Virtus Total Return Fund IncNYSE: ZTR

Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. Discloses Sources of Distribution – Section 19(a) Notice

· Issued by Virtus Total Return Fund Inc via Business Wire

Summary by 6ix AI

Virtus Total Return Fund Inc., a closed-end fund, estimated that its $0.055 per share monthly distribution, announced on September 2, 2026, comes 100.0% from net realized long-term capital gains, with no return of capital. The distribution is payable October 29, 2026; the ex-date and record date is October 13, 2026.

Key details

  • For the fiscal year to date (the fiscal year started December 1, 2025), distributions total an estimated $0.575 per share: $0.160 (27.9%) from net investment income (the fund's investment income after expenses), $0.125 (21.7%) from net realized short-term capital gains and $0.290 (50.4%) from net realized long-term capital gains, with $0.000 return of capital.
  • As of September 30, 2026, the fund's 5-year average annual total return on net asset value (NAV, the per-share value of the fund's holdings, not its market price) was 6.38%, and its fiscal year-to-date cumulative total return on NAV was 1.36%.
  • As of September 30, 2026, the annualized current distribution rate was 9.73% of NAV and the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution rate was 7.67% of NAV.
  • Under its Managed Distribution Plan, the fund seeks to keep a consistent distribution level; if net investment income and net realized capital gains are less than the distribution, the difference is paid from the fund's assets as a return of shareholders' capital.

What’s still pending

  • The amounts and sources are estimates only and are not for tax reporting; actual amounts and sources for tax purposes will depend on the fund's investment experience for the rest of its fiscal year and may change based on tax regulations.
  • Shareholders will receive a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year stating what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.

6ix AI wrote this summary from the release below and checked it against the release.

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. (NYSE: ZTR) previously announced the following monthly distribution on September 2, 2026:

Ticker

Amount of Distribution

Ex-Date/Record Date

Payable Date

ZTR

$0.055

October 13, 2026

October 29, 2026

Under the terms of its Managed Distribution Plan, the Fund will seek to maintain a consistent distribution level that may be paid, in part or in full, from net investment income and realized capital gains, or a combination thereof. Shareholders should note, however, that if the Fund's aggregate net investment income and net realized capital gains are less than the amount of the distribution level, the difference will be distributed from the Fund's assets and will constitute a return of shareholders’ capital. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund’s investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund’s Managed Distribution Plan.

The Fund provided this estimate of the sources of the distributions:

Distribution Estimates

October 2026 (MTD)

Fiscal Year-to-Date

(YTD) (1)

(Sources)

Per Share

Amount

Percentage

of Current

Distribution

Per Share

Amount

Percentage

of Current

Distribution

Net Investment Income

$

0.000

0.0

%

$

0.160

27.9

%

Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains

0.000

0.0

%

0.125

21.7

%

Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains

0.055

100.0

%

0.290

50.4

%

Return of Capital (or other Capital Source)

0.000

0.0

%

0.000

0.0

%

Total Distribution

$

0.055

100.0

%

$

0.575

100.0

%

(1) Fiscal year started December 1, 2025.

Information regarding the Fund’s performance and distribution rates is set forth below. Please note that all performance figures are based on the Fund’s net asset value (NAV) and not the market price of the Fund’s shares. Performance figures are not meant to represent individual shareholder performance.

September 30, 2026

Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5-year period (2)

6.38

%

Annualized Current Distribution Rate (3)

9.73

%

Fiscal YTD Cumulative Total Return on NAV (4)

1.36

%

Fiscal YTD Cumulative Distribution Rate (5)

7.67

%

(2)

Average Annual Total Return on NAV is the annual compound return for the five-year period. It reflects the change in the Fund’s NAV and reinvestment of all distributions.

(3)

Annualized Current Distribution Rate is the current distribution rate annualized as a percentage of the Fund's NAV at month end.

(4)

Fiscal YTD Cumulative Total Return on NAV is the percentage change in the Fund's NAV from the first day of the fiscal year to this month end, including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of those distributions.

(5)

Fiscal YTD Cumulative Distribution Rate is the dollar value of distributions from the first day of the fiscal year to this month end as a percentage of the Fund's NAV at month end.

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are estimates only and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the distributions for tax purposes will depend on the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund or your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.

About the Fund

Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. is a diversified closed-end fund whose investment objective is capital appreciation, with income as a secondary objective. Virtus Investment Advisers, LLC, a registered investment adviser and an affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., is the investment adviser and Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. and Newfleet Asset Management are the subadvisers to the Fund.

For more information on the Fund, contact shareholder services at (866) 270-7788, by email at [email protected], or through the Closed-End Funds section of virtus.com.

Fund Risks

An investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. A fund’s shares may be worth less upon their sale than what an investor paid for them. Shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV. For more information about the Fund’s investment objective and risks, please see the Fund’s annual report. A copy of the Fund’s most recent annual report can be accessed through the Closed-End Funds section of virtus.com and may be obtained free of charge by contacting “Shareholder Services” as set forth at the bottom of this press release.

About Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. pursues investment strategies with exceptional depth of resources and expertise. With more than 35 years of experience managing investment portfolios, Duff & Phelps has earned a reputation as a leader in investing in global listed infrastructure, global listed real estate, clean energy, and diversified real assets in institutional separate accounts and open- and closed-end funds. For more information, visit dpimc.com.

About Newfleet Asset Management

Newfleet Asset Management provides comprehensive fixed income portfolio management in multiple strategies. The Newfleet Multi-Sector Strategies team that manages the Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. employs active sector rotation and disciplined risk management in portfolio construction, avoiding interest rate bets, and remaining duration neutral to each strategy’s stated benchmark. Newfleet Asset Management is a division of Virtus Fixed Income Advisers, LLC, which is a registered investment adviser affiliated with Virtus Investment Partners. For more information, visit newfleet.com.

About Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

Virtus Investment Partners (NYSE: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. The Company provides investment products and services from its investment managers, each with a distinct investment style and autonomous investment process, as well as select subadvisers. Investment solutions are available across multiple disciplines and product types to meet a wide array of investor needs. Additional information about the Company, investment partners, and strategies is available at virtus.com.

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