASA.

The information presented on this website reflects the views and opinions of Axel Merk and is provided solely for educational and informational purposes. It does not constitute investment, legal, financial, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisors for guidance specific to your circumstances.

The plans of Saba and the Board are based on publicly disclosed information only and are therefore accordingly qualified in their entirety and subject to change.

This site and its content have not been approved by ASA Gold & Precious Metals Ltd. (the “Company”). The Company concentrates its investments in the gold and precious minerals sector, which may be more volatile than other industries and influenced by changes in commodity prices driven by international economic and political developments. The Company is a non-diversified fund, which may result in higher risk through reduced portfolio diversification. It may also invest in smaller-sized and foreign companies, which may be more volatile, less liquid, and subject to additional risks, including currency fluctuations. Shares of closed-end funds like ASA frequently trade at a discount to net asset value.

This website may include forward-looking statements that reflect the current expectations, estimates, beliefs, and projections of Axel Merk. These statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the author. Actual outcomes may differ materially from those discussed. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “should,” or similar expressions. These statements speak only as of the date made, and there is no obligation to update or revise them in light of future developments.

Nothing on this website constitutes an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. 

Certain links may direct users to third-party websites or filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These materials are provided solely for convenience and informational purposes and are not incorporated by reference into any proxy materials. No responsibility is taken for the accuracy or content of third-party sources. 

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