<PAGE>
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 3, 1999
1933 Act File No. 33-97572
1940 Act File No. 811-9100
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [x]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. __ [ ]
Post-Effective Amendment No.13 [x]
and
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [x]
Amendment No. 14 [x]
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
FOUR EMBARCADERO CENTER SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94111
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(415) 954-5400
(Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)
George A. Rio, President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
Four Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, California 94111
(800) 726-7240
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Shares of Capital Stock Offered: Par Value $.0001 per share
Copies to:
Robert J. Goldstein Michael Glazer
Associate General Counsel Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC 555 South Flower Street
Four Embarcadero Center Los Angeles, California 9007
San Francisco, California 94111
<PAGE>
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
[x] Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] On _________________ pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] On _________________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] On _________________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
BETWEEN ITEMS OF PART A AND B OF FORM N-1A AND THE
PROSPECTUS AND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ITEM NUMBER OF PART A OF FORM N-1A INFORMATION REQUIRED IN A PROSPECTUS
1. Front and Back Cover Pages Front and Back Cover Pages
2. Risk/Return Summary: Investments, Risk/Return Summary
Risks, and Performance
3. Risk/Return Summary: Fee Table Fees and Expenses
4. Investment Objectives, Principal Investment Objectives and Policies;
Investment Strategies, and Related Other Investment Practices;
Risks Investment Risks
5. Management's Discussion of Fund --
Performance
6. Management, Organization, and Organization and Management
Capital Structure
7. Shareholder Information Buying Shares; Selling Shares;
Other Stockholder Services and
Account Policies; Dividends,
Distributions and Taxes
8. Distribution Arrangements Organization and Management; The
Distributor
9. Financial Highlights Information Financial Highlights
*NOT APPLICABLE.
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
BETWEEN ITEMS OF PART A AND B OF FORM N-1A AND THE
PROSPECTUS AND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(CONTINUED)
ITEM NUMBER OF PART B OF FORM N-1A CAPTIONS IN PROSPECTUS AND STATEMENT
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
10. Cover Page and Table of Contents Cover Page and Table of Contents
11. Fund History General Information
12. Description of the Fund and Its Investment Objectives and Policies;
Investments and Risks Risk Considerations; Investment
Restrictions
13. Management of the Fund The Investment Manager
14. Control Persons and Principal Directors and Officers; Description
Holders of Securities of Capital Shares
15. Investment Advisory and Other The Investment Manager; The
Services Distributor; Additional Information
16. Brokerage Allocation and Other Execution of Portfolio Transactions
Practices
17. Capital Stock and Other Securities Description of Capital Shares
18. Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Purchase and Redemption of Shares
Shares
19. Taxation of the Fund Dividends, Distributions and Tax
Status
20. Underwriters The Distributor
21. Calculation of Performance Data Investment Results
22. Financial Statement Financial Statements
*NOT APPLICABLE.
<PAGE>
Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund
Dresdner RCM International Growth Equity Fund
Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund
Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund
Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund
Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund
Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund
Dresdner RCM Tax Managed Growth Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 3, 1999
This prospectus contains essential information for anyone considering
an investment in these Funds. Please read this document carefully and retain it
for future reference.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved
these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this Prospectus. It
is a criminal offense to state or suggest otherwise.
1
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
DRESDNER RCM CAPITAL FUNDS, INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY AND FUND EXPENSES
- ---------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
THIS SECTION SUMMARIZES THE FUNDS' INVESTMENTS, 4 Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund
RISKS, PAST PERFORMANCE, AND FEES. 8 Dresdner RCM International Growth Equity Fund
13 Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund
18 Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund
23 Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund
28 Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund
32 Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund
36 Dresdner RCM Tax Managed Growth Fund
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RISKS
- ---------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SECTION PROVIDES DETAILS ABOUT THE FUNDS' 42 Investment Objectives and Policies
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RISKS. 44 Other Investment Practices
46 Changing the Funds' Investment Objectives and Policies
47 Investment Risks
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
- ---------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SECTION PROVIDES DETAILS ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND 51 The Funds and the Investment Manager
ORGANIZATIONS WHO OVERSEE THE FUNDS. 51 The Portfolio Managers
52 Management Fees and other Expenses
53 The Distributor
STOCKHOLDER INFORMATION
- ---------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SECTION TELLS YOU HOW TO BUY, SELL AND 55 Buying Shares
EXCHANGE SHARES, HOW WE VALUE SHARES, AND HOW WE 56 Selling Shares
PAY DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS. 57 Other Stockholder Services and Account Policies
61 Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
</TABLE>
2
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
- ---------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
THIS SECTION PROVIDES DETAILS ON SELECTED 63 Financial Highlights
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FUNDS
</TABLE>
3
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to seek long term
capital appreciation by investing in
equity securities of U.S. companies with
at least $1 billion in market
capitalization.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund will normally invest at least
65% of its total assets in companies
with large market capitalizations,
which are companies with a total market
capitalization of at least $1 billion at
the time of purchase.
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental value and prospects for
growth of individual companies and
focuses on companies that it expects
will have higher than average rates of
growth and strong potential for capital
appreciation. The Standard & Poor's 500
Stock Index is the Fund's performance
benchmark. The Investment Manager bases
its security selection on the relative
investment merits of each company and
industry throughout the United States
and will not seek to duplicate the
sector or stock allocations of the
Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the Fund, or
the Fund could underperform other
investments.
The value of the Fund's investments
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
deposit and is not insured or guaranteed
by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government
agency.
4
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE
The charts on this page show how the Fund has performed and provide
some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how its
performance has varied from year to year. The bar chart shows changes in the
yearly performance of the Fund since its inception. The chart below it compares
the performance of the Fund over time to the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index.
Both charts assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Of
course, past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform
in the future.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Class I Shares
<S> <C>
---------------------------------------------
1997 1998
31.99% 44.11%
</TABLE>
For the periods covered by the year-by-year total return chart, the Fund's
highest quarterly return was 29.25% (for the fourth quarter ended 1998) and the
lowest quarterly return was -9.11% (for the third quarter ended 1998).
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Average Annual Total Returns
(through December 31, 1998)
Fund Past Since
Inception Year Inception
---------------- ----------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Large Cap Growth Fund Class I Shares* 12/31/96 44.11% 37.91%
---------------- ----------- -------------
Large Cap Growth Fund Class N Shares** 12/31/96 44.11% 37.91%
---------------- ----------- -------------
S&P 500 Stock Index __ 28.58% 30.95%
- ------------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------- -------------
</TABLE>
* Returns through December 31, 1998 reflect Rule 12b-1 fees. On that date, all
Fund shares were redesignated Class I shares, which do not pay Rule 12b-1 fees.
Performance results for periods after December 31, 1998 will not reflect Rule
12b-1 fees. ** Class N shares were first issued on March 2, 1999 and pay Rule
12b-1 fees. Class N returns through December 31, 1998 are based on Class I
returns and reflect Rule 12b-1 fees.
FEES AND EXPENSES
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and
expenses.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES CLASS OF SHARES
(FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) CLASS I CLASS N
<S> <C> <C>
None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 0.70% 0.70%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Rule 12b-1 fee None(1) 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
</TABLE>
5
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
Other expenses 2.19% 2.19%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Total annual Fund operating expenses 2.89% 3.14%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Less: Fees waived and reimbursed(2) -1.94% -1.94%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Net operating expenses(2) 0.95% 1.20%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
</TABLE>
1 For fiscal 1998, the Fund charged a Rule 12b-1 fee at an annual rate of
0.15%. This fee is no longer applicable and has not been included in the
Class I expenses shown here.
2 Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC (the "Investment Manager") has
contractually agreed until at least December 31, 1999, to pay each quarter
the amount, if any, by which the ordinary operating expenses for the quarter
(except interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed the annualized
rate of 0.95% for Class I and 1.20% for Class N. The Fund may reimburse the
Investment Manager in the future.
Example
Use this table to compare fees and expenses of the Fund with those of
other funds. It illustrates the amount of fees and expenses you would pay
assuming:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your
costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3 5 10
Year Years Years Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class I* $97 $711 $1,351 $3,074
Class N* $122 $786 $1,475 $3,313
</TABLE>
*Assuming the Investment Manager continues to reimburse the ordinary operating
expenses which exceed the annualized rate of 0.95% for Class I and 1.20% for
Class N, your expenses for the periods indicated would be $97, $303, $525 and
$1,166 for Class I and $122, $381, $660 and $1,455 for Class N. There is no
guarantee that the Investment Manager will continue such reimbursement policy.
6
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM INTERNATIONAL GROWTH EQUITY FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to seek long term
capital appreciation by investing in
equity securities of foreign companies.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund will invest at least 65% of its
total assets in foreign companies. The
Fund currently intends to invest
primarily in companies with market
capitalizations in excess of $1 billion
at the time of purchase, with no more
than 10% of the Fund's total assets in
companies with market capitalizations
below $100 million at the time of
purchase.
The Fund invests in issuers located in
at least ten different countries. The
Fund may invest up to 65% of its total
assets in issuers organized or
headquartered in Japan, the United
Kingdom or Germany, and up to 25% of its
total assets in issuers organized or
headquartered in any other foreign
country. The Fund may also invest up to
10% of its total assets in U.S.
issuers.
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental value and prospects for
growth of individual companies that it
expects will have higher than average
rates of growth and strong potential for
capital appreciation. In addition, the
Investment Manager develops forecasts of
economic growth, inflation, and interest
rates that it uses to help identify
those regions and individual companies
that are likely to offer the best
investment opportunities. The Morgan
Stanley Capital International Europe,
Australia, Far East (MSCI-EAFE) Index
and the Morgan Stanley Capital
International All Country World Free
(MSCI-ACWI) Index are the Fund's
performance benchmarks. The Investment
Manager bases its security selection on
the relative investment merits of each
company and industry throughout the
world and will not seek to duplicate
the country or industry allocations of
either index.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the Fund, or
the Fund could underperform other
investments.
The value of the Fund's investments will
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
The performance of foreign securities
also depends on the political and
economic environments and other overall
economic conditions in the countries
where the Fund invests. The Fund's value
will also be exposed to currency risk.
The stock prices of smaller and newer
companies in which the Fund may invest
often fluctuate more than those of
larger more established companies.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
deposit and is not insured or guaranteed
by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government
agency.
7
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE
The charts on this page show how the Fund has performed and provide
some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how its
performance has varied from year to year. The bar chart shows changes in the
yearly performance of the Fund since its inception. The table below it compares
the performance of the Fund over time to its benchmarks.
Both charts assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Of
course, past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform
in the future.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Class I Shares
---------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
1995 1996 1997 1998
17.98% 19.31% 17.93% 13.81%
</TABLE>
For the periods covered by this year-by-year total return chart, the Fund's
highest quarterly return was 17.85% (for the fourth quarter ended 1998) and the
lowest quarterly return was -16.16% (for the third quarter ended 1998).
Average Annual Total Returns
(through December 31, 1998)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fund Past Since
Inception Year Inception
---------------- ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
International Growth Equity Fund Class I 12/28/94 13.81% 17.21%
Shares*
---------------- ------------ ------------
International Growth Equity Fund Class N 12/28/94 13.81% 17.21%
Shares**
---------------- ------------ ------------
MSCI-EAFE Index __ 20.33% 9.83%
---------------- ------------ ------------
MSCI-ACWI Index __ 14.47% 8.40%
------------------------------------------- ---------------- ------------ ------------
</TABLE>
* On December 31, 1998, all Fund shares were redesignated as Class I shares.
Neither the Class I shares nor their predecessors paid Rule 12b-1 fees.
** Class N shares were first issued on March 10, 1999, and pay Rule 12b-1 fees.
Class N returns through December 31, 1998 are based on Class I returns, and
would be lower if Rule 12b-1 fees had been paid.
8
<PAGE>
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and
expenses.
FEES AND EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES CLASS OF SHARES
(FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) CLASS I CLASS N
None ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 0.75% 0.75%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Rule 12b-1 fee None 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Other expenses 0.31% 0.31%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Total annual Fund operating expenses 1.06% 1.31%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Less: Fees waived and Reimbursed(1) -0.06% -0.06%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Net operating expenses(1) 1.00% 1.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
</TABLE>
1 The Investment Manager has contractually agreed until at least December 31,
1999, to pay each quarter the amount, if any, by which the ordinary operating
expenses for the quarter (except interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses)
exceed the annualized rate of 1.00% for Class I and 1.25% for Class N. The
Fund may reimburse the Investment Manager in the future.
Example
Use this table to compare fees and expenses of the Fund with those of
other funds. It illustrates the amount of fees and expenses you would pay
assuming:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions
your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3 5 10
Year Years Years Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class I $102 $331 $579 $1,289
Class N $127 $409 $712 $1,574
</TABLE>
9
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM EMERGING MARKETS FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to seek long term
capital appreciation by investing in
equity securities of emerging market
companies.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund will invest at least 80% of its
total assets in emerging market
companies. The Fund currently intends
to invest primarily in companies with
market capitalizations in excess of
$100 million at the time of purchase.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its
total assets in issuers that are
organized or headquartered in any one
emerging market country. The Fund may
also invest up to 15% of its total
assets in issuers that are organized or
headquartered in developed countries,
that either
(1) have or will have substantial assets
in emerging market countries, or
(2) derive or will derive a substantial
portion of their total revenues
from goods and services produced
in, or sales made in, emerging
market countries.
Emerging market companies are companies
organized or headquartered in any
country considered an emerging or
developing country by the World Bank,
the International Finance Corporation,
the United Nations, or other recognized
international financial institutions.
This designation currently includes most
countries in the world except Australia,
Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore,
United Kingdom, the U.S. and most of the
countries of western Europe.
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental value and prospectus for
growth of individual companies and
focuses on companies that it expects
will have higher than average rates of
growth and strong potential for capital
appreciation. In addition, the
Investment Manager develops forecasts of
economic growth, inflation, and interest
rates that is uses to help identify
those regions and individual countries
that are likely to offer the best
investment opportunities. The Morgan
Stanley Capital International Emerging
Markets Free (MSCI-EMF) Index and the
IFC Emerging Markets Index are the
Fund's performance benchmarks. The
Investment Manager bases its security
selection on the relative investment
merits of each company and industry
throughout emerging market countries
and will not seek to duplicate the
country or sector allocations of either
index.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the Fund, or
the Fund could underperform other
investments.
The value of the Fund's investments will
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
The performance of foreign securities
also depends on the political and
economic environments and other overall
economic conditions in the
10
<PAGE>
countries where the Fund invests. The
Fund's value will also be exposed to
currency risk. The stock prices of
smaller and newer companies often
fluctuate more than those of larger more
established companies. Emerging country
markets involve greater risk and
volatility than more developed markets.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
deposit and is not insured or guaranteed
by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government
agency.
11
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE
The charts on this page show how the Fund has performed and provide
some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how its
performance has varied from year to year. The bar chart shows changes in the
yearly performance of the Fund since its inception. The table below it compares
the performance of the Fund over time to its benchmarks.
Both charts assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Of
course, past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform
in the future.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Class I Shares
---------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
1998
-8.49%
</TABLE>
For the period covered by this year-by-year total return chart, the Fund's
highest quarterly return was 17.18% (for the fourth quarter ended 1998) and the
lowest quarterly return was -16.26% (for the second quarter ended 1998).
Average Annual Total Returns
(through December 31, 1998)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fund Past Since
Inception Year Inception
---------------- ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Emerging Markets Fund Class I Shares* 12/30/97 -8.49% -8.46%
---------------- ------------ ------------
Emerging Markets Fund Class N Shares** 12/30/97 -8.49% -8.46%
---------------- ------------ ------------
MSCI-EMF __ -25.33% -25.09%
---------------- ------------ ------------
IFC Emerging Markets Index __ -22.01% -21.84%
------------------------------------------- ---------------- ------------ ------------
</TABLE>
* On December 31, 1998, all Fund shares were redesignated as Class I shares.
Neither the Class I shares nor their predecessors paid Rule 12b-1 fees.
** Class N shares were first issued on March 10, 1999, and pay Rule 12b-1 fees.
Class N returns through December 31, 1998 are based on Class I returns, and
would be lower if Rule 12b-1 fees had been paid.
12
<PAGE>
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and
expenses.
FEES AND EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES CLASS OF SHARES
(FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) CLASS I CLASS N
----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 1.00% 1.00%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Rule 12b-1 fee None 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Other expenses 7.29% 7.29%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Total annual Fund operating expenses 8.29% 8.54%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Less: Fees waived and reimbursed(1) -6.79% -6.79%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Net operating expenses(1) 1.50% 1.75%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
</TABLE>
1 The Investment Manager has contractually agreed until at least December 31,
1999, to pay each quarter the amount, if any, by which the ordinary operating
expenses for the quarter (except interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses)
exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class I and 1.75% for Class N. The
Fund may reimburse the Investment Manager in the future.
Example
Use this table to compare fees and expenses of the Fund with those of
other funds. It illustrates the amount of fees and expenses you would pay
assuming:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions
your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3 5 10
Year Years Years Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class I* $153 $1,813 $3,365 $6,821
Class N* $178 $1,879 $3,463 $6,956
</TABLE>
*Assuming the Investment Manager continues to reimburse the ordinary operating
expenses which exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class I and 1.75% for
Class N, your expenses for the periods indicated would be $153, $474, $818 and
$1,791 for Class I and $178, $551, $949 and $2,062 for Class N. There is no
guarantee that the Investment Manager will continue such reimbursement policy.
13
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL SMALL CAP FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to seek long term
capital appreciation by investing in
equity securities of companies with
market capitalizations up to $1 billion.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund will normally invest at least
65% of its total assets in small-sized
companies with total market
capitalizations of up to $1 billion at
the time of purchase. The Fund may
invest up to 15% of its total assets in
companies with market capitalizations
below $100 million at the time of
purchase. The Fund expects the average
market capitalization of its portfolio
will range between $500 million and
$1 billion.
As a fundamental policy which cannot be
changed without stockholder approval,
the Fund invests in companies organized
or headquartered in at least three
different countries (one of which may be
the United States). However, the Fund
currently expects the majority of its
foreign investments will be in companies
organized or headquartered in Japan and
the countries of Western Europe.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund
will invest no more than 25% of its
total assets in issuers that are
organized or headquartered in any one
foreign country, other than France,
Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental value and prospects for
growth of individual companies that it
expects will have higher than average
rates of growth and strong potential for
capital appreciation. In addition, the
Investment Manager develops forecasts of
economic growth, inflation, and interest
rates that its uses to help identify
those regions and individual countries
offering the best investment
opportunities. The Salomon Brothers
Extended Market Index is the Fund's
performance benchmark. The Investment
Manager bases its security selection on
the relative investment merits of each
Company and industry around the world
and will not seek to duplicate the
country or sector allocations of the
Salomon Brothers Extended Market Index.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the Fund, or
the Fund could underperform other
investments.
The value of the Fund's investments will
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
The performance of foreign securities
also depends on the political and
economic environments and other overall
economic conditions in the countries
where the Fund invests. The Fund's value
will also be exposed to currency risk.
The stock prices of smaller and newer
companies in which the Fund may invest
fluctuate more than those of larger,
more established companies.
14
<PAGE>
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
deposit and is not insured or guaranteed
by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government
agency.
15
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE
The charts on this page show how the Fund has performed and provide
some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how its
performance has varied from year to year. The bar chart shows changes in the
yearly performance of the Fund since its inception. The chart below it compares
the performance of the Fund over time to the its benchmark.
Both charts assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Of
course, past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform
in the future.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Class I Shares
---------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
1997 1998
25.48% 19.29%
</TABLE>
For the periods covered by the year-by-year total return chart, the Fund's
highest quarterly return was 24.87% (for the second quarter ended 1997) and the
lowest return was -23.37% (for the third quarter ended 1998).
Average Annual Total Returns
(through December 31, 1998)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fund Past Since
Inception Year Inception
---------------- ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Global Small Cap Fund Class I Shares* 12/31/96 19.29% 22.34%
---------------- ------------ ------------
Global Small Cap Fund Class N Shares** 12/31/96 19.29% 22.34%
---------------- ------------ ------------
Salomon EMI Index __ 4.12% 5.29%
------------------------------------------- ---------------- ------------ ------------
</TABLE>
* Returns through December 31, 1998 reflect Rule 12b-1 fees. On that date, all
Fund shares were redesignated as Class I shares, which do not pay Rule 12b-1
fees. Performance results for periods after December 31, 1998 will not reflect
Rule 12b-1 fees.
** Class N shares were first issued on March 10, 1999 and pay Rule 12b-1 fees.
Class N returns through December 31, 1998 are based on Class I returns and
reflect Rule 12b-1 fees.
16
<PAGE>
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and
expenses.
FEES AND EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES CLASS OF SHARES
(FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) CLASS I CLASS N
----------- ------------
<S> <C> <C>
None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 1.00% 1.00%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
Rule 12b-1 fee None(1) 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
Other expenses 2.61% 2.61%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
Total annual Fund operating expenses 3.61% 3.86%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
Less: Fees waived and reimbursed(2) -2.11% -2.11%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
Net operating expenses(2) 1.50% 1.75%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ------------
</TABLE>
1 For fiscal 1998, the Fund charged a Rule 12b-1 fee at an annual rate of
0.25%. This fee is no longer applicable and has not been included in the
Class I expenses shown here.
2 The Investment Manager has contractually agreed until at least December 31,
1999, to pay each quarter the amount, if any, by which the ordinary operating
expenses for the quarter (except interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses)
exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class I and 1.75% for Class N. The
Fund may reimburse the Investment Manager in the future.
Example
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these
assumptions your costs would be:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions
your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3 5 10
Year Years Years Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class I* $153 $910 $1,689 $3,733
Class N* $178 $984 $1,809 $3,954
</TABLE>
*Assuming the Investment Manager continues to reimburse the ordinary operating
expenses which exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class I and 1.75% for
Class N, your expenses for the periods indicated would be $153, $474, $818 and
$1,791 for Class I and $178, $551, $949 and $2,062 for Class N. There is no
guarantee that the Investment Manager will continue such reimbursement policy.
17
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to seek long term
capital appreciation by investing in
equity securities of technology
companies.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund will normally invest at least
65% of its total assets in technology
companies. The Fund currently invests
primarily in companies with market
capitalizations greater than $500
million at the time of purchase, with
no more than 15% of its total assets
in technology companies with market
capitalizations below $100 million at
the time of purchase.
Technology companies are companies with
revenues primarily generated by
technology products and services. These
include the internet, computers and
computer peripherals, software,
electronic components and systems,
communications equipment and services,
semiconductors, media and information
services, pharmaceuticals, hospital
supply and medical devices,
biotechnology products, environmental
services, chemical products and
synthetic materials, and defense and
aerospace products and services.
As a fundamental policy, which cannot be
changed without stockholder approval,
the Fund invests in technology companies
organized or headquartered in at least
three different countries (one of which
may be the United States). The Fund may
invest up to 50% of its total assets in
foreign issuers (but under normal market
conditions no more than 25% of its total
assets in issuers organized or
headquartered in any one foreign
country, other than Japan).
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental value and prospects for
growth of individual companies and
focuses on technology companies that it
expects will have higher than average
rates of growth and strong potential for
capital appreciation. In addition, the
Investment Manager develops forecasts of
economic growth, inflation, and interest
rates that it uses to help identify
those regions and individual countries
that are likely to offer the best
investment opportunities. The Standard &
Poor's 500 Stock Index and Lipper
Science & Technology Fund Index are the
Fund's performance benchmarks. The
Investment Manager bases its security
selection on the relative investment
merits of each company and industry
around the world and will not seek to
duplicate the country or sector
allocations of either index.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the Fund, or
the Fund could underperform other
investments.
Because the Fund will focus its
investments in technology companies it
will be more susceptible than more
diversified funds to market and other
conditions affecting technology
18
<PAGE>
companies. As a result, its share price
may be more volatile than a fund with a
more broadly diversified portfolio.
The value of the Fund's investments
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
The performance of foreign securities
also depends on the political and
economic environments and other overall
economic conditions in the countries
where the Fund invests. The Fund's value
will also be exposed to currency risk.
The stock prices of smaller and newer
companies in which the Fund may invest
often fluctuate more than those of
larger more established companies.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
deposit and is not insured or guaranteed
by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government
agency.
19
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE
The charts on this page show how the Fund has performed and provide
some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how its
performance has varied from year to year. The bar chart shows changes in the
yearly performance of the Fund since its inception. The chart below it compares
the performance of the Fund over time to its benchmarks.
Both charts assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Of
course, past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform
in the future.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Class I Shares
---------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
1996 1997 1998
26.41% 27.08% 61.05%
</TABLE>
For the periods covered by this year-by-year total return chart, the Fund's
highest quarterly return was 46.01% (for the fourth quarter ended 1998) and the
lowest quarterly return was -15.60% (for the third quarter ended 1998).
Average Annual Total Returns
(through December 31, 1998)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fund Past Since
Inception Year Inception
---------------- ----------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Global Technology Fund Class I Shares* 12/27/95 61.05% 37.31%
---------------- ----------- -------------
Global Technology Fund Class N Shares** 12/27/95 61.05% 37.31%
---------------- ----------- -------------
S&P 500 Stock Index __ 28.58% 30.95%
---------------- ----------- -------------
Lipper Science & Technology Fund Index __ 46.95% 22.63%
- ------------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------- -------------
</TABLE>
* On December 31, 1998, all Fund shares were redesignated as Class I shares.
Neither the Class I shares nor their predecessors paid Rule 12b-1 fees.
** Class N shares were first issued on January 30, 1999, and pay Rule 12b-1
fees. Class N returns through December 31, 1998 are based on Class I returns,
and would be lower if Rule 12b-1 fees had been paid.
20
<PAGE>
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and expenses.
FEES AND EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES (FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) Class of Shares
CLASS I CLASS N
------------ ----------
<S> <C> <C>
None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 1.00% 1.00%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
Rule 12b-1 fee None 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
Other expenses 1.49% 1.49%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
Total annual Fund operating expenses 2.49% 2.74%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
Less: Fees waived and reimbursed(1) -0.99%(2) -0.99%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
Net operating expenses(1) 1.50% 1.75%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------
</TABLE>
1 The Investment Manager has contractually agreed until at least December 31,
1999, to pay each quarter the amount, if any, by which the ordinary
operating expenses for the quarter (except interest, taxes and extraordinary
expenses) exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class I and 1.75% for Class
N. The Fund may reimburse the Investment Manager in the future.
2 This percentage includes an expense reduction of 0.25% for the Class I Shares.
Expense Example
Use this table to compare fees and expenses of the Fund with those of
other funds. It illustrates the amount of fees and expenses you would pay
assuming:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these
assumptions your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3 5 10
Year Years Years Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class I* $153 $681 $1,236 $2,751
Class N* $178 $757 $1,362 $2,998
</TABLE>
*Assuming the Investment Manager continues to reimburse the ordinary operating
expenses which exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class I and 1.75% for
Class N, your expenses for the periods indicated would be $153, $474, $818 and
$1,791 for Class I and $178, $551, $949 and $2,062 for Class N. There is no
guarantee that the Investment Manager will continue such reimbursement policy.
21
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL HEALTH CARE FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to seek long term
capital appreciation by investing in
equity securities of health care
companies.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund will normally invest at least
65% of its total assets in health care
companies. The Fund currently intends
to invest primarily in companies with
market capitalizations of at least
$1 billion at the time of purchase, with
no more than 15% of its total assets in
health care companies with market
capitalizations below $100 million at
the time of purchase.
Health care companies include:
pharmaceutical, biochemical,
biotechnology, health-care service
and medical device companies.
These companies are typically involved
in research and development or ownership
and/or operation of health care
facilities, franchises or practices, and
the design, production or selling of
medical, dental and optical products. A
company will be deemed to be principally
engaged in the health care business if:
(1) at least 50% of its earnings or
revenues are derived from health
care activities; or
(2) at least 50% of its assets are
devoted to such activities, based
upon the company's financial
statements as of the end of its
most recent fiscal year.
As a fundamental policy which cannot be
changed without shareholder approval,
the Fund invests in securities of
companies organized or headquartered in
at least three different countries (one
of which may be the United States).
However, the Fund currently expects the
majority of its foreign investments will
be in companies organized or
headquartered in Japan and the countries
of Western Europe.
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental value and prospects for
growth of individual companies and
focuses on health care companies that is
expects will have higher than average
rates of growth and strong potential for
capital appreciation. In addition, the
Investment Manager develops forecasts of
economic growth, inflation, and interest
rates that it uses to help identify
those regions and individual countries
that are likely to offer the best
investment opportunities. The Standard &
Poor's 500 Stock Index and the Russell
Midcap Health Care Index are the Fund's
performance benchmarks. The Investment
Manager bases its security selection on
the relative investment merits of each
company and industry around the world
and will not seek to duplicate the
country or sector allocations of either
index.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the
22
<PAGE>
Fund, or the Fund could underperform
other investments.
Because the Fund will focus its
investments in health care companies it
will be more susceptible than more
diversified funds to market and other
conditions affecting health care
companies. As a result, its share price
may be more volatile than a fund with a
more broadly diversified portfolio.
The value of the Fund's investments
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
The performance of foreign securities
depends on the political and economic
environments and other overall economic
conditions in the countries where the
Fund invests. The Fund's value will also
be exposed to currency risk. The stock
prices of smaller and newer companies in
which the Fund may invest often
fluctuate more than those of larger more
established companies.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
deposit and is not insured or guaranteed
by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government
agency.
23
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE
The charts on this page show how the Fund has performed and provide
some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how its
performance has varied from year to year. The bar chart shows changes in the
yearly performance of the Fund since its inception. The table below it compares
the performance of the Fund over time to its benchmarks.
Both charts assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Of
course, past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform
in the future.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Class N Shares
---------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
1997 1998
30.00% 25.57%
</TABLE>
For the periods covered by this year-by-year total return chart, the Fund's
highest quarterly return was 19.51% (for the fourth quarter ended 1998) and the
lowest quarterly return was -4.45% (for the third quarter ended 1998).
Average Annual Total Returns
(through December 31, 1998)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fund Past Since
Inception Year Inception
---------------- ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Global Health Care Fund Class N Shares 12/31/96 25.57% 27.77%
---------------- ------------ ------------
S&P 500 Stock Index __ 28.58% 30.95%
---------------- ------------ ------------
---------------- ------------ ------------
Russell Midcap Health Care Index __ 33.41% 26.10%
- ------------------------------------------- ---------------- ------------ ------------
</TABLE>
24
<PAGE>
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and
expenses.
FEES AND EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES CLASS N
(FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) SHARES
-----------
<S> <C>
None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 1.00%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Rule 12b-1 fee 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Other expenses 2.40%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Total annual Fund operating expenses 3.65%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Less: Fees waived and reimbursed(1) -2.15%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Net expenses(1) 1.50%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
</TABLE>
1 The Investment Manager has contractually agreed until at least December 31,
1999, to pay each quarter the amount, if any, by which the ordinary operating
expenses for the quarter (except interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses)
exceed the annualized rate of 1.50%. The Fund may reimburse the Investment
Manager in the future.
Expense Example
Use this table to compare fees and expenses of the Fund with those of
other funds. It illustrates the amount of fees and expenses you would pay
assuming:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions
your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3 5 10
Year Years Years Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class N Shares* $153 $918 $1,705 $3,766
</TABLE>
*Assuming the Investment Manager continues to reimburse the ordinary operating
expenses which exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class N, your expenses
for the periods indicated would be $153, $474, $818 and $1,791. There is no
guarantee that the Investment Manager will continue such reimbursement policy.
25
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM BIOTECHNOLOGY FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to seek long term
capital appreciation by investing in
equity securities of biotechnology
companies.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund will invest at least 65% of its
total assets in biotechnology companies.
The Fund currently intends to
primarily invest in companies
with market capitalizations below $1
billion with no more than 15% of its
total assets in biotechnology companies
with market capitalizations below $100
million at the time of purchase. The
Fund currently expects that the majority
of its investments will be in companies
organized or headquartered in the United
States.
Biotechnology companies engage in the
research, development, provision and/or
manufacture of biotechnological
products, services and processes. Such
companies generally employ genetic
engineering to develop new drugs and
apply new and innovative processes to
discover and develop diagnostic and
therapeutic products and services. The
biotechnology industry currently
includes pharmaceutical, biochemical,
medical/surgical, human health care, and
agricultural and industrial oriented
companies. Because of the rapid
developments in the biotechnology
industry, over time companies with new
and different products and focuses
likely will be included in the industry.
Under normal market conditions the Fund
may invest up to 25% of its total assets
in issuers organized or headquartered in
any one foreign country.
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental prospects for growth of
individual companies and focuses on
biotechnology companies that it expects
will have higher than average rates of
growth and strong potential for capital
appreciation. The American Stock
Exchange Biotechnology Index, NASDAQ
Biotechnology Index, and the Russell
2000 Index are the Fund's performance
benchmarks. The Investment Manager bases
its security selection on the relative
investment merits of each company and
will not seek to duplicate its
performance benchmarks.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the Fund, or
the Fund could underperform other
investments.
Because the Fund will focus its
investments in biotechnology companies
it will be more susceptible than more
diversified funds to market and other
conditions affecting biotechnology
companies. As a result, its share price
may be more volatile
26
<PAGE>
than a fund with a more broadly
diversified portfolio.
The value of the Fund's investments
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
The performance of foreign securities
depends on the political and economic
environments and other overall economic
conditions in the countries where the
Fund invests. The Fund's value will also
be exposed to currency risk. The stock
prices of smaller and newer companies in
which the Fund may invest often
fluctuate more than those of larger more
established companies.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
deposit and is not insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or
any other government agency.
27
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE
The charts on this page show how the Fund has performed and provide
some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how its
performance has varied from year to year. The bar chart shows changes in the
yearly performance of the Fund since its inception. The table below it compares
the performance of the Fund over time to its benchmarks.
Both charts assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Of
course, past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform
in the future.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Class N Shares
---------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
1998
17.76%
</TABLE>
For the period covered by this year-by-year total return chart, the Fund's
highest quarterly return was 29.26% (for the fourth quarter ended 1998) and the
lowest quarterly return was -9.17% (for the third quarter ended 1998).
Average Annual Total Returns
(through December 31, 1998)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fund Past Since
Inception Year Inception
---------------- ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Biotechnology Fund Class N Shares 12/30/97 17.76% 17.70%
---------------- ------------ ------------
AMEX Biotech Index __ 13.96% 15.91%
---------------- ------------ ------------
---------------- ------------ ------------
NASDAQ Biotech Index __ 44.30% 46.69%
---------------- ------------ ------------
---------------- ------------ ------------
Russell 2000 Index __ -2.54% 13.77%
- ------------------------------------------- ---------------- ------------ ------------
</TABLE>
28
<PAGE>
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and
expenses.
FEES AND EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES CLASS N
(FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) SHARES
-----------
<S> <C>
None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 1.00%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Rule 12b-1 fee 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Other expenses 3.62%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Total annual Fund operating expenses 4.87%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Less: Fees waived and reimbursed(1) -3.37%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Net operating expenses(1) 1.50%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
</TABLE>
1 The Investment Manager has contractually agreed until at least December 31,
1999, to pay each quarter the amount, if any, by which the ordinary operating
expenses for Class N for the quarter (except interest, taxes and
extraordinary expenses) exceed the annualized rate of 1.50%. The Fund may
reimburse the Investment Manager in the future.
Expense Example
Use this table to compare fees and expenses of the Fund with those of
other funds. It illustrates the amount of fees and expenses you would pay
assuming:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions
your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3 5 10
Year Years Years Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class N Shares* $153 $1,162 $2,174 $4,716
</TABLE>
*Assuming the Investment Manager continues to reimburse the ordinary operating
expenses which exceed the annualized rate of 1.50% for Class N, your expenses
for the periods indicated would be $153, $474, $818 and $1,791. There is no
guarantee that the Investment Manager will continue such reimbursement policy.
29
<PAGE>
DRESDNER RCM TAX MANAGED GROWTH FUND
Goal: The Fund's goal is to enhance the
after-tax returns of its shareholders by
investing in a broadly diversified
portfolio of equity securities of U.S.
companies for long term capital
appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund currently intends to invest in
companies of any size, ranging from
larger well-established issuers to
smaller emerging growth companies.
However, no more than 20% of the Fund's
total assets will be invested in
companies with market capitalizations
below $500 million at the time of
purchase.
To maximize after-tax total return, the
Fund may use certain investment
techniques designed to reduce capital
gains distributions to shareholders.
These techniques may include, among
others, holding securities long enough
to avoid higher, short-term capital
gains taxes, selling shares with a
higher cost basis first, and selling
securities that have declined in value
to offset past or future gains realized
on the sale of other securities. These
techniques will not completely eliminate
taxable distributions by the Fund.
The Investment Manager evaluates the
fundamental value and prospects for
growth of individual companies and
focuses on companies that it expects
will have higher than average rates of
growth and strong potential for capital
appreciation. The Standard & Poor's 500
Stock Index and the Wilshire 5000 Index
are the Fund's performance benchmarks.
The Investment Manager bases its
security selection on the relative
investment merits of each company and
industry throughout the United States
and will not seek to duplicate the
sector or stock allocations of either
index.
Principal Investment Risks: Because the value of the Fund's
investments will fluctuate with market
conditions, so will the value of your
investment in the Fund. You could lose
money on your investment in the Fund, or
the Fund could underperform other
investments.
The value of the Fund's investments
fluctuate in response to the activities
of individual companies and general
stock market and economic conditions.
The Fund's value will also be exposed to
currency risk. The stock prices of
smaller and newer companies in which the
Fund may invest often fluctuate more
than those of larger more established
companies.
Efforts to minimize the realization of
capital gains are not entirely within
the Fund's control and will be affected
by shareholder purchase and redemption
activity. In addition, efforts to
maximize after-tax total returns may
require trade-offs that reduce pre-tax
returns.
An investment in the Fund is not a
bank deposit and is not
30
<PAGE>
insured of guaranteed by the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation or any
other government agency.
PERFORMANCE
This section would normally show how the Fund has performed over time.
Because this Fund was in operation less than one year when this Prospectus was
printed, its performance is not included. In the future, the Fund will compare
its performance to the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and the Wilshire 5000
Index.
YEAR-BY-YEAR TOTAL RETURN FOR CLASS I SHARES
Performance data is not included as the Fund is less than one year old.
FEES AND EXPENSES
As an investor in the Fund, you will pay the following fees and
expenses.
FEES AND EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER FEES CLASS OF SHARES
(FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT) CLASS I CLASS N
----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
Redemption fees/ 1.00% 1.00%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (FEES PAID FROM FUND ASSETS)
Management fees 0.75% 0.75%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Rule 12b-1 fee None 0.25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Other expenses 0.47% 0.47%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------
Total annual Fund operating expenses(2) 1.22% 1.47%
</TABLE>
1 The Fund charges you a 1.00% redemption fee if you redeem shares within the
first year of purchase.
2 The Investment Manager has contractually agreed until at least December 31,
1999, to pay each quarter the amount, if any, by which the ordinary operating
expenses for the quarter (except interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses)
exceed the annualized rate of 1.25% for Class I and 1.50% for Class N. The
Fund may reimburse the Investment Manager in the future.
Expense Example
Use this table to compare fees and expenses of the Fund with those of
other funds. It illustrates the amount of fees and expenses you would pay
assuming:
- $10,000 investment in the Fund
- 5% annual return
- redemption at the end of each period
- no changes in the Fund's operating expenses
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions
your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 3
Year Years
<S> <C> <C>
Class I $228 $387
</TABLE>
31
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
Class N $253 $465
</TABLE>
32
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RISKS
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
HOW DO THE FUNDS SELECT EQUITY INVESTMENTS?
While the Funds emphasize investments in growth companies, the Funds
also may invest in other companies that are not traditionally considered to be
growth companies, such as emerging growth companies and cyclical and
semi-cyclical companies in developing economies, if the Investment Manager
believes that such companies have above-average growth potential. The Funds may
invest in companies of any size.
When the Investment Manager analyzes a specific company it evaluates
the fundamental value of each enterprise as well as its prospects for growth. In
most cases, these companies have one or more of the following characteristics:
- Superior management
- Strong balance sheets
- Differentiated or superior products or services
- Substantial capacity for growth in revenue through either an
expanding market or expanding market share
- Strong commitment to research and development
- A steady stream of new products or services.
The Funds do not seek current income and do not restrict their
investments to companies with a record of dividend payments.
When evaluating foreign companies, the Investment Manager may also
consider the anticipated economic growth rate, political outlook, inflation
rate, currency outlook, and interest rate environment for the country and the
region in which the company is located, as well as other factors it deems
relevant.
In addition to traditional research activities, the Investment Manager
uses research produced by its Grassroots Research operating group. Grassroots
Research prepares research reports based on field interviews with customers,
distributors, and competitors of the companies that the Investment Manager
follows. The Investment Manager believes that Grassroots Research can be a
valuable adjunct to its traditional research efforts by providing a "second
look" at companies in which the Funds might invest and by checking marketplace
assumptions about market demand for particular products and services.
WHAT KINDS OF EQUITY SECURITIES DO THE FUNDS INVEST IN?
The Funds invest primarily in common stocks and depositary receipts,
including American Depositary Receipts, European Depositary Receipts, Global
Depositary Receipts, or other depositary instruments representing securities of
foreign companies. The Funds may invest in companies of any size. Common stocks
represent the basic equity ownership interests in a company. Depositary receipts
are issued by banks or other financial institutions and represent, or may be
converted into underlying ordinary shares of a foreign company. They may be
sponsored by the foreign company or organized independently.
The Funds may also invest in other equity and equity related
securities. These include preferred stock, convertible preferred stock,
convertible debt obligations, warrants or other rights to acquire stock, and
options on stock and stock indices.
WHAT KINDS OF FOREIGN SECURITIES DO THE FUNDS INVEST IN?
The Funds invest in the following types of foreign equity and
equity-linked securities, among its foreign investments:
- Securities of companies that are organized or headquartered outside
the United States, or that derive at least 50% of their total
revenue outside the United States.
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- Securities that are principally traded outside the United States,
regardless of where the issuer of such securities is organized or
headquartered or where its operations principally are conducted.
- Depositary receipts.
- Securities of other investment companies investing primarily in such
equity and equity-related foreign securities.
The Investment Manager expects that the Funds' foreign investments will
primarily be traded on recognized foreign securities exchanges. However, each
Fund also may invest in securities that are traded only over-the-counter, either
in the United States or in foreign markets, when the Investment Manager believes
that such securities meet a Fund's investment criteria. The Funds also may
invest in securities that are not publicly traded either in the United States or
in foreign markets.
OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES
The Funds may also employ the following investment techniques in
pursuit of their investment objectives.
DO THE FUNDS BUY AND SELL FOREIGN CURRENCIES?
The Investment Manager expects to purchase or sell foreign currencies
primarily to settle foreign securities transactions. However, each Fund may also
engage in currency management transactions to hedge currency exposure related to
securities it owns expects to purchase. A Fund may also hold foreign currency
received in connection with investments in foreign securities when the
Investment Manager believes the relevant exchange rates will change favorably
and it would be better to convert the currency into U.S. dollars at a later
date.
For purposes of the percentage limitations on each Fund's
investments in foreign securities, the term "securities" does not include
foreign currencies. This means that a Fund's exposure to foreign currencies
or multinational currencies such as the "Euro" may be greater than its
percentage limitation on investments in foreign securities. Each Fund will
incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies, and
gains in a particular securities market may be affected (either positively or
negatively) by changes in exchange rates.
DO THE FUNDS HEDGE THEIR INVESTMENTS?
For hedging purposes, each Fund may purchase options on stock indices
and on securities it is authorized to purchase. If a Fund purchases a "put"
option on a security, the Fund acquires the right to sell the security at a
specified price at any time during the term of the option (for "American-style"
options) or on the option expiration date (for "European-style" options). If a
Fund purchases a "call" option on a security, it acquires the right to purchase
the security at a specified price at any time during the term of the option (or
on the option expiration date). An option on a stock index gives a Fund the
right to receive a cash payment equal to the difference between the closing
price of the index and the exercise price of the option. A Fund may "close out"
an option before it is exercised or expires by selling an option of the same
series as the option previously purchased.
Each Fund may employ certain currency management techniques to hedge
against currency exchange rate fluctuations. The International Fund may hedge up
to 100% of its total assets. These techniques include forward currency exchange
contracts, currency options, futures contracts (and related options), and
currency swaps.
A forward currency exchange contract is an obligation to purchase or
sell a specific currency at a future date at a price set at the time of the
contract. Currency options are rights to purchase or sell a specific currency at
a future date at a specified price. Futures contracts are agreements to take or
make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of
the currency at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the
contract price. Currency swaps involve the exchange of rights to make or receive
payments in specified currencies.
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Each Fund may cross-hedge currencies, which involves writing or
purchasing options or entering into foreign exchange contracts on one currency
to hedge against changes in exchange rates for a different currency, if the
Investment Manager believes changes between the two currencies are correlated.
DO THE LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND AND TAX MANAGED GROWTH FUND INVEST IN
FOREIGN SECURITIES?
The Large Cap Growth Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets,
and the Tax Managed Growth Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets, in
foreign securities (but no more than 10% in any one foreign country). Such
investments are not currently a principal investment technique for these
Funds. However, if foreign securities present attractive investment
opportunities, either Fund may increase the percentage of its total assets in
foreign securities, subject to the limits described above.
DO THE FUNDS, OTHER THAN THE EMERGING MARKETS FUND, INVEST IN EMERGING
MARKETS?
The International Growth Equity Fund and Global Small Cap Fund may
each invest 30%, for the Global Technology Fund 20%, for the Global Health
Care Fund and Biotechnology Fund 15%, and for the Large Cap Growth Fund 10%,
of their total assets in companies organized or headquartered in emerging
market countries (but no more than 10% in any one emerging market country).
The Tax Managed Growth Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in
companies organized or headquartered in emerging market countries. Such
investments are not currently a principal investment technique for these
Funds. However, if emerging markets present attractive investment
opportunities, any one of these Funds may increase the percentage of its
total assets in emerging markets, subject to the limits described above.
WHAT ARE THE FUNDS' PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATES?
Each Fund may invest in securities on either a long-term or
short-term basis. The Investment Manager will sell a Fund's portfolio
securities whenever it deems appropriate, regardless of the length of time
the Fund has held the securities, and may purchase or sell securities for
short-term profits. Turnover will be influenced by sound investment
practices, each Fund's investment objective and the need for funds for the
redemption of a Fund's shares.
The Investment Manager anticipates that the annual portfolio
turnover rate for the Tax Managed Growth Fund will not exceed 100%, during
its first full year of operation. The portfolio turnover rate for the Tax
Managed Growth Fund will reflect the Investment Manager's efforts to minimize
the Fund's capital gains distributions and to enhance the after-tax returns
of its shareholders; the Investment Manager may sell securities to realize
capital losses to offset accumulated or future capital gains. See, "Financial
Highlights" for the portfolio turnover rates of the other Funds.
Because the Investment Manager will purchase and sell securities for
each Fund's portfolio without regard to the length of the holding period for the
securities, a Fund's portfolio could have a higher turnover rate than most funds
that invest substantially all of their assets for long-term capital
appreciation. A high portfolio turnover rate would increase a Fund's brokerage
commission expenses and other transaction costs, and may increase its taxable
capital gains.
DO THE FUNDS INVEST IN OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES?
The laws of some foreign countries may make it difficult or impossible
for a Fund to invest directly in issuers organized or headquartered in those
countries, or may limit such investments. The only practical means of investing
in such companies may be through investment in other investment companies that
in turn are authorized to invest in the securities of such issuers. In these
cases and in other appropriate circumstances, and subject to the restrictions
referred to above regarding investments in companies organized or headquartered
in foreign countries, each Fund may invest up to 10% of the value of its total
assets in other investment companies but, no more than 5% of its total assets in
any one investment company. Furthermore, no Fund may acquire more than 3% of the
outstanding voting securities of any other investment company.
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<PAGE>
If a Fund invests in other investment companies, it will bear its
proportionate share of the other investment companies' management or
administration fees and other expenses. At the same time, the Fund would
continue to pay its own management fees and other expenses.
WHAT ARE THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT POLICIES IN UNCERTAIN MARKETS?
When the Investment Manager believes a Fund should adopt a temporary
defensive posture, including periods of international, political or economic
uncertainty, a Fund may hold all or a substantial portion of its assets in
investment grade debt securities. The securities may be debt obligations issued
or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or foreign governments (including their
agencies, instrumentalities, authorities and political subdivisions), by
international or supranational government entities, and by corporate issuers.
During these periods, a Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT PRACTICES?
The Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") has more detailed
information about the investment practices described in this Prospectus as well
as information about other investment practices used by the Investment Manager.
CHANGING THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Each Fund's investment objective of long term capital appreciation is a
fundamental policy that may not be changed without stockholder approval.
However, except as otherwise indicated in this Prospectus or the SAI, each
Fund's other investment policies and restrictions are not fundamental and may be
changed without stockholder approval.
The various percentage limitations referred to in this Prospectus and
the SAI apply immediately after a purchase or initial investment. Except as
specifically indicated to the contrary, a Fund is not required to sell any
security in its portfolio as a result of a change in any applicable percentage
resulting from market fluctuations.
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INVESTMENT RISKS
Your investment in the Funds is subject to a variety of risks,
including those described below. See the SAI for further information about these
and other risks.
EQUITY INVESTMENTS
The prices of equity securities fluctuate based on changes in the
issuer's financial condition and prospects and on overall market and economic
conditions.
SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES
Because the Global Technology Fund, Global Health Care Fund and
Biotechnology Fund each focuses on a single industry, each will be more
susceptible than other diversified funds to market and other conditions
affecting that industry. These conditions include competitive pressures
affecting the companies' financial condition , rapid product obsolescence,
dependence on extensive research and development, aggressive pricing and greater
sensitivity to changes in governmental regulation and policies. As a result, the
net assets of these Funds may be more volatile than an investment company with a
more broadly diversified portfolio.
SMALL COMPANIES
Investments in small companies may involve greater risks than
investments in larger companies, and may be speculative. The securities of small
companies, as a class, have had periods of more favorable results, and periods
of less favorable results, than securities of larger companies as a class. In
addition, small companies in which a Fund may invest may have limited or
unprofitable operating histories, limited financial resources and inexperienced
management. They often face competition from larger or more established firms
that have greater resources. Small companies may have less ability to raise
additional capital, and may have a less diversified product line (making them
susceptible to market pressure), than larger companies. Securities of small and
unseasoned companies are often less liquid than securities of larger companies
and are frequently traded in the over-the-counter market or on regional
exchanges where low trading volumes may result in erratic or abrupt price
movements. Selling these securities may take an extended period of time. As a
result, to the extent a Fund invests in small companies, its net asset value may
be more volatile than would otherwise be the case.
FOREIGN SECURITIES
Investing in foreign securities involves significant risks, some of
which are not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. issuers.
For example, the value of investments in such securities may fluctuate based on
changes in the value of one or more foreign currencies relative to the U.S.
dollar. In addition, information about foreign issuers may be less readily
available than information about domestic issuers. Foreign issuers generally are
not subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, or to
other regulatory practices and requirements, comparable to U.S. issuers.
Furthermore, certain foreign countries may be politically unstable, expropriate
or nationalize assets, revalue currencies, impose confiscatory taxes, and limit
foreign investment and use or removal of funds or other assets of a Fund
(including the withholding of dividends and limitations on the repatriation of
currencies). A Fund may also face difficulties or delays in obtaining or
enforcing judgments.
Most foreign securities markets have substantially less volume than
U.S. markets, and the securities of many foreign issuers may be less liquid and
more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. There is generally
less government regulation of securities markets, securities exchanges,
securities dealers, and listed and unlisted companies in foreign countries than
in the United States. Foreign markets also have different clearance and
settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when
settlements have not been able to keep pace with the volume of securities
transactions, making it difficult to conduct and complete transactions. In
addition, the costs associated with transactions in securities of foreign
companies and securities traded on foreign markets, and the expense of
maintaining custody of these securities with foreign custodians, generally are
higher than in the U.S.
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<PAGE>
Because certain of the Funds may invest more than 25% of their total
assets in the securities of companies organized or headquartered in France,
Germany, Japan or the United Kingdom, these Funds may be subject to increased
risks due to political, economic, social or regulatory events in those
countries.
EMERGING MARKETS
Investments in emerging markets involve additional risks. The
securities markets of emerging market countries are substantially smaller, less
developed, less liquid, and more volatile than U.S. and other developed foreign
markets. Disclosure and regulatory standards are less stringent. There also may
be a lower level of monitoring and regulation of securities markets in emerging
market countries and of the activities of investors in such markets, and
enforcement of existing regulations has been limited.
Economies in emerging market countries generally depend heavily on
international trade. They may be affected adversely by the economic conditions
of the countries with which they trade, as well as by trade barriers, exchange
controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values, and other
protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by these countries. In many cases,
governments of emerging market countries continue to exercise significant
control over the economies of these countries. In addition, some of these
countries have in the past failed to recognize private property rights and have
at times nationalized or expropriated the assets of private companies. There is
a greater possibility of confiscatory taxation, imposition of withholding taxes
on interest payments, or other similar developments that could affect
investments in those countries. Unanticipated political or social developments
may also affect the value of a Fund's investments in those countries.
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<PAGE>
OPTIONS, CURRENCY HEDGING AND CURRENCY MANAGEMENT
Stock options involve a number of risks. They may be more volatile than
the underlying stock. Options and securities markets could not be precisely
correlated, so that a given transaction may not achieve its objective. In
addition, the secondary market for particular options may not be liquid for a
variety of reasons. When trading options on foreign exchanges, many of the
protections afforded to participants in the United States will not be available.
A Fund could lose the amount of the option premium plus transaction costs.
A Fund's use of hedging and currency management techniques involve
risks different from investments in U.S. dollar-denominated securities. If a
Fund invests in foreign securities while also maintaining currency positions, it
may be exposed to greater combined risk than would otherwise be the case.
Transactions in currency futures contracts and options on currency futures
contracts involve risks similar to those of options on securities; in addition,
the Fund's potential loss in such transactions is unlimited.
The use of hedging and currency management techniques is a highly
specialized activity, and the success of any such operations by a Fund is not
assured. Gains and losses in such transactions depend upon the Investment
Manager's ability to predict correctly the direction of stock prices, interest
rates, currency exchange rates, and other economic factors. Although such
operations could reduce the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the
hedged security or currency, they could also limit the potential gain from an
increase in the value of the security or currency.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION
The Global Technology Fund, Global Health Care Fund, Biotechnology Fund
and International Growth Equity Fund are non-diversified within the meaning of
the Investment Company Act of 1940. Each may invest a greater percentage of its
assets in the securities of any single issuer than diversified funds, and may be
more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or
regulatory occurrence than diversified funds. However, in order to meet the
requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), for
qualification as a regulated investment company, a Fund must diversify its
holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least
50% of the market value of its assets is represented by cash, U.S. Government
securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and other
securities, with such other securities of any one issuer limited for purposes of
this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund's
total assets and representing not more than 10% of the issuer's outstanding
voting securities, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total
assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than the U.S.
Government or other regulated investment companies).
YEAR 2000
Many computer programs employed throughout the world use two digits
rather than four to identify the year. These programs, if not adapted, will not
correctly handle the change from "99" to "00" on January 1, 2000, and will not
be able to perform necessary functions critical to the Funds' operations. The
"Year 2000 issue" affects all companies and organizations.
The Year 2000 problem may also adversely affect the companies in which
the Funds invest. For example companies may incur substantial costs to address
the problem. They may also suffer losses caused by corporate and governmental
data processing errors. To the extent the impact on a portfolio holding is
negative, a Fund's investment returns could be adversely affected.
The Investment Manager has advised the Funds that it is implementing a
plan intended to ensure that its computer systems are not adversely affected by
the Year 2000 issue. The Funds understand that their key service providers are
taking steps to address the issue as well. The Funds and the Investment Manager
will continue to monitor developments relating to this issue but do not
anticipate that the Year 2000 issue will have any adverse effect on the
Investment Manager's or other service providers' ability to provide services to
the Funds.
EURO INTRODUCTION
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On January 1, 1999, the European Union introduced a single European
currency, the Euro. The Investment Manager and other key service providers are
taking steps to address Euro-related issues and their impact on the Funds'
operations. These included upgrading their computer and bookkeeping systems to
deal with the conversion. The Funds and their Investment Manager will continue
to monitor the effects of the conversion on the markets and issuers in which the
Funds invest.
As a multinational currency, the value of the Euro may fluctuate
relative to the U.S. Dollar; such fluctuation, as with any other currency,
may cause a fund's net asset value to fluctuate as well. Because the Euro
will be implemented over the next three years, its overall effect cannot be
determined with certainty.
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
THE FUNDS AND THE INVESTMENT MANAGER
The International Growth Equity Fund is a series of Dresdner RCM
Capital Funds, Inc. (the "Capital Company"). The other Funds are series of
Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc. (the "Global Company"). The Global Company and
the Capital Company are incorporated in Maryland as open-end management
investment companies.
Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC, with principal offices at Four
Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, California 94111, is the investment manager
of the Funds. The Investment Manager manages each Fund's investments, provides
various administrative services, and supervises each Fund's daily business
affairs.
The Investment Manager provides investment supervisory services to
institutional and individual clients. It was established in December of 1998 and
is the successor to the business of its holding company, Dresdner RCM Global
Investors US Holdings LLC. The Investment Manager was originally formed as
Rosenberg Capital Management in 1970, and it and its successors have been
consistently in business since then. The Investment Manager is an indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Dresdner Bank AG ("Dresdner"), an international
banking organization with principal executive offices in Frankfurt, Germany.
THE PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND
WIlliam L. Price, John D. Leland, Jr. and Carson V. Levit are
primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Large Cap Growth
Fund. Mr. Price is a Senior Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Investment Officer of the Investment Manager, with which he has been
associated since 1977. He has managed equity portfolios on behalf of the
Investment Manager since 1977. Mr. Leland is a Managing Director of the
Investment Manager, with which he has been associated since 1972. He has
managed equity portfolios on behalf of the Investment Manager since 1972. Mr.
Levit has been associated with the Investment Manager since 1993. He has
participated in the management of equity portfolios on behalf of the
Investment Manager since 1994.
GLOBAL SMALL CAP FUND
David S. Plants and Timothy M. Kelly are primarily responsible for the
day-to-day management of the Global Small Cap Fund. Mr. Plants is a Director of
the Investment Manager, with which he has been associated since 1993. He has
participated in the management of portfolios on behalf of the Investment Manager
since 1993. Mr. Kelly is an Assistant Director of the Investment Manager, with
which he has been associated since 1995. Before joining Dresdner RCM, he
received an MBA from The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business with
concentrations in accounting and finance. He has participated in the management
of portfolios on behalf of the Investment Manager since 1995.
GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND
Walter C. Price and Huachen Chen are primarily responsible for the
day-to-day management of the Technology Fund. They are both Managing Directors
of the Investment Manager, with which they have been associated since 1974 and
1985, respectively. They have managed equity portfolios on behalf of the
Investment Manager since 1985.
GLOBAL HEALTH CARE FUND AND BIOTECHNOLOGY FUND
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Faraz Naqui M.D. and Susan Reinhold Phd. are primarily responsible for
the day-to-day management of the Global Health Care Fund and Biotechnology Fund.
Dr. Naqui is a portfolio manager and research analyst of the Investment Manager,
with which he has been associated since 1998. From 1996-1998 he served as an
analyst at Montgomery Securities focusing on biotechnology and pharmaceutical
companies. From 1994-1996, he served as a health care consultant for McKinsey &
Company. Dr. Reinhold is a portfolio manager and research analyst of the
Investment Manager, with which she has been associated since 1997. From
1995-1997, she served as a research analyst at Jurika & Voyles covering the
health care sector. From 1994-1995 she operated her own research firm, Relevant
Research, where she performed market and business research for private
investors.
INTERNATIONAL GROWTH EQUITY FUND AND EMERGING MARKETS FUND
William S. Stack is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management
of the International Fund and together with Ana Wiechers-Marshall is primarily
responsible for the day-to-day management of the Emerging Markets Fund. Mr.
Stack is a Senior Managing Director of the Investment Manager, with which he has
been associated since 1994, and is a member of its Board of Managers. From
1985-1994 he was employed by Lexington Management Corporation where he served as
Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Stack has more than 24 years
of experience managing both domestic and international equities. Ms.
Wiechers-Marshall is a Director of the Investment Manager, with which she has
been associated since 1995. From 1993-1995 she was employed by Bank of America
where she served as Latin America Regional Manager. She has participated in the
management of portfolios on behalf of the Investment Manager since 1997.
TAX MANAGED GROWTH FUND
M. Brad Branson and Joanne L. Howard are primarily responsible for the
day-to-day management of the Tax Managed Growth Fund. Mr. Branson is a Director
of the Investment Manager, with which he has been associated since 1993. He has
participated in the management of portfolios on behalf of the Investment Manager
since 1993. Ms. Howard is a Managing Director of the Investment Manager, with
which she has been associated since 1992. She has participated in the management
of portfolios on behalf of the Investment Manager since 1993.
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MANAGEMENT FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES
Each Fund pays the Investment Manager a fee pursuant to an investment
management agreement. The Technology Fund and the Emerging Markets Fund each pay
a monthly fee to the Investment Manager at the annual rate of 1.00% of its
average daily net assets. The International Growth Equity Fund pays a monthly
fee to the Investment Manager at the annual rate of 0.75% based on its average
daily net assets.
Each of the other Funds pays a monthly fee to the Investment Manager
based on its average daily net assets, at the following annual rate:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
SMALL CAP FUND
HEALTH CARE FUND
BIOTECHNOLOGY FUND LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND TAX MANAGED GROWTH FUND
AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
The first $500 million 1.00% 0.70% 0.75%
Above $500 million and below $1 billion 0.95% 0.65% 0.70%
Above $1 billion 0.90% 0.60% 0.65%
</TABLE>
Each Fund is responsible for its own expenses. These include brokerage
and commission expenses, taxes, interest charges on borrowings (if any),
custodial charges and expenses, investment management fees, and other operating
expenses (e.g., legal and audit fees, securities registration expenses, and
compensation of directors who are not affiliated with the Investment Manager).
These expenses are allocated to each class of shares based on the assets of each
class. In addition, each class also bears certain class-specific expenses, such
as Rule 12b-1 expenses payable by each Fund's Class N shares.
To limit the expenses of each Fund, the Investment Manager has agreed
to pay each Fund on a quarterly basis the amount, if any, by which the Fund's
ordinary operating expenses for the quarter (except interest, taxes and
extraordinary expenses) exceed the following expense ratios on an annual basis
through December 31, 1999:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------
FUND EXPENSE LIMITS THROUGH 12/31/99
------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------
<S> <C>
Large Cap Growth Fund
Class N shares 1.20%
Class I shares 0.95%
Global Small Cap Fund
Class N shares 1.75%
Class I shares 1.50%
Global Technology Fund
Class N shares 1.75%
Class I shares 1.50%
Global Health Care Fund 1.50%
Biotechnology Fund 1.50%
International Growth Equity Fund
Class N shares 1.25%
Class I shares 1.00%
Emerging Markets Fund
Class N shares 1.75%
Class I shares 1.50%
Tax Managed Growth Fund
Class N shares 1.50%
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
Class I shares 1.25%
</TABLE>
A Fund will reimburse the Investment Manager for such payments for a period of
up to five years after they are made, to the extent that the Fund's ordinary
operating expenses are less than the expense limit.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
Funds Distributor, Inc. (the "Distributor"), with principal offices at
60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, acts as distributor of
each class of shares of the Funds. The Distributor provides mutual fund
distribution services to registered investment companies, and is an indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Boston Institutional Group, Inc., which is not
affiliated with the Investment Manager or Dresdner.
The Capital Company and the Global Company have adopted distribution
and service plans (the "Capital Plan" and the "Global Plan") and the
Investment Company has adopted a distribution plan (with the Capital Plan and
the Global Plan, the "Plans") for their Class N shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1
under the 1940 Act. Under the Plans, each Fund pays the Distributor an annual
fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of its Class N shares as
reimbursement for certain expenses actually incurred by the Distributor in
providing distribution and, in the case of the Capital Plan and Global Plan,
also providing shareholder support services to such shares. These expenses
include advertising and marketing expenses, payments to broker-dealers and
others who have entered into agreements with the Distributor, the expenses of
preparing, printing and distributing the Prospectus to persons who are not
already stockholders, and indirect and overhead costs associated with the
sale of Class N shares. If in any month the Distributor is due more for such
services than is immediately payable because of the expense limitation under
the Plans, the unpaid amount is carried forward from month to month while the
Plan is in effect until it can be paid. Because these fees are paid out of
the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the
cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of
sales charges.
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STOCKHOLDER INFORMATION
BUYING SHARES
For your convenience, we offer several ways to start and add to Fund
investments.
OPENING YOUR ACCOUNT BY INVESTING THROUGH A FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL
If you work with a financial professional, he or she is prepared to
handle your planning and transaction needs. Your financial professional will be
able to assist you in establishing your fund account, executing transactions,
and monitoring your investment. If you do not hold your Fund investment in the
name of your financial professional and you prefer to place a transaction order
yourself, please use the instructions below for investing directly.
You may also purchase shares through certain brokers which have entered
into selling group agreements with the Distributor. Brokers may charge a fee for
their services at the time of purchase or redemption.
OPENING YOUR ACCOUNT DIRECTLY
You may establish accounts without the help of an intermediary as follows:
- - Choose the Fund in which you wish to invest.
Determine the amount you are investing. The minimum amount for initial
investments is $5,000 for the Class N shares ($250 for additional
investments) and $1,000,000 for the Class I shares ($50,000 for additional
investments). The Funds reserve the right at any time to waive, increase or
decrease the minimum requirements applicable to initial or subsequent
investments.
Minimum subsequent investment requirements do not apply to investors
purchasing shares through the Funds' automatic dividend reinvestment plan.
In addition, minimum initial investments may vary for investors purchasing
shares through a broker-dealer or other intermediary having a service
agreement with the Investment Manager and maintaining an omnibus account
with the Fund.
For more information on minimum investments, call 1-800-726-7240.
- - Complete the account application accompanying this Prospectus. Please apply
at this time for any account privileges you may want to use in the future,
to avoid the delays associated with adding them later on.
- - Mail your completed application to:
Dresdner RCM Global Funds
P.O. Box 8025
Boston, MA 02266-8025
For answers to any questions, please speak with a Fund Representative at
1-800-726-7240. The Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase of shares at
our sole discretion. The Funds also reserve the right to cancel any purchase
order for which payment has not been received by the third business day
following the order.
Confirmation statements showing transactions in your account and a summary
of the status of the account serve as evidence of ownership of shares of the
Fund. We will forward a confirmation statement to you on receipt of a proper
order.
INVESTING IN YOUR ACCOUNT
BY WIRE
44
<PAGE>
- - Make sure you have established an account by mailing an application as
explained above.
- - Call 1-800-726-7240 to obtain your account number and to place a purchase
order. FUNDS THAT ARE WIRED WITHOUT A PURCHASE ORDER WILL BE RETURNED
UNINVESTED.
- - After placing your purchase order, instruct your bank to wire the amount
of your investment to:
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Routing number: 011000028
Account number: 9905-268-0
FCC: your account number, name of registered owner(s) and Fund name
BY CHECK
- - Make out a check (bank or certified) or money order for the investment
amount payable to Dresdner RCM [insert the name of the Fund]. Please note:
No third party checks will be accepted.
- - Mail the check with your completed application to the Fund at:
Dresdner RCM Global Funds
P.O. Box 8025
Boston, MA 02266-8025
ADDING TO YOUR ACCOUNT
BY WIRE
- - Call the Fund to place a purchase order. FUNDS THAT ARE WIRED WITHOUT A
PURCHASE ORDER WILL BE RETURNED UNINVESTED.
- - Once you have placed your purchase order, instruct your bank to wire the
amount of your investment as described above.
BY CHECK
- - Make out a check for the investment amount payable to Dresdner RCM [insert
the name of the Fund]. Please note: No third party checks will be
accepted.
- - Mail the check with a completed investment slip to the Fund at:
Dresdner RCM Global Funds
P.O. Box 8025
Boston, MA 02266-8025
If you do not have an investment slip, attach a note indicating your
account number.
WITH SECURITIES
In its discretion, the Company may accept securities of equal value instead
of cash in payment of all or part of the subscription price for Fund shares.
Contact the Fund in advance to discuss the securities in question and the
documentation necessary to complete the transaction. Any such securities:
- - Will be valued at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock
Exchange on the day of acceptance of the subscription in accordance with
the Fund's method of valuing its securities;
- - Will have a tax basis to the Fund equal to such value;
- - Must not be restricted securities; and
45
<PAGE>
- - Must be permitted to be purchased in accordance with the Fund's investment
objective and policies and must be securities that the Fund would be
willing to purchase at that time.
46
<PAGE>
SELLING SHARES
BY PHONE - WIRE PAYMENT
- - Call the Fund at 1-800-726-7240 to verify that the wire redemption
privilege via telephone is in place on your account. If it is not, a
representative can help you add it.
- - Place your wire request.
BY PHONE - CHECK PAYMENT
- - Call the Fund at 1-800-726-7240 to verify that you have telephone
redemption privileges and place your request. Once your request has been
verified, a check for the cash amount (net of any redemption fee, if
applicable), payable to the registered owner(s), will be mailed to the
address of record. For checks payable to any other party or mailed to any
other address, please make your request in writing (see below).
IN WRITING
- - Write a letter of instruction, signed by each registered owner or their
duly authorized agent, that includes the following information:
- The name of the registered owner(s) of the account
- The name of the Fund
- The account number
- The number of shares or the dollar amount you want to sell
- The recipient's name and address or wire information (if
different from those of the account registration)
- Any stock certificates you may hold or additional documents
we may request
- - Indicate whether you want any cash proceeds sent by check or by wire.
- - Make sure the letter is signed by all registered owners or their
authorized parties. The Fund may require additional information, such as a
signature guarantee.
- - Mail the letter to the Fund.
BY ELECTRONIC TRANSFER
- - Fill out the appropriate areas of the account application for this
feature. To request an electronic transfer (not less than $50; nor more
than $100,000), call 1-800-726-7240. The Fund will transfer your sales
proceeds electronically to your bank account. The bank must be a member of
the Automated Clearing House.
SIGNATURE GUARANTEES
Certain requests must include a signature guarantee, which is designed
to protect you and the Funds from fraudulent activities. Your request must be
made in writing and include a signature guarantee if any of the following
situations apply:
- - You wish to redeem more than $50,000 worth of shares.
- - The check is being mailed to an address different from the one on your
account (address of record).
- - The check is being made payable to someone other than the account owner.
- - You are instructing us to change your bank account information.
47
<PAGE>
OTHER STOCKHOLDER SERVICES AND ACCOUNT POLICIES
TELEPHONE ORDERS
We accept telephone orders to buy or sell shares of the Funds. To order
call 1-800-726-7240. To guard against fraud, we may record telephone orders or
take other reasonable precautions. However, if we do not take such steps to
ensure the authenticity of an order, we may bear any loss if the order later
proves fraudulent. At times of peak activity, such as during periods of volatile
economic or market conditions, it may be difficult to place buy or sell orders
by phone. During these times, consider sending your request in writing.
BUSINESS HOURS AND NAV CALCULATIONS
Each Fund's regular business days and hours are the same as those of
the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The price of each Fund's shares is based
on its net asset value per share (NAV). Each Fund calculates its NAV every
business day as of the close of trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m.
eastern time). Shares of the Funds will not be priced on days on which the
NYSE is closed for trading. The NYSE is closed for trading on national
holidays and weekends. A Fund's securities are typically priced using market
quotes or pricing services. When these methods are not available or do not
represent a security's value at the time of pricing, the security is valued
in accordance with the Fund's fair valuation procedures.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each Fund accepts orders until the close of trading on the NYSE
every business day (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Orders received before
the close of trading on the NYSE are executed the same day at the respective
Fund's NAV for that day. Orders received after the close of trading on the
NYSE are executed the following day at that day's NAV. We have the right to
suspend redemption of shares of the Funds and to postpone payment of proceeds
for up to seven days or as permitted by law.
We may suspend the right of redemption or the date of payment for more
than seven days after shares are tendered for redemption for any period during
which
- - The New York Stock Exchange is closed (other than a customary weekend or
holiday closing) or the SEC determines that trading thereon is restricted;
- - An emergency (as determined by the SEC) exists as a result of which
disposal by the Fund of securities it owns is not reasonably practicable,
or as a result of which it is not reasonably practical for the Fund fairly
to determine the value of its net assets; or
- - The SEC, by order, permits such suspension for the protection of
stockholders.
TIMING OF SETTLEMENTS
When you buy shares of a Fund, you will become the owner of record when
the Fund receives your payment, generally the day following execution. When you
sell shares, cash proceeds are generally available the day following execution
and will be forwarded according to your instructions.
When you sell shares that you recently purchased by check, your order
will be executed at the Fund's next NAV but the proceeds will not be available
until your check clears. This may take up to 15 days from the purchase date.
Upon execution of the redemption order, a confirmation statement will be
forwarded to you indicating the number of shares sold and the proceeds thereof.
ACCOUNTS WITH BELOW-MINIMUM BALANCES
If your account balance falls below the minimum ($5,000 for Class N
shares and $250,000 for Class I shares) as a result of selling shares (and not
because of performance), the Fund reserves the right to request that you buy
more shares or close your account. If your account balance is still below the
minimum
48
<PAGE>
90 days after notification, we reserve the right to close out your account and
send the proceeds to the address of record.
AUTOMATIC REINVESTMENT
We will reinvest each income dividend and capital gain distribution
declared by a Fund in full and fractional shares of the Fund of the same class,
unless you or your duly authorized agent elect to receive all such payments, or
only the dividend or distribution portions, in cash. We will base such
reinvestment on the Fund's NAV as determined on the payment date. You or your
authorized agent may request changes in the manner in which dividend and
distribution payments are made through written notice to the Fund. This request
will be effective as to any subsequent payment if it is received prior to the
record date used for determining your payment. Any dividend and distribution
election will remain in effect until you notify the Fund in writing to the
contrary.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
You may exchange shares of either class of the Funds into shares of the
same class of any other Fund offered by Dresdner RCM, without a sales charge or
other fee (except redemption fees, if any), by contacting the Fund. You may also
exchange Class N shares of a Fund into Class I shares of the same Fund or any
other Fund offered by Dresdner RCM provided you meet the minimum investment
requirements for Class I investors. Exchange purchases are subject to the
minimum investment requirements of the class purchased. In order to keep a
fund's expenses low for all shareholders, the Fund will not allow frequent
exchanges, purchases, or sales of Fund shares. If a shareholder exhibits a
pattern or frequent trading, the Fund reserves the right to refuse to accept
further purchase or exchange orders from that shareholder. An exchange will be
treated as a redemption and purchase for tax purposes.
Shares will be exchanged at net asset value per share next determined
after receipt by BFDS of:
- - A written request for exchange, signed by each registered owner or his or
her duly authorized agent exactly as the shares are registered, which
clearly identifies the exact names in which the account is registered, the
account number and the number of shares or the dollar amount to be
exchanged
- - Stock certificates for any shares to be exchanged which are held by the
stockholder
Exchanges will not become effective until all documents in the form
required have been received by BFDS. If you have any questions, please contact
BFDS.
Please be sure to read carefully the prospectus of any other Fund in
which you wish to exchange shares.
ACCOUNT STATEMENTS
Stockholder accounts are opened in accordance with your registration
instructions. Transactions in the account, such as additional investments and
dividend reinvestments, will be reflected on regular confirmation statements.
REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS
Each Fund's fiscal year ends on December 31. Each Fund will issue to
its stockholders semi-annual and annual reports. In addition, stockholders will
receive quarterly statements of the status of their accounts reflecting all
transactions having taken place within that quarter. In order to reduce
duplicate mailings and printing costs, the Companies will provide one annual and
semi-annual report and annual prospectus per household. Information regarding
the tax status of income dividends and capital gains distributions will be
mailed to stockholders on or before January 31st of each year. Account tax
information will also be sent to the IRS.
49
<PAGE>
REDEMPTION
Redemption payments will be made wholly in cash unless a Fund's
Board of Directors believes that unusual conditions exist which would make
such payment detrimental to the best interests of the Fund. Under such
circumstances, payment of the redemption price could be made in whole or in
part in portfolio securities. You would incur brokerage costs to sell such
securities.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Each Fund's dividends and distributions consist of most or all of its
net investment income and net realized capital gains. They are typically paid
once a year in December. The amount depends on the Fund's investment results and
its tax compliance situation.
Dividends and distributions normally are reinvested in additional Fund
shares. You may instruct your financial professional or the Fund to have them
sent to you by check or credited to a separate account.
If you are an individual (or certain other non-corporate stockholders),
we have to withhold 31% of all dividends, capital gains distributions and
redemption proceeds we pay to you if: (a) have not given us a certified correct
taxpayer identification number and (b) except with respect to redemption
proceeds, have not certified that backup withholding does not apply. Amounts we
withhold are applied to your federal tax liability, and a refund may be obtained
from the Internal Revenue Service if withholding results in an overpayment of
taxes. Distributions of our taxable income and net capital gain to non-resident
alien individuals, non-resident alien fiduciaries of trusts of estate, foreign
corporations, or foreign partnerships may also be subject to U.S. withholding
tax, although distributions of net capital gain to such stockholders generally
will not be subject to withholding.
We may be required to pay income, withholding and other taxes imposed
by foreign countries, generally at rates from 10% to 40%, which would reduce our
investment income. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may
reduce or eliminate such taxes. We may "pass through" to you the amount of
foreign income taxes we pay, if it is in the best interests of stockholders. If
we do so, you will be required to include in your gross income your pro-rata
share of foreign taxes we paid, and you will be able to treat such taxes as
either an itemized deduction or a foreign credit against U.S. income taxes on
your tax returns. If we do not do so, you will not be able to deduct your share
of such taxes in computing your taxable income and will not be able to take your
share of such taxes as a credit against your U.S. income taxes.
In general, selling shares for cash, exchanging shares, and receiving
distributions (whether reinvested or taken in cash) are all taxable events.
These transactions typically create the following tax liabilities for taxable
accounts:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
TRANSACTION TAX STATUS
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
<S> <C>
Income dividends Ordinary income
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
Short-term capital gains Ordinary income
distributions
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
Long-term capital gains Capital gains
distributions
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
Sales or exchanges of shares Capital gains or losses
owned for more than one year
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
Sales of exchanges of shares Gains are treated as
owned for one year or less ordinary income; losses are
subject to special rules
- ----------------------------------- -----------------------------
</TABLE>
Dividends and other distributions generally are taxable to you at the
time they are received. However, dividends declared in October, November and
December by a Fund and made payable to your in such month are treated as paid
and are thereby taxable as of December 31, provided that the Fund pays
50
<PAGE>
the dividend no later than January 31 of the following year.
If you purchase a Fund's shares shortly before the record date for a
dividend or other distribution thereon, you will pay full price for the shares.
This is known as "buying a distribution" because you will receive some portion
of your purchase price back as a distribution even though, because the amount of
the dividend or other distribution reduce the shares' net asset value, it
actually represents a return of invested capital. Depending on your taxpayer
status, that distribution may be taxable.
You will receive, after the end of each year, full information on
dividends, capital gain distributions and other reportable amounts with respect
to shares of a Fund for tax purposes. This includes information such as the
portion taxable as capital gains and the amount of dividends, if any, eligible
for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporate taxpayers.
Foreign stockholders may be subject to special withholding
requirements. A penalty is charged on certain pre-retirement distributions form
retirement accounts. Consult your tax adviser about the federal, state and local
tax consequences in your particular circumstances.
The tax considerations described in this section do not apply to
tax-deferred accounts or other non-taxable entities. Because each investor's tax
circumstances are unique, please consult you tax professional about your
investment in a Fund.
51
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The following financial highlights tables show the Funds' financial
performance. This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,
whose report, along with the Funds' financial statements, are included in the
Funds' Annual Reports, which are available upon request and incorporated by
reference into the SAI.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS I
------------------------------------------------------
For a share outstanding throughout each
fiscal year or period ended Global Technology Fund
------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 1995 (2)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE: (1)
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 13.69 $ 12.60 $ 10.04 $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) (0.16) (0.16) (0.15) -
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 8.44 3.46 2.80 0.04
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Total from investment operations 8.28 3.30 2.65 0.04
Less distributions:
From net investment income - - - -
From net realized gain on investments (0.57) (2.21) (0.09) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Total distributions (0.57) (2.21) (0.09) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
NET ASSET VALUE, END OF PERIOD $ 21.40 $ 13.69 $ 12.60 $ 10.04
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
TOTAL RETURN (8) 61.05% 27.08% 26.41% 0.40% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) $ 18,558 $ 6,950 $ 5,117 $ 954
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement 1.75% 1.75% 1.73% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Without waiver and reimbursement 2.49% 2.45% 7.75% -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Ratio of net investment income to average
net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement (0.99%) (1.15%) (1.34%) (0.02%)(9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Without waiver and reimbursement (1.73%) (1.86%) (7.36%) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Portfolio turnover 265.99% 189.41% 155.58% 0.00%
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
<CAPTION>
CLASS I
----------------------------------------
For a share outstanding throughout each
fiscal year or period ended Global Small Cap Fund
----------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 (3)
------------- ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE: (1)
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 11.09 $ 10.00 $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) (0.13) (0.13) -
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 2.23 2.64 -
------------- ------------ ------------
Total from investment operations 2.10 2.51 -
Less distributions:
From net investment income - - -
From net realized gain on investments (0.82) (1.42) -
------------- ------------ ------------
Total distributions (0.82) (1.42) -
------------- ------------ ------------
NET ASSET VALUE, END OF PERIOD $ 12.37 $ 11.09 $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
TOTAL RETURN (8) 19.29% 25.48% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) $ 5,479 $ 4,456 $ 4,000
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement 1.75% 1.75% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
Without waiver and reimbursement 3.86% 3.09% -
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
Ratio of net investment income to average
net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement (1.03%) (1.14%) 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
Without waiver and reimbursement (3.14%) (2.49%) -
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
Portfolio turnover 184.38% 153.49% 0.00%
------------- ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------
<CAPTION>
CLASS I
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a share outstanding throughout each
fiscal year or period ended Global Health Care Fund Large Cap Growth Fund
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 (3) 1998 1997 1996 (3)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE: (1)
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 11.65 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 12.53 $ 10.00 $ $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) (0.09) (0.06) - (0.02) 0.01 -
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 3.02 3.03 - 5.51 3.17 -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Total from investment operations 2.93 2.97 - 5.49 3.18 -
Less distributions:
From net investment income - - - (0.01) (0.01) -
From net realized gain on investments (1.16) (1.32) - (1.87) (0.64) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Total distributions (1.16) (1.32) - (1.88) (0.65) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
NET ASSET VALUE, END OF PERIOD $ 13.42 $ 11.65 $ 10.00 $ 16.14 $ 12.53 $ $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
TOTAL RETURN (8) 25.57% 30.00% 0.00% (9) 44.11% 31.99% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) $ 5,487 $ 4,671 $ 4,000 $ 7,935 $ 5,025 $ $ 4,000
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement 1.50% 1.50% 0.00% (9) 0.95% 0.95% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Without waiver and reimbursement 3.65% 2.93% - 3.04% 2.63% -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Ratio of net investment income to average
net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement (0.69%) (0.55%) 0.00% (9) (0.11%) 0.10% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Without waiver and reimbursement (2.84%) 1.98% - (2.20%) (1.58%) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
Portfolio turnover 153.92% 157.65% 0.00% 99.58% 119.87% 0.00%
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------- -------------
<CAPTION>
CLASS I
------------------------------------------------------
For a share outstanding throughout each
fiscal year or period ended Biotechnology Fund Emerging Markets Fund
------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 (4) 1998 1997 (4)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE: (1)
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 9.99 $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) (0.10) - 0.12 -
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 1.86 - (0.97) (0.01)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Total from investment operations 1.76 - (0.85) (0.01)
Less distributions:
From net investment income - - (0.08) -
From net realized gain on investments (0.32) - - -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Total distributions (0.32) - (0.08) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
NET ASSET VALUE, END OF PERIOD $ 11.44 $ 10.00 $ 9.06 $ 9.99
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
TOTAL RETURN (8) 17.76% 0.00% (9) (8.50%) 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) $ 3,911 $ 3,000 $ 2,734 $ 2,996
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement 1.50% 0.01% (9) 1.50% 0.01% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Without waiver and reimbursement 4.87% - 8.29% -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Ratio of net investment income to average
net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement (0.95%) 0.01% (9) 1.23% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Without waiver and reimbursement (4.32%) - (5.56%) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Portfolio turnover 127.21% 0.00% 279.25% 0.00%
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
<CAPTION>
CLASS I
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For a share outstanding throughout each
fiscal year or period ended International Growth Equity Fund
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 (6) 1995 1994 (7)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE: (1)
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 13.70 $ 12.72 $ 11.56 $ 10.00 $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) 0.06 0.06 0.04 0.12 -
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 1.80 2.22 2.16 1.68 -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Total from investment operations 1.86 2.28 2.20 1.80 -
Less distributions:
From net investment income (0.23) (0.14) (0.16) (0.11) -
From net realized gain on investments (0.35) (1.16) (0.88) (0.13) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Total distributions (0.58) (1.30) (1.04) (0.24) -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
NET ASSET VALUE, END OF PERIOD $ 14.98 $ 13.70 $ 12.72 $ 11.56 $ 10.00
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
TOTAL RETURN (8) 13.81% 17.93% 19.31% 17.98% 0.01% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) $ 121,975 $ 98,443 $ 52,605 $ 34,347 $ 25,004
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement 1.00% 1.00% 0.99% 0.75% 0.00% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Without waiver and reimbursement 1.06% 1.06% 1.25% 1.11% -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Ratio of net investment income to average
net assets:
With waiver and reimbursement 0.37% 0.41% 0.32% 1.19% 0.01% (9)
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Without waiver and reimbursement 0.31% 0.35% 0.06% 0.83% -
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
Portfolio turnover 84.49% 122.43% 119.09% 87.40% 0.00%
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------
</TABLE>
- ---------------------
(1) Calculated using the average share method.
(2) Commencement of operation was December 27, 1995.
(3) Commencement of operation was December 31, 1996.
(4) Commencement of operation was December 30, 1997.
(5) Commencement of operation was December 31, 1998.
(6) Stock split 10:1 at the close of business on June 17, 1996. All prior
period per share amounts were restated to reflect the stock split.
(7) Commencement of operation was December 28, 1994.
(8) Total return measures the change in value of an investment over the
period indicated.
(9) Not annualized. Fund was in operations for less than five days.
52
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[Back Page]
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS AND DRESDNER RCM CAPITAL
FUNDS, THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FREE UPON REQUEST:
ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORTS:
The Funds' annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain
detailed information on each Fund's investments. The annual report includes a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected the Funds' performance during their last fiscal year.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI):
The SAI provides more detailed information about the Funds, including
operations and investment policies. It is incorporated by reference and is
legally considered as part of this Prospectus.
You can get free copies of the reports and the SAI, or request other
information and discuss your questions about the Funds, by contacting us at:
Dresdner RCM Funds
Four Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111
Telephone 1-800-726-7240
You can review the Funds' Reports and SAI at the Public Reference Room
of the Securities and Exchange Commission. You can also get copies:
- For a fee, by writing the Public Reference Section of the
Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549-6009 or calling
1-800-SEC-0330.
- Free from the Commission's Website at http://www.sec.gov.
Investment Company Act file nos. 811-2913 and 811-9100.
53
<PAGE>
[LOGO] DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS
Dresdner RCM Capital Funds, Inc.
Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc.
Four Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, California 94111-4189
(800) 726-7240
DRESDNER RCM LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL SMALL CAP FUND
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL HEALTH CARE FUND
DRESDNER RCM BIOTECHNOLOGY FUND
DRESDNER RCM INTERNATIONAL GROWTH EQUITY FUND
DRESDNER RCM EMERGING MARKETS FUND
DRESDNER RCM TAX MANAGED GROWTH FUND
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
May 3, 1999
Dresdner RCM International Growth Equity Fund (the "International Fund") is a
series of Dresdner RCM Capital Funds, Inc. (the "Capital Company"), an
open-end management investment company. Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund
(the "Large Cap Fund"), Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund (the "Global Small
Cap Fund"), Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund (the "Technology Fund"),
Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund (the "Health Care Fund"), Dresdner RCM
Biotechnology Fund (the "Biotechnology Fund"), Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets
Fund (the "Emerging Markets Fund"), and Dresdner RCM Tax Managed Growth Fund
(the "Tax Managed Growth Fund"), are series (each, together with the
International Fund, a "Fund" and, together, the "Funds") of Dresdner RCM
Global Funds, Inc. (the "Global Company" and, with the Capital Company, the
"Companies"), an open-end management investment company. The Funds'
investment manager is Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC (the "Investment
Manager"). All the Funds are diversified except the Technology Fund, the
Health Care Fund, the Biotechnology Fund and the International Fund.
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus, and
should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Funds dated May 3,
1999. This SAI relates to the Funds' Non-Institutional Class ("Class N") and
Institutional Class ("Class I") of shares. The Prospectus may be obtained
without charge by writing or calling either Company at the address and phone
number above.
Incorporated herein by reference are the financial statements of the Fund
contained in the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended
December 31, 1998, including the Report of Independent Accountants dated
February 22, 1999, the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, including the
Portfolio of Investments and the related Statement of Operations, Statement
of Changes in Net Assets, and the Financial Highlights. Copies of the Fund's
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders will be available upon
request, by calling (800) 726-7240, or by writing to Four Embarcadero Center,
San Francisco, CA 94111.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Investment Objectives and Policies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Risk Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Investment Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Execution of Portfolio Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Directors and Officers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
The Investment Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The Distributor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Net Asset Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Purchase and Redemption of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Dividends, Distributions and Tax Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Investment Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Description of Capital Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Additional Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Financial Statements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
INVESTMENT CRITERIA
In evaluating particular investment opportunities, the Investment
Manager may consider such other factors, in addition to those described in
the Prospectus, as the anticipated economic growth rate, the political
outlook, the anticipated inflation rate, the currency outlook, and the
interest rate environment for the country and the region in which a
particular issuer is located. When the Investment Manager believes it would
be appropriate and useful, the Investment Manager's personnel may visit the
issuer's headquarters and plant sites to assess an issuer's operations and to
meet and evaluate its key executives. The Investment Manager also will
consider whether other risks may be associated with particular securities.
INVESTMENT IN FOREIGN SECURITIES
The securities markets of many countries have at times in the past moved
relatively independently of one another due to different economic, financial,
political, and social factors. In seeking to achieve the investment
objectives of the Funds, the Investment Manager allocates the Funds' assets
among securities of countries and in currency denominations where it expects
opportunities for meeting the Funds' investment objectives to be the most
attractive, subject to the percentage limitations set forth in the
Prospectus. In addition, from time to time a Fund may strategically adjust
its investments among issuers based in various countries and among the
various equity markets of the world in order to take advantage of diverse
global opportunities, based on the Investment Manager's evaluation of
prevailing trends and developments, as well as on the Investment Manager's
assessment of the potential for capital appreciation (as compared to the
risks) of particular companies, industries, countries, and regions.
INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPED FOREIGN COUNTRIES. Each of the Funds may invest
in securities of foreign governments and companies that are organized or
headquartered in developed foreign countries. A Fund may not be invested in
all developed foreign countries at one time, and may not invest in particular
developed foreign countries at any time, depending on the Investment
Manager's view of the investment opportunities available.
Although these countries have developed economies, even developed
countries may be subject to periods of economic or political instability. For
example, efforts by the member countries of the European Union to eliminate
internal barriers to the free movement of goods, persons, services and
capital have encountered opposition arising from the conflicting economic,
political and cultural interests and traditions of the member countries and
their citizens. The reunification of the former German Democratic Republic
(East Germany) with the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and other
political and social events in Europe have caused considerable economic and
social dislocations. Such events can materially affect securities markets and
have also disrupted the relationship of such currencies with each other and
with the U.S. dollar. Similarly, events in the Japanese economy and social
developments may affect Japanese securities and currency markets, as well as
the relationship of the Japanese yen to the U.S. dollar. Future political,
economic and social developments can be expected to produce continuing
effects on securities and currency markets in these and other developed
foreign countries.
INVESTMENT IN EMERGING MARKETS. As a general matter, countries
that are not considered to be developed foreign countries by the Investment
Manager will be deemed to be emerging market countries. Emerging market
countries include any country generally considered to be an emerging market
or developing country by the World Bank, the International Finance
Corporation, the United Nations or its authorities, or other recognized
financial institutions. As of the date of this SAI, emerging market countries
are deemed to include for purposes of this SAI, all foreign countries other
than Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
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Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. (See
INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPED FOREIGN COUNTRIES.) As their economies grow and their
markets grow and mature, some countries that currently may be characterized
by the Investment Manager as emerging market countries may be deemed by the
Investment Manager to be developed foreign countries. In the event that the
Investment Manager deems a particular country to be a developed foreign
country, any investment in securities issued by that country's government or
by an issuer located in that country would not be subject to a Fund's overall
limitations on investments in emerging market countries.
Securities of issuers organized or headquartered in emerging market
countries may, at times, offer excellent opportunities for current income and
capital appreciation. However, prospective investors should be aware that the
markets of emerging market countries historically have been more volatile
than the markets of the United States and developed foreign countries, and
thus the risks of investing in securities of issuers organized or
headquartered in emerging market countries may be far greater than the risks
of investing in developed foreign markets. (See RISK CONSIDERATIONS--EMERGING
MARKET SECURITIES for a more detailed discussion of the risk factors
associated with investments in emerging market securities.) In addition,
movements of emerging market currencies historically have had little
correlation with movements of developed foreign market currencies.
Prospective investors should consider these risk factors carefully before
investing in a Fund. Some emerging market countries have currencies whose
value is closely linked to the U.S. dollar. Emerging market countries also
may issue debt denominated in U.S. dollars and other currencies.
It is unlikely that a Fund will be invested in securities in all
emerging market countries at any time. Moreover, investing in some emerging
markets currently may not be desirable or feasible, due to lack of adequate
custody arrangements for Fund assets, overly burdensome repatriation or
similar restrictions, the lack of organized and liquid securities markets,
unacceptable political risks, poor values of investments in those markets
relative to investments in other emerging markets, in developed foreign
markets, or in the United States, or for other reasons.
CURRENCY MANAGEMENT
Securities purchased by the Funds may be denominated in U.S. dollars,
foreign currencies, or multinational currencies such as the Euro, and the
Funds will incur costs in connection with conversions between various
currencies. Movements in the various securities markets may be offset by
changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Exchange rates frequently move
independently of securities markets in a particular country. As a result,
gains in a particular securities market may be affected, either positively or
negatively, by changes in exchange rates, and a Fund's net currency positions
may expose it to risks independent of its securities positions.
From time to time, the Funds may employ currency management techniques
to enhance their total returns, although there is no current intention to do
so. A Fund may not employ more than 30% of the value of its total assets in
currency management techniques for the purpose of enhancing returns. To the
extent that such techniques are used to enhance return, they are considered
speculative.
A Fund's ability and decision to purchase or sell portfolio securities
may be affected by the laws or regulations in particular countries relating
to convertibility and repatriation of assets. Because the shares of the Funds
are redeemable in U.S. dollars each day the Funds determine their net asset
value, the Funds must have the ability at all times to obtain U.S. dollars to
the extent necessary to meet redemptions. Under present conditions, the
Investment Manager does not believe that these considerations will have any
significant adverse effect on its portfolio strategies, although there can be
no assurances in this regard.
GENERAL CURRENCY CONSIDERATIONS. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate
significantly over short periods of time causing, along with other factors, a
Fund's net asset value to fluctuate as well. Currency exchange rates
generally are determined by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign
exchange markets and the relative merits of investments in different
countries, actual or anticipated changes in interest rates and other complex
factors, as seen from an international perspective. Currency exchange rates
also can be affected unpredictably by intervention, or failure to do so, by
U.S. or foreign governments or central banks or by currency controls or
political developments in the United States or abroad. The markets in forward
foreign currency exchange contracts, currency swaps and other
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privately negotiated currency instruments offer less protection against
defaults by the other party to such instruments than is available for
currency instruments traded on an exchange. To the extent that a substantial
portion of a Fund's total assets, adjusted to reflect the Fund's net position
after giving effect to currency transactions, is denominated or quoted in the
currencies of foreign countries, the Fund will be more susceptible to the
risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries.
FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS. Each Fund may purchase or
sell forward foreign currency exchange contracts ("forward contracts") for
hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return when the Investment
Manager anticipates that a foreign currency will appreciate or depreciate in
value, but securities denominated or quoted in that currency do not present
attractive investment opportunities and are not held in the Fund's portfolio.
When purchased or sold to increase total return, forward contracts are
considered speculative. In addition, a Fund may enter into forward contracts
in order to protect against anticipated changes in future foreign currency
exchange rates.
Each Fund may engage in cross-hedging by using forward contracts in a
currency different from that in which the hedged security is denominated or
quoted if the Investment Manager determines that there is a pattern of
correlation between the two currencies. Each such Fund may also engage in
proxy hedging, by using forward contracts in a series of foreign currencies
for similar purposes.
Each Fund may enter into forward contracts to purchase foreign
currencies to protect against an anticipated rise in the U.S. dollar price of
securities it intends to purchase. Each such Fund may enter into forward
contracts to sell foreign currencies to protect against the decline in value
of its foreign currency denominated or quoted portfolio securities, or a
decline in the value of anticipated income or dividends from such securities,
due to a decline in the value of foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar.
Forward contracts to sell foreign currency could limit any potential gain
which might be realized by a Fund if the value of the hedged currency
increased.
If a Fund enters into a forward contract to sell foreign currency to
increase total return or to buy foreign currency for any purpose, the Fund
will segregate cash, U.S. Government securities, or other liquid debt or
equity securities with the Fund's custodian in an amount equal to the value
of the Fund's total assets committed to the consummation of the forward
contract. If the value of the segregated securities declines, additional
assets will be segregated so that the value of the segregated assets will
equal the amount of the Fund's commitment with respect to the contract.
A forward contract is subject to the risk that the counterparty to such
contract will default on its obligations. Since a forward contract is not
guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a default on the contract would
deprive a Fund of unrealized profits, transaction costs or the benefits of a
currency hedge or force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments,
if any, at the current market price.
OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES. Each Fund may purchase and sell (write)
put and call options on foreign currencies for the purpose of protecting
against declines in the U.S. dollar value of foreign portfolio securities and
anticipated income or dividends on such securities and against increases in
the U.S. dollar cost of foreign securities to be acquired. Each such Fund may
also use options on currency to cross-hedge, which involves writing or
purchasing options on one currency to hedge against changes in exchange rates
for a different currency, if the Investment Manager believes there is a
pattern of correlation between the two currencies. Options on foreign
currencies to be written or purchased by the Funds will be traded on U.S. and
foreign exchanges.
The writer of a put or call option receives a premium and gives the
purchaser the right to sell (or buy) the currency underlying the option at the
exercise price. The writer has the obligation upon exercise of the option to
purchase (or deliver) the currency during the option period. A writer of an
option who wishes to terminate the obligation may effect a "closing transaction"
by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written. A
writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after being notified of the
exercise of an option. The writing of an option on foreign currency will
constitute only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received; a
Fund could be required to purchase or sell additional foreign currencies at
disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an
option on foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against exchange
rate fluctuations;
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however, in the event of exchange rate movements adverse to a Fund's
position, the Fund may forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related
transaction costs.
Each Fund may purchase call or put options on a currency to seek to
increase total return when the Investment Manager anticipates that the
currency will appreciate or depreciate in value, but the securities quoted or
denominated in that currency do not present attractive investment
opportunities and are not held in the Fund's portfolio.
When a Fund writes a put or call option on a foreign currency, an amount
of cash, U.S. Government securities, or other liquid debt or equity
securities equal to the market value of its obligations under the option will
be segregated by the Fund's custodian to collateralize the position.
CURRENCY FUTURES CONTRACTS. Each Fund may enter into currency futures
contracts, as described under "Futures Transactions" below.
CURRENCY SWAPS. Each Fund may enter into currency swaps for both hedging
and to seek to increase total return. Currency swaps involve the exchange of
rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies. Since currency
swaps are individually negotiated, the Funds expect to achieve an acceptable
degree of correlation between their portfolio investments and their currency
swap positions entered into for hedging purposes. Currency swaps may involve
the delivery of the entire principal value of one designated currency in
exchange for the other designated currency, or the delivery of the net amount
of a party's obligations over its entitlements. Therefore, the entire
principal value of a currency swap may be subject to the risk that the other
party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations. Each
Fund will maintain in a segregated account with the Fund's custodian cash,
U.S. Government securities, or other liquid debt or equity securities equal
to the amount of the Fund's obligations, or the net amount (if any) of the
excess of the Fund's obligations over its entitlements, with respect to swap
transactions. To the extent that such amount of a swap is segregated, the
Company and the Investment Manager believe that swaps do not constitute
senior securities under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act")
and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to a Fund's borrowing
restriction.
The use of currency swaps is a highly specialized activity which
involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with
ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Investment Manager is
incorrect in its forecasts of market values and currency exchange rates, the
investment performance of a Fund entering into a currency swap would be less
favorable than it would have been if this investment technique were not used.
OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS
Each Fund may purchase listed put and call options on any securities
which it is eligible to purchase as a hedge against changes in market
conditions that may result in changes in the value of the Fund's portfolio
securities. The aggregate premiums on put options and call options purchased
by a Fund may not in each case exceed 5% of the value of the net assets of
the Fund as of the date of purchase. In addition, a Fund will not purchase
options if more than 25% of the value of its net assets would be hedged.
A put gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to
require the writer of the put to purchase from the holder a security at a
specified price. A call gives the holder the right, in return for the premium
paid, to require the writer of the call to sell a security to the holder at a
specified price. Put and call options on various stocks and financial indices
are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges. A put option is covered if the
writer segregates cash, U.S. Government securities or other liquid debt or
equity securities equal to the exercise price. A call option is covered if
the writer owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and
immediate right to acquire the security without additional cash consideration
upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by it.
PUT OPTIONS. If a Fund purchases a put option, the Fund acquires the
right to sell the underlying security at a specified price at any time during
the term of the option (for "American-style" options) or on the option
expiration date (for "European-style" options). Purchasing put options may be
used as a portfolio investment strategy when the
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Investment Manager perceives significant short-term risk but substantial
long-term appreciation for the underlying security. The put option acts as an
"insurance policy", as it protects against significant downward price
movement while it allows full participation in any upward movement. If a Fund
is holding a security which the Investment Manager feels has strong
fundamentals, but for some reason may be weak in the near term, the Fund may
purchase a put option on such security, thereby giving itself the right to
sell such security at a certain strike price throughout the term of the
option. Consequently, the Fund will exercise the put only if the price of
such security falls below the strike price of the put. The difference between
the strike price of the put and the market price of the underlying security
on the date the Fund exercises the put, less transaction costs, will be the
amount by which the Fund will be able to hedge against a decline in the
underlying security. If during the period of the option the market price for
the underlying security remains at or above the put's strike price, the put
will expire worthless, representing a loss of the price the Fund paid for the
put, plus transaction costs. If the price of the underlying security
increases, the profit the Fund realizes on the sale of the security will be
reduced by the premium paid for the put option less any amount for which the
put may be sold.
CALL OPTIONS. If a Fund purchases a call option, it acquires the right
to purchase the underlying security at a specified price at any time during
the term of the option. The purchase of a call option is a type of "insurance
policy" to hedge against losses that could incur if a Fund intends to
purchase the underlying security and the security thereafter increases in
price. The Fund will exercise a call option only if the price of the
underlying security is above the strike price at the time of exercise. If
during the option period the market price for the underlying security remains
at or below the strike price of the call option, the option will expire
worthless, representing a loss of the price paid for the option, plus
transaction costs. If the price of the underlying security increases, the
price the Fund pays for the security will in effect be increased by the
premium paid for the call.
STOCK INDEX OPTIONS. Each Fund may purchase put and call options with
respect to stock indices such as the S&P Composite 500 Stock Price Index and
other stock indices. Such options may be purchased as a hedge against changes
resulting from market conditions in the values of securities which are held
in a Fund's portfolio or which it intends to purchase or sell, or when they
are economically appropriate for the reduction of risks inherent in the
ongoing management of the Fund.
The distinctive characteristics of options on stock indices create
certain risks that are not present with stock options generally. Because the
value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index
rather than the price of a particular stock, whether a Fund will realize a
gain or loss on the purchase or sale of an index option depends upon
movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally rather
than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly, successful
use by a Fund of options on a stock index will be subject to the Investment
Manager's ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the
stock market generally. This requires different skills and techniques than
predicting changes in the prices of individual stocks.
Index prices may be distorted if trading of certain stocks included in
an index is interrupted. Trading of index options also may be interrupted in
certain circumstances, such as if trading were halted in a substantial number
of stocks included in the index. If this were to occur, a Fund would not be
able to close out options which it had purchased, and if restrictions on
exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it
holds, which could result in substantial losses to the Fund. It is the policy
of the Funds to purchase put or call options only with respect to an index
which the Investment Manager believes includes a sufficient number of stocks
to minimize the likelihood of a trading halt in the index.
DEALER OPTIONS. Each Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer
options as well as exchange-traded options. Options not traded on an exchange
generally lack the liquidity of an exchange-traded option, and may be subject to
a Fund's restriction on investment in illiquid securities. In addition, dealer
options may involve the risk that the securities dealers participating in such
transactions will fail to meet their obligations under the terms of the options.
SHORT SALES
Each Fund, except the International Fund, may engage in short sales
transactions. Although the International Fund may not make short sales of
securities, it may maintain short positions in connection with its use of
options,
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futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward foreign currency
exchange transactions, and currency options. A short sale that is not made
"against the box" is a transaction in which a Fund sells a security it does
not own in anticipation of a decline in market price. When a Fund makes a
short sale, the proceeds it receives are retained by the broker until the
Fund replaces the borrowed security. In order to deliver the security to the
buyer, the Fund must arrange through a broker to borrow the security and, in
so doing, the Fund becomes obligated to replace the security borrowed at its
market price at the time of replacement, whatever that price may be.
The value of securities of any issuer in which a Fund maintains a short
position that is not "against the box" may not exceed the lesser of 5% of the
value of the Fund's net assets or 5% of the securities of such class of the
issuer. A Fund's ability to enter into short sales transactions is limited by
the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act").
Short sales by a Fund that are not made "against the box" create
opportunities to increase the Fund's return but, at the same time, involve
special risk considerations and may be considered a speculative technique.
Since a Fund in effect profits from a decline in the price of the securities
sold short without the need to invest the full purchase price of the
securities on the date of the short sale, the Fund's net asset value per
share will tend to increase more when the securities it has sold short
decrease in value, and to decrease more when the securities it has sold short
increase in value, than would otherwise be the case if it had not engaged in
such short sales. Short sales theoretically involve unlimited loss potential,
as the market price of securities sold short may continuously increase,
although a Fund may mitigate such losses by replacing the securities sold
short before the market price has increased significantly. Under adverse
market conditions, a Fund might have difficulty purchasing securities to meet
its short sale delivery obligations, and might have to sell portfolio
securities to raise the capital necessary to meet its short sale obligations
at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such
sales.
If a Fund makes a short sale "against the box," the Fund would not
immediately deliver the securities sold and would not receive the proceeds
from the sale. The seller is said to have a short position in the securities
sold until it delivers the securities sold, at which time it receives the
proceeds of the sale. A Fund's decision to make a short sale "against the
box" may be a technique to hedge against market risks when the Investment
Manager believes that the price of a security may decline, causing a decline
in the value of a security owned by the Fund or a security convertible into
or exchangeable for such security. In such case, any future losses in the
Fund's long position would be reduced by a gain in the short position.
In the view of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), a short
sale involves the creation of a "senior security" as such term is defined in
the 1940 Act, unless the sale is "against the box" and the securities sold
are placed in a segregated account (not with the broker), or unless the
Fund's obligation to deliver the securities sold short is "covered" by
segregating (not with the broker) cash, U.S. Government securities or other
liquid debt or equity securities in an amount equal to the difference between
the market value of the securities sold short at the time of the short sale
and any cash or securities required to be deposited as collateral with a
broker in connection with the sale (not including the proceeds from the short
sale), which difference is adjusted daily for changes in the value of the
securities sold short. The total value of the cash and securities deposited
with the broker and otherwise segregated may not at any time be less than the
market value of the securities sold short at the time of the short sale.
To avoid limitations under the 1940 Act on borrowing by investment
companies, short sales by each Fund will be "against the box", or the Fund's
obligation to deliver the securities sold short will be "covered" by
segregating cash, U.S. Government securities or other liquid debt or equity
securities in an amount equal to the market value of its delivery obligation.
A Fund will not make short sales of securities or maintain a short position
if doing so could create liabilities or require collateral deposits and
segregation of assets aggregating more than 25% of the value of the Fund's
total assets.
DELAYED-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS
Each Fund may purchase securities on a delayed delivery or "when issued"
basis and may enter into firm commitment agreements (transactions in which the
payment obligation and interest rate are fixed at the time of the transaction
but the settlement is delayed). Delivery and payment for these securities
typically occur 15 to 45 days after
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the commitment to purchase, but delivery and payment can be scheduled for
shorter or longer periods, based upon the agreement of the buyer and the
seller. No interest accrues to the purchaser during the period before
delivery. The Funds generally do not intend to enter into these transactions
for the purpose of leverage, but may sell the right to receive delivery of
the securities before the settlement date. The value of the securities at
settlement may be more or less than the agreed upon price.
A Fund will segregate cash, U.S. Government securities or other liquid
debt or equity securities in an amount sufficient to meet its payment
obligations with respect to any such transactions. To the extent that assets
are segregated for this purpose, a Fund's liquidity and the ability of the
Investment Manager to manage its portfolio may be adversely affected.
FUTURES TRANSACTIONS
The Funds may enter into futures contracts for the purchase or sale of
fixed-income securities, foreign currencies or contracts based on financial
indices, including indices of U.S. government securities, foreign government
securities, equity securities or fixed-income securities. For example, if a
Fund owns Treasury bonds and the portfolio manager expects interest rates to
increase, that Fund may take a short position in interest rate futures
contracts. Taking such a position would have much the same effect as that
Fund selling Treasury bonds in its portfolio. If interest rates increase as
anticipated, the value of the Treasury bonds would decline, but the value of
that Fund's interest rate futures contract will increase, thereby keeping the
net asset value of that Fund from declining as much as it may have otherwise.
If, on the other hand, a portfolio manager expects interest rates to decline,
the Fund may take a long position in interest rate futures contracts in
anticipation of later closing out the futures position and purchasing the
bonds. Although a Fund can accomplish similar results by buying securities
with long maturities and selling securities with short maturities, given the
greater liquidity of the futures market than the cash market, it may be
possible to accomplish the same result more easily and more quickly by using
futures contracts as an investment tool to reduce risk.
FUTURES CHARACTERISTICS. A futures contract is an agreement between two
parties (buyer and seller) to take or make delivery of an amount of cash
equal to the difference between the value of the currency, security or index
at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which
the currency, security or index contract was originally written. In the case
of futures contracts traded on U.S. exchanges, the exchange itself or an
affiliated clearing corporation assumes the opposite side of each transaction
(i.e., as buyer or seller). A futures contract may be satisfied or closed out
by payment of the change in the cash value of the currency, security or
index. No physical delivery of the underlying currency, securities, or
securities in the index is made.
Unlike when a Fund purchases or sells a security, no price is paid or
received by a Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract.
Initially, the Fund will be required to deposit with the Fund's custodian or
such other parties as may be authorized by the SEC (in the name of the
futures commission merchant (the "FCM")) an amount of cash or U.S. Treasury
bills which is referred to as an "initial margin" payment. The nature of
initial margin in futures transactions is different from that of margin in
security transactions in that a futures contract margin does not involve the
borrowing of funds by a Fund to finance the transactions. Rather, the initial
margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the
contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the futures
contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Futures
contracts customarily are purchased and sold with initial margins that may
range upwards from less than 5% of the value of the futures contract being
traded. Subsequent payments, called "variation margin", to and from the FCM,
will be made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying currency or
stock index varies, making the long and short positions in the futures
contract more or less valuable. This process is known as "marking to the
market." For example, when a Fund has purchased a currency futures contract
and the price of the underlying currency has risen, the Fund's position will
have increased in value and the Fund will receive from the FCM a variation
margin payment equal to that increased value. Conversely, when a Fund has
purchased a currency futures contract and the price of the underlying
currency has declined, the position would be less valuable and the Fund would
be required to make a variation margin payment to the FCM. At any time prior
to expiration of a futures contract, a Fund may elect to close the position
by taking an identical opposite position which will operate to terminate the
Fund's position in the futures contract. A final determination of variation
margin is then made, additional cash is required to be paid by or released to
the Fund, and the Fund realizes a loss or a gain.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF FUTURES OPTIONS. Each Fund may also purchase call
options and put options on securities or index futures contracts ("futures
options"), and each Fund may purchase futures options on currencies. A
futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to
assume a long position (in the case of a call) or short position (in the case
of a put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price prior to the
expiration of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires
a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the
opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A
futures option may be closed out (before exercise or expiration) by an
offsetting purchase or sale of a futures option of the same series.
PURCHASE OF FUTURES. Each Fund may purchase a currency futures contract
when it anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities and has
the necessary cash, but expects the currency exchange rates then available in
the applicable market to be less favorable than rates that are currently
available, or to attempt to enhance return when it anticipates that future
currency exchange rates will be more favorable than current rates. Similarly,
when the Investment Manager anticipates a significant stock market or stock
market sector advance, a Fund may purchase a stock index futures contract
which affords a hedge against not participating in such advance at a time
when the Fund is not fully invested in equity securities. Such purchase of a
futures contract would serve as a temporary substitute for the purchase of
individual stocks which may later be purchased (with attendant costs) in an
orderly fashion. As such purchase of individual stocks are made, an
approximately equivalent amount of stock index futures would be terminated by
offsetting sales.
SALE OF FUTURES. Each Fund may sell a currency futures contract to hedge
against an anticipated decline in foreign currency rates that would adversely
affect the dollar value of a Fund's portfolio securities denominated in such
currency, or may sell a currency futures contract in one currency to hedge
against fluctuations in the value of securities denominated in a different
currency if there is an established historical pattern or correlation between
the two currencies. Similarly, a Fund may sell stock index futures contracts
in anticipation of or during a general stock market or market sector decline
that may adversely affect the market values of the Fund's portfolio of equity
securities. To the extent that the Fund's portfolio of equity securities
changes in value in correlation with a given stock index, the sale of futures
contracts on that index would reduce the risk to the portfolio of a market
decline and, by doing so, would provide an alternative to the liquidation of
securities positions in the portfolio with resultant transaction costs.
PURCHASE OF PUT OPTIONS ON FUTURES. The purchase of a put option on a
currency, financial or index futures contract is analogous to the purchase of
a put on individual stocks, where an absolute level of protection from price
fluctuation is sought below which no additional economic loss would be
incurred by a Fund. For example, put options on futures may be purchased to
hedge a portfolio of stocks or a position in the futures contract upon which
the put option is based against a possible decline in market value. The
purchase of a put option on a currency futures contract can be used to hedge
against unfavorable movements in currency exchange rates, or to attempt to
enhance returns in contemplation of movements in such rates.
PURCHASE OF CALL OPTIONS ON FUTURES. The purchase of a call option on a
currency, financial or index futures contract represents a means of obtaining
temporary exposure to favorable currency exchange rate or interest rate
movements or temporary exposure to market appreciation with risk limited to
the premium paid for the call option. It is analogous to the purchase of a
call option on an individual security or index, which can be used as a
substitute for a position in the security or index itself. Depending on the
pricing of the option compared to either the futures contract upon which it
is based, or to the price of the underlying currency, security or index
itself, the call option may be less risky, because losses are limited to the
premium paid for the call option, when compared to the ownership of the
underlying currency, security or index futures contract. Like the purchase of
a currency, financial or index futures contract, a Fund would purchase a call
option on a currency, financial or index futures contract to hedge against an
unfavorable movement in exchange rates, interest rates or securities prices.
LIMITATIONS ON PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUTURES AND FUTURES OPTIONS. A Fund may
not purchase or sell futures contracts or purchase futures options if,
immediately thereafter, more than 30% of the value of its net assets would be
hedged. In addition, a Fund may not purchase or sell futures or purchase futures
options if, immediately thereafter, the sum of the amount of margin deposits on
the Fund's existing futures positions and premiums paid for futures options
would exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's total assets. In Fund
transactions involving futures contracts, to the extent required by applicable
SEC guidelines, an amount of cash, U.S. Government securities, or other liquid
debt or
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equity securities equal to the market value of the futures contracts will be
segregated with the Fund's Custodian, or in other segregated accounts as
regulations may allow, to collateralize the position and thereby to insure
that the use of such futures is unleveraged.
The International Fund will not engage in transactions in stock index
futures contracts and futures options for speculation, but only as a hedge
against changes in the value of securities held in the Fund's portfolio, or
securities which the Investment Manager intends to purchase for the
portfolio, resulting from actual or anticipated changes in general market
conditions. Such transactions will only be effected when, in the view of the
Investment Manager, they are economically appropriate to the reduction of
risks inherent in the ongoing management of the Fund's portfolio.
REGULATORY MATTERS. The Companies have filed claims of exemption from
registration of the Funds as commodity pools with the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (the "CFTC"). Each Fund intends to conduct its futures
trading activity in a manner consistent with that exemption. The Investment
Manager is registered with the CFTC as both a commodity pool operator and as
a commodity trading advisor.
DEBT SECURITIES
Under normal market conditions, the International Fund may invest up to
20%, and each other Fund except the Emerging Markets Fund may invest up to
10%, of its total assets in short-term debt obligations (with maturities of
less than one year) issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or foreign
governments (including their respective agencies, instrumentalities,
authorities and political subdivisions), debt obligations issued or
guaranteed by international or supranational governmental entities, and debt
obligations of corporate issuers. Such debt obligations will be rated, at
the time of purchase, investment grade by Standard & Poor's, a division of
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. ("Standard & Poor's"), Moody's Investors
Service ("Moody's"), or another recognized rating organization, or if unrated
will be determined by the Investment Manager to be of comparable investment
quality. Investment grade means the issuer of the security is believed to
have adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal, although certain
of such securities in the lower grades have speculative characteristics, and
changes in economic conditions or other circumstances may be more likely to
lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and principal than would be the
case with higher-rated securities. The Investment Manager does not currently
intend to purchase U.S. or foreign debt securities on behalf of the
International Fund except on an occasional basis when the Investment Manager
believes that unusually attractive investments are available.
The Emerging Markets Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in
debt securities issued or guaranteed by an emerging market company or
government (including such government's agencies, instrumentalities,
authorities and political subdivisions), or denominated in the currencies of
emerging market countries that the Investment Manager believes present
attractive investment opportunities for capital growth. There is no limit on
the average maturity of the debt securities in the Emerging Markets Fund's
portfolio. Such debt obligations may be unrated or rated, at the time of
purchase, below investment grade by Standard & Poor's, Moody's or another
recognized international rating organization. Bonds rated below investment
grade are often referred to as "junk bonds," and involve greater risk of
default or price declines than investment grade securities.
The timing of purchase and sale transactions in debt obligations may
result in capital appreciation or depreciation because the value of a debt
obligation generally varies inversely with prevailing interest rates.
RATINGS. Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest
payments of securities, not their market value. The rating of an issuer is also
heavily weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect probable
future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is
assigned and the time it is updated. As credit rating agencies may fail to
timely change credit ratings of securities to reflect subsequent events, the
Investment Manager will also monitor issuers of such securities to determine if
such issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required
principal and interest payments and to assure their liquidity. In general, debt
securities held by a Fund will be treated as investment grade if they are rated
by at least one major rating agency in one of its top four rating categories at
the time of purchase or, if unrated, are determined by the Investment Manager to
be of comparable quality. Investment grade means the issuer of the security is
believed to have adequate capacity to pay interest and
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repay principal, although certain of such securities in the lower grades have
speculative characteristics, and changes in economic conditions or other
circumstances may be more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay
interest and principal than would be the case with higher rated securities.
If the rating of an investment grade security held by a Fund is downgraded,
the Investment Manager will determine whether it is in the best interests of
the Fund to continue to hold the security in its investment portfolio. The
Emerging Markets Fund may invest in debt securities rated, at the time of
purchase, below investment grade. Refer to the section entitled "Risk
Considerations" for the risks associated with below investment grade debt
securities.
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS. U.S. Government obligations include obligations
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government and
its agencies and instrumentalities, by the right of the issuer to borrow from
the U.S. Treasury, by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to
purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality, or only by the
credit of the agency or instrumentality. No assurance can be given that the
U.S. Government will provide financial support to U.S. Government-sponsored
instrumentalities if it is not obligated to do so by law.
Each Fund may invest in sovereign debt obligations of foreign countries.
A number of factors affect a sovereign debtor's willingness or ability to
repay principal and interest in a timely manner, including its cash flow
situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient
foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt
service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor's policy
toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which
it may be subject. Emerging market governments could default on their
sovereign debt. Such sovereign debtors also may be dependent on expected
disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and other
entities abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt.
The commitments on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make
such disbursements may be conditioned on a sovereign debtor's implementation
of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of
such debtor's obligations. Failure to meet such conditions could result in
the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the
sovereign debtor, which may further impair such debtor's ability or
willingness to service its debt in a timely manner.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES AND WARRANTS
Each Fund may invest in convertible securities and warrants. The value
of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value" (determined
by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable
maturity and quality that do not have conversion privilege) and its
"conversion value" (the security's worth, at market value, if converted into
the underlying common stock). The credit standing of the issuer and other
factors may also affect the investment value of a convertible security. The
conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price
of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to
the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed
principally by its investment value. To the extent the market price of the
underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price
of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion
value.
As a matter of operating policy, no Fund will invest more than 5% of its
net assets in warrants. A warrant gives the holder a right to purchase at any
time during a specified period a predetermined number of shares of common
stock at a fixed price. Unlike convertible debt, securities or preferred
stock, warrants do not pay a fixed dividend. Investments in warrants involve
certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for resale of
the warrants, potential price fluctuations as a result of speculation or
other factors, and failure of the price of the underlying security to reach
or have reasonable prospects of reaching a level at which the warrant can be
prudently exercised (in which event the warrant may expire without being
exercised) resulting in a loss of the Fund's entire investment therein.
SYNTHETIC CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
Each Fund may invest in "synthetic" convertible securities, which are
derivative positions composed of two or more different securities whose
investment characteristics, taken together, resemble those of convertible
securities. For example, a Fund may purchase a non-convertible debt security
and a warrant or option, which enables a Fund to have
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a convertible-like position with respect to a company, group of companies or
stock index. Synthetic convertible securities are typically offered by
financial institutions and investment banks in private placement
transactions. Upon conversion, the Fund generally receives an amount in cash
equal to the difference between the conversion price and the then current
value of the underlying security. Unlike a true convertible security, a
synthetic convertible comprises two or more separate securities, each with
its own market value. Therefore, the market value of a synthetic convertible
is the sum of the values of its fixed-income component and its convertible
component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible and a true
convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations. A Fund
only invests in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose
corporate debt securities are rated "A" or higher by Moody's or Standard &
Poor's and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic
securities and other illiquid securities.
PREFERRED STOCK
Each Fund may purchase preferred stock. Preferred stock, unlike common
stock, offers a stated dividend rate payable from a corporation's earnings.
Such preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or non-cumulative,
participating, or auction rate. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on
preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred
stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund
provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a
negative feature when interest rates decline. Dividends on some preferred
stock may be "cumulative," requiring all or a portion of prior unpaid
dividends to be paid prior to payment of dividends on the issuer's common
stock. Preferred stock also generally has a preference over common stock on
the distribution of a corporation's assets in the event of liquidation of the
corporation, and may be "participating," which means that it may be entitled
to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. The rights of
the holders of preferred stock on the distribution of a corporation's assets
in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights
associated with a corporation's debt securities.
BORROWING MONEY
From time to time, it may be advantageous for a Fund to borrow money
rather than sell portfolio securities to raise the cash to meet redemption
requests. In order to meet such redemption requests, each Fund may borrow
from banks or enter into reverse repurchase agreements. Each Fund may also
borrow up to 5% of the value of its total assets for temporary or emergency
purposes other than to meet redemptions. However, the Funds will not borrow
money for leveraging purposes. A Fund may continue to purchase securities
while borrowings are outstanding. The 1940 Act permits a Fund to borrow only
from banks and only to the extent that the value of its total assets, less
its liabilities other than borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of all
borrowings (including the proposed borrowing), and requires the Fund to take
prompt action to reduce its borrowings if this limit is exceeded. For the
purpose of the 300% borrowing limitation, reverse repurchase transactions are
considered to be borrowings.
A reverse repurchase agreement involves a transaction by which a
borrower (such as a Fund) sells a security to a purchaser (a member bank of
the Federal Reserve System or a broker-dealer deemed creditworthy pursuant to
standards adopted by the Board of Directors of the Capital Company or the
Global Company, as applicable (each, a "Board of Directors" or collectively,
the "Boards of Directors"), and simultaneously agrees to repurchase the
security at an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon date within a number of
days (usually not more than seven) from the date of purchase.
LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
Each Fund is authorized to make loans of portfolio securities, for the
purpose of realizing additional income, to broker-dealers or other
institutional investors deemed creditworthy pursuant to standards adopted by
its Board of Directors. The borrower must maintain with the Fund's custodian
collateral consisting of cash, U.S. Government securities or other liquid
debt or equity securities equal to at least 100% of the value of the borrowed
securities, plus
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any accrued interest. The Fund will receive any interest paid on the loaned
securities, and a fee and/or a portion of the interest earned on the
collateral, less any fees and administrative expenses associated with the
loan.
INVESTMENT IN ILLIQUID SECURITIES
Each Fund may invest up to 15% (10% for the International Fund) of the
value of its net assets in illiquid securities. Securities may be considered
illiquid if a Fund cannot reasonably expect to receive approximately the
amount at which the Fund values such securities within seven days. The
Investment Manager has the authority to determine whether certain securities
held by a Fund are liquid or illiquid pursuant to standards adopted by the
Boards of Directors.
The Investment Manager takes into account a number of factors in
reaching liquidity decisions, including, but not limited to: the listing of
the security on an exchange or national market system; the frequency of
trading in the security; the number of dealers who publish quotes for the
security; the number of dealers who serve as market makers for the security;
the apparent number of other potential purchasers; and the nature of the
security and how trading is effected (e.g., the time needed to sell the
security, how offers are solicited, and the mechanics of transfer).
The Funds' investments in illiquid securities may include securities
that are not registered for resale under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Securities Act"), and therefore are subject to restrictions on resale. When
a Fund purchases unregistered securities, it may, in appropriate
circumstances, obtain the right to register such securities at the expense of
the issuer. In such cases there may be a lapse of time between the Fund's
decision to sell any such security and the registration of the security
permitting sale. During any such period, the price of the security will be
subject to market fluctuations.
The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale of
certain securities to the general public or to certain institutions may not
be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. If such securities are
subject to purchase by institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A
under the Securities Act, the Investment Manager may determine in particular
cases, pursuant to standards adopted by the Boards of Directors, that such
securities are not illiquid securities notwithstanding the legal or
contractual restrictions on their resale. Investing in Rule 144A securities
could have the effect of increasing a Fund's illiquidity to the extent that
qualified institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing
such securities.
CASH-EQUIVALENT INSTRUMENTS
Other than as described under INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS below, the Funds
are not restricted with regard to the types of cash-equivalent investments
they may make. When the Investment Manager believes that such investments are
an appropriate part of a Fund's overall investment strategy, the Fund may
hold or invest, for investment purposes, a portion of its assets in any of
the following, denominated in U.S. dollars, foreign currencies, or
multinational currencies: cash; short-term U.S. or foreign government
securities; commercial paper rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poor's or P-2
by Moody's certificates of deposit or other deposits of banks deemed
creditworthy by the Investment Manager pursuant to standards adopted by each
Company's Board of Directors (hereinafter collectively referred to as the
"Board of Directors"); time deposits; bankers' acceptances; and repurchase
agreements related to any of the foregoing. In addition, for temporary
defensive purposes under abnormal market or economic conditions, a Fund may
invest up to 100% of its assets in such cash-equivalent investments.
A certificate of deposit is a short-term obligation of a commercial
bank. A bankers' acceptance is a time draft drawn on a commercial bank by a
borrower, usually in connection with international commercial transactions. A
repurchase agreement involves a transaction by which an investor (such as a
Fund) purchases a security and simultaneously obtains the commitment of the
seller (a member bank of the Federal Reserve System or a securities dealer
deemed creditworthy by the Investment Manager pursuant to standards adopted
by the Board of Directors) to repurchase the security at an agreed-upon price
on an agreed-upon date within a number of days (usually not more than seven)
from the date of purchase.
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PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Securities in a Fund's portfolio will be sold whenever the Investment
Manager believes it is appropriate to do so, regardless of the length of time
that securities have been held, and securities may be purchased or sold for
short-term profits whenever the Investment Manager believes it is appropriate
or desirable to do so. Turnover will be influenced by sound investment
practices, a Fund's investment objective, and the need for funds for the
redemption of a Fund's shares, although the Tax Managed Growth Fund will also
be influenced by its strategy of holding securities long enough to avoid
higher, short-term capital gains taxes, selling shares with a higher cost
basis first, and offsetting gains realized in one security by selling another
security at a capital loss. In an attempt to minimize capital gains on other
holdings, the Tax Managed Growth Fund may also realize accrued losses on some
stocks.
For example, a 150% portfolio turnover rate would occur if the value of
purchases or sales of portfolio securities (whichever is less) by a Fund for
a year (excluding purchases of U.S. Treasury issues and securities with a
maturity of one year or less) were equal to 150% of the average monthly value
of the securities held by the Fund during such year. As a result of the
manner in which turnover is measured, a high turnover rate could also occur
during the first year of a Fund's operations, and during periods when a
Fund's assets are growing or shrinking.
RISK CONSIDERATIONS
INVESTMENTS IN FOREIGN SECURITIES GENERALLY
Investments in foreign securities may offer investment opportunities and
potential benefits not available from investments solely in securities of
U.S. issuers. Such benefits may include higher rates of interest on debt
securities than are available from domestic issuers, the opportunity to
invest in foreign issuers that appear, in the opinion of the Investment
Manager, to offer better opportunity for long-term capital appreciation than
investments in securities of U.S. issuers, the opportunity to invest in
foreign countries with economic policies or business cycles different from
those of the United States and the opportunity to reduce fluctuations in
portfolio value by taking advantage of foreign markets that do not
necessarily move in a manner parallel to U.S. stock markets.
At the same time, however, investing in foreign securities involves
significant risks, some of which are not typically associated with investing
in securities of U.S. issuers. For example, the value of investments in such
securities may fluctuate based on changes in the value of one or more foreign
currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, and a change in the exchange rate of
one or more foreign currencies could reduce the value of certain portfolio
securities. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short
periods of time, and are generally determined by the forces of supply and
demand and other factors beyond a Fund's control. Changes in currency
exchange rates may, in some circumstances, have a greater effect on the
market value of a security than changes in the market price of the security.
To the extent that a substantial portion of a Fund's total assets is
denominated or quoted in the currency of a foreign country, the Fund will be
more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments
within that country. As discussed above, each Fund may employ certain
investment techniques to hedge its foreign currency exposure; however, such
techniques also entail certain risks.
In addition, information about foreign issuers may be less readily
available than information about domestic issuers. Foreign issuers generally
are not subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards or
to other regulatory practices and requirements comparable to those applicable
to U.S. issuers. Furthermore, with respect to certain foreign countries, the
possibility exists of expropriation, nationalization, revaluation of
currencies, confiscatory taxation, and limitations on foreign investment and
the use or removal of funds or other assets of a Fund, including the
withholding of tax on interest, dividends and other distributions and
limitations on the repatriation of currencies. In addition, a Fund may
experience difficulties or delays in obtaining or enforcing judgments.
Foreign securities may be subject to foreign government taxes that could
reduce the yield and total return on such securities.
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Foreign equity securities may be traded on an exchange in the issuer's
country, an exchange in another country, or over-the-counter in one or more
countries. Most foreign securities markets, including over-the-counter
markets, have substantially less volume than U.S. securities markets, and the
securities of many foreign issuers may be less liquid and more volatile than
securities of comparable U.S. issuers. In addition, there is generally less
government regulation of securities markets, securities exchanges, securities
dealers, and listed and unlisted companies in foreign countries than in the
United States.
Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures,
and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been
unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it
difficult to conduct and complete such transactions. Inability to dispose of
a portfolio security caused by settlement problems could result either in
losses to a Fund due to subsequent declines in the value of the portfolio
security or, if a Fund has entered into a contract to sell that security,
could result in possible liability of the Fund to the purchaser. Delays in
settlement could adversely affect a Fund's ability to implement its
investment strategies and to achieve its investment objectives.
In addition, the costs associated with transactions in securities traded
on foreign markets or of foreign issuers, and the expense of maintaining
custody of such securities with foreign custodians, generally are higher than
the costs associated with transactions in U.S. securities on U.S. markets.
Investments in foreign securities may result in higher expenses due to the
cost of converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars, the payment of fixed
brokerage commissions on foreign exchanges, the expense of maintaining
securities with foreign custodians and the imposition of transfer taxes or
transaction charges associated with foreign exchanges.
Investment in debt securities of supranational organizations involves
additional risks. Such organizations' debt securities generally are not
guaranteed by their member governments, and payment depends on their
financial solvency and/or the willingness and ability of their member
governments to support their obligations. Continued support of a
supranational organization by its government members is subject to a variety
of political, economic and other factors, as well as the financial
performance of the organization.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS
In many respects, the risks associated with investing in depositary
receipts are similar to the risks associated with investing in foreign equity
securities directly. In addition, to the extent that a Fund acquires
depositary receipts through banks that do not have a contractual relationship
with the foreign issuer of the security underlying the depositary receipts to
issue and service depositary receipts, there may be an increased possibility
that the Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to corporate
actions, such as stock splits or rights offerings, involving the foreign
issuer in a timely manner.
The information available for American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs")
sponsored by the issuers of the underlying securities is subject to the
accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards of the domestic
market or exchange on which they are traded, which standards generally are
more uniform and more exacting than those to which many non-domestic issuers
may be subject. However, some ADRs are sponsored by persons other than the
issuers of the underlying securities. Issuers of the stock on which such ADRs
are based are not obligated to disclose material information in the United
States. The information that is available concerning the issuers of the
securities underlying European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global
Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") may be less than the information that is
available about domestic issuers, and EDRs and GDRs may be traded in markets
or on exchanges that have lesser standards than those applicable to the
markets for ADRs.
A depositary receipt will be treated as an illiquid security for
purposes of a Fund's restriction on the purchases of such securities unless
the depositary receipt is convertible into cash by the Fund within seven days.
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EMERGING MARKET SECURITIES
There are special risks associated with investments in securities of
companies organized or headquartered in developing countries with emerging
markets that are in addition to the usual risks of investing in securities of
issuers located in developed foreign markets around the world, and investors
in the Funds are strongly advised to consider those risks carefully. The
securities markets of emerging market countries are substantially smaller,
less developed, less liquid, and more volatile than the securities markets of
the United States and developed foreign markets. As a result, the prices of
emerging market securities may increase or decrease much more rapidly and
much more dramatically than the prices of securities of issuers located in
developed foreign markets. Disclosure and regulatory standards in many
respects are less stringent than in the United States and developed foreign
markets. There also may be a lower level of monitoring and regulation of
securities markets in emerging market countries and the activities of
investors in such markets, and enforcement of existing regulations has been
extremely limited.
Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some
periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and
rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have very
negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging
market countries. Economies in emerging markets generally are heavily
dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been and may
continue to be affected adversely by trade barriers, exchange controls,
managed adjustments in relative currency values, and other protectionist
measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These
economies also have been and may continue to be adversely affected by
economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. In addition,
custodial services and other costs related to investment in foreign markets
may be more expensive in emerging markets than in many developed foreign
markets, which could reduce the Funds' investment returns from such
securities.
In many cases, governments of emerging market countries continue to
exercise a significant degree of control over the economies of such
countries, and government actions relative to the economy, as well as
economic developments generally, also may have a major effect on an issuer's
prospects. In addition, certain of such governments have in the past failed
to recognize private property rights and have at times naturalized or
expropriated the assets of private companies. There is also a heightened
possibility of confiscatory taxation, imposition of withholding taxes on
dividend and interest payments, or other similar developments that could
affect investments in those countries. As a result, there can be no assurance
that adverse political changes will not cause a Fund to suffer a loss with
respect to any of its holdings. In addition, political and economic
structures in many of such countries may be undergoing significant evolution
and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and
economic stability characteristics of more developed countries. Unanticipated
political or social developments may affect the values of a Fund's
investments in those countries and the availability of additional investments
in those countries.
INVESTMENTS IN SMALLER COMPANIES
Investment in the securities of companies with market capitalizations
below $1 billion involves greater risk and the possibility of greater
portfolio price volatility than investing in larger capitalization companies.
The securities of small-sized concerns, as a class, have shown market
behavior which has had periods of more favorable results, and periods of less
favorable results, relative to securities of larger companies as a class. For
example, smaller capitalization companies may have less certain growth
prospects, and may be more sensitive to changing economic conditions, than
large, more established companies. Moreover, smaller capitalization companies
often face competition from larger or more established companies that have
greater resources. In addition, the smaller capitalization companies in which
a Fund may invest may have limited or unprofitable operating histories,
limited financial resources, and inexperienced management. Furthermore,
securities of such companies are often less liquid than securities of larger
companies, and may be subject to erratic or abrupt price movements. To
dispose of these securities, a Fund may have to sell them over an extended
period of time below the original purchase price. Investments in smaller
capitalization companies may be regarded as speculative.
Securities issued by companies (including predecessors) that have operated
for less than three years may have limited liquidity, which can result in their
prices being lower than might otherwise be the case. In addition,
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investments in such companies are more speculative and entail greater risk
than do investments in companies with established operating records.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
Investment in convertible securities involves certain risks. The value
of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value" (determined
by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable
maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its
"conversion value" (the security's worth, at market value, if converted into
the underlying stock). If the conversion value is low relative to the
investment value, the price of the convertible security will be governed
principally by its yield, and thus may not decline in price to the same
extent as the underlying stock; to the extent the market price of the
underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price
of the convertible security will be influenced increasingly by its conversion
value. A convertible security held by a Fund may be subject to redemption at
the option of the issuer at a price established in the instrument governing
the convertible security, in which event the Fund will be required to permit
the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common
stock, or sell it to a third party.
BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT SECURITIES
The Emerging Markets Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in
debt securities rated below "Baa" by Moody's, below "BBB" by Standard &
Poor's, or investment grade by another recognized rating agency or, if
unrated, judged by the Investment Manager to be of comparable quality, if the
Investment Manager believes that the financial condition of the issuer or the
protection afforded to the particular securities is stronger than would
otherwise be indicated by such low ratings or the lack thereof. Debt
securities rated below investment grade or equivalent ratings, commonly
referred to as "junk bonds," are subject to greater risk of loss of income
and principal than higher-rated bonds and are considered to be predominantly
speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay
principal, which may in any case decline during sustained periods of
deteriorating economic conditions or rising interest rates. Junk bonds are
generally considered to be subject to greater market risk in times of
deteriorating economic conditions, and to wider market and yield
fluctuations, than higher-rated securities. Junk bonds may also be more
susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry
conditions than investment grade securities. The market for such securities
may be thinner and less active than that for higher-rated securities, which
can adversely affect the prices at which these securities can be sold. To the
extent that there is no established secondary market for lower-rated
securities, the Fund may experience difficulty in valuing such securities
and, in turn, its assets. In addition, adverse publicity and investor
perceptions about junk bonds, whether or not based on fundamental analysis,
may tend to decrease the market value and liquidity of such securities. The
Investment Manager will try to reduce the risk inherent in the Fund's
investments in such securities through credit analysis, diversification and
attention to current developments and trends in interest rates and economic
conditions. However, there can be no assurance that losses will not occur.
Since the risk of default is higher for lower-rated bonds, the Investment
Manager's research and credit analysis are a correspondingly more important
aspect of its program for managing the Fund's investments in such debt
securities. The Investment Manager will attempt to identify those issuers of
high-yielding securities whose financial conditions are adequate to meet
future obligations, or have improved or are expected to improve in the future.
Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of
securities, not their market value. The rating of an issuer is also heavily
weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect probable
future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is
assigned and the time it is updated. As credit rating agencies may fail to
timely change credit ratings of securities to reflect subsequent events, the
Investment Manager will also monitor issuers of such securities to determine
if such issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required
principal and interest payments and to assure their liquidity.
DELAYED-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS
Each of the Funds may buy and sell securities on a delayed-delivery or
when-issued basis. These transactions involve a commitment by a Fund to
purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price and/or yield,
with
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payment and delivery taking place after the customary settlement period for
that type of security (and more than seven days in the future). Typically, no
interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered. A Fund may
receive fees for entering into delayed-delivery transactions. When purchasing
securities on a delayed-delivery basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks
of ownership, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations. Because a
Fund is not required to pay for securities until the delivery date, these
risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other
investments. If a Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when
delayed-delivery purchases are outstanding, the delayed-delivery purchases
may result in a form of leverage. When delayed-delivery purchases are
outstanding, a Fund will set aside appropriate liquid assets in a segregated
custodial account to cover its purchase obligations. When a Fund has sold a
security on a delayed-delivery basis, the Fund does not participate in
further gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a
delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the
Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity, or could suffer a
loss. A Fund may dispose of or renegotiate delayed-delivery transactions
after they are entered into, and may sell underlying securities before they
are delivered, which may result in capital gains or losses.
OPTIONS
There are several risks associated with transactions in options on
securities, currencies and financial indices. Options may be more volatile
than the underlying instruments, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an
investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an
investment in the underlying instruments themselves. There are also
significant differences between the securities and options markets that could
result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given
transaction not to achieve its objective. In addition, a liquid secondary
market for particular options may be absent for reasons which include the
following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options;
restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing
transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be
imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying
instruments; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal
operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or clearing
corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading
volume; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons,
decide, or be compelled at some future date, to discontinue the trading of
options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the
secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options)
would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by a
clearing corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to
be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the
exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be
unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
In addition, when trading options on foreign exchanges, many of the
protections afforded to participants in U.S. option exchanges will not be
available. For example, there may be no daily price fluctuation limits in
such exchanges or markets, and adverse market movements could therefore
continue to an unlimited extent over a period of time. Although the purchaser
of an option cannot lose more than the amount of the premium plus related
transaction costs, this entire amount could be lost.
Potential losses to the writer of an option are not limited to the loss
of the option premium received by the writer, and thus may be greater than
the losses incurred in connection with the purchasing of an option.
FUTURES TRANSACTIONS
There are several risks in connection with the use of futures contracts in
the Funds. One risk arises because the correlation between movements in the
price of a futures contract and movements in the price of the security or
currency which is the subject of the hedge is not always perfect. The price of
the futures contract acquired by a Fund may move more than, or less than, the
price of the security or currency being hedged. If the price of the future moves
less than the price of the security or currency which is the subject of the
hedge, the hedge will not be fully effective but, if the price of the security
or currency being hedged has moved in an unfavorable direction, the Fund would
be in a better position than if it had not hedged at all. If the price of the
security or currency being hedged has moved in a
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favorable direction, this advantage will be partially offset by
movement in the value of the future. If the price of the futures contract
moves more than the price of the security or currency, the Fund will
experience either a loss or a gain on the futures contract which will not be
completely offset by movements in the price of the security or currency which
is the subject of the hedge.
To compensate for the imperfect correlation of movements in the price of
a security or currency being hedged and movements in the price of the
futures, a Fund may buy or sell futures contracts in a greater dollar amount
than the dollar amount of the security or currency being hedged, if the
historical volatility of the price of such security or currency has been
greater than the historical volatility of the security or currency.
Conversely, a Fund may buy or sell fewer futures contracts if the historical
volatility of the price of the security or currency being hedged is less than
the historical volatility of the security or currency.
Because of the low margins required, futures trading involves a high
degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small investment in a futures
contract by a Fund may result in immediate and substantial loss, or gain, to
the Fund. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in
excess of the initial margin for the futures contract. However, the Fund
would have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract,
it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold the
instrument after the decline.
When futures are purchased by a Fund to hedge against a possible
unfavorable movement in a currency exchange rate before the Fund is able to
invest its cash (or cash equivalents) in stock or debt instruments in an
orderly fashion, it is possible that the currency exchange rate may move in a
favorable manner instead. If the Fund then decides not to invest in stock or
debt instruments at that time because of concern as to possible further
market decline or for other reasons, the Fund will realize a loss on the
futures contract that is not offset by a reduction in the price of securities
purchased.
In addition to the possibility that there may be an imperfect
correlation, or no correlation at all, between movements in the futures and
the security or currency which is the subject of a hedge, the price of
futures contracts may not correlate perfectly with movements in the index or
currency due to certain market distortions. First, all participants in the
futures market are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements.
Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may
close futures contracts through offsetting transactions. This practice could
distort the normal relationship between the index or currency and futures
markets. Second, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit
requirements in the futures market may be less onerous than margin
requirements in the security or currency market. Therefore, increased
participation by speculators in the futures market also may cause temporary
price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion in the futures
market and because of the imperfect correlation between movements in the
index or currency and movements in the price of index or currency futures, a
correct forecast of general market or currency trends by the Investment
Manager still may not result in a successful hedging transaction over a short
time frame.
Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in
certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily
limit has been reached, no more trades may be made on that day at a price
beyond the limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a
particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because
the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions.
Compared to the use of a futures contract, the purchase of an option on
a futures contract involves less potential risk to a Fund because the maximum
amount at risk is the premium paid for the option (plus transaction costs).
However, there may be circumstances when the use of an option on a futures
contract would result in loss to a Fund when the use of a futures contract
would not, such as when there is no movement in the level of an index. In
addition, daily changes in the value of the option due to changes in the
value of the underlying futures contract are reflected in the net asset value
of the Fund.
A Fund will only enter into futures contracts or purchase futures
options that are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange or
board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation
system. However, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an
exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular futures contract or
futures option or at any particular time. In such event, it may not be
possible to close a futures
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position, and, in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would
continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin. In
the event futures contracts have been used to hedge a portfolio security or
currency, an increase in the price of the security or currency, if any, may
partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. However, as
described above, there is no guarantee that the price of the security or
currency will, in fact, correlate with the movements in the futures contract
and thus provide an offset to losses on a futures contract.
Successful use of futures by the Funds is subject to the Investment
Manager's ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the
security and currency markets. For example, if a Fund hedged against the
possibility of a decline in the market adversely affecting stocks held in its
portfolio and stock prices increased instead, the Fund would lose part or all
of the benefit of the increased value of its stocks which it hedged because
it would have offsetting losses in its futures positions. In addition, in
such situations, if a Fund had insufficient cash, it might have to sell
securities to meet daily variation margin requirements. Such sales of
securities might, but would not necessarily be at increased prices which
would reflect the rising market. Similarly, if a Fund purchased currency
futures contracts with the intention of profiting from a favorable change in
currency exchange rates, and the change was unfavorable, the Fund would incur
a loss, and might have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin
requirements at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so. The
Investment Manager and its predecessor have been actively engaged in the
provision of investment supervisory services for institutional and individual
accounts since 1970, but the skills required for the successful use of
futures and options on futures are different from those needed to select
portfolio securities, and the Investment Manager has limited prior experience
in the use of futures or options techniques in the management of assets under
its supervision.
OTHER RISK CONSIDERATIONS
Investment in illiquid securities involves potential delays on resale as
well as uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse
effect on the marketability of portfolio securities, and a Fund might not be
able to dispose of such securities promptly or at reasonable prices.
A number of transactions in which the Funds may engage are subject to
the risks of default by the other party to the transaction. If the seller of
securities pursuant to a repurchase agreement entered into by a Fund defaults
and the value of the collateral securing the repurchase agreement declines,
the Fund may incur a loss. If bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with
respect to the seller, realization of the collateral by the Fund may be
delayed or limited. Similarly, when a Fund engages in when-issued, reverse
repurchase, forward commitment and related settlement transactions, it relies
on the other party to consummate the trade; failure of the other party to do
so may result in the Fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to
obtain a price the Investment Manager believed to be advantageous. The risks
in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit,
consist of a possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in recovery
of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the
borrower fail financially.
Borrowing also involves special risk considerations. Interest costs of
borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may
partially offset or exceed the return earned on the borrowed funds (or on the
assets that were retained rather than sold to meet the needs for which funds
were borrowed). Under adverse market conditions, a Fund might have to sell
portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when
fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales. To the
extent a Fund enters into reverse repurchase agreements, the Fund is subject
to risks that are similar to those of borrowing.
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INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Each Fund has adopted certain investment restrictions that are
fundamental policies and that may not be changed without approval by the vote
of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, as defined in the
1940 Act. The "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" of
the Fund, as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act, means the vote of
(i) 67% or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at any meeting,
if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the
Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund, whichever is less. These
restrictions provide that a Fund may not:
1. Invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of
companies primarily engaged in any one industry (other than the United
States of America, its agencies and instrumentalities) (this
restriction does not apply to the Technology Fund, Health Care Fund,
Biotechnology Fund or International Fund).
2. Acquire more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities
of any one issuer.
3. Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.
4. Borrow money, except from banks to meet redemption requests or for
temporary or emergency purposes; provided that borrowings for
temporary or emergency purposes other than to meet redemption
requests shall not exceed 5% of the value of its total assets;
and provided further that total borrowings shall be made only to
the extent that the value of the Fund's total assets, less its
liabilities other than borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of
all borrowings (including the proposed borrowing). For purposes
of the foregoing limitations, reverse repurchase agreements and
other borrowing transactions covered by segregated assets are
considered to be borrowings. A Fund will not mortgage, pledge,
hypothecate, or in any other manner transfer as security for an
indebtedness any of its assets. This investment restriction shall
not prohibit a Fund from engaging in futures contracts, options
on futures contracts, forward foreign currency exchange
transactions, and currency options.
5. Purchase securities on margin, but it may obtain such short-term
credit from banks as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases
and sales of securities.
6. Make loans of its funds or assets to any other person, which shall not
be considered as including: (i) the purchase of a portion of an
issue of publicly distributed debt securities, (ii) the purchase
of bank obligations such as certificates of deposit, bankers'
acceptances and other short-term debt obligations, (iii) entering
into repurchase agreements with respect to commercial paper,
certificates of deposit and obligations issued or guaranteed by
the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and (iv)
the loan of portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other
financial institutions where such loan is callable by the Fund at any
time on reasonable notice and is fully secured by collateral in
the form of cash or cash equivalents. A Fund will not enter into
repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days if
immediately after and as a result of such transaction the value of
the Fund's holdings of such repurchase agreements exceeds 10%
(15%, in the case of the Tax Managed Growth Fund) of the value of
the Fund's total assets.
7. Act as an underwriter of securities issued by other persons, except
insofar as it may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities
Act of 1933 in selling portfolio securities.
8. Purchase the securities of any other investment company or investment
trust, except by purchase in the open market where, to the best
information of the Company, no commission or profit to a sponsor
or dealer (other than the customary broker's commission) results
from such purchase and such purchase does not result in
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such securities exceeding 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets,
or except when such purchase is part of a merger, consolidation,
acquisition of assets, or other reorganization approved by the
Fund's stockholders.
9. Purchase portfolio securities from or sell portfolio securities to the
officers, directors, or other "interested persons" (as defined in
the 1940 Act) of the Company, other than unaffiliated
broker-dealers.
10. Purchase commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may
purchase securities of an issuer which invests or deals in
commodities or commodity contracts, and except that the Fund may
enter into futures and options contracts in accordance with the
applicable rules of the CFTC.
11. Purchase or sell futures or purchase related options if, immediately
thereafter, the sum of the amount of "margin" deposits on the Fund's
existing futures positions and premiums paid for related options entered
into for the purpose of seeking to increase total return would exceed 5%
of the market value of the Fund's net assets (this restriction applies to
the International Fund only);
12. Issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow money as
permitted by restriction 4 above. This restriction shall not prohibit
the Fund from engaging in short sales, options, futures and foreign
currency transactions.
13. Purchase or sell real estate; provided that the Fund may invest in readily
marketable securities secured by real estate or interests therein or
issued by companies which invest in real estate or interests therein.
14. Invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets in securities that are
illiquid. (this restriction applies only to the Tax Managed Growth Fund).
OPERATING POLICIES
Each Fund has adopted certain investment restrictions that are not
fundamental policies and may be changed by the Board of Directors without
approval of the Fund's outstanding voting securities. These restrictions
provide that a Fund may not:
1. Invest in interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or
development programs (this restriction does not apply to the Emerging
Markets Fund).
2. Invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets in the securities of
any issuer which has a record of less than three years of continuous
operation (including the operation of any predecessor) (this restriction
does not apply to the Emerging Markets Fund);
3. Participate on a joint or a joint-and-several basis in any trading
account in securities (the aggregation of orders for the sale or
purchase of marketable portfolio securities with other accounts
under the management of the Investment Manager to save brokerage
costs, or to average prices among them, is not deemed to result in
a securities trading account).
4. Purchase or sell futures or purchase related options if, immediately
thereafter, the sum of the amount of "margin" deposits on the
Fund's existing futures positions and premiums paid for related
options entered into for the purpose of seeking to increase total
return would exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's net assets (this
restriction does not apply to the International Fund).
5. Invest more than 15% (10% for the International Fund) of the value of
its net assets in securities that are illiquid.
The Funds are also subject to other restrictions under the 1940 Act;
however, the registration of the Company under the 1940 Act does not involve any
supervision by any federal or other agency of the Company's management or
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investment practices or policies, other than incident to occasional or
periodic compliance examinations conducted by the SEC staff.
EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
The Investment Manager, subject to the overall supervision of the Board of
Directors, makes each Fund's investment decisions and selects the broker or
dealer to be used in each specific transaction using its best judgment to
choose the broker or dealer most capable of providing the services necessary
to obtain the best execution of that transaction. In seeking the best
execution of a transaction, the Investment Manager evaluates a wide range of
criteria, including any or all of the following: the broker's commission
rate, promptness, reliability and quality of executions, trading expertise,
positioning and distribution capabilities, back-office efficiency, ability to
handle difficult trades, knowledge of other buyers and sellers,
confidentiality, capital strength and financial stability, prior performance
in serving the Investment Manager and its clients, and other factors
affecting the overall benefit to be received in the transaction. When
circumstances relating to a proposed transaction indicate to the Investment
Manager that a particular broker is in a position to obtain the best
execution, the order is placed with that broker. This may or may not be a
broker that has provided investment information and research services to the
Investment Manager. Such investment information may include, among other
things: a wide variety of written reports or other data on individual
companies and industries; data and reports on general market or economic
conditions; information concerning pertinent federal and state legislative
and regulatory developments and other developments that could affect the
value of actual or potential investments; information about companies in
which the Investment Manager has invested or may consider investing;
attendance at meetings with corporate management personnel, industry experts,
economists, government personnel, and other financial analysts; comparative
issuer performance and evaluation and technical measurement services;
subscription to publications that provide investment-related information;
accounting and tax law interpretations; availability of economic advice;
quotation equipment and services; execution measurement services;
market-related and survey data concerning the products and services of an
issuer and its competitors or concerning a particular industry that are used
in reports prepared by the Investment Manager to enhance its ability to
analyze an issuer's financial condition and prospects; and other services
provided by recognized experts on investment matters of particular interest
to the Investment Manager. In addition, the foregoing services may include
the use of, or be delivered by, computer systems whose hardware and/or
software components may be provided to the Investment Manager as part of the
services. In any case in which information and other services can be used for
both research and non-research purposes, the Investment Manager makes an
appropriate allocation of those uses and pays directly for that portion of
the services to be used for non-research purposes.
Subject to the requirement of seeking the best execution, the Investment
Manager may, in circumstances in which two or more brokers are in a position
to offer comparable execution, give preference to a broker or dealer that has
provided investment information to the Investment Manager. In so doing, the
Investment Manager may effect securities transactions which cause a Fund to
pay an amount of commission in excess of the amount of commission another
broker would have charged. In electing such broker or dealer, the Investment
Manager will make a good faith determination that the amount of commission is
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage services and research
and investment information received, viewed in terms of either the specific
transaction or the Investment Manager's overall responsibility to the
accounts for which the Investment Manager exercises investment discretion.
The Investment Manager evaluates all commissions paid in order to ensure that
the commissions represent reasonable compensation for the brokerage and
research services provided by such brokers. Such investment information as is
received from brokers or dealers may be used by the Investment Manager in
servicing all of its clients (including the Funds), and a Fund's commissions
may be paid to a broker or dealer who supplied research services not used by
the Fund. However, the Investment Manager expects that each Fund will benefit
overall by such practice because it is receiving the benefit of research
services and the execution of such transactions not otherwise available to it
without the allocation of transactions based on the recognition of such
research services.
Subject to the requirement of seeking the best execution, the Investment
Manager may also place orders with brokerage firms that have sold shares of
the Funds. The Investment Manager has made and will make no commitments
Page 22
<PAGE>
to place orders with any particular broker or group of brokers. The Company
anticipates that a substantial portion of all brokerage commissions will be
paid to brokers who supply investment information to the Investment Manager.
The Funds also invest in foreign and/or U.S. securities that are not
listed on a national securities exchange but are traded in the
over-the-counter market. The Funds may also purchase listed securities
through the third market or fourth market. When transactions are executed in
the over-the-counter market or the third or fourth market, the Investment
Manager will seek to deal with the counterparty that the Investment Manager
believes can provide the best execution, whether or not that counterparty is
the primary market maker for that security.
For the fiscal years ended December 31, 1996, 1997 and 1998, the Funds
paid total brokerage commissions as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fund Name 1996 1997 1998
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Dresdner RCM Large Cap $ 0 $ 8,344 $ 8,963
Growth Fund
Dresdner RCM Global $ 0 $ 19,389 $ 23,322
Small Cap Fund
Dresdner RCM Global $ 11,875 $ 12,641 $ 27,683
Technology Fund
Dresdner RCM Global $ 0 $ 12,833 $ 14,634
Health Care Fund
Dresdner RCM $ 0 $ 0 $ 6,028
Biotechnology Fund
Dresdner RCM International
Growth Equity Fund $333,597 $518,944 $438,519
Dresdner RCM Emerging $ 0 $ 3,913 $ 31,302
Markets Fund
Dresdner RCM Tax $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
Managed Growth Fund
</TABLE>
Of the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Funds during the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, $550,451 (100%) were paid to firms which
provided research, statistical or other services to the Investment Manager.
The Investment Manager has not separately identified a portion of such
commissions as applicable to the provision of such research, statistical or
otherwise.
During fiscal 1998 the Large Cap Growth Fund acquired the securities of
two of its regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940
Act). At December 31, 1998, the Fund's holdings in Travelers Group (parent of
Salomon Smith Barney) and General Electric (parent of GE Capital Corp.) were
valued at $74,250 and $265,362, respectively.
As noted below, the Investment Manager is an indirect wholly owned
subsidiary of Dresdner Bank AG ("Dresdner"). Dresdner Kleinwort Benson North
America LLC ("Dresdner Kleinwort Benson") and other Dresdner subsidiaries may
be broker-dealers (collectively, the "Dresdner Affiliates"). The Investment
Manager believes that it is in the best interests of the Funds to have the
ability to execute brokerage transactions, when appropriate, through the
Page 23
<PAGE>
Dresdner Affiliates. Accordingly, the Investment Manager intends to execute
brokerage transactions on behalf of the Funds through the Dresdner
Affiliates, when appropriate and to the extent consistent with applicable
laws and regulations, including federal banking laws.
In all such cases, the Dresdner Affiliates will act as agent for the
Funds, and the Investment Manager will not enter into any transaction on
behalf of the Funds in which a Dresdner Affiliate is acting as principal for
its own account. In connection with such agency transactions, the Dresdner
Affiliates will receive compensation in the form of brokerage commissions
separate from the Investment Manager's management fee. The Investment
Manager's policy is that such commissions must be reasonable and fair when
compared to the commissions received by other brokers in connection with
comparable transactions involving similar securities and that the commissions
paid to a Dresdner Affiliate must be no higher than the commissions paid to
that broker by any other similar customer of that broker who receives
brokerage and research services that are similar in scope and quality to
those received by the Funds.
The Investment Manager performs investment management and advisory
services for various clients, including other registered investment
companies, and pension, profit-sharing and other employee benefit plans, as
well as individuals. In many cases, portfolio transactions for a Fund may be
executed in an aggregated transaction as part of concurrent authorizations to
purchase or sell the same security for numerous accounts served by the
Investment Manager, some of which accounts may have investment objectives
similar to those of the Fund. The objective of aggregated transactions is to
obtain favorable execution and/or lower brokerage commissions, although there
is no certainty that such objective will be achieved. Although executing
portfolio transactions in an aggregated transaction potentially could be
either advantageous or disadvantageous to any one or more particular
accounts, aggregated transactions in which a Fund participates will be
effected only when the Investment Manager believes that to do so will be in
the best interest of the Fund, and the Investment Manager is not obligated to
aggregate orders into larger transactions. These orders generally will be
averaged as to price. When such aggregated transactions occur, the objective
will be to allocate the executions in a manner which is deemed fair and
equitable to each of the accounts involved over time. In making such
allocation decisions, the Investment Manager will use its business judgment
and will consider, among other things, any or all of the following: each
client's investment objectives, guidelines, and restrictions, the size of
each client's order, the amount of investment funds available in each
client's account, the amount already committed by each client to that or
similar investments, and the structure of each client's portfolio.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The names and addresses of the Directors and officers of the Companies and
their principal occupations and certain other affiliations during the past
five years are given below. Unless otherwise specified, the address of each
of the following persons is Four Embarcadero Center, San Francisco,
California 94111.
DEWITT F. BOWMAN, (68), Chairman and Director. Mr. Bowman is a Principal
of Pension Investment Consulting, with which he has been associated since
February 1994. From February 1989 to January 1994, he was Chief Investment
Officer for California Public Employees Retirement System, a public pension
fund. He serves as a director of RREEF America REIT, Inc. and the Wilshire
Target Funds Inc.; and as a trustee of Brandes Institutional International
Investment Trust, the Pacific Gas and Electric Nuclear Decommissioning Trust,
and the PCG Private Equity Fund.
PAMELA A. FARR, (53), Director. Ms. Farr is a partner in Best & Co. LLC,
a manufacturer and retailer of children's clothing and accessories. From 1991
to 1994, she was President of Banyan Homes, Inc., a real estate development
and construction firm; and for eight years she was a management consultant
for McKinsey & Company, where she served a variety of Fortune 500 companies
in all aspects of strategic management and organizational structure.
GEORGE B. JAMES, (61), Director. Mr. James is a Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of Levi Strauss & Co., with which he has been
associated since 1985. Mr. James serves as a director of Basic Vegetable
Page 24
<PAGE>
Products, California Sun Dry Foods, Clayton Group, Inc., and Crown Vantage,
Inc. Mr. James also serves as a trustee of the Committee for Economic
Development and the California Pacific Medical Center Foundation. Previously,
Mr. James was Chair of the Advisory Committee to the California Public
Employees Retirement System.
GEORGE G.C. PARKER, (60), Director. Mr. Parker is Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs, and Director of the MBA Program and Dean Witter Professor
of Finance at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, with
which he has been associated since 1973. Mr. Parker has served on the Board
of Directors of: the California Casualty Group of Insurance Companies since
1977; BB&K Holdings, Inc., a holding company for financial services
companies, since 1980; H. Warshow & Sons, Inc., a manufacturer of specialty
textiles, since 1982; Zurich Reinsurance Centre, Inc., a large reinsurance
underwriter, since 1994; and Continental Airlines, since 1996. Mr. Parker
served on the Board of Directors of the University National Bank & Trust
Company from 1986 to 1995.
GEORGE A. RIO, (44), President, Treasurer, and Chief Financial Officer.
Mr. Rio is Executive Vice President and Client Service Director of Funds
Distributor, Inc. ("FDI") with which he has been associated since March 1998.
From June 1995 to March 1998, Mr. Rio was Senior Vice President and Senior
Key Account Manager for Putnam Mutual Funds. From May 1994 to June 1995, he
was Director of Business Development for First Data Corporation. From
September 1983 to May 1994, he was Senior Vice President and Manager of
Client Services and Director of Internal Audit at The Boston Company, Inc. He
is also an officer of certain other investment companies distributed or
administered by FDI. His address is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109.
MARGARET W. CHAMBERS, (39), Vice President and Secretary. Ms. Chambers
is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of FDI, with which she has been
associated since March 1998. From August 1996 to March 1998, Ms. Chambers was
Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Loomis, Sayles & Company,
L.P. From January 1986 to July 1996, she was an associate at Ropes & Gray.
She is also an officer of certain other investment companies distributed or
administered by FDI. Her address is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109.
MARY MICHEL, (37), Vice President. Ms. Michel is a Vice President of Fund
Distributor Inc., with which she has been associated since September 1998.
From 1996 to September 1998, Ms. Michel was an Assistant Vice President at
Warburg Pincus Asset Management. From 1993 to 1996 she was a Senior Associate
and Investor Relations Intelligence Executive at the Financial Relations
Board. Prior to 1993, Ms. Michel held various positions with Bear Stearns &
Company, Morgan Stanley Group Inc., and Citibank Focus N.A.
DOUGLAS C. CONROY, (30), Vice President and Assistant Treasurer.
Mr. Conroy is an Assistant Vice President and Assistant Department Manager of
Treasury Services and Administration of FDI, with which he has been
associated since April 1997. Prior to April 1997, Mr. Conroy was Supervisor
of Treasury Services and Administration of FDI. From April 1993 to January
1995, Mr. Conroy was a Senior Fund Accountant for Investors Bank & Trust
Company. From December 1991 to March 1993, Mr. Conroy was a Fund Accountant
at The Boston Company, Inc. He is also an officer of certain other investment
companies distributed or administered by FDI. His address is 60 State Street,
Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
KAREN JACOPPO-WOOD, (32), Vice President and Assistant Secretary.
Ms. Jacoppo-Wood is a Vice President and Counsel of FDI, with which she has
been associated since January 1996. From June 1994 to January 1996, she was a
Manager of SEC Registration for Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc. From 1988 to
May 1994, she was a Senior Paralegal at The Boston Company Advisors, Inc. She
is also an officer of certain other investment companies distributed or
administered by FDI. Her address is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109.
MARY A. NELSON, (35), Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Ms. Nelson
is Vice President of Treasury Administration and Operations for FDI, with
which she has been associated since 1994. From 1989 to 1994, she was an
Assistant Vice President and Client Manager for The Boston Company. She is
also an officer of certain other investment companies distributed or
administered by FDI. Her address is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109.
Page 25
<PAGE>
Regular meetings of each Company's Board of Directors are held on a
quarterly basis. Each Company's Audit Committee, whose present members are
George G.C. Parker and Kenneth E. Scott for the Capital Company and DeWitt F.
Bowman, as sole present member, for the Global Company, meets with its
independent accountants to exchange views and information and to assist the
full Board in fulfilling its responsibilities relating to corporate
accounting and reporting practices. Each Director of the Capital Company
receives a fee of $9,000 per year plus $1,500 per series for each Board
meeting attended and $500 for each Audit Committee meeting attended and each
Director of the Global Company receives a fee of $1,000 per year plus $500
for each Board meeting attended and $250 for each Audit Committee meeting
attended. Each Director is reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred
in connection with attending Board meetings.
The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation earned by
the Directors of each Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998,
for their service on the Boards of Directors and that of all other funds in
the "Company complex" (as defined in Schedule 14A under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Pension or Total Compensation
Retirement from the Company
Aggregate Aggregate Benefits Accrued and Company
Compensation Compensation as Part of Estimate Annual Complex
Director from the Global from the the Companies(1) Benefits Upon Paid to Director
Name Company Capital Company Expenses Retirement (1)
- ---------------------- ----------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------- ------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
DeWitt F. Bowman $14,500 $27,000 $ None N/A $41,500
Pamela A. Farr $13,000 $27,000 $ None N/A $40,000
Frank P. Greene(2) $11,250 $20,250 $ None N/A $31,500
George B.James(3) $ 3,250 $ 6,750 $ None N/A $10,000
George G.C. Parker $13,000 $28,500 $ None N/A $41,500
Kenneth E. Scott N/A $28,500 $ None N/A $28,500
</TABLE>
_____________________
(1) During the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, there were twelve funds
in the complex.
(2) Mr. Greene served as a Director of the Capital and Global Company from
December 1995 through November 1998.
(3) Mr. James was appointed as a Director of the Capital and Global Company
on December 14, 1998.
Each Director of the Capital Company or the Global Company who is not an
"interested person" as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, of the
Investment Manager may elect to defer receipt of all or a portion of his or
her fees for service as a Director in accordance with the terms of a Deferred
Compensation Plan for Non-Interested Directors ("Directors' Plan"). Under
the Directors' Plan, an eligible Director may elect to have his or her
deferred fees deemed invested either in 90-day U.S. Treasury bills or shares
of the Common Stock of the Company of which he or she is a Director, or a
combination of these options, and the amount of deferred fees payable to such
director under the Directors' Plan will be determined by reference to the
return on such deemed investments. Generally, the deferred fees (reflecting
any earnings, gains or losses thereon) become payable upon the Director's
retirement or disability. The obligation to make these payments to the
Directors of a Company pursuant to the Directors' Plan is a general
obligation of such Company. Each Fund may, to the extent permitted by the
1940 Act, invest in 90-day U.S. Treasury bills or the Common Stock of the
Capital Company and/or the Global Company, to match its share of the deferred
compensation obligation under the Directors' Plan. As of December 31, 1998,
no Director or officer of either Company was a beneficial owner of any shares
of the outstanding Common Stock of any series of the Companies.
Page 26
<PAGE>
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
As of March 31, 1999, there were 9,537,774 shares of the International
Fund outstanding, 1,212,880 shares of the Global Technology Fund outstanding,
448,094 shares of the Global Small Cap Fund outstanding, 414,667 shares of
the Global Health Care Fund outstanding, 656,728 shares of the Large Cap
Growth Fund outstanding, 395,123 shares of the Biotechnology Fund
outstanding, 304,552 shares of the Emerging Markets Fund outstanding and
114,231 shares of the Tax Managed Growth Fund outstanding. On that date the
following were known to the Companies to own of record more than 5% of the
Funds' outstanding capital stock:
<TABLE>
Name and Address of % of Shares
Beneficial Owner Shares Held Outstanding
<S> <C> <C>
LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND
Pacific Maritime Association 401,671 61.16%
P.O. Box 7861
San Francisco, California 94120-7861
Congoleum Corp Master Trust 228,770 34.83%
3705 Quakerbridge Road
Mercerville, New Jersey 08619-0127
INTERNATIONAL GROWTH EQUITY FUND
The Pension Plan for Salaried 3,153,449 33.06%
Employees of Travelers Insurance
Company and its Affiliates
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
JM Family Enterprises, Inc. 1,262,277 13.23%
100 NW 12th Avenue
Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
General Mills Inc. 694,312 7.28%
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 1992
Boston, Massachusetts 02105-1992
Santa Clara University 686,342 7.20%
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, California 95050-4345
Wausau-Mosinee Paper Corp. 649,029 6.80%
Master Pension Trust
1244 Kronewetter Drive
Mosinee, Wisconsin 54455-9099
EMERGING MARKETS FUND
Clients of Dresdner Bank AG/ 300,000 98.51%
Investment Management
Institutional Asset Management Division
Jorgen-Ponto-Platz
60301 Frankfurt
Germany
GLOBAL SMALL CAP FUND
Clients of Dresdner Bank AG/ 400,000 89.27%
Investment Management
Institutional Asset Management Division
Jorgen-Ponto-Platz
60301 Frankfurt
Germany
</TABLE>
Page 27
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 24,144 5.39%
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94104
GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 401,694 31.56%
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94104
RCM Capital Management 198,111 15.56%
Profit Sharing Plan
Four Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, California 94111
Walter C. Price 103,995 8.17%
c/o Dresdner RCM Global Investors
Four Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, California 94111
National Financial Services Corp. 158,248 12.43%
200 Liberty Street
One World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1003
GLOBAL HEALTH CARE FUND
Clients of Dresdner Bank AG/ 400,000 96.46%
Investment Management
Institutional Asset Management Division
Jorgen-Ponto-Platz
60301 Frankfurt
Germany
BIOTECHNOLOGY FUND
Clients of Dresdner Bank AG/ 300,000 75.93%
Investment Management
Institutional Asset Management Division
Jorgen-Ponto-Platz
60301 Frankfurt
Germany
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 73,102 18.50%
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94104
TAX MANAGED GROWTH FUND
Clients of Dresdner Bank AG/ 100,000 87.54%
Investment Management
Institutional Asset Management Division
Jorgen-Ponto-Platz
60301 Frankfurt
</TABLE>
Page 28
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
Germany
Petite Auberge Ltd 14,231 12.46%
P.O. Box 3073
Monterey, California 93942-3073
</TABLE>
THE INVESTMENT MANAGER
The Board of Directors of each Company has overall responsibility for
the operation of such Company's Funds. Pursuant to such responsibility, the
Board of Directors has approved various contracts for designated financial
organizations to provide, among other things, day to day management services
required by the Funds. The Company has retained as the Funds' Investment
Manager, Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company with principal offices at Four Embarcadero Center, San Francisco,
California 94111. The Investment Manager is actively engaged in providing
investment supervisory services to institutional and individual clients. The
Investment Manager was established in December of 1998 and is the successor
to the business of its holding company, Dresdner RCM Global Investors US
Holdings LLC. The Investment Manager was originally formed as Rosenberg
Capital Management in 1970, and it and its successors have been consistently
in business since then.
The Investment Manager is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of
Dresdner Bank, an international banking organization with principal executive
offices located at Gallunsanlage 7, 60041 Frankfurt, Germany. With total
consolidated assets as of December 31, 1998, of DM 667 billion ($382
billion), and approximately 1,600 offices and 45,000 employees in over 60
countries around the world, Dresdner is one of Germany's largest banks.
Dresdner provides a full range of banking services including, traditional
lending activities, mortgages, securities, project finance and leasing, to
private customers and financial and institutional clients. In the United
States, Dresdner maintains branches in New York and Chicago and an agency in
Los Angeles. As of the date of this SAI, the nine members of the Board of
Managers of the Investment Manager are William L. Price (Chairman), Gerhard
Eberstadt, George N. Fugelsang, Joachim Madler, Susan C. Gause, Luke D.
Knecht, Jeffrey S. Rudsten, William S. Stack, and Kenneth B. Weeman, Jr.
Banking laws and regulations, including the Glass-Steagall Act as
presently interpreted by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, prohibit certain banking entities, such as Dresdner, from sponsoring,
organizing, controlling or distributing the shares of a registered investment
company continuously engaged in the issuance of its shares, and prohibit
banks generally from underwriting securities. However, banks and their
affiliates generally can act as advisers to investment companies and can
purchase shares of investment companies as agent for and upon the order of
customers. The Investment Manager believes that it may perform the services
contemplated by its investment management agreements with the Company without
violating these banking laws or regulations. However, future changes in legal
requirements relating to the permissible activities of banks and their
affiliates, as well as future interpretations of current requirements, could
prevent the Investment Manager from continuing to perform investment
management services for the Company.
The Investment Manager provides the Funds with investment supervisory
services pursuant to Investment Management Agreements, Powers of Attorney and
Service Agreements (the "Management Agreements") dated as of June 14, 1996 for
the Technology Fund and International Fund, December 27, 1996 for the Global
Small Cap Fund, Health Care Fund and Large Cap Fund, December 30, 1997 for the
Biotechnology Fund and Emerging Markets Fund, and December 30, 1998 for the Tax
Managed Growth Fund. The Investment Manager manages the Funds' investments,
provides various administrative services, and supervises the Funds' daily
business affairs, subject to the
Page 29
<PAGE>
authority of the Boards of Directors. The Investment Manager is also the
investment manager for Dresdner RCM Growth Equity Fund and Dresdner RCM Small
Cap Fund, each a series of Dresdner RCM Capital Funds, Inc.; Dresdner RCM
Global Equity Fund and Dresdner RCM Strategic Income Fund, each a series of
Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc.; Dresdner RCM Europe Fund, a series of
Dresdner RCM Investment Funds Inc.; RCM Strategic Global Government Fund,
Inc. and Bergstrom Capital Corporation, each closed-end management investment
companies. A Fund's Management Agreement may be renewed from year-to-year
after its initial term, provided that any such renewals have been
specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the
Company's Board of Directors, including a majority of the Directors who are
not parties to the Management Agreement or interested persons (as defined in
the 1940 Act) of any such person, cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval, or (ii) the vote of a majority (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and
the vote of a majority of the Directors who are not parties to the contract
or interested persons of any such party.
Each Fund has, under its respective Management Agreement, assumed the
obligation for payment of all of its ordinary operating expenses, including:
(a) brokerage and commission expenses, (b) federal, state, or local taxes
incurred by, or levied on, the Fund, (c) interest charges on borrowings, (d)
charges and expenses of the Fund's custodian, (e) investment advisory fees
(including fees payable to the Investment Manager under the Management
Agreement), (f) fees pursuant to the Fund's Rule 12b-1 plan, (g) legal and
audit fees, (h) SEC and "Blue Sky" registration expenses, and (i)
compensation, if any, paid to officers and employees of the Company who are
not employees of the Investment Manager (see DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS). The
Investment Manager is responsible for all of its own expenses in providing
services to the Funds. Expenses attributable to a Fund are charged against
the assets of the Fund.
For the services rendered by the Investment Manager under each Fund's
Investment Management Agreement, each Fund pays management fees at an
annualized rate of its average daily net assets, as described in the
Prospectus. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996, the
International Fund incurred fees of $878,692, $611,884 and $313,342 and the
Technology Fund incurred fees of $104,008, $61,204 and $30,827. For fiscal
years ended December 31, 1998 and 1997 the Global Small Cap incurred fees of
$52,418 and $45,183, $50,736 and $46,238 for the Global Health Care Fund,
$40,991 and $33,041 for the Large Cap Growth Fund, $31,260 and $165 for the
Biotechnology Fund, $28,446 and $164 for the Emerging Markets Fund and for
only fiscal 1998, $21 for the Tax Managed Growth Fund.
The Investment Manager has agreed to limit each Fund's expenses as
described in the Prospectus. Each Fund has agreed to reimburse the Investment
Manager, for a period of up to five years, for any such payments to the
extent that the Fund's operating expenses are otherwise below this expense
cap. This obligation will not be recorded on the books of a Fund to the
extent that the total operating expenses of the Fund are at or above the
expense cap. However, if the total operating expenses of a Fund fall below
the expense cap, the reimbursement to the Investment Manager will be accrued
by the Fund as a liability.
Each Fund's Management Agreement provides that the Investment Manager
will not be liable for any error of judgment or for any loss suffered by the
Fund in connection with the matters to which the Management Agreement
relates, except for liability resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith
or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the
Investment Manager's reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under
the Management Agreement. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Investment
Manager out of the assets of each Fund, against liabilities, costs and
expenses that the Investment Manager may incur in connection with any action,
suit, investigation or other proceeding arising out of or otherwise based on
any action actually or allegedly taken or omitted to be taken by the
Investment Manager in connection with the performance of its duties or
obligations under the Management Agreement with respect to the Fund or
otherwise as investment manager of the Fund. The Investment Manager is not
entitled to indemnification with respect to any liability to a Fund or its
stockholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence
in the performance of its duties, or of its reckless disregard of its duties
and obligations under the Management Agreement.
Each Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on 60 days'
written notice by a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities
of the Fund which is the subject of the Management Agreement, by a vote of
the majority of the respective Company's Board of Directors, or by the
Investment Manager on 60 days' written notice and will automatically
terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
THE DISTRIBUTOR
Funds Distributor, Inc., 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109 (the "Distributor") serves as Distributor to each Fund.
The Distributor has provided mutual fund distribution services since 1976,
and is a subsidiary
Page 30
<PAGE>
of Boston Institutional Group, Inc., which provides distribution and other
related services with respect to investment products.
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
Pursuant to Distribution Agreements with the Capital Company and the
Global Company, the Distributor has agreed to use its best efforts to effect
sales of shares of the Funds, but is not obligated to sell any specified
number of shares. Each Distribution Agreement contains provisions with
respect to renewal and termination similar to those in each Fund's Management
Agreement discussed above. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreements, the
Companies have agreed to indemnify the Distributor out of the assets of each
Fund to the extent permitted by applicable law against certain liabilities
under the Securities Act of 1933 arising in connection with the Distributor's
activities on behalf of the Companies.
Each Company also has an Agreement with the Investment Manager and the
Distributor pursuant to which the Distributor has agreed to provide:
regulatory, compliance and related technical services to the Company;
services with regard to advertising, marketing and promotional activities;
and officers to the Companies. The Investment Manager is required to
reimburse the Company for any fees and expenses of the Distributor pursuant
to the Agreements.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
The Global Company, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund,
Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund, Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund,
Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund, Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund,
Dresdner RCM Global Technology and Dresdner RCM Tax Managed Growth Fund
Class N shares and the Capital Company, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM
International Growth Equity Fund Class N shares, have adopted distribution and
service plans (the "Plans") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under
the Plans, the Fund pays the Distributor an annual fee of up to 0.25% of the
average daily net assets of its Class N shares as reimbursement for certain
expenses actually incurred by the Distributor in connection with providing
distribution and shareholder support services to such shares. Class I shares
are not subject to 12b-1 fees. The Distributor is reimbursed for: (a)
expenses incurred in connection with advertising and marketing the N Class of
shares of the Fund, including but not limited to any advertising by radio,
television, newspapers, magazines, brochures, sales literature, telemarketing
or direct mail solicitations; (b) periodic payments of fees or commissions
for distribution assistance made to one or more securities brokers, dealers
or other industry professionals such as investment advisers, accountants,
estate planning firms and the Distributor itself in respect of the average
daily value of shares owned by clients of such service organizations, and (c)
expenses incurred in preparing, printing and distributing the Fund's
prospectus and statement of additional information.
Each Plan continues in effect from year to year with respect to each
Fund, provided that each such continuance is approved at least annually by a
vote of the Board of Directors of the respective Company, including a
majority vote of the Directors who are not "interested persons" of the
Company within the meaning of the 1940 Act and have no direct or indirect
financial interest in the Plan or in any agreement related to the Plan, cast
in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such continuance.
The Plan may be terminated with respect to a Fund at any time, without
penalty, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
The Plans may not be amended to increase materially the amounts to be paid by
a Fund for the services described therein without approval by the
shareholders of the Fund, and all material amendments are required to be
approved by the Board of Directors of the respective Company in the manner
described above. Each Plan will automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment.
If in any year Funds Distributor is due more from the Fund for such
services than is immediately payable because of the expense limitation under
the Plans, the unpaid amount is carried forward while the Plans are in effect
until such later year as it may be paid. There is no limit on the periods
during which unreimbursed expenses may be carried forward, although the Funds
are not obligated to repay any outstanding unreimbursed expenses that may
exist if the Plans are terminated or not continued. No interest, carrying,
or finance charge will be imposed on any amounts carried forward.
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<PAGE>
The Distributor may pay broker-dealers and others, out of the fees it
receives under the Plans, quarterly trail commissions of up to 0.25%, on an
annual basis, of the average daily net assets attributable to the N class of
shares of each Fund held in the accounts of their customers.
During fiscal 1998, the Global Small Cap Fund, Global Health Care Fund,
Large Cap Growth Fund and Biotechnology Fund reimbursed the Distributor
$13,111, $12,687, $8,792 and $7,820, respectively, pursuant to their Rule
12b-1 plans. These fees reimbursed the Distributor for expenses incurred in
connection with the Funds' participation in fund supermarket platforms.
Unreimbursed expenses for fiscal 1998 amounted to $101,753, $102,177,
$106,072 and $107,044 representing 1%, 1%, 1% and 2%, respectively, of each
Fund's net assets.
Pursuant to the Plans, the Board of Directors of each Company will
review at least quarterly
a written report of the distribution expenses
incurred on behalf of shares of the N Class of shares of the Funds by the
Distributor. The report will include an itemization of the distribution
expenses and the purposes of such expenditures. In addition, as long as the
Plans remain in effect, the selection and nomination of Directors of each
Company who are not "interested persons" of the Company within the meaning of
the 1940 Act will be committed to the Directors who are not interested
persons of the Company.
THE ADMINISTRATOR
The administrator of the Capital Company and the Global Company (except
for the Emerging Markets Fund) is State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State
Street"), 1776 Heritage Drive, North Quincy, Massachusetts 02109.
Pursuant to an Administration Agreement with each Company, State Street
is responsible for performing various administrative services required for
the daily operation of the Company, subject to the control, supervision and
direction of the Company and the review and comment by the Company's auditors
and legal counsel. State Street has no supervisory responsibility over the
investment operations of the Funds. Administrative services performed by
State Street include, but are not limited to, the following: overseeing the
determination and publication of the Company's net asset value; overseeing
the maintenance by the Company's custodian of certain book and records of the
Company; preparing the Company's federal, state and local income tax returns;
arranging for payment of the Company's expenses; and preparing the financial
information for the Company's semi-annual and annual reports, proxy
statements and other communications.
For its services, State Street receives annual fees pursuant to the
following schedule:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL FEE
Average Assets Expressed in Basis Points: 1/100 of 1%
<S> <C>
First $250 Million/Fund 2.50
Next $250 Million/Fund 1.75
Thereafter 1.00
Minimum/Fund $57,500
</TABLE>
Fees are calculated by multiplying each Average Asset Break Point in the
above schedule by the number of Funds in the Dresdner RCM complex to
determine the breakpoints used in the schedule. Total net assets of all the
Funds will be used to calculate the fee by multiplying the net assets of the
Funds by the basis point fees in the above schedule. The minimum fee will
be calculated by multiplying the minimum fee by the number of Funds in the
complex to arrive at the total minimum fee. The greater of the basis point
fee or the minimum fee will be allocated equally to each Fund in the complex.
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. ("BBH") serves as administrator of the
Emerging Markets Fund.
BBH provides administrative services similar to those provided by State
Street, as described above. For its services, which include fund accounting
services, BBH receives annual fees pursuant to the following schedule:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL FEE
Average Assets Expressed in Basis Points: 1/100 of 1%
<S> <C>
First $100 Million 2.50
Next $400 Million 3.75
Thereafter 2.50
Minimum $70,000
$1,500 per month for first additional class
</TABLE>
Total net assets of the Fund will be used to calculate the fee by
multiplying the net assets of the Fund by the basis point fees in the above
schedule. The greater of the basis point fee or the minimum fee will be
allocated to the Fund.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
State Street acts as the transfer agent, redemption agent and dividend
paying agent for the Funds. State Street also acts as custodian for all the
Funds, except the Emerging Markets Fund. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
("Brown Brothers") acts as custodian for the Emerging Markets Fund. Each
custodian is responsible for the safekeeping of a Fund's assets and the
appointment of any subcustodian banks and clearing agencies.
State Street's principal business address is 1776 Heritage Drive, North
Quincy, Massachusetts 02171. Brown Brothers' principal business address is
40 Water Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PWC") acts as the independent public
accountants for the Funds. The accountant examines financial statements for
the Funds and provides other audit, tax, and related services. PWC's
principal business address is 160 Federal Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
NET ASSET VALUE
For purposes of the computation of the net asset value of each share of
each Fund, equity securities traded on stock exchanges are valued at the last
sale price on the exchange or in the principal over-the-counter market in
which such securities are traded as of the close of regular trading on the
day the securities are being valued, unless the Board of Directors or a duly
constituted committee of the Board determines that such price does not
reflect the fair value of the security. In cases where securities are traded
on more than one exchange, the securities are valued on the exchange
determined by the Investment Manager to be the primary market for the
securities. If there has been no sale on such day, the security will be
valued at the closing bid price on such day. If no bid price is quoted on
such day, then the security will be valued by such method as a duly
constituted committee of the Board of Directors determines in good faith to
reflect its fair value. Readily marketable securities traded only in the
over-the-counter market that are not listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market or a
similar foreign reporting service will be valued at the mean bid price, or
such other comparable sources as the Board of Directors deems appropriate to
reflect their fair value. Other portfolio securities held by the Funds will
be valued at current market value, if current market quotations are readily
available for such securities. To the extent that market quotations are not
readily available such securities will be valued by whatever means a duly
constituted committee of the Board of Directors deems appropriate to reflect
their fair value.
Futures contracts and related options are valued at their last sale or
settlement price as of the close of the exchange on which they are traded or,
if no sales are reported, at the mean between the last reported bid and asked
prices. All other assets of the Funds will be valued in such manner as a duly
constituted committee of the Board of Directors in good faith deems
appropriate to reflect their fair value.
Trading in securities on foreign exchanges and over-the-counter markets
is normally completed at times other than the close of regular trading on the
New York Stock Exchange. In addition, foreign securities and commodities
trading may not take place on all business days in New York, and may occur in
various foreign markets on days which are not business days in New York and
on which net asset value is not calculated. The calculation of net asset
value may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the
prices of portfolio securities used in such calculation. Events affecting the
values of portfolio securities that occur between the time their prices are
determined and the close of the New York Stock Exchange will not be reflected
in the calculation of net asset value unless the Board of Directors
determines that a particular event would materially affect net asset value,
in which case an adjustment will be made.
Assets or liabilities initially expressed in terms of foreign currencies
are translated prior to the next determination of net asset value into U.S.
dollars at the spot exchange rates at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time or at such
other rates as the Investment Manager may determine to be appropriate in
computing net asset value.
Debt obligations with maturities of 60 days or less are valued at
amortized cost. The Companies may use a pricing service approved by the
Board of Directors to value other debt obligations. Prices provided by such a
service represent evaluations of the mean between current bid and asked
market prices, may be determined without exclusive reliance on quoted prices,
and may reflect appropriate factors such as institution-size trading in
similar groups of
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<PAGE>
securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, individual
rating characteristics, indications of value from dealers, and other market
data. Such services may use electronic data processing techniques and/or a
matrix system to determine valuations. The procedures of such services are
reviewed periodically by the officers of the Investment Manager under the
general supervision of the Board of Directors. Short-term investments are
amortized to maturity based on their cost, adjusted for foreign exchange
translation, provided such valuations equal fair market value.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
The price paid for purchase and redemption of shares of the Funds is
based on the net asset value per share, which is normally calculated once
daily at the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 P.M. Eastern time) on
the New York Stock Exchange on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is
open. The New York Stock Exchange is currently closed on weekends and on the
following holidays: New Year's Day,President's Day, Martin Luther King Jr.
Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and
Christmas Day. The offering price is effective for orders received by Boston
Financial Data Services ("BFDS") prior to the time of determination of net
asset value. Dealers are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase
orders to BFDS. Each Company reserves the right in its sole discretion to
suspend the continued offering of one or more of its Funds' shares and to
reject purchase orders in whole or in part when such rejection is in the best
interests of the Fund and its respective shareholders.
REDEMPTION OF SHARES
Payments will be made wholly in cash unless the Board of Directors
believes that economic conditions exist which would make such a practice
detrimental to the best interests of a Fund. Under such circumstances,
payment of the redemption price could be made either in cash or in portfolio
securities taken at their value used in determining the redemption price
(and, to the extent practicable, representing a pro rata portion of each of
the portfolio securities held by the Fund), or partly in cash and partly in
portfolio securities. Payment for shares redeemed also may be made wholly or
partly in the form of a pro rata portion of each of the portfolio securities
held by a Fund at the request of the redeeming stockholder, if the Company
believes that honoring such request is in the best interests of such series.
If payment for shares redeemed were to be made wholly or partly in portfolio
securities, brokerage costs would be incurred by the stockholder in
converting the securities to cash.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX STATUS
Each income dividend and capital gain distribution, if any, declared by
a Fund will be paid in full and fractional shares based on the net asset
value as determined on the ex-dividend date for such distribution, unless the
stockholder or his or her duly authorized agent has elected to receive all
such payments or the dividend or other distribution portion thereof in cash.
Changes in the manner in which dividend and other distribution payments are
paid may be requested by the stockholder or his or her duly authorized agent
at any time through written notice to the appropriate Company and will be
effective as to any subsequent payment if such notice is received by the
Company prior to the record date used for determining the stockholders
entitled to such payment. Any distribution election will remain in effect
until the Company is notified by the stockholder in writing to the contrary.
REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY
Each Fund has qualified and intends to continue to qualify for treatment as
a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Code. Each Fund is
treated as a separate corporation for tax purposes and thus the provisions of
the Code generally applicable to regulated investment companies are applied
separately to the Funds. In
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addition, net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gain over
net short-term capital loss), net investment income, and operating expenses
are determined separately for each Fund. By complying with the applicable
provisions of the Code, a Fund will not be subject to federal income tax with
respect to net investment income and net realized capital gains distributed
to its stockholders.
To qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M,
generally a Fund must: (i) derive at least 90% of its gross income each
taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities
loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or
foreign currencies and certain other income (including gains from certain
options, futures and forward contracts), ("Income Requirement"); and (ii)
diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (a) at
least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets is represented by cash,
cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other regulated
investment companies and other securities, limited, in respect of any one
issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the Fund's total assets and 10%
of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than
25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities of any one
issuer (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities of other
regulated investment companies), or in two or more issuers which the Fund
controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses.
In any taxable year in which a Fund so qualifies and distributes at
least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (consisting of
net investment income, the excess of net short-term capital gains over net
long-term capital losses and net gains from certain foreign currency
transactions) and its net tax-exempt interest income (if any) ("Distribution
Requirement"), it will be taxed only on that portion, if any, of such
investment company taxable income and any net capital gain that it retains.
The Funds expect to so distribute all of such income and gains on an annual
basis and thus will generally avoid any such taxation.
Even if a Fund qualifies as a "regulated investment company," it may be
subject to a federal excise tax unless it meets certain additional
distribution requirements. Under the Code, a nondeductible excise tax of 4%
("Excise Tax") is imposed on the excess of a regulated investment company's
"required distribution" for a calendar year ending within the regulated
investment company's taxable year over the "distributed amount" for that
calendar year. The term "required distribution" means the sum of (i) 98% of
ordinary income (generally net investment income and net gains from certain
foreign currency transactions) for the calendar year, (ii) 98% of capital
gain net income (generally both long-term and short-term capital gain) for
the one-year period ending on October 31 (as though that period were the
regulated investment company's taxable year), and (iii) the sum of any
untaxed, undistributed net investment income and net capital gains of the
regulated investment company for prior periods. The term "distributed amount"
generally means the sum of (i) amounts actually distributed by a Fund from
its current year's ordinary income and capital gain net income and (ii) any
amount on which a Fund pays income tax for the year. The Funds intend to meet
these distribution requirements to avoid Excise Tax liability.
Stockholders who are subject to federal or state income or franchise
taxes will be required to pay taxes on dividend and capital gain
distributions they receive from a Fund whether paid in additional shares of
the Fund or in cash. To the extent that dividends received by a Fund would
qualify for the 70% dividends-received deduction available to corporations,
the Fund must designate in a written notice to stockholders, within 60 days
after the close of the Fund's taxable year, the amount of the Fund's
dividends that would be eligible for this treatment. In order to qualify for
the dividends-received deduction with respect to a dividend paid on Fund
shares, a corporate stockholder must hold the Fund shares for at least 45
days during the 90 day period that begins 45 days before the shares become
ex-dividend with respect to the dividend. Stockholders, such as qualified
employee benefit plans, which are exempt from federal and state taxation
generally would not have to pay income tax on dividend or capital gain
distributions. Prospective tax-exempt investors should consult their own tax
advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds
under federal, state, and local tax laws.
WITHHOLDING
Dividends paid by a Fund to a stockholder who, as to the U.S., is a
nonresident alien individual, nonresident alien fiduciary of a trust or
estate, foreign corporation, or foreign partnership (a "foreign stockholder")
generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax (at a rate of 30% or a
lower treaty rate, if applicable). Withholding will not apply, however,
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<PAGE>
if a dividend paid by a Fund to a foreign stockholder is "effectively
connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, in which case the
reporting and withholding requirements applicable to U.S. citizens or
domestic corporations will apply. Distributions of net capital gain to
foreign stockholders who are neither U.S. resident aliens nor engaged in a
U.S. trade or business generally are not subject to withholding or U.S.
federal income tax.
FOREIGN CURRENCY, OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS
Gains from the sale or other disposition of foreign currencies (except
certain gains therefrom that may be excluded by future regulations), and
gains from options, futures, and forward contracts derived by a Fund with
respect to its business of investing in securities of foreign currencies,
will qualify as permissible income under the Income Requirement.
SECTION 1256 CONTRACTS
Many of the options, futures contracts and forward contracts entered
into by the Funds are "Section 1256 contracts." Any gains or losses realized
on Section 1256 contracts are generally considered 60% long-term and 40%
short-term capital gains or losses, although certain foreign currency gains
and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income in
character. Section 1256 contracts held by a Fund at the end of each taxable
year (and, for purposes of the Excise Tax, on October 31 or such other dates
as prescribed under the Code), other than Section 1256 contracts that are
part of a "mixed straddle" with respect to which a Fund has made an election
not to have the following rules apply, must be "marked-to-market" (that is,
treated as sold for their fair market value) for federal income tax purposes,
with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they
were realized. The 60% portion of gains on Section 1256 contracts that is
treated as long-term capital gain will qualify for the reduced maximum tax
rates on net capital gain -- 20% (10% for taxpayers in the 15% marginal tax
bracket) for gain recognized on capital assets held for more than 12 months.
STRADDLE RULES
Generally, the hedging transactions and other transactions in options,
futures and forward contracts undertaken by the Funds may result in
"straddles" for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may
affect the amount, character and timing of recognition of gains or losses
realized by a Fund. In addition, losses realized by a Fund on positions that
are part of a straddle position may be deferred under the straddle rules,
rather than being taken into account for the taxable year in which these
losses are realized. Because limited regulations implementing the straddle
rules have been promulgated, the tax consequences of hedging transactions and
options, futures and forward contracts to the Funds are not entirely clear.
Hedging transactions may increase the amount of short-term capital gain
realized by a Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to
stockholders. A Fund may make one or more elections available under the Code
which are applicable to straddle positions. If a Fund makes any of the
elections, the amount, character and timing of the recognition of gains or
losses from the affected straddle positions will be determined under rules
that vary according to elections made. The rules applicable under certain
elections operate to accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the
affected straddle positions. Because the application of the straddle rules
may affect the character of gains or losses, defer losses and/or accelerate
the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions, the
amount which must be distributed to stockholders, and which will be taxed to
stockholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased
or decreased substantially as compared to a fund that did not engage in such
hedging transactions.
SECTION 988 GAINS AND LOSSES
Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange
rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues interest or other
receivables, or accrues expenses or other liabilities, denominated in a
foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such receivables or
pays such liabilities, generally are treated as ordinary income or loss.
Similarly, on the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign
currency
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and on the disposition of certain futures contracts, forward contracts and
options, gains or losses attributable to fluctuation in the value of foreign
currency between the date of acquisition of the debt security, contract or
option and the date of disposition thereof are also treated as ordinary gain
or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as "Section 988"
gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of a Fund's investment
company taxable income to be distributed to stockholders as ordinary income.
FOREIGN TAXES
A Fund may be required to pay withholding and other taxes imposed by
foreign countries which would reduce the Fund's investment income, generally
at rates from 10% to 40%. Tax conventions between certain countries and the
United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the
value of a Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of
securities of foreign corporations, the Fund will be eligible to elect to
"pass-through" to the Fund's stockholders the amount of foreign income and
similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, stockholders
generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in
addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of the
foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct
(as an itemized deduction) their pro rata shares of foreign taxes in
computing their taxable income or to use such amount (subject to limitations)
as a foreign tax credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability. No
deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a stockholder who does not
itemize deductions. Each stockholder will be notified within 60 days after
the close of a Fund's taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund
will be "passed-through" for that year.
The foregoing is a general abbreviated summary of present U.S. federal
income tax laws applicable to the Funds, their stockholders and dividend and
capital gain distributions by the Funds. Stockholders are urged to consult
their own tax advisers for more detailed information and for information
regarding any foreign, state, and local tax laws and regulations applicable
to dividends and other distributions received from the Funds.
INVESTMENT RESULTS
Average annual total return ("T") of a Fund is calculated as follows: an
initial hypothetical investment of $1,000 ("P") is divided by the net asset
value of shares of the Fund as of the first day of the period in order to
determine the initial number of shares purchased. Subsequent dividend and
capital gain distributions by a Fund are paid at net asset value on the
payment date determined by the Board of Directors. The sum of the initial
shares purchased and shares acquired through distributions is multiplied by
the net asset value per share of the Fund as of the end of the period ("n")
to determine ending redeemable value ("ERV"). The ending value divided by the
initial investment converted to a percentage equals total return. The formula
thus used, as required by the SEC, is:
P(1+T)n = ERV
The resulting percentage indicates the positive or negative investment
results that an investor would have experienced from reinvested dividend and
capital gain distributions and changes in share price during the period.
This formula reflects the following assumptions: (i) all share sales at
net asset value, without a sales load reduction from the $1,000 initial
investment; (ii) reinvestment of dividends and distributions at net asset
value on the reinvestment date determined by the Board of Directors; and
(iii) complete redemption at the end of any period illustrated. Total return
may be calculated for one year, five years, ten years, and for other periods,
and will typically be updated on a quarterly basis. The average annual
compound rate of return over various periods may also be computed by using
ending values as determined above.
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In addition, in order to more completely represent a Fund's performance
or more accurately compare such performance to other measures of investment
return, a Fund also may include in advertisements and stockholder reports
other total return performance data based on time-weighted, monthly-linked
total returns computed on the percentage change of the month end net asset
value of the Fund after allowing for the effect of any cash additions and
withdrawals recorded during the month. Returns may be quoted for the same or
different periods as those for which average total return is quoted. A Fund's
investment results will vary from time to time depending upon market
conditions, the composition of the Fund's portfolio, and operating expenses,
so that any investment results reported should not be considered
representative of what an investment in the Fund may earn in any future
period. These factors and possible differences in calculation methods should
be considered when comparing a Fund's investment results with those published
for other investment companies, other investment vehicles and unmanaged
indices. Results also should be considered relative to the risks associated
with a Fund's investment objective and policies.
Each of the Funds may from time to time compare its investment results
with data and mutual fund rankings published or prepared by Lipper Analytical
Services, Inc. and Morningstar, Inc., which rank mutual funds by overall
performance, investment objectives, and assets.
In addition, the Funds may from time to time compare their performance
with one or more of the following:
1. THE S&P 500 COMPOSITE INDEX which is a capitalization-weighted index of
500 stocks that attempts to measure performance of the broad domestic
economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks
representing major industries.
2. THE SALOMON BROTHERS EXTENDED EXTENDED MARKET INDEX ("EMI"), which is a
component of the Salomon Brothers Broad Market Index ("BMI") which
includes listed shares of 5,409 companies with a total available
market capitalization of at least the local equivalent of US$100
million on the last business day of May each year. The BMI consists
of two components: the Primary Market Index ("PMI") is the large
capitalization stock component and the EMI is the small capitalization
stock component. The PMI universe is defined as those stock falling
within the top 80% of the cumulative available capital level in each
country. The EMI includes includes the bottom 20% of the cumulative
available capital level in each country.
3. THE RUSSELL MIDCAP INDEX , which is composed of the smallest 800 companies
in the Russell 1000 Index. The Russell 1000 Index is made up of the
1,000 largest companies in the Russell 3000 Index, which is composed
of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization and
represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market.
4. THE LIPPER SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FUND INDEX, which is an equally weighted
index of the 10 largest U.S. science and technology mutual funds.
5. THE RUSSELL MIDCAP HEALTH CARE INDEX, which is composed of all medium and
medium/small health care companies in the Russell 1000 Index. The
Russell 1000 Index measures the performance of the 1,000 largest
companies in the Russell 3000 Index, which represents approximately
90% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000 Index.
6. THE AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDEX, which is an equal-dollar
weighted index that attempts to measure the performance of a cross
section of companies in the biotechnology industry that are primarily
involved in the use of biological processes to develop products or
provide services. This index was developed with a base level of 200
stocks as of October 18, 1991.
7. THE NASDAQ BIOTECHNOLOGY INDEX, which is a capitalization-weighted index
that attempts to measure the performance of all NASDAQ stocks in the
biotechnology sector. This index was developed with a base value of
200 stocks as of November 1, 1993.
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8. THE RUSSELL 2000 INDEX, which is composed of the 2,000 smallest securities
in the Russell 3000 Index, which is composed of the 3,000 largest U.S.
companies based on market capitalization and represents approximately
98% of the investable U.S. equity market.
9. THE MSCI EMERGING MARKETS FREE INDEX, which is a market capitalization-
weighted index composed of 981 companies in 26 emerging market
countries. The average market capitalization size of the listed
companies is US$800 million.
10. THE IFC INDEX OF INVESTABLE EMERGING MARKETS, which represents the IFC
investable regional total return composite. The term "investable"
indicates that the stocks and the weights in the IFCI index represent
the amount that the foreign institutional investors might buy by the
virtue of the foreign institutional restrictions (either at the
national level or by the individual company's corporate statute) plus
factoring in minimum market capitalization and liquidity screens.
11. THE MSCI-EAFE INDEX, which is an arithmetic, market value-weighted
average of the performance of over 900 securities listed on the stock
exchanges of the countries in Europe, Australia, and the Far East.
The index is calculated on a total return basis, which includes
reinvestment of gross dividends before deduction of withholding taxes.
12. THE MSCI-ACWI INDEX, which is a market capitalization-weighted index
composed of companies representative of the market structure of 47
developed and emerging market countries excluding the United States.
Stock selection excludes securities which are not purchasable by
foreigners. The index is calculated on a total return basis, which
includes reinvestment of gross dividends before deduction of
withholding taxes.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Global Company and the Capital Company were incorporated in Maryland
as open-end management investment companies in September 1995 and March 1979,
respectively.
The authorized capital stock of the Capital Company is 1,000,000,000
shares of capital stock (par value $.0001 per share), of which 100,000,000
shares have been designated as shares of the International Fund. The
authorized capital stock of the Global Company is 1,000,000,000 shares of
capital stock (par value $.0001 per share), of which 50,000,000 shares have
been designated as shares of each of the Technology Fund, Global Small Cap
Fund, Health Care Fund, Large Cap Fund, Biotechnology Fund, Emerging Markets
Fund, and Tax Managed Growth Fund. The Board of Directors of each Company
may, in the future, authorize the issuance of other classes of shares of such
Funds, or of other series of capital stock representing shares of additional
investment portfolios or funds.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL SHARES
All shares of each Company have equal voting rights and will be voted in
the aggregate, and not by series, except where voting by series is required
by law or where the matter involved affects only one series. There are no
conversion or preemptive rights in connection with any shares. All shares of
the Funds when duly issued will be fully paid and non-assessable. The rights
of the holders of shares of each Fund may not be modified except by vote of
the majority of the outstanding shares of such Fund. Certificates are not
issued unless requested and are never issued for fractional shares.
Fractional shares are liquidated when an account is closed.
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<PAGE>
Shares of each Company have non-cumulative voting rights, which means
that the holders of more than 50% of all series of a Company's shares voting
for the election of the directors can elect 100% of the directors of the
Company if they wish to do so. In such event, the holders of the remaining
less than 50% of the shares of the Company voting for the election of
directors will not be able to elect any person to the Board of Directors of
the Company.
Neither Company is required to hold a meeting of stockholders in any
year in which the 1940 Act does not require a stockholder vote on a
particular matter, such as election of directors. A Company will hold a
meeting of its stockholders for the purpose of voting on the question of
removal of one or more directors if requested in writing by the holders of at
least 10% of the Company's outstanding voting securities, and will assist in
communicating with its stockholders as required by Section 16(c) of the 1940
Act.
Because the Capital Company and the Global Company are registered
separately under the 1940 Act but are using a combined Prospectus and SAI
there is a possibility that the series of either Company may be liable for
any misstatements, inaccuracies or incomplete disclosures in such documents
concerning the other Company.
Stockholders are entitled to one vote for each full share held and
fractional votes for fractional shares held. Unless otherwise provided by law
or its Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, each Company generally may take
or authorize any extraordinary action upon the favorable vote of the holders
of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company or may take or
authorize any routine action upon approval of a majority of the votes cast.
Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be
submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an
investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been
effectively acted upon unless approved by a majority of the outstanding
voting securities, as defined in the 1940 Act, of the series or class of the
Company affected by the matter. Under Rule 18f-2, a series or class is
presumed to be affected by a matter, unless the interests of each series or
class in the matter are identical or the matter does not affect any interest
of such series or class. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment
advisory agreement or any change in a fundamental investment policy would be
effectively acted upon with respect to a Fund only if approved by a majority
of its outstanding voting securities, as defined in the 1940 Act. However,
the rule also provides that the ratification of independent public
accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts and the
election of directors may be effectively acted upon by the stockholders of
the Company voting without regard to Fund.
Each share of each Class of a Fund represents an equal proportional
interest in the Fund with each other share of the same Class and is entitled
to such dividends and distributions out of the income earned on the assets
allocable to the Class as are declared in the discretion of the Board of
Directors. In the event of the liquidation or dissolution of either Company,
stockholders of a Fund are entitled to receive the assets attributable to the
Fund that are available for distribution, and a distribution of any general
assets not attributable to a particular Fund that are available for
distribution, in such manner and on such general basis as the Board of
Directors may determine.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
COUNSEL
Certain legal matters in connection with the capital shares offered by
the Prospectus have been passed upon for the Fund by Paul, Hastings, Janofsky
& Walker LLP, 555 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California 90071. The
validity of the capital stock offered by the Funds has been passed upon by
Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP, 1800 Mercantile Bank & Trust Building, 2
Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, Maryland 21201. Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker
LLP has acted and will continue to act as counsel to the Investment Manager
in various matters.
Page 39
<PAGE>
LICENSE AGREEMENT
Under License Agreements dated as of December 11, 1997, the Investment
Manager has granted each Company the right to use the "Dresdner RCM" name and
has reserved the right to withdraw its consent to the use of such name by the
Company at any time, or to grant the use of such name to any other company.
In addition, each Company has granted the Investment Manager, under certain
conditions, the right to use any other name it might assume in the future,
with respect to any other investment company sponsored by the Investment
Manager.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Incorporated by reference herein are the financial statements of the
Funds contained in the Funds' Annual Reports to Shareholders for the year
ended December 31, 1998, including the Report of Independent Accountants,
dated February 22, 1999, the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, including
the Portfolio of Investments and the related Statement of Operations,
Statement of Changes in Net Assets, and the Financial Highlights. Copies of
the Funds' Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders will be available,
upon request, by calling (800) 726-7240, or by writing to Four Embarcadero
Center, San Francisco, California 94111.
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
The Funds' Prospectus and this SAI do not contain all of the information
set forth in each Company's registration statement and related forms as filed
with the SEC, certain portions of which are omitted in accordance with rules
and regulations of the SEC. The registration statement and related forms may
be inspected at the Public Reference Room of the SEC at Room 1024, 450 5th
Street, N.W., Judiciary Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20549, and copies thereof may
be obtained from the SEC at prescribed rates. It is also available on the
SEC's Internet Web site at http://www.sec.gov. Statements contained in the
Prospectus or this SAI as to the contents of any contract or other document
referred to herein or in the Prospectus are not necessarily complete, and, in
each instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or other
document filed as an exhibit to each Company's registration statement, each
such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference.
Page 40
<PAGE>
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 23. EXHIBITS.
1. (a) Articles of Incorporation of Registrant are incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 1 of Pre-Effective Amendment
No. 1.
(b) Articles Supplementary to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant with respect to RCM Global Health Care Fund, RCM
Global Small Cap Fund and RCM Large Cap Growth Fund,
(currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund,
Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund and Dresdner RCM Large Cap
Growth Fund, respectively), are incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 1(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2.
(c) Articles Supplementary to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant with respect to Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund
are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(c) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 5.
(d) Articles Supplementary to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant with respect to Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund are
incorporated hereby by reference to Exhibit 1(d) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 6.
(e) Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant with respect to Dresdner RCM Global Technology
Fund, Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund, Dresdner RCM
Global Small Cap Fund and Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund,
are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(e) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 6.
(f) Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant with respect to changing the corporate name of
Dresdner RCM Equity Funds, Inc. to Dresdner RCM Global Funds,
Inc. are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(f) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
(g) Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant, with respect to changing the name of the existing
shares of capital stock of its Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth
Fund, Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund, Dresdner RCM Global
Technology Fund, and Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund are
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(g) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
(h) Articles Supplementary to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant with respect to establishing a new class of capital
stock for its Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund, Dresdner RCM
Global Small Cap Fund, Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund and
Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund
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and establishing three new series of capital stock, Dresdner
RCM Tax Managed Growth Fund, Dresdner RCM Global Equity Fund
and Dresdner RCM Strategic Income Fund are incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 1(h) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 10.
(i) Form of Articles Supplementary to Articles of Incorporation
of Registrant with respect to Dresdner RCM Balanced Fund
are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(i) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 12.
(j) Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of
Registrant with respect to Dresdner RCM Global Health Care
Fund and Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund is filed herein as
Exhibit 1(j).
2. (a) Bylaws of Registrant are incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 2 of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2.
(b) Form of Amendments to Bylaws of Registrant are incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 2(b) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 3.
3. (a) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global Technology
Fund (currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund),
and excerpts from Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, are
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4 of Pre-Effective
Amendment No. 2.
(b) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global Health Care
Fund (currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Health Care
Fund), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(b) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1.
(c) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global Small Cap
Fund (currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund),
is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(c) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1.
(d) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of RCM Large Cap Growth
Fund (currently known as Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund),
is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(d) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1.
(e) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM Emerging
Markets Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
4(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2.
(f) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM
Biotechnology Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 5.
(g) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM Large
Cap Growth Fund Class N shares, is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
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(h) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM Global
Small Fund Class N shares, is incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 4(h) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
(i) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM Global
Technology Fund Class N shares, is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
(j) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM
Emerging Markets Fund Class N shares, is incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 4(j) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 10.
(k) Proof of specimen of certificates for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM Tax
Managed Growth Fund Class N and I shares, are incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 4(k) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10.
(l) Proof of specimen of certificates for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM Global
Equity Fund Class N and I shares, are incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
(m) Proof of specimen of certificates for capital stock ($0.0001
par value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM
Strategic Income Fund Class N and I shares, are incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 4(m) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10.
(n) Proof of specimen of certificate for capital stock ($0.001
per value) of Registrant, on behalf of its Dresdner RCM
Balanced Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 3(n) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 12.
4. (a) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney and Service
Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global
Technology Fund (currently known as Dresdner RCM Global
Technology Fund), and RCM Capital Management, L.L.C.,
(currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC), dated
as of June 14, 1996, is incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 5(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1.
(b) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney and Service
Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global Health
Care Fund (currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Health Care
Fund) and RCM Capital Management, L.L.C., (currently known as
Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC) dated as of December 27,
1996 and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees) dated as of December
30, 1997, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5(b)
of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6.
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(c) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney
and Service Agreement between Registrant, on behalf
of RCM Global Small Cap Growth Fund (currently known
as Dresdner RCM Small Cap Growth Fund), and RCM
Capital Management, L.L.C., (currently known as
Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC) dated as of
December 27, 1996 and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees)
dated as of December 30, 1997, are incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 5(c) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 6.
(d) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney
and Service Agreement between Registrant, on behalf
of RCM Large Cap Growth Fund, (currently known as
Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund) and RCM Capital
Management, L.L.C., (currently known as Dresdner RCM
Global Investors LLC) dated as of December 27, 1996
and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees) dated as of
December 30, 1997, are incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 5(d) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 6.
(e) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney and
Service Agreement and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees)
between Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM Emerging
Markets Fund and RCM Capital Management, L.L.C.
(currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC)
dated as of December 30, 1997, are incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 5(e) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 6.
(f) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney and
Service Agreement and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees)
between Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM
Biotechnology Fund and Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC
dated as of December 30, 1997, are incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 5(f) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 6.
(g) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney and
Service Agreement and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees)
between Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM Tax
Managed Growth Fund and Dresdner RCM Global Investors
LLC dated as of December 30, 1998, are incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 5(g) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10.
(h) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney and
Service Agreement and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees)
between Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM Global
Equity Fund and Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC dated
as of December 30, 1998, are incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 5(h) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 10.
(i) Investment Management Agreement, Power of Attorney and
Service Agreement and Appendix A (Schedule of Fees)
between Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM Strategic
Income Fund and Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC dated
as of December 30, 1998, are incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 5(i) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 10.
(j) Form of Investment Management Agreement, Power of
Attorney and Service Agreement and Appendix A
(Schedule of Fees) between Registrant, on behalf of
its Dresdner RCM Balanced Fund and Dresdner RCM Global
Investors dated as of ________________ is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 4(j) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 12.
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5. (a) Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Funds
Distributor Inc., dated June 13, 1996 is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 6(b) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 1.
(b) Service Agreement among RCM Capital Management, a
California Limited Partnership, (currently known as
Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC), RCM Equity Funds,
Inc., RCM Capital Funds, Inc. (currently known as
Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc. and Dresdner RCM Capital
Funds, Inc., respectively) and Funds Distributor, Inc.
("FDI"), dated June 13, 1996, is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 6(a) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 1.
(c) Fee Letter Agreement between Registrant, RCM Capital
Management, a California Limited Partnership, (currently
known as Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC), RCM Equity
Funds, Inc., RCM Capital Funds, Inc. (currently known as
Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc. and Dresdner RCM Capital
Funds, Inc., respectively) and Funds Distributor Inc.,
dated June 13, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 6(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1.
(d) Form of Selling Agreement is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 6(d) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 1.
6. None
7. (a) Custodian Contract and remuneration schedule between
Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global Technology Fund
(currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund)
and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 8(a) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 5.
(b) Form of Amendment to Custodian Contract between
Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global Health Care Fund
(currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Health Care
Fund), and State Street Bank and Trust Company is
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(b) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1.
(c) Form of Amendment to Custodian Contract between
Registrant, on behalf of RCM Global Small Cap Fund
(currently known as Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund),
and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 8(c) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 11.
(d) Form of Amendment to Custodian Contract between
Registrant, on behalf of RCM Large Cap Growth Fund
(currently known as Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund),
and State Street Bank and Trust Company is
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incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(d) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1.
(e) Custodian Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of
Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund, and Brown Brothers
Harriman & Co. is incorporated herein as Exhibit 8(e) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 6.
(f) Amendment to Custodian Agreement between Registrant on
behalf of Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund and Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 8(f) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 8.
(g) Form of Amendment to Custodian Contract between
Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM Biotechnology
Fund, and State Street Bank and Trust Company is
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(g) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 5.
(h) Form of Amendment to Custodian Contract between
Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner RCM Tax Managed Growth
Fund, Dresdner RCM Global Equity Fund, and Dresdner RCM
Strategic Income Fund is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 8(h) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 8.
8. (a) License Agreement between Dresdner RCM Global Investors
LLC and Registrant relating to the use by Registrant of
the mark "Dresdner RCM", is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 9(a) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 6.
(b) Form of Transfer Agency Agreement between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 9(b) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10.
(c) Form of Administration Agreement between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 8(c) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 1.
9. (a) Opinion and consent of Venable, Baetjer and Howard LLP
in connection with the establishment of the Dresdner RCM
Tax Managed Growth Fund, Dresdner RCM Strategic Income
Fund and Dresdner RCM Strategic Income Fund, is
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10(b) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
(b) Opinion and consent of Venable, Baetjer and Howard LLP
in connection with the issuance of Class N shares of the
Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund, Dresdner RCM Global
Small Cap Fund, Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund and
Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund, is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10(c) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10.
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10. (a) Power of Attorney for DeWitt F. Bowman, Pamela A. Farr
and George G.C. Parker is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 19 of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 8.
(b) Power of Attorney for George B. James is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 19(b) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10.
(c) Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is filed herein
as Exhibit 10(c).
11. None
12. None
13. (a) Form of Rule 12b-1 Plan of Registrant, on behalf of
Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund is incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 15(a) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 9.
(b) Form of 12b-1 Plan of Registrant, on behalf of Dresdner
RCM Biotechnology Fund is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 15(b) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 6.
(d) Rule 12b-1 Plan of Registrant, on behalf of the Class N
shares of the series listed on Appendix A (dated
December 14, 1998) is incorporated herein by reference
to Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
14. Financial Data Schedules for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1998 are filed herein as Exhibit 14.
15. Multiple Class of Shares Plan of Registrant, on behalf of the
series listed on Appendix A (dated December 14, 1998) pursuant
to Rule 18f-3, is incorporated herein by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 10.
ITEM 24. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT.
None
ITEM 25. INDEMNIFICATION.
Section 2-418 of the General Corporation Law of Maryland empowers a
corporation to indemnify directors and officers of the corporation under various
circumstances as provided in such statute. A director or officer who has been
successful on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding, must be
indemnified against reasonable expenses incurred by such person in connection
with the proceeding. Reasonable expenses may be paid or reimbursed by the
corporation in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding, after a
determination that the facts then known to those making the determination would
not preclude indemnification under the statute, and following receipt by the
corporation of a written affirmation by the person that his or her standard of
conduct necessary for indemnification has been met
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and upon delivery of a written undertaking by or on behalf of the person to
repay the amount advanced if it is ultimately determined that the standard of
conduct has not been met.
Article VI of the Bylaws of Registrant contains indemnification provisions
conforming to the above statute and to the provisions of Section 17 of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
The Registrant and the directors and officers of Registrant obtained
coverage under an Errors and Omissions insurance policy. The terms and
conditions of the policy coverage conforms generally to the standard coverage
available throughout the investment company industry. The coverage also applies
to Registrant's investment manager and its members and employees.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
Registrant pursuant to the provisions of Maryland law and Registrant's Articles
of Incorporation and Bylaws, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in
the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in said Act, and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid
by a director, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered,
Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
ITEM 26. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER
Registrant's investment manager, Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC, is a
Delaware limited liability company, whose two members are Dresdner Bank AG
("Dresdner") and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson North America, Inc. ("Dresdner
Kleinwort Benson"). Dresdner is an international banking organization whose
principal executive offices are located at Gallunsanlage 7, 60041 Frankfurt am
Main, Frankfurt, Germany. Dresdner Kleinwort Benson is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Dresdner whose principal executive offices are located at 75 Wall Street, New
York, New York 10005.
The individuals who sit on the Board of Managers of Dresdner RCM have held
the following director or officer positions within the past two fiscal years:
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME OF THE OFFICER OR BUSINESS AFFILIATIONS ADDRESS
MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
MANAGERS
<S> <C> <C>
Gerhard Eberstadt Dresdner Bank AG Jurgen-Ponto-Platz 1
(May 1998 - present) D-60301
Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Chairman, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson 75 Wall Street
North America, Inc. (September 1996 - New York, NY 10005
present)
Director, KBIMA (December 1997 - 75 Wall Street
present) New York, NY 10005
George N. Fugelsang President, Chief Executive Officer, 75 Wall Street
Chairman, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson New York NY 10005
North America LLC (February 1994 -
present)
Director, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson 75 Wall Street
North America Services LLC (September New York, NY 10005
1996 - present); Director, KBIMA
(December 1997 - present)
Director, KBIMA (December 1997 - 75 Wall Street
present) New York, NY 10005
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME OF THE OFFICER OR BUSINESS AFFILIATIONS ADDRESS
MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
MANAGERS
<S> <C> <C>
Susan C. Gause Dresdner RCM (July 1994 - present) Four Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Four Embarcadero Center
Managing Director, and Member of the San Francisco, CA 94111
Board of Managers (July 1998-present)
Luke D. Knecht Managing Director (July 1998-present), Four Embarcadero Center
Member of the Board of Managers, San Francisco, CA 94111
Dresdner RCM (November 1997 - present)
Joachim Madler Director, Dresdner Bank AG (September Mainzer Lanstrass 15-17
1997 - present) 60301 Frankfurt
Germany
Director, KBIMA (December 1997 - 75 Wall Street
present); New York, NY 10005
Director, Dresdner (South East Asia) Singapore
(October 1997 - present)
Managing Director, Dresdner Farberstrasse 6,
Bank (Schweiz) AG Zurich, Switzerland
(November 1997 - present)
Chairman, DFV Deutsche Fonds Mainzer Lanstrasse 11-13
und Vorsorgeberatungs (July 60301 Frankfurt
1996 - June 1997) Germany
Deutscher Investment-Trust Mainzer Lanstrasse 11-13
(June 1996 - June 1997) 60301 Frankfurt
Germany
Managing Director, GKS Windmuhlweg 12
Gesellschaft fur Kontenservice 95030 Hof
GmbH (June 1994 - June 1997) Germany
William L. Price Chief Executive Officer and Global Four Embarcadero Center
Chief Investment Officer, Dresdner RCM San Francisco, CA 94111
(July 1998 - present)
Chairman and Member of the Board of Four Embarcadero Center
Managers, Senior Managing Director, San Francisco, CA 94111
Dresdner RCM (December 1997
- present)
Director, KBIMA (December 75 Wall Street
1997 - present) New York, NY 10005
Director, Dresdner RCM (UK) 10 Fenchurch Street
(January 1998 - present) London, UK EC3M3LB
Jeffrey S. Rudsten Senior Managing Director Four Embarcadero Center
(July 1998 - present); San Francisco, CA 94111
Member of the Board of
Managers, Dresdner RCM
(June 1978 - present)
Director, KBIMA 75 Wall Street
(December 1997 - present) New York, NY 10005
William S. Stack Senior Managing Director, Four Embarcadero Center
Global Equity Chief Investment San Francisco, CA 94111
Officer (July 1998 - present);
Member of the Board of
Managers, Dresdner RCM
(August 1994 - present)
Director, KBIMA 75 Wall Street
(December 1997 - present) New York, NY 10005
Director, Dresdner RCM (UK) 10 Fenchurch Street
(January 1998 - present) London, UK EC3M3LB
Kenneth B. Weeman, Jr. Dresdner RCM Four Embarcadero Center
(October 1979 - present) San Francisco, CA 94111
</TABLE>
C-10
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME OF THE OFFICER OR BUSINESS AFFILIATIONS ADDRESS
MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
MANAGERS
<S> <C> <C>
Vice Chairman, Senior Managing Four Embarcadero Center
Director (July 1998 - present) San Francisco, CA 94111
Director, KBIMA (December 75 Wall Street
1997 - present) New York, NY 10005
Director, Dresdner RCM (UK) (January 10 Fenchurch Street
1998 - present) London, UK EC3M3LB
</TABLE>
ITEM 27. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS.
(a) Funds Distributor, Inc. ("FDI"), whose principal offices are located
at 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston Massachusetts 02109, is the
principal underwriter of Registrant. FDI is an indirect, wholly
owned subsidiary of Boston Institutional Group, Inc., a holding
company, all of whose outstanding shares are owned by key employees.
FDI is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, and is a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. FDI also serves as principal underwriter of
the following investment companies:
American Century California Tax-Free and Municipal Funds
American Century Capital Portfolios, Inc.
American Century Government Income Trust
American Century International Bond Funds
American Century Investment Trust
American Century Municipal Trust
American Century Mutual Funds, Inc.
American Century Premium Reserves, Inc.
American Century Quantitative Equity Funds
American Century Strategic Asset Allocations, Inc.
American Century Target Maturities Trust
American Century Variable Portfolios, Inc.
American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.
The Brinson Funds
Dresdner RCM Capital Funds, Inc.
C-11
<PAGE>
Dresdner RCM Investment Funds Inc.
Founders Funds, Inc.
Harris Insight Funds Trust
HT Insight Funds, Inc. d/b/a Harris Insight Funds
J.P. Morgan Institutional Funds
J.P. Morgan Funds
JPM Series Trust
JPM Series Trust II
LaSalle Partners Funds, Inc.
Kobrick-Cendant Investment Trust
Merrimac Series
Monetta Fund, Inc.
Monetta Trust
The Montgomery Funds I
The Montgomery Funds II
The Munder Framlington Funds Trust
The Munder Funds Trust
The Munder Funds, Inc.
National Investors Cash Management Fund, Inc.
Orbitex Group of Funds
SG Cowen Funds, Inc.
SG Cowen Income + Growth Fund, Inc.
SG Cowen Standby Reserve Fund, Inc.
SG Cowen Standby Tax-Exempt Reserve Fund, Inc.
SG Cowen Series Funds, Inc.
St. Clair Funds, Inc.
The Skyline Funds
Waterhouse Investors Family of Funds, Inc.
WEBS Index Fund, Inc.
FDI does not act as a depositor or investment adviser of any
investment company.
C-12
<PAGE>
(b) The directors and executive officers of FDI are set forth below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITIONS AND OFFICES WITH FUNDS POSITIONS AND OFFICES WITH
BUSINESS ADDRESS DISTRIBUTOR, INC. REGISTRANT
- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Marie E. Connolly Director, President and Chief None
Executive Officer
George A. Rio Executive Vice President President, Treasurer and Chief
Financial Officer
Donald R. Roberson Executive Vice President None
William S. Nichols Executive Vice President None
Michael S. Petrucelli Senior Vice President None
Margaret W. Chambers Senior Vice President, General Vice President and Secretary
Counsel and Chief
Compliance Officer
Joseph F. Tower III Director, Senior Vice None
President, Treasurer and Chief
Financial Officer
Paula R. David Senior Vice President None
Gary S. MacDonald Senior Vice President None
Judith K. Benson Senior Vice President None
Bernard A. Whalen Senior Vice President None
William J. Nutt Chairman and Director None
</TABLE>
(c) Not Applicable.
ITEM 28. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.
Accounts, books and other records required by Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, are maintained and held in the
offices of Registrant's investment manager, Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC,
Four Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, California 94111; and/or Registrant's
distributor, Funds Distributor, Inc., 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109.
Records covering portfolio transactions are also maintained and kept by
Registrant's custodian and transfer agent, State Street Bank and Trust Company,
U.S. Mutual
C-13
<PAGE>
Funds Services Division, P.O. Box 1713, Boston, Massachusetts 02105 and Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co., 40 Water Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, with
respect to Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund.
ITEM 29. MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
None
ITEM 30. UNDERTAKINGS.
Registrant undertakes to furnish each person to whom a prospectus is
delivered with a copy of Registrant's latest annual report to shareholders,
upon request and without charge.
C-14
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc. has duly caused
this Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registration Statement pursuant to
Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registration Statement to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of
Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on May 3, 1999.
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
By: /s/ GEORGE A RIO
-----------------------------------------
President, Treasurer and
Chief Financial Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registration Statement has been signed
below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE
(1) Principal Executive Officer President May 3, 1999
/s/ GEORGE A. RIO
-----------------
George A. Rio
(2) Chief Financial and Accounting Treasurer May 3, 1999
Officer
/s/ GEORGE A. RIO
-----------------
George A. Rio
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE
(3) Directors
/s/ DEWITT F. BOWMAN* May 3, 1999
---------------------
DeWitt F. Bowman
/s/ PAMELA A. FARR* May 3, 1999
---------------------
Pamela A. Farr
/s/ GEORGE B. JAMES ** May 3, 1999
----------------------
George B. James
/s/ GEORGE G.C. PARKER * May 3, 1999
------------------------
George G.C. Parker
By: /s/ GEORGE A. RIO* May 3, 1999
------------------------
George A. Rio
as Attorney-in-Fact
* By George A. Rio, pursuant to Power of Attorney dated October 30, 1998.
** By George A. Rio, pursuant to Power of Attorney dated December 31, 1998.
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
FORM N1-A EDGAR
EXHIBIT NO. EXHIBIT NO.
1(j) Articles of Amendment 99.23(i)(j)
10(c) Consent of Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP 99.23(10)(c)
14 Financial Data Schedules 99.23(14)
Page 1
<PAGE>
Exhibit 99.23(i)(j)
DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
TO
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc., a Maryland corporation, having its principal
office in the State of Maryland in Baltimore City (hereinafter called the
"Corporation"), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and
Taxation of Maryland that:
FIRST: The Charter of the Corporation is amended by:
(a) Amending the names of the existing classes of capital stock
currently designated as "Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund" and
"Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund" to the following, respectively;
Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund Class N
Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund Class N
SECOND: The Corporation is registered as an open-end investment company
under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
THIRD: The amendments to the Charter of the Corporation as set forth
above have been approved by at least a majority of the entire Board of Directors
of the Corporation and are limited to changes expressly permitted by Section
2-605 of Subtitle 6 of Title 2 of the Maryland General Corporation Law to be
made without action by the stockholders of the Corporation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc. has caused these
Articles of Amendment to be executed by its President and witnessed by its
Assistant Secretary on this 29th day of April, 1999. The President of the
Corporation who signed these Articles of Amendment acknowledges them to be
the act of the Corporation and states under penalties of perjury that, to the
best of his knowledge, information and belief, the matters and facts set
forth herein relating to authorization and approval hereof are true in all
materials respects.
WITNESS: DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC.
By: /s/Karen Jacoppo-Wood By: /s/ George A. Rio
- ------------------------- ---------------------
Karen Jacoppo-Wood George A. Rio
Assistant Secretary President
<PAGE>
Exhibit 99.23(10)(c)
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
To the Board of Directors of Dresdner RCM Global Funds, Inc.:
RE: Dresdner RCM Large Cap Growth Fund
Dresdner RCM Emerging Markets Fund
Dresdner RCM Global Small Cap Fund
Dresdner RCM Global Technology Fund
Dresdner RCM Global Health Care Fund
Dresdner RCM Biotechnology Fund
Dresdner RCM Tax Managed Growth Fund
We consent to the incorporation by reference in Post-Effective Amendment No. 13
(filing number 811-9100) to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our
report dated February 22, 1999, on our audits of the financial statements and
financial highlights of the above referenced funds, which report is included in
the Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 1998, which is
incorporated by reference in the Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration
Statement. We also consent to the references to our Firm under the captions
"Financial Highlights" in the Prospectus and "Other Service Providers" in the
Statement of Additional Information.
Boston, Massachusetts /s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
May 3, 1999
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001001640
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 10,422,619
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 15,747,132
<RECEIVABLES> 2,906,858
<ASSETS-OTHER> 30,165
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 18,684,155
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 59,364
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 66,624
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 125,988
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 12,202,712
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 867,303
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 507,618
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 1,030,946
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 5,324,509
<NET-ASSETS> 18,558,167
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 42,710
<INTEREST-INCOME> 36,488
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (182,015)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (102,817)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1,689,193
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 4,071,745
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 5,658,121
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (463,770)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 473,535
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (134,649)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 20,799
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 11,607,883
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (91,660)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (104,008)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (259,491)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 10,400,834
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 13.69
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.16)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 8.44
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.57)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 21.40
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.75
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001001640
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 2
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,973,694
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 7,045,238
<RECEIVABLES> 145,562
<ASSETS-OTHER> 802,207
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 7,993,007
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 14,990
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 42,815
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 57,805
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5,466,482
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 491,614
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 401,160
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 397,176
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 2,071,544
<NET-ASSETS> 7,935,202
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 49,266
<INTEREST-INCOME> 0
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (55,630)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (6,364)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1,043,967
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1,180,703
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2,218,306
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (4,049)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (757,103)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 403,182
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (313,306)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 578
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2,909,968
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 3,472
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 115,108
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (40,991)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (178,077)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 5,855,823
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.53
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.02)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 5.51
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.01)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (1.87)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 16.14
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.95
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001001640
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL SMALL CAP FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,354,764
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 5,078,468
<RECEIVABLES> 466,667
<ASSETS-OTHER> 138,354
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,683,489
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 159,733
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 44,562
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 204,295
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4,605,688
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 443,085
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 401,694
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (1,356)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 152,000
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 722,862
<NET-ASSETS> 5,479,194
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 37,705
<INTEREST-INCOME> 84
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (91,732)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (53,943)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 556,990
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 297,558
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 800,605
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (361,941)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 58,016
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (19,341)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 2,716
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 1,023,612
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 8,059
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (52,418)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (202,147)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 5,241,833
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.09
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.13)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 2.23
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.82)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.37
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.75
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001001640
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 4
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL HEALTHCARE FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4533224
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 5486868
<RECEIVABLES> 28861
<ASSETS-OTHER> 13999
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 5529128
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<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 42123
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 42123
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4113840
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 409006
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 400837
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 419521
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 953644
<NET-ASSETS> 5487005
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 40852
<INTEREST-INCOME> 0
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (76104)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (35252)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 854178
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 366002
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 1184928
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (473111)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 9538
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (2076)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 707
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 816069
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 72209
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (50736)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (185192)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 5073588
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.65
<PER-SHARE-NII> (.09)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 3.02
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (1.16)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 13.42
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.50
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001001640
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 6
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM EMERGING MARKETS FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 2,220,657
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 2,390,654
<RECEIVABLES> 52,478
<ASSETS-OTHER> 417,021
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,860,153
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 63,284
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 62,702
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 125,986
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,016,505
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 301,654
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 300,000
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (1,285)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (450,977)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 169,924
<NET-ASSETS> 2,734,167
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 43,038
<INTEREST-INCOME> 34,763
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (42,799)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 35,002
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (462,955)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 173,885
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (254,068)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (24,028)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2,068
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (417)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 3
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (261,587)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (372)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (28,446)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (235,926)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,844,576
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.99
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.12
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.97)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.08)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.06
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.50
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001001640
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM GLOBAL FUNDS, INC
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 6
<NAME> DRESDNER RCM BIOTECHNOLOGY FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 3,499,133
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 3,907,837
<RECEIVABLES> 177,097
<ASSETS-OTHER> 46,917
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,131,851
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